TYPE-MOON Universe, Earth, Japan, Fuyuki City.
{"Saving that boy really was a waste of resources."} Archer said through his telepathic link with Rin while the two returned to the Tohsaka Residence after the altercation at Homurahara Academy.
Rin, absorbed in thinking about her shortcomings after her one-sided defeat at Bazett's hands, was jolted back to her senses after hearing Archer's voice in her head.
"Why would you say that?" Rin asked, stopping in place as she did so. "Is saving an innocent life such a bad thing?"
{"Under normal circumstances, I would say no."} Archer replied calmly. {"But this case is certainly not normal. Master, we are participating in the Holy Grail War. And that woman you fought was no amateur."}
Imdiately, Rin understood what Archer was getting at. As a result, her expression turned dark.
"And they'll never let a witness get away, will they?" Rin asked in an annoyed tone.
{"Exactly."} Archer replied. {"Unless you plan to protect that boy for the duration of the Holy Grail War and well beyond its conclusion, they will make sure that he is silenced."}
"Damn it!" Rin growled before turning on her heels and starting to run. "And there's no way they did not leave any way of checking if they were being followed. So, they probably saw him leave the school."
{"Master, where are you going?"} Archer asked, though he already knew the answer.
"To make sure he's okay." Rin said, not even slowing her steps.
Archer could only sigh at his Master's reckless behavior. Even so, he followed her while remaining in his astral form.
anwhile, Shirou, the boy in question, had just left the school and was on his way back to his own ho. All the way there, he could not help thinking about what he just saw and what happened to him.
"Those people were definitely Magi." Shirou muttered to himself while he walked. "But why were they fighting like that? Just what in the world is going on?"
Eventually, Shirou reached his ho. When he did, all the lights in the house were off, signifying that his guardian, Fuji-Nee, or Fujimura Taiga was not currently at his house.
"Well, it's a good thing that Fuji-Nee isn't here." Shirou muttered to himself as he skipped stepping into the main house of his residence and headed to the storehouse. "In my panic, I dropped the groceries. So, I can't make dinner for her."
A mont later, Shirou fished out the key to the storehouse from his pocket and started unlocking the door. anwhile, Tatsuo and Elicia, who had been following him ever since he left Homurahara Academy were dumbfounded by his current thought process.
{"Hold on..."} Tatsuo muttered over the telepathic link while rubbing his temples. {"He just got stabbed in the heart and survived... But the only thing on his mind is making dinner for Fujimura-Sensei?"}
{"I don't think that's it."} Elicia replied, sounding a little unsure of her response. {"He's probably just trying to take his mind off the traumatic experience. I an, he did go straight to the storehouse, right? This is where he keeps all the stuff he's been practicing [Reinforcent] on, right? Maybe he's just looking for sothing to defend himself with."}
{"Maybe."} Tatsuo replied in a skeptical tone.
While Tatsuo and Elicia were talking, Shirou managed to open the storehouse's door. He then stepped inside and looked around with Tatsuo and Elicia following closely behind.
Inside the storehouse, a large room that was not at all decorated, there were a number of items, most of which were not in good condition due to Shirou failing at [Reinforcent]. However, there were a few things, from which, Tatsuo and Elicia could feel a hint of mana.
One thing they did notice, however, was the fact that no matter where they looked, there was nothing that could be considered a weapon in the whole storehouse. Though, there were a few tal pipes and poles scattered around.
While Tatsuo and Elicia were scanning the room, Shirou made his way over to an old box fan and placed his hand on it while closing his eyes.
"[Trace On]." Shirou muttered while injecting his Od into the fan.
{"He's not looking for weapons or trying to make sothing to protect himself."} Tatsuo said in a deadpan. {"He's just practicing his Magecraft."}
{"Ehehe... he."} Elicia could only chuckle in a hollow manner at what she saw.
Like that, ti passed slowly. And just as Tatsuo and Elicia grew tired of seeing Shirou try, and fail, to reinforce a number of scrapped items, they both felt a pair of presences arrive outside the Emiya Residence.
{"Finally."} Tatsuo muttered in a relieved tone. {"If they took any longer, I might have attacked him myself. Seriously, watching this is painful."}
{"Well, we don't all have [The End]."} Elicia said while rolling her eyes. {"Like I said, it takes ti to learn a skill."}
{"Whatever."} Tatsuo replied. {"There's taking ti to learn, then there's having no talent. Can you guess which column this guy falls into?"}
Before the conversation could continue, however, both Tatsuo and Elicia fell silent. Then, they quietly moved away from the storehouse door and found the best vantage point to watch what happened next.
*Bang!*
A mont later, the door to the storehouse was kicked open, causing the item Shirou was trying to [Reinforce] to explode when he lost concentration. At the sa ti, Shirou quickly turned around to see who the intruder was.
When he did, Shirou was surprised to see the sa man clad in blue and carrying a red spear that had stabbed him in the chest earlier in the evening.
"You?" Shirou exclaid in confusion.
"." The man in blue, Lancer, replied with a smile. "Look, Kid. I don't know how you survived having your heart skewered. And to be honest, I'd rather not have to do this to you. But we don't always get to choose the paths our lives take."
"Stop chattering, Lancer." Bazett said from behind her Servant. "Just finish it so we can leave. There's no guarantee that we're alone here."
"Got it." Lancer replied without looking away from Shirou. "Well, you heard the lady. I got a job to finish."
With that, Lancer flourished his spear. Then, he dashed forward, ready to once again stab Shirou in the chest.
However, this ti Shirou was not as surprised as last ti. As a result, he was able to dive out of the way of Lancer's stab. Yet, before he could climb off the ground, he was forced to roll away to avoid another stab.
"You're more nimble than I expected, Kid." Lancer said as he stepped forward and swung his spear down from above.
*Bang!*
"Ah!" Shirou yelped in pain as he quickly flipped himself up from the floor.
Though Shirou was able to roll away from Lancer's overhead smash, the force behind the blow sent pieces of the floor flying in all directions. And because of the flying debris, he ended up being cut on his left shoulder, blood already dripping down his arm while he put pressure on it and glared at Lancer, who was pulling the tip of his spear out of the floor.
Once his spear was out of the floor, Lancer once again started to flourish it in a masterful way. He then started walking towards Shirou slowly, causing the young man to step backwards in return.
*Clatter!*
Eventually, Shirou was backed into a wall. At the sa ti, he bumped a tal rod with his foot.
Looking down at the tal rod, Shirou got an idea. So, he picked it up and closed his eyes while holding it in front of him like a short sword.
"Are you so scared that you're going to try and fight with your eyes closed?" Lancer asked, an amused smile on his face.
However, Shirou did not respond. Instead...
"[Trace On]." Shirou chanted as his magic circuits flared to life.
Seeing the mana circulating through the rod, Lancer's eyes widened slightly. Then, the amused smile on his face stretched into a genuine one with a hint of respect.
anwhile, Shirou put all his concentration into [Reinforcing] the structure of the rod, using his Od to fill in any structural flaws. And thanks to the do or die situation, his [Reinforcent] succeeded, the result far better than any of his previous successful [Reinforcents].
When Shirou finally opened his eyes, he was surprised at just how much stronger he had made the rod. However, knowing he did not have much ti to bask in his success, his gaze flicked back to Lancer, who waited for him to finish.
"Good." Lancer said with an appreciative nod. "Although this still won't be a challenge, at least you're willing to fight back."
*Clang!*
Instead of replying, Shirou dashed forward, swinging the rod at Lancer's head from above. However, just as Lancer said, he was able to easily deflect the rod. Even so, Shirou maneuvered to strike once again. Though, his movents were a bit rigid.
*Clang!* *Clang!* *Clang!* *Clang!* *Clang!*
Riding the montum of his parried strike, Shirou spun and lashed the rod at Lancer's right side. But just like before, Lancer was able to parry the blow, knocking the rod upwards with the butt of his spear.
Even so, Shirou did not give up, the determination to live etched clearly into his expression.
Like that, the two exchanged several more blows, Lancer parrying all of Shirou's attacks with ease.
*Shatter!*
Unfortunately, there was no way that a common tal rod, no matter how well it was reinforced by Magecraft, could stand up to a Servant's weapon. So, before long, the rod in Shirou's hand shattered. And Lancer, understanding that the entertainnt had run its course, slamd the shaft of his spear into Shirou's chest.
"Gahh!" Shirou grunted as he was sent flying with the air knocked out of his lungs.
*Bang!*
Shirou's short flight ended when his back slamd into the wall of the storehouse, causing his vision to darken around the edges. Yet, with his will alone, he avoided falling unconscious. Instead, as he slid down to the floor and his arms lay at his sides, he glared at Lancer, who was approaching him slowly while drawing back his spear.
"Well, Kid, this was more fun than I expected." Lancer said, stopping just inside the range necessary to end Shirou's life. "And for what it's worth, I was serious when I said I'd rather not have to do this to you."
Understanding he was about to die, indignation roared within Shirou's heart.
Ever since the day he was saved from the Great Fuyuki Fire ten years ago by his adopted father and saw just how happy it made him that he was able to save a single life, Shirou had vowed to beco a hero just like his father. But now, with things the way they were now, that dream would never co true.
'No, I can't die like this!' Shirou shouted in his heart.
*Flash!*
With that thought, sothing inside of Shirou reacted. At the sa ti, the blood that had dripped down his injured left shoulder and onto the floor of the storehouse was unconsciously infused with is odd, quickly drawing a circular pattern on the floor under his left hand.
"No, I can't die like this!" Shirou shouted once again, this ti aloud, as soon as Lancer moved to stab his spear.
And with that, a column of light rose from the circle of blood. At the sa ti, so of the blood that dripped down his arm ford a pattern on the back of his hand.
"What's this?" Lancer asked as he leapt away from the magical phenonon.
At the sa ti, Bazett stepped inside of the storehouse, drawn in by the magical light. She then carefully scrutinized what was happening.
"So, he's the seventh." Bazett muttered, recognizing the magical phenonon for what it was...
A Servant Summoning.
As Bazett's words ca to an end, a silhouette rose from the floor. As it did, the light began to fade. And when the silhouette was complete, the light died out completely, revealing the figure that had just arrived.
The young woman that appeared from the summoning circle was beautiful, petite, and slender. Standing at just over 5' tall, she had facial features that made her seem both elegant and naive, vibrant green eyes and blonde hair that seed to be spun from gold pulled back into a bun and fastened with a blue ribbon.
As for this seemingly young woman's attire, she wore an armored, long-sleeved, blue dress with a silver chest plate, overlapping silver plates down the hems of the dress, and silver gauntlets. And when she appeared from the [Summoning Circle], she held her hands together as though she were holding a weapon. Yet, the ceapon would not be seen at all.
Then, without hesitation, the blonde young woman pushed off the ground, her powerful step leaving a crack on the storehouse's floor and dashed towards Lancer while drawing her hands back to strike.
"Heh, I don't' know who you are lady." Lancer said while reading his spear to defend. "But I like that look in your eyes. How 'bout we have a good ol' fashioned fight to the death?"
*Clang!*
Without responding to Lancer's words, Saber swung her invisible weapon, aiming for Lancer's left shoulder. However, Lancer reacted quickly, catching the invisible blade with the shaft of his spear.
From the feedback of the impact, Lancer could deduce that the weapon the young woman wielded was a sword, which narrowed down the number of possible Servant Classes she could be. However, he still did not have enough information to make a decisive call.
*Clang!* *Clang!* Swish!* *Screech!* *Crack!* *Clang!*
Even so, from what Lancer could tell, this woman's swordsmanship was incredible. On top of that, he could tell that she was doing all she could to force him out of the storehouse, to protect her Master, no doubt.
{"You'd better get out of here, Bazett."} Lancer said in a serious tone over his telepathic link with Bazett. {"She's trying to push out of here. And if she does, she'll co for you next."}
{"Is she really that strong?"} Bazett asked with a bit of shock in her tone.
{"She's nowhere near as fast as I am."} Lancer replied. {"But she uses her mana in a way that lets her keep up with and hit harder. So, I'm gonna get forced out eventually. That's not to say that she could beat if I went all out. But I'll keep my [Noble Phantasm] hidden for now. For so reason, I feel like soone is watching . And I don't' like it."}
{"Understood."} Bazett said with a nod.
With that decided, Lancer did his best to steer the battle away from the storehouse's entrance. anwhile, Bazett made her way towards the entrance without drawing attention to herself. Yet, she could not help but want to attack Shirou, who was dazedly staring at his Servant. But any ti she focused on him for too long, she felt the Servant's attention shift to her just long enough to let her know that she was still in her line of fire.
Eventually, Saber managed to force Lancer out of the storehouse. By then, Bazett had already left and started moving towards the residence's gates. And when Lancer was no longer in the storehouse, he took off at high speed, scooped up Bazett in his arms, and leapt over the gate and ran off into the night.
anwhile, the Servant watched them leave before turning back and returning to Shirou's side. Then, without speaking a word to her Master, she turned in a certain direction and pointed her invisible weapon at seemingly nothing.
"Show yourself." The blonde Servant said in a commanding tone. "Otherwise, I will be forced to attack."
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