Chapter 4: The Budding Chapter

"Sayonara~~"

The daylight cast into the window gradually shone obliquely, and with the slowly glowing golden evening scene, the good students said goodbye to each other and left the classroom one after another. This is the end of Rin Tosaka's day as an ordinary—and not ordinary—student. I walked directly to the rooftop of the main building and waited for the night to come. At that time, it was the stage when the magician Rin Tosaka was going to be active.

"It doesn't look like the students are noticing, Rin."

"yes. The school is also an unpleasant place. It's not surprising that I feel depressed. ”

Rin leaned on the edge of the rooftop with one hand on his chin, and the red lines in the air were clearly reflected in the pupils of his eyes. Rin and Archer are talking about this magic project. It's probably to the point of enchantment, but it's pretty clumsy in terms of technique. Barriers, which don't let people notice, are good, Rin thinks. Even so, there is no room for retention, because of the nature of the barrier—a very bad and brutal cannibal magic. Once activated, the ordinary people within the range will dissolve as literally, and the activator will use it to collect the overflowing souls, that is, the food needed by the followers of the spirit body.

“Archer。” Rin couldn't help but sigh.

“…… Rin? ”

But Rin didn't have a follow-up. He gritted his teeth, resisting the momentary urge to summon Archer to confirm his flesh. Rin tries to turn the conversation to the lighter side.

"To be honest, I didn't expect to actually run into a situation at school, Archer. When I went out in the morning, I thought you would stop me. ”

"Because Rin made the decision."

Archer replied with a smile that could be felt just by listening.

"No, that's the kind of thing you can say." Rin's breathing was disrupted, "...... I am, and I don't plan to change my normal life just because I become a master. If you want to say that it doesn't matter if I don't give it my all, I'll do it for you. ”

"Yes, yes."

Archer's attitude was a bit perfunctory, as if he was guarding against something. Rin thought about it for a moment and was relieved. There is no doubt that all that will be done in the future is to destroy the barrier, and it is only natural that the enemy will attack it. I still have the qualities of being a heroic spirit, this servant.

- Even if you want to chat, the topic of a girl, whether it is a magician, can not resonate with the Heroic Spirit. I was stunned for a while, and it was getting late. Here you can see the solitary moon and the setting sun on the horizon at the same time.

"It's time to act, Archer!"

Rin gave the order in a decisive voice.

————————————==————————————

"This is the seventh...... Anyway, you're kind enough, Rin. ”

"What. Of course, it is intolerable to do such a thing on the land of the Tosaka family. What's more, this is also a way to prevent the enemy's combat power from increasing, but it's not just ......"

"There's a lot of talking, Rin. Also, let go of your fist and say it again. ”

Rin let out a long sigh of relief. The "seventh" that Archer refers to refers to the [nodes] of the enchantment laid by other servants. Completely unknown techniques and runes, eliminating the possibility of the Master doing it himself. Because of this, Rin can't erase the mark. All you can do is remove the magic from the spell, but it's enough to delay the other person's progress. Rin turned her mind to the magic she was working on. Concentrated, the magic mark on his left arm glowed slightly.

“Abzug· Bedienung· Mittelstnda……”

The magic of the removal was complete, the color of the magic was washed away, and the traces of the spell became a dry riverbed—

"Rin!"

“？”

Suddenly, Archer's cry rang out, and almost at the same time, a cold sound sounded like the smell of a beast coming from the wind.

"How. It's a shame that it's gone. Well, it's okay to think you're an enemy. ”

“——！”

The servant who suddenly appeared, although he had expected it, was really not Youning. The guy who didn't convey any sense of threat throughout......

The vomiting sensation caused by the extreme contraction of internal organs in an instant brought Rin to her senses. The pale blue figure, and the red light, which was two meters long, undoubtedly the murder weapon, struck him.

- The body is faster than thinking, and it jumps with all its strength after crossing the stage of choice.

Can't hide! ……

"Bang! ——”

Violent tremors and blade grinding sounds exploded in a series of ears. The scene where the space and the flesh remaining in it are torn apart does not appear. With a muffled grunt, Archer crossed his swords in front of Rin. For an instant, I don't know how many times there were exchanges, and the sharp energy blocked by Archer blocked through the fierce wind seemed to cut through the skin.

"Rin!"

“Es·ist·gros,Es·ist·klein…… vox· Gott· EsAtlas！ ”

Rin flew over the barbed wire like a feather, smashing through the air and crashing to the ground under the influence of magic. Archer is also a light body-

"Drink! ——”

The unknown servant expresses his emotions with a loud shout. Doubts and contempt for the unconspiracy of the opponent, anger ignited by being belittled. Unlike his previous lightning-bolt combo, he paused for a beat—and in that moment, Rin caught the outline of the murder weapon. It's a spear, a spear that is charging up to kill an enemy in a position that will kill you with one hit. I've already strengthened my eyesight...... No, Rin's breath was rapid, but Archer had responded to the respite before he had completed such a quick breath. The black and white swords swirled in a swirling arc, one left and one right, just as Yuu Ning did on the first day. Then, Archer rushed to Rin's side as a storm that could not be described as a storm.

There is no room for hair. The barbed wire fence torn apart by the enemy's twin swords, no doubt Lancer, flew to the ground, and as soon as Archer defused the impact of the landing, Rin began to run, and it didn't take a few seconds to run a hundred meters with the foot power of the superhuman strengthened by magic, but it was meaningless compared to the speed of the servant-

"That's a fast run, little girl."

The blue spearmen who came up like a thunderbolt exuded the pressure of eating people like beasts, and spoke contemptuously in the face of Archer, who seemed to be about to fight again.

"What do you want to do when you lose your treasure—"

Archer still had the same twin swords in his hands, and he confronted Lancer without flinching.

"......" Lancer was silent for a moment, and in this gap Rin had already run to the playground suitable for archers to fight. Then, Lancer looked at Archer, who had retreated into the open area, and suddenly smiled with hunger and thirst.

"Negligent. You must be an archer like that. Well, that's it. I don't hate sensible guys. Come, take out your bow. I'll give you that time. ”

Lancer took the same idly as he tossed the spear over his shoulder and walked over one step at a time. Archer stood there without moving.

"Cheer up, Rin."

“…… Phew, ha"

Rin calmed the twitching of her internal organs, and tried her best to speak with the same grace as usual, at least worthy of Archer's posture now.

"Really, one or two, both of them are so confident. Well, teach him a lesson, Archer. ”

Lancer stopped. The distance between the two was less than five meters, and the rest was nothing to the Heroic Spirit, including the length of the shot. Lancer was still waiting, but Archer grinned. Then, with his twin swords, he burst forward.

"W-"

Lancer seemed to be a little caught off guard, and was simply suppressed from the momentum. However, Archer didn't have much of an advantage. From Rin's point of view, he couldn't see the battle between the two of them, and he couldn't even see who was attacking and who was parrying. The crimson wind stirred and the oppression of the night fused with the pale and scarlet, constantly intertwining in search of a killing moment. I could only feel that the high-speed collision was so violent that it sucked the air of the entire playground like a vacuum. In the center of the whirlwind, which could not be contained by breath, from time to time black or white streamers burst out, one after the other, as Archer gave up his weapon in order to relieve the siege, but without interval, a sword appeared in his hand. From the connection with Archer, you can feel that his confident emotions are not fluctuating, so Rin is not worried-

Lancer took a step back. The ability to break away from the battlefield is better than the pursuit, and in an instant, it is opened to a distance that even the two swords thrown by Archer can't catch up.

"Twenty-five. You've got that many. ”

Lancer muttered angrily - no, it was more confused than angry. The various magical weapons in the hands of the Servant are all unique, not something that can be taken out one after the other to make the same copy like Archer. Heroic spirits are people who sublimate their spirits and spirits after the death of heroes, and their strongest weapons are magic items called [Noble Phantasms]. While the legends of the Heroic Spirits will be presented in the form of attributes, the Noble Phantasm is the condensation of the glory and exploits of the hero's life. Generally speaking, the Noble Phantasm is a weapon or armor that the Heroic Spirit loves to use while he is alive, and what is used as a last resort is itself an irreplaceable final weapon. And when the Heroic Spirit chooses to [Liberate His True Name], he will be able to release the [Fantasy] of the heroes that have been condensed in the Noble Phantasm for countless years, and reproduce the heroic posture that people have praised for countless years. In short, the treasure is definitely not something that can be used and thrown away. Therefore, Archer's sword can only be a treasure. Because he is a knight of the bow, the weapon he hides must be a bow.

"What's the matter, Lancer, I don't look like you're called by your name. Where did the momentum go just now? ”

“…… Tut. ”

Lancer smacked his mouth, a look of exasperation. Lancer fought with a gun, but was overpowered by Archer, who fought with a sword. In other words, Archer's Noble Phantasm has not yet been displayed, and it is in a state that is completely invisible to the other party. It's no surprise that Lancer will be upset.

“…… Okay, I ask you. Where are you the hero. I've never heard of an archer with a double sword. ”

"Yes. You're pretty good at telling. If you want to pick the fastest hero among the spearmen, you will be the best among them. There are only three such spearmen in the world. In addition, when it comes to being as agile as a beast, I'm afraid there is only one person. ”

"Oh. That's a good thing to say, Archer. In this case, there is no need to hide the treasure. You can take it and watch it. ”

Lancer's manual too. It's different from before.,There's no posture of underestimating the enemy at all.。 The tip of the spear tilted downward as if it were about to pierce the ground, but Lancer's eyes ran through Archer.

"I won't stop you. Sooner or later, I'll have to take it. ”

Rin sensed Archer's nervousness - no, not as a Master. It's okay to understand it as excitement. Archer's ability to extract mana from himself suddenly increased, and it was no ordinary way to respond. However, there was a sense of oppression for magic in the air...... Not the enchantment, but Lancer's gun.

The thorny cold ravaged the campus...... It's not a metaphor that the air is frozen, it's really frozen. Filled with atmospheric magic, all frozen. Now, the only thing allowed to breathe in this place is the gun in the hand of a warrior named Lancer. Although that moment has not yet come, I can already feel the snake letter that the gun spits out when he liberates his real name. To be bad. will lose. While the instinct that Archer will be defeated is hard to believe at first, it can't be wrong. If the magic spear was released, Archer would die, and he couldn't even refute such an intuitive reason in the flash of lightning and fire. If there's a chance to prevent Archer's defeat, it's-

"—cut." Lancer scoffed in utter disgust.

It was as if the tangible atmosphere shattered, and it struck the heart like glass shattered.

- A third party, which appeared by chance.

Lancer's chill faded into the night as his figure melted into the night, and Rin's strengthened senses were faintly aware of the sound of running footsteps.

That back, it's a student uniform, that's right-

"Students!? Are you still in school......!? ”

"Sort of. Thanks to him, he picked up a life. Archer said calmly...... Rin then reacted. Indeed, he was saved. Other than that, I can't think of any other possibility of breaking the siege. Rin found herself gasping for air and forcibly pressed the heaving of her chest with her will.

“…… Serious mistakes. Ordinary humans were not excluded and the action began. …… I said, Archer, what are you doing, haven't you noticed it at all? ”

"Well, that's it. I don't know if I read it. Nothing to do so resting. ”

Archer seemed to be in a bad mood and a little agitated. However, there is no place for this in my head.

“Lancer…… Go after it, Archer! I'll be right away, too! ”

Archer flew out like a spring full of power, and Rin started at the limit of speed.

“…… Damn it. "Scolding myself for not being careful. Eliminating witnesses is a magician's rule, so Rin has been careful not to let witnesses show up. Did you get carried away by the enchantment......

“Ar——！”

Rushing into the school building, Rin was suffocated by the sight in front of him.

On the night when the moonlight was also obscured, in the cold hallway, there were students who fell to the ground, and Archer who crouched next to him and looked at it, not saying a word. The liquid running down the floor had a pungent smell, but compared to this, the smell of death was stronger. As a magician, you shouldn't be deterred by death, but ...... The man lying face up, the man......

Rin bit her lower lip hard, trying not to hear her voice fluttering.

“…… Go after it, Archer. Lancer should go back to his master, at least get a handle on the other side's face, otherwise it's not worth it. ”

"......," Archer was silent for a moment. I see. Got it, Rin. "Left such a word to chase Lancer. In the empty hallway, only Rin and the students he knew were left, who were about to become corpses.

"Why, why...... It's you ......."

Rin couldn't look at it directly. However, because this is the responsibility of a magician named Rin Tosaka——— I have been aware of this since I was a child when I decided to inherit the Tosaka family. There is no good or evil for magicians, and on this path, there is only the blood spilled by themselves and others, and this kind of thing has been enlightened a long time ago——! However, there is no strength in the knees. Fingertips are shaking.

"Really...... No way. Why, you would"

Rin gritted her teeth. This is not to comfort yourself not to believe it, but to convince yourself to admit such a fact quickly.

Not to suppress fear. It's just that my head is in a mess. It should be said that I can't get angry at Lancer who is completely in line with the style of the Servant and cleanly cleans up the witnesses, but I just feel very disgusted with this guy who is still in school on this day and at this time......

My mind was now filled with the impression of a certain purple-haired crying face, and then, mixed in, a long time ago, when the sky was red as if it were a sunset, and there was a man running incessantly, from a distance, just staring blankly at his impression of a bored girl—and then, in front of me, the corpse of someone caught up in the war.

- No, it's too hasty to say it's a corpse. There is a way. Although if you fail, you will lose the last trump card, but there is a way - ah no, whether you succeed or fail, you will lose this trump card, so the result is not bad for yourself. Even if it's ...... Even if it's his own father, the only absolute trump card left to win this war, even if it's the strongest magic condensation in his hand, it's important and important-

"—so what, stupid."

The heart is broken, blood is lost, and the brain is on the verge of death. There was no way, so I could only reluctantly repair it, and the broken parts were forcibly and rudely sewn up, and the missing parts were mimicked with magic and then stuffed into their original positions.

- "I can't help it. ”

Saying this, he breathed a sigh of relief. The whole body lost its strength as if it was afraid. The pendant in his hand became lighter, and it was already almost empty. With a thud, it fell on the guy who was once on the brink of death - and still is.

“…… Ahhh Rin tried to make herself look relaxed. If you fail, it will be miserable...... Well, to be honest, it's full of fulfillment, and this experience is not bad. ”

Speak as forcefully as you can. Gotta go back before this guy wakes up. I don't know if Archer has achieved results. With this in mind, Rin informed Archer and set out on his way home alone.

……

……

The clouds in the sky crawled slowly. In the corridor of the school building, the reddish-brown haired boy lay quietly and did not wake up. The white-haired and red-clad knight stood by and watched him. The ruby that Rin had dropped here had darkened with the color of the blood on his chest. The face sank like water, and I don't know what kind of decision such an Archer made.

Then, pick up the pendant—

"Click"

Crisp and neat. The gemstones, along with the ornaments, are turned into powder.

Archer snorted coldly and turned away without hesitation.

After that, the figure hiding in a dark place, after confirming that there was no one around, slowly walked to the wounded's side, but his eyes were looking in the direction of Tosaka's house.

"That's where things get interesting. Boy, should you say lucky or unlucky...... However, I prefer order. Rejoice...... Curse it...... Emiya· Shiro！ ”

A faint light emanated from between Youning's fingers. Then, with a soft click, exactly the same gem was dropped.

————————————==————————————

"Cheer up, Rin. Shouldn't you be scared because of the battle just now—no, I'll take it back. It's good to be a first-time witness to the Holy Grail War. Rest if you can, and of course it's no problem to go back to Lancer right away. ”

Archer handed Rin the steaming black tea. Rin enjoyed it unceremoniously.

"It looks like I'm depressed. Archer。 There is no need to strike now. The number of Masters hasn't been gathered yet, and until the official signal is given, an encounter like tonight's won't be deliberately avoided, but it won't take the risk of doing so. My father also said that it was the rules of the Holy Grail War. ”

“…… That's right. Your father was also a master. He said something that seemed to be puzzled, but Archer seemed to have a complicated expression.

"Ahh Rin, you've been trained to be a master since you were a child, and then you just got there, right? In other words, it was expected from the beginning that it would be involved in the Holy Grail War. ”

"Of course. Although there are also magicians who are suddenly appointed as masters, I am different. Because as a member of the Ensaka family, the Holy Grail War has been a sad wish for generations. ”

"That's right. In this way, you, who have been trained to be a master from the beginning, should already have a purpose. I just forgot to ask this. I don't know the wishes of my master, and I can't put my sword in it. - Rin. So, what are your desires. ”

"Wishes? There's no such thing. ”

Rin replied in a relaxed manner. Archer's expression became so funny. From Rin's point of view, it is a great achievement to be able to make a stinky servant of his own fart. Then, Archer raised the corners of his mouth and eyebrows slightly in a laughing expression.

"It's really Rin. The Holy Grail is a universal cup that grants wishes. Becoming a Master, winning is equivalent to getting the Holy Grail, but not having a wish. …… Well, if you don't have a clear wish, what about a vague wish? For example, it's like getting the world. ”

"Why? Isn't the world already my thing? ”

“……”

Archer seemed surprised. Rin continued in her own way.

"I say, Archer. The world is self-centered values, right? That kind of thing has been mine since birth. If this is called world domination, I would already dominate the world. ”

"......," Archer let out a long breath. Stupid. The Holy Grail is the power to grant wishes and change the real world. Are you saying that you asked for the Holy Grail and didn't want anything? ”

"Because it's troublesome to conquer the world, it's useless to make that kind of useless wish, right? You're so imaginative and imagifiable. If anything, it's there, because the war is there, Archer. By the way, I get something that I can obtain. I don't know what the Holy Grail is, but it's good to use it when I have something I want someday, right? As long as human beings live, there is no limit to what they want. ”

“……”

“…… Archer？ ”

Archer stared blankly at Rin, who was smiling gracefully and a little uninhibitedly. - His eyes didn't focus on Rin's body, as if he was caught in some kind of memory. Rin waited a moment, but still spoke up.

"Hmm. Are you just fighting for victory, Rin. Archer shrugged as he rubbed against the padded shoulders of his relaxed shoulders, as if he had just recovered from his surprise. I was defeated. Indeed, you are a good fit to be my master. ”

Not. It's hard to respond to this kind of thing. Rin sprinkled a little in her heart.

“…… Hum. Although the Servant does not have the right to choose the Master, let me ask. Why am I suitable to be your master? ”

Archer kept her posture unchanged, a smile tugging at the corners of her mouth.

"Rin, look me in the eye."

"W-how can you really say that?"

No matter how bad this servant's personality is, after all, he is a heroic spirit, and he is also a loyal knight. Being watched by those eyes, Rin felt her face feel a little feverish.

"What, nothing."

"—where. There's the strongest master. ”

“Archer！” Rin turned his face away in a huff. It would be nice to have a valve that can drain the heat from the head with steam, "I'm going to rest!" You ......"

"Rin. This one. ”

Archer's voice made Rin curse herself inwardly, but she couldn't help but turn around. Surprise came into view.

"Uh......h What a look on your face! I'm not happy! Even if it's a relic of my father, there are more than that. As a magic item, it doesn't mean anything if you lose your magic......"

"Not really. You're not that strong, Rin. ”

What Archer took out was the gem that Rin had forgotten at school before. Forcefully shoved into Rin's hand.

"Because, as I said before. This one is a match for Rin. ”

“Archer…… Thank you. ”

With a rare frankness, Rin's voice lowered. However, it was quickly restored.

"That beast-like Lancer who wants to eat people will be so gentle in front of his own Master......

I can't help but think so. No, no, I'm such an Archer. Speaking of which, what will Lancer do when he gets rid of Archer......

Stunned.

“Archer！ It's time to go! ”

Rin turned over and ran towards the door. Archer was in the back, with a look of regret or relief.

"I've been waiting for a long time. Rin. ”

————————————==————————————

The red master and slave run under the night sky. The walls of Zephyr come into view. Rin knew the guy's home—not on purpose, just that people she knew frequented—and her breath condensed white in the February wind. It's supposed to be warm at this time, it's too fast - no, it's, the smell of déjà vu. The magic in the air is dominated, and in this air the smell of enemies is smelled. Rin felt fear flood like cold water—

At that moment, the moment Rin was about to give the Archer order to break in, a white light like the sun setting burst out of the room. The power fluctuations of the servant named Lancer in his senses were completely overpowered by the power fluctuations that were stronger than that. Then, Lancer's faint shadow crossed the fence like a cheetah, and the figure that followed it stepped heavily on the ground...... "Lie to people." "This is also the Servant, who was just summoned and is enough to repel Lancer's Servant...... Rin was shocked by such a fact, and there was no way to make a judgment. Fatal mistakes. I could clearly see the brilliance of the magic that burst from that figure—

"Rin !!"

Archer, who knocked Rin away, and the black and white swords that swirled around only delayed the other party's wave of hand. I couldn't see clearly, but I had a gut feeling that something was slashing down on Archer...... However, in Archer's hands, holds the sword. The sword momentum like a shield, although it was said that in the face of overwhelming force, it was only a blow - Archer's posture was not destroyed, but the whole person was knocked away with a muffled snort.

Rin's instinct as a magician triumphs over the chaos in her mind. Without reluctance, he took out the topaz that had been programmed into the Wind Spell from his pocket, and just like that, he poured the magic power of the [Fuze] directly into it, and threw it towards the enemy who was chasing Archer. Normally enough to raze a few houses to the ground without leaving a trace, one of the ten gems that had been infused with magic every day for ten years detonated the moment it reached the other's path - no. Nothing happened. The magic that was supposed to be that kind of power disappeared like a toy when it came into contact...... Archer, on the contrary, is very calm. Jumping back in front of Rin through the gap created by the twin swords, he calmly spread his arms in the face of the rushing gale—

- "Stop—Saber! ”

The cry sounded like a supplication, and heavy gasps stumbled over the other side of the wall. Feeling a strong wave of magical power, the servant in front of him stopped as if he was restrained by something. At this time, Rin saw the posture of this servant clearly, this servant who easily suppressed Lancer, defeated Archer with one blow, and completely neutralized his great magic, that dusty face, silver armor against the background, eyes as clear as this moonlight-

——“To、tosakasan……”

However, what Rin cares more about than this is the Master of this servant......

For the time being, the situation can be understood as calm. The momentum of Archer and the opposing servant staggered and frustrated the master who protected him. Rin regrouped in her heart, and then, she changed into the same smile and mood as she did when she was at school on weekdays.

"What's the matter? Emiya-san......"