The fires from the explosion kept spreading, at this point if not the fire then the previous explosion was enough to gain the attention of the authorities.
Even Kirei couldn't have expected this level of destruction from what his actions had wrought tonight. After all, he had merely wanted to talk with Kiritsugu and while he had expected a fight, he hadn't expected one on the scale of a battlefield.
This is the reason why there is no bounded field to prevent any passerby from noticing the spectacle. Without bringing Kirei's lack of ability into account, he just didn't feel the need to do so in this case.
To be fair, even the assassins themselves didn't expect to go this far in their attempt to off Saber. After all, how hard could it be to kill a single sword-wielding Servant?
Apparently, it's quite difficult.
While the harbor was ablaze, the combatants paused in their battle, but not because of the burning flames.
"Incredible," the leader exclaimed in amazement.
He saw Saber standing alone amidst the dissipating corpses of the Assassin clan.
Her appearance is no longer noble or regal; instead, she looks like a beggar knight at this point.
Her hair is now dirty with sweat, grime, and blood, her dress is in tatters, her armor is dirty with remains of knives and daggers left from the assassin's attack, Saber herself is filled with more wounds, on her face there's a new set of scars with blood flowing from her head, her shoulders are bleeding heavily with a wound from a beast's fang.
Saber couldn't have anticipated one of the assassin's personalities being a literal animal in form; the beast had a mask over its face, but it had four legs and a protruding jaw with sharp fangs and claws. Its chest armor showed evidence of just how sharp those claws were.
Saber fell to her knees in exhaustion after killing another Assassin, the poison's effects having left her not too long ago. But, she didn't stop glaring at the rest of the Assassins, daring them to strike.
None of the assassins dared to stare back at her, considering the brave assassin was now one of the dead personalities. Nobody had the guts to emulate him.
There is now an impasse between Saber and the Assassin. Saber is too exhausted to advance and the Assassins are too afraid to strike her.
With no one daring to take the initiative to strike first, the battlefield became silent and tension was high on both sides.
It only takes one person to break this silence, and the battle will begin anew.
Surprisingly, it was the Assassin who attacked first, and not the one expected by anyone.
Saber was the first to hear it. She heard someone running from behind her, it was light, small, and slow. The figure was carrying a knife intent on stabbing Saber with it.
Saber did not need much effort to defend herself; she did not even have to use her sword. A single swing of her hand was enough to throw the knife from the figure's hand and repel them to the ground.
Once the figure came into view, Saber's eyes widened in surprise.
It was a little girl, she didn't look older than seven years old, perhaps even younger. She wore a short white dress, had a tan skin, a purple eye, and a short purple hair with a skull mask acting as hair decoration. The little girl is now looking at Saber with horror, expecting to be killed for her attempted murder.
Seeing her sitting there on the ground helplessly and afraid, it affected Saber's heart. Despite knowing of her origin, she couldn't bring herself to harm the clearly scared girl.
The hesitation that the assassin was more than willing to take advantage of. A lone assassin threw several daggers and knives towards Saber, all of them coming from an unnatural angle. Ordinary people wouldn't have been able to escape, but that law didn't apply to a Servant like Saber.
Clanging sounds were heard as Saber repelled every single one of them. However, one of the thrown weapons repelled by Saber accidentally flew towards the little girl.
The girl tried to shield herself from it with her hands, only to be surprised when Saber used her sword to destroy it into pieces.
When the girl realized who had protected her, she could only say...
"Eh?" in confusion.
When Saber realized who she had just protected, she could only say...
"Ah" In resignation.
When the leader saw this scene, he could only say...
"Oh!" in anticipation.
Everyone who saw this scene had the same thought.
She/Saber had just messed up.
Kirei gazed at Kiritsugu.
"I will ask you again," Kirei said coldly.
"What did you find nine years ago that made you stop?" He asked Kiritsugu again.
Kiritsugu looked up in pain, seeing the resistance in his eyes kirei increase the pressure to his legs drawing a muffled scream from Kiritsugu.
Gritting his teeth from pain, Kiritsugu ignore the pain and pulled his glock.
BANG!
Then he shot Kirei's leg.
Kirei fall to his knees, more in surprised than in pain, Kiritsugu quickly gets up make a distance and aim his glock at Kirei again.
But Kirei would not let him, a sword suddenly fly towards Kiritsugu hand and destroy his gun surprising him. In order to stop Kiritsugu from shooting, Kirei had thrown his black key towards the gun in his hand.
Unarmed, but Kiritsugu refused to backdown. Noticing that Kirei is now empty handed he quickly charge towards Kirei.
'Double accel!'
Quickly arriving in front of Kirei, Kiritsugu tried to punch him. Only for Kirei to catch his hand and squeezed, gritting his teeth in pain Kiritsugu then proceed to kneed Kirei on the face, it hit, forcing Kirei to let go before kicking him again in the chest pushing him down.
Seeing Kirei down, kiritsugu goes toward his Thompson and aim at the just standing Kirei. Without wasting any time he shoot, only to get surprised when Kirei sacrificed his shoulder before charging towards him.
When Kiritsugu aim his Thompson toward him, Kirei was calm. To him dodging bullet is not hard, all he needed was to observe the barrel and the finger holding the trigger, after that it was not hard to avoid the bullet flying straight at him. Once Kiritsugu shot him Kirei already knew when to dodge it.
Of course with his leg now crippled by the very same man shooting at him, he knew he had to compromise. Sacrificing his shoulders is not a hard choice, if he managed to subdued the man in front of him.
Seeing the priest take his shot before charging at him unnerved Kiritsugu, but he didn't have a luxury of time. Putting his hand in the air Kiritsugu swing his Thompson towards the approaching Kirei.
It was a big mistake.
All Kirei did was throwing his fist towards the gun and it simply broke to pieces.
As the pieces of his once strongest weapon scattered through the air, for a moment an expression of devastation is shown in Kiritsugu's face. Unfortunately he didnt even have time to be upset as Kirei quickly snakes his hand to Kiritsugu neck and enhanced his own body to lifted Kiritsugu up.
"!" Kiritsugu was choking on Kirei's grip.
Looking at the man dangling in his hand Kirei finally let out an ultimatum.
"Kiritsugu Emiya," he started.
"Answer my question..." He demanded before squeezing his hand.
"Or died by my hand." He threatened Kiritsugu.
By seeing Kirei eyes Kiritsugu know, the priest had running out of patience and this time he will deliver his threat swiftly.
Kiritsugu finally open his mouth to speak, but he didn't give what Kirei want instead...
"Ring trick." Is all Kiritsugu said, before looking down. Curious Kirei followed his gaze.
There, on the ground was a spherical object rolling between them. Kirei's eyes widened when he realizes what it was.
A Grenade.
Then it exploded, a flash of light bursting before everything goes white for both men.
A dagger is flying in the air before it was destroyed.
A single figure is defensively moving under the assault of numerous individuals.
Saber is now moving and weaving under another barrage of attack by Assassins, but this time she had a problem. In her arm is a small figure held by a gauntlet hand, this small figure was little assassin. She was held closely to Saber chest, making sure no harm came to her.
After the assassins saw Saber is protecting the little assassin, they started to assault her again but this time their target include the little assassin as well. Saber as a knight cannot in good conscience abandon the little girl to her fate, as her chivalry would have it she decided to protected her.
The assassins were to wary to get close to her, so they decided to just pelted Saber with projectiles. Some of them will deliberately target the little girl, forcing Saber to shield her while sacrificing her own defense.
Despite her new burden Saber is not giving up, if anything somehow her movements become sharper then previously.
Seeing this the assassins unanimously decided to use another tactic while attacking Saber.
"Have you given up on the grail Saber?" A hollow voice suddenly asked Saber, prompting her to stop moving and look for the source of the sound.
Saber clicked her tongue when she realized the speaker is nowhere to be found, before repelling another barrage.
"What would your master said, if he knew all you did was running instead of fighting?" The voice asked again.
Saber ignored the voice as she focused on defending herself, in that moment another Assassin decided to target the girl in Saber hold. Once again Saber sacrificed herself to protect her, this time her shoulder.
Saber stumbled before taking out the offending projectile and stand straight, the voice once again called out.
"How kind. Do you know what she is, Saber?" The voice asked again.
This time an Assassin were charging toward Saber, this assassin were unique because he only had one hand with a weird body posture.
The cripple assassin charge at Saber before jumping behind her, when Saber turned around he once again jump behind her again. This happened multiple time until Saber run out of patience just charged ahead uncaring of the Assassin intent.
"Of course you don't, you defended her due to your chivalry and not out of kindness after all."
It was a mistake, as barrage of projectiles coming from behind Saber. Turning around she repelled most of them, unaware of the cripple assassin right above her.
The cripple assassin throw a knife towards Saber, out of instinct she managed to dodge allowing the knife to pierce the ground. When Saber looked at the knife she was shocked at the destructive power of the throw, as the ground actually cracked from the throwing force.
The cripple assassin were a specialist on throwing projectiles, he can throw several dozen of weapon with a single hand or he can throw a single weapon strong enough to pierce a steel armor.
"If it were anyone else, you would kill them without remorse."
Before the cripple assassin could land on the ground, Saber jumped towards his height and swing her sword towards him. Unable to defend himself the assassin let himself bifurcated, but not before giving another stab towards Saber, right on the side stomach.
When Saber landed on the ground, she checked her wound.
'Good, it's not too deep' she thought. Before the voice once again interrupted.
"Let me tell you who she is Saber." The voice said. While the little assassin flinch as she looked at Saber, fear could be seen from her expression.
On the other hand Saber face is covered by shadow, but the voice isn't finished.
"She is an Assassin, she is one of us."
"By protecting her, you by default is giving up the Grail,"
"Because the only way to defeat us, is to kill every single one of us, including her."
Saber was silent and her body isn't moving, seeing her like this the little assassin were anxious, but she didn't let go of Saber. Instead the little girl is clutching her even harder, it was the she heard Saber whispered.
"A knight will never harm the young, the old, and the harmless." Saber whispered to herself but the little assassin still managed to heard her. Saber then looked up, her eyes is clear and filled with determination. She then screamed.
"Your word is hollow to me Assasssin!!" Saber screamed in defiance.