Chapter 15: The Dare

Mana and Scathach faced each other, weapons flared. They were circling each other as they tried to figure out each other as much as they can.

"I saved your brother." Scathach reasoned.

"Still does not justify that you are still a Spirit." Mana said before she was the first to strike. Scathach just evaded Mana's energy blade and remained on defensive. Even though she's a Heroic Spirit, she believed that the Mana's weapon can still harm her.

Her bloody spears enchanted by her runes easily parried all of Mana's swipes, thrust and slice as she can easily have perceived most of her attack patterns as expected of the teacher of Setanta.

Even though Mana was just as focused as she can, she was proving to have a difficulty. The Spirit she was facing wasn't even trying at all nor any traces sweat can be found on her face, in fact, Mana suspected the Spirit Lancer was playing with her as she didn't even throw any offensive strike at her.

In other words, the Spirit Lancer was league several beyond than her but why didn't she threw a single strike? When Mana was beginning to show her openings due to lethargy building in her body.

This is unlike how she faced Kurumi on those past days. If she can't even kill her sooner or later she might suffer the worse consequences. She was beginning to regret this fight the longer it takes.

Meanwhile, down the school grounds. Circe and Mashu were fighting evenly with a bunch of Kurumis— who seemed to be never ending of them. Circe was the one who took the offensive while Mashu was the one who kept on defensive and they were performing well.

Ritsuka, hidden from plain view due to Circe's magecraft for safety insurance, decided to send Lancer up to the roof immediately. It might be a risky move but at least Lancer can salvage whatever she can at the top, seeing Kurumi was the most dangerous one out there.

Seeing that Mashu's performance were at par, Ritsuka didn't even regret even one a bit.

She'll just observe the fight and then supplied them with sufficient mana. What was troubling her though was how it wasn't hard to do it at all. She wanted to check the inside of the castle—err, the school building but without any protection, she'll be just a sitting duck inside. She'll need to support them for now.

Screw it! She's not going to be useless here. Ritsuka immediately went straight into the building.

Ritsuka ran as fast as she can inside the building, checking for everyone, or at least see anyone she can see. At least, she was relieved they were all alive and well while maintaining at the observable distance from Mashu and Circe. Most of the victims were still reeling from unconsciousness and only if she taught herself how to do some hypnosis, maybe she could make them forget what happened here.

… Guess she'll be a third-rate mage forever.

She has alerted all of her current Servants where her location is so that they have nothing to worry about. Also, she retained wearing her unique mask in order to maintain the ambiguity. She can't have risk her identity for now.

Ritsuka was now exploring the second floor, glancing inside each room and checking for each of the students who are still recovering from siphoning strength. What she didn't expect was Tohka whom she encountered.

"Aaarrggh!" Tohka was visibly frustrated when the Master of Chaldea met her but Ritsuka felt her identity threatened being exposed due to familiarity. They froze upon seeing each other. Ritsuka was thinking quickly.

Tohka was having a bad day, she can't even locate the stairs she desired, as if the entire school's interior was shifted by an unknown phenomenon. She was stomping along the way and admitted she might have almost circled the campus if not for the queer individual in front of her.

Whoever it was who was wearing a mask, Tohka immediately assumes battle stance, although she was lacking her Sandalphon. She will not let herself look weak after all.

"C-calm down…oh, princess." The masked individual swayed her hands in front her, making herself look like a harmless one. Still, Tohka wasn't swayed by the masked one's word.

"Who are you? Are you here to kill me?" Tohka straightly asked with seriousness in her voice.

"I'm just a simple, uhh, wizard. Yes, a wizard." Ritsuka appealed.

Tohka immediately paid attention. "Are you a wizard?" She asked her one more time. Ritsuka was glad Tohka didn't even recognize her but now she's becoming redundant. (A fact by the way, Tohka still called those flying wizards, mecha-mecha…)

"Yes, I'm a wizard… I can lead you the way." Ritsuka tempted her. Either way, she would just go on her own and check every room she encountered.

"I don't believe you." Tohka really was maintaining her battle stance, which she just seen in the anime on the television. Ritsuka would have ignored her childish stance if it weren't for her being a former Spirit.

"If it suites you then…" Ritsuka replied nonchalantly and went on her way, checking every room she sees. Whenever there is an opened room, she peeks inside and checks the condition of all of the unconscious students. A couple of walks later, Ritsuka noticed that someone was following her. It was Tohka by the way.

When Ritsuka attempted to look back, Tohka assumes her battle stance.

"Why are you following me?" Ritsuka asked her warily.

"I don't know the way…" Tohka answered her straight and it made Ritsuka sighed. It was slightly annoying when you are focused three-way: the battle outside with her Servants, checking for the people inside the school and finally Tohka trailing her warily.

"Well… if it's suite you then…" Ritsuka with an assuring tone.

"I know you hid the stairs to the rooftop, wizard." Tohka threatened her which made Ritsuka sighed once more.

If she will meet Origami too then it will all be trouble.

Oops, Ritsuka felt herself jinxed.

Mana was fighting Scathach for almost half an hour and yet she can't even give her a scratch and she was exhausted. Scathach treated this as a forced sparring session.

As long as Mana can give the best she can, Scathach equally gave her a good parry. The Lancer was under restrict condition not to kill anyone unless absolutely necessary, which suites for her but now she felt there is something wrong about Mana.

She realized that her body was heavily experimented to become stronger and able to fight which is just so wrong on many levels. Mana just traded a power boost for a meager life.

"You need to stop." Scathach recommended.

"Hell I care!" Mana retorted back. The world will not be safe for her brother if there is at least one Spirit plaguing the world. If there is a new Spirit then she will just become stronger and kill it.

*CLAP* *CLAP*

Mana was heaving when she noticed that someone sarcastically clapping somewhere. Searching for the source of the noise, Mana widened her eyes when she realized that Kurumi was alive and well and was amused for real.

"You really thought yourself strong? Does killing me many times has made your mind delusional? Pathetic."

Mana couldn't hold it anymore, she reverted her focus from Lancer to Nightmare and flared her energy weapon to Kurumi. Lancer could feel that this is a trap so she tried to stop Mana by grabbing her arm but it was too late. Mana didn't care for her body condition, as long as she can kill Kurumi again she would win—

*BANG* *BANG* *BANG*

A couple of Kurumis sprouted out of nowhere and shot Mana as she was about to beheaded her again. Mana was thrown out of her bounds and skidded along the floor as she painted it with her own blood.

"Mana!" Shidou shouted in desperation but as she was about to move, another Kurumi pop up behind him and locked him in his place. "Just watch and learn, Shidou, just watch and learn…" Kurumi teased his ear.

Scathach just stared at the vulnerable body of Mana and then to Kurumi, who was smirking a lot.

"So what do you do now, Lancer… or should I say Ms. Scarlet?"

Scathach didn't entertained her with words, instead she just twirled her spears before aiming it before before her. Kurumi could feel that Scathach was getting serious so she summoned her Angel in its glory.

Come to me, Zafkiel!

Kurumi's voice reverberated as she sneered before Scathach. Suddenly a large clock appeared behind her, surprising Shidou in process. Scathach remained calm but somehow, she figured out something again which due to have the knowledge about Spirits and their Angels.

"I take it… you are the original?" Scathach before she assumed a stance, whether Kurumi answered her truthfully or not, the evidence was right before her. She wondered why the Kurumis they previously encountered never even used their Angels, she never technically counted her musket and flintlock since it seemed to be just an ordinary weapon.

Now, she has the answer; Kurumi can clone herself. She can't exactly use her Noble Phantasm on a clone alone and even if she has the confident to release more than one of her noble phantasm, she would be a failure as a Servant. It was just a matter of time before the original revealed herself and now the opportunity presented itself. Scathach has now the permission to kill Kurumi.

Kurumi could feel the mana shifted around them, this could be now dangerous! Could it be that Lancer was about to release the activation of her Angel?

My Spears are Absolute!

Penetrate and Devour!

Suddenly, numerous spears appeared out of nowhere around her, floating and aiming at the main Kurumi. Suddenly the floating spears rained down to Kurumi. Kurumi tried to escape to the shadows immediately but was deeply paralyzed by the spears around her.

Even though not one of the spears has scratched her skin, the spears that were embedded on the floor near her were activated with runes that made her forced to stand still, she can't even command her Zaphkiel. What kind of Angel is that? Kurumi wondered as she was now suffering in a state of panic.

Thrust and Impale...

The Heart of my Prey!

Scathach now marked Kurumi as her own target and the spear she was holding were crackling with devilish energies, Lancer raised her arms above as she was about to throw it with all her might, sure that it will not fail to gouge her heart out.

Kurumi commanded all of the clones to assault Scathach immediately, while others gathered in front of her as to serve as a meat shield. This is only her chance; it should make her survive at the end!

Gàe Bolg…

The swirling, crackling energies around the spear Scathach was about to throw gathered massively into her spear; swirling Maelstrom at the tip of the spear, making it larger, wilder and more wicked looking.

…Alternative!!!

And all hell break loose…