Chapter 4: Enemy of my Enemy

I could hear the sound of my heart pumping blood like crazy in my chest.

"Ah…ah…ah…"

I felt breathless; no matter how much I tried, I couldn't seem to bring oxygen to my lungs.

My vision was blurred, and I had difficulty seeing my surroundings. As I looked down, I could see my hands, they were trembling, cold. Down below, besides my feet, was a sword.

Both of them were completely covered in blood, cold red blood.

But it was not my blood.

"Ah…ah…"

My eyes moved to the fallen man, just a few meters in front of me. The man had long since stopped moving, his mouth that previously had released a series of unintelligible groans went utterly silent. His eyes that had stared at me with rage now remained open, the light of his pupils lost.

"Ah..."

He was no longer there, he was dead.

"Why…?

He was a soldier, and like most of the French forces, he was clad in steel armor, adorned with a blue tabard.

So why? Why were my hands covered in blood, his blood? Why was the sword at my feet covered with that very same blood? I was only trying to fend him off, that's the only reason I took the sword, I wasn't supposed to actually use it…I…I didn't want to….

"Senpai!" A voice called for me; it was the girl that had become my Servant. A terrified expression crossed her face.

"Mashu…What have I done…?"

She rapidly approached me and surrounded myself with her arm.

"Senpai I…I am sorry! I was too late!" She cried. "If only I had been at your side, you wouldn't have had to…."

She continued talking, but I could no longer hear her. All I could think about was the man I just killed, and how his blood stained my hands.

"Get away from me!" I violently shook the Siren off me, but it was too late; my clothes were already stained with the maid's blood.

"Oh? What's wrong? Is that too much physical contact for you?"

"Just… don't act like we are close, I haven't agreed on anything yet." I came up with an excuse as I quickly hide my hands behind my back.

After all these years, they still tremble…

"Come on, you are the only human that survived more than 10 minutes after talking with me." She started to scrub her hands on her shorts, dyeing her attire even redder. "In my view, you have been my friend all your life."

"Friends? Do you usually try to kill all your friends?"

She gave a smug smile.

"Sometimes."

"Then I am afraid we don't share the same opinion."

"Ah, but you soon will." She declared. "When the Creator's plan gets in motion, I assure you will want to be with us rather than against us."

"The Creator?" I was sure I had heard that name before, how did they fit into all of this?

"That's why I am willing to take you under my wing." She ignored me and continued talking. "I'll even take you out for a walk in whatever world you like. The only thing you have to do is kill that maid for me, simple, right?"

My eyes instinctively went to the bloody figure of the maid.

"…"

Disregarding the fact that I didn't enjoy the idea of having to kill that woman, there was something fundamentally wrong with what Purifier was proposing.

"I think you misunderstood me, I am not interested in taking part in this plan of yours."

"Eh?" She looked me with a confused face, as if not understanding what I was trying to say.

"I'll tell you what you want to know…" A pause, my next words were painful. "I'll even give you this shield if you want to study it or whatever, but if you make me kill her, I…"

I don't know if I can. Killing someone who can't defend themselves is just…

No.

Stop.

Why am I thinking about this? This is not my fight, my fight is already over.

I don't need to do it again.

Never again.

"Just…just allow me to travel to a certain world." I practically begged." And then I promise, with my life, that I will remain there and never bother your kind again."

Purifier continued to stare me weirdly until she suddenly burst out laughing.

That ticked me off a bit.

"What's so funny?"

"Hahahaha it's just…" She couldn't even talk properly. "It's just that I think you are the one that didn't understand."

"Hey, I am being serious, I-"

Purifier suddenly appeared in front of me and put a finger in my lips.

"I like you."

"….!"

"I was not lying when I said I consider you a friend, you see. The rest of the Sirens aren't the most cordial beings. Alpha only likes to mess with the pawn's minds, and Beta is too rough with the humans and they die too quickly, so it's usually pretty boring to hang around them."

If that what she considers "boring" then I really don't want to know her definition of "exciting."

"You, on the other hand, are more interesting."She said and finally took her hand off my mouth, but started poking my chest instead. "Despite being a human, you have managed to surprise me more than I expected."

I tried to step back, but she followed me.

"First, a shield capable of withstanding attacks that would destroy human battleships with a single hit, then a mysterious energy that we have no knowledge about."

She moved her face close to mine; her golden eyes meet my gaze.

"I kind of want to see what other surprises you have stored for me."

No…I don't like where this is going, she's getting the wrong idea.

"You are expecting too much of me, Purifier, I am not like all of you."

The shield on my arm isn't mine, and I leave much to be desired as a magus. Even when I was a Master of Chaldea, there were times when I thought it was too much for someone like me.

What allowed me to continue despite that were them, my Servants…my friends. If it wasn't for them, I wouldn't be here right now.

But without then I am…

"I am just a normal perso-!"

I couldn't finish, as I was suddenly grabbed me by the neck.

"Didn't I say that I would cut one of your limbs if you lied to me? Are you trying to test me, Fujimaru Ritsuka?"

"S-stop." With just one hand, she had wholly neutralized me; her grip was slowly depriving me of air.

"You aren't just a normal person or even a normal human. I see it in your eyes; you have seen things, experienced things that no normal human would ever experience."

"Purifier…!" For the first time since the night started, I dropped Lord Camelot, as I desperately tried to move her hand away, but it was useless, her grip was too secure.

"You are different from the rest." Her golden eyes glowed with a mad brightness. "Special, I dare say…"

She really was choking me. If she didn't let me go, I would…

"That's why I won't let you go just yet."

Suddenly, she released me, and I fell on my knees while desperately breathing for air.

"Taking you out of the board this early would just make this game a lot of less exciting."

"Ah…ah…I…." It was difficult to speak. "I am not…"

"Yes, you are." She kneeled in front of me so that I could see her face. "You won't get anywhere pretending this has nothing to do with you, you were already part of this game the moment you first talked to me."

"No! I…!"

She suddenly took both my hands with her own.

"After all."She made a small chuckle as she released them. "Your hands are already dirtied, aren't they?"

I lowered my gaze and looked at my trembling hands. They were red, the maid's blood was on my hands.

No…not again…why is this happening again? My hands…the maid's blood….it wasn't me.

This time, it's wasn't me.

"All that is left is for you to pick a side. Frankly, I don't care which one you choose, it would certainly be interesting if you choose us, but who knows? Maybe destroying all things you care about would be even more entertaining. You decide how we are going to play this game, Fujimaru Ritsuka."

She then moved her mouth close to my ear and whispered.

"Just remember." Her breath was frozen. "Mashu is waiting."

"...!"

She stood up; finally putting some distance between us, her golden eyes observed me, expectantly for an answer.

"You…" I held my hands together, trying to stop them from trembling. "You are sick."

Her smile didn't leave her face for even a second.

"Only by human's standards."

Damn you….damn you! I am an idiot, I am a colossal idiot. I should have known that things wouldn't be as simple as exchanging information.

This situation was only my fault, because I wanted to believe that there was a way to see Mashu again. I would have done anything to see her again.

But at what cost? Would Mashu be happy if I see her for a moment, only to be dragged away to a fight I know nothing about?

To a fight that will force to me kill once again?

She would be horrified.

I don't want to see her looking me like that, not again.

But what would happen if I don't side with these Sirens? Will they consider me their enemies? Will they try to kill me?

My eyes moved to the cause of all this.

I can barely keep up with Purifier, and she is obviously not trying to kill me. If she was serious, then I would undoubtedly lose my life.

No matter what I choose, I was trapped in this game.

And I had already lost.

…

…

…

I breathed deeply.

"I understand." I said, defeated. "I will do it."

"Good good! You made the correct choice." She started patting me on the back repeatedly. "Go for it then, it's all yours."

Yes, I will do it.

Since I have already lost, the only thing I can do now is to play this game.

Sheffield slowly opened her eyes.

Her body hurt a lot. It was actually the first time she got beaten to the point of losing consciousness.

She had underestimated her opponent; she should have released her rig from the start….No, maybe even with her rig, the fight would have been difficult. That Siren was on another level entirely.

As she tried to stand up, she realized she couldn't. No matter how much she tried, her body was too weakened.

"Ahh…Belfast? Can you hear me?" She said, trying to reach Belfast with the mental link, but nobody answered. Maybe she didn't have enough energy to establish it, or something in her body was so broken that she was incapable of it

She began to crawl with some difficulty. Even if it was painful, she couldn't just remain there. She had to warn the Royal Navy about the existence of that Siren; she wasn't someone to be underestimated, all of them would be necessary to face her.

However, a sound reached her ears.

Steps, someone was slowly coming closer.

The moment she moved her head to see who it was, she found the same man that was with that Siren before. He was walking in her direction, still carrying that massive cross-shaped shield with him.

The traitor.

Honestly speaking, it didn't surprise her that much that some humans may betray them. It was only natural; after all, humans can't help but destroy things and kill each other. That's what she had learned in those months in the lab. She was prepared to deal with them eventually.

But a human allying himself with the Sirens was another matter entirely. It wasn't just the normal human foolishness; it was a betrayal to the entire human race and a declaration of war to humanity. In her eyes, that human may as well had rejected his humanity.

In other words, she didn't have any obligation to protect him, as that man was no longer human.

That's why she didn't have a doubt in her mind. She had to kill him alongside the Siren, consequences be damned.

Unfortunately, she wasn't strong enough and failed.

But there was someone who was.

"Belfast, answer me."

Even if she tried to get away, she knew it was impossible to escape in her state. So at least she wanted to make her know that a human was working with the Sirens. That there was a high possibility of a Human-Siren alliance existing somewhere, waiting in the shadows to make their move.

The man was getting closer and closer as she noticed something, some kind of green lines ran down both his feet and arms. They glowed with a strangely bright, and sometimes they release small sparks as if electricity ran through them. She didn't remember having seen something like that before.

"That couldn't possibly be good." Sheffield thought.

She would typically disregard a human as a non-threat, but having seen firsthand how he blocked the attacks of those drones, she couldn't be sure. Who knows how contact with the Sirens had changed him.

Only a couple of meters separated her from the man.

It didn't matter if she was destroyed there, if she was able to contact her, Belfast would be able to do something.

She would trump where she failed, as she always does.

"Belfast…"

But her voice couldn't reach her after all; her attempts to reach Belfast were in vain.

She was alone.

The man now towered before her, his blue eyes observed her carefully.

"So, you were really still alive."

Sheffield couldn't fight back, she didn't have enough energy to materialize even one of her guns. So she just stared back, her gaze full of defiance.

"Don't look at me as if I were the worst thing in existence, you tried to kill me in cold blood. Your state right now is reversible, but what you tried to do me wasn't."

"A shame I failed, it would have been great not having to see your face again." She taunted him.

"You...Why do you hate me that much? I don't even know you."

"Fascinating." Sheffield continued. "To think you will even feign ignorance when you know too well what means to ally yourself with a Siren, you are truly quite something, pest."

"No, as a matter of fact, I have literally no idea. This morning I was teaching kids about the Roman Empire, and now I am suddenly getting attacked by drones, schoolgirls, and maids without getting any explanation." He breathed deeply. "Give me a break, will you?"

Kids? Roman Empire? Sheffield didn't understand what he was trying to say. To begin with, why was he talking to her if she was getting killed? Must be a tactic to confuse her, she thought.

"…You talk too much, is your plan killing me from boredom? If you are going to do it, at least do it properly."

She was prepared for this day, the only thing she regretted was not being more useful to the Royal Navy before her death.

He released another deep breath, looking tired.

"I am not killing anyone today, much less you."

"Eh..?" Sheffield sure wasn't expecting that answer.

"In fact, I need you."

"Eh!?" Sheffield really wasn't expecting that answer. If the human wanted to confuse her, then he had succeeded.

"Shhhh. Quite, she'll hear us."

"I-I am not sure what are you trying to do, but you won't fool-"

"Shut up." He interrupted her. "I hate this as much as you, believe me, I can't just brush it off what you tried to do. However, I can't change the fact that I need your help against that Siren."

"…I feel insulted. Do you expect me to believe such obvious deception? Why would you betray your allies?"

"First of all, we aren't allies, I thought they could help me with something, but they can't, and now I am trapped in this fight. Second, if we don't cooperate, we are going to die, both of us."

"I would gladly die before working with a traitor."

"How many times should I-?" He stopped, realizing he wasn't going anywhere. "Look, I really want to explain the situation, but she is watching us right now, so excuse me."

"What do you-"

Suddenly, he raised his arm and, with a tremendous force, he hit the ground just beside her head.

The earth broke, an enormous hole was formed around them, and the land just next to his fist appeared to be pulverized.

"That strength…"

"That should buy us some time." Immediately afterward, he freed his other hand of the shield and moved it towards the maid. "We don't stand a chance against her on our own, but together maybe…we can manage to live long to see tomorrow, and you know what? That's all I want right now."

He put his hand on her, and a green light began to shine.

Sheffield didn't understand at first until something began to change inside her. The pain of her wounds was slowly disappearing; her muscle could move again a little, and her sense began to clear.

For the first time since she was created, Sheffield was speechless, and even if she wasn't, she wouldn't know where to start.

"This is just the most basic healing."He commented while using the shield to cover the light. "I am not even sure if it's going to works on the likes of you, but it's worth the try."

Sheffield wanted to say something, to ask how that he was doing it, how he was healing her only with his bare hands, without any equipment like in the lab.

"Your wounds are closing. It seems like even a mediocre magus like me can do this much."

She had estimated that this amount of damage would take weeks to heal, maybe months, but her wounds were disappearing in mere seconds.

Just who was that man? No, what was he?

After a couple of minutes, the light finally vanished.

"Alright, hopefully, this should be enough. Can you move?"

"Yes…" She couldn't say more as she was still in shock.

"Good." He continued. "As for the Siren, I can block her attack one time, probably two if she gets cocky. Once she is fixed on me, you should be able to attack her by surprise."

"I already tried that." She finally could answer as she remembered her battle with her."That won't kill her."

"I am not asking for that. We just need time to stop her enough to let us escape."

"That won't work either, she is faster than either of us. She'll catch us in no time."

"That's why we'll be running in opposite directions." He continued explaining his plan. "Once she starts chasing one, the other should be able to gain enough distance to be safe."

"But then one of us would die either way, and we can't know who she will go for first. What an awful plan."

She made no comment about how a human wouldn't be able to escape from a Siren even with an advantage, as she was starting to doubt the man's status as a human.

"Better than no plan at all." He took his shield again."I know, it's a gamble, but at least one of us will survive."

He was about to stand up when Sheffield stopped him.

"I didn't say anything about helping you. You wasted your efforts."

"Then we are going to die. She is going to kill you now, and I may live a bit longer, but she will eventually come for me. As I am not on her "side", I will face your same fate, sooner or later."

"…"

"Just think what's more important. To die here or to have at least a small chance to survive. The decision is yours."

Sheffield wanted to argue but couldn't, as the man stood up and turned around to face someone else.

The Siren was watching them with a grave expression.

He immediately stood between her and the Siren, putting his shield in front of him. As if he was trying to protect her.

Sheffield still didn't understand the man or his motives, she didn't even know if he was human. But she could be sure of one thing: she really disliked him, more than any other human she had come across.

.

"Oh? That was a good punch, but it seems you missed her head." Purifier stared at me. "I'll let you try again."

She already knows, without a doubt.

"I won't do it, Purifier."

"…So you didn't want to see Mashu that much after all, huh?" She frowned, clearly not amused. "Is that the extent of your ambition? You would stop just to spare someone you don't even know?"

"You don't understand. I wouldn't be able to face Mashu if I did this."I clenched fist. "I want to see her again, I want to talk to her, laugh with her but… I wouldn't be able to do that knowing what I did." I looked at her in the eyes. "Or who I helped."

"Ah, you hurt me, Fujimaru Ritsuka." She feigned a pained expression. "Are you actually rejecting me? I thought we were friends!"

"I am still not sure what you really want, but your words, your actions...everything tells me that following you would lead me to a path I am not willing to follow. If that means that I am not on your "side" then so be it. "

I bring the shield in front of me, adopting a defensive position.

She looked at me with a dull expression, probably angry that I ignored her antics.

"Seems like you chose the other side of the board."

"You forced me to."

"Alright, if that's how it's going to be...we'll be opponents." She said, somewhat disappointed. "The least I expect is a good fight, so don't die too quickly." She began to approach."Now, I'll be nice and let you go, you have until I finish killing that maid."

This…! This could be my chance to escape, even if she was fast, with my reinforcement I should be able to run until she couldn't find me.

However, leaving after I said all that to the maid would be no different from killing her myself.

And as I said, I am not killing anyone today.

I stood in Purifier's way, not allowing her to reach the maid.

"You are underestimating me."

"Huh?"

"Didn't you say we are opponents now?" I began to taunt her. "And you're just going to let me leave?"

I am presuming that I understood Purifier's character correctly. If this fails, the whole plan fails.

"…I am not sure what you are trying to do." Her tone was serious. "But if you play with fire, you are going to get burned, Fujimaru Ritsuka."

"Play? that's exactly what I want."

"…?"

"Let's play a game, Purifier."

END OF CHAPTER 4

AN: My exams were canceled, two weeks of study to the trash. Thanks corona.

Anyway, sorry for the wait, this chapter was a bit difficult to write. Sheffield passive-aggressive attitude was hard, Purifier not so much.

Next chapter should be the end of this introductory arc.

See you next chapter, and stay safe guys.

P.D: thanks to Fleece Johnson for proofreading this chapter.