A/N: Look, everyone, I know I'm updating this story with this beautiful chapter, but don't take it as a sign that I'm coming back to this story just yet. Truth be told, I was 90, 95 percent done with this chapter before I got into my writing slump and had to take a break from my current stories. I'm not completely out of it, but after seeing how close I was to finishing it (and reading some Fate fics that caught my interest), I decided to take my time to do so.
After this, I'll begin using another, more efficient preparation style recommended to me by a very helpful peer from another fandom, which will involve me writing out and completing a certain number of chapters in advance before actually posting them. This will give me the opportunity to proofread them and hopefully help me avoid mistakes like the ones I made in the last chapter. But in doing so, it'll probably take another couple of months or so before I can officially resume activity on this story. Hopefully it'll take less time than that, but don't count on it. I urge all of you to remain patient, young grasshoppers!
Also, I just want to thank you all again, my wonderful, wonderful reviewers, for pointing out all the mistakes I made in the last chapter! That was really unbecoming of me. Hopefully that doesn't happen again, but do keep up the good work! :D
Okay, now ENJOY!
Edit: Due to further research and a little realization on my part, I decided to change Berserker of Black to another Heroic Spirit. You will learn more in the chart near the end of the chapter.
24-Hour Hotel in Fuyuki, Shinto
Waver Velvet had never felt so scared before in his entire life.
He knew exactly what he was signing up for. Of course, the textbooks from the Clock Tower were not kidding when they said the Holy Grail Wars were a battle royale, where magi had to fight to the death for the possession of a holy chalice capable of performing miraculous feats. He was fine with dying fighting in his own battle. He had no complaints against that. As long as it gave him some respect among others, then it'd be worth it.
Of course, there's nothing respectable about being tied to a wooden chair, teetering dangerously on the edge of a seedy rooftop, and having a gun pointed at oneself. And in the middle of the night, no less.
Oh, and above it all, the pathetic way he was captured.
Having just witnessed the death of one of his Assassins at the Tohsaka Manor, and the conversation that followed afterwards, Waver opened his eyes, and the student realized that his frame was trembling in terror. But of course he had every good reason to be frightened! If what he observed through his familiar was true, then there was an alliance between six Masters and six Servants, one of whom was another Assassin. And apparently, there's another alliance of a similar nature. But how was this possible?! By his count, that meant there were more Masters and Servants than usual. What in the world was going on?! None of the Clock Tower's textbooks mentioned anything about extra Masters and Servants, let alone unconditional alliances between Masters.
But then again, the conversation he eavesdropped on, the one between Kayneth, Bram, and Feend vor Sembren, made a whole lot of sense now. He had been occasionally wondering what exactly they were talking about when they mentioned alliances and factions, but he underestimated the scope of their meaning.
"Oh, man," he said to himself, his voice trembling as he came to another startling realization. "What if they sense me up here?! They're gonna kill me without mercy, and I don't have another Assassin to back me up! I should've brought another! Oh man, I've gotta get outta here, fast..."
He turned around, only to find himself face to face with the cold, shining barrel of a gun.
"Why, hello there," the gunman greeted, a vicious, almost bloodthirsty sneer appearing on his bearded face. "You lost, kid?"
Before Waver could react, the man swung the butt of his gun against the student's forehead, knocking him out cold.
The next thing he knew, he was in this terrifying position. In his mind, Waver briefly cursed the man who ambushed him.
"Why did you run?"
The cold, stoic voice brought chills down Waver's spine. His trembling eyes flitted towards the person who was now solely responsible for his life. It wasn't the same person who ambushed him near Tohsaka Manor, but Waver knew he had to have something to do with that. He couldn't help but notice how empty the man's black pupils were. In fact, a broader inspection would find that the man's face itself was completely empty, devoid of any sort of expression. He seemed more robotic than human...and that alone would've terrified Waver more than anything else, if it weren't for the fact that he was so close to plummeting dozens of stories to his death.
He was aware that he could just scream out for help; that would be so easy. But to do so in such a seedy area likely infested with crime, and with a gun being pointed at him by who he assumed to be a professional, Waver felt such an act would be useless.
"I-I-I don't know w-what you're talking about!" Waver stammered, trying to find the best words to say. "I-I swear!"
Without any hesitation, the man kicked Waver's chair back a couple of inches. The rear legs immediately slipped off the concrete edge, and Waver began to tip over the edge. His eyes bulged out in terror as he realized he was actually about to die here and now...
The man stuck his foot out, and it caught the wooden footrest connecting the chair's front legs, stopping Waver short of falling off the rooftop.
"You're lying," replied the gunman, the harsh coldness of his voice intimidating. "You refused to respond to the Einzberns' many attempts at summoning you. You had your Servant destroy the Einzberns' familiar. You fled here to Fuyuki on your own accord. It certainly sounds like you were intentionally avoiding the Einzberns."
"I-I thought it was some ploy by them to steal my Servant or something! B-But if this has something t-to do with those F-Faction thingies, then I swear, I-I had no idea they were a thing until I attacked Tohsaka Manor- AGH! Wait, wait, WAIT!"
The man had begun to adjust his footing so Waver could continue to tip over, one centimeter after another.
"And on top of it," he replied coldly, "you attacked Tohsaka Manor, the base of operations for the White Faction, without supervision and assistance, which resulted in the death of your Servant, and therefore, the Black Faction's first loss of a Servant." He stopped tilting Waver over. "Were you trying to get out of this War the easy way? Or were you just blinded by pure arrogance?"
Waver's lip quivered, and his eyes trembled as he struggled to find the next words to say. Judging by this man's dialogue, he had to have some sort of involvement with the so-called Black Faction mentioned by Tohsaka and his allies, but Waver couldn't make any concrete conclusions on that. For all he knew, this man was also working for the White Faction, torturing him as punishment for the manor attack. As such, he couldn't really correct the man's assumption that Assassin was truly dead, lest he risk having the rest of his Servant taken by these magi.
Suddenly, the man blinked once. "You don't know what you've gotten yourself into. Do you?"
Hesitantly, Waver nodded in response. Then, to his immense relief, the man sheathed his gun in the holster on his hip, set him back onto the rooftop, and dragged him a few inches away from the edge. As he did, Waver spotted two other people stepping out of the corners of the darkness; one was the same man who ambushed him, and the other was a woman with a face as empty and expressionless as the first man.
"Told you he was just a stupid kid," the second man said smugly as he adjusted his black sunglasses.
"I-I s-swear," the student said, his voice still shaking from the near-death experience, "I-I never k-knew th-the F-Fourth Holy G-Grail War was going t-to be like this."
His eyes widened in terror again when the first man unsheathed a shining dagger and held it against his throat.
"You were still careless and expended your Servant in such a reckless way," the man said, his voice still cold and monotone. "Give me a reason why I shouldn't kill you right here, right now."
"Ah, whoa now, Magus Killer!" the second man exclaimed suddenly. "There's no need to-!"
This man was silenced by a deadly look from his compatriot, and he retained his serious expression. At that moment, Waver knew that these people would never let him live unless he gave them a response that would satiate their blood-lust. It was a big gambit, but he had to take it to preserve his own life. He just had to.
"I didn't expend my Servant!" he shouted at the top of his lungs. "Assassin is still alive!"
Waver winced when his captor dug the blade into his neck, only by a millimeter, but enough to draw a small bead of blood.
"You're lying."
"NO! N-No, I-I'm not lying! Assassin, th-the one that died at Tohsaka Manor, that was one of eighty or so! There's still more of them left, I swear!"
The black-haired man twitched his hand, preparing to slash Waver's throat. The student's eyes were bulging in horror.
"I'll prove it!" he screamed loudly. "With-With a Command Seal!" He raised his hand, revealing his set of three black Command Seals. When the man's eyes widened in surprise and he then prepared to make the kill, Waver continued in terror, "NO! I promise! I won't tell them to kill you!"
"Maybe we should hear the kid out," the sunglasses-wearing man suddenly suggested, prompting his comrades to look at him with surprised expressions on their faces. "I mean, we can just kill him the moment he begins to say the wrong words. Command Seals don't really work if the recital's suddenly interrupted, right?"
The other man's eyes narrowed darkly, and he glared at the woman. She didn't say anything to him in return, but her expression seemed to be enough confirmation for him. He then looked at Waver with his empty eyes.
"Very well," he said. "You may do it."
Waver let out a sigh, relieved that his captors were listening to him.
"But." Before Waver could make the command, the man forced the dagger a millimeter deeper into the student's throat, stopping him. "If you even begin to say anything that's even remotely suspicious, I will kill you. Do you understand?"
At the corner of Waver's eye, the woman procured a submachine gun, aimed it at him, and clicked the safety off, but refrained herself from firing. Knowing that he had to find the right words to say for his command, the student nodded slowly to prevent the dagger from accidentally cutting further into his throat, and therefore into his jugular vein. When the black-haired man's posture seemed to relax somewhat, Waver took the opportunity to issue his express command.
"By the power of my Command Seal," he proclaimed quickly, just as a small portion of his black mark glowed a red light, "I hereby call forth the whole of Assassin to this place, without the intention to kill, but merely to present to these people as an ally!"
The Command Seal in question glowed brighter than ever before, then finally dissipated into nothing more than a faded, degraded version of itself. Seconds later, a veil of black aura materialized and swirled behind the black-haired man before dissipating, revealing Asako. All three of Waver's captors froze in surprise, and then began looking around as more Assassins began to materialize everywhere on the rooftop. Waver couldn't help but smirk triumphantly, relishing in the fact that he actually negotiated his way out of a sticky situation such as this.
It seemed to take about ten minutes for the materialization of every individual Assassin to be completed. Once it was done, there were so many of them that some had to occupy the rooftops of neighboring buildings.
"Multiple Assassins?" asked the black-haired man, a tint of surprise actually present in his voice. He slowly, cautiously withdrew the dagger from Waver's throat. "How is this possible?"
"We are one divided into many," one Assassin replied.
"An army, and also one," said another Assassin.
"A Servant with many shadows-" yet another Assassin began.
"And one," a fourth Assassin completed.
The three scanned the surrounding area, taking into account every individual Assassin present.
"A Servant with separate bodies for each of his multiple personalities?" the sunglasses-wearing man deduced. He then grinned toothily. "Impressive."
As for the black-haired man who had been menacing Waver, he looked back down at the student.
"Alright," he said. "So you were telling the truth." When Waver nodded in response, he asked, "So then, what was the purpose of sending one of your Assassin Servants to his death at Tohsaka Manor? If you had so many at your disposal, why send in just one to breach the perimeter despite the many risks posed?"
"W-Well," Waver replied, wincing a little from the stinging sensation brought by the superficial cut on his neck, "my plan was to have Tohsaka's Servant kill that Assassin on purpose. I was hoping it could fool Tohsaka, and therefore the other Masters, into thinking that Assassin was dead and I was already out of the War."
"But in reality, you would've had your other Assassins survey your opponents' movements in the shadows, to learn all of their strategies and tactics. And once you found loopholes or vulnerabilities, you would have Assassin take advantage of that to kill the Masters when they would least expect it. The remaining Masters would believe it'd be the work of one another, thus keeping up the facade." The black-haired man blinked idly. "Creative...but terribly flawed."
"What?! But-But why is that-?"
"You're going up against some very strong foes," interrupted the sunglasses-wearing man, "equipped with strong Servants and magical capabilities. You're weak and equipped with one of the weakest Servant classes in the Grail Wars. The chances of your sneak attacks failing are dangerously high. And if they do fail, then your whole facade is exposed. You cannot simply try it again since the Masters would now suspect the presence of at least one other Assassin out there. And should good luck be on your side, you still have to properly reveal yourself to the last Master-and-Servant team and duke it out with them if you wish to properly summon the Grail." The man's sunglasses glinted as he smirked. "And something tells me you didn't plan that part, didn't you?"
"What?!" snapped Waver in outrage. "O-Of course I did! D-Do you really think of me as some sort of idiot?!"
"Sorta, yeah."
"You dare insult my Master?!" one of the Assassins suddenly snarled, while a few others seemed to reach for their weapons.
"Settle down, Assassins," the black-haired man suddenly said, assuaging the disembodied Servant. He then regarded his companion with a stern look. "Sisigou, let me speak from this point on."
The man named Sisigou blinked in surprise, then smiled and crossed his arms nonchalantly.
"As you wish, Magus Killer," he replied.
"W-Wait," said Waver, his eyes widening slightly. "M-Magus Killer?..." He had heard the nickname fleetingly a few times at the Clock Tower, but from what he could glean, it sounded like something from an urban legend. But to hear the leader of his captors being addressed by that nickname...even if he was being spared for now, Waver could feel beads of sweat breaking out on his forehead.
Then, the so-called Magus Killer glanced at Waver, his gaze colder than usual.
"That shouldn't be of any concern to you," he said as he lifted his dagger.
Waver's eyes widened even further, catching the glint of the blade's surface from the moonlight as it neared dangerously close to his skin. He wanted to command his Assassins to save him, but he was too paralyzed with fear to do that. Not that such a command would've helped him anyway, as his Assassins weren't even budging an inch for him. The student then closed his eyes as he awaited the inevitable...
Instead, he heard tearing noises. Opening his eyes, he realized the Magus Killer was actually using the dagger to cut his bonds loose.
The Magus Killer regarded him coldly.
"Relax," he said tersely. Waver could only nod slowly and loyally in response.
This Grail War was just becoming weirder and weirder for him...
"I don't like this."
"He's just a kid. He didn't know what kind of Grail War he signed up for."
Kiritsugu and Maiya were both standing on the rooftop of the hotel. Moments earlier, Waver had his Assassins go into spirit form, then retreated into a hotel room Kairi booked for him for the night. As for Kairi himself, he left for Kiritsugu and Maiya's hotel room, allegedly to wash his hands. Pursing his lips, Kiritsugu turned around and faced Maiya.
"I'm not talking about him, Maiya," he replied. "I'm talking about Sisigou. I don't trust him."
Maiya's eyes narrowed. "Neither do I. He seemed to show a sign of good faith when he delivered Assassin's Master to us, but-"
"That was way too convenient," completed Kiritsugu. "He knew we were tracking Assassin's Master. He knew where that boy was at. He's got resources of some kind, and on top of that, he seems insistent on participating in this War. But he has no Command Seals." He turned back around and stared aimlessly at the skyline before him. "Something's wrong. He's hiding something, but what?"
"Considering a freelancer like him, and the lengths he's been going through, I can only assume he's on assignment."
"But what kind of assignment is it? And who exactly is his client?" The Magus Killer's dark eyes narrowed. "He couldn't possibly be working for the White Faction. He sold out the true identities of some of their Servants, and that kid just corroborated his statements when he had one of his Assassins killed. There's no way he'd double-cross his client like that. This only leaves one other option."
"A third party," concluded Maiya. "But who would that third party be? No one else has a stake in this War as far as we know."
"Yes, that's correct. And that's extremely worrisome..." Kiritsugu faced his assistant again. "We're not going to learn anything if we keep shunning him. If we do, he will still try to involve himself in any way he can, and that could jeopardize our strategies in the battlefield." He sighed heavily before continuing, "If he wants in, then we'll let him in."
To his surprise, Maiya was extremely flustered by his decision.
"But Kiritsugu!" she exclaimed, anger present in her voice. "Sisigou is a crass, compulsive, egotistic, overconfident man who acts before he thinks, if he even possesses the capacity to do so! To induct him in the Black Faction would severely compromise it! You can't seriously be considering letting him in even when we can barely trust him in the first place!" She then calmed down as she realized Kiritsugu had spaced out, presumably during her small rant. "Kiritsugu? Kiritsugu!"
After a couple of seconds of contemplating, Kiritsugu snapped out of his thoughts and gave Maiya a clever smile, surprising her.
"What is it?" she asked.
"I've found my strategy," he replied. "The way to get the best use from the strongest Servant fighting in the battle."
Kotomine Church
Ruler, Kirei, and Risei stood on the altar of the church, gazing upon the Spirit Board. The names of fourteen Servants were etched upon its surface.
"All the players have assembled..." Risei remarked.
"Indeed," Kirei replied. "In the meantime, Father, it appears our contacts have provided an update on the Black Faction's situation. They managed to find the missing Master of Assassin and integrate him into their ranks. However, Caster and his Master have yet to make contact with them. In fact, while we are aware of Caster's summoning, they are not making their presence known to the rest of the Black Faction."
"Well, that's a shame." Risei looked at Ruler, who was still looking at the Spirit Board. "Ruler."
The beautiful saint looked up at the two priests. "Yes, Father Risei?" she asked.
"Do you think you could use your ability to find the location of Caster of Black?"
"Of course." Ruler glanced at one of the church's corners, where a cup of holy water was being held. "Could you please bring me that cup over there? It is absolutely necessary for the activation of my ability."
"Of course, Ruler."
Risei stepped off the altar, approached the corner, and took the cup from its holder. He then returned to the altar and gave the cup to the blonde Servant, who took it with a thankful nod. Kirei and Risei then watched as Ruler dipped her right hand into the holy water, withdrew it, and cast it into the air. As it dripped through the air, the water glowed dimly, and it then began to draw out a three-dimensional map. Once it was entirely drawn out, both priests recognized the geographical layout of Fuyuki City laid out before them.
"So this here...is Fuyuki City," Kirei said.
"Only a good portion of it," explained Ruler in response. "This map encompasses an area of about 113 square miles, which reflects my ability to observe everything around me located within a six-mile radius."
"I thought you would be able to have a complete view of Fuyuki?"
"Normally, I should. But for some reason, there is some sort of limitation imposed to this ability. I cannot explain it."
"It's probably nothing," Risei said in response. "We still have a good idea of who and what is around us. Continue, Ruler."
"Do you see those dots, Kirei?" She indicated said dots, which were scattered across the map. "These indicate the current positions of every Servant in this War."
"So you are aware of the location of each and every Servant summoned here, at any time."
"Yes." She then began pointing at each dot in turn. "Now, there are two groups of Servants bundled closely together, one at Tohsaka Manor, the other at the Fuyuki coastal warehouse district. The former group is the White Faction, without a doubt, and I assume the second group is most of the Black Faction. There's one dot headed straight for the Black Faction's position in an organized, nonthreatening manner, so I assume that's the newly discovered Assassin of Black. So, that leaves the Servant near Mion River. That has to be Caster of Black, possibly setting up a base of operations."
Kirei looked at Ruler as she allowed her map to disappear. "Should we head there and inform Caster and his Master about what they must do?"
To his surprise, Ruler shook her head and replied, "No. That is the Black Faction's responsibility to do. We are only allowed to act when Servants threaten the very existence of the Holy Grail Wars. For now, we have to stand by and let the Black Faction search for their comrades."
"And if they come here asking for assistance?"
"Then we won't give it to them, Kirei," Risei replied. "Ruler's ability, if shared with others, will provide an unfair advantage. We must leave them to their own devices."
"I see. Of course..."
Kirei looked down at the floor of the altar, something Ruler noticed.
"You're not happy about our responses, Kirei?" she asked.
"Not at all. It's just... I feel something uneasy in the air."
"As do I. But we mustn't allow our personal emotions to cloud our judgment. We are meant to be a neutral, objective third-party in this War, Kirei. Just like...oh, what do you call it...a referee. Let the Black Faction search for their Caster Servant and Master, and deal with them. If Caster clearly demonstrates himself or herself as a threat, then that's when we will act accordingly." The young saint placed a comforting hand on the priest's shoulder. "Do you understand, Kirei?"
Kirei looked up at Ruler, the parasite within him squirming violently. He suppressed it and allowed false admiration to flow in him.
"Yes, Ruler. I understand perfectly well."
The blonde girl smiled at him in such a way that any other man's heart would melt.
"Alright. Now..." Ruler removed her hand from Kirei's shoulder and walked off the altar. "I must take my bath. I have to leave for school very soon."
Submerging herself in the cool and clear bathwater, the blonde girl exhaled in immense relief and allowed her body to enjoy all of the comforts brought by the liquid. Even if she was a Ruler Servant dedicated to protecting the very existence of the Holy Grail Wars, and a saint devoted to serving God, Jeanne d'Arc had the capacity to comprehend stress just like anyone else. And like anyone else, she sorely needed a method to relax her nerves, especially since she had a physical human body unlike other Servants. Of course, she couldn't simply display that stressed side of her to Kirei and Risei. They looked to her to uphold every rule and regulation of the Grail system, and to help them in doing so. She didn't want to dash their shared faith in her.
But now that she was alone, and sitting in the bath, Jeanne found this moment to be absolutely pleasurable and treasured. She needed to savor in it while it lasted, for once she got out of the water, and out of the church, she had to be on high alert again.
"Should we head there and inform Caster and his Master about what they must do?"
"It's just... I feel something uneasy in the air."
"As do I. But we mustn't allow our personal emotions to cloud our judgment."
Jeanne sighed and looked up at the ceiling of the bathroom. Whatever uneasy feeling Kirei was sensing, it had to be strong...for she sensed it too. There was definitely an odd, unsettling feeling in the air when it came to Caster of Black, and she didn't know why. And as the Ruler Servant presiding over the Fourth Holy Grail War, she knew she might have to ultimately bring her judgment to that Servant, sooner or later.
She sighed and leaned back against the bathtub. "I have to stop thinking about that topic," Jeanne thought. "For now..." She allowed her body to sink further into the tub. "I must relax..." Her lower lips had reached the surface of the bathwater. "Yes... Relax..."
Jeanne exhaled yet again.
Homurahara Academy, Miyama Town
Calmly and with composition, Jeanne entered the classroom, sat down at her desk, and retrieved her required school materials. At the corners of her eyes, she could see a good number of her...Laeticia's classmates staring at her, some with awe and wonder, others with lust, and even some with envy. These reactions didn't really faze her, though. She was well aware of how stunningly beautiful Laeticia was and how everyone at this school seemed to know it. Jeanne lamented how much of a shame it was for her host body to be previously so embarrassed and socially withdrawn. She could've used these looks (as well as her brains) to get a lot of friends and become what they called a 'school idol'. Considering Laeticia's true personality, one of gentle kindness and caring, she deserved it.
But Jeanne didn't want to do anything for Laeticia's benefit. The only goal of her existence was to preside over this Grail War and preserve its very system. Everything else had to be of little concern to her. All she had to do in this school was play the role of Laeticia until she could go back to the church. Fortunately, it was an easy task, for Jeanne retained important knowledge of Laeticia's personal life, so she knew what to do as Laeticia when the situation called for it.
"Look, Yasuhara-chan! It's that foreign girl! Delacroix-san!"
Jeanne's ears perked at the sound of her being referenced. She couldn't help but listen in as she opened her textbook and read it.
"Wow, she looks so beautiful!" another voice exclaimed.
"Yeah, well apparently, looks are all Delacroix has as assets," replied the first girl.
Jeanne blinked in surprise.
"What do you mean, Komura?" asked the second girl.
"I heard she blew off Fujimura-chan when she tried to be her friend."
"No way!" exclaimed a third voice. "'The Tiger' Fujimura?!"
"Yep. Apparently, she saw something in that foreigner."
"Of course she does."
"Yes, I know, but it seemed she was wrong and she got the cold shoulder. I think she might've teared up about it too."
Jeanne's eyes softened as her mind recalled the memory of Laeticia pushing Taiga Fujimura away as a friend for her own safety.
"Whoa! That is cold!" the second voice cried. Jeanne felt a pair of accusing eyes boring towards her. "I never knew Delacroix-san to be that kind of person... I guess that's why she's so quiet and never talks to anyone all the time! I mean, I can understand boys, but she literally doesn't talk to anyone else!"
"True," added the third voice. "In fact, I don't think I've ever heard her speak ever since she first introduced herself to the class! I've always thought that was weird..."
"Yeah," replied the first voice. "So whatever you do, Irie-chan, Yasuhara-chan, don't try to be friends with Laeticia Delacroix. I don't know what she cares about in this world, but apparently, it's not other people, such as her peers."
"Alright!" the second voice exclaimed. "I think those kinds of people are the absolute worst anyway!"
Jeanne sighed sadly.
Jeanne sighed sadly again.
A couple of hours or so had passed, and now, it was lunch break for Homurahara Academy. Right now, she was sitting at her usual spot on the school roof, eating out of her bento box alone. However, to get there, she had to pass dozens of students in the hallway, and this attracted a lot of stares. While Jeanne usually didn't care about being stared at, this time, these stares were accompanied by a lot of gossip, no doubt about Laeticia's last exchange with Taiga. Apparently, Taiga was the kind of person who was friends with everyone, except for the cold-hearted ones who were to be despised like lepers. The social distance between her and her schoolmates seemed to noticeably widen.
It was a good thing the new school nurse appeared in the hallway when she did, for it took off a lot of stares on her. What was her name again? Ramus?
Truthfully, the stares weren't a problem for Jeanne personally; after all, in her lifetime, she had been the recipient of stares by soldiers who thought it was best for a woman to be off the throes of the battlefield. However, she knew it was going to be a problem for Laeticia. She couldn't tell what would happen when the War was over and the Ruler Servant was no longer needed. But at best, it was clear that there was one big social circle that Laeticia wouldn't be a part of once she returned to the world.
"What a shame..." Jeanne thought glumly as she took a sip of her bottled drink. "I think people would be happy to be Laeticia's friend if they truly knew her, and I think Laeticia would love to have wonderful friends like Fujimura..."
She set her bottle down on the ground, leaned back against the building structure directly behind her, and stared blankly into the blue sky through the fence lining the entire perimeter of the roof. A couple of birds were perched on top of the portion of the fence that was right in her sights. Her amethyst eyes narrowed seriously as she realized what she had been thinking about earlier.
"It doesn't matter. Laeticia having friends or not will not serve any effect on the course of this War. And if I don't remain focused, then this whole school, and even the entire city, could be in total jeopardy. Who knows what kind of Master the Grail selected for participation in this War?"
Jeanne was so focused that she barely heard the door open beside her. All of a sudden, she heard a loud clicking noise, followed by a different noise, one of mechanical whirring. She looked beside her and saw a teenage boy standing right beside her, holding a Polaroid camera that was currently printing out its most recent photo. Even if she didn't know Laeticia's mannerisms, Jeanne would've still been shocked beyond belief at the sight.
"E-E-Eh?!" she squeaked.
"Oh, I'm sorry," the boy replied. Once he retrieved the photo from the camera's slot, he smiled and rubbed the back of his head sheepishly. "Did I startle you? I'm sorry about that."
Jeanne shot up on her legs. "Wh-What are you doing here?! G-Get away from me!"
"Relax, relax, Delacroix!" The boy held his hands up as a sign of peace. "I'm not here to do anything to you, I swear!" He gestured to his camera. "Just taking some photos of birds, that's all."
Jeanne blinked in surprise, and looked at the part of the fence where the two birds were perched. Now, they were flying away, undoubtedly because of her outburst.
"Except..." the boy continued, "I just lost the opportunity for more photos..."
"O-Oh!" The blonde saint bowed her head in shame. "I-I'm so sorry! I didn't mean to disrupt you in your activity!"
"Ah, no worries. I'm sure I'll see some more birds to take photos of later on in the day." Then, to Jeanne's surprise, the boy sat down next to her spot and took out a bento box of his own. "So, shall we eat?"
"H-Huh?! Wa-Wait a minute!" stammered Jeanne. "The birds are gone, so what reason do you have to keep on staying here?!"
The boy lowered his hands and chuckled sheepishly. "Well, you're probably not gonna believe me, but...I noticed you were the center of negative attention recently...and I felt pretty bad for you. I mean, you never had a single friend since you got to this school, and now your chances at getting one have lowered quite a lot. So...I thought I'd fill in that slot..." He rubbed the back of his head again. "If you don't mind, that is..."
Jeanne's eyes widened in surprise at the boy's request. Then, she examined him more closely. He had black hair and brown eyes, and had a disarming aura of normalcy around him. There was no sign of lechery anywhere in his expression, just legitimate kindness. This was a surprise to her, since all of the boys she met at Homurahara so far were all perverts who were more interested in her body than anything else. And yet, she couldn't remember seeing this boy anywhere in school... But he was wearing a school uniform and was quite familiar with her, so that meant he had to be a classmate of hers.
Or he could be some psychopathic, obsessed stalker. Who knows? ...Jeanne shuddered at that possibility.
But when Jeanne reflected on the first theory, she suddenly remembered something from Laeticia's memory.
"Aw, great. There goes Ichikawa again..."
Every time Ichikawa tried to make a pass on Laeticia, there was always this one boy rather annoyed by his antics... A boy who was always by his side... A literal sidekick for the class pervert who was never fazed by the many rejections from multiple beauties of any and all ages...
"Oh, forgive me for my lack of manners!" the boy exclaimed. "My name is-"
"You're Tatsumi Kitano," replied Jeanne. "Right?"
The boy blinked twice in surprise. "You... You remembered my name?..."
"Lae- I mean, I saw your name on the chalkboard for cleaning duty a couple of weeks ago." The young saint smiled slightly. "Thank you for thinking of me."
Tatsumi arched an eyebrow. "You're welcome... And here I am wondering why you pushed Taiga Fujimura away when you can be this nice..."
Jeanne's eyes softened, and she looked down. "I didn't mean to hurt her feelings," she replied. "I just...didn't want anyone to get in the way of my studies." She quickly added in her mind, "Forgive me, Lord, for the lies I am proffering to this boy."
Tatsumi looked at her incredulously. "Really? That's what all of this has been about? You didn't want to be friends with Fujimura because...you needed to study?"
"My father is a strict man." She smiled fondly, knowing that her statement wasn't a complete lie. "He expects the best of me. I can't disappoint him."
"Well, a few friends couldn't possibly hurt your studies, Delacroix. You can easily juggle between your social life and your studies as long as you don't get dedicated to one over the other. Everyone deserves a friend. And if this conversation so far is anything to go by, you're a nice person, Delacroix. You deserve a lot of friends."
"Oh." Jeanne sat down beside Tatsumi and played with her food using her chopsticks. "You think so?"
"Yep." The boy smiled at her. "I bet a lot of girls would love you, and I'm sure guys would like to talk to you too!"
Jeanne's eyes narrowed darkly. "Yeah, well, I don't think it really works if it's my chest boys are talking to and not my face."
"You're talking about Ichikawa, aren't you? Don't mind him, Delacroix; he's a hopeless pervert."
Jeanne looked at him with an air of great suspicion. "And your friend," she said.
"Hey, he's not as bad as you think he is. And I'm probably the only person who can keep him out of trouble. Just yesterday, we were out in Shinto, and he started flirting with a couple of foreigners. One of them got pissed by his words and started beating him up. If it weren't for me, I think he would've actually been dead."
"So is that why he wasn't in class today?"
"Yeah, but I chalk it up more to the fact that he's embarrassed by the incident. After all, it's not every day a guy gets beaten up real bad by a girl." Tatsumi sighed. "I do hope that beating knocked some sense into him."
"But it's not just him, though. Lots of males keep giving me lecherous stares as I pass them. I absolutely loathe that." Jeanne's eyes narrowed even more. "It's sinful."
Tatsumi sighed again. "Well, I can't defend those people. Guys are guys, and hormones just make them ten times worse. But, if it gives you any comfort, Delacroix, I'm not that way."
Jeanne looked at him. "And how do you know that?" she asked.
"Well..." The boy then sighed and looked down sheepishly. "Well, I honestly don't. I guess I'm lying when I say I'm not that way. I am a guy too, after all, and with hormones to boot."
Jeanne puffed her cheeks in a slight pout. "So how am I supposed to trust you? You could have something nefarious planned out right now. Why should I want to be your friend?"
"I guess that's something I can't answer honestly and confidently either." He noticed his female classmate's apprehensive look and smiled warmly. "You know, Delacroix, whether or not you don't trust me, you're clearly comfortable around me. I mean, look at you! You're always so uncomfortable around guys, and yet, this has to be the longest talk you have ever had with one. I didn't notice until now, but you've really gotten used to me already." He chuckled. "I'm actually kinda surprised myself."
At that moment, Jeanne realized that Tatsumi was right in his deduction. Ever since she realized who he was, she seemed to forget the fact that Laeticia was extremely uncomfortable around any and all people of the opposite gender unless she really trusted them. And this had to be the longest time Laeticia would interact with a boy who was a complete stranger to her.
It had to be that aura of normalcy that was hanging around him, Jeanne mused.
Reading her expression, Tatsumi smiled. "Judging by the look on your face, Delacroix, I'm right. You're clearly all right with me."
Jeanne didn't respond for the longest time. At that moment, the school bell rang, prompting Tatsumi to stand up.
"Well," he said, "I guess lunch is over. I'll see you in class, Delacroix." He prepared to leave when he stopped and continued, "And about my offer to become your friend... If you don't want to accept it, Delacroix, it's fine by me. If you don't trust me because of my gender, it's fine too. We all have our fears and insecurities, and I don't want to force you into something you're not comfortable with. It's not in my nature. But I want you to know this. It's not healthy for anyone to simply isolate themselves from everyone else, just for the sake of academics or anything else. Keep that in mind, okay?"
He stood still for a moment, as if expecting a response. But when he didn't get any, he merely regarded her with one last smile and left the rooftop, leaving Jeanne alone with her thoughts. After a brief moment of contemplation, the saint stood up, packed up the remnants of her bento box, and left the rooftop as well.
Once she left, the two birds from earlier settled back onto the same spot of the fence they were previously perched on. They looked at each other and chirped happily.
Kotomine Church
– The following night –
The two black limousines parked in front of the church. Once the engines shut themselves down, the doors of both elongated vehicles opened up. Irisviel stepped out of the first one, taking in a deep breath of fresh, cool air and moving loose strands of her snow-white hair away from her face. Following her was Klaus, who looked more attentive than usual. Coming out of the second limousine were Feend, who looked particularly impatient; Kariya, who was moaning and clutching his slightly throbbing forehead with pursed lips; and Caules, who looked fidgety due to not having his laptop with him.
"Where is your husband?" asked Klaus, realizing the limousine was the only vehicle parked in front of the church. "I thought he'd be here before us with Assassin and his Master."
"He must be running late," Irisviel replied, remembering the phone call she received from him earlier that day. "But don't worry. He won't miss the registration of all our Servants."
"Are you sure about that?" Feend asked bitterly. Irisviel pursed her lips and ignored him.
"Man, this place gives me the creeps," Caules remarked, surveying the church and the surrounding woods. "I have a bad feeling about this place..."
"It should be fine, Caules," replied Kariya, lowering his hand away from his forehead once the headache stopped. "This church is supposed to be neutral territory in the Holy Grail Wars. No battles are supposed to take place in this general area."
"If you say so..."
Just then, the group heard the rumbling of a motor engine. Then, they all watched as a red convertible drove into the area and parked a few feet behind one of the limousines. Irisviel examined the convertible's occupants: Maiya was in the front passenger seat, and the passengers in the backseat were none other than Kiritsugu and a young boy who matched the description given to her about the Master of Assassin of Black.
But the driver was a complete stranger to her. She honestly didn't know Kiritsugu had another assistant.
As soon as all four stepped out, the boy suddenly ran behind the convertible, to which the Black Faction members all heard the sound of vomiting. As for Maiya and the driver, they started talking to each other, and Irisviel was surprised to hear an irritated tone coming from the usually stoic Maiya.
"Did you really have to drive so fast?" the female assassin asked.
"What?" replied the driver nonchalantly. "You made a big deal out of being there on time. And what do you know?! We're on time!"
"You risked having us pulled over by police."
"Well, to be honest, I had to drive fast so no cops could see me. Everywhere I go, cops pull me over based on just my looks. So yeah, you're welcome for not making us late." The driver then glanced at the Black Faction, as if finally noticing their presence for the first time. "Oh, hey there, everyone. The name's Kairi Sisigou, and I'm your new teammate!"
Irisviel's eyes widened in surprise at the newest information, and she looked at Kiritsugu, who merely placed his index finger over his lips as a gesture to stay quiet.
"Really?" Kariya asked, an eyebrow raised.
"Yep!" replied the man named Kairi as he grinned gleefully. "But the details of my participation are hush-hush for now. You guys have something more important to do, am I right?"
"Damn right," Feend spat in response, glaring at Kiritsugu. "About time you showed your face, leader."
"Welcome, everyone," said Kiritsugu, ignoring his teammate and prompting said teammate to fume angrily. "Thank you all for coming. I understand everyone's aware of the situation with Caster's Master." When everyone nodded, he gestured to the boy who had been vomiting behind the convertible. "This is the Master of Assassin of Black, Waver Velvet."
"Yes, yes, I am aware of who he is." Feend sneered at the boy, who began to sweat nervously. "Greetings, Waver Velvet. Lord El-Melloi has told me lots of interesting things about you. You have a lot of nerve to sign up for this War, kiddo. Are you sure you got the guts for this?"
Waver shivered in response and couldn't force himself to respond, prompting Kiritsugu to speak.
"Do not intimidate our teammate." Ignoring Feend's anger at being ordered by him, the Magus Killer gave Irisviel one last glance before calmly walking towards the church. "Let's begin this."
"Wait, what about the Master of Caster?" asked Kariya. "I know we'll just have to register without him and his Servant, but what're we gonna do once we find out the Grail has made a selection?"
"We track him down, fill him in, and have him register with the church. Come."
Hesitantly, Kariya followed the freelance assassin, rubbing his forehead as he felt his headache slowly return to him. Following behind him, one by one, were Caules, Waver, Klaus, and lastly Feend. Irisviel stayed behind with Maiya and Kairi, watching with a hand over her heart as her husband approached the church doors.
The doors creaked as they were roughly pushed open by Kiritsugu. As soon as the interior of the church was in full view of the six Black Masters, they spotted the three figures standing on the altar, identifying them from left to right as Risei, Ruler, and Kirei. Risei and Kirei both bowed their heads at the group.
"Welcome to the church," they greeted in unison. "Please step inside in peace."
Feend was quick to step forward, and he was followed by the others, who all moved in a slightly disorganized fashion. As soon as they were all inside, the doors automatically closed behind them with an ominous creak, causing Waver and Caules to shiver in intimidation. Once the six reached the last row of pews, situated near the altar, Kiritsugu, Klaus, Feend, and Kariya collectively knelt down on one knee. Waver and Caules watched them, confused for a moment, before doing the same rather hurriedly.
After a few moments of silence, Ruler spoke, breaking the silence.
"I, Ruler-class Servant of the Impossible Holy Grail War, welcome you, the Black Faction, to this house of God. By being present, you acknowledge your shared status as Masters in this Holy Grail War. Do you reaffirm this status, with the almighty God as your witness?"
"We do," six voices replied in a disjointed cacophony.
"Very well. Display your Command Seals to me, as proof of your status."
Six hands immediately raised themselves in the air, bearing pitch-black Command Seals of varying designs. As soon as she counted all of the raised hands, Ruler's amethyst pupils then focused on Kiritsugu.
"You are the Einzbern Master, and leader of the Black Faction, correct?" she asked.
"That is correct," replied Kiritsugu calmly.
"I understand you had...have some problems with assembling your members. Explain."
"The Master of Assassin was young and naive, and only had knowledge of the classic system of the Holy Grail War. He never knew the reserve system was in effect for this War. But I was able to track him down and inform him of the special circumstances surrounding the fighting. He understands the information given to him and is now cooperating."
"Can you vouch for that, Master of Assassin?" Ruler glanced at Waver, who trembled in intimidation at her presence and beauty.
"Y-Y-Ye-Yes..." he stammered. "I-I vouch."
Offhandedly, Feend placed a palm on his face in disbelief.
"As for the Master of Caster," Kiritsugu continued, "it should be obvious that the Grail has yet to make a selection."
"I must correct you there, Einzbern Master," Risei replied. "The Grail did make a selection yesterday. We were just informed."
"What, really?!" exclaimed Caules.
"Please lower your voice, Black Master," chided Ruler. She then continued, addressing the Black Faction, "Because of this unusually late selection, you, the Black Faction, are excused for failing to assemble all of your members on time. However, you are now responsible for tracking down Caster and the Servant's Master, and inducting him in your ranks. The blame for anything the two of them do while they are unaffiliated with you lies solely on your shoulders. Do you understand that?"
"Yes, we understand," replied Kiritsugu.
"Good. Now, as your last piece of proof as Masters in this Holy Grail War, I want you all to present your Servants."
"Of course. Now then, come forth, Saber!"
"Come, Lancer!"
"Come, Archer!"
"...Oh! Uh, come, Rider!"
"C-Come, Assassin!"
"Come, Berserker! Agh!"
One by one, five Black Servants, alongside dozens of Assassin Servants, materialized beside their Masters. On instinct, Kirei and Risei's positions became tense at the sight of Berserker of Black, a towering man with a calm yet monstrous face and an aura of a firm, determined fighter. Cold shivers immediately ran across the other Black Masters, while the Black Servants looked tense. Ruler remained calm, her eyes narrowing sternly at the man.
"Master of Berserker of Black," she said, "I can sense a dangerous amount of unruliness within your Servant. Do I have your word that you will be able to properly control it on the battlefield?"
"Yes," replied Kariya. Then, he grunted and clutched his forehead, a stabbing pain suddenly invading his forehead. Once it subsided somewhat, he added, smiling weakly, "Do not worry."
Ruler blinked, looking unconvinced. "Alright... But I shall remind you that you will be faced with serious infractions if Berserker's violence exposes the Holy Grail Wars to the outside world, or if they cause serious injury or death to innocent persons."
"Yes, of course." Kariya groaned, but held back any visible reaction to his headaches.
Meanwhile, Ruler scanned the other Black Servants. Her eyes eventually settled on Lancer, who bowed his head and gave her a charming smile.
"Greetings," he said. "My apologies, Ruler, but I am surprised that a beautiful young woman such as yourself has been chosen for the task of supervising this entire War. I pray to the heavens that this is not a heavy burden on you."
"I appreciate your concern, Lancer," replied Ruler, "but I believe I am qualified for this. The Grail wouldn't have selected me as this War's Ruler Servant otherwise." She then spotted Rider and blinked in surprise. "God bless you, Rider of White."
"And you as well, Ruler!" exclaimed Rider, looking thoroughly pleased at being addressed by Ruler. "It is an honor for me to be watched over by another servant of God. And not just any other servant, but the venerable Jeanne d'Arc! I may not have won the Grail yet, but already do I feel blessed by the Lord! Do take good care of me and my teammates, fellow saint."
"I shall, Rider of Black." She then scanned the rows of pews, which were occupied to the brim with Assassins. "As for Assassin, it seems you have acquired the so-called Hundred-Faced Hassan, Black Masters. I trust that you will not take advantage of having multiple Assassins at your disposal?"
"You can trust us, Ruler," Kiritsugu replied, sounding unusually honest. "Each individual Assassin is exceptionally weak, so it would do no good to send all of them in a battle against the White Faction."
"Good. But should any of you cross the ethical line of this Grail War, I will remind you that with the Class Skill of God's Resolution, I have a set of Command Seals on my back, two for each Servant participating in this War. Should any of your Servants try to rebel against my supervision, I will utilize a Command Seal to stop them unconditionally. No exceptions will be imposed. Is that understood, Black Faction?"
"Yes, Ruler," dozens of voices, mostly Assassins, replied in unison.
"Alright, then. Your Servants have all been examined and approved. You may put your them back into spirit form if you wish." Once the Servants promptly disappeared, with the sole exception of Saber, she announced mightily, "The Holy Grail approves your participation in this War."
"As does this church," added Risei.
"We hope you will fight a noble battle for the Grail as worthy Masters."
Kiritsugu merely nodded as thanks. As he did, he couldn't help but notice Kirei giving him a strange stare.
"I still can't believe you, a magus of a failing family, are able to control that Berserker of yours."
Kariya laughed hollowly. "Yeah. Sometimes, I feel my father is just desperate to kill me..."
The six Black Masters, along with Saber (who had switched to her civilian clothing), were walking out of the church. Kiritsugu was the last one out, closing the doors along the way with narrowed eyes of suspicion. Outside, Irisviel, Maiya, and Kairi were still waiting by the latter's convertible. As soon as both groups converged, Irisviel ran up to Kiritsugu.
"So, is it done?" she asked. "You registered your Servants?"
"Yes," replied the assassin absentmindedly, averting his gaze towards the church. Irisviel tilted her head in confusion.
"Why, Kiritsugu? What's wrong?"
Kiritsugu remained silent for a few seconds. Then, he replied, "It's nothing." Then, he glanced at Kairi. "I leave them in your care now. I trust that you will not fail."
"You got it, Magus Killer," Kairi said in response, giving Kiritsugu a thumbs-up.
"What?" deadpanned a confused Caules.
"What do you mean 'leave them in your care'?" a suspicious Feend asked.
"There's been a change of plans," Maiya said, being quick to speak before Kairi could. "Kiritsugu Emiya wants to maintain the secrecy of his true identity. As a result, he has sent Kairi Sisigou to act in his place."
"In other words, I'm acting as the Magus Killer and leading you guys," added Kairi proudly, flustering Maiya in the process.
"WHAT?!" Feend glared at Kiritsugu accusingly, his eyes burning with absolute outrage. "This was never part of the original plan! Do you expect me to believe I will follow the orders of some actor and not you, the man who's actually supposed to be leading us?! What is this mockery, Magus Killer?!"
"Hey, I resent that damn remark!" interjected Kairi, referencing his referral as an actor.
"It will be alright," Kiritsugu replied calmly. "You will all continue to receive specific instructions from me-"
"Yes, while you sit idly in the sidelines," snarled Feend.
"My apologies, Emiya," Klaus added, "but I agree. I will not allow some man under your employment to simply lead us on the battlefield, not when I have no knowledge of him and his methods. This is a strategy of great dishonesty, and I cannot abide to it."
"This was not a suggestion," Kiritsugu replied calmly. "This is an order. I will coordinate everyone's movements, but on the battlefield, you all will follow Kairi Sisigou's orders, with no exception. He has enough experience and skill to effectively lead you all."
"So you mean to relinquish control of your own Servant to this man as well?" Klaus looked at Saber, who had been disturbingly silent during the conversation. "You are aware that your Servant has an opinion on your decisions too, right?"
"I am aware of what my order means. And yes, I do intend to have Kairi command Saber on the battlefield."
"Master..." a feminine voice hissed. Everyone's gazes turned towards Saber, who was shaking with rage. "You...You intend to abandon me...to this man I have never met...and relegate your responsibilities as my Master...to him?! And just when we finally congregate, following your disappearance at that castle?!"
Her eyes went wide, bulging with a monstrous fury that would easily match that of a Berserker. She abruptly raised her hands, materialized her sword, and aimed it at Kiritsugu, much to the surprise of everyone else.
"Wait, Saber!" Irisviel cried. "Don't!"
"Don't tell me what to do, woman," snarled Saber in response. "My Master has committed a grave, grave offense against my honor as a knight and the future king of Britain, by being dishonest and deceitful! I will not allow that, and as punishment-" She prepared to thrust her sword forward. "HE MUST DIE!"
"So you're going to kill me, your own Master?" Kiritsugu replied, his voice still calm. "On neutral territory, causing Ruler to take action?"
Saber stopped in mid-action, realizing he was right. She gritted her teeth and cursed under her breath, her grip on her sword trembling.
The assassin continued, "And if you plan on killing me the next time we meet, outside of this territory, then it would be useless. I will use a Command Seal to stop you, and it'd be quite a waste for me to do so, am I right?" Saber growled, prompting him to continue, "And you don't want me to use a Command Seal to make you obey this man like he was your own Master, am I right?"
Another growl confirmed his suspicions.
"Wait," Kariya said. "So you're not transferring your Command Seals to that man? But-"
"I said he would be giving you orders on the battlefield. I didn't say I would give him my Command Seals and make him Saber's Master. I wouldn't stoop that low." He regarded a fuming Saber with some sort of smug aura around him. "Don't worry, Saber. I'm sure the two of you will get along just fine." He turned his back on his comrades and began walking towards the convertible. "I shall be off."
"Stop right there, Emiya!" shouted Feend. "We are not done with this conversation!"
"Yes, we are. You may continue to disagree with my tactic, but there's nothing you can do that will convince me to change my mind."
"How about seceding from your leadership, damn it?!"
Kiritsugu stopped. "You won't."
"Yes, I will! And I know the others will follow suit! We will not stand for this!"
"Very well. You all may do so. But I will report this to Grandfather Acht, and I know his response will be swift and just. And who knows? Maybe word of this turmoil will spread to your families. I can imagine the embarrassment this will cause." When his remark was met with silence, he continued walking towards the passenger door of the convertible. "Let's go, Maiya."
Maiya nodded and prepared to follow her employer when Kairi suddenly latched his hand on her shoulder.
"Not a scratch, babe," he said. "Not a scratch."
Maiya pursed her lips in annoyance, shrugged off Kairi's grip, and walked over to the driver's side. Everyone watched as both assassins got in, with Maiya starting the engine and then reversing the car away from the church. Once they were gone, Kairi turned to face his new teammates, all of whom looked back at him distastefully.
"So, um..." he began awkwardly, rubbing the back of his head. "Well... Well, first thing's first, the boss wants us to split up."
"So...he wants us to secede?" asked a confused Klaus. "Or does he not want us to do that?..."
"No, no, not that kind of splitting up! The boss has three different bases set up for us, excluding the one he's using. One in the Einzberns' villa in the far outskirts of the city, another in Miyama Town, and the third in Shinto. He says it'll be too risky if we use one base of operations and it's found by the White Faction."
"Then he wants us to split into three teams, one occupying each base, isn't that right?"
"Yep, that's about correct! Now, Teams Saber (that's me) and Assassin are to stay at Einzbern Villa. Teams, uh...Lancer and Rider are at the Miyama Town base, and that leaves Teams Archer and Berserker for the Shinto base. So, uh, does everyone understand that? Does anyone have questions they want to ask?"
"Wait!" Kariya exclaimed. "Emiya would have me and Caules separated?! But I'm supposed to be protecting him!"
"The boss told me you'd say that, and he says to not worry about it. Lancer and his Master are strong and skilled enough to protect the boy, and if they fail, then Rider will be more than enough to repel the enemy. After all, he has the highest defensive properties than any other Servant in the Black Faction."
"But-"
"I concur, Master of Berserker," a voice said, and Rider materialized beside Caules. "You have my word that I will protect this boy, without fail." He knelt before Kariya, his head bowed loyally. "I swear on my honor, as a man of God."
Kariya hesitated briefly, but he looked up at Caules and saw that he nodded at him reassuringly. As a result, he pursed his lips and reluctantly nodded at Rider.
"Alright," Kairi said. "Now that that's settled, any other questions?"
"Yeah," Feend replied, his voice dripping with sarcasm. "Can you tell your boss that splitting the Black Faction up is a horrible idea and the worst strategy one could come up with?"
"Let me think about that." Kairi tapped his chin for a brief second. "Nope, no can do. Alright, Teams Lancer and Rider can go to their base right away. You can take one of these limos. Um, here's the address." He procured a small piece of paper and gave it to Caules. "The rest of us will drop off Teams Archer and Berserker at their base." He then clapped his hands twice and rubbed his palms against each other in glee. "Alright, this meeting's adjourned. Dismissed!"
"Dear God, help me..." muttered the vor Sembren Master as he followed Caules to one of the limousines.
Meanwhile, Kairi looked at Saber, who gave him the most hateful stare. Undeterred, he grinned toothily at her, causing the blonde Servant's eyelid to twitch menacingly and her fingers to flex instinctively. Irisviel started to sweat nervously, feeling the rage emanating from Saber.
She really hoped Kiritsugu knew what he was doing...
Once the church disappeared from the side-view mirror of Kairi's convertible, Kiritsugu let out a heavy sigh of relief, prompting Maiya to look at him curiously.
"What's wrong, Kiritsugu?" she asked.
Kiritsugu remained silent for a moment, then replied, "It was a risky move, Maiya, telling Saber that someone else would be commanding her on the battlefield. I knew she wouldn't like that, and I expected her to react violently like that, given her mannerisms."
Maiya averted her gaze back to the road ahead. "Yet you still went ahead with the strategy, and it worked. Your negotiation forced Saber to accept that man Sisigou. It was begrudging, but it was acceptance, nonetheless."
"Yes, that's true... But she was hellbent on killing me, then and there. Had she not listened, had I not chosen my words carefully, I would be dead...and everything the Black Faction worked for...what I worked for, would have been for nothing. Worse, I would've been killed in front of Iri... In spite of everything about Saber, she remains steadfast in her trust of her." Kiritsugu sighed and closed his eyes. "And...for a moment...while Saber was threatening me... I saw her, Maiya. I saw Illya."
Maiya blinked, a new light of emotion appearing in her otherwise empty eyes.
"When we get back to the hotel, Kiritsugu," she suggested, "do you want some...comfort?"
Her boss opened his eyes, realizing what she was talking about.
"Yes," he replied.
"It seems your sources were correct in their reports, Father Risei. There's conflict among the Black Faction's ranks."
Ruler opened her eyes, having observed the entire conversation between the Black Faction members through the eyes of one of the church's familiars. Standing by her sides on the altar were Risei and Kirei. All three stood silently as they overheard the noise of the last Black Faction-owned limousine leaving the church territory.
"Send some familiars after the Einzbern Master and his Servant," she ordered. "It appears they're splitting apart, with the Einzbern Master appointing a substitute for his spot as the Master of Saber of Black."
"He has?" asked Kirei, his eyes narrowing. "Why?"
"That, I do not know. He has not given that man his Command Seals, though, so the substitute isn't an official Master. Normally, I would be concerned about this kind of scenario, but it appears this newcomer has a satisfactory amount of knowledge about this Grail War. I will hold off a proper response for now, but I am worried about the Einzbern Master's intentions, hence my request for familiars to be sent after both him and Saber. We need to monitor both of their progress."
"Understood, Ruler," Risei replied. "It shall be done. And what of your opinion about the rest of the Black Faction, Ruler?"
Ruler sighed gravely and replied, "They will not stand a chance against Tokiomi Tohsaka and his White Faction. Their Servants, while boasting power of their own, are unimpressive compared to the White Servants. I sense the most power and capability coming from Rider of Black, especially in regards to defense, but his power still pales in comparison to that of Rider of White." She looked at the two priests. "I will not say this concretely, for the Lord may have a surprise in store for all of us, but from this standpoint, it goes to say that the White Faction will be the ones to triumph over the Black Faction, and not the other way around."
She then glanced at Kirei and noticed that he was staring absentmindedly at the empty rows of pews.
"Kirei?" she asked. "Is everything alright?"
Kirei didn't respond. Instead, his empty brown eyes narrowed in concentration.
"Kirei?"
Elsewhere in Miyama Town
"Ah, now this is more like it! It's about time I left that dull, cramped cavern!"
Kayneth El-Melloi Archibald struggled to compose himself as he walked alongside Olesya Mylène Animusphere, the Yggdmillennia homunculus, and the former's Lancer Servant. The homunculus' Assassin Servant was farther down the road, monitoring any potential threats ahead of them. As for Lancer, she, for whatever reason, was the only Servant who chose to remain in the physical plane and not in spirit form. As a result, she was literally walking beside her Master in her civilian clothing. Not that Kayneth cared about such trivialities.
After all, there were other things of greater concern for him. Namely, his ordeal for the past several hours.
It had been absolute torture for the ninth-generation magus, controlling his unruly and impatient Rider Servant, who kept insisting on leaving Tohsaka Manor in his physical form. Apparently, he was easily distracted by trivial matters such as leisurely exploring Fuyuki City and enjoying all of its low-class offerings and locales. Kayneth couldn't understand why Rider was so excited about going outside, even when he had been outside last night for the White Faction's registration of their Servants.
Not that he wanted to understand. If he wanted to win the Impossible Holy Grail War, then he had to remain focused at all times, without exception. The same had to apply to Rider, in order to maintain his strength and efficiency. Kayneth couldn't afford depleting his Servant's mana on unrelated matters. That is all there was to it.
But that didn't mean Rider had his reservations about it. He complained and complained and complained, and Kayneth couldn't do anything to stop him. He couldn't even use a Command Seal to silence him. After all, doing so would mean stooping to a position as low as the Magus Killer. As a result, Kayneth had no choice but to put up with his Servant's extremely embarrassing behavior.
"What magnificent architecture!" exclaimed Rider, his voice so loud that Kayneth winced. "These suburban homes look extremely welcoming! They would have no doubt provided a great amount of comfort for my people back in my time! Hmmmmm, yes... That settles it! Once I conquer every last corner of this world, my first decree will be to have every commoner's house designed with this kind of architectural layout! Yes, that would be splendid! And I could use one myself! Maybe it could be...oh, what do they call it? Ah, a getaway! Yes, a getaway! That would be most magnificent! HAHAHAHAHA!"
"Oh, for heaven's sake, Rider," Kayneth muttered, so his companions wouldn't hear him and his potentially uncouth behavior, "would you keep quiet?! No one cares about the architecture of rabble's homes!"
"But Master," Rider replied, "to be a king means to think about the well-being of the commoner! You are a Lord, are you not?"
"Not in that context! ...And did you just criticize the living quarters of your own host, Tokiomi Tohsaka? You called his manor a 'dull, cramped cavern'..."
Rider sighed. "Well, I mean no offense towards him, but it was pretty hard to move and breathe in there."
"You, who once ruled all the lands of the world known to you at the time, are complaining about the living conditions of a manor?"
"My apologies, Master, but that manor seemed to be the epitome of dullness. Completely uninteresting, as Archer would put it. I naturally expect something more colorful, more welcoming! Which is why I wanted to see everything beyond this area. After all, this city is about to become our battlefield. Isn't that right, Master?"
"Well you don't need to be so vocal about it! You mustn't let something so trivial cloud your judgment! You have battles to fight, victories to reap! But what do you do? You sulk around, say utter nonsense in my head, and repeatedly beg me to allow you to materialize or otherwise complete menial tasks that have nothing to do with this War! Do you have any idea how much mana I have to provide to you every time you enter your physical form?!
"And what's worse, when you're not fighting and in physical form, you simply raid the pantry and leave not even a crumb for the most basic of familiars to find! As if consuming food is absolutely necessary for you! There are members of this Faction that actually need it!" At this point, Kayneth's eyelid was twitching rapidly. "Are you even LISTENING to me, Rider?!"
"Yes, Master, I am. But I, uh...highly suggest you to watch the volume of your voice. It appears you have caught the unwanted attention of the ladies..."
Kayneth looked across his shoulder and saw Olesya and Lancer looking at him, Olesya with amusement and Lancer with seriousness. The homunculus was still staring straight ahead, uncaring of what was happening around him.
"Well, well, well, Archibald," Olesya said tauntingly. "Having problems with your Servant?"
"If you must know, Animusphere," replied Kayneth, attempting to save face, "I am merely asserting myself over him as his Master."
"Really? It seems as if you two are like an old married couple!" The Animusphere Master swooned playfully. "How cute!"
"WHAT?! What in blazes are you talking about?! If you don't remember, I happen to be engaged with Sola-Ui!"
"Ah yes, Sola-Ui..." Rider suddenly said, and Kayneth could tell from his voice that the King of Conquerors was having unholy thoughts about his fiancée. "She has quite the marvelous figure... To bed her would be the envy of every other man. You surely are a prodigy in more ways than one, Master."
"Rider. Would...you...shut...your...TRAP?!"
"What? I am complimenting you in your fine taste in women-"
"I will not have you talk about my betrothed in such a manner!"
"See what I mean, Archibald?" Olesya said, continuing to prod her former classmate teasingly. "You really are like an old married couple!"
"Why do you mock me so, Animusphere?!" Then, Kayneth's eyes narrowed in understanding. "Is this about the time Rider fl-flirted with me?!"
"Why, of course! Don't tell me you're so opposed to that!"
"I AM!" Realizing his outburst, the ninth-generation magus cleared his throat and continued more calmly, "I have no interest in people of the same sex as I."
"Master! That hurts my feelings!"
"BE QUIET, RIDER!"
"Everyone, be quiet," a new voice said. Kayneth and Olesya turned their heads toward Lancer, who was staring down the road ahead with her eyes narrowed. "There's someone headed this way. ...And I detect enemy Servants."
"Finally, some fun!" Kayneth couldn't help but be startled as his gigantic Rider Servant materialized beside him. "The second battle of the Impossible Holy Grail War has now begun!"
"Damn it, Rider!" snapped the Archibald Master. "Go back in spirit form!"
"What?" The King of Conquerors looked down at his Master curiously. "Why, Master? Aren't we fighting?"
"You weren't listening to the plan, weren't you?!" A clearly frustrated Kayneth took a deep breath before continuing. "Because this area is closer to the Einzbern Villa, where the White Faction is likely to stay at, we were to patrol it and try to lure out some of the enemy. Once we do that, Lancer is to engage the opponent and gauge their tactics while doing so." He pointed at Rider. "You're backup, in case Lancer starts to become overwhelmed."
"So you mean to tell me that we're offering Lancer alone on a silver platter, for the enemy to battle?" He scoffed. "That whole idea is absurd and laughable!"
"How so?!" roared Kayneth furiously. "The whole point of this battle is to learn everything we can about the Servants that are under the Black Faction's possession, not engage them!"
"But at the risk of having her killed by the enemy? She clearly said there were multiple Servants. Is she really going to take them all on by herself, without assistance?" Rider glanced at the expressionless homunculus. "And what's the purpose of this boy?"
"Reconnaissance," Olesya replied. "We need another set of eyes for gauging the Black Servants' strengths and weaknesses. As for his Servant, she will observe the Black Masters from afar and determine their overall strategies."
"Instead of simply dispatching them, as their specialty dictates?"
"And risk losing our Assassin Servant?" Kayneth snarled. "Are you mad, Rider?"
"My apologies, Master, but...this whole strategy just seems so...how do I put it?" The gigantic redheaded Servant clumsily scratched the back of his head as he searched for a word to use. "Boring."
"If you were expecting a real fight, you're wrong, Rider. This isn't your average Grail War, for the reserve system is in effect. And the White Faction must be prepared for any and all scenarios. Now, go back to spirit form! The enemy could attack at any minute, before we have an opportunity to set our positions!" Kayneth then narrowed his eyes threateningly. "Or do I have to use a Command Seal to make you?!"
Rider sighed in defeat before de-materializing into thin air. "As you wish...Master."
Once the gigantic Servant was fully de-materialized, Kayneth heaved out a sigh of utter annoyance.
"How on Earth did I end up with him as my Servant?"
"Maybe it's because of your charm, Archibald," Olesya replied teasingly.
"Oh, will you drop the topic already, Animusphere?!"
Olesya chuckled before feeling a hand place itself on her shoulder. She looked at Lancer, who was still staring ahead down the road.
"Olesya," the blonde Servant said, "the enemy Servants are close now. Shall I engage them?"
The silver-haired woman nodded. "Yes."
At that moment, a flash of light and a vortex of wind and smoke engulfed Lancer for more than a few seconds. It soon dissipated, revealing the Servant clad in her combat armor and wielding Rhongomyniad. Kayneth took this opportunity to step away until he was out of the enemy's sight.
"Do be careful, Lancer," Olesya said. "I shall use healing magic to aid you should you require it."
"Thank you, Olesya."
"You're welcome, Lancer. Now, go forth, and grant me victory in this fight!"
Lancer's grip on her lance tightened.
"I will, without fail."
Some distance away, Feend and Caules were stepping out of their parked limousine, unaware of the danger that was mere yards away.
– Berserker of Black –
Master: Kariya Matou Yggdmillennia
True Name: Darius III
Sex: Male
Height: 345 cm.
Weight: 280 kg.
Alignment: Lawful Mad
Strength: A
Endurance: A+
Agility: B
Mana: C
Luck: C
Noble Phantasm: A
Class Skills:
-Mad Enhancement: B
The raising of basic parameters at the cost of mental capacity. Berserker's parameters are all ranked up in exchange for most of his sanity.
Personal Skills:
-Battle Continuation: A
The strength of vitality specifically demonstrated for predicaments, plus the ability to withdraw from combat and reach allied territory alive after defeat. Berserker can fight even with deadly injuries and can remain alive as long as he doesn't receive a decisive fatal wound.
-Disengage: A
The ability to break away from combat. Berserker is capable of departing a battlefield in spite of the magnitude of his madness.
-Golden Rule: B
The measurement of one's fortune and ability to acquire wealth. In his lifetime, Darius III had enough assets to challenge Iskandar multiple times. Berserker's financial power is part of his strength, much like his combat abilities.
Noble Phantasms:
-Athanaton Ten Thousand: Immortal Ten Thousand Soldiers
[Anti-Army]: A (Range: 1-99; Max. number of targets: 500)
Darius III's army of 10,000 elite men, manifested as a Noble Phantasm. Collectively characterized as an indestructible, immortal "war elephant of death" in legends, each individual warrior has been turned into a zombie or walking skeleton. Together, they exterminate opponents with a "terrifying blow of magical power". Long ago, the Athanatoi has battled against their Greek counterpart, Iskandar's Ionioi Hetairoi.
Chapter 4:
A Holy Congregation
Olesya: What's going on with Lancer?!
Rider of Black: It is an honor to find myself in a duel with you.
Rider of White: Ah, now this will be fun!
Caules: No, don't do this!
Irisviel: We have to help them!
Saber of Black: I've been waiting for this!
Next Time:
The First True Clash
A/N: Finishing this chapter was actually fun, even if I had barely any idea how I was originally planning to end it. I would love to keep this pace up, but I need to make good use of the writing method that I mentioned in the beginning Author's Note, so don't expect another chapter to come out so soon.
Can't wait to see all your reviews for this one! I at least need to know if any of you tuned out because I was gone for too long, which would be quite a bummer.
I'd like to thank the following for reviewing (but I can't answer your reviews at this moment, sorry):
-FoxOnPie
-00Altair
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-Guest reviewer #1
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-angelvan105
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Well, hope you enjoyed this overdue chapter! TheCartoonFanatic01 is out. PEACE!