Fate/Stay Night

WARRIOR

Ep.6 Unexpected encounter

The sound of metal clashing against the ground echoed continuously. Countless swords flew toward Kuga, who was clad in transparent blue armor. He dodged the incoming weapons swiftly, moving like water, but some still struck his armor. Despite that, he remained unharmed.

"Hmm, not bad," the blonde man remarked with an unchanging, calm expression. He waved his hand again, and more weapons from the golden circles behind him shot toward Kuuga.

"How many weapons do you even have?!" Kuuga shouted in frustration beneath his mask as he grabbed a spear flying through the air, transforming it into a staff.

The blonde man stopped the barrage of weapons, looking surprised. "You can steal my weapons and turn them into your own? How insolent..." he chuckled softly. "Impressive."

More weapons flew toward Kuuga, but he blocked them all with his newly-formed staff.

Swoosh!

"Ugh!" Kuuga gasped, turning to see a sword impaled through his right leg, pinning him to the ground. His black leather suit, a part that's unprotected by armor, had been pierced through, with blood soaking out.

At a moment, a new set of golden circles had appeared behind him.

"Negligent me, aren't you? Did you really think I'd be foolish enough to let you get too close?"

Another wave of weapons emerged from behind Yusuke. Insane number of weapons.

"In that state, what can you possibly do?"

The weapons launched at Kuuga, after hitting it's exploding in a flash of golden light.

"Yusuke!" Shirou screamed in shock, seeing nothing but mist and no signs of movement.

As the blonde man smiled with satisfaction, the smoke slowly cleared.

"What...?"

Kuuga had vanished, leaving only a blood-soaked sword behind.

"Over here!"

Suddenly, Kuuga appeared from the wall beside the blonde man. Before he could react, Kuuga lunged forward at lightning speed, swinging his staff.

Clang!

In an instant, four or five swords extended from a newly-formed circle in front of the blonde man, blocking Kuuga's attack.

The blonde man, eyes wide with surprise, jumped back several meters. "That's enough for now," he said before waving his hand. The golden circles disappeared.

"Until we meet again, warrior."

In the blink of an eye, the blonde man vanished, leaving Kuuga and Shirou standing there, bewildered.

"Ow, ow..."

As Kuuga reverted to his human form, Yusuke, he looked down at his leg, which had a massive gash where the sword had pierced through. Half his leg was gone. Visibility. leaving his leg barely attached.

"Damn it..."

Shirou stood frozen, horrified by the sight of Yusuke's wound. He wanted to look away but couldn't.

"Hey... You like it, do you?" Yusuke joked before collapsing on the ground, but Shirou caught him just in time.

"We... we need to get you to Rin... she can—"

"No need," Yusuke interrupted, confusing Shirou at that time.

"With a wounded like that?! Not even the best doctor can fix this!"

While Shirou's face grew more serious, Yusuke remained oddly cheerful, as if he had been through this before.

"It'll heal by itself. Trust me."

Shirou frowned. "What do you mean? Heal by itself?"

"Just wait and see."

In a small hospital room marked "36-A " Shirou and Yusuke entered as the nurse had told them that Sakura was staying there. To their surprise, another person stood inside.

"Rin!?"

"You guys?!"

Both sides called out to each other. Rin looked flustered and stepped away from Sakura's bed.

Before anyone could say more, Sakura, dressed in patient clothes, interrupted a room with a bright smile.

"Oh... you arrived just in time, Senpai."

Her cheerful expression contrasted with her frail condition.

"Sorry, I'm late. There was a bit of trouble." Shirou approached Sakura, handing her a lunchbox.

"Quite a lot of trouble..." Yusuke added with a grin before turning to Rin. While his hand covered a wounded leg, which slowly healed over time. "I thought you said you weren't coming."

Rin sighed and rolled her eyes slightly to the left.

"Well, I... happened to be nearby and heard Sakura was in the hospital... so I came to visit."

"Can I believe that?" Yusuke teased, raising an eyebrow. His action made Rin flustrate up.

"W-what!? AGAIN!? What's with you? I can do what I want, okay! Stop questioning me!"

"I can't help it! My brother's a cop, so—"

"P-please, stop…." Sakura interjected, taking a deep breath that silenced the room. She then turned to Shirou.

"B..by the way...S-senpai, can you come pick me up tomorrow?" She asked softly.

"Tomorrow, huh..." Shirou looked up. "Ah... I have an appointment with Issei in the evening. He asked for my help, and I can't really refuse." Shirou signed "But maybe I can."

"It's fine... I can go back home myself. " She replies

After his response, Sakura's face fell slightly, but she managed kept a weak smile.

No one said anything, leaving a room in quiet. Yusuke, however, glanced at Shirou with a slightly irritated expression. From what he's just said. Yusuke step forward and smiles at Sakura.

"I'm free tomorrow... Want me to come pick you up instead?" Yusuke offered her in clam tone.

"Y-yusuke-senpai?" Sakura responded, surprised.

"Yeah, how about it?"

Sakura looked between Shirou and Yusuke, but soon her eyes settled on him at the end of the bed. Slowly, a warm, genuine smile spread across her face—one filled with happiness.

"Alright! Yes!" Sakura answered brightly.

After that, the three quietly left the hospital room, with Sakura's gaze following Yusuke with the same expression, until the door closed behind him.

Thud! Thud! The sound of Shirou crashing to the ground echoed repeatedly. He had dropped his wooden sword several times, yet each time, he rose to his feet, gripping the blade tightly, resuming his stance with unwavering determination.

"Come on, Saber!" Shirou's voice rang out with fierce resolve, carrying across the quiet night, clear in the stillness surrounding the house.

"If this is too difficult, I could go easy on you." Saber spoke earnestly, dressed in a pristine white maid's outfit, her expression solemn.

"No need…" Shirou responded firmly. To him, the act of standing tall and refusing to yield was the very path to growing stronger. Especially in times like these, when danger loomed, he refused to back down, no matter how perilous the challenge. His hand clenched around the wooden sword, imagining Saber as a formidable enemy. Without hesitation, he charged forward.

"Yaaah!"

Thud!

Shirou was once again sent sprawling at Saber's feet, defeated yet again. He lay there, staring at the sky, breathing heavily, his entire body drenched in sweat.

"Training again today, huh? You should rest a bit," Yusuke entered with his signature smile, looking down at his friend.

"I can't... rest." Shirou struggled to catch his breath, turning to face Yusuke. "In a situation like this... I will continue to be weak; I can't protect anyone."

"You really think overworking yourself will make you strong enough to face a servant?" Yusuke interrupted.

Suddenly, Shirou forced himself upright, sitting cross-legged, staring at Yusuke with burning intensity.

"What!?" he said. Acting unimpress from what Yusuke said.

"You're not even thinking about what this training is doing to you. Pushing yourself like this... it's pointless." Yusuke folded his arms, casting a quick glance at Saber. "Besides, you have me, Kuuga, remember? What's there to be afraid of?" He added, pride evident in his voice.

"That's easy for you to say. You've got Kuuga." Shirou retorted bitterly. "You have no idea what it's like... to fight without any power, to have to earn it in situations like this... You're comfortable because of your Kuuga." His words dripped with sarcasm

Instanly, Yusuke's face immediately contorted in anger.

"Comfortable!? You think I'm comfortable!?"

" Yes, I do! You have power gifted to you! You never have to feel weak. You never have to know what it's like to fail at protecting someone!" Shirou's words cut deep, and Yusuke stormed forward, stomping the ground with fury before snatching the wooden sword from Saber's hand.

"Yusuke!" Saber exclaimed in shock, but as she saw Yusuke's furious gaze fixed on Shirou, she fell silent.

"I'll take over his training," Yusuke growled and stepped forward.

"Then I'll stand by," Saber replied, still startled but stepping back.

"I'll show you that power isn't everything." Yusuke pointed the wooden sword at Shirou. "Now get up and attack me."

Shirou slowly rose to his feet, gripping his sword once more, but hesitated to make a move.

"Are you serious? If this wasn't training, I'd have—"

Suddenly, Yusuke struck Shirou's arm with force without warning, causing him to cry out in pain.

"Lesson one: think of everyone who tries to kill you as an enemy! dont let your guard down!"

Shirou tried to block, but Yusuke landed another strike on his other arm, making him groan in agony.

"Just because I have Kuuga doesn't mean it's easy!" Yusuke shouted, driving the wooden sword into Shirou's stomach, sending him crashing to the ground once more. "This power comes with fear... the fear of losing control... and Burden! It's both a gift and a curse!"

"And lastly!" Yusuke's voice boomed as he pointed the sword at Shirou's face. "In a clearly overwhelming situation, if you keep pushing yourself until you die, that's not strength or brave. It's stupidity."

Yusuke tossed the wooden sword aside, turning his back on Shirou. "And if you want to protect others, don't be an idiot," he said coldly before walking away, leaving the room without a second glance. Leaving Shirou, replay a word he's just received over and over.

The night sky shimmered with a deep azure hue, casting its light over the Emiya household. A figure with silver hair, reflecting the glow of the moon, sat perched upon the roof, ever-watchful.

"Hmph... that boy " Archer muttered as he observed Yusuke storming through the garden below, clearly seething with rage. Yet Archer showed little interest in the boy's temper.

With calm detachment, he appeared behind Yusuke, his expression composed.

"What's gotten you so worked up?" Archer's low and controlled voice pierced the tense silence.

Yusuke turned to glare at Archer. "It's none of your business."

"Ah, I see... You're angry because of something that idiot said about his ideals, aren't you?" Archer crossed his arms, a subtle, knowing smile playing on his lips.

" Hmmm? You act like you know him so well." Yusuke growled, stepping closer to Archer despite his smaller stature, his confidence unshaken.

"I know him well enough to understand where such ideals stem from," Archer sighed. "But what I really want to know is, what do you think?"

Yusuke froze, standing in silence after the question, as if it had struck a chord he didn't want to acknowledge. Without another word, he began to back away.

"Yusuke?"" Archer called out, taking a few deliberate steps forward. "You're filled with mysteries, always hiding something. I don't care what you've changed in this world or what you intend to do. There's only one thing I want to know." Archer lowered his head, his voice deep with intensity. "What do you truly believe?"

Yusuke stopped in his tracks, turning to look back at Archer. His eyes filled with unshed tears, and his expression pained.

"What do I believe? In this world, there are only the good and the wicked. The good deserve to live, while the bad should be eradicated." Yusuke's voice trembled as his inner turmoil surfaced. "Evil can never become good." Yusuke stepped forward more, even finishing his sentence."And throwing your life away for others... how does that help you protect the good that remains?" Yusuke stepped closer, his final question hanging heavily in the air between them.

"Ah, so that's what you think..." Archer folded his arms, closing his eyes. His face remained impassive, yet a faint smile curled at the corner of his lips.

"You're no different from me, Archer... I can sense your intentions... You're not here for the Grail, are you?" Yusuke's voice was firm, his mistrust intensifying.

"Correct… But my goal is simple: to protect Rin. That's my duty." Archer looked up at the sky, his gaze fixed on the azure moon above. "Still… I leave that fool in your hands. Make sure he abandons that foolish ideal of his." Archer said, his voice fading as he disappeared into the night air,

"The sooner the better," his final words lingering in the stillness.

Yusuke stood frozen for a moment before walking back into a house.

...

Moments later, Archer, now back in his spirit form, felt a strange power drawing near.

"A servant, perhaps?" he murmured.

In an instant, a figure shot through the air, descending with great speed. Archer swiftly summoned his sword, ready for the clash.

Clang!

The sound of steel echoed as the mysterious figure soared into the sky before landing gracefully on the ground.

"Oh, a new foe, I see," Archer remarked as he gazed at the man before him.

The figure was radiant, like a celestial being, with a handsome face, like a prince or god from mythology. wielding two spears, one red and one gold.

"Lancer, is that you? Why the change in appearance?" Archer asked, surprised.

then man responded his question only with an unyielding smile.

"I'm not sure what you are talking about... But you will be my first opponent!" the man declared confidently, pointing his crimson spear toward Archer.

Thud!

"AHHH, so tired! ..." Yusuke muttered before collapsing onto the futon in the middle of the room. "I hope Shirou is going to understand what I mean." He lay on his back, staring up at the wooden ceiling.

At the same time, his thoughts drifted toward his own world, his brother, his friends, and the Gurongi. How will they deal with them without him there...?

"I'll return soon, brother," he whispered softly, eyes slowly fluttering closed.

In the midst of the darkness, a shadow stretched from the corner, gradually creeping toward Yusuke's head. From the depths of the shadow emerged a figure—a woman dressed in a cloak of purple and black, her smile hauntingly chilling.

"I'll be taking this," a figure said quietly.

Yusuke's consciousness began to slip away, as if he were caught in a dreamlike trance, unable to act. When he next opened his eyes, he found himself standing in the courtyard of Ryudoji Temple.

"What the hell!?"

Suddenly regaining awareness, Yusuke looked around frantically, his mind spinning. He struggled to move but realized he was bound, red threads coiling around his wrists and body, pinning him in place.

"What is this!? Who's pulling this prank!?" Yusuke demanded, panic rising. But before he could make sense of the situation, a familiar figure appeared before him.

Caster.

"Well, well… You've really messed up my plans, haven't you, boy?" She purred, her voice deceptively sweet as she gazed at him.

"Wait... Caster?"

"That's right. No need for introductions, I see." Caster chuckled softly. "Your power is immense... I simply couldn't take my eyes off of it."

"Even though you're not a servant, the energy you emit surpasses even the Noble Phantasms of many. Your power..." She flicked her hand, and the energy surrounding Yusuke's waist began to warp. In an instant, his belt materialized, cloaked in black magic as it slowly seeped inside. "Better be with mine."

"Don't you dare mess with my belt! You have no idea what you're dealing with!" Yusuke shouted, struggling to break free as the dark power gradually penetrated the belt.

"Oh, I know exactly what I'm doing! Once I reach that belt, I will gain a hand on that's Black Demon once again.

"Wait, Black Demon?" Yusuke's face twisted in shock and confusion. "What the hell is a Black Demon!?"

"Don't play dumb. The power you unleashed at the school... ruined all my plans," Caster said, her words causing Yusuke's mind to spiral. Slowly, memories began to resurface—chaos at school, the fight with Teacher Kusuke... and then nothing.

No, not nothing. Yusuke gradually recalled the truth. It wasn't that he couldn't remember; he had been lost in a sea of darkness, adrift without direction. In that moment, his mind had been assaulted by something vile—brutality, savagery, madness, sadism. It had flooded his consciousness, threatening to drown him.

Just the memory alone made Yusuke feel nauseous.

"No NO! no... it was so terrifying." He murmured, his voice trembling as tears welled up, spilling down his face uncontrollably. He could no longer muster words, falling into a stunned silence.

"Damn it! Why hasn't anyone noticed anything!? Not even Archer!?" Rin raged as she sprinted after Shirou and Saber, all three of them racing toward Ryudoji Temple up ahead.

"We let our guard down for just a moment... but where is Archer?" Shirou cut in. while catching his breath.

"I don't know! No matter how many times I call him, he doesn't respond! It's like he's fighting someone—" Rin's voice trailed off as all three of them suddenly felt a surge of energy ahead.

" Who!? " All three shouted at the same time.

Their gazes shot upward toward the temple steps. A man in traditional purple Japanese robes stood at the top, a long samurai sword resting on his shoulder.

"If you wish to pass... you must defeat me first," the man said as he unsheathed his sword, pointing it directly at Saber.

Another 2 stand in serious posture, they prepare to facing the man. whatever he's going to do...

In the temple courtyard, dark energy had already begun to penetrate Yusuke's belt. Yet somehow, he managed to retain his composure.

"That belt… It holds an enormous amount of mana. It even makes your body stronger. Truly remarkable," Caster mused, stepping closer to Yusuke as she touched the belt. "Such a powerful item... I can't believe it exists in this world."

Suddenly, a tall man emerged from the temple behind Caster. It was Kuzuki, but without his glasses, he looked like a completely different person.

"Hurry up. They're coming," Kuzuki said in a calm, measured tone.

"Don't worry, my loyal hound will keep them busy long enough for you to don this belt," Caster replied, flashing a soft-sinister smile at Kuzuki. "Together, we'll win this war."

Swink..

Caster's expression changed in an instant. From behind Kuzuki, something had appeared—a woman with long, purple-pink hair that reached down to her calves, wearing a blindfold. In her hand, she held a dagger pressed firmly against Kuzuki's throat.

"Let him go, Caster," Rider said in a soft yet commanding voice. "Or I will kill him."

The dagger sharp pressed deeper, almost piercing into the skin.

Caster is shaken in fear, losing her Master or losing her plans again…she has to choose…

" Damn you…Demon!" Caster hissed, her anger palpable. With a sweep of her hand, the threads binding Yusuke snapped, and his weakened body slumped to the ground.

At that moment, the rider let her guard a bit prepare to approach Yusuke.

In that instant, a circle of pink light appeared above Rider, firing energy at her. But before it could hit, Rider kicked Kuzuki away and darted aside, narrowly avoiding the blast.

Caster conjured more circles of energy, surrounding the path where Rider had moved, each attack tearing massive holes in the temple's floor. But Rider pressed on, grabbing Yusuke's body and breaking through one of the buildings.

Clank!

Wood splintered and scattered. Yusuke struggled, using all his strength to push himself away from Rider but barely moving.

"R…Rider!? Are you here to kill me or what?"

"If I wanted to kill you, I would have let Caster finish the job long ago."

Rider stood tall, her gaze fixed on Caster, who was drawing closer to them with each passing moment.

"This time... I'll protect you."