Remaining Days: 5
As I get up to leave the classroom, I hear a short ringtone. Knowing it must be the terminal I received yesterday, I take it from my pocket to see for the cause of the ringtone. It appears to be a message.
: : The next combatants will be announced on the second-floor bulletin board.
So, I will find out who is going to be my first opponent now. I'm nervous. If it's a strong Master or just a Master with a Servant of great strength I am sure to fall. Yet if it is a weak opponent… it means I will kill. I cannot fully process the idea of doing so, of ending one's life, so before I lose myself in those thoughts I feel Saber patting my shoulder. "Don't worry Master, I'll kill them. The blood won't really be on your hands."
By taking the guilt of battle on herself she tries to comfort me. Somehow it works but makes me wonder if she has killed in her previous life already. Or rather, how often she did so. I can hardly believe the prideful, short girl I see as my partner to be a murderer. But in the end, every Servant and every Master who doesn't die in their first battle is inevitably turning into a murderer sooner or later. It's kill or be killed after all.
Calmed but somehow embarrassed at how easily Saber could sense my discomfort I make my way to the bulletin board. "Sorry for being so weak and useless, Saber. You deserve better than me." I truly believe these words to be truth.
"Yeah, I probably do." I sigh. She doesn't have to be so brutally honest. "But you summoned me, so it'll have to do." I hope it's her way to accept me as her Master and not wishing for just anyone else.
On the bulletin board, I can spot a paper posted there, two names are written on it. The first name is Ritsuka Fujimaru. It is my own. So, the name next to mine has to be my opponent. It is… Shinji Matou. I wince at reading that name. I remember him.
Shinji Matou is part of the "average student memory" I still have. He is a smart, popular student—at least that's what he believes and what he wants everyone else to think as well. In fact, he is average at best but somehow his boasting still makes him popular with girls. Except for Rin Tohsaka who is known as the only girl to ever reject him.
I'm surprised on what detailed memories of him I have. "So… you're my first opponent? I'm surprised you even managed to qualify," I hear a guy saying behind me. I turn around to see no one else but Shinji Matou. "But hey, all things are possible here. Who knows, you might even be the most powerful magus here," he says, grinning. "I don't really think so…" For some reason, I don't feel comfortable around this guy. If possible, I would love this conversation to end as soon as possible to leave.
"What kind of jerk is that?" Saber asks me. I feel like her choice of word and timing isn't really good. " What did you just say?" Shinji glares at my Servant now. "N-now now, let's calm down. Saber, Shinji is… uhm, someone I remember from before I really joined this war." I try to defuse this situation and give Saber a short explanation that should be enough to keep her from angering Shinji again so soon and that wouldn't make Shinji too mad.
Now that this question is out of the way, Shinji keeps going. "Anyway, we're at quite different levels. But since we're friends—" I'm definitely not going to let him keep talking. "Friends? Us? I have lost my memory but I'm sure my choice of friends wasn't as bad."
As I cut him off I see the shock on his face. Partly because I "dared" to cut off the "great Shinji"; partly because of the words I used, I suppose. Saber, next to me, holds her hand in front of her mouth to silence her chuckles a bit. Grinding his teeth, Shinji growled at me, "Didn't you just barely squeak through the prelims?! A charity case like you should not have such a big mouth."
I shrug. "It takes one to know one, I guess." His face red from rage and the embarrassment of having a girl talk him down, he stomps away.
Saber now laughs fully. "Better than I expected, Master." She praises me, in her own way.
"I just didn't want him to make any more moves, okay? He is… creepy." My declaration is met with approval. "I think so, too. So, it's good that you managed to fend him off." Considering he will be the one to fight me, angering him might not have been a smart move though…
***
In the evening, my terminal chirms again.
: : The primary Cipher Key has been generated.
"You should head to the Arena soon and claim it, Master," Saber tells me. I can see that she's also looking forward to the battles that come with going to the Arena. "I guess we should. You seem impatient to get there anyway," I state the obvious.
"It's been a full day since I could use my sword. Of course, I am." She replies as if killing was nothing. Sure, it's just Enemy Programs we defeated until now but still. I don't know how to work with a partner that enjoys battles so much.
In that regard, we definitely are opposites. But I know she fights for me and she protects me. Even though she doesn't show, she probably somehow cares for me after all. At least I hope so. I can't help but wonder who she was in her real life. And I hope I'll find out soon.
I head down the stairs. On the first floor, I see Shinji. As I approach him, he doesn't seem to have calmed down at all. "Going to get the Trigger, too? Sucks to be you."
I don't understand. "Excuse me…?"
He grins. "I'm going in now as well. A total cretin like you won't even find it, but good luck anyway!" Shinji leaves, laughing.
"He's way too self-opinionated. It's irritating." Saber groans. I can understand her, I actually feel the same.
"We can't help it, can we?" That's just how Shinji is.
"Also, he insulted you and you don't even care?" Saber asks me. She clearly is surprised by that.
"Yeah… Something wrong with it?"
She shrugs. "Nothing. Just found it weird, that's all." I can't make sense of her words. "I don't understand?" She groans again, slightly frustrated. "You should get mad and want to kick his ass over such a thing, you know. That would be normal. Just why don't you care?" So, that's what she meant.
"I don't know. Maybe… because I don't even know who I am myself I can't really feel insulted? I don't know if what he said about me is true or not in the first place, so—" But Saber cuts me off.
"That's no good. As your Servant, if you don't want to kick his ass, I'll do it for you. Let's head straight for the Arena so I can get your revenge!"
As we enter the Arena, Saber suddenly grins. "What's wrong, Saber?"
She tells me, "That jerk is here, I can sense it. Along with his Servant. Let's go." I'm not so sure about that. "Wait, Saber! We should be more careful. We don't know what kind of Servant he has." Saber looks at me disinterested.
"So? Then we'll go fight them to find out. I was summoned to fight, wasn't I?"
I sigh. "You're right."
That girl… But I guess we have no choice. Information is crucial in this war after all. This is a one time chance for information. Who knows when I have another one to get to know something about his Servant and their abilities? I'm a bit scared but I can't let it pass.
As we explore the Arena once again, Saber slashes through the Enemy Programs like a berserker just as yesterday. "Seems like you got a little bit better already, Master. I can use more strength today than I could yesterday."
Interpreting it as a praise, I'm happy. "I'm glad I can make you stronger." I really hope I can grow even more to support her.
Straight down the path, I can see him already, a pink-haired woman by his side. She must be his Servant. As I slowly approach them, Saber comments, thankfully not loud enough to be heard by them, "We found them. The useless guy and what must be his Servant."
"Ritsuka, you're late. While you kept crawling around like a pathetic insect, I obtained the Trigger already," he tries to mock me.
"You went in before us, so I don't think that's so surprising." It seems like he's biting back an insult.
"Anyway, let me introduce my Servant to you. Not that it matters much, I'm sure to win after all. You can't even get your Cipher Keys, it's basically already Game Over for you."
He is definitely not lacking any self-confidence. "Again… We just got here. And with you blocking our way, we can't really go obtain it in the first place. So, could you please move out of our way?" Saber says in my stead, clearly irritated by Shinji as much as I am.
His Servant speaks up, "Hey, girl. Sorry but when it comes to talking to others, my Master is quite a social retard, right? Seeing him having an actual conversation, I thought this would end peacefully but apparently…"
"Apparently, that won't do, exactly," Saber says. Shinji seems even more angered by his Servant now.
"Why in the hell are you engaging her in a friendly chat?! She is my enemy ! Hurry up and maim her already!" He shouts at his Servant but she just chuckles.
"How tough. I have to admit, it's admirable that you're evil enough to give a friend a beat down. Especially a girl friend."
With that, she charges forward and so does Saber. They are facing each other now. Every second could be an opening none of them would want to miss. The air is tense. I've never been in a battle like this. The killing intent of the effigy was nothing compared to the killing intent of this woman. And Saber is no different.
Before Shinji's Servant can shoot her gun, Saber charges and strikes her with her blade. However, she defends herself letting the steel of Saber's blade meeting nothing but the steel of her gun, shooting at Saber with her other gun, hitting her shoulder. Saber jumps back, her expression showing the pain her left shoulder must give her. Shinji's Servant keeps shooting but Saber manages to dodge every other bullet, panting.
"Master, what now?!" Saber yells at me. I know, we're partners and it's my responsibility to keep her healthy and to command her in battle. Strategy is also my responsibility. I must try not to panic now.
"Keep guarding, please… We can't try to attack with your shoulder being like this." I hope this is not a bad decision. Saber groans.
"That's boring. But fine, if you say so." Shinji chuckles, he doesn't appear to be any affected by this situation. He treats this like a game.
As Saber holds her sword in front of her, none of the bullets manage to hurt her anymore. They are stopped by her blade without exception. Suddenly, a force pushes both Servants to a certain distance of each other. "Crap… Looks like the SERAPH has its eye on us," Shinji grumbles. As battles between the Masters are forbidden until the Elimination Battle, the SERAPH seems to enforce that rule even in the Arena. That saved my life.
"You know what? If you beg hard enough I might make you my underling, Ritsuka." Shinji grins at me. He's sure he'd have won if not for the SERAPH and I know this myself too. I grit my teeth. "Who knows. Maybe I'll even share some of the prize money with you!" He laughs, it feels like he's a lunatic for me.
"I would rather die right here, right now than to even consider that." I say, trying to keep my voice as harsh as I can.
Shinji harrumphs and teleports himself and his Servant out of the Arena. Next to me, Saber falls onto her knees. "Damn, she got me." She is gripping her left shoulder. I can't imagine the pain she must be going through right now. I would just love to help her. "You can't do anything about it, can you?" Saber asks me openly but I am not sure on what to do.
I bring my right hand in front of myself, almost touching her bleeding shoulder and support it with my left hand. I concentrate. I whisper, "Heal();" A warm light emerges from her shoulder and the wound closes. I don't really understand how I did this or why I knew what to do, it just seemed natural to me in this situation.
"Thanks," Saber stands up, looking surprised. Apparently, she hadn't expected me to be as useful either. "That woman used guns. She might be an Archer…"
I give it a thought. "Are you sure about that, Saber?"
She shakes her head. "Not really. Something just doesn't add up there. Sorry."
I shake my head, "No need to be, Saber. You did great." She grips her sword tightly again.
"Now, let's kill some small fry and train," she says. I agree and we keep going.
Far into the Arena, I finally find the Trigger Code Alpha. "So, this is a Trigger," I say. My terminal somehow saves it.
"There are two per round, so don't forget the second one. I wouldn't want to lose for such a silly reason." Saber warns me. I know she is right. Somehow, I feel the same. I don't want to fight but losing for such a reason feels even worse. As we have what we need now, we leave the Arena and head for our private room for the night.
***
Saber sits on a table and sighs. "Today was a disappointment. We clearly lost." I agree and apologize to her. If I was stronger… The battle might have gone better. "But more importantly… I was surprised to see you know a Code Cast."
I don't understand. " Code Cast? What's that?"
My Servant is visibly disappointed at my inexperience, yet again. "You used it to heal me in the Arena. It is the combination of a magus's spell and a programming code. It is the casting this Grail War uses." She explains to me. Programming code… This might explain why Shinji came to treat this like a game.
"Also, thanks to your command it didn't get worse. Thanks, I guess." I feel happy by hearing Saber thank me. I'm glad I made the right decision.
"Also, we obtained information and the first Trigger," I say. The first round isn't going too bad for now. I can just hope it stays this way.
I don't want to die.