"Father Risei."
Risei Kotomine turned toward the person who called him.
"Do you need something Tokiomi?" Risei asked.
"No, I'm perfectly fine." Tokiomi answer smoothly.
"I'm merely curious as to where Kirei is." He stated to Risei whom just nodded to his question.
"I believe he is observing the remaining survivor for information out there." Risei answered Tokiomi, to which the man squinted his eyes at this information.
"Is that so..." Tokiomi trailed curiosity can be felt from his tone.
"Hm...this is odd, I don't remember instructing Kirei to personally scouting out there." Tokiomi mused, listening to this Risei is surprised.
"Are you saying, he has been out there without instructions from you!?" Risei anxiously asked. Tokiomi nod in response to Risei inquiry.
"Indeed, I have yet instructed Kirei to personally take action." At this information Risei suddenly felt even more anxious, not that he shows it, after all if Tokiomi didn't ordered Kirei to go then what was the reason for Kirei going out these past few days, Risei hands balled in frustration at this news.
Thankfully for Risei, his anxiety is halted by the next words of Tokiomi.
"Calm down, father Risei, I'm sure Kirei have his reason to leave like this." Tokiomi said calmly shocking Risei.
"You are not upset tokiomi?" Asked Risei.
"Of course not, as far as I see it, this form of rebellion is proof of Kirei confidence on his skill." Tokiomi explained.
"Knowing that it is my guidance that brought this confidence is the greatest joy to have as a teacher." Tokiomi finished stunning Risei.
"I...I see." Risei responded not sure what to feel in this situation.
"Let's trust Kirei decision father Risei, he is your proud son is he not?" Tokiomi assured Risei, who just nodded in silence, as he return to his religious duty.
O'god above please keep my son safe, Risei prayed from the bottom of his heart.
On the river side, after Saber and Rider separated.
Saber looked at the bridge where her Master is, before walking over.
When she arrived on the bridge she saw her master Kiritsugu, is waiting for her beside the car.
Kiritsugu who saw her approaching, gesture for her to get inside the car.
Nodding she got into the car after Kiritsugu.
Once she get inside, Kiritsugu started the car and drove away immediately.
"Saber, report." Kiritsugu command her, wasting no time at all.
Saber complied, telling Kiritsugu everything she saw and heard during the battle, and also the little information from Rider.
When she was finished, Kiritsugu felt troubled.
"A Reality marble..." kiritsugu muttered.
This was troubling, reality marble is a thaumaturgical technique whereby one space is transformed into a completely different space.
A Magecraft close to Sorcery. A taboo among taboos, a mystery among mysteries. One of the pinnacles for a magus.
In fact his family thaumaturgy is very close to a reality marble, it involved time manipulation inside the body by accelerating or slowing the flow of time inside a reality marble free from the world's interference. It also what started the tragedy that forces Kiritsugu into a journey to save the world.
A magecraft that bring nothing but tragedy, that is Kiritsugu opinion about a reality marble.
The fact that not one but two servant capable of such magecraft is what troubling Kiritsugu, after all only a powerful servant is capable to use a reality marble. The Master too,but that wasn't necessary the case.
"Can you dealt with it Saber?" Kiritsugu asked looking at Saber, defending on Saber answer he might have to create a plan to avoid direct confrontation. Saber looked back.
"It will be hard..." she started, Kiritsugu grimaced.
"But not impossible." Saber said reassuring Kiritsugu without lying to him, Kiritsugu stared at Saber as she stared back. He then looked back toward the road.
"I'll trust you, Saber." Kiritsugu said earning a confident smile from Saber.
"Of course, Master." Replied Saber, a pleasant silent is spreading on the car before Saber smile into a tight grimace.
"Master, about Berserker..." by mentioning him Kiritsugu expression started to harden.
"He's going to be a problem." Kiritsugu said truthfully.
For them the reminder of Berserker assault was still fresh in their mind, the ruin of the Einzbern castle is the proof of it.
Berserker attack was so powerful it destroyed the castle in a single attack, the only reason for Saber survival was because she managed to get away from the worst of explosion in time.
For Kiritsugu, his life was safe solely because of the Einzbern castle enhancements, it's evidently strong enough to withstand the explosion before falling which save his life at the end.
Avalon existence also may or may not save Kiritsugu life as well.
At first they thought it was a retaliation attack from Caster seeing from his obsession with Saber. But Rider intel claimed that they were wrong, and it was Berserker who attacked them on the castle.
This is an important piece of information for the pair, as it exposes one of Berserker capabilities. Allowing them to make tactic to overcome his abilities, only...
The information was Berserker have two more Noble Phantasm, one is a reality marble and the other was a exploding arrow. This actually confuses the pair as it really didn't fit Berserker style.
Berserker actually have more than one Noble Phantasm, and a troublesome one at that.
A long range Noble Phantasm.
If this is true then Berserker is more dangerous than they thought. The thought that a Berserker could be anywhere while sniping them from a far didn't brought comfort to their heart.
Not to mention Saber lack of option when it come to long range battle, in fact, it can be said to be Saber one and only achilles heel.
"Master are you sure we aren't mistaken? This Servant is using a Reality Marble, and a sniping type Noble Phantasm, right? That's not a Berserker's style. A Reality Marble is a highly advanced thaumaturgy. So if you think about it, a Caster makes more sense." Saber said in consternation.
Not to mention the aforementioned Caster acted more in line with a Berserker, perhaps they got the two class mix-up?
Kiritsugu didn't answer as he is still assessing the information about Berserker in his mind.
Personally speaking Kiritsugu felt uncomfortable with Berserker existence, when he first saw Berserker he felt some familiarity to the servant to the point of surprise. Kiritsugu was sure that he never see a person who looked like Berserker in his life yet for some reason he felt familiar with him.
This unnerved Kiritsugu, if Berserker have a skill that allows to manipulate the heart of a person then his threat just got even more dangerous. But worrying won't solve the problem, soon a decision had to be made.
"It doesn't matter..." Kiritsugu said more to himself.
"Well think of something." Kiritsugu said to Saber.
Saber just nod in acceptance, as the car stopped in front of the hotel they were using as headquarters. Saber was the first to left the car followed by kiritsugu, opening the rear door he retrieved the body bag from the rear seat.
Kiritsugu then proceed to walk in front of Saber to the hotel, when he was about to pass by the empty receptionist he notices something.
"This smell..." it was a sickeningly dry metallic scent of blood. Shocking both Kiritsugu and Saber.
"Master get behind me!!" Saber shouts getting in front of Kiritsugu as he complied.
When they checked the receptionist they find the corpse of a woman sitting against the wall covered by her own blood.
When they looked closer they find a mark of blood being dragged inside the hotel, seeing this the pair looked at each other. Kiritsugu nod to Saber giving her permission to proceed.
As they proceed to the hotel hall they find numerous corpse scatter around the hall, horrifying them. In the middle of the hall surrounded by corpses a single person clad in black with a skull mask is looking at them silently.
Saber and Kiritsugu instantly recognized the identity of the culprit.
Assassin
Seeing Assassin standing in the middle of the hall surrounded by corpse instantly shocked them.
Saber and Kiritsugu know that Assassin is still alive, but never in their mind they thought he would do something unnecessary like this.
Saber put her sword in front of her, ready to defend if Assassin attacked them. Kiritsugu ready his gun for battle, while putting the bodybag on the floor beside him.
Assassin look at them silently, making the pair anxious, before speaking in a hollow voice.
"Calm down Saber..." Assassin started.
"I am not here to fight." He stated, his nonchalant tone bristle saber.
"After what you've done! You think I'll believe you...!!?" Saber shout gesturing towards the carnage around them.
"Oh? This..." Assassin looking at his surrounding before shrugging.
"Don't mind them, it was just a greeting gift." Assassin claimed, further ticking off Saber.
"A gift? A gift!? You called this massacre a gift!!?" Saber screamed in rage, as she was preparing to charge, before Kiritsugu stopped her by putting his hand on her shoulders.
"Master!??" Saber was shocked, why did Kiritsugu stopped her from delivering justice to this murderer.
"Patience." Kiritsugu said to calm Saber down, it was clear that Assassin was provoking her. But for what? Kiritsugu didn't know, but he would not played by Assassin game. Saber gritted her teeth in frustration, but decided to trust her master.
"What do you want?" Kiritsugu asked to Assassin, his tone neutral to the point of creepy. Hearing this Assassin chuckled, as expected of someone his master interested in.
"Should I tell you?" Assassin said provokingly, Saber clench her teeth in resentment her as she felt hot rage flowing inside, her gloved hands clench hard in wrath, even kiritsugu frowned at Assassin attitude. Seeing this Assassin stopped playing around, and goes straight to the point with a snort.
"Heh, I am here to deliver a massage to Kiritsugu Emiya Master of Saber, Arthur Pendragon." Assassin finally started, his purpose make Kiritsugu eyebrow raised a little.
"My master Kirei Kotomine, wishes to meet and convers with you, Kiritsugu Emiya. Tonight on the harbor, inside the warehouse number 11, we shall await your presence." Assassin finished, angering Saber with his message.
"Do you think we're a fool!?? Why should we ever come!!?" Saber replied shouting in outrage, Kiritsugu silently agreed with her.
It was clearly a trap, Assassin didn't even attempt to hide it. Only an inept fool would go willingly there.
"Indeed..." Assassin said.
"We have no power to force you to come." Assassin then bend his body to pick up something of the ground.
It was a person, a man in his mid-thirty by guess his head is bleeding with blood covering his face it was hard to determine his age and his limb is bend in unnatural sickening way, but he was undoubtedly still alive. Assassin pick him by the neck and show him to the pair.
The man helplessly looked at them, fear and pain filled his eyes. The man looked at the pair pleading for help.
"He...help me..." The man begged, while Assassin dangle the man in front of Saber and Kiritsugu.
"But, I can prepare several 'gift' everyday, until you agreed to came." Assassin said while squeezing the man neck.
"Ack...no...no...please..." The man pleading as he felt the hand holding his neck squeeze tightly.
CRACK
Both Saber and Kiritsugu looked on in shock as they watch Assassin broke the poor man neck, killing him instantly.
"But please be patience, it does take time to prepare your 'gift'." Assassin said while throwing the corpse of the man in his hand towards the pair.
The pair looked at the corpse thrown in front of them, the man corpse looked at them with terror and despair in its eyes showing how he feels in his last moment.
Seeing this Saber could not hold herself back anymore, holding her sword hard she then move forward charging towards Assassin in raging fury.
"Assassin you damn cur!!!" She screamed while charging him.
Seeing Saber charging, Assassin instead of facing the raging servant he back away avoiding her. Using mana enhanced speed Saber managed to catch up to Assassin and attack him with full power.
Saber strike was so powerful it destroyed the wall along with a part of the hotel building, giving rise to dust and gravel obscuring her vision. When the dust subsided they see a large hole on the wall exposing the outside view, and yet Assassin was not seen anywhere. Instead a hollow voice echoed across the room.
"That was all my purpose here, I await your presence along with my master at the harbor, Master of Saber." The voice said as it gradually overcame by the voice of night wind, Saber merely clicked her tongue.
"Tch, he got away." Saber said, after hearing the voice. She the hurriedly return to Kiritsugu's side.
"Master are you alright?" She asked, which Kiritsugu returned with a nod.
Seeing her master was fine Saber let out a breath of relief, before her expression turned troubled. After a few moments of uncomfortable silence Saber finally let out her thoughts.
"Master, what do we do?" She asked Kiritsugu again this time with uncertain tone.
The invitation was clearly a trap, and accepting it is equivalent to foolishness, but at the same time if they didn't came the number of innocent victim will increase needlessly. As a knight Saber chivalry screamed at her to spare the innocent regardless of the consequences, but at the same time her duty as a servant prioritize her master safety. Torn at duty and honor Saber is now looking at her master, wanting to know his decision.
Kiritsugu was silent for a moment until he heard a siren approaching.
"For now, let's get away first." Saber nodded agreeing with him.
They hurriedly goes into the car and drove away, with police and ambulance arrive not long after.
Both Kiritsugu and Saber mood was somber all the while.