"...Crap, this is looking bad."
At the Mion River Bridge, Rider—Iskandar—sat perched atop a suspended arch, gazing toward the warehouse district. He muttered under his breath as he rose to his feet.
"W-what is it?" Seeing the red-haired giant of a Servant reveal an expression of urgency for the first time, Waver felt a surge of unease. He shivered, clinging to the bridge's steel structure.
"That Master who can fight Servants... he's likely going to win," Iskandar said, his voice deep and heavy. "If this keeps up, between Lancer and Saber, one of them is going to be knocked out of the race."
"Impossible! How can a magus possibly defeat a Servant?!" Startled enough to nearly forget his fear of heights, Waver shouted in disbelief.
"Normally, it is impossible. But what if he is borrowing a Servant's power?" Iskandar's booming voice rang through the cold wind. At this moment, the burly man was displaying a tactical mind that belied his rugged exterior. "In my estimation, that fellow's Servant must be Caster."
"Eh?" Waver struggled to keep up with Rider's leaping logic, letting out a sound of confused bewilderment.
"However, even if the power is borrowed, those martial arts that have reached the domain of the gods are the real deal." Iskandar laughed heartily, his excitement mounting. "To think such a mighty warrior exists in this era! I truly wish to recruit him into my ranks and have him join me in conquering the world!"
"But weren't you planning to wait until they were exhausted before striking!" Waver questioned, finally snapping back to reality.
"I thought a chance to cross blades with heroes from different eras was a once-in-a-lifetime opportunity. And with six of them at once, I certainly can't let a single one slip away."
A low, fierce growl vibrated in Iskandar's throat, like the rumble of a lion, yet a grin tugged at the corners of his mouth. "It would be a tragedy if a Servant were to exit the stage this early."
"Isn't it better if they die? Isn't the Holy Grail War about killing each other! Waaah—" Waver's hysterical outburst was ruthlessly interrupted by a sharp flick to the forehead.
"To win but not destroy, to dominate but not humiliate—that is true 'Conquest'!"
Iskandar puffed out his chest heroically. He drew the spatha at his waist and slashed at the empty air, tearing space asunder. Swirling prana surged forth as a resplendent ox-cart Noble Phantasm manifested amidst crackling lightning. Waver, feeling like he'd be blown away by the sudden gale, fought back tears and hugged the steel girder tight.
"Observation time is over. We're joining the fray, boy."
Before his words even landed, Rider adjusted his crimson mantle and leaped onto the chariot.
"Idiot, idiot, idiot! You're being reckless!"
"Hmm? If you don't want to go, you can stay here and watch."
"I'm going! Take me with you, you big idiot!"
"Excellent! That's my Master for you!"
Iskandar let out a boisterous laugh, scooped Waver up by the collar, and sat him down beside him.
"Now, move out! Gordius Wheel!"
Before the battle in the warehouse district began, inside the Tohsaka Magecraft Workshop:
Tohsaka Tokiomi, dressed in his wine-red suit, sat in his chair with his eyes closed. He wasn't resting; he was controlling a familiar sent to the eastern part of the Seaside Park. Since his summoned Archer refused to share his senses, Tokiomi had to rely on familiars as his eyes and ears to observe the battle.
"That woman—" Through the familiar's hidden vision, Tokiomi saw Irisviel standing openly on the street. He mused for a moment before whispering to himself, "An Einzbern homunculus, likely."
"I didn't expect them to craft another puppet Master. I thought the notorious 'Magus Killer' Emiya Kiritsugu was the pawn they had prepared. It seems I guessed wrong."
After deducing Irisviel's identity, Tokiomi fell silent, continuing to monitor the situation. Soon, as a familiar silver-haired figure emerged from the shadows, an expression of genuine shock crossed Tokiomi's face.
"Yuu-kun? I didn't expect him to participate in the Holy Grail War..."
To be honest, Tokiomi was floored. He had assumed Yuu had taken Sakura away from Fuyuki to avoid this cruel vortex. He never imagined his close friend would be chosen by the Grail in the ensuing six months and join the struggle.
But that was only the beginning. What happened next far exceeded Tokiomi's expectations. He watched as the youth pulled a gold card from his pocket and inserted it into a strange belt. A powerful surge of prana erupted, and even his clothing transformed. Then, Yuu proceeded to trade blows with the Einzbern Servant on equal footing.
"It seems the most troublesome enemy of this Holy Grail War has been identified..." Tokiomi's voice sounded exceptionally grave.
If possible, Tokiomi wanted to eliminate Yuu's Servant and send Yuu to the Church for protection until the war ended. That way, in the future, Yuu could look after his wife and daughter. After all, if he won, he would reach the Root; if he lost, he would be killed. Tokiomi knew he wouldn't be around for Rin and Aoi regardless.
But the current situation didn't allow for such a clean exit. Normally, the Servant fought while the Master planned and supported. This bizarre duo had reversed the roles.
If Yuu's Servant never showed themselves, Tokiomi would have no choice but to rely on Archer's overwhelming power to kill the Master to fulfill the Tohsaka family's ancestral wish. But if he did that, Sakura would lose her home once again...
He had already hurt his daughter once; was he really going to do it again?
Tokiomi clenched his fist, his brow furrowed in thought. Is there any way to resolve this situation?
___
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