Chapter 6: Caster vs Lancer

Bang!

A heavy hand slammed down on the wooden table, causing the teacups to rattle precariously. For a moment, Kiritsugu Emiya, the stoic Magus Killer, uncharacteristically lost his composure. A deep frown creased his brow, etching worry lines onto his usually emotionless face.

He had underestimated the Holy Grail War. Bringing Irisviel along wasn't just due to her strong will to participate; Kiritsugu genuinely believed it would be beneficial. Her knowledge and magical aptitude were invaluable assets.

But everything had taken a dire turn right from the start, events unfolding far more chaotically than he'd anticipated.

According to Saber's description of the shadowy figure who had attacked them, it was highly likely that Assassin had kidnaped Irisviel.

In a worst-case scenario, the opponent might even discover the scabbard, Avalon.

If that happened, Saber's true identity as the legendary King Arthur would be revealed, jeopardizing their entire strategy and potentially attracting unwanted attention.

The surprise artillery attack from above was the most prominent variable they hadn't accounted for.

Otherwise, the mere appearance of a single Assassin wouldn't have left them so passive. The booming explosions had thrown their carefully planned offensive into disarray.

"The best course of action now is to quickly locate Assassin and rescue Irisviel."

Both her nature and the scabbard are indispensable factors.

"I will help."

Though her relationship with Kiritsugu remained strained, the idea of Irisviel being held captive was unacceptable.

The woman she had sworn to protect was not only injured but also kidnapped.

As the King of Knights, how could she remain indifferent? No matter what disagreements they had, Saber wouldn't abandon her duty.

"Assassin won't get away unscathed. Ideally, we should complete the assault today."

Considering the new strategy necessitated by the unexpected events, Kiritsugu had no choice but to cooperate with Saber. After witnessing last night's battle firsthand, he didn't feel confident facing the unknown alone.

"The first thing we need to do is find the location of Assassin and his Master."

---

"Rider, even if you're wearing modern clothes, aren't you attracting too much attention?"

"Indeed, this appearance of mine doesn't resemble ordinary folks at all."

"even among foreigners, you're quite conspicuous."

Watching Lelouch navigate the bustling streets, Waver couldn't help but feel a growing unease. It was no wonder that Rider's very presence seemed to command attention. His regal posture, graceful movements, and striking features – he looked like a prince stepped out of a storybook. To say he wouldn't turn heads would be a blatant lie.

"Don't worry. In a marketplace like this, nothing will happen."

In such a crowded square, if there were any attackers among the Servants, what they should be worried about might not be themselves but rather the so-called Church. They then sat down in a nearby café before ordering coffee.

"Hmm? There's magical energy fluctuation."

But at that moment, Waver noticed something unusual somewhere else, and he turned to look.

"There seems to be a battle between Servants happening elsewhere."

"What a pity."

Lelouch lifted his teacup and took a sip, glancing down at his feet with a hint of regret in his tone. He originally wanted to try to see if there would be any servant as brave and reckless as Suzaku coming to attack, so he specially prepared a significant gift. But it seemed unnecessary now.

"Let's go."

"Okay!"

---

"This guy? Is he a Servant?"

Wielding her spear, with no change in attire, Kyoko looked at the figure in black armor with an axe bound to his right arm. She had just passed through this alley when she was suddenly ambushed.

Bang! Clang!

The force of the opponent's attack was within her tolerance range, something she could easily handle. But his combat awareness was quite agile.

"That's not a Servant. It should be a familiar, but to control such a familiar, perhaps only Caster, who is proficient in magic, could do so."

Kayneth, who was observing from a distance, confidently identified the opponent's identity.

"Although not as powerful as Lancer, he's quite troublesome."

Even without Kayneth's explanation, Sola, as the Master, could perceive the problem.

"Heh, post-dinner exercise, that's acceptable."

Kyoko made such an assessment. She didn't want to appear too embarrassed in front of those two. Swinging her spear, she thrust towards the figure in front, but he twisted his waist to avoid the direct hit.

"Too bad. Just dodging won't work,"

Kyoko smirked.

The spear pierced through, then curved at the tip, twisting like a nunchaku, and struck his side.

Bang! Crack!

Like glass shattering, the familiar in front of them fragmented and disappeared.

"Huh, is its defense so fragile? It vanished after just one hit."

Kyoko observed this scene with surprise, showing a puzzled expression. Even though the opponent seemed well-equipped, this phenomenon seemed a bit inconsistent with their performance.

"So, this is the way battles are fought here?"

A voice echoed from the empty corner. Kyoko turned her head to see a blond young man walking out.

"Are you the master of that familiar?"

"I'm not a Master."

"You must be the so-called Caster?"

Pointing her spear at him with one hand, Kyoko, although unsure why Caster was confident enough to show himself, found it fitting.

"Well, I don't really understand the rules here."

"The role assigned to me is indeed what you'd call a Caster."

"That's not important. Our goal is the same, isn't it?"

Pulling out the Dragon Balls, Jonouchi smirked.

"Hey, just hand them over."

"That's not going to happen."

---

"Something's not right."

"Hmm? Why'd you say that?"

Kayneth's words puzzled Sola as they sat in the car discussing.

"The Dragon Balls should have been kept by the Master."

"In terms of existence, they should be akin to Command Seals, as you've mentioned before, right?"

"Exactly my point."

"But it's not just that Caster has the Dragon Balls; it's that a magician like him dares to confront Lancer, one of the Three Knights class servants?"

From the observed data, except for luck, Caster's stats were far lower than Lancer's in every aspect. Even in magical energy, which should be Caster's forte, Lancer's was higher. In this situation, it's suspicious that the opponent dares to show himself.

'Lancer, deal with him quickly; there might be a trick!'

Realizing this, Sola hurriedly urged her servant fighting Caster.

"Let's keep our distance too."

To avoid a situation like last night's artillery bombardment, Kayneth didn't dare to be reckless.

"Don't blame me for strutting out so boldly!"

On the other hand, Kyoko didn't mince words as she looked at Caster in front of her. She swung her spear instantly, ready to thrust forward.

"Oh dear. You declared an attack just now, didn't you?"

Not flustered, Jonouchi merely stood with his hands on his hips, smirking triumphantly.

!!!!

At that moment, Kyoko suddenly found herself unable to move.

"What?"

Looking down, she saw strange runes appearing on her arms.

"Spellbinding Circle!"

A halo materialized around Kyoko, constricting her movements like invisible chains. She could barely twitch her feet, but her arms were completely immobilized.

"Is this your magic?"

Despite being imbued with the corresponding knowledge, Kyoko had never encountered an opponent like this before. She hadn't seen any action from her opponent, yet she was already caught off guard.

To this, Jonouchi responded confidently.

"The moment you attempted to attack me, you have already fallen into my trap card."