As evening approached, Saber had a faint thought that today's ambush would not be in vain. She was disturbed by the thought.

According to information received from Archer's master, Tosaka Tokitomi, Saber traveled to Fukayama Town. The Qur'an was indeed found there. The home of the old couple in Makeki.

It's a pity that she disguised herself as Weber's friend, and learned from the old man that the two had not returned at all.

Kiritsugu starts spying on the Maceki house a little later than Saber, and seeing Saber, who can sense the aura of the Servant, doing nothing, it is clear that Rider is not at home at the moment. In that case, the Master will definitely not be there. That Master wasn't bold enough to remain alone at home in this situation. As soon as you spot an enemy Servant wandering through the doorway, you'll be sure to call back the Rider immediately.

Unlike Saber, Kiritsugu took the situation of not staying in the stronghold of the prey he was looking at more seriously. But they knew about the Quran. The presence of the Makeki family left home the next morning, and the timing was too coincidental. Although there is no conclusive evidence, Weber. The probability of Vilvette sensing the enemy's attack and fleeing in a hurry is still relatively high.

Even so, Kiritsugu waited there with a glimmer of hope, thinking that this was a question worth pondering.

If Webb were to return to the Makeki house, he would have to blow it up with a time bomb. If he had already escaped, he would have found another stronghold by now, and the probability of returning home was very low.

It's like when Sora was used as bait to trick Kenneth into taking the bait. The strategy of using the old couple to lure Webb into the trap doesn't seem to work anymore.

For Weber's practice of ignoring the vigilance of the fortress and choosing ordinary people as a stronghold. Kiritsugu spoke highly of it. Compared to the Gosan family and Kenneth, they built exaggerated workshops in places that were easy to find. Weber's strategy was much more masterful. It is difficult to say that a magician who can make such a judgment will show sympathy for the family of his temporary sojourn. For Webb, the Markekies were just discarded pawns.

The anxiety of wasting precious time and the taboo of rushing are two thoughts that clash in Kiritsu's heart.

On the one hand, there is despair of Weber's return. On the other hand, it is impossible to completely abandon his departure by chance, and the important reason for this possibility is that it is hard to imagine that the young magician can be one step ahead of Kiritsuro in the intelligence war.

At first, Kiritsugu didn't regard Webber as the master of Rider as an opponent at all. Later, according to the additional investigation, although I learned some about his origin, at that time, Weber. Velvet only saw him as a trainee magician who had become a Master by chance. and came to the conclusion that he was no different from an ordinary person who could not do magic.

Of course, Kiritsugu is not the kind of person who directly links the amount of experience to ability. Kiritsugu still remembers that he was already a ruthless assassin when he first debuted, and he doesn't consider himself a rare example.

But. According to several observations on the battlefield by Weber. Judging by Velvet's performance, it's hard to say if he can be a strong opponent beyond Kiritsugu.

I haven't been able to get an answer, and I'm starting to feel inexplicably anxious......

Suddenly, the sharp pain scorched the base of his little finger, and Kiritsugu's back stiffened.

“……？！”

Since actually using Maiya Kuyu as an assistant, Kiritsugu has cast a spell on one of her hairs and buried it in the subcutaneous tissue of her little finger. At the same time, Maiya also buried one of Kiritsugu's hair in her fingers. If one party's magic circuit is extremely stagnant - that is, when the vitality is weakened to the point of dying, the hair entrusted to the other party will burn, warning the other party of the existence of a crisis.

It was set in mind for the worst-case scenario where it was no longer possible to use radio or magic to convey the message, which meant that it was just a signal that it was "too late". Now, at this time, it is launched. What does this mean exactly......

Feeling embarrassed before being shaken, Emiya Kiritsugu mobilized all his brain cells and began to think about the current situation and what to do.

Maiya is on the verge of death - that is, it means the crisis of Alice Phil, who is hiding in the cellar. The ins and outs of the matter and the reasons for it are now impossible to ask.

Now the priority is to come to the aid as soon as possible - the only option is the quickest - the right hand spell.

"Order my puppet in the name of the Spell!"

Kiritsu clenched his fists at the same time. Recite a spell as quickly as an automaton.

"Saber, get back to the cellar! Immediately! ”

The magic of one of the spells engraved on the back of Kiritsugu's hand awakened and burst into light.

It's no exaggeration to say that this was a big surprise for Saber.

Immediately understood. He has become the object of some kind of intense magic. In the next moment, she was completely deprived of the space around her. I was sent to a "movement" where there was no heaven and earth and no sense of direction.

That's the legendary extreme spell specific to the "Domination Servant". The extreme speed that almost collapsed all the laws of cause and effect, in a fraction of a second of a "moment", she had already broken through the distance of space like the speed of light. Completed the teleportation between two points in different spaces.

That being said. She deserves to be a specially processed sword-wielding spirit suitable for "combat". Although she had just been "transported" from a chair next to the bus stop to a completely different place, once she realized that this was a familiar cellar, she immediately understood that the strange phenomenon was caused by Kiritsugu's spell. There must have been some sort of emergency that would have made it necessary for the Servant to rush to the guard stronghold immediately. In the microseconds between the time he completed the spatial breakthrough and the time he reached the floor of the cellar, Saber had completed his transformation from a disguised suit to a silver armor.

The state of affairs - no need to ask anyone, at a glance.

An iron gate that was broken by rude force. The figure of Alice Phil, who was supposed to be lying in the magic array, disappeared. Instead, Maiya Kuyu's blood-stained body rolled on the ground as if it had been dumped there.

"Maiya!"

Saber hurried to her side. Seeing the depth of her wounds, I couldn't help but frown. The injuries at Einzbelen Forest are nothing compared to that. This time, if we don't get medical attention as soon as possible, we will definitely be seriously injured.

As if sensing the Servant's shining aura, Maiya slowly opened her eyes.

“Sa…… ber……？ ”

"Maiya. Cheer up! I'll bandage you right away. It's okay—"

But Maiya pushed Saber's outstretched hand away.

"Quick...... Chase it, it's ...... outside Rider he put ......"

“……”

Saber was more surprised by Maiya's reaction than being sent to this place by the Spell.

Maiya must have realized how serious her injuries were. I must have fully understood that I was on the verge of death. However, this taciturn assassin's assistant is more concerned about the safety of the captive Alice Phil than his own life, urging himself to prioritize Alice Phil's rescue.

"But, in that case—"

Just as he was about to ask back, Saber suddenly understood.

This woman is also a knight. Although it is different from the way he expresses his pride, the courage to sacrifice his life for the task he has on his back is exactly what Saber believes in chivalry.

Be sure to guard Alice Phil in the cellar until the last moment - Maiya Kuyu must have sworn to Kiritsugu and Alice Phil. In order to entrust Saber with a promise that could not be fulfilled to the end, she did not hesitate to sacrifice her own life.

“…… I. It's okay...... Soon, Kiritsugu will arrive...... So...... Hurry up and ......."

Saber gritted her teeth and closed her eyes.

If you do it sensibly - every minute and second that Saber spends worrying about Maiya right now, Alice Phil is probably on the verge of despair.

There is still a glimmer of hope that Maiya might be rescued by Kiritsugu, who arrives later. However, the fate of Alice Phil, who was taken away. There are no guarantees if Saber doesn't catch up immediately. Judging by the shooting marks left in the cellar, there is no doubt that it was the Servant's ghost. The pursuit was only possible for Saber, who was also a Servant.

"--Maiya, you must hold on until Kiritsugu comes. I'm going to get Alice Phil back. ”

Maiya nodded, closing her eyes as if relieved.

Saber connects Maiya's vows with a new vow. There is no longer any hesitation.

Ran out of the cellar like a hurricane and jumped on the roof with a stomp. Look into the distant sky that has darkened and search for the enemy.

Since it was due to the rapid transient movement caused by the Commanding Spell, it is certain that the attacker had left here not long ago. The enemy has not gone far. Even if you can't sense it through your breath. It can still be detected by visual inspection.

Standing on the rooftop, Saber took advantage of the Servant's super eyesight to look far and wide, scanning the surroundings - effortlessly catching the enemy in no time.

It's about half a kilometer away...... Standing majestically on the roof of a multi-apartment that looks like a shopping street.

A strong physique, with flaming curls and a crimson cloak. There is no doubt that it was Iskandar, the Rider conquering king that he had repeatedly encountered on the battlefield.

"No—is it really Rider?!"

……

Li Amen, who observed all this, exclaimed: "It really deserves to be a good thing." If I hadn't known the result, I would have been deceived. This Rider really looks like the real thing. ”

With Qili capturing Alice Phil. And when someone is lured to disguise what Rider did, the Holy Grail War enters a real countdown phase.

The end is just around the corner. Li Amen felt the enthusiasm for the battle swell up in his body.

"Isn't that why I join in the feast too? Needless to say? And rightfully so. There's only one reason......" Li Amen chuckled under his breath. "Because I'm Amen Lee, I'm here!"

Li Amen, who has made the final preparations, is ready to go to the battlefield.

As for when he will devote himself to it, it will depend on his interest. (To be continued......)