Fate Twin Roses

by Bluestar076

In a modern era, an holy item known as the Holy Grail appears on earth. Now, fourteen mages along with their Servants, divided in two factions will battle to decide who's gonna grant their own wish. In another reality, another Holy Grail War begins! (SYOC closed.)

9. Chapter 8: A Wheel that begins to move

Fate/Twin Rose Chapter 8: A Wheel that begins to move

By Bluestar076

Hello everyone! Bluestar here with a new chapter! Since we finally had a fair introduction of all the characters and they all fought at least one time, we can start to dig deeper in the story and their attitudes and relationships! So, it will be another communicative chapter, but still with some slight piece of action here and there, also because there will be a preview of something really big that will happen in the next chapter. Also, as always, I would like to thank you for the reviews of the previous one, and I could notice that many of you got surprised by Saber of White's debut! (Even though he technically debuted in Chapter 2, but I tried to be as vague as possible) But I could see that some of you were happy to see it, and yes, it's something unexpected for me too, to be honest, but I won't go into details, because hey, spoilers! And with this said, we can finally start the chapter! I hope you enjoy it!

Note: I do not own Fate. All rights and characters belong to Kinoko Nasu and TYPE-MOON.

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Chapter 8: A Wheel that begins to move

Tokyo – Akihabara – 10th May 2017 – 15.30 P.M

"Ah Ah! I've won again!"

"Oh, come on! It's already the fifth match we do, and I still couldn't beat you!"

"Kazuto, I've been playing this game longer than you, it's only natural that I'm stronger! I guess you could say that you are a noob? Ahahah, come on I'm joking!

"I know, I know. I'm not mad at you. After all, you are indeed a…gamer girl!"

"Ahaha! Nice one, Kazuto! Well, since I've won this time as well, I can get to choose the place where we'll go this Saturday!"

"And where would you like to go?"

"Well…I've been thinking of making a long walk in the Ueno Park. It has been a while since we've been there! Plus, since it's spring, there will be a lot of cherry blossoms, and you know how I love them!"

"I didn't know you had this romantic side! But it's a deal, I'll bring you there."

"Really? Awww, thank you! And to think that despite I choose most of the time where we go with you accepting it…it's really wonderful! I couldn't ask for a better person like you!"

"Well…you surely exaggerate sometime with your ideas…"

"Hey!"

"But that's ok for me. I think that's the best part of you, really! And, as long as I can see that smile, I'm willing to carry you anywhere."

"…Thank you, Kazuto. It makes me extremely happy to hear that."

"Oh, by the way, do you want some donuts? My mother cooked them for us so we can eat them!"

"YAY! Snack time!"

Tokyo – Tohsaka Residence – 15th April 2021 – 8.00 A.M

"Ah!" Kazuto suddenly stood up and opened his eyes, noticing that he was on his bed. When he looked at the window, he could see that the sun was already high, and a new day had started. His vision of the past had ended, and he turned back to reality.

"Master?"

Kazuto turned around to see Archer of Red, who looked at him confused. "Is everything ok? You had a…concerned expression on your face while sleeping…" The Servant asked. Kazuto looked down…and gave his answer. "No…it's ok. I was just…remembering something."

"What?" Archer of Red asked. "…I don't wanna talk about it." Kazuto promptly replied. Archer of Red was surprised by his quick and sudden answer, but she could understand that it might have been something painful for him. "I know you may not like this answer but…I just don't want to." The Tohsaka mage added.

"Oh, no no…it's…ok." Archer of Red told him. "Is my mom up yet?" Kazuto then asked. "Yes, and…uhm…I actually came to wake you up…for this reason." The Servant replied with a nervous smile. The mage of the Red Rose was confused by her words. Did something happen to her mother?

Wanting to know what happened, Kazuto quickly stood up from the bed and went downstairs to see his mother. And what he saw…indeed surprised and shocked him at the same time.

Downstairs, Saber of Red was flexing his muscles in front of Hinobu, who had a surprised and pleased expression on her face, while Gordon was sitting on the table making a facepalm. "Eheheh! These big guys I have here in my arms are what made my legend so known to man! They've accompanied me through many battles and never disappointed me!" Saber of Red said.

"Oh my, they really are big! Your wife must have been really happy to have a man like you!" Hinobu commented before turning and see her son. "Oh, good morning, Kazuto! As you can see, two colleagues of yours have come to visit you!" She spoke. Kazuto made a sceptic face, but he was clearly hiding his embarrassment and nervousness

"Well, well! The sleeping prince has come down with his beauty! Kazuto, Archer! How are you doing?" Saber of Red asked with his usual goliardic tone. And in that point…the young Tohsaka mage couldn't control himself anymore.

"WHAT THE FUCK ARE YOU DOING WITH MY MOTHER!?" His shout was so loud that made some birds outside fly away.

Some minutes later, Gordon made Saber of Red sit down, and even the other pair of the Red Rose joined the table. Hinobu quickly made some pancakes with maple sirup for everyone. "Kazuto, honey! You shouldn't act like that if a friend of yours wants to show me something. You should stay calmer and more positive." The woman then told her son.

"Kazuto was right to have that reaction, this guy here really doesn't know how to control himself in front of women!" Gordon said while frowning at his Servant. "Sigh, kids these days really don't know how to enjoy life in a proper way! Don't you agree, Archer?" Saber of Red then asked to the other Servant, who looked at him with a sceptic face. "No." She simply replied.

In that moment, Gordon and Saber of Red started to eat and got surprised by the sweet taste that came down their throat. "Woah…this is…really good…" The Fragarthach mage commented. "Indeed! The sweetness of these pancakes is well mixed with the syrup!" Saber of Red added.

"You don't eat Pancakes, Gordon?" Hinobu then asked. "Well…I usually avoid eating sugar in order to maintain the muscles on my body big. But this…is an exception. Kazuto, you really have a good chef as a mother!" Gordon answered.

"I know! I really couldn't ask for anything better!" Kazuto told him. "By the way…you said that you now know the opponents of your different faction, right?" Hinobu then asked.

"Yes. And they all seemed to be really tough. Today we should discuss on the next move we should make for this war." Archer of Red answered. "Man, I still feel the injuries that Archer of White gave me. Seriously, I would have never expected all that strength from an old man!" Saber of Red added.

"I see…and you, Kazuto? Are you feeling better?" Hinobu then asked his son. "Well…slightly better. I find myself comfortable with the other members of the Red Rose. Even though…I'm still feeling concerned about our opponents…especially after I saw their Saber with my own eyes." Kazuto replied.

"You shouldn't be that concerned on your role. You did some valuable job in these days. If it wasn't for you and Archer, Cahya and Assassin would have been killed by that monster." Gordon told him. "Like I told you, don't think too much and fight."

"It's not really the proper way to say it, but Gordon has a point. For now, you're sticking pretty well with your role, and as long as you have me, there's nothing you should be afraid of." Archer of Red added.

"Eheh…I know that Archer. We look each other's backs, after all. And…these words are unusual from you Gordon." Kazuto then noticed. "I just say what's true." The other Master replied while crossing his arms and closing his eyes. "If you say so. But yes…I can understand what you are talking about." Kazuto then said.

After they finished breakfast, Kazuto, Gordon and their Servants left the Tohsaka residence and saluted Hinobu, who wished good luck for them.

"Man, Kazuto's mother surely is a good person! Both in body and spirit!" Saber of Red commented. "I'VE HEARD YOU, SABER!" Kazuto shouted at him. "What? I'm only saying the truth!" The Servant countered.

"You really like women, don't you?" Archer of Red asked him. "Indeed! I consider them to be a gift from the sky, and I was lucky to have two women that made me enjoy my past life!" Saber of Red replied before looking at the other Servant. "And if you want, we could keep this discussion over nice food and nice wine." He then offered.

Archer of Red looked at him with a sceptic and disgusted face before giving her answer. "Thanks…but no thanks. I only had a man in my whole life, and i've always been loyal to him, even if he's not here. Plus…I wouldn't want to make Rider mad. It seems that you are quite close to each other. Is she one of the two women you mentioned?" She then asked.

"Yes. And she is one of her kind! Her passion is what made me pass through a terrible period for me. Even though…I had to fight against a friend of mine because of her. But…that happened long ago and be with her again makes me really happy!" Saber of Red replied, explaining his relationship with Rider of Red.

"By the way Gordon…why were you in my house today?" Kazuto then asked to the other Master of the Red Rose. "There's no particular motivation for that. I just happened to pass by and so I've decided to take you. Glad that at least, you're not a sleepyhead." Gordon replied. "And…well…searching for a companion is only natural for us…right?" He added.

"W-Well…I usually wake up around that hour…" Kazuto replied, confused for how he called him a sleepyhead. "But…I appreciate the thought you had." He added. "Oh, Gordon spends time with others more than unexpected, even if he doesn't show it." Saber of Red added.

"Like I said to Alvis yesterday, I don't mind be with the others. I just got used to stay alone for my job." Gordon replied after glancing at his Servant. "Oh, speaking of which, here's the station. Let's hurry up and take the train. We'll surely have a reunion today."

With that, both Saber and Archer of Red turned in their spiritual form, while Kazuto and Gordon entered inside the station and got inside the train that would have brought them in the street where the Red Rose headquarter.

"He said job…I wonder what type of job he has…" Kazuto thought while looking at the other Master.

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[Katekyo Hitman Reborn – Boys and Girls]

*Seven Cards that represent the seven classes of Servants appear one by one before splitting in two different decks, each one having the seven cards*

[Boys and Girls be ambitious, Boys and Girls keep it real, Boys and Girls be ambitious, Boys and Girls keep it real]

*Kazuto and Archer of Red open their eyes, and then Kazuto with flames on his hands and on his head starts to perform various melee attacks while Archer of Red attacks with the katana, the naginata and her bow. After that, the two start to fly in the sky*

[Following the manual, jumping out of everyday, you are a boy…]

*Kazuto wakes up and quickly prepares himself to leave the house with Archer of Red while having a croissant in his mouth. The two of them leave while Hinobu looks at them with a smile from a window.*

[Not able to become an adult, but not able to stay as a child, times like that will come…]

*Kazuto and Archer of Red are reached by the remaining members of the Red Rose Faction. With Gordon give some punch to the air, Saber of Red give his Master a pat on his shoulder with a big smile, Calem walking with a smile and his guitar on his back, Lancer of Red walking with her eyes closed, Alvis looking at the phone while Rider of Red tries to get his attentions by licking her lips, Marcus giving tips to the group, Astrea joining the chat by talking alongside Caster of Red, Cahya who looks at the group with a light smile and Assassin of Red that walks happy with her hands on the back of her head*

[Where everyone is in a hurry, in the world that we live in…]

*Meanwhile from the top of a roof, Seram, Isak, Cynthia, Tygo, Adewale, Oeneus and Maximilian along with their Servant are watching the Red Rose Faction, with Cynthia giving a quite serious stare at Kazuto*

[We stopped upon a shooting star!]

*Suddenly Kazuto and the other members of the Red Rose Faction stop and turn around, noticing the constellation of a rose in the sky. Then, the camera zooms at Kazuto's eyes before the screen becomes white*

[One thing that I cannot give up, with just one, I can become strong!]

*Saber of Red and Saber of White clash their swords and make a battle cry, while Rider of Red runs on her carriage to reach Rider of White, who summons her giant to attack her. Meanwhile, Cleopatra and Assassin of White both make a fight pose before attacking each other with melee attack. Then Cleopatra releases some golden stardust with a determined face while Assassin of White throws plates with a grin on her face.*

[You were scared and I pulled your hand, we keep walking!]

*Lancer of Red gets surrounded in purple flames before creating purple dragons that are cut in half by Vlad III with his lance, who jumps towards her with an excited face.*

[Our breath increasing in the head wind!]

*Caster of White attacks Astrea with magical beams, but the girl is saved by Caster of Red, who cuts the beams with her staff and is ready to fight, while Berserker of White dives with anger to attack Berserker of Red, who is furious as well and he's ready to attack her. *

[Boys and Girls be ambitious!]

*Then, Kanashimi holding the Black Keys with a worried face, Hinobu making a smile with a thumb up and a shadowy figure that turns around are seen. *

[ Boys and Girls keep it real! Boys and Girls be ambitious! Boys and Girls keep it real!]

*Archer of Red is preparing a flaming arrow while Archer of White is ready to shoot with his gun. The two Servants throw their blasts which clash against each other and form an explosion. Then the screen turns white and, in the end, all the Masters and their Servants are seen striking a pose while a rose stands on the center. The opening ends*

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Tokyo – Red Rose Headquarter – 15th April 2021 – 9.30 A.M

The two pairs of the Red Rose entered inside the headquarter, and could notice that Marcus, Alvis, Calem and Cahya were already there with their Servants, meaning that there was still one pair missing.

"Oh, Kazuto and Gordon! Nice to see both of you here." Marcus saluted them. "It seems we're not the last ones here…" Archer of Red noticed.

"Sabeeeer!" Rider of Red immediately jumped at Saber of Red with a hug. "Hello there, sweetie!" The other Servant replied. "Glad to see my precious bodyguard here!" Rider of Red added.

"You're a bodyguard too as a Servant…" Alvis commented, remembering that Rider of Red is a Servant as well. "Oh, don't listen to her! It's clear that she only thinks about sex." Assassin of Red added.

"Look who's talking! You were attached to your Master all night!" Rider of Red countered. "He was severely injured! I had to treat him somehow!" The other Servant shouted. "Don't try to play dumb with me, I saw you make googly eyes at your Master!" Rider of Red added.

"…For five…minutes…" Archer of Red suddenly said. "Can you please…not argue and shout…"n turned at the two Servants. "FOR FIVE MINUTES!?"

It was all that needed to make Rider and Assassin of Red stay silent. "I can't believe it took her to make them stop a second time…" Cahya commented. "I'm…sorry for that…" Kazuto told him.

"Thank you, Archer. And with this, we're at six. Do you know where Astrea and Caster are?" Marcus then asked.

"Didn't see them." Gordon replied. "It's not the first time she gets late." Kazuto added. "And that's something she should absolutely correct! A good soldier must always be punctual! When I was in the army, the ones who got late had to make five laps of race as punishment!" Marcus exclaimed.

"Don't you think you're exaggerating?" Kazuto commented before looking around. "I assume Berserker is in his spiritual form." He asked. "He is. Since you saw him the other day, you know why I can leave him here. I already have difficulties to control him, and that's a lot coming from someone like me!" Marcus replied. "I wonder how a normal person would control him. I've heard that in the past, there were some Masters in the past Holy Grail Wars that weren't mages at all." Gordon added. "Well…I'm sitting down. Call me if you need me." He then went to sit down.

"Well, since Astrea isn't still here, you can relax for a little bit." Marcus told Kazuto, who nodded and went to Cahya and Assassin.

"Hey, Cahya. How are you feeling?" Kazuto asked the homunculus. "Fine. But if I must be honest…I'm surprised to still be here after yesterday's match. A homunculus usually doesn't have that much vital strength." Cahya replied. "That's good to hear…after seeing Saber of White and his Master I was seriously concerned about your health. I would have never expected to see a dead face in this Holy Grail War…or a Servant like that." Kazuto commented.

"You don't need to worry about me, Tohsaka. Despite my curiosity to know what life is, I'm well aware of my role as a creation made just for this war. Even if I get killed…I don't think it would make that of a change." Cahya told him.

"You…don't have to talk like this. If you've survived it means that you have something more that makes you go on, right? I know that you cannot feel emotions but…maybe you should have a better opinion on your role here." Kazuto said after looking at him with a concerned face. "He reminds me of someone…" Archer of Red added with a smirk. "You…don't need to point that out, Archer." Her Master told her. In that moment, Kazuto's Servant looked at Assassin of Red. "I see that you are feeling better as well."

"Yeah. Somehow, to be honest!" Cleopatra replied with a giggle. "I've had a pretty bad time yesterday. But luckily, I was able to use the auto-regeneration and get to safety. Well…this was also possible thanks to you. How did you know we were in the middle of a fight?" She then asked. "It was Kazuto who felt it. Apparently, Saber of White's magical energy was big enough to be sensed from afar. My Master had a bad feeling about this and decided to follow that energy." Archer of Red replied.

"It doesn't surprise me at this point…that…thing was even too much strong for me. But…I still want to make sure I'll be on his level next time!" Assassin of Red said. "You…still want to fight him?" Kazuto asked. "But of course! I'm the beauty of the desert, and I always end my unfinished business, even if I had to use brutal ways to do so! Plus…he's still one of our opponents, so we'll end up facing him again." The Servant replied.

"Oh…right…" The Tohsaka mage spoke. "Is…everything alright, Master?" Archer of Red asked. "Could it be…that you are scared of Saber of White?" Cahya tried to guess, making the other mage wide his eyes. "S-Scared?" He exclaimed.

"Well…judging by your reaction, that seems right the answer." Cleopatra said.

In that moment, everyone could hear the door open in a violent away and when they turned around, they could see Astrea and Caster of Red. "MARCUS GRAINT YGGDMILLENIA IS SUPER SUPER COOL, I'M HERE DON'T START WITHOUT ME!" Astrea shouted. "There's no need to shout, Master...i think they can hear you." Her Servant said with a drop of sweat coming down from her head.

"About time!" Marcus exclaimed annoyed. "What took you so long, Astrea?" Calem then asked. "Sorry guys, I've lost some time in counting back the money I've earned before coming here…sometimes the business of a clairvoyant is really hard to manage." The Alainosta mage answered. In fact, Kazuto could see some banknotes coming out from her pockets.

"Well…the important is that she's here now, right?" Alvis asked. "Right. Ok everyone, have a seat on the 's time to discuss about our next strategy." Marcus then ordered everyone.

"Maybe you want to talk about it, later?" Archer of Red then asked to Kazuto about earlier. "Hmmm…maybe that will do." The Tohsaka mage replied before going to the table.

Soon, everyone was around the table at the center of the room. Another discussion had started for the Red Rose Faction. After the succession of battles that occurred in the previous days, it was time to talk about the next moves to use to guarantee victory and the possession of the Holy Grail.

"Very well. It's finally time to take a new decision, especially now that we have met all the enemy Masters and especially their Servants." Marcus said.

"So, we have…a Japanese Oni demon as their Assassin, a lady that can summon a bull and an iron golem as their Rider, one of the most brutal sovereigns that the world has ever seen as their Lancer, an old genius gentleman as their Archer, A girl that has beast features as their Berserker, a woman that can create devices as their Caster…and a titan made of fire as their Saber." Calem started, making a list of their opponents.

"And for now…we only have the identity of their Lancer, right?" Caster of Red asked. "Yes. Vlad III, the king of Romania that was also known as 'The Impaler'. His highest task was to push back the Ottoman army back in the 15th century. And he even ended up being associated with the monster known as Count Dracula." Archer of Red replied.

"D-Dracula!? You mean the vampire!? That means that he's technically invincible!" Astrea exclaimed. "What do you mean?" Kazuto asked. "Vampires are extremely powerful creatures! I've read that the only things that can destroy them are holy items and the sunlight! If he's really Count Dracula, then we may have many difficulties on take him down!" The Alainosta mage explained.

"If so…the supervisor of the war would be the only one…" Alvis fairly noticed. "I see your point, Astrea. But I don't think this is that case. My Berserker was able to give him several and fatal injuries during our last fight. My assumption is that…while he is known as the Count Dracula…he is not the Count Dracula." Marcus then said.

"He is not Count Dracula?" Cahya asked. "I know what Marcus is talking about. You see…we Servants can have more than one incarnation in the modern world during the Holy Grail War. These incarnations are nothing more than different forms of the same person. What Marcus is saying is that…the Vlad III we have as an enemy is not the one associated with the legend of Count Dracula. I would say…he's more like the real Vlad III that existed…" Saber of Red explained.

"I see…that would explain how Archer and Berserker were able to stand up against him." Kazuto spoke. "Yes…plus, if he was the vampire version of himself, he would have probably been a Berserker-Class Servant. Still…I do think he is a dangerous being. When I fought against him, I was almost on the grasp of defeat. Plus…even his Noble Phantasm seemed really powerful." Archer of Red added.

"I agree. Luckily, our Berserker is strong enough to resist a little bit, but that attack could still be fatal for us. And…we should not forget who his Master is." Marcus said. "You said that his name was Isak Svala Von Lud…he is the leader of the White Rose, right?" Calem asked.

"Yes. And I've actually heard of him…some time ago." Gordon added, surprising everyone. "Really? What do you know about him?" Assassin of Red asked. "He comes from the Mages Association back in London, as one of the teachers. If I'm correct…he teaches how to use the alteration of the Soul." The Fragarthach mage answered.

"Not only that…I've…actually met him once in the past." Marcus added. "Right…he said that you two already fought in the past…" Kazuto told him. By hearing those words…Marcus frowned in a painful expression, as the discussion brought back a terrible memory of the past. He looked down at his chest…where there was the scar that Isak gave him. "It happened 7 years ago. While continuing my training as a mage, I served in the military of the United Nations. One day, I had to go in Afghanistan, specifically…in the city of Mashhad, where a civil protest caused by a group of terrorists that wanted to take control of the city was taking out. As one of the United Nations soldiers, I had to stop them…and it was in that moment…that I've met him."

"Isak?" Rider of Red asked. "Yes. I would have never thought that among the terrorists, I would have met another mage. We fought for a while, and he was skilled…maybe too much skilled for me. And during the battle…" Marcus replied before showing something that shocked the other mages. "Oh, dear lord!" Astrea exclaimed.

On his left breastplate…there was a large scar in the shape of an X, which seemed to be dug deep in his body. "I've received this…while I've gave him one as well. Our battle was interrupted when the United Nations reinforcements arrived, and he ran away, probably not to show signs of magecraft to common people." Marcus added.

"Man…that's a big scar…is he that powerful?" Gordon asked. "I can confirm that…he uses some sort of golden barrier that is almost impregnable. Even though…there is the possibility to find a break in his defense and attack him. But still…he is a fearsome mage." Kazuto answered. "Which means that he and Vlad are a powerful duo."

"Still…I find it strange. Why would he, the leader, come out that early? I thought he would have stayed hidden and let his subordinates do the job. This move of his is rather…unexpected." Lancer of Red commented.

"Isak himself is unexpected. He always acts like he has a plan ready on his mind every time. And that is what makes him a troublesome opponent." Marcus answered.

"True enough…now…who do you think might be too dangerous as well?" Lancer of Red then asked. "I would say Caster of White…despite acting more like an actual Servant of that class, she still has something different much like me. Her talent of creating devices filled with magecraft…may be dangerous for us, as she could create a weapon or a device that could easily overpower us." Caster of Red answered.

"If I'm not wrong…she developed an armor that let her Master be on the same level of Lancer." Cahya mentioned. "Yes. Even though Lancer of Red still had superiority on him, the idea of a Master that can equally fight against a Servant is rather worrying." Calem replied.

"It's not something new, though. If they have the right ways and magecraft, a Master could still face a Servant. Even I was able to attack Archer of White thanks to the runes I have in my body." Gordon told him.

"Speaking of which, what can you say about Archer of White?" Marcus then asked. "I think the most appropriate term to describe him is the ultimate definition of the saying 'Never judge a book by its cover'. Despite being an old man, he is a strong Servant and a cold calculator." Saber of Red replied. "But…in my opinion…I think there is someone else we should focus on…" He then added.

Cahya looked down and made a sigh, as he knew the answer. "Saber of White."

"…Yes…I think that's the main concern here as well…" Alvis added. "Without a doubt, he is the strongest Servant they have on the White Rose Faction."

"Not only he belongs to the Saber Class, which is said to be the strongest one between the seven classes of Servants, but he showed to be a brutal machine of destruction…even I was able to sense his magical power from afar." Kazuto commented, showing his concern, which made Archer of Red worried. "Do you think his summoning can be considered an irregular one?" The Tohsaka mage then asked.

"I don't think so. Many Servants which were really powerful got summoned in the past. A member of my clan, Murkuro Verto Yggdmillenia, who participated in the Second Holy Grail War, was able to summon the king of heroes himself, Gilgamesh, as a Caster. So, this Saber's presence is surely not an anomaly or a singularity. Still…to think that an ancient giant was summoned is rather…particular." Marcus replied.

"What about the Berserker of White? What can you say about her?" Assassin of Red asked curious. "GRRRR! That pussycat, don't mention her ever again!" Rider of Red complained while still having some hatred for the Servant of the opposite faction. "Uhm…forgive her. Well…their Berserker is pretty much what you expect from a Servant of their class. She attacks with rampage, despite being able to maintain calm…and she seems to be associated with nature and ferocious animals. But…there was something strange on her." Alvis then answered the question.

"What is it?" Astrea asked. "In order to end the battle…she used an attack…that is typical of an Archer." Alvis answered, surprising both Kazuto and Archer of Red. "What? Are you serious?" The Tohsaka mage asked.

"I swear! This makes me wonder how this is possible…" Alvis wondered. "Maybe…She's a Servant that in normal circumstances…she would be summoned as an Archer." Marcus tried to guess. All these deductions made Archer of Red wonder who could she be…maybe…she had a clue…but she still needed some confirms from that. "In that case…I would like to make a request." She spoke.

"Hm? What is it?" Marcus asked. "If possible, I would like to go after Berserker of White with my Master. I thought that maybe, if I saw her better, I could find out her real identity." The Servant replied, declaring her intention.

Kazuto was surprised by this sudden initiative. Archer of Red was usually more silent during these general meetings, but now, she wanted to give an advice to the others. The Servant turned on her Master and made a convinced smile. "If this will help my Master get his wish, I'm willing to do it." She said.

In the end…even the Tohsaka mage smiled. It was nice to hear that she was more than willing to help him, despite being bonded only to a contract. "I don't object what my Servant proposed. You can leave Berserker of White to us, Marcus." He spoke.

"Well…look at that smirk you're having on your faces. PERFECT! That's the attitude a good soldier must have. Very well, you can focus your energies on their Berserker. Remember that we're counting on you." Marcus answered.

"Yatta!" Archer of Red exclaimed making a small fist. "Now…back to the main topic…we all know that, at this point, it's clear who our main target should be." The leader of the Red Rose then said to the rest of the group.

"So, we're going to fight that Saber…right? I-I…I don't know if that's a good idea…maybe he's like the colossal titan…and I don't want to be crunched! That's not the death I want!" Astrea exclaimed. "Master…you're showing too much insecurity." Caster of Red remembered her. "Oh shit! A-AH! I cursed! S-Sorry everyone…and you Master- I mean…Caster." Her Master said by bowing her head.

"So then…how are we going to settle things with that creature?" Calem asked. "Judging by what Cahya and Assassin saw, the only ones who are close to his power in our faction are Lancer and Berserker." He added.

"…Maybe…there's a way to make him more vulnerable." Gordon suddenly spoke, getting everyone's attention. "One way to solve a problem…is to come at the source of it…and this Servant can be considered our problem, which means…that we all know what his source is. And…judging by what Cahya said…his source shouldn't be that troublesome." He then explainened.

A short silence followed in the room…before Alvis widened his eyes in bewilderment. "W-What?! No way! How can you say a thing like this, Gordon!?" He exclaimed, having understood what Gordon was talking about.

"Wait…I don't understand…what did Gordon suggest?" Astrea asked. "He suggested that, in order to make the Saber of White weaker…we should get rid of her Master." Caster of Red answered. The Alainosta mage suddenly changed expression to neutral to a concerned one. "Oh…o-oh…wait…do you…think it's really necessary?" She then asked.

"Unfortunately…Gordon has a point. If his Master dies, he will start to lose magical energy unless he forms a new contract with another mage or starts to kill many people, and so, he will become weaker and easier to take down. It's…kinda tragic…but it's a fair idea." Saber of Red explained.

"G-Guys! You can't be serious! We don't even know anything about this girl! What did she do to get this treatment? Come on!" Alvis tried to protest. As someone who didn't find reason in taking other's lives, he clearly despised this method and couldn't accept it. "Master, calm down…" Rider of Red told him.

"If you have another strategy, then we'll be more than happy to hear it, but for now, I think it's the only thing we can do in order to contrast this monster. You may not like it, but this is how an Holy Grail War works…it's not the first time that the participants died during the conflict." Marcus told him while staring at him with cold eyes and talking with a serious tone. He surely was joking sometimes, but this was surely one of those times he was dead serious. While looking at him, Kazuto remembered the advice Marcus gave him when he first met him before summoning Archer of Red.

Alvis still gritted his teeth…but he looked down…resigned. "Dammit." He simply spoke. Despite not accepting at all this idea, he knew he couldn't protest that much, unless he or the others had another strategy.

"With this said…we need someone who can hunt down that girl." Marcus then proceeded while looking at Assassin of Red. "The Assassin Class is specialized in stealth kills…you can be fitted for this task." He added.

"I understand…even my Master wanted to meet that girl again. Right, Cahya?" Assassin of Red asked to his Master. "Yes…" Cahya replied, while looking somewhere, thinking of something. "Hm? Is there something wrong?" The Servant asked. "Uh? No, it's nothing…" The homunculus quickly replied.

But then…

"Wait…before we go do that…oh my God I can't believe that I'm saying this…but…what if…" Astrea suddenly spoke out. Everyone soon looked at her. "S-So many stares…" The girl commented. "Come on, don't be scared! They want to listen." Caster of Red encouraged her as always.

"…Ok…" Astrea answered before making a deep breath. "Please…try to follow me up with this. What if we...lure her and Saber of White into a trap…and then join forces to take the Servant down?" She then proposed her idea.

"Uh? That's unexpected of you, Astrea." Gordon commented. "What made you decide on this?" Calem asked.

"Well…I just had a thought about it. Judging from what they've told us, despite being extremely weaker than him, Assassin of Red was still able to deliver some blows to Saber of White, right? So, in other words…it was like an ant trying to attack a grasshopper…and in a situation like this, we know the results, as the grasshopper is bigger. But! If more ants start to attack the grasshopper, then the situation would be completely different, as the ants would overthrow the grasshopper! Just like this situation…well…we won't count Kazuto and Archer, since they're going to deal with the Berserker of White, but…if the rest of us could get the chance to approach Saber of White…and attack him, we could already be closer to his level, considering that Lancer and Berserker will be there, and then, we could even think of defeating Saber of White without having to kill his Master…don't you think?" Astrea explained.

…

Another silence. And this time, everyone had their eyes wide open, like they saw a ghost. "G-Guys? What's wrong?" The young girl asked, worrying that she said something stupid.

"I…I can't believe it…" Marcus spoke. "She…she just made…a smart reasoning…" Lancer of Red added. "GEE GUYS, THANKS FOR THE GOOD WORDS, REALLY!" Astrea shouted, feeling offended.

"No no, you misunderstood! We're just…actually surprised to hear you say something like that, don't get it wrong!" Kazuto said. "I still have my doubts!" The girl countered.

"That's…a pretty good idea as well…but…I need to ask you just one more thing. Are you aware that, in case of failure, we could lose most of our Servants, or, in the worst case, we could lose this war? And do you also know that there would still be the risk that her Master could end up getting killed in the process?" Marcus asked, wanting to know what kind of answer she will give.

The girl didn't expect that reaction and started to sweat. She turned on her Servant, hoping for a suggestion. "Go on, give him your answer." Caster of Red told her.

"…Well…I know that there may be terrible consequences by following this strategy but…it's the best I could suggest. Plus…we cannot say that it won't work unless we try it, right? I mean…not everything must be seen in black, maybe there could be some benefit in this! Plus…this could be something that would satisfy everyone and could be for the sake of our victory on this war. I mean…it's…not wrong to try find a way to survive and win…right?" This was the mage's answer.

Marcus remained silent but kept on looking at her. "…You seem to be quite convinced on your thought. In that case…I'll see if I can take your idea in consideration, since…it may be right."

"You…liked it?" Astrea asked. "Why shouldn't he? It is a fair reasoning after all, even if risky!" Caster of Red answered, encouraging her. "I also like it. At least…with this, we don't have to kill his Master…maybe." Alvis added.

"Still…I don't think you should put your emotions in this, Alvis, whether we kill her or not. Didn't I tell you yesterday? You shouldn't feel so emphatic with your enemy, especially if it is someone you don't even know." Gordon told him. "I'm sorry to say this, Master but…I think Gordon is right…" Rider of Red added, making his Master sigh. "I know. I just…don't accept this…" Alvis said.

"An idea of mine has been taking in consideration! I-I never thought a day like this would have come! How should I react? Should I be happy, paranoic, some-" Astrea was going to fall into panic again, but Caster of Red gave her a small karate chop on her head to stop her. "OUCH!"

"Calm down, you're getting scared again!" Caster of Red told her. "R-Right, Master- I mean…Caster." Her Master said.

"So, with this said, we now have our main targets, their Saber, and their Berserker. While Kazuto and Archer track down the Berserker of White to find out about their identity, and possibly, taking her down, I'll try to find a way to put Astrea's idea in act, or I'll see if I can find another strategy in case this doesn't work, and I don't mind turning back to Gordon's idea. In the meantime, check if you can see any signs of magecraft or if you encounter our enemies. Now that we've met them…it's time to get serious. If we want to have our wishes granted, we need to use all our forces to defeat the White Rose Faction once and for all. So, next time we'll see an enemy, Let's not hesitate, and let's do our best to take them down." Marcus then proclaimed, with the remaining members of the Red Rose nod as an answer. "Very well. We're dismissed. I'll go outside and find a calm place where to think." Marcus said before exiting.

"It seems we know how to operate, now." Cahya said to the others. "If you don't mind, I'll leave right away, at this point. I'll check if I can get a satisfying result like yesterday." Gordon said while standing up. "Productive as ever, eh Gordon?" Saber of Red asked with a smirk. "You're damn right!" His Master answered before leaving.

"It seems that the yesterday rumble wasn't enough for them! Eheh, oh well…it's better for me if I leave as well. I wonder if I'll have another lucky encounter. Shall we go, Lancer?" Calem then asked to his Servant, who made a grin after hearing that. "Oh…you're quite intimate with me during these days, Master. Should I understand something from this behavior of yours?" She asked. This made the Artel mage blush pretty easily and quickly turn around. "Absolutely not. Let's just go…good luck guys." He said before leaving with his Servant.

"It's the first time I see him that way…he acts like a light novel protagonist! But…what are we going to do, Caster?" Astrea then asked. "You heard Marcus. Time for another investigation. Ready for some more physical activities?" Caster of Red answered with a smile. "I just hope I don't get sick like last night…" The Alainosta mage said worried.

"In that case…would you mind if we join you? Last time I went alone but…I would like to see what it means to team up with somebody." Cahya then proposed to the girl mage, who jumped back, caught by surprise. "EEEEH!? Y-You're asking me!?" She exclaimed. The homunculus was confused and slightly tilted his head. "Yes. Did I do something wrong?" He innocently asked. "N-No, Master. You know how she reacts…" Assassin of Red told him.

"R-Right, sorry. I just…hung around with Kazuto only twice so I still need to get used to these…" Astrea said. "I-I don't mind going with you, Cahya…hey, perhaps I could show you something cool!"

"Really? That…makes me curious." The homunculus answered. Before leaving, Astrea turned on Kazuto one last time. "I guess that we'll have to part ways for now…uhm…you…sure you don't want to come with you?" She asked.

"No, there's no need of. But thanks for the thought." Kazuto concluded. "…Sure?" Astrea asked again. "…Yes…I'm sure…" The Tohsaka mage answered back.

"…Perhaps-" Astrea was going to continue, but Caster of Red grabbed her and went out. "LET'S GO." She spoke. Cahya looked confused while Cleopatra made a small laugh and the two of them followed, leaving only two Masters inside the building.

"I guess you'll head out to find that Servant, right?" Alvis asked. "Yes. That was the plan." Kazuto simply replied. "Be careful…she was really strong yesterday, and she was the one that forced us to retreat with that attack of hers." The Walker mage suggested. "And make sure she suffers, Archer! I want that pussycat to disappear at once!" Rider of Red added. The other Servant of the Red Rose looked at her confused. "That girl surely made her mad…" She commented.

"Absolutely! I'm the one and only sovereign of the world! I cannot let someone step on me that easily! Only one man ever defied me when I was alive, and that must remain the only case in history!" Rider of Red answered.

"I…think they've got it, Rider. Anyways…" Alvis said before sighing. The Tohsaka mage noticed that the other Master of the Red Rose had a more…melancholic expression on his face. It was typical for him to not smile always but…Kazuto could see that this time…he was more…disappointed than usual. "Is there…something wrong?" He asked.

"What? No, don't worry. I was…sigh…I was just thinking." Alvis answered back. "You should go. Who knows where that guy and his Servant are hiding." Judging by his tone, he seemed that he wanted to close the argument as soon as possible.

"Maybe we should leave him alone." Archer of Red commented. Kazuto felt a little bit sorry, but his Servant was right. "Alright, then…let's go." He concluded. With that, he and Archer of Red left the building, leaving only Alvis inside, even though, he would have eventually got out of there to investigate as well, but not before he would have felt better.

"I've never seen him with the long face. Bah…who knows what he thinks." Rider of Red thought while looking at him.

---

Tokyo – White Rose Headquarter – 15th April 2021 – 10.10 A.M

The sun shined over the castle of the other faction of this Holy Grail War, as the seven pairs of Masters and Servants started to prepare to go out to the city. Among them, there was someone who was doing a little bit late.

Oeneus was sitting on a table in one of the gardens of the castle while writing a letter addressed to someone. His pace on writing was fast but accurate, and he seemed to put as many information as possible on the letter. Caster of White was sitting on the other side, looking at his Master while he was writing. On her shoulder, there was a strange mechanical bird that looked at the letter.

"Oh, there you are. I was wondering where you were." Suddenly a voice called out for the Animusphere mage, making him raise his head and turn around. It was Tygo who called him, coming out from a hedge accompanied by his Servant, Rider of White. "Tygo? I thought you were already departing." Oeneus told him.

"My Master insisted on talking with you first." Rider of White explained with her usual kind tone. "It's not that of a big deal actually. I just wanted to ask if you wanted to come with us today. Perhaps if there's two of us, we could be stronger." Tygo added.

"Hmmm. You made a valid point by asking someone for support. But I don't know if I can be that much of a help, considering that Caster here isn't suited for battles." Oeneus answered with a not so impressed face. It was clear that he didn't like the idea, and Tygo wasn't prepared for that answer. "As much as my Master could have said it in a nicer way…he's right. The least I can do is to build devices that could help you and Oeneus. We were lucky if we survived against Lancer of Red yesterday…" Caster of White added after a nervous laugh.

"I-I know but…Cynthia and Adewale already departed…Seram doesn't like people as you know and...I don't feel comfortable around Isak." Tygo then said. "What do you mean? He's our leader, you shouldn't feel that discouraged around that guy!" The Animusphere mage countered.

"Oh, trust me, you don't know how uncomfortable I felt after teaming up with him last time! Just by looking at him gave me creeps!" Tygo answered. "Plus…I know he took care of the other Master, but…I still felt alone that night against Caster of Red's Master. I know it may be the most reasonable choice…but I'm not that convinced this time."

"I think you should do it. If you're with the leader, you should feel better and you could have highest chances of victory. Plus, both yours and his Servant are tough! Are you saying that he's weaker than me? Of all people?" Oeneus asked.

"No…that's not what I'm saying. It's just that…I really don't know how to behave with him. Even last time was weird." The other mage replied, starting to feel uncomfortable, since he wasn't used to have a discussion. The Animusphere mage looked at him in silence before turning around. This made Tygo sigh and turn around as well. "Alright, I get it. You don't want. Guess I'll just ask Maximilian then or…just go alone." He said while getting ready to leave, but then...

"…Wait, don't go. I don't said I wouldn't have joined you. It's just that…of all the choices you could have made, you just made the worst one! Keep that in mind!" Oeneus suddenly said.

"Oh! I…didn't expect that. Thanks." Tygo spoke as he turned around while Rider of White looked at the Animusphere mage with a sad face. "You don't seem to have a high consideration of yourself. Why's that?" She asked.

"Long story, and I don't think you would like to listen. Let me finish here and then we can go." The boy replied before finishing the letter.

A silence followed up, which Tygo found quite…awkward. Their discussion ended up being quite strange, and…he really didn't find words to continue while Oeneus kept on writing. Still…he made an effort and tried to…be as natural as possible. "You're…writing to someone?" He asked.

"My family. I'll let them know how I am." The other mage gave a quick answer since he was focused. "Oh, I see. Your father was Marisbury Animusphere, right? I guess…being the son of one of the Clock Tower's lords surely gave you a lot of advantages in life, right?" Tygo then asked.

That made Oeneus stop for a moment…as he raised up his head and gave a deep sigh. "No…that's wrong. And trust me…you don't know how much I wish it was like you said….you know what 'black sheep of the family' means?"

That question made Tygo look down and have a melancholic expression on his face as well. "Yeah…sort of." He said, remembering his past. "Then I don't think there's much to add. It's true that I wanted to participate in this Holy Grail War, but to think that I've ended up being here…is a surprise even for me. I still wonder why someone like my sister didn't make it." Oeneus continued while remembering some of the spar trainings he had with his older sister.

"GAH!"

"There we go again, Oeneus! How can you pretend to be a mage if you cannot resist even a single bullet?"

"I'm trying, Olga! But it's still not working! How can you be so skilled?"

"Then it means that you're not putting enough effort in what you do! You know how the other mages have a high expectation of you! I hope you don't want to disappoint them!"

"Of course not!"

"Then stand up and let's try again!"

"So, you…kinda live in the shadows of others, huh? I know how you feel. I'm used to it as well. It's not that they were expecting that much from me, despite…being on this conflict as well." Tygo said with a resigned face while looking at the command seals he had on his hands. They had the form of a wavy sea, and one of the three waves already disappeared, since he already used one of them. "Despite your attempts…you're still just a second rate for them. Yeah…that's…basically me." He added.

It was in that moment that...Rider of White made a comment. "Still…if you are in this war, it would still mean something right? I'm sure there's a reason the Holy Grail has chosen you to participate in this war, whether it is a particular reason or a simple joke." She spoke.

"Meh…I don't know if to believe in that. I just know that…I'm putting my last hopes in this. If not…then I'll probably know what the rest of my life will be about. But hey! At least…I tried to do something with my Servant." Oeneus concluded. "The fact that we've survived against a Servant like Lancer of Red is already something! And I think you've put quite a fight in that! Despite…we've lost in the end." Caster of White remembered.

"I know, right? But…maybe it was just a case…maybe…" Oeneus answered. Tygo ended up crossing his arms while looking at his companion. "It seems that…we have more in common than I expected…" He commented.

"Well, I don't know unless you tell me something about yourself." Oeneus answered with a smirk…which was…something unusual from him, even his Servant noticed it. "Oeneus! Did…did you just smirked?" She asked.

The Animusphere mage noticed it…and returned to his usual expression. "Don't get used to it." He simply said before finishing his letter. "There…I'm done."

In that moment…Tygo thought of something. "…May I…help you with the letter?" He suddenly proposed. "What do you mean?" Oeneus asked. The Geschiezend then took a feather and used his magecraft to summon the spirit of a pigeon. "Bring the letter to Marisbury Animusphere." He simply ordered. With that, the pigeon grabbed the letter and flew away.

By seeing this, Oeneus was genuinely surprised, as he saw something completely new for him. "Woah…what was that pigeon?" He asked.

"It's the specialty of my family: the spiritual evocation. I can use the parts of animals as catalyst to summon them as spirits. I have other animals that I can use." Tygo explained. "I may not be that great as a mage…, but I think this is a good thing I can actually do."

"Heh…you can say that again!" Oeneus answered, starting to like the other mage. Rider of White could notice it and made a light smile. "Look at their faces…" Caster of White commented. "Could this be the beginning of a weird friendship?" Rider of White commented. "Maybe this could help Tygo in his experience…" She thought.

After that discussion that ended up with some sort of connection between the two mages, they decided to start their investigation, but on their way…they saw that something was happening at the entrance of the castle. "Hm?" Curious, they came closer to see what that was about…and they saw something strange.

Their leader, Isak Svala Von Lud, alongside his Servant Vlad III, was talking with someone. But…it was actually a person they never seen before in the castle. It was a tall and slim man with neatly combed red hair that was wearing what seemed to be a butler uniform with even white gloves on his hands. Tygo and Oeneus couldn't hear what they were listening, but they could see that Isak was having his usual smile, and the man didn't seem surprised by Lancer of White's presence. "Who…is that guy?" Tygo wondered. "I've never seen him before…I thought this was a private residence…" Oeneus added.

"Hm?" The man turned around, but he didn't see nothing. "Is there something wrong?" Isak asked. "No. I just thought I've heard something." The man replied. "It's probably the other Masters wandering around. Nothing to be surprised of." Lancer of White suggested. "Right. It's rare to find someone else other than us. Back to our discussion, there's absolutely nothing to worry about her. She already proved to be a brilliant asset to us, just like you wished for." Isak added.

"I hope so. I don't know how long I have sacrificed to make her suitable for this war. Speaking of which, what progresses have you made this far?" He asked. "We've made the first encounters, but we're only at the beginning of it. But I do think that for the moment, the situation is probably at our advantage, even if the opposite faction has shown to be able to give much more problem than expected. But I do think that we need to be more optimistic about this." Isak answered.

"I see. I wonder what kind of wish she could ask…oh well, the important for me is that she can give results." The man wondered. "I leave you now. You'll probably be busy."

"Indeed, but remember that you'll always be welcome here, dear friend." Isak said. With that, the man saluted and left. "It seems that Isak knows him…could it be that he's another mage?" Tygo wondered. "I don't know…he's surely not a participant of the Holy Grail War…but then why is he here? Dammit, the more I think about it, the more I get under pressure! Now I understand what you meant before…" Oeneus commented. "…Perhaps it's better if we leave…" He added. "Yeah…good idea…" Tygo answered. Fearing that Isak might see them, the two mages of the White Rose started to go away while staying hidden in the walls and hedges.

Isak and his Servant remained there, while the wind moved their hair. "It seems that Tygo and Oeneus saw us." Vlad told his Master. "Yes. Oh well, what those two are thinking is irrelevant. It's not that of a big deal, after all, since it's not an issue that could compromise their cooperation, and then, the direction of this war." Isak added.

"You know, Master…I admire how you manage to maintain calm and show a pragmatic behavior in almost every situation. Though, as a former commander of war, I must ask…how did you do it? You surely must have an high consideration of yourself for this." Lancer of White then asked, wanting to know more about his Master.

"Oh, it's actually quite simple, my dear Lancer. I just start the day by thinking that in the end, everything will be for the best, and I make sure of that. As much as I don't show it, I also have moments when I'm particularly frustrated, and trust me…you don't want to see me when I'm in that mood." Isak answered while his eyes turned red for an instant before turning blue again. "Anyways, I do consider myself a man that can reach his goal if I use the right will and power to do so. Without an idealism…and a high conviction, it's hard to reach a satisfying conclusion in one's life. If someone doesn't know what they want to do with their life, it would be extremely hard for them to find happiness, find any satisfaction or…even be optimistic towards the others or themselves. What I've been passed through in the past made me what I am now and made have a clear idea…on the goal I want to achieve through the Holy Grail. I'm sure you had some clear ideas when you were alive, like…when you pushed the Ottoman empire out of Romania." He added.

"Indeed. I do have a personal sense of justice when it comes to face down enemies, and I do not hesitate using the most horrible ways to do so, because I know that, despite horrible, they are still the right ways to settle things. Back in my days, I was seen as a monster by anyone, both by my people, and by the Turks, but I couldn't care, because I knew it was all for the sake of my country, and I'm proud of what my legacy created. I guess this is what you wanted to hear, Master." Vlad answered.

"Exactly, and that is why I couldn't be happier to have someone like you as a Servant. Both of us know exactly what is right for others, and we don't have big dilemmas, because we know that they are right. A rightful leader is someone that makes their subordinates at ease…makes them feel sure…makes them ready to sacrifice themselves on their name, whether they're a saint or a demon. That is the type of leader I am…someone who knows what's the best for others and has a clear purpose. With that in mind, I can easily pull-out plans and strategies that could end up being useful in this Holy Grail War. Surely, those mages turn out to be tougher than expected and their leader is that Yggdmillenia mage I've faced some years ago…I'm not worried. I know myself better than anyone, and as such, I'm sure we can win, considering especially the people and Servants we are working with." Isak continued.

"You surely are someone who uses people around him in the best way…and I admire that." Vlad said with a grin. "Eheheh…yes…I sure am, Lancer." Isak concluded.

Then…it happened… "Uh!"

It was an instant…but the mage couldn't deny that it happened…something different from what he had expected happened…a feeling…a sensation…that was completely new for him. "What's wrong?" His Servant promptly asked.

Isak hesitated to answer at first. The Servant of the White Rose could see that his Master had his eyes widened…but not in an expression of anger, horror, or bewilderment…rather…an expression of surprise…as he saw something mythical like a phoenix or a dragon. The Leader of the White Rose remained in silence with that expression for a couple of minutes. "No way…" Before heading to towards the castle.

"What happened?" His Servant promptly asked. "I…I've felt something…that tried to communicate with me…a magical energy…but it was one…really big…which could mean only one thing…" His Master answered. That answer made Vlad wide his eyes. "Don't tell me…"

"Yes…we might have…an hint…of the Holy Grail's position."

---

Tokyo – Yokohama – 15th April 2021 – 17.30 P.M

Kazuto and Archer of Red spent some hours in search of their targets, but for now, they didn't have any type of result. A major problem was that Tokyo was a large city, which meant that the other Masters and Servants could have been in the most distant parts of it, unlike Fuyuki, where Masters could meet each other in a much easier way.

The Tohsaka mage wandered around the street while his Servant remained in her spiritual form. Kazuto even used his fire magecraft to look at the zone from above (making sure that no one could see him), but even among all those people, he couldn't sense magical energy or see someone as close as the description he has been given of Adewale Nwadike.

"Man…he's not here either…" Kazuto said after a deep sigh. In that moment, Archer of Red materialized close to him, wanting to ask something. "Kazuto…are you feeling alright?"

"Kinda…I just have a lot of thoughts in mind…" His Master replied. "…Care to…talk about them? I could help…" The Servant proposed. "Could it be…that you're thinking about Saber of White? You said that you would have liked to talk about it before."

"Well…partially. That…and the fact that we couldn't find our target…but I guess it's natural…maybe it's too soon for them to appear, even if the sun is starting to go down." Kazuto replied.

"Well…" Archer of Red started before leaning on a wall. "Since we are here…we could talk about it. It's important to know what my Master is afraid of."

"I don't think that's important…considering the job we have to do…" Kazuto tried to avoid the question while having a drop of sweat on his face, but his Servant turned out to be more insistent than expected. "Masteeeeer...You know well that you can't hide many things from me, except the really private ones! If there is something that is troubling you then it should be my duty to make some sort of support, don't you think? I used to do this even with my husband." She said with a playful tone. But the Tohsaka mage still didn't say anything and turned around.

"Hey…Kazuto…it's normal to fear something or someone, especially when it's about a war. When I was in the battlefield, there were many times I feared my opponents." Archer of White continued. This made Kazuto turn around. "Really?"

"Absolutely. It's true that I may look extremely confident to you, but…I, too, am afraid sometimes, just like when I fought against Vlad. I mean, I've almost faced death! But…I think a good solution to fear is to know what makes you fear a specific subject. I mean…you can't fight with your mind full of concerns. The enemy would take advantage of it and kill you easily, and I'm pretty sure you don't want this." Archer of Red answered.

"Of course not! I…want to live. Sigh…fair point…" Kazuto spoke. "So…what makes you so terrified about that Servant?" Archer of Red then asked.

"…Archer…do you think…being afraid of someone at first sight can be considered a normal thing? Like…when you watch a horror movie and as soon as you see the monster, you can't help but feel a sudden sense of terror in every part of your body. Well…that was the reaction I had when I saw Saber of White. I don't know…the sole idea that monster is among the enemies we must face…just creeps me out! You were able to deliver a blow against him, but because he was already injured and seemed to have already used a good amount of magical energy, if he had still some power to use, I don't know where we'd be by now! Ever since I've felt his magical energy from the distance, I could notice that there was something terribly wrong with him, and just by seeing him, my fears were confirmed. I…I'm glad that we were able to save Cahya and Assassin…but It's also true that if we hadn't done it in time…they would have died. What if I make another stupid move like I did with Maximilian and Assassin of White? What if I get distracted and I end up getting brutally murdered!? I…I don't want that…I've…I've been in prison for over four years…where every sparkle of life was taken for me for a stupid crime I've made because i was so mad with the world and i've ended up making something only an asshole could have done…in that cell…I could feel every type of sorrow possible…now that I'm finally free…I cannot afford to lose almost everything. Now that I just got back…I…I don't want to sink back into a depth of sorrow…not again…but after seeing that Servant…how can i-" Kazuto explained his situation. His frustration…his sadness…his pain…everything could have been heard from the words he was using. But then…Archer of Red came closer and did something unexpected.

She slapped him in the face.

The mage of the Red Rose remained speechless…the bruise of the slap was evident on his cheek, and his eyes were a little teary. Archer of Red, on the other hand, had a neutral expression as she looked at him.

"…That…hurts…" Kazuto simply spoke.

"Don't get me wrong. I'm not mad at you. It's clear that this situation is putting you under pressure…I could clearly see by the emotion you gave when you talked." Archer of Red told him.

"Then…why did you slap me?" His Master asked. "…Just to make you stop. You were starting to panic, and this would have made you only more fragile." The Servant answered. "Hey…Kazuto…you know what you should do?"

"…What?" Kazuto asked. "Take a deep breath…that's all you need right now." Archer of Red told him with a genuine smile. The Tohsaka mage looked perplexed…but…he still did so. He…inhaled all the air he could take with his nose…and exhaled. He was starting to have a calmer expression now.

"Feeling better?" Archer of Red asked. "…Yes." The mage simply said. "Eheh…glad to hear…" The Servant answered before looking at the sky. "Your fear is justifiable. To be honest…I was shocked as well to see such a creature being in this conflict. But…it's natural…unfortunately…there are many spirits of the past that sit in the throne of heroes…some much simpler…and some others more complex. Much like Marcus said, it's not the first time that a powerful Servant appeared in a Holy Grail War, so an event like this could have been much predictable. And I'm sure that you're not the only one that has been put under pressure by this discovery…the other members of our faction probably feel the same. But…the best we can do right now…is to move on. Even back when I was in the battlefield…there were many times in which I fought enemies more powerful than me. But…I still wanted to go on…because there was something important, I wanted to achieve before dying. Much like now. I'm surely not among the strongest Servants…but my desire to fight is still strong! Because…as your Master, I want to secure your victory in this! Even if we know each other for just a couple of days, i still want to fulfill my duty! And…I think this is something you should do as well. To move on…despite everything. In a war, you could meet death at any time, but the will to live on is something you should never abbandon. I could feel that you have a strong resolve for receiving whatever your wish is, and it's clear that you care about that…and you care about me, and…that makes me happy. But…just because you saw a stronger enemy…I don't think you should despair that much. The point is…start to have courage…and try to move on." The female Servant explained.

Those words…made Kazuto remember of what he said before summoning her.

"I don't want this stupid fear of mine to slow me down! I don't want to be chained by something before! I…I want courage! I want to live again, and I want to breathe the air of freedom! I'LL TAKE COURAGE AND WIN THIS WAR IF IT'S THE LAST THING I DO!"

"…R-Right…" Kazuto said before putting a hand on his face. "Gosh…what was I thinking…" He then took something from her shirt…a pendant which he opened…revealing a picture of someone on the inside. "…You said that…there was something important you wanted to achieve before dying, right? …It's the same for me." He added before closing the pendant. "Gee…I think you can say I'm a crybaby now. Maybe you want a better Master now." He jokingly commented.

That joke made Archer of Red laugh a little, mostly because she was happy that…despite all the sorrow he felt before…his Master was still able to laugh…and say funny things. "Indeed! You're a whiney baby!"

"Well…I guess we can go back to our work then." Kazuto then said before turning around. He was about to start walking but then…he suddenly stopped. "Oh and…by the way…thank you. I didn't know you cared so much for my mental health." He added with a smile.

"Pff, you're welcome. I guess you could say that I'm your personal psychologist!" Archer of Red jokingly commented.

"In that case you should-" Kazuto was about to add more jokes…but then…he widened his eyes. "Ah!"

"Uh? What's wrong?" Archer of Red suddenly asked. The Tohsaka mage slowly turned around. This wasn't the first time he had a feeling like that…a sensation that made him feel…unpleasant again. "C-Crap…" He said before slowly moving towards a specific direction, with Archer of Red following him.

Since the Tohsaka feared that he might have been seen…he decided to stay behind a wall and look with his head. And when he did that…he saw what he feared. "Dammit…just like I thought…"

Seram was wandering near him, with still that distorted expression on her face. "That's…Saber of White's Master…" Archer of Red said. "This is really a 'speak of the devil' moment…to think that we would have found a different target…" Kazuto commented.

In that moment…Seram raised her head, as if she felt something. This made Kazuto and his Servant immediately turn around. "What should we do, Master?" Archer of Red asked.

Kazuto thought carefully on how to answer…it would have been a risky move to do anything. Even if the night would have come soon and there was no one there, the danger was still big. It was clear that Saber of White was close to her and made a direct approach would have been a terrible price to make. In the end…he thought of the only thing…he could do. "…There's no other way…Archer…prepare your bow. Maybe we can finish her off with a stealth attack." He then said.

"You sure?" The Servant asked. "Yes. I know it's not the best of things but…we could at least have one less problem." Kazuto replied. "…Ok. Stay quiet…and I'll do the rest." Archer of Red said as she took her bow with an arrow and aimed at the Master of the White Rose. Kazuto did the same, preparing his finger, waiting for the perfect chance to create an explosion of fire.

The pair stood still for a couple of minutes…keeping their aim at the most feared enemy for now. There was no one in that street at the moment with their exception, which made the situation easier for them…but at the same time…more uncomfortable. One single mistake, and they would have been forced to escape…even if the chances of doing so were low.

"Don't be afraid…don't be terrified…you need to face this now that you have the chance…if everything goes right…we'll have taken out one of the enemies, the most dangerous one. Just…focus…and be ready to shoot…" Kazuto thought this in order to stay focused…but most of all…to maintain calm. He was still scared of her and her Servant…but the discussion with his own one made him feel more at ease. Now he could have a clearer mind and he could already concentrate better on attacking.

Everything was set in piece. Kazuto would have snapped his finger from one moment to another and trigger the explosion, while Archer of Red was ready to shoot the arrow. But then…the mage of the Red Rose noticed something.

Seram suddenly stopped, as she turned around and noticed a store, she…seemed to like. The girl simply started to stare at the shop window. Even her stare showed something different…she seemed to be…attracted…in a positive way…by the products she saw in there.

Kazuto was confused by this. This version of her was showing was completely different from the one he saw the previous night. In that moment, that girl seemed to be an heartless monster that wanted to tear apart her enemy, but now…she seemed to be a quiet girl that ended up wandering around in that large city and seemed to have found something she liked. The young boy was still about to snap his finger, but now…he was starting to have alternative thoughts. Could it be…that he saw just one side of that girl the previous night? Maybe…she wasn't as terrible as her Servant? Maybe it was a normal girl that ended up being chosen for this conflict? He…even thought about the discussion he had with the other Masters of the Red Rose that morning. While not many of them were contrary at the idea, Alvis pointed out that maybe ending her life wasn't necessary at all. Maybe…there was another way to set things right.

"…Oh God…I'm certainly going to regret this…" Kazuto thought before deciding to do something else. "Archer…stay here…but keep your aim with the bow." He ordered. "Uh? What are you going to do?" The Servant asked.

"I'll try something…" The Tohsaka mage replied before going towards the Master of the White Rose. This made the Servant gulp, but she didn't lose sight of her target, as her Master ordered.

And so…Kazuto decided to face the person related to the monster he feared. Seram didn't seem to notice him, as she continued to look at the shop window. The young boy came closer…and tried to start a dialogue with her. He first looked around, still worried about what would have happened. But then…he decided to act and speak. "Hey, Master of the White Rose."

…

No answer.

Seram kept on looking at the shop window, as if she didn't hear him at all. "Hey! I'm talking to you! Didn't you notice me?" Kazuto seemed offended by that, as he tried to get her attention. But nothing. Seram didn't talk.

"Why isn't she saying anything?" The Tohsaka mage thought. The situation seemed unrealistic for him. There was no way she didn't noticed him or listen to his voice. Maybe she was deaf? Or blind? Or perhaps it was only a bizarre attitude of hers? Maybe she was just ignoring him? Either way, Kazuto had to be noticed if he wanted to do something about this troublesome opponent. "Hey…are you there? Knock knock?" He continued.

In that moment…Seram's eyes slowly turned around…and finally noticed him. "Who's…there?" She asked. "Uh?" Kazuto said confused. "You…said 'knock knock'…who's there?" The mage of the White Rose asked again. "Master, he's an enemy! Don't talk to him!" Saber of White's voice could be heard, trying to advise his Master, but…Seram stood still, staring at Kazuto, and waiting for an answer.

Kazuto started to sweat. He did get the attention he wanted, but after seeing the girl's sudden reaction, he started to feel a lot of pressure on him. He turned around and could see that his Servant was still pointing an arrow at her, just like she was told to. The Tohsaka mage could have the certainty that, if anything went wrong, Archer of Red would have shot. This made him relax a bit and he could answer. For now, he decided to play along and came up with something funny.

"Uhm…dishes." He spoke. "…Dishes who?" The other mage asked. "…Dishes of a very bad joke."

A silence followed for a few seconds…and then…

A giggle.

Kazuto was surprised. Did…did that girl just giggled? For him, it was like seeing Cahya making a laugh. That girl seemed completely devoid of any emotions…but now…she showed one. Could it be that Kazuto was right? "You…seemed to like it." He spoke.

"It happens…rarely." Seram shortly replied. "Tch, what is she thinking? She has the enemy right in front of her and she's not doing anything. My Master is clearly dumber than I expected." Saber of White thought. Archer of Red didn't move of an inch. Though she seemed curious to see how the situation…was evolving.

Seram then looked up…and recognized him. "You're…the guy that forced us to retreat. The one who burned me." She spoke, holding herself. Kazuto gulped. Now that she mentioned it, he thought that she may wanted to get her revenge, so he closed his hand to a fist.

"…There's no need to get agitated. In fact…I should thank you." Seram continued, surprising both Kazuto and her Servant. "What?" They both thought. "I was getting cold last night…so I was glad to have some heat…even if it was for an enemy. Plus…it's natural for a creature like me…to get hurt by others…after all…I've got used to this." The girl explained before turning back to the shop window.

"What is she saying? She's not…making sense at all." Kazuto thought. He tried to find a plausible explanation to her words, but all he got was only confusion. He then looked at the shop case as well and could see that…it belonged to a toy store. Specifically…Seram was looking at the dolls displayed for sale. They all had a retro style and looked like the famous Ragedy Ann ones that were popular back in the 70s. "Are those…rag dolls?" He wondered.

"I like dolls. They're easy to play with and…they resemble me pretty well. Although…there's something that makes them better than I could ever wish for." Seram answered, before putting a hand on the window. "Dolls are nothing more than toys…inanimate objects…so they don't have a soul…and cannot feel emotions…so…they cannot feel the same sorrow I feel every day…"

A world in particular caught Kazuto's attention. Sorrow…the young boy was familiar with that word. After all…just a few days earlier, all that he could feel was nothing more than utter sadness and regret. He then gave a closer look and noticed a particular he didn't see earlier.

On Seram's wrist…there seemed to be some scars. Judging by the look, they seemed to be old, meaning that she got them some time prior to the Holy Grail War. He wondered where she got those. Maybe…there was more to know about her. Kazuto could know understand better why Cahya seemed so interested in her. They were indeed similar but so different at the same time.

"You…seem to have been through a lot, don't you? I…am…familiar with that kind of sorrow, if that's what I think." Kazuto told her. "I don't think that's the case." Seram promptly interrupted him. "…If there is one useful lesson I've learned in my life…is that no one can pass through the same experience I had. It is…clearly impossible. I don't think you've been put to a state…where you started to hate every living being…every thing that moves…or breathes…i can clearly see it on your face…you…still maintain some sort of love towards the others…unlike me…who couldn't know what love was…but…after all it's natural. I'm…sure you see me as a monster, right? That's also why you burned me yesterday. But…like I said…I've got used to it. It's natural that everyone sees me in that way…" Seram explained.

"What? What are you talking about?" Kazuto asked, confused. "…You don't even understand…just like I thought. There are only a few who can understand me…and…I hate this...this is what makes me despise humans so much…they…cannot understand anything…" Seram continued while keeping her head down.

The sun was starting to go down.

At this point, the Tohsaka mage knew that the girl was about to have a mental breakdown. He was already prepared to snap his fingers and make an explosion. But…at the same time…he still tried to have that dialogue that was clearly impossible, since he could see that…there was something in this girl to be seen if studied much further. "…Why do you say things like this?" Kazuto asked.

"I see it in every reaction that other persons have when they see me. Usually…it's fear what they feel…much like what happened with your ally yesterday. All I ever do…is to install fear and doubts in others mind…even among beings that aren't human at all. This…awful situation…and everything I've been through made me hate other people…but…I've ended up…being forced to stay in contact with them…even right now…with you…why should I do something I don't want to do?" Seram replied. She was starting to tremble.

Kazuto started to breath heavily…the whole discussion was starting to get anxious for both of them. "Are you…sure of what you're saying?" He asked, trying to maintain a serious tone.

"…Sure?" The girl was surprised to hear that word. Then…she made a small ironic laugh. She found funny what that guy said…but painful at the same time. "You really think I'm the one to decide what is true or not? No…It's the others…that gave me the confirm…including…you…"

"What?" Kazuto asked. But…it was already too late. "BLARGH!" Suddenly, the Tohsaka mage felt something piercing through his belly. When he looked down…he could see it.

Seram's hand was on his chest…all soaked in blood. "I…tried to have a relaxing moment for once…and even tried to talk with someone…I tried to have a dialogue…but just as I expected…is clearly impossible with mages of the Red Rose, who can only make me more annoyed…after all…what you really want is my head don't you?" She said while staring at him. Her stare could suggest only the desire of a cold-blooded homicide.

"D-Dammit!" Kazuto tried to get free, but the mage of the White Rose hold her hand tight and slammed him against the shop window, almost breaking it. "GAH!"

"THAT'S WHAT MAKES ME HATE PEOPLE LIKE YOU! YOU CAN ONLY MAKE ME FEEL LIKE A TRASH THAT SHOULDN'T HAVE BEEN BORN!" Seram shouted.

At this point, trying to make her reason was pointless, and Kazuto knew it well. He knew it since he decided to make that action, so he did the only reasonable thing he could do…

Answer.

"ARCHER, NOW!" He exclaimed. Archer of Red didn't lose any time and shot the arrow she was holding for all this time. The arrow went straight and hit Seram on the back, making her shout with pain and force her to let Kazuto go. The Tohsaka mage didn't lose any time and used his fire magecraft to fly away, with her Servant following her. He knew that Seram wouldn't have let him go…and he was right.

Saber of White immediately appeared once Kazuto started to run away. "GRAAAAAAAAH!" He immediately shot a beam of fire from his sword, which was promptly deflected by Archer of Red's sword. "Fighting now would be a suicide! Let's go!" Kazuto ordered while keeping on fly away. "Got it!" Archer of Red answered.

"GHH! MY BACK!" Seram was on her knees due to the pain caused by the arrow. Saber of White took that off and then put her on her back before starting to chase the pair of the Red Rose. "DON'T THINK YOU CAN ESCAPE FROM ME!" He shouted while starting to jump from one roof to another.

Soon, many buildings started to get damaged, and some explosions could be seen. Kazuto and Archer of Red did their best to run away, but Saber of White kept up with them. "Dammit, he's faster despite his large body! If we don't come up with something, he'll get us!" Kazuto exclaimed.

"This will put you down once and for all!" Saber of White then shot two laser beams from his eyes, which Kazuto avoided narrowly by going down. "I forgot that he can use long-range attacks! At this point, we can only slow him down!" Archer of Red said before turning around and shoot some arrows, hoping to attacking him, but Saber of White simply deflected them by using the sword.

Seram then looked at the opponent master. Even if she tried to talk with him, her hate was too big to think again…he could only see him as an enemy…and this was all that she needed to stand up despite the wound. "What are you doing!?" Saber of White exclaimed. "Simple…get my prey!" The Master answered before turning to the dead face and jump on Kazuto.

"WHAT!?" Kazuto didn't expect it and got slammed inside a building by Seram. "MASTER!" Archer of Red shouted. "Where are you going?" Saber of White said with a smirk while jumping forward and attack the enemy Servant with the hilt of his sword. "BLARGH!" The impact made Archer of Red spit blood from his mouth and crash against a wall. "You're the brat that prevented me from killing Assassin of Red last night! Very well! I can finally have my revenge on that!" He spoke.

Archer of Red stood up and looked at the approaching enemy. "Things couldn't have gotten worse…I know for sure that I can't take him down all by myself…so what I need is something that will make me get out of this situation and reconcile with Kazuto as soon as possible…"

Meanwhile, Kazuto was inside an office and stood up after Seram's attack. He looked around to see where his enemy would have appeared, but he couldn't see nothing. "Where is she?" Then, when he turned around, he could see with shock that the mage girl suddenly appeared in front of him, filled with that dark energy, and gave him a punch in the face, making him crash against a glass. "AAAGH!"

"Now die…" Seram said before dashing towards him with the intend of stabbing his neck with her bare hand. But her limb got suddenly blocked, making her wide her eyes. When the smoke came out, she could see a Kazuto with burning hands glaring at her. "I didn't want to fight in the first place…but since you don't seem to want a normal conversation it seems that I'll need to push you back!" He exclaimed before grabbing Seram's other arm and starting to slam her various times to the ground before throwing her away.

"GAAAAH!" Seram felt even more pain, but she stood up, filled with that strong desire of murder. "No…don't think I will fall for your trap…DID YOU HEAR ME!?" She then jumped towards Kazuto at an outstanding speed before attacking him repeatedly with claws and kick.

The Tohsaka mage got wounds all over his body, but he then blocked her hand and snapped the fingers with his free arm in order to sent her away with an explosion. He didn't want to lose any more time, so he tried to slow her down by throwing some chairs, which all got destroyed by Seram. When the girl stood up, she could see that Kazuto escaped from one of the windows and was going to fly away. Seram didn't want to lose her victim again, so she tried to reach him with a jump. "DIE!"

But Kazuto saw it coming, as he turned around and formed a square with his hands. "STAY AWAY FROM ME AT ONCE!" He exclaimed. From his hands, he shot a beam of fire that fully hit Seram and made her fall down. "AAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAH!" Finally, Kazuto had the road clear, and could reach his Servant.

Archer of Red was barely clashing his weapons against Saber of White, who easily blocked all of his attack. It was natural. Despite having two strong blades, swords weren't her specialty, so she couldn't keep up with Saber of White, who slashed her shoulder with the sword. "NGH!"

"This is-" Saber of White was about to deliver another blow, but his attention got caught by an explosion he heard behind him, which made him turn around. "Master?!"

Archer of Red took the opportunity and grabbed her bow to shoot an explosive arrow, which made the enemy Servant recoil. "GAH!"

"Now!" The female Servant thought while climbing on a building and starting to run away. Saber of White noticed it and clenched his hand to a fist. The idea that he lost his target twice made him furious, but he couldn't think about her now, since he could feel that his Master was in danger.

"Anf…anf…anf…anf…" Archer of Red took some moments to breathe. She was glad they were able to get out from that situation, since that short battle wasn't planned in the first place. "Archer!" A voice then called her, and when she turned around, she could see her Master landing near her. "Phew…I'm glad to see you all in one piece…" He spoke.

"…What you did was extremely risky…you know that?" Archer of Red asked him, sounding a little bit irritated. Kazuto stopped moving for a second…and then took a deep breath. "I know…I know. I'm sure we could have avoided this if we just went away without getting seen by her or if we attacked her right away." He answered.

"Then…why did you do that?" The Servant asked. "It seemed that you were trying to find a dialogue with her."

"Well…that was what I had in mind first. I just thought that...maybe there was something to know about her, which I'm now certain of it. But…a part of me knew that it would have been impossible with someone like her. That is why I told you to stay firm and shoot in case everything went wrong. I don't know…I just thought that…there was something strange about her." Kazuto explained.

"And…what is it?" Archer of Red asked. "Well…I don't know…and I don't know if we'll get the chance to know it. It surely has to do something with her past. One thing I know for sure is that…she and i…share something…which is sorrow. A lot of sorrow." Her Master said as he turned around and looked at the starry sky. "But…in the end…I've learned a lesson from this…never act in a rush way…"

"At least you admit it…did you know what would have happened if Saber of White got us?" Archer of Red said. "…Yes. We would have gotten killed." Kazuto answered, before taking a slap from his Servant…again. "OUCH! Hey! That hurt!" He exclaimed before looking down. "…Maybe I deserved it."

"That was for your behavior. But…I could also say that something positive happened…in all of this." Archer of Red answered. "…Really? What is it?" The Tohsaka mage asked.

"At least…you got some guts. I appreciate that you didn't hesitate to answer on the enemy's attack and quickly study a way to get out of danger." The Servant replied…making a small smile.

Kazuto widened his eyes. She was…telling the truth. He remembered on how he was scared of Saber of White and his Master…but now…he attacked them with the only thought of getting both him and his Servant safe. It seemed that…he was consistent with what he proclaimed that day.

"Well…I think that's a step forward, Master. Still…I think you should have some tips on how to deal a battle with stronger enemies than yours." Archer of Red added with a sceptic face. "I'm sure you don't want your face smashed in another building again."

Despite everything…Kazuto made a little smile. "Yeah…it hurts a lot. But…you're right…I got a little bit braver…is it…a wrong thing?" He asked.

"No…it's normal…just like it's normal to be afraid. We're all humans after all." Archer of Red replied. She then turned around. "Perhaps it's better for us to leave."

"I agree. Maybe Saber of White is still searching for us…shall we go?" Kazuto spoke before the two of them started to leave.

"Say…Kazuto…" Archer of Red then wanted to know something. "What is it?" Kazuto asked. "What do you think of her Master? I was thinking about this morning's reunion…do you think she should be spared…or eliminated?" The Servant made the question.

Kazuto looked elsewhere…and gave his answer. "Well…to be honest…I still need to see that. It's clear that maybe…that girl needs help…but…I guess it can't be avoided. In a Grail War…it's natural that Masters die." He then looked at his hand…and a memory flashed in his mind…where the only things he could see…were flames that he himself had generated. "I…personally abhor the idea of taking someone's else life but…I do want my wish to become true. So…if the needs come…I'll be ready to kill someone else, even that girl…it's my duty as a participant to this war…to get my wish." He continued. "After all…I'm not new with the concept of…killing someone…unfortunately."

This put a sad face on Archer of Red's face. "I've heard that…you killed 800 people…right?" She asked. This made Kazuto look down…and even shed a tear.

"Oh! I'm sorry…I didn't mean to…" Archer of Red wanted to apologize, but Kazuto stopped her. "Don't worry…it's alright. It…happened…and I've faced the consequences…of that." He told her. "…Hey…Archer…"

"Yes?" Archer of Red asked. "I promise that one day I'll tell you all the story…" Kazuto said, turning on her. This made the Servant smile…and look forward. "Well…thanks, I guess." The boy nodded and looked forward as well.

Kazuto Tohsaka…a boy with a troubled past…and an uncertain future, much like the other participants in the Holy Grail War. Every day he passed…he discovered something new. He wondered…what would have happened to him after he encountered all these people? He didn't know…and searching for the answer would have probably scared him.

But…just like his Servant said…all that he cared about now…was to move forward and get back the life he once had.

Meanwhile…Saber of White reached Seram, who was still on the ground. "Tch…stupid brat…this is the last time you make me fail." He said while grabbing her.

While being carried by her Servant…Seram looked up in the sky and thought about Kazuto. It was already the second time. The second time he had an uncertain opinion about an enemy. First that homunculus…now this boy. Why these two enemies left some thoughts inside of her…was it all a plan? Or was it…something else? She was supposed to be a disgusting creature but…she felt different with those two. Kazuto even mentioned something that she liked.

"Knock Knock?"

Why?

Saber of White noticed that she was daydreaming. "You seem thoughtful. What's wrong?" He asked. "…Why do you ask?" She asked.

"I just wanted to know what you were thinking." Saber of White simply replied. "…Saber…I am a disgusting creature…right?" She asked.

"…Yes. Maybe even lower than a cockroach. But that's not a something you should be focused about. You want to win this war, right? Then just fight…and take down the enemy. Then perhaps…you will stop having these ridiculous thoughts." The Servant explained, giving his sincere opinion.

"…Right. Thanks…at least…you want to listen to me." Seram simply told him. "I do without your thanks…next time just make me win." He replied. Then…while walking…he thought of something.

"Though it seemed…that boy wanted to listen to her, somehow."

---

Tokyo – Yokohama – 15th April 2021 – 18.30 P.M

In another part of the city, other two members of the Red Rose Faction were inside a giant shopping center. It was already nighttime, which meant that perhaps, the other Masters would have started to show up. Maybe a shopping center was a dangerous place to check, considering that it was a place where most people gathered around…but in a large city like Tokyo, even people as Mages and Servants could hide there.

"And in the end, Martha's sister ended up having a baby with Jake's cousin after six months of relationships! Though I think they forced their love story too much…" Astrea was talking with Cahya about a telenovela she used to watch.

"Hmm…maybe you're right…but how do they call him?" The homunculus asked. "Tiberius…I think. I don't remember well…perhaps I should watch it again, since I have the DVDs…" The other mage answered.

Assassin of Red had a tired expression on her face. The deal was that Astrea was talking about that telenovela for…almost two hours. "You…seem to know a lot of things about that series." She ironically said.

"Well, I did watch it ever since the first episode aired. Wait…did I perhaps made some spoilers?" The Alainosta mage asked worried. This made Caster of Red laugh. "Nah, I don't think so! After all, we don't have a television in the Throne of Heroes after all! I think she's just tired." She spoke.

"Don't worry…I can handle it…kinda." Assassin of Red told them. "I didn't mind her at all. She can make nice chats after all." Cahya said his opinion, which made Astrea blush. "Y-You think so? Thanks…not many people say it to me." She said.

"Well, it's not like you have many friends." Caster of Red added. "Caster, for God's sake-" Her Master commented. But that sentence made the homunculus curious. "Is that true, Astrea? You don't have many friends?" He asked.

Astrea gulped. At this point she didn't know how to answer, so as always, she turned on her Master for tips. "What should I say?" She asked. "You tell me. You can always don't say anything if you think it's too private." Caster of Red said with a chill tone. "Don't worry, I think my Master can understand if you don't want to say anything." Cleopatra added.

Astrea turned on Cahya in silence. The other mage of the Red Rose kept on looking at him like a puppy that has discovered something new. The girl didn't want to leave him hang on for an answer. So she just spilled it out. "Ok…I don't think it's that much of a secret after all…well…yeah, I'm not…that of a sociable person, actually." She spoke.

"And why's that?" Cahya asked. "Meh…probably because the others see me as something…not…normal. And to be fair, I think they are kinda right. I wasn't lucky to grow up with the love of a family and lived in an orphanage. There weren't many kids that wanted to play with me…probably because I've told them that they have a weird aura around them, not knowing that it was their magical energy. The only one that wanted to relate with me was a local priest that I used to call Father James…then…back when I was 15, I've decided to get out of the orphanage…but things didn't improve. While I was able to maintain myself by working as a clairvoyant, I still couldn't find many friends. Even my clients looked at me like 'what the hell is wrong with that chick, ew!'. To be honest…with you guys of the Red Rose, I didn't talk that much with anyone since the times I used to talk with Father James." Astrea then explained a little bit of her backstory.

"And…what do you think about us?" Cahya asked. That was another question that took Astrea by surprise. "Gee, Cahya! Why do you need to make such hard questions!?" The other mage exclaimed, messing up her hair. "He just asked a question." Caster of Red calmly explained.

"Did…did I ask something wrong?" Cahya wondered. "N-No, Cahya…it's just me…being paranoid…as always. As for your question…well…I could say that I feel comfortable. Though there is someone that makes me feel uncomfortable, especially Gordon and Marcus, I…honestly think that you guys…are cool! I mean, it's not like it takes that much to be cooler than me! But…I do have a nice opinion about you. Plus, you surely have cooler skills than me! Have you seen Kazuto? He can literally shoot fire from his hands! I wish I could do that! Or even, Gordon! I've heard he can get all that pumped up thanks to his runes and smash enemy's faces!" Astrea continued.

"Really? You have that low reputation of yourself, Master? Despite being able to shoot thunders from your ring, stretch your limbs and have high martial arts skill?" Caster of Red asked her. "Hey, those things are cool as well! And coming from me, that's saying something!" Assassin of Red added.

"But I'm not like the others! They know how to act, how to study the enemy…I basically attack randomly!" Astrea stood still on her opinion.

"…But if I heard correctly, you did make a match with that Master of the White Rose the first day of the war, right?" Cahya asked.

"Oh, right…that Master…" Astrea remembered then…back when she fought against Tygo, when she didn't know why, but her body acted of her own and started to struggle against that boy that seemed to have the same fears as hers. She lost some seconds on thinking about him. "I was pretty dense and panicked in that moment…maybe the agitation was what made me stand up against him…"

"…I don't think it's only that…" The homunculus replied. "But…I can understand the sense of loneliness you have. Ever since I was created…I was alone as well. I don't even have a past…just a vessel created to be used in this war. When I opened my eyes for the first time, I was the only thing alive…I could see many people in a white robe lay down on the ground…already dead, leaving me wonder what I was doing there. After wandering around in an abandoned building I've discovered who my creators were. Then I summoned my Servant…and joined this war. But…that's all I know, even though I would like to discover more. I don't know…just obey what I was been told to…I don't like it. In fact, the idea that you asked me to come with me…actually made me…uhm…what is that you say? Happy? Glad?"

"They have the same meaning, Master." Cleopatra told him. "Gee…so you're kinda like a Nobody thing from a game I've played some time ago." Astrea commented. She stood in silence for some seconds before suddenly blushing. "W-Wait! Did you just say that I made you happy!?" She exclaimed.

"Yes? Did I say something wrong?" Cahya asked…again. "N-NONONONO! It's just that it doesn't happen that often that someone says to me a thing like that! AAAAAAAAAAAAH, DAMMIT CAHYA! YOU KEEP MESSING WITH MY HEAD! I AM NOT SOCIALLY PREPARED FOR THIS-" As always, Astrea started to freak out before her Servant remembered her something important.

"Master…everyone is looking at you."

Astrea opened her eyes and noticed that the bystanders were all looking at her. "Mom? What she's doing?" A child asked to his mother. "Leave her alone…she's not feeling well." The mother asked before taking him away.

"…I think you now have an explanation on why I don't have many friends, Cahya…" The Alainosta mage commented. "You need to contain yourself, Master. It's normal that they consider you crazy if you act like this for everything. Maybe we should do more of these hangouts to help you train with that issue of yours." Caster of Red advised her, making the mage of the Red Rose release a sigh. "Sorry, Master- I mean…Caster…" She spoke. "…Oh God, I think I need to go to the bathroom for a moment…can you wait up here, Caster?"

"Sure do!" Caster of Red answered. "…I sense something on my intestine as well…I think I should go as well. Wait here, Assassin." Cahya added. "Don't worry. Don't hesitate to call me if something happens!" His Servant answered, with the homunculus nodding. With that, the two Masters started to go towards the bathroom, leaving the two Servants alone. "Wow…it's the first time we're on our own in this war…" Cleopatra commented. "You Assassins should be used to that. Aren't you specialized into stealth attacks?" Caster of Red asked.

"Well yeah, but it still does a weird fact!" Assassin of Red answered. "So you don't have all the typical behaviors of an Assassin-Class Servant…how interesting, young lady…" A voice behind them suddenly said. Hearing that in a place so full of common people was surely strange. This made the two Servants of the Red Rose immediately turn around to see who said that, and were both surprised and shocked to see who it was.

Archer of White was sitting in a table near them, holding a cup of coffee in his hands. "Good evening, fellow Servants! I hope I'm not disturbing something important…" He said with a gentle smile.

"Archer of White!?" Caster of Red exclaimed. "What are you doing here!? You better not think of something, or you could regret it!" Assassin of Red added, ready to attack him. "Oh, please, I wouldn't think of a sneak attack in a situation like this." The Servant of the White Rose said, acting like he felt offended. "As you can see, we are among common people, and you know how that Mages Association rules work. We cannot let them know about magecraft…plus, there's two of you while I'm on my own. I wouldn't be so stupid to face both of you." He added with a smirk.

Caster of Red narrowed at him. That smirk was the thing that didn't convince her at all. In a short time, both she and Assassin could confirm that he was surely plotting something in case of a sudden attack, as they heard of what that man could do after knowing what he was able to do against Saber of Red. Behind that mask of a noble gentleman was hiding something more subtle.

"…So, why are you here then, Archer of White?" Caster of Red asked. "I presume for the same reason you are: hanging out with my Master and searching for more enemies. Straight orders as always, though I do prefer making something more organized." The Servant of the White Rose asked. "And where is your Master?" Assassin of Red then asked.

"She's at the library. I wonder if she manages to find a story that will please her. But you don't have to worry. As I said, neither me nor her will do anything. Now, if we were to set a match…that would be a different story. But for now…the only thing we can do is…have a nice chat." The other Servant said.

"With an enemy? And you, of all people!? Are you perhaps starting to become senile!?" Cleopatra exclaimed. "Why, thank you for the compliment, dear lady. And don't worry…it doesn't have to be a friendly chat! I just wanted to ask only one particular question…just to know better the ones I'm going to fight in this conflict…" Archer of White started.

"Like what?" Caster of Red asked, curious to know what he could possibly wanted to know.

"Do you consider yourselves…worthy of the Holy Grail?"

…That simple question…was what made the two Servants of the Red Rose…go quiet. A simple…yet stunning question.

"You seem surprised. Well…it's only natural. Usually, we Servants don't think on why we should show our desire for that magical relic…we just…fight for it. All that we want is to get our wish granted. But…have you ever stopped and thought about being worthy of the Holy Grail? If it can grant every wish…then why doesn't it grant everyone's wish? Simple…because the Grail only accepts those who are worthy of having its possession…only the most suitable pair of Master and Servant, the ones who can make a use of it without any type of regret and thus, those who can be in other words, can possess the whole world on their hands. Therefore…not anyone can get it…and all those who participate in the war must prove their thesis and show that they are worthy of the Grail's attention and get their wish granted. So, this explanation…is what makes the question…do you consider yourself worthy of the Holy Grail? You can answer with all the honesty of this world…I'll certainly don't laugh." Archer of White explained.

While Assassin of Red was confused by his words, Caster of Red found…some charm in them, since she found something she would have never expected: a Servant with his own philosophy and opinion toward the Holy Grail War. After all, she couldn't expect less from someone who was able to almost put Saber of Red with his back to the wall. "…Interesting…so you think that someone must consider himself worthy before asking their wish to the Grail…then…how do you find yourself worthy? Seriously…you're making me curious now, mister…" The female Servant asked with a pleased tone.

"Glad to hear that I was able to get someone's attention. As a thanks, I'll give you my answer then. The simple reason why I consider myself worthy of the Grail's attention is because I am a genius, someone who can make up with rational plans, motivations, speeches at any time at any moment. I am a person that is aware of what it means to have a relic such as the Holy Grail. I am one that can lead others' lives into a direct and decisive direction with no regrets and can have satisfaction from that. I devoted myself to a beautiful ideal…a vision…a dream…that I intend to get no matter what. It's a desire that incarnates my whole being, my experience, my life and my essence as both a human being…and as a Heroic Spirit. The only thought of my ideal gives me the creeps…if I were to have it become reality…for me it would be true heaven…and I couldn't feel the slightest sense of sorrow…" Archer of White explained his motivations and philosophy while making gentle…yet strange movements with his arms…showing a more…contorted side of him. This made Assassin of Red wonder if what he was telling was the truth…or perhaps a lie.

"Hmmm…you seem pretty convinced. One must have a nice esteem of themselves if they want to have a complete cycle of life." Caster of Red commented. "Eheheheh…yes. I sure am. Now, it's your turn…what makes you think you can be worthy of the Grail's attention?" Archer of White then asked.

Caster of Red silenced for some seconds…before making a smile. "The truth? The Grail is not my main target." She announced, surprising both Assassin of Red and Archer of White. "Wait, what!?" Cleopatra exclaimed.

"You've heard me. To be fair…I don't know if I can be considered worthy or not of the Holy Grail. We Servants are also technically the vessels that the Grail needs to be completed, which means that the chances of me winning it are the same of ending up inside of it. But honestly…I don't care. Even when I was alive, I didn't have any particular goals. All I did was simply to wander from place to place and find people who needed my help. All that I need to be happy is simply Buddha's support and presence. His teachings made me who I am now, and I couldn't ask for more. What I care for is that my Master ends up on the right way. You can consider me…more like a supporter. If my Master manages to find happiness in the Grail's power, then her happiness will become mine, and I would accept it without no particular regrets. I am simply here to be of a help for my fellow comrades. That's all." Caster of Red explained.

"Her explanation is quite strange…maybe she doesn't even have a wish in the first place…now I really wonder what this girl is thinking…" Cleopatra thought.

"Impressive…very impressive. I didn't know that there were Servants that could think like you. This, naturally, makes me wonder about you, Assassin of Red. What is the motivations that makes you push forward to claim the Holy Grail as yours? Or you perhaps share the same thought of your friend and see yourself just as a way to get it for your Master?" Archer of White then asked to her.

"Me?" Cleopatra asked before turning to Caster of Red. The other Servant belonging to the Red Rose looked at her and made a gentle smile. "I am curious as well, as a fellow comrade of yours. Don't worry, I won't judge." She said.

Assassin of Red looked down and made a deep breath. She didn't know if she was able to make a speech like the others two did before. But she, as well, had a motivation to fight in this war. Something she held precious even after her death.

"I think I deserve the Grail because my previous life gave me the right to own it." The female Servant started. "And in what way? Could you explain?" Archer of White asked.

"Back in my times, we sovereigns were considered deities among our subjects, we were holy people that could aspire at the highest tops, and the blessing of our powerful gods helped us in doing so. In my country, all deities rotated around the sun, and we sovereigns were considered the same being, a glowing sun that shined his radiant light towards the earth. Therefore, as a holy item, it is natural that I reclaim the right to own the Grail as mine. But that's not the only reason why I fight in this war. There's another one that I consider more important. It's a sense of duty…that I couldn't accomplish back when I was alive. A sense of gratitude towards two people I loved and that gave me a lot of joy. It's something that the time and my actions prevented me to do back when I was alive. Now that I have this second chance, I don't intend to hand the Grail over to others. Plus…my Master shares the same resolve of mine to have it, since he's pretty serious about his wish. I may be the sovereign of the desert, but he still remains his Master…so it's only natural that I support him to make sure he wins this conflict…even though…I still don't know what it means to be a Servant…" Assassin of Red answered, giving her explanation

In that moment Archer of White put down the cup of coffee, feeling rather satisfied of the answers he heard from the two Heroic Spirits from the opposite faction. "I see…one sees herself just as a tool to reach it and doesn't put all of her attentions on the Holy Grail, while the other sees it as a duty to accomplish to put her soul at peace…interesting…very interesting indeed. I think this is one of the many benefits of the Holy Grail War. Not only you get the chance to meet different influential people from various countries and ages…but you can also know their opinions and ideals, and for an intellectual genius like me…this is something good as a double strawberry cake with banana cream on top of it." He then stood up and made his usual smirk. "It's so unfortunate that in the end we'll be forced to fight against each other. At least we know why…and don't think I'll go easy on you."

"I hope you don't think the same of us." Caster of Red commented with a glare of challenge. "Ohohoh, such bravery! Very well, then! I'll go away now, I'll put this coffee on my Master's account. See you next time…or in a few minutes…if we're going to fight after all…eheheheh…" With those words, Archer of White left, probably going back to her Master.

"Man…what a weird guy. I surely don't trust him! There must be a specific reason why he asked that question…" Assassin of Red commented. "You may be right. Or perhaps he was just testing us. Still…this makes me curious as well…what is his real goal? He stated that his wish is fair for him…so this makes me wonder…what could he possibly wish for…" Caster of Red added.

In that moment, their two Masters returned. "Hey girls, sorry we took so long…I've had a hard time on pulling 'that' out." Astrea said while the Homunculus noticed a serious expression on their faces. "Did something happen?" He asked. Naturally, the two Servants couldn't keep it as a secret, since they didn't know what their enemy would have done. So they told what happened.

"EH!? ARCHER OF WHITE WAS-" Astrea was about to exclaim, but her Servant covered her mouth in time. "Sssh! They'll hear us!" Caster of Red exclaimed.

"So…we did find a Master of the opposite faction in the end…but what should we do now?" Cahya asked. "The best idea would be to follow them and see what they are going to do." Assassin of Red suggested.

"Do you think that is a good idea? Maybe we could end up regretting it…" Astrea spoke, not feeling so sure of that. "I know, but for now…it's the only thing we can do. Besides…we couldn't leave the chance to take down one of the enemies, right?" Assassin of Red added.

"Y-Yeah…w-well then…shall we go, Cahya?" The Alainosta mage then asked to the other Master. "Yes. Here goes nothing." The homunculus answered.

But…in that moment…The Alainosta mage could feel something resonate in her pocket. Another one of her magecraft powers she had was the clairvoyance, a magecraft that she also used to earn money on the streets. Thanks to the hermit card of the tarot deck, she was able to send messages to other mages and the other mages could use their magecraft to deliver a message to Astrea directly through that card. When she took out the deck she could see that the hermit card was shining, which meant that someone gave her a message. She took the card and turned it around to see what it was. "A new message?" Caster of Red asked. "It's from Marcus! Let me see…" The mage started to read…and then made a shocked face. "WHAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAT!?"

"W-What is it?" Cahya asked, worried. Astrea couldn't find the words to express what their leader told her. Of all things he could have ever said to her…this was surely something she didn't expect. She slowly turned around…and referred the message.

"M-Marcus…may have found…the Holy Grail…"

"What!?" Cahya and both two Servants exclaimed, shocked as well.

Meanwhile, Archer of White went back to the library where her Master was standing and felt surprised when he saw her come out of it, panting. "Oh thank God, you're here, Archer!" She exclaimed.

"What happened Master? You look like you've ran a marathon!" The Servant commented. "There's no time for jokes! Isak contacted me and told me something extremely important! It's about the Grail!" Cynthia exclaimed.

Archer of White widened his eyes as he heard what her Master said. How ironic…after having that dispute about that relic with two other Servants…he was now hearing about it. "…Eheheh…talk about a real coincidence…"

---

Tokyo – 15th April 2021 – 21.00 P.M

Kazuto was flying towards a precise direction, with Archer of Red following him by jumping from one building to another.

"MOVE OUT!" Gordon and Saber of Red were running through the streets of Tokyo as fast as they could do. And the same could be said of Cahya, Astrea, Calem and their respective Servants.

Alvis and Rider of Red used the latter's carriage to go faster…

Saber of White was jumping from one building to another with Seram on her back

Cynthia and Archer of White used a taxi to go faster.

Tygo, Oeneus, Caster of White and Rider of White were all riding on the white bull of Tygo's Servant.

Berserker of White was flying while carrying his Master Adewale.

And Maximilian used his dark magecraft to go faster with Assassin of White.

The announcement has been given. An announcement that shocked all the participants of this conflict. This event could have changed what would have followed…the outcome of the war itself.

Now that a first message has been giving…they all couldn't let this chance slip away.

Marcus Graint Yggdmillenia was waiting on the top of a hill, with Berserker of Red near him. "…I would have never imagined a thing like this to happen this soon…but I don't care…this may be our chance…even our single hope. I surely won't waste it." He spoke.

"Aaaaaaaaaaaaargh…" Berserker of Red simply made a deep breath. His whole body was shaking, showing his will to crush down any opponent who would have stood in his way.

"The time…has come. I suppose you were waiting for this, dear Lancer." Isak said with a smirk to his Servant. "Indeed. With this…everything will change." Lancer of White answered.

"So…the big guest has arrived, huh? In that case, it's finally time to show what my powers can do! I surely won't regret it!" Gordon thought.

"AHAH! It's here! This may bring upon a wonderful rumble! I can't wait to see what happens and see if this will excite Gordon as well!" Saber of Red thought.

"It has arrived. I've been waiting for a chance like this…now things may go well for the others…and for me." Calem thought.

"My Master will surely be happy for this…so am i. I'll certainly won't handle it that easily to the others. Guess it's time to get hungry." Lancer of Red thought.

"I don't know what the outcome will be…it'll be probably something scary…but i need to stand up as well! Everything may depend on this!" Alvis thought.

"Ohohohoh! I can already feel myself sitting on my throne! The power will turn back once again to me after all this time!" Rider of Red thought.

"I-I can't believe something like this is happening right now. All that we had seen until now was already pretty messed up! And now this! I-I don't know if I will handle it! Aaaaah! I'm starting to overthink again!" Astrea thought.

"I'm sure Astrea is confused. But maybe things will be clearer once we get there. This may also be an important step for her. Either way, I surely won't slow the others down! Time to stretch my muscles as always!" Caster of Red thought.

"I'll finally see what it looks like. I wonder what reaction I will have…if it will give me some sort of emotion…oh well…Both I and Assassin of Red care a lot about this. I need to do my best." Cahya thought.

"I may have made a fatal mistake last time…but it won't happen again! I am the beauty of the desert, and I will assure to both me and my Master victory!" Assassin of Red thought.

"Finally…I can already feel my sorrow leave my body…I'll start to smile again!" Seram thought.

"I presume that there will be more Servants of the Red Rose there…and it surely won't be that of a big deal! I'll turn them all to ashes! Finally, I can get to bring some chaos in here!" Saber of White thought.

"I wasn't expecting it at all! But this may be my only chance to show something! There's no need to fear now! I have Rider with me…I can do this!"

"I didn't know time could move so fast…but here we are…my two carriages better be ready for what is to come!" Rider of White thought.

"From now on…we must think carefully on how to move…we must be successful at any cost…if we want this advantage…everyone's effort is absolutely important!" Adewale thought.

"It's here…just like the last time…all I need to do…is to focus on the enemies…and defeat them…it's alright…I have my Master with me…" Berserker of White thought.

"It has arrived…it really has arrived! That thing that I've studied for so many years is finally here! I don't know why I am feeling so energetic, but all I know is that maybe I'm finally getting out of this crappy situation!" Oeneus thought.

"I don't know how to feel about this! I wished I could have finished my best inventions before! Oh well…at this point we can only move forward. My Master will surely like this this! He'll put up a great show again!

"Guess it's time to show my best skills…they'll need a big brain to get it after all…maybe my wish won't be so far after all…" Maximilian thought.

"How lucky we are…guess it's time to start this delicious banquet…and get excited…" Assassin of White thought.

And then…

"This is surely an unexpected event. But to be fair…I actually like it! Now I can be surer of our success if everything goes right! All I need is to not show hesitation like with that guy. I'll make it sure…to get it…I'll make sure that everyone will listen to me this time!" Cynthia thought.

"Eeheheheheheh…the moment I wished the most has arrived…even though it's only the prologue…it's exciting. My wish…my perfect scenario…only gets closer…" Archer of White thought.

"Guess it's time. I don't know if I will be able to resist since I am injured. But…after hearing Archer and the others…it's time for me to do my part as well. I may not be the strongest…but I want to assure victory as well. If I want to find happiness again and if I want to see her again…this is what I have to do…" Kazuto thought.

"There may be a lot of enemies there…but i don't care…it's not the first time I've been put in a situation like this. I just need to do what I always have done…and that is to fight. Time to shine like the sun…yet again!"

With this…the wheel of fate…started to rotate. A simple event started to make everything in movement. A simple sign is what made the two factions move. All that it mattered…was to have the right strength…the right strategy…and the right luck. Both the Red Rose and the White Rose knew what the other could do…and therefore they needed to think carefully on what to do, since every mistake…could have been fatal.

If they wanted to move on…and have this big advantage…they needed to do…whatever it took.

"With someone like me…they cannot fail. We'll do the best!" Marcus exclaimed. "We'll finally write down the story here…" Isak said. And despite being on two different places…they were able to say the same thing…at the same time.

"THE ONES WHO WILL GET THE HOLY GRAIL FIRST, WILL MAKE A STEP CLOSER TO VICTORY!"

---

And we're finally done with this chapter as well! Man, this turned out to be long as well! But overall, I'm satisfied with what it turned out in the end! I was able to dig deeper in more characters and make more interesting interactions between them! I've wanted to add more scenes, but the chapter was starting to take too long and it was starting to be too big, since it's only the premiere of the next one, so I've had to cut down some content. Now, as you could see, something big is about to happen. And I know it may sound like this, but don't worry. What will follow IS NOT the Final Battle of the story, there is still a lot of time for that! What will follow in the next chapter will actually be the first major event in the story. And it's actually one of the events I've wanted to do ever since I've started the story! And since it will be something big that will require time and work on it, I've decided to focus all my attentions on the next chapter in the next weeks, so that it can come out with the best quality both for me and all of you! I'll make sure to release the next chapter before the end of the year, you can consider it my Christmas present for you guys!

And of course, let me know your opinions in the reviews. Did you like this chapter? What scene you liked the most? Did I give a good impression of your characters like the other times? Let me know, since as always, your opinion is important!

Thank you for reading and for everything else! Stay safe guys. From Bluestar here, Arrivederci!