"Strange..."
"What is he after?"
Dashing through nearby alleys, dodging strike after strike, Kyoko had accumulated numerous shallow cuts but had sustained nothing fatal.
Once she realized Assassin wasn't genuinely trying to kill her, the confusion deepened.
He was here for some other purpose.
'Well, whatever he's up to, it doesn't hurt me.'
Wiping the sweat from her brow, she eyed the opponent standing at a distance.
That weapon in his hand was devastatingly sharp, and combined with his godlike swordplay, it was virtually unstoppable.
Intercepting this Assassin head-on was beyond her.
To truly win, she'd have to release her greatest "Noble Phantasm."
But what effect that would have, Sakura Kyoko couldn't confirm.
After all...
Voluntarily undergoing "Witchification"...
It sounded far too dangerous.
Yes, her ultimate trump card was the Soul Noble Phantasm she'd gained upon becoming a Heroic Spirit: Witchification.
Activating it would transform her into a Witch.
Having fought those creatures time and again, having witnessed Sayaka's fate, she simply could not trust this "Noble Phantasm."
If she used it and became a Witch that ravaged the city, the consequences would be catastrophic.
That was precisely why, despite every setback, Sakura Kyoko had refused to invoke it.
Clack...
Bracing the spear against the incoming blade, she grit her teeth and held firm.
At least she wasn't fighting this alone anymore.
CLANG!
The divine sword was deflected. Kenshin planted both feet and steadied himself, observing carefully.
'As I suspected, Lancer's mana reserves are abundant.'
'She doesn't look anything like a Masterless Servant.'
Confirming this, Kenshin was genuinely curious. What had changed about her?
'Withdraw, Assassin. That's sufficient.'
Kirei's telepathic command reached him. Kenshin's sword arm froze.
"Hey!"
Watching Assassin vanish without so much as a word, Kyoko was left utterly bewildered.
"What was that guy even here for?"
"Our familiars were destroyed by some unknown creature?"
"It seems Caster was in the vicinity."
"Coincidence?"
Tokiomi and Risei stiffened. The observation familiars they'd deployed had abruptly gone dark.
Upon learning the culprit, uncomfortable suspicions arose.
They had driven Lancer to that area. But Caster had appeared there too.
Coincidence? Or...?
"It doesn't matter now. Initiating the next phase of the plan will mobilize the other Masters."
"With a free Command Spell as the reward, no one can refuse."
Setting aside the inconsistency, Tokiomi turned to Risei with purpose.
"Very well. I'll issue the announcement now."
Watching his father depart, Kirei followed in silence.
He withheld his observations. But he quietly suspected something.
He didn't believe Caster's presence nearby was accidental.
From the intelligence Assassin had gathered, it was entirely possible...
That Caster and Lancer had already allied.
That would explain Lancer's anomalous mana reserves. Among the Servants, only Caster possessed magecraft that could sustain a Masterless Servant.
The corner of Kirei's mouth curled faintly. Imagining what came next, he couldn't help but feel a frisson of anticipation, murmuring in a voice too low for anyone else to catch.
"The world truly is full of surprises."
"You alright?"
"Yeah, I'm fine."
By the time Jonouchi arrived, Kyoko's wounds had already healed. Most of Kenshin's damage had been superficial scratches, easily mended.
"Seriously, you step out for five minutes and get jumped. Rough luck."
"Who was it?"
Spreading his hands, Jonouchi didn't overthink it.
"Assassin."
"But something felt off."
"How so?"
"He wasn't trying to recruit me, and he wasn't trying to kill me."
As they compared notes, Jonouchi too identified the oddity.
"Testing you? Doesn't sound right either."
"If I can't figure it out, I'll stop trying. This war's full of weirdos."
Though equally baffled, Jonouchi wasn't one to dwell on it.
"Fair enough."
Unable to read Assassin's motives, Kyoko let it go.
"Here."
Whoosh!
"Hmm?"
Jonouchi tossed two cards her way. Kyoko caught them, blinking.
[Dark Hole]
[Monster Reborn]
"What are these?"
She couldn't decipher the card descriptions, so the effects were a mystery.
"Keep them on you. You might need them someday."
"I've already infused them with mana. Even without the Duel Disk, you can activate them in a pinch."
He was giving her two cards because he judged she needed them more than he did.
And by doing so, he could "draw" new ones.
Even as a Heroic Spirit, he was still bound by dueling rules. Somewhat absurd, really.
He could only maintain six hand cards at a time. Cards had to be set or used before he could draw fresh ones.
Excluding the unplayed [Red-Eyes Black Dragon] and the already-summoned [Time Wizard], along with the set [Skill Drain] and [Attack Nullification], plus the two he'd just given Kyoko, that meant he could slowly "draw" five new cards.
In this war, only game-changing cards could give them a shot at competing with those human-shaped monsters.
"My apologies for the late-night summons."
"But an urgent situation has arisen, and your cooperation is required."
Kotomine Risei stood within the cathedral, addressing the assembled familiars that each Master had dispatched, and spoke with solemn gravity.
"This evening, we received reports that a civilian was killed by a Servant."
"Our investigation identified the perpetrator as Lancer, who had been engaged in combat with Assassin."
"Such behavior is egregious. I therefore request that all parties cooperate in eliminating this malevolent Servant, to prevent further casualties."
"Naturally... your efforts will be rewarded. Every Master who participates in the extermination will receive one Command Spell."
The familiars relayed the message in full on behalf of their Masters.
The declaration was undeniably shameless. But Risei cared nothing for their opinions.
Eventually, someone might see through the fabrication. Post-hoc exposure? Irrelevant.
He'd issued the summons under the neutral authority of the Church overseer.
This proposition benefited everyone except Lancer. Who would possibly object?
As the saying went: all under heaven flock to profit.
Just participate in Lancer's extermination, and earn a "free" Command Spell. For any Master, it was pure gain.
So even those who smelled a rat would stay silent, content to ride the wave. Smart people didn't argue with free advantages.
[Translated and Rewritten by Shika_Kagura]