[FDJ] Chapter 9: Collaboration

Fuyuki Bridge, Matou Residence, Commercial Street, Homurahara Academy... It was in the opposite direction that Shinji initially escaped the bridge and survived in the new city area of Fuyuki City with the resurrected Lancer, Medusa. Now, his Servant, Lancer, defeated Rider, who was guarding the bridge. After barely treating Lancer's injuries, Shinji is eager to step into the boundaries of the old city area.

"Master, did you decide to return to the battlefield for the sake of the Holy Grail?" Shinji only healed the surface scratches. In reality, Lancer needs a more skilled magus to treat her or take several days of rest for self-recovery. The issue of magical energy can be solved by Caster as well, and potions synthesized by Caster using the advantages of a magical territory are quite effective.

Suzuki doesn't know how to use magecraft. At least, she learned from Shinji, but he could not even perform the basic healing magecraft at the same level as him.

This makes Shinji self-satisfied. Having a high quantity and quality of magical circuits doesn't necessarily mean having a high level of magecraft. That's how he sees it.

"If Rider can be defeated, why not try to fight back? Let us set the Holy Grail aside. The last large stronghold in the new city area, the harbor zone, has already been eliminated. We can assume that no one remains. However, there may still be survivors in the old city areas. We can bring them to the already safe new city area. Isn't it nice to be heroes once again?"

Self-proclaimed as a victor, without any caution, Shinji's current state makes Suzuki feel uneasy. Moreover, Servant Caster, who doesn't show himself, is not necessarily "safe."

"That's enough! Master, do you know that I have almost lost to Rider now? Where does your confidence come from? Just because of your lousy magical talent, you gave me the worst set of attributes. If my speed had been a little faster, I wouldn't have been counterattacked by Rider!" Lancer, who could no longer bear it, had already prepared a backup plan to abandon her Master. If it were not for Caster to provide additional ways to obtain magical energy, she would have to think about how to make Shinji transfer Command Spells to Suzuki.

Now she can easily end Shinji's life, and even if she cannot transfer Command Spells, she can rely on Caster's method to sustain herself.

Feeling the warning from Lancer like a blow to the head, Shinji immediately shuts up and obediently steps aside. In the past, he did not yield easily.

"In the name of the Command Spell, restore the damage on Lancer's body."

Lancer was also puzzled by when her useless Master became so "obedient" and willingly used the Command Spell to heal her. In the Holy Grail War a month ago, he used Command Spells from beginning to end. However, since he was willing to keep his mouth shut and understood who in this small team truly had the authority to speak and how to make the most of his role, she temporarily suppressed the urge to kill. The difference between having one human and two humans on her side was not significant.

"If you're determined to go to the old city area, then decide on a stronghold first." Lancer stayed here for the sake of the Holy Grail. Regardless of the method, as long as she could obtain the Holy Grail, she would consider doing it, including temporarily keeping the useless Master.

Suzuki had witnessed two of them arguing and flipping tables yesterday, so he was surprised that Shinji willingly yielded and used Command Spell. He was genuinely concerned that Lancer might suddenly turn against him.

"Go to Homurahara Academy, and then use the residence of Saber's original Master as the stronghold."

Shinji's decision surprised Lancer even more. Her golden snake eyes stared at her Master who was shrinking in fear, trying to understand the reason from his expression. "Why not return to your family estate? And why choose the distant academy instead of the convergence point of the leylines?" Lancer knew that Archer had hunted Assassin in the academy a few days ago, which led to their encounter with Assassin. Just before dawn, she was shot in the leg by Archer from a distance, without the coordination of Caster. She dared not to engage in a one-on-one battle with Archer.

"If Saber's original Master is still alive, perhaps we can use his remaining Command Spells to eliminate Saber, who guards the Holy Grail."

Lancer could also tell that her Master was lying. It wasn't for the sole purpose of winning the Holy Grail War. But this faint possibility was worth trying, and... she heard the sounds of two Servants fighting in the distance from another direction. If she guessed correctly, it should be Caster and Archer, both moving at high speed in the city area.

If they can eliminate Archer's threat, it is not a bad idea to immediately move to the depths of the old city. "Human, what's your opinion?"

Suzuki didn't think that Shinji's clever approach had a high chance of success, and he was curious why a Master would hide in a school instead of going directly to the other Master's residence, which would have a higher probability. A magus had no reason to easily give up their workshop.

"Why not go directly to that Master's residence?"

"You don't understand him, Suzuki-kun. I'm not worried about not finding him; I'm worried that he, being the single-minded fool he is, got himself killed on the first day of the disaster. He's the kind of person who rushes into danger when someone else is in danger."

Does such a person exist? And he's a Master with a magical heritage? Suzuki became more convinced that Shinji was deceiving him, but since Lancer was willing to try, he would certainly not contradict her outright.

"We shouldn't delay. Shall we depart immediately?"

On the other hand, Caster and Archer were chasing and pursuing each other, and their magic and arrows intersected causing extensive damage to the already dilapidated buildings. Caster saw Lancer's group heading towards the depths of the old city area through his familiars and quickly changed direction to avoid Archer getting close to them.

"What's the matter, Caster? Are you worried about your companions?"

"No, they're just tools I use... Wait, you can still speak?"

Both stopped simultaneously and stood on the rooftops of the two buildings. Caster looked at Archer, who had transformed his previously rigid expression, with surprise. The latter was dressed all in black, hadn't released his Noble Phantasm's true name, and had red cracks left by some kind of magical corruption. He should have been the Shadow Servant formed after being defeated by Saber for the second time.

"What... what's going on? You're not a Shadow Servant?"

"I guess you could say that. Saber didn't hold back at all, and Rider and I couldn't last more than a few rounds. After being resurrected, I didn't figure out what was going on before she defeated me again." Archer spoke about it without resentment, as if he enjoyed being continuously defeated by Saber. Caster remembered one month ago that Archer was not like this. "Then I was also contaminated by the 'black mud,' as you can see, and became what I am now. Although I could not use my Noble Phantasm, the issue of my magical energy has been permanently resolved. As long as the Greater Grail buried under Mount Enzou is still there, we contaminated Servants can continue to receive abundant magical energy support. Isn't that great? We can exist without a Master and no longer be bound by humans."

"From your tone, it seems like becoming what you are now is a good thing?"

"Of course, Caster. Without a Master, wouldn't you consider becoming one of us? Or do you need me to 'help you'?"

Although Archer retains most of his functions, such as speech, as a Shadow Servant, he has become a servant of the Holy Grail. Their "Masters" are all the Greater Grail itself. If the current Greater Grail holds malice towards this city, the current situation is normal. The Shadow Servants no longer possess their former glory; they are merely remnants unable to use their Noble Phantasms.

"Why are you destroying this city?" Caster was shocked by the truth, which was far more abhorrent than what a certain demon told him. It seems that knowing too much was not beneficial; the changes in Fuyuki City far exceeded his ability to intervene.

"Hehehe! Destruction? Are you referring to killing all the humans in this city? That's to gather sacrifices, and the excess population is eliminated as well. We can't expect Rider's undead army to precisely follow the target indicators for killing, can we? Of course, the order is to wipe them out. This city has not yet reached the level of 'destruction'. The true disaster has not yet arrived."

"You dolls, devoid of humanity! Have you lost even the slightest trace of honor and sense of duty as Heroic Spirits?"

Flames appeared above the Caster's head, and multiple fireballs exploded at the location where Archer had been standing. His reprimand was useless against Archer, so it was better to use magic directly against him.

Arrows serving as blades shot out after the explosions, but they failed to hit Caster. Without his Noble Phantasm, it was unrealistic for Archer to defeat Caster through long-range shooting. After several arrows missed their targets, Archer realized that his opponent could counter the projectiles.

Caster believed that keeping Archer occupied would give Lancer's group time to establish a stronghold and prepare for future battles. However, he did not expect Knight, who commanded these Shadow Servants to defeat Lancer, who had brought two humans into the old city area, before dealing with the troublesome Caster.

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