"Is this the safest location to be, Master?" Lancer took his eyes off the city, glancing at his Master who was sitting next to him on the ledge of the rooftop of the hotel.

"Probably not, but it's a great vantage point, and we can lure in other Masters." Clad in a dark helmet, armored vest, and personal protection in several other vital areas, John was busy flipping through several of his documents that he had been reading earlier, finishing up his debriefing. "Besides, I could use the fresh air after practically frying the inside of my room. And if someone does take the bait, chances are this is one of the best places to avoid collateral damage, short of a literal deserted desert. Any attacks or Noble Phantasm that miss will hopefully reach the city outskirts or fly harmlessly into the sky instead of hitting other humans."

"Hm. I suppose this position makes it easy for us to detect enemies from a distance as well." Lancer turned back to look at the city, his eyes scanning for movements of possible enemy servants. "Still, to think that humanity had advanced to this point in time since my era. The Grail gave me an idea, but to see this is truly astonishing. Even the great capital of Chang'An pales in comparison to the towering structures you call skyscrapers. An apt description; these buildings that pierce the heavens themselves."

"Yeah, humans have gotten pretty far in the almost two thousand years since you lived. We've created medicines that saved billions, invented materials that can survive the most extreme conditions, and the power to light cities visible from space."

"Then, have you finally put an end to conflict?"

John looked at the rifle that was propped up next to him. It was a newly developed model, a possible replacement for one of the U.S. military's main firearms, "No, I guess not."

"Is that so? I suppose some things never change." Lancer's face fell for a moment, before continuing. "Incidentally, my Lord, I believe we should discuss how you'll be fighting in this war. Based on what I gather, you aren't an extremely talented mage."

"You got that right. I'm just a poor schmuck with the bare minimum of magical circuits that can be considered enough to serve as an anchor for a Servant. Honestly, I'm really thankful that you can fight at almost max capacity without needing to use too much mana."

"Of course. I am not a mana guzzling servant like some of those other monsters in the Throne. My Noble Phantasm is a different story though. I estimate I can use it maybe three times before I risk dematerialization."

"I'll be sure to use them wisely then. But about how I'll be fighting. Let's just say I'll use a bit of that advancement we humans have made in the millenia since you lived." John patted the rifle beside him, "Just imagine this as a better version of the repeating crossbow."

"Understood. To think that someone other than Zhuge Liang could improve upon that design so much is fascinating."

"Well, the mechanism is slightly different."

"Very well. Then I will entrust the strategy to you."

John returned his attention back to the documents as he flipped to the next page, studying its contents. So, the previous victor of the war was one Rin Tohsaka. Wait, THE Rin? Huh, makes sense. I heard she was involved with a similar ritual, but given her caliber as a mage, I can't think of a better candidate. Damn, I should have asked her for advice before heading here.

Hold up, wouldn't she have been seventeen if this date is correct? John did a double take on the report, trying to understand. Kind of young to go to war, but I guess that's the mage of the century for you. If I remember correctly though, she was pretty close with her bodyguard. Not that I can understand why she would need one. Still, what kind of magical ritual uses highschool students?

"Master, someone appears to be approaching us from the eastern rooftop."

Upon hearing Lancer's warning, a switch flipped in John's mind. In an instant, John reached for his rifle, letting the documents fall from his lap as he scanned the mentioned rooftop. His heart rate quickened and his pupils dilated as adrenaline began to pour through his blood. The click of his safety seemed to slow the air around him as he locked on onto a figure that was standing motionless on another ledge about fifty meters away. ...Is that a Servant or Master? Likely a female.

"Lancer, can you make out who that is?" Taking his eyes off the target momentarily, John double checked a magazine with a white strip painted across it tucked into his right hip, before looking through his scope again.

"Hm, it's a female, but she doesn't seem to be carrying any weapons. The aura she is giving off however is unmistakably like that of a Caster servant."

"Yeah, I would be inclined to agree with you, but I can't see her stats. Can she have some sort of skill to conceal it?"

"Perhaps."

Without warning, she stepped forward, straight over the void of the side of the roof. Before she had time to fall, an unseen force propelled her over the chasm, shooting her towards the rooftop of the hotel. Landing a dozen meters from John to his left, she stood, looking directly at him.

John never stopped tracking her with his gun, as his finger inched towards the trigger. Clearly she had at least some supernatural powers, and was no simple bystander. Through his scope he could now clearly see the face of a young woman, perhaps around his age. Her long blonde hair flowed to her shoulders, while she wore a strangely traditional European garment, not unlike those he would see the bombastic Luviagelita Edelfeltt parading around in. Most strikingly, however, her eyes sparkled with power even in the dark night. Before he could speak, her voice rang out in the silent night.

"Is this the level of mages participating in the ritual? Pathetic, to think magecraft would stoop to such levels." The words were like ice bells ringing, both calm and cold. Her piercing glare seemed to bore right through John, as though she were looking into the origin of his soul.

Steadying his nerves as he looked through his scope back at the eyes, John noted how he almost felt cut off from the outside world now. "I see someone has erected a bounded field. Who are you?" Given the type of bounded field, it was likely that mages or individuals who were aware of the situation would still be able to see them.

"That is none of your concern." With that declaration, she raised her hand, the air above her warped and twisted as her magecraft bent the laws of the world to her will. In a flash, she conjured a fireball that warmed John's arms even from a distance. The turbulent plasma seemed to scorch the air itself as John slowly squeezed the trigger.

Obe was walking back to the dorms, when he felt something shining overhead. Looking up, he saw a sight he struggled to comprehend. The sun was shining in the middle of the night. It's 12:30, that's impossible. But what is that? Adjusting his eyes, he realized that the supposed sun was much smaller and closer on a nearby rooftop. Is that the Noble Phantasm of a servant? But who would use such a brazen attack, in the middle of the city no less? Obe struggled to understand the situation, as Assassin rematerialized next to him. "Hey, now's my chance to do some of that observing."

"Do you think you can get close without risking detection?"

"Yeah, if they're already engaged in combat, I should be able to observe without being caught. Though, that's only if I go by myself. My Presence Concealment is limited to myself."

"Then do it. If either of the combatants seem worthy, aid them."

"Ah yes, the negotiator. Currying favor with future allies is never a bad idea. I'll keep you updated with our telepathic link." Cracking a grin, Assassin leapt onto the ledge of a nearby building, before scurrying up the side digging into its many niches and ledges. Flying up the side of the wall, he looked almost like a spider in the dark as his limbs flew into a blur..

Sending his own salamander familiar for a visual feed after his servant, Obe looked around, considering a possible vantage point with which to view conflict from. Heading into a nearby apartment complex, he encountered a doorman near the elevator, who looked at him before opening his mouth, "Sir, I don't believe you're allowed to be here. Only residents may enter."

Without flinching, Obe touched his temple, as his eyes glowed blue. Mana suddenly flooded his mystic eyes as he looked at the operator. "Oh, sorry, I'm new here. I've been dying to check out the view from up high. Would you mind taking me to the rooftop?"

Normally, the operator would have refused outright, before calling the police if this man continued to insist. He had been working here for a decade, and he recognized everyone in the apartment. There had been no new residents in the past year. But looking into his eyes that seemed to be glowing, he felt everything would be alright. Perhaps he had missed one of the residents all this time. Afterall, if he was new that would make sense. "Understood sir, right this way."

"Thank you."

Entering the elevator, Obe stood quietly as the operator entered, inserting his own keycard before pressing the rooftop button in a trance like motion. As the elevator began to climb, Obe started to ponder the current situation of the war. Who would be so bold as to basically announce to the rest of the participants their location and abilities? Are they that confident in their abilities? This is basically saying 'Here I am, come get me.'

The elevator operator glanced back, before speaking up in a concerned tone, "Sir, are you alright? You seem awfully tense."

Looking down, Obe realized his hands had tightened into fists. Unclenching his hands, he shook his head, "No, everything is fine. Thank you." Still, if they are as strong as they think they are, what chance do I have?

In a certain military installation on the outskirts of town, activity had just broken out over communications.
"Sir, we are getting multiple reports of a giant fireball appearing atop the Grand Hillsdale Hotel!"

"Visual communication through drones and familiars has been established sir! We estimate the total size of the fireball to be around ten to twenty meters in diameter."

"Who is foolish enough to reveal themselves so blatantly in the middle of the city?! Do they want to be noticed?"

Looking at the visual feeds, the Colonel slammed a fist into a brass railing, bending it, as he struggled to make out the figure standing below it with their arm raised, the one who appeared to control the massive whirling sphere of plasma. Is this a declaration of war? Looking at the enormous ball of plasma, he motioned towards an attendant, "Prepare a public statement tomorrow. Gas leak this time."

"If they are issuing a challenge on your land, you have no choice but to respond in kind!" A voice that seemed to fill the room with energy emanated from behind the Colonel. "We should ride out and meet them in kind, Mitchell."

Colonel Mitchell contemplated his options momentarily, before another voice, much quieter but with the same authority spoke next to him "As your superior, Colonel, I will not allow you to engage. There are too many unknowns. This could be a trap, an alliance between different Masters. If Assassin were to attack you while you were focused on that," He gestured towards the screen, "We would have lost this battle before it began. It is also imperative that we conceal Thunderstrike unless absolutely necessary, understand? We have nothing to gain here from rushing in head first."

"That is not the concern here General Kittinger. Your subjects are at risk, and you sit around twiddling your thumbs?" The energetic voice seemed to explode, as though outraged at the idea of passivity.

"Many more will perish should we fail to win this war, Rider. Colonel Mitchell, take control of your subordinate."

"I am no one's subordinate!"

"Rider, stand down! The Brigadier General has a point. If we run in headfirst without proper intel, we could walk right into an ambush. You of all people should understand the importance of good information."

"Then, if your people's blood is shed?"

The Colonel paused, before he continued in a strained tone. "We have to take some risks. The combatants have enough reason to avoid actual casualties, a bounded field is useless if people start dropping like flies. They have as much incentive as the rest of us in keeping the practice of magecraft a secret."

Turning around, he viewed the room of his subordinates dressed in various combat uniforms with their armor, helmets, and weapons slung around, before addressing them. "Lieutenant Tanner, take second Lieutenant Brown and Fireteam Bravo with you to set up a perimeter. Observe from a distance, and only engage if I give the order to." A man with an anti materiel rifle slung across his shoulder nodded. Standing slightly shorter than the average man, his face seemed to be set in a stoic expression, contrasting his sharp blue eyes and blonde hair. He was the right hand of Colonel Mitchell, the one who had popped the head of one of the Dead Apostles a week ago. Next to him stood Master Sergeant Washington, who was now wearing a similar military combat outfit.

Nodding, Lieutenant Tanner gestured to his subordinates, "Let's move."

Master Sergeant Washington followed him, while a female walked close behind Lieutenant Tanner. In contrast with the rest of the room, she was wearing what appeared to be a new form of sleek armor that covered her entire body. Her motions were almost mechanical yet graceful at the same time. At the moment, only her head was visible at the moment, but all that revealed was her dark hair cut short, and a face that seemed to suppress her feelings for the upcoming battle.

The rest of the team bore similar expressions, before exiting the room and heading towards the garage, prepared to enter the war.

"One should be bolder in their approach, Mitchell." Rider expressed his disapproval at not being sent out himself.

"While I agree that initiative is important in obtaining victory, in a war against six others caution is paramount. I have faith in those under my command."

Rider silently took in his words, before fading away. "Very well. I will accept your judgement for now."

The Colonel continued to look at the screens, muttering a silent prayer that he hadn't condemned the city's inhabitants or his own subordinates to death.

On the outskirts of the city, in the forest to the north, Catori was struggling to make sense of the chaos. "What? Someone else is already fighting in the center of the city?" Shouting into a talisman on her wrist, she tried to comprehend the reports that had suddenly come flooding in from spies that had been put in place around the city. All of them were talking about a huge fireball atop the Grand Hillsdale Hotel.

It's strange enough that they would try such a flashy attack, but in the middle of the city on one of the highest vantage points? What are they up to?

"Archer, can you spot them from here?"

"Yes. However, I believe you should also be able to see it."

Turning to face the city, Catori could see what appeared to be a blazing star atop one of the high rises. Immediately, she sent one of her flying familiars to get closer and try to see what was going on. So much mana, I can feel it even from here. Its like looking at the Sun. Is that the Caster servant?

"What a flashy show of force. Could they be declaring war?"

"Against all six of the other Masters?"

"Perhaps they are that strong."

Thinking for a moment, Catori said, "Can you hit them from here?"

"With my Noble Phantasm? Of course, I am an Archer. But in doing so I would endanger the lives of those in the city, as well as revealing one of my major abilities. I recommend a more cautionary approach for now."

Catori grimaced. Why did the last statement bother her? The people living in the city were all foreigners, who unwillingly or not, were living on her people's lands. She had steeled herself for war against these invaders. So why did the thought of Archer's Noble Phantasm hitting the city bother her? "Alright, we'll just watch them for now."

Archer smiled, apparently relieved at her decision, "Very well, Catori."

Franz noticed one of his alarms being triggered, and had since begun viewing the fireball through his falcon familiar. Two combatants are already engaged this early in the war. After a moment of pondering, he pocketed several lines of chalk, talismans, and gems, before donning a long jacket and heading upstairs. Unfolding his glasses, he pushed them onto the bridge of his nose.

"Are you sure this is the first battle you should join?" Saber's voice echoed through the empty mansion, as Franz made his way towards the entrance.

"In the event that either of the participants emerges victorious, the chances of them coming out unharmed are highly unlikely. Meanwhile, the other Masters probably want to avoid making a move this early in the war, for fear of revealing their hand too early. On the other hand, I am quite sure of our ability to defeat a weakened servant even without using the full extent of your capabilities." Pausing, as though to ensure the infallibility of his plan, he continued with his last contingency. "Finally, in the unlikely event where we are overwhelmed, I have a strategy in place to retreat. In any situation, this is a prime opportunity to strike."

"Hmm." A grunt of approval signaled the full materialization of Saber as he joined his master behind him. "It is wonderful to see that you have such a keen mind for strategy. Your tactics almost remind me of Ibrahim, a statement I do not say lightly."

"I am glad I have your support, Saber." Climbing into his Mercedes, Franz reviewed the strategy in front of him once more. There was the possibility that they would engage more than one combatant, but even then, Franz was confident in Saber's ability to fight multiple abilities at once.

"Is this your mount?" Saber climbed into the opposite side, mimicking Franz's movement. "A rather strange beast of metal and machinery."

"Hm, it's designed that way." Turning the ignition, the car hummed to life, as its engine started to rumble. Shifting the vehicle into drive, he meticulously maneuvered the car on the road, before accelerating towards the city.

Saber's voice suddenly seemed to have a hint of astonishment. "Such a strange machine. To think it can be maneuvered with ease while containing such power. With a dozen I could have easily finished conquering Europe. Half of the logistical challenges I faced would be easily eliminated."

Yeah, until you ran out of gas. Franz briefly considered the possibility, before an image of the Mercedes replacing horses as mounts popped into his head. The idea of a wall of Mercedes charging into a formation with lances mounted to their fronts in a medieval battle made Franz crack a smile. No, focus on the war.

"Do you find something amusing?"

"No. Nothing at all." By the time he finished the sentence, the fireball had finally moved, shooting across the sky like a meteor, while Franz's smile had disappeared.

Outside the church, Father Pastore watched with his usual passive smile on his face, an almost gentle amusement. "Ah, so these are the warning shots of the war then? Quite the fireworks." Muttering a silent prayer, he turned, heading back into the church to finish his reading.

From a distance in another high tower, a shadowy figure watched the opening shots of the war with a satisfied smile. The voice of V sounded like that of a strategist whose long prepared plan had finally paid off as he proclaimed the start of the war. "Finally, it begins." Behind him, a pale figure stood silently, watching, a similar grin on her face.

Back on the rooftop, John was staring down his opponent, while Lancer was by his side, standing at a ready stance. Facing off against the enormous ball of flame, the only reason he had not fired yet was because it had not moved in his direction. Shooting a silent message to his servant through their combined telepathic link, he asked, "Against that, can your Magic Resistance stand a chance?"

"No, my passive Magic Resistance as a knight class would mitigate some of the damage, but I would be severely injured. Moreover, I would be unable to guarantee your safety. My Noble Phantasm would be another story, however."

"No, I have an idea."

"Before I eliminate you, I must ask you a question, outsider." The one holding the fireball aloft suddenly asked a question, ringing clearly above the raging flames, "Why have you participated in this deadly ritual designed for high level mages?"

John paused a moment, thinking for a moment before answering, "Well, I guess I was hired."

Despite her icy cold tone, he thought he could sense a tone of shock in her next words. "Then die." Or was it anger?

With the flick of her wrist, the fireball suddenly flew towards him. It was fast, but with the dozen or so meters John quickly estimated its velocity to be slow enough for him to enact his plan. Bringing his finger off the trigger, he quickly shifted his weight. Practically letting his upper body fall to the left, he suddenly dug his feet into the ground, pushing himself out of the way. It was a similar technique to that used by sprinters to obtain maximum acceleration from zero velocity. "Alright, Lancer, try to circle around to her blind spot and take her out."

"Understood." Moving much faster than humanly possible, Lancer sent chunks of the concrete roof flying as he suddenly accelerated, first out of the way of the fireball, then towards the enemy. As the fireball flew past John, he could barely catch a glimpse of his Servant before he disappeared.

Meanwhile, John suddenly spun mid stride, turning around as he skid a meter before coming to a complete stop. In one fluid motion he knelt, bringing his rifle up to bear. With a quick glance, he noted the trajectory of the fireball would place it firmly in the uninhabited desert, before looking back through his scope.

As he guessed, she had been expecting to fight a mage. In a battle between mages, the other mage would have likely erected a barrier to defend against the attack, not cowardly dodge it like himself. Thus, she had sacrificed speed for power to guarantee victory. Though, he had a feeling her next attack would not be so slow. No matter.

Lancer, who had circled around, suddenly came back into view, his spear slicing through the air towards her unprotected back. What should have been a fatal blow, however, was quickly retracted as he lept away, a lightning bolt striking where he had been moments earlier. The roar of thunder echoed over the roof as the electrical arc fizzled out.

"Tch." Lancer quickly recalibrated his attacks, eyeing the orbs of lighting that suddenly surrounded his opponent. It seemed that this Caster had more than a simple manipulation of fire if she could also use lightning. After backing off several meters, he noted that the orbs seemed to stay in orbit around her rather than over extend. An automated defense system?

Seeing this, he readjusted his senses. Although his Mind's Eye and instincts had warned him about a general danger once he approached the proximity, he now understood the reason. Hm, against one or two attacks my Magic Resistance and armor should be enough.

"Lancer, attack on my mark." John sent another message through his telepathic link. "Sync up your strike with my attacks."

"Understood."

Sighting her head through his scope, John squeezed the trigger, a burst of rounds flying out the end of his barrel, streaking towards his target. Fired from an M27, the five 5.56 millimeter Nato rounds were approaching her at nearly a thousand meters per second with enough kinetic energy to reduce her body to mince meat. Even against mages with special protections, the sheer penetration power and velocity of modern rifle rounds proved difficult to counter.

His opponent, however, remained still, as the rounds smashed into an invisible barrier that glowed purple, making a sound as though striking metal, before disintegrating. What? A non-elemental barrier that can defend against rifle rounds? It was not unusual for mages to have counters against firearms, from bodies made of worms to shields of mercury. But an invisible barrier was more often reserved for temporary usage due to their incredible mana expenditures. What is she?

Despite his bullets failing to reach, he had nonetheless achieved his result, as she suddenly turned to face him. With her attention towards him, Lancer could focus on attacking. Once more, his body rocketed forward. This time he braced his body, as the lightning lanced over him, before breaking against his Magic Resistance. The bolts that reached him were conducted through his armor, and all he felt were the slight tingles from bits of electricity running through his skin.

With a deft motion, he gripped his spear with his right hand, thrusting straight for his target. The spear glowed with energy as the strength of the servant flowed through it, the red plume streaking forward like a shooting star targeting Caster. Being a Servant, his committed attack easily shattered her barrier that had deflected John's earlier attack. Just before his spear could pierce her flesh however, his Mind's Eye once more warned him of a greater danger. Although he had been cautious of her lightning, he could tell that this was a different thread. Compared with the lightning which had been likened to a warning shout, now it was as though his instincts were blaring for him to fall back. In an instant, he called off his attack once more, cracking the concrete as he kicked himself out of range.

Still detecting the danger, he quickly dashed to protect his Master, appearing in front of him in a blink. Gripping his spear in both hands, he stared intently at where his senses were indicating the danger to be. Despite his initial warnings, however, the attack never came. Instead, he saw a new individual materialize besides the woman. Narrowing his eyes, Lancer finally understood why his Mind's Eye had warned him. "You're a Servant."

From behind, John looked carefully through his scope at the newcomer who had materialized. Standing about his height, he looked rather young, wearing some form of robes and sandals. In his right hand he held a staff, and around him, John clearly saw his stats. His physical capabilities were horrendous Es, but as compensation, his mana and Noble Phantasm were A+ "I see, so you're a Caster."

The newcomer sighed, shaking his head as though disappointed. "Master, I thought I told you not to overwork yourself. You would have lost this war on the first day if I didn't step in."

"I could have taken them, Caster."

"You misunderstand the roles in the Grail War. It is the duty of the Servant to battle, and the Master to support. Servants aren't beings mortals are meant to fight."

"It doesn't matter. I will overcome them regardless."

Wait, those attacks weren't from her Servant? A worried thought passed through John's mind.

"That is quite enough, Master. I've let you try, and look where it got you. It is time we fought together. There is no shame as a mage to use what you have at your disposal."

The young woman, who appeared to be the Master, let out a grunt of annoyance, before agreeing, "Fine."

Throughout the entire conversation, Lancer and John had been telepathically trying to understand. "It would appear we have been fighting the Master the entire time." Lancer's voice, full of caution, echoed inside John's head.

"I would say that it's absurd, but for now we have to assume as such." John's strained voice responded, trying to come up with a new strategy. How can a non-servant hold their own against a Servant? And a knight class at that.

"Master, I recommend you increase your distance. We may be forced to flee."

"Understood, I am trusting in your agility, Lancer."

"Yes. Let us hope it doesn't reach that point."

Breaking, John immediately began backpedalling while never taking his eyes off his opponents. Lancer, by contrast, shot forward, in a beeline for the Servant that had appeared. With an A agility, he seemed to bend space around him as his figure blurred in the night, reaching thirty meters per second in a blink.

Caster hardly flinched in response, raising his staff to summon a sudden hail and barrage of lightning strikes, forcing Lancer to slow down as he moved to block the strikes with his spear. Lancer took a quick breath, preparing against the onslaught.

The lightning reached him first. Similar to his Master's lightning, Caster's attacks were closer to an electrical ejection rather than true lightning; destructive, but closer to the speed of a bullet than true lightning. Nonetheless, its destructive power could be likened to high explosives, with enough energy to punch through solid steel.

In a flash, Lancer moved to deflect each strike in a flurry of parrys. The spear seemed to bend space as it slashed through the air, catching each strike and dissipating its energy or knocking it off course. Although the lightning contained vast amounts of destructive energy, his spear was another entity entirely, and showed no signs of damage even as a deflected lightning strike blasted chunks in the nearby concrete ledge.

Despite his sturdy defense against the lightning, Lancer was suddenly pelted by a barrage of hail from his front. Given his Magic Resistance and armor, there was no permanent damage from the magical golf ball sized projectiles hurtled at the speed of arrows, but he could feel his movements slow considerably. Clenching his teeth, he decided to try and move out of the path of the storm, before he narrowly blocked another strike. Being caught off balance, he was nearly knocked off his feet, as several more blasts threatened to lift him off the ground.

Realizing the intentions of his opponent, Lancer abandoned his attempts to leave the radius of the hail, and instead stamped his feet, digging into the ground, facing his opponent with a determined look in his eye.

"Impressive that you remain standing." Caster, was looking at the enemy servant with a hint of respect. "Then, I shall respect you as a warrior! Forgive me as I shall not fight you as one." Waving his hand, a black envelope seemed to extend from his hand, enveloping Lancer.

Instantly, Lancer's vision turned dark. Forcing himself to remain calm, he analyzed the situation. Feeling the ice pelt his armor, he realized that he had lost his sense of sight. A curse? In the next instant, he concentrated through his other senses, feeling through the ground and the air currents, despite the hailstorm. Even blinded, his Mind's Eye was still active, a skill that almost defied the laws of the world, warning him of dangers that should not have been possible to perceive in his blinded state.

In the darkness, Lancer clearly saw the three bolts flying towards his head. With a flourish of his spear, he deflected all three shots back in the direction they came.

"Hngh." Caster let out a grunt of surprise, having been sure the bolts would hit the target. Catching the returned attacks with his staff, he increased the barrage as he summoned several more strikes, this time accompanied with small blasts of fire that streaked over the rooftop like shooting stars. The fireballs burned bright as they melted several of the hailstones that came too close in an instant, vaporizing the water with a heat that scorched the concrete.

Despite being blinded, Lancer began to shift his feet. Detecting the new array of attacks, he shifted his grip while pushing forward in the hail. Holding his spear with his left hand halfway on the shaft, and his right on the butt end, he looked like he was preparing to stab a hold in the center of the storm. Dance of the Lotus Petals, First Form! His right arm blurred in a series of rapid movements, as the spear seemed to stab simultaneously the incoming attacks, neutralizing them. Of course, his spear had not actually multiplied, he had simply attacks in such quick succession it appeared that way.

In this form, Lancer continued to shift forward, inching steadily towards his opponent.

Meanwhile, John had taken over dealing with the enemy Master to prevent her from interfering. Given her capabilities, she presented a clear threat against a Servant, even when alone. If she worked with her Servant against Lancer, the chances of Lancer's victory were slim. Of course, that also meant that John would have to face the force of a Servant level threat all by himself.

Calm down. She doesn't seem to utilize bodily enhancement magecraft. In other words, her reaction time is the same as mine. As long as I don't get in range of her automated defenses, I should be able to react to anything she throws my range. If I keep my distance, I can at least survive while holding her off. Taking a deep breath to calm his nerves, John looked through his scope at his opponent who now stood around twenty meters away.

Several more fireballs appeared behind his opponent, who looked at him almost apathetically, as though he were less of a threat than a temporary obstacle. After the fireballs finished coalescing in an instant, they were shot towards him with a much greater velocity than her previous attack, nearing speeds several times that of an arrow.

Despite this, John managed to avoid being burnt to a crisp by a hair, having already started moving the moment he saw them gathering and taking cover behind a nearby ventilation shaft that quickly melted. Although her attacks themselves might be too fast for me to out maneuver, they still require time to build up, telegraphing their trajectory which I can predict.

Peeking out from his cover, John opened fire on full auto for nearly an entire second, almost emptying his clip, before having to duck back behind the concrete structure. The rounds all smashed into the barrier harmlessly, bouncing off flattened like they had been squashed with a hammer.

"Why don't you surrender? You are no mage. You have no chance at victory." Her voice reached around his cover, inquiring with a hint of annoyance at his resistance.

"While your offer is extremely compelling," John replied, ducking to avoid another barrage of fireballs, "The short answer I can give is that it's complicated. I would like to give the same offer to you though. Thought about giving up yet?"

"Preposterous." In response, John saw a sudden intense glow lightning up his shadows, as well as a growing heat.

"Huh?" Peeking out, he saw an enormous fireball, similar to her opening attack, hovering over her head. Damn, how much mana does she have?!

Making a mad dash, he quickly prepared an apparatus on his left wrist, running towards the edge of the rooftop. Reaching the end, he suddenly dropped off, right as the fireball roared of him, streaking over the sky towards the desert.

"Hup!" Twisting midair, he fired a mechanical grappling hook from his left arm that impacted the roof ledge, blasting a piton into the solid concrete with a small charge in the head. Instantly, the line began to slow his descent, before abruptly bringing his body to a halt. It was thanks to a series of harnesses that John's left shoulder socket was not ripped out, though his shoulder still ached from the force.

"Gah." John let out an involuntary grunt of pain as he began climbing up, the cable now fed through a rappelling apparatus. Producing a cylindrical grenade from his vest, he pulled the pin using his teeth and free hand. Tossing the M84 flash grenade over the ledge, he quickly climbed back onto the destroyed remains of the ledge using his upwards momentum, covering his eyes and ears just as the grenade detonated.

"What?" Caster's Master had a moment to express surprise before her world faded into light and noise. With one hundred seventy decibels the explosion sounded like someone had struck their ears with a hammer while the seven mega candela flash illuminated the nighttime roof.

Caster and his Master were affected the most, both reeling from the unprotected shock of noise, while only Caster's Master was temporarily blinded, having looked directly at the grenade as it exploded. Lancer, on the other hand, had been almost unaffected, being both blind and in the middle of a hailstorm. For a moment, the hailstorm's strength was weakened by Caster's lapse in concentration, and seizing the opportunity, Lancer dashed forward towards Caster.

Meanwhile, John quickly regained his senses, bringing his rifle to bear. It was during the moment that mages were disoriented that their spells weakened, including barriers. Although their bounded fields could protect them from physical and magical threats, they were less protected against psychological or 'shock' tactics. And even if the barrier was still too strong, that just meant he had to use a stronger attack.

Switching to an armor piercing magazine marked with a green stripe, he prepared to open fire, coinciding with Lancer's stab that was aimed at the heart of Caster.

"ENOUGH!" Caster's body exploded with magical energy as his voice rang out. As though commanded, a sudden deluge smashed into Lancer, a wall of water that swept him off his feet. Quickly bracing and relying on his armor, he avoided the worst outcome, though he felt his bones rattle from the impact. Reaching out for his Master in the darkness, however, he realized that he would be unable to reach him from his current distance. At least, not through conventional means. With his eyes closed underwater, he searched for his Master's body, an almost radar extending out from his central position as he pinpointed his Master and the distance between them using his Mind's Eye. Automatically, his body began to shift into a stance as mana gathered into his spear.

John meanwhile had stopped, looking on in shock at the torrent raging towards him. What he saw was like the ocean itself was rushing towards him, an almost alive beast that crushed everything in front of it. He was too far from the ledge to use a similar maneuver he had used against the fireball, and this onslaught was much faster. Seeing the torrent crush everything seemed to instill a sense of despair in him. So this is the true power of a Servant. How am I supposed to fight against that? Suddenly, the sound of his Servant rang clear through his head. "RUN!"

A short, desperate plea, yet it was enough to break John out of his trance as he suddenly turned and sprinted away. In spite of the rushing water making him seem like a snail, he ran anyway. Even if it was only a fraction of a second, he had to survive hoping Lancer would take care of him. No, even if it was hopeless, he would struggle. He refused to die before he erased the image of the crimson night.

Instead of the water smashing into his back, however, he felt a force pulling his chest, away from the onslaught of towards a nearby roof. Looking down, he saw the illuminated city below him fly past. Trying to ignore his vertigo, he noticed what appeared to be a thin thread pulling him away.

Looking in the direction he was being pulled, he saw a crouched individual, wearing a hat and vest of African origin. Even in the darkness, his smile seemed to shine like the moon. Struggling to make sense of his current situation, John briefly considered trying to cut the line with his combat knife, before deciding against it, reasoning if his enemy wanted him dead he would have just sat back. Still, he prepared another flash grenade the split second before he landed, just in case.

Lancer, seeing this unfold, stopped preparing his Noble Phantasm, and instead focused on trying to escape the deluge. In the next instant, the deluge had poured over the side of the roof, before quickly dissipating, leaving him over the several hundred meter drop. Spinning midair, he stabbed his spear into the side of the concrete wall, anchoring himself and stopping his descent. The maneuver revealed the extent of the injuries he had sustained from the flood, namely strained muscles and bruises, but nothing lasting. Clinging to the wall, he mapped out a path upwards, before pulling his spear out and pouncing up using several finger and foot holds.

Shooting up from the side, he resumed his stance, facing off against Caster and his Master. Caster's Master was still reeling from the flashbang, rubbing her eyes, while Caster had raised his staff.

An object flashed across Lancer's peripheral, almost too fast for him to track, almost knocking the staff out of Caster's hand. Assassin had crossed the chasm, and now was crouched behind Lancer to his right, his hand holding several more daggers. "I would advise against that." Lancer was confused momentarily, but sensing Assassin's target of bloodlust, understood he was his ally for now.

Caster looked at the newcomer, while his Master finally opened her eyes fully, taking in the situation in front of her. Turning to his Master, Caster spoke in his usual soft tone, his raging voice from before seemingly gone, "Master, I think it would be best if we retreated for now. It would be ideal if we don't tire ourselves out too early on."

"No, I will crush all those that stand in my way. Failing here is unacceptable." She shook her head, as though desperate to continue the fight, even against two servants.

"And no one will say you failed if you retreat. A wise tactical decision is never frowned upon, and anyone can see the real failure would be continuing this suicidal endeavor." From across the roof, over fifty meters in the windy night, Obe's voice reached clearly, a mixture of a plea and command. As though projecting his words, his eyes glowed with mana as he looked directly at the eyes of Caster's Master.

The words made Caster's Master hesitate before her next words. Looking at the two servants before her, she turned towards her servant. "Can you unleash Noble Phantasm?"

"I could, but at the very least this building and everyone in it would be sure to perish."

A look of disappointment passed over her face, as she considered continuing the fight. But as Obe continued to stare at her with his piercing stare, she seemed to crack, "Fine. Caster, we're leaving."

"Yes, Master."

Turning to give them one last warning glare, she was propelled by an unseen force into the darkness. Watching her disappear into the distance, Lancer cautiously relaxed his stance, before turning towards his supposed ally.

Assassin simply chuckled in reply. "Man, that was something, wasn't it, Lancer. You really would have had to use your Noble Phantasm if I didn't save your ass, eh?" Turning back towards the direction Caster disappeared, however, he muttered a more quiet voice, "Still, to think that someone like him would be summoned."

"It is as you say. The safety of my lord is due to your intervention." Lancer nodded, bowing his head as a sign of courtesy, but never dropping his guard. Glancing over at his Master, he noted John discussing something with the one who appeared to be Assassin's master. Though they appeared to be on friendly terms, this was still the Assassin servant he was dealing with.

"Oh, that's the bare minimum I could do to arrange an alliance though. So? How about it? Wanna team up?" Assassin's dagger flickered through his hand as he stood casually, apparently completely without guard. "Of course, you can just stab with your spear and eliminate a possible enemy here and now, though that would be a particularly asshole move."

Lancer shook his head, "You are correct, such behavior would not befit an honorable warrior. But while I am open to an alliance the final decision lies with my Master."

On a neighboring rooftop, John had decided to take a seat, as his adrenaline disappeared leaving only exhaustion. His heart rate slowed as he felt the strain he had put his body through in the last ten minutes hit him. "Are you alright?" The voice of the gentleman who appeared to be Assassin's Master turned towards him, having finished convincing Caster and his Master to retreat. His eyes seemed to have a faint glow, but John wasn't sure if that was his tired mind playing tricks or not.

"No, I'm just tired from all that." He gestured towards the destroyed rooftop.

"I understand. Don't worry, I don't want any trouble. I just thought we could work together for now. You and your servant seem quite capable. My name is Obe."

"John." Nodding, John felt a hint of surprise, even as his excitement drowned it out. The prospect of having another servant as his ally was very attractive, but he was still unsure why this pair had decided to help them. Most seeking an ally would have looked at the flow of battle, seen his imminent doom, and decided to side with the victor. Of course, Lancer's Noble Phantasm might have turned things around, but in general they had had their asses handed to them.

Nonetheless, he had more pressing matters now. Standing up, he looked around, before continuing, "I would also like to form an alliance, but I believe we should continue to discuss such matters away from others who may have overheard the commotion and come to investigate." The rooftops were rife with the possibility of an enemy who would try to snipe them from a distance.

"Of course." Obe offered to help John up, but John politely declined, before waving back towards his Servant.

"Lancer, we're heading down. Meet up in my room." John sent a telepathic message across the distance.

"Understood." Lancer faded, after saying a courteous goodbye to Assassin, who also dematerialized.

Walking towards the elevator, John took several deep breaths, trying to stabilize himself after the intense struggle. While he was no stranger to danger, the sheer power he had witnessed in the battle between Servants, then from a fellow Master had left him a bit shaken. Looking down at his rifle, it seemed small and powerless compared to what had happened on that rooftop.

I'm pretty helpless, aren't I? Then again, I guess it doesn't matter at this point. Looking up, he followed Obe into the elevator, trying to supress his growing anxiety. So this is a Holy Grail War.