Hakuno lets out a shuddering breath, trying to calm down the treacherous beating of heart. She was surprised that despite how...graphic or gory it looked especially up close, she hadn't gagged or reacted too badly to the sight of them.
She still had had wrinkle her eyes upon closer inspection though. Yikes, that sure looked like it hurt. Shinji wasn't kidding when he said that her servant probably possessed some super high tolerance to pain. I mean, he certainly looked a lot calmer than she did even while sustaining such heavy injuries.
She certainly wouldn't even be able to stay conscious if she were in his position. Just a gunshot alone had her writhing on the floor in pain for a good few minutes earlier. Or maybe it's because servants are just built differently? I mean, her servant was a heroic spirit after all. Maybe he had already gotten worse injuries back when he was alive?
Shaking her head, the master forces herself to concentrate at the pressing matter at hand. Looking over at Archer, she focuses on healing his wounds, glancing around the area cautiously every now and then.
Rider wouldn't expect to find them here of all places...right? Or did she already find out, but was simply waiting for them to make the next move first? Either way, she was glad that the enemy servant wasn't planning on ambushing them straight away.
It had been a miracle that their plan even worked. The barrier that had been created had lasted for only a few seconds, but thankfully, those few seconds were more than enough for Hakuno and Archer to escape and hide, seeking some temporary relief by boarding onto one of Rider's warships.
The female master was glad that her hunch was right; there really was no one else aside from Rider and Shinji on the Noble Phantasm. She didn't think either her or Archer would be able to make it out alive if a horde of sailors or pirates actually came at them or something. On another note...
Hakuno winced, letting out a soft hiss as her eyebrows creased together, sweat dripping down her forehead. There it was again, the sudden sharp sting in her side that pulsed throughout her body.
She had been enduring it pretty well ever since she punched Shinji earlier but...it seems that the pain had intensified to the point where it felt like a part of her flesh had been ripped off. Rider's aim was good...a little too good.
She could feel her flow of mana constricting, but opens her magic circuits and willed herself to keep it together. 'This was nothing compared to Archer's wounds,' she kept silently repeating in her head as she tried to steady out her mana flow to prevent the healing code cast from fluctuating too much. She could do this, she can endure this much and pull through. She had to...for just a little longer.
The brown-eyed master tried not to think too much about the burning pain in her side or well...the other injuries that she had gotten for that matter. It didn't help that she was also feeling gross from the blood seeping all over her uniform and stockings.
If only she had a spare uniform stored into her terminal or something for her to change into. Unfortunately, the brown-haired master was too preoccupied with planning out a strategy for countering Rider's Noble Phantasm earlier in their private room earlier that such an idea was thrown out of the window.
Despite the fact that their barrier worked, it didn't mean that the two of them came out of Rider's Noble Phantasm completely unscathed. Even while casting a speed reinforcement on Archer as he carried her, both of them had barely managed to escape the devastating attack and as a result suffered some additional but minor injuries.
They weren't anything too serious, but would certainly pose a gradually growing hindrance to the both of them if ignored and left untreated. Rider's Noble Phantasm was highly effective and destructive, that's for sure, that Hakuno almost thought that they had failed for a moment.
In normal circumstances while they were in the Arena, such injuries wouldn't be too much of an issue since there were healing fountains around the area. That, and they could also get more healing supplies from the commissary, or even go to the Nurse's office to get treated by Sakura if the injuries were more serious.
Here though, while great in number and amount, Hakuno's healing supplies were still scarce and finite, and she couldn't afford to use up all of her mana just on healing. As such, she decided to prioritise on healing Archer instead. This was probably the best way to make use of limited resources while saving up on and retaining some of her mana to back Archer up later when he does return to resuming the fight between him and Rider.
After all, he still needed to fight against Rider who was probably waiting for them up there. She could probably do some minor healing on herself just so that she could move around a little better with less difficulty, but Hakuno knew that she would probably need to continue enduring the pain from the wounds she accumulated until the Elimination Battle was over for the most part.
Well...at least they were both still alive with all their limbs intact for the most part. Either way, she'll think of something for her wounds later. For now, Archer needed medical treatment and attention.
Thank goodness they decided to hit the commissary before the Elimination Battle. Hakuno had already gone through a considerable amount of her healing supplies earlier, and was now trying to conserve her depleting stock by alternating and healing him manually with her own mana and code casts.
Not the best idea but...she couldn't come up with any other plan of action for treating them. For the most part, she was already trying her best not to waste or inject too much mana into Archer by keeping the flow weak but steady. It would've been nice and highly convenient if Archer could heal himself but...that doesn't seem to be the case.
That, and she wasn't going to be ridiculous and suggest for Archer to tolerate the wounds and go back out to fight Rider in his current state. No, that would just be beyond stupid and also a complete suicide mission for the both of them.
Archer stares at his master, noticing her shift uncomfortably into a different position, most likely to try and ease the pain she was feeling. She had remained relatively quiet ever since she told him to stay still so she could attend to and treat his injuries...but...
"Master...I appreciate your concerns but...shouldn't you be healing yourself? You're not looking too great." His pupils slowly move up and down, assessing his master's state and noting that she was literally forcing herself to look relaxed through pure will alone.
Hakuno wanted to roll her eyes at her servant. Really, the first thing that comes out of his mouth while they were on this ship was this? At the moment, she couldn't tell whether he was joking with her as an attempt to lighten up the atmosphere or something or was actually being serious, at least not while she was in the middle of treating him.
Wow yes Archer, thank you oh so very much for pointing that out. Gee, she didn't know that she was slowly bleeding out with an open wound not only to her side but at other parts of her body as well! Yup, she definitely wouldn't have noticed at all if he hadn't brought it up and told her, how thoughtful of him!
Instead, she sighs, too tired to fire back a witty retort as she merely shakes her head. There was no need to get into unnecessary arguments with her servant right now, especially since she couldn't afford to break her concentration.
She understood his servant's concerns, really...she did, but it wasn't like there was any better alternative at the moment. "It's fine. I mean...I won't lie and say it doesn't hurt a ton, but I can bear with it for now. We need to get you in a proper condition to fight, and you've suffered a lot more serious wounds than I did."
Noticing that he looked unconvinced, Hakuno gives out a groan; her servant can be quite stubborn too without even outright expressing it. Was he seriously going to try and change her mind? "Really Archer, I'm fine, I can endure this much at least. Besides, we're not in the best position for me to use up all my mana or healing supplies, so this is the least I can do to benefit the both of us."
She gives him a look to prove her point that she certainly wasn't gonna budge on the matter even if her servant began scolding her. Archer doesn't seem that satisfied, but soon retreats into silence as she continued to work on healing him.
Several minutes passed before Hakuno discovers a new problem. Inspecting his arms and shoulders, she bites down on her lower lip, deep in thought. She had already mostly taken care of the wounds on his legs and the rest of his upper body with healing supplies and several code casts, so he shouldn't have much problems moving about and fighting.
The issue now was that the wounds around his arms and shoulders haven't really closed up completely. As much as she hated to admit it, she would probably have to treat those manually by hand too just in case. After all, she didn't wanna risk those wounds opening up mid-battle.
"...I'm sorry." Hakuno looks up at him, looking surprised at the sudden apology. Well, that kinda came outta nowhere. "...What for?" Archer looks away, frowning as a conflicted look passed by his features.
"...How should I put this...?" It seemed that Archer was thinking of a way to phrase himself without coming off as awkward. "I...said I would protect you. And yet I let my guard down and you almost got attacked by Rider's canons. That...and you still managed to get wounded afterwards..."
His eyes are now focusing on the wound on her side. Ah, so that's what he had been worried about. He must've been feeling bad about it since earlier. Hakuno stays silent for a while, choosing her words carefully before deciding to speak up. "If that's the case, I should be apologising to you as well."
Archer's eyes widened slightly as Hakuno directs her eyes towards the floor. "I'm sorry as well. I got careless and let my guard down too. If I had been more aware of Shinji, then maybe I would've figured out that he already had a few dirty tricks up his sleeve before the fight even started. So really, it makes more sense for me to apologise." The man before her opens his mouth with the intention to retort, but doesn't after seeing his master's eyes flash with warning.
Rummaging through her terminal for some bandage rolls, she places her free hand to her side, fingers lightly brushing over the wound with her frown deepening at the sight of blood trickling down and staining the floorboards. She would probably need to put some gauze or bandages on herself after she was done with healing Archer if she didn't want herself potentially fainting due to the blood loss. At the very least, she was glad that she wasn't feeling lightheaded at the moment; that would've been pretty problematic.
She finally locates the bandage rolls and gauze, along with some antiseptic and more ether powder to use to speed up the healing process. The faster she worked and did it, the sooner she could get this treatment done. She didn't have the entire day to heal him after all.
She briefly counts the number of healing supplies to had left. They were probably still enough left for her to treat her side, and would leave some of them for Archer if he ever got hurt while fighting Rider later. One thing's for sure though, they would probably need to buy a lot more supplies later if they were advancing to the next round, but that was a problem to be dealt with at another time.
"...And...you still protected me from those canons. And you also tried protecting me from getting captured by Shinji's NPCs, not to mention that you did your best in diverting Rider's attention from me for the first few minutes of the fight." He didn't know whether his master was trying to distract him from the original issue at hand, but the tone of her voice sounded serious, with her words seeming sincere.
"But still...even so...if I had been more vigilant while fighting her..." Hakuno's eyebrows crinkle at that. "We both didn't anticipate it. If anything, we both screwed up somewhat...so...don't pin all the blame on yourself Archer." It was slightly out of character for him to be apologising like this...but then again, he must've felt guilty over not fulfilling his duties as a servant.
Really, the two of them were in a pretty beat up and bad condition themselves. She resists the urge to sigh, instead giving out a quiet huff of frustration. "...What a sorry state the two of us are in." She had attempted to put it in a lighthearted manner as a joke, but her strained expression said otherwise.
"...It must've hurt a lot shielding me from those canons right?" Well yes, even if her servant had a body of steel, she was probably still stating the obvious. Even if the wounds had somewhat healed, the evidence from earlier was still there, with Archer's clothes being covered with blood that had yet to dry.
"Sorry...this...you probably wouldn't be stuck in this kinda situation if you had a better master." A stronger and more intelligent master that could fend for themselves and not need to be constantly protected by their servant. Hakuno could already picture Archer being way more satisfied fighting for a master like that, and he certainly wouldn't be looking like this right now too.
She internally grimaces, finding herself also apologising quite a lot as she waves a hand at him dismissively. "I'm getting negative again aren't I? I...nevermind." She should probably shut up before she started saying anything more pessimistic which would undoubtedly make him upset.
Hakuno doesn't say another word, as if quietly putting an end to the conversation. The master gets back to track to the task at hand, roughly estimating the amount needed and tearing off a portion of the bandage roll before she opens the bottle of antiseptic.
"...Let's see..I would be lying and sugarcoating the truth if I were to say no." She stiffens upon hearing her servant speak up, yet doesn't interrupt him as he goes on. Right, of course he would say that. "It's definitely tougher for me, having a master like you. But that doesn't change the fact that I still answered to your summons." She glances up at him through her bangs, almost afraid of seeing the expression he was currently making.
But as usual, her servant remains stoic and serious, steel grey eyes meeting her chocolate brown orbs without an ounce of hesitation. "That being said, it's just as I mentioned, but nothing can be done now. We're stuck with each other whether either of us like it or not. I am your servant, and you are my master. So long as the contract exists, I will continue to fight for you as best as I can."
He slowly brings his hand up to give her a light flick on her forehead. "Besides, you managed to come up with a strategy to counter the Golden Hind's attacks. It wasn't a perfect strategy but...for a novice master, it's still a pretty good one. Give yourself some credit for that at least." Hakuno didn't know if that was his lousy attempt at cheering her up, but...then again...yeah, he wasn't wrong about that.
No matter how much she thought about it, there was nothing much they could do. She was still his master, and he was her familiar...with the command seals on the back of her being proof of that. So instead, she slowly nods, not a word to be said but a look of understanding and mild relief passing her eyes before she resumes the treatment.
Archer let's out a low but soft grunt of pain as Hakuno applied the antiseptic onto his arms and shoulders, and he almost thought that he could see the faintest blush appear on her cheeks as she did so. Was it because of what he said earlier? He didn't think he said anything funny. If anything, it sounded more like a casual, indirect insult.
He doesn't get to question it however, as the servant soon feels another sharp wave of pain with his master applying some pressure on his wounds. He looks at her with a frown. "Master, I swear you are doing this on purpose." Even if he could indeed withstand the pain, she was still testing the limits of his pain tolerance as it is.
Hakuno looks back up at him, now clearly unamused. "I'm not. I'm just ensuring that the antiseptic and ether powder is applied on properly, that's all." She carefully wraps the bandages around his arms and shoulders before giving it a strong tug to tighten them, causing his servant to let out another grunt of pain. Now she had to be doing this on purpose. "Okay Master, that's just a little..."
She ignores him as she ties the ends together, securing the bandages in place. It wasn't everyday that she was treating and tending to the injuries and wounds of others, and she was fairly certain that other masters would've perhaps done a better job at doing it, but this was the best she could do herself at the moment. "I'm done. Sorry for the uh...awkward bandaging by the way." She tried not to cringe looking at the bandages tied up in a weird manner.
Archer rises back up to his feet, looking at the bandages. "It's quite a unique way to bandage someone's arms and shoulders, I'll give you that." Hakuno's eyebrows twitch at his sarcastic remark. Excuse her for not being a medical aid expert.
Archer tries moving his arms and rotating his shoulders, almost seeming like he wasn't still injured. "But this is fine. At least the bandages won't be coming off. They aren't too tight either, so I can pretty much move and fight normally for the most part. You have my thanks." He points at her side, raising an eyebrow. "You should probably treat yourself too. Can't have you bleeding out to death."
Hakuno slowly stands up, her knees wobbling slightly. "No, it's alright. I'll get it treated it a while." Archer places a hand to his hip, about to raise his concerns when Hakuno cuts him off. "I know...I know. But this isn't that big of a problem for now."
Seeing that her servant didn't want to budge, Hakuno tries to reason with him. "Look...I promise that I'll get it treated later...really I will. But right now...we should focus on our next plan of action." She points towards the Golden Hind, directing Archer's attention to it. He remains silent, probably pondering whether to agree with her or not before he eventually sighs and gives in.
"What a stubborn master I have. But if you're so adamant...alright, what should we do now?" Hakuno places a hand to her chin, trying to think. They had managed to counter Rider's Noble Phantasm, and while she was fairly confident that Rider wouldn't be able to use it a second time now that the two of them were on board the Noble Phantasm itself, they still needed to figure out a way to defeat her.
Fighting Rider shouldn't be too much of an issue. Archer had already demonstrated earlier that he could pretty much hold his ground against her. Though...Hakuno couldn't be too relaxed after that sneak attack earlier. They had initially planned to ambush Rider and Shinji as soon as they boarded the ship but...perhaps they would need to scrap that idea, especially in Archer's current state.
A frontal assault is one thing, and while the element of surprise does sound tempting, Hakuno couldn't risk it...not when they didn't know what other schemes Rider and Shinji had up their sleeve. She glances at Archer, biting down on her thumb.
Her being within close range with Archer...could probably pose some risk as well. The two of them had already fallen prey to Rider's surprise canon attack earlier...and Hakuno didn't want that or something similar happening later while Archer was fighting. He already had enough to worry about on his plate as it is after all.
Even if she were to run and take cover somewhere on Rider's ship, there was still no telling what was going to happen once the fight resumed. That, and she was still pretty susceptible to more of Rider or Shinji's sneak attacks...so separating herself from Archer later wouldn't be that great of an idea too. So what now? What were they going to do? They couldn't afford to let Rider gain the upper hand.
She scans her surroundings, noting the distance between the warships and the Golden Hind. They weren't too far apart, but there was still a good enough distance to watch the fight from the sidelines. She squints her eyes at the large ship before them. Unless...
"Archer, do you think you could get up there and fire a surprise attack without Rider noticing? We flip the coin and get back at them with a sneak attack of our own." Yes, they could still utilise an element of surprise here and take Rider by shock!
Archer arches an eyebrow, most likely trying to picture the scenario in his head. "...Well, I could certainly try with my bow and arrows. That alone shouldn't be issue...but...if I were to do it while carrying you around though..." He had a valid point; that would certainly be awkward for his movement. Plus, the two of them were more likely to get discovered faster if they went onto the ship together.
Hakuno shakes her head at that, a calculated look on her face. "That won't be a problem. I'll stay down here on this ship." Her statement seemed to have caught Archer off guard, because he looks at Hakuno as if she had grown a third head as she elaborates.
"You can jump across and try to board onto the ship without them noticing. I'll remain down here and provide you support. This ship isn't too far away from the Golden Hind, and so long as we're stealthy and careful enough about it, Rider and Shinji won't be able to see or locate where I am. You should be able to fight without me holding you back."
She looks over and notes the relatively large gap in between the warship they were on and the much larger one before them, emphasising her point. "And if push comes to shove and they do find out where I'm hiding, I can always just jump over and hoist myself up towards another one of the warships to take cover." She had to admit that she wasn't the most athletic person out there...but...
This was probably the best course of action for now. Hakuno was well aware of her weaknesses and vulnerabilities as a novice magus, and while there wasn't much she could do to improve her situation just yet, she needed to adapt to the circumstances and make do as quickly as she could. They had to play it relatively safe...and this was probably their best bet.
"That might be an idea Master, but I can't say for sure if that's a good one. I'm sure you're aware that Rider and Shinji are more devious that we think. We don't know what they could-" Hakuno steps forward, ignoring the flash of pain in her legs. "And that's precisely why I'll stay here. I won't weigh you down as you fight, and I won't try to do anything reckless either."
Her eyes were both pleading yet determined. "Please cooperate with me on this Archer. I know I'm not exactly a reliable or dependable master but...you told me to trust you...and I do, so I wish that for once you'd try to trust me a little too. I know where I'm going with this plan." Whatever it takes, she was going to make this plan succeeds, she wasn't going to fall in Shinji's trap a second time.
A moment of silence hangs in the air as Archer takes a moment to process her words. Eventually, he let's out a groan, his shoulders slumping in defeat. "Ok, I got it. But I still have to ask...what happens if the surprise attack doesn't work? Rider is probably on high alert now as we speak, so even if I manage to board the ship without her sensing my presence, that doesn't necessarily guarantee that the surprise attack will work as well."
Once again, Archer raised a pretty good question. Hakuno purses her lips together, her eyebrows knitting together as she crossed her arms over her chest. If the surprise attack failed...well...wouldn't that mean that Archer would have to swoop in and directly engage with Rider? Then that would mean that the fight would automatically resume back to normal just as they were dueling earlier. While she could tell him that...she felt like that sounded somewhat half-assed and indecisive of her.
"...If we're talking about surprise attacks, then logically speaking, I could launch one on Shinji instead. Knowing him, that idiot probably doesn't think of the possibility of us retaliating with a surprise attack of our own." Hakuno's shoulders turn rigid at his suggestion. True...they could always do that...and that option itself probably had a higher chance of succeeding..but...that would mean...
Archer was quick to notice his master's sudden hesitation as she turned quiet, her eyes directing themselves back towards the floor. He sighs again, shaking his head in disapproval. "My master is too soft to the core. I shouldn't need to remind you especially during a crucial time such as this, but we're now currently in the midst of war...literally."
He glances up at the Golden Hind, remembering the events that had occurred earlier. "I understand how conflicted you are towards killing Shinji, but he almost caused your death earlier. There is no room for negotiation here in the Holy Grail War. Knowing that, can you really afford to continue being soft-hearted?" He must've struck a nerve there, because Hakuno shoots her head up at his accusation, her expression now a scowl.
"I know that! I'm well aware of that! I know he tried to kill me too! But...but...this...!" She falters, her voice going soft and dropping to a whisper. "...Is killing him...really the only alternative? Do I really have no other choice beyond that?" She clences her hands into fists, gritting her teeth and eyes blazing at him.
"I know that I'm a master in the Holy Grail War. I will fight to live, whatever it takes...but I do not wish to partake in unnecessary bloodshed if that were possible." She knew how contradictory she sounded, but she needed to get this out of her system. "Shinji...he...despite how cruel he is, he is still a human being like me. And I know this all may seem foolish to you...but..." She trails off, going silent.
Archer stares back at his master. In that moment, this girl looked like a lost, defeated doll, all broken and beaten up but trying its best to keep going anyway. He could see the raw anger flood into her eyes, coupled in with indignant stubbornness that refused to back down even when backed into a corner.
He had thought about it for quite some time now. Even if it was mostly the Moon Cell's decision to call him forth towards this war that he really had not much say in, the servant still wondered why he decided to answer her summons. He really couldn't pinpoint the exact reason or motive for coming to her aid...but now...
Seeing her now, the servant felt an emotion he hadn't felt in a while. It was for only a fraction of a second, but Archer almost thought that he felt something beyond mere pity or sympathy for the weak human in front of him. It almost felt like he could resonate with her worries, that he too knew the anguish she was feeling. A brief fabrication of what appeared to be a fragmented piece of a lost memory flashed before him, before the man threw it aside quickly, refusing to acknowledge it.
No...that couldn't be. This destroyed soul of his had long already discarded that emotion a long time ago.
And so the servant too falters. Not because of the confusing emotion she managed to reignite in him for that brief second, but because of her feeble yet unyielding resolve. He couldn't quite put his finger on it...but he knew that he had definitely stumbled across a weird yet unique master in this war.
The man finally gives in, deciding to tip his head down...for he knew that the master before him would keep struggling even if all the odds were placed against her. Even as pathetic as she looked, and even if her death was destined to be cruel, she would fight till the bitter end.
He takes in a deep breath, massaging the bridge of his nose in pure annoyance before he concedes. "Alright, I get it. You need not say anything more." Hakuno blinks up at him, her large chocolate orbs now expressing surprise at his cooperation.
The Archer let's out a silent curse before he frowns at her. "I get it, you're soft...too soft for your own good. You really wanna play the good guy role till the very end, huh? Fine then...do whatever you want." He was already beginning to question himself, but decided to put his frustration aside and focus on the matter at hand.
He extends his hand and ruffles her hair, earning a soft gasp of surprise from his master before he turns, his eyes now directed towards the Golden Hind. "We go with the plan and launch a surprise attack on Rider right?" "Huh? O-Oh...yeah." Well this was surprising; she wasn't expecting him to finally agree with her.
Walking towards the taffrail, he looks back to give her a final glance. "Give me the signal later. Oh, but you better make sure that you don't do anything stupid that will attract attention." Hakuno almost flinches at the glare he sends towards her, obviously not happy with the decision. He wasn't even holding back with the insults. "R-Right...I won't." Nevermind...Archer looks kinda with her pissed now.
His sharp gaze softens slightly as he points at her wounds. "...And don't forget to get that treated. You won't be able to provide proper support later otherwise." Her hand almost subconsciously goes back towards the wound on her side, but she thought against it and instead numbly nods at him. "I will."
Satisfied with her answer, he takes off with a powerful, mighty leap into the air just as Hakuno utters a soft "Be careful Archer!"; she hoped he had heard that at least. The brown-haired master watched as Archer's form slowly got smaller, with him boarding the ship and stealthily navigating his way along the vehicle until he managed to get onto the ship's mast, balancing steadily atop of it while hiding himself behind the ship's sails. She really had to applaud his skills; he almost seemed more like an Assassin.
It didn't take long before she could see Archer flashing her a look of warning from where he stood. Nodding vigorously, Hakuno quickly got to work. Closing her eyes, she reopened her magic circuits and started healing herself with a code cast before wrapping the remainder of the bandage roll around her torso, arms and legs. It was obviously a rather clumsy and haphazard process with how fast she was trying to do it, but hey...at least she wasn't bleeding all over the place now and it didn't hurt as much. That, and she never promised Archer that she would do a good job of treating her injuries.
Peeking out to look at Archer, she noticed him waiting around for her to give the signal while still keeping himself perfectly hidden. Taking a deep breath, she lightly slaps her cheeks to psyche herself up before taking out her terminal. Everything was now set in place. She was going to try not to mess up this time. The two of them could do this; they were finally going to put an end to the Elimination Battle.
Okay...let the battle resume.
0101010101010101010101010101010101
Archer glanced around, taking a look of his surroundings. So this was the Coliseum they were gonna fight in for the first round. If he had to be honest, he wasn't exactly enjoying the whole underwater sea theme they had going on for the venue. In fact, he preferred something more practical and less gloomy at the very least.
But then again...a dark, underwater sea theme...what a coincidence, how fitting for their first round opponent. Taking out his twin swords, he stands in front of his master protectively, eyeing his opponent with narrowed eyes. Well, time to get this fight over with. There was no point delaying the fight any longer.
"Stand back Master. I'd advise you to take cover and provide support from somewhere safe. There's no telling what Rider and Shinji are planning to do after all, and I'd like to be able to fight without worrying for your end too much." It sounded more like an order than a piece of advice coming from his mouth, but Archer knew better than to throw his master in harm's way by letting her stand behind him as he fought. This was different from the fights in the Arena, he could feel it.
"Okay, stay safe Archer...and don't be too reckless. I'll try to support you in any way I can, but do be careful with fighting Rider. She certainly seems...unhinged." His master didn't need to tell him twice; he could already tell from the gleeful expression Rider was throwing him right now. He needed to be on high alert while fighting her, that's for sure.
As soon as the barrier disappeared before them, Archer went in for the kill and charged. Sparks flew as his twin swords rubbed against Rider's pistols. The servant began attacking relentlessly, and yet each time he did, Rider would dodge or distance herself, taunting him constantly. No matter, he wasn't going to give in that easily. Analysing his opponent, Archer gripped his swords tightly and swooped in, continuing his barrage of attacks.
It didn't take long before Archer's attacks started coming through. It started with a scratch on Rider's cheek, followed by a few nicks on her arms and torso here and there. Slowly but surely, the male servant knew that he was succeeding in forcing Rider back. Questionable damage output aside, he was glad that his skills and attacks weren't the least bit rusty despite being contracted under an amateur magus. He just needed to keep up the momentum.
He could feel the buffs coming in from his master, the ghost of a smirk gracing his lips as he locked weapons with Rider once again. Though he had to admit, the buffs didn't boost his overall power by a tremendous amount, it still aided him in weakening Rider bit by bit. It was a good thing that he managed to keep Rider away from her. Sooner or later, he knew that the enemy servant would be forced into the defensive, giving Archer the perfect opportunity to nail the finishing blow on her.
It was then that he noticed Shinji smirking in the corner of his peripheral vision. Now that he thought about it, Shinji wasn't doing anything to stop him or interrupt the fight. He was somewhat prepared for the chains to pop out of nowhere, but seeing Shinji's relaxed form, it almost looked like the enemy master wasn't planning to do anything anytime soon. The fight was going smoothly...a little too smoothly.
At last, after nailing a blow on Rider's knee followed by another blow on her wrist, Rider staggers back. With her form wide open, Archer takes the chance to dash in, prepared to land the killing blow when he notices Rider's widening grin.
It all came too fast. Closing in, he feels a strong shock followed by a piercing pain in his arm as soon as Archer's swords connected with her pistols, like he had been shot repeatedly in the same spot. Looking at the wound on his arm, Rider chuckles darkly. "Looks like you fell right into the trap fella. As they say, you don't bring a knife to a gunfight."
Immediately separating from the enemy servant, Archer looks down and eyes his bleeding arm. While it wasn't anything too serious to him, he could still feel a numb pain pulsing in his veins as he moved his arm. How on earth did that happen? He was certain that he didn't get shot by Rider's guns...which could only mean...
He glares at Shinji who finally reveals his malicious smile. Of course, it had to be a code cast. Did Shinji cast it on Rider earlier before they even boarded the elevator? That sneaky rat bastard. Then again, he wasn't expecting the duo to fight fair to begin with.
Archer flexes his arms, taking a deep breath through his nose as he turns his focus back at the enemy. In all honesty, despite the wound he had gotten, Archer wanted to laugh. Shinji should've definitely casted a stronger code cast if he really wanted to hinder his ability to use his twin swords, not that he was going to say that out loud.
However, what came next was way out of his expectations. Eyes going wide, he jerks his head to see familiar golden discs emerging behind Hakuno. Those were...Rider's canons...! And with that angle and the spot she was standing in, there was no way she could get away in time!
Cursing aloud, Archer's body was already moving as he leaped across, swords tightening around his hands, hoping that he would make it in time. He manages to cut down the first few canonballs that came his way, but wasn't so lucky with the second and third wave that came after that. Gritting his teeth, the male servant could only take the blows head on while using his swords as makeshift shields.
He could feel the canonballs penetrating through his body. Even with his relatively higher attack resistance as a servant, those canonballs still hurt a ton especially when they flew at him at fast speeds. The Archer-class servant lets out a cough, blood spilling from his lips as the canons finally disappeared. His master...was his master okay though...?
Turning his head, he was met with wide, fearful chocolate orbs staring back at him in silent shock. She almost looked like she was going to faint from the sight. Well, given the state he was in, that was to be expected. He did feel sorta bad for being the reason that she was so terrified right now though, but it was better than her getting directly caught in the attack; no doubt that she would dead right now with a ton of holes all over her corpse if that were the case. Giving a quick glance at her, he was somewhat glad that she was unharmed at the very least.
He didn't have any time to celebrate though, as a horde of female NPCs came tackling him and holding him down. Archer struggled against them furiously, more curses escaping his mouth. He had dealt with a lot of annoying things hurled at him from Shinji these past few days but c'mon, seriously?! And why the heck were they so strong when they were just NPCs?! This made no sense!
He could already see his master panicking, her body tensing immensely. This wasn't good, they needed to get out of here immediately and revise their strategy before the situation escalated even further. "These annoying dolls...I can just cut them down! Master!" He hollers over towards her, hoping to snap her out of her daze and panicked state.
Alas, it doesn't work, and his words seem to fly over her head instead as Hakuno continued to stare at him with those fear-filled eyes instead. He continues to call out to her, hoping that she would listen. Did the shock from earlier get to her head?! What was she thinking?! What the heck was wrong with her?! They needed to retreat, and fast!
He watched as his master got shot by Rider, falling to her knees. An all too familiar red liquid dyed her brown blazer as Shinji began taunting her. His master collapsed onto the floor with a loud thud as Shinji kicked her, further fueling the anger and frustration within the male servant.
Archer continued his struggle against the NPCs. Dang it, why couldn't he break free?! He should be able to get rid of these NPCs with no problem! Was it due to the code cast Shinji had affected him with earlier?! His master was now at risk of potentially dying, and he needed to get to her side! Rider could shoot her to death at any time with me being bound in place! Heck, she could even bleed out to death if he continued to stay here and watch!
He didn't know how long he had been struggling, but soon enough, he watched his master slowly rise up to her feet. No way, was she actually going to listen to this sick freak's order?! Archer's struggle got more hasty as he watched his master slowly walk over towards Shinji. Damn it...he wasn't going to get there in time even if he managed to break free...!
What Hakuno did next however, indeed surprised him. Ok, out of all the reckless things Archer pictured his master to do, he wasn't expecting her to be extremely gutsy and actually hurl a punch at Shinji's face like a boxing champion, with Rider standing just a few feet away no less. The girl struck Shinji down with zero hesitation, causing Archer's jaw to drop open in shock.
Archer watched as Hakuno finally turned to face him, her eyes now blazing with intense determination."Set yourself free, Archer!" He suddenly felt a boost of mana surging in him from his master, the effects of the code cast immediately wearing off as he swiftly cuts through his restraints, running towards his master's side and deflecting some of Rider's incoming attacks. He didn't know what came over her or how she did it, but it seems that his master had finally regained her senses.
A large shadow loomed over the two as Shinji ordered Rider to release her Noble Phantasm. He had to admit, but Rider's ship was still quite the sight to behold even after his master had briefly described it to him. His eyes darted over towards Hakuno who was now juggling the gemstone in her hand, prepared to throw it as soon as Rider attacked them with the Noble Phantasm's canons. Now was the moment of truth.
The scene unfolded before him in a matter of seconds. Archer watched as the barrier formed between them and the Noble Phantasm, quickly grabbing onto his master and yanking her backwards as the two began running. The servant pulled Hakuno along in his arms and carried her just as she casted a speed enhancement on him, with the barrier beginning to crack. It was now or never.
Dashing as fast as he could, he braced himself and jumped high into the air, his gaze focused onto a particular warship. The loud blast that resounded around the Coliseum was almost enough to shatter his eardrums as Archer tugged his master tighter against his chest, feeling the effects of the collision pierce through his skin. Even with the blinding light that covered the entire area, Archer squinted, his field of vision coming into contact with the warship's deck. He could do this, the ship was within reach. Almost...there...!
At last, the two of them safely boarded the ship, tumbling onto the deck. He quickly grabbed onto his master's shoulders and led her further into the ship before they took cover just as the light died down. His master was breathing heavily, her chest heaving as the two of them settled down. "We...we did it!" she says in relief, letting out a cough.
Indeed they did, and Archer was mildly surprised that it worked.
He allowed his master to regain her breath, noticing the additional injuries that had appeared throughout her body as he clicked his tongue. So even after using his own body as a shield, it wasn't enough to fully sheathe her from the collision. The servant couldn't help but feel somewhat frustrated and ashamed of himself. Granted, neither of them knew about Shinji's code cast beforehand, and it was good to know that they were both alive and still able to move about after surviving that deadly Noble Phantasm, but Hakuno still managed to get hurt due to his negligence.
His master seemed to have picked up on his foul mood as she was tending to her wounds, reassuring him that she was fine despite his own attempts to get her to treat herself instead. He frowns at her, noticing the blood drip from the gunshot in her side. Was she going to just try and ignore that the entire time?
Really...his master was too stubborn that it was somewhat worrying. Didn't she understand that her body was way more fragile than his? He didn't want to be insulting or sound like he was belittling her, but Archer was very certain that he could withstand the pain way longer than she could.
Sure, battling Rider in this condition would be more troublesome but it was better than him fading into oblivion mid-battle because his master bled to death due to her wounds. Nevertheless, Hakuno remains insistent and gets the treatment done, and while he couldn't help but question her bandaging job (heck, he could probably do a better job doing it himself) he wasn't going to start complaining about it out loud.
Her plan of a surprise attack, while a somewhat interesting one, was something that Archer was not fond of being a part of. This plan probably had even more flaws than her previous one, and while Archer was impressed that the previous one had worked out, it didn't mean that he was convinced this one will as well. Failing this strategy could be equally as if not more disastrous given their current state.
In fact, he was more open to the idea of doing a surprise attack on Shinji. After all, not only would it have a higher probability of succeeding, but Archer could get back at Shinji for making him suffer earlier. But of course, his master was too much of a softie to agree, and he didn't know if she had a way with words, but she somehow managed to get him to reluctantly participate in her little scheme.
Jumping into the air, Archer lands onto the Golden Hind with barely a sound to be made. He quickly scurries through the vehicle as silent as possible, taking another leap and softly landing onto the ship's mast. Safely securing his hiding spot, Archer shoots his master a look that demanded her to treat her wounds immediately. It seems that she took the hint for once and got to work pretty fast.
He sighs, standing in place and scanning his surroundings. Soon, his master would give the signal and he would fire at the enemy servant. He only hoped it wouldn't turn out too bad if it didn't work. They couldn't keep prolonging the battle. This was the final stand.
Alright then...let's get on with it.