BANG!
Kiritsugu slammed his fist onto the table, an unusual sign of losing his composure.
He had underestimated the Holy Grail War.
Bringing Irisviel along had been a calculated decision, not just based on her own wishes but because Kiritsugu believed she would be helpful.
But now, so early in the war, things had already gone terribly wrong.
Based on Saber's report, it seemed likely that Irisviel had been captured by Assassin.
Even worse, the enemy might discover Excalibur's scabbard hidden within her, revealing Saber's true identity in the process.
The sudden cannon attack from the sky had been the biggest unexpected factor.
Had it only been Assassin's interference, the situation wouldn't have escalated like this.
"The best course of action now is to quickly find where Assassin is hiding and retrieve Irisviel."
Both Irisviel and the scabbard were crucial, essential even, to their strategy.
"I'll help," Saber said firmly.
Though her relationship with Kiritsugu was strained, she couldn't tolerate this kind of humiliation.
Not only had the person she was sworn to protect been injured, but she had also been kidnapped. There was no way the King of Knights could let that slide.
No matter what, Irisviel had to be rescued.
"Assassin must have sustained injuries as well. The best plan would be to strike today."
With this new strategy in mind, Kiritsugu realized that he had no choice but to work together with Saber.
After witnessing last night's battle, he knew he couldn't face the unknown dangers alone.
"First, we need to find where Assassin and his Master are hiding."
---
"Rider, even with modern clothes, you're drawing way too much attention."
"Indeed. My appearance doesn't exactly blend in with the locals."
"Even among foreigners, you stand out."
Waver was worried as he watched Lelouch stroll casually through the streets.
Rider's appearance was far too striking, drawing attention wherever they went.
With his refined demeanor, graceful actions, and handsome features, Lelouch looked like a prince straight out of a fairy tale.
It would be strange if he didn't attract stares.
"Don't worry. In a crowded area like this, no one will attack us."
In such a busy marketplace, any Servant foolish enough to launch an attack would have to deal with the wrath of the Church. That was more of a concern than any immediate danger.
"Hm?"
"I sense magical energy."
Waver turned his head, noticing an unusual flow of mana from a nearby location.
"There's a battle happening elsewhere between Servants."
"How unfortunate."
Lelouch took a sip of his tea, glancing at the ground with disappointment in his voice.
He had been hoping for a bold attack from some reckless Servant, like his old friend Suzaku. He'd even prepared a special "gift" for such an occasion.
But it seemed like it wouldn't be needed today.
"Let's go."
"Oh!"
---
"Is this guy... a Servant?"
Wielding her spear with ease, Kyoko Sakura faced an opponent clad in black armor, with an axe strapped to his right arm.
She had only just walked by this alley when the ambush hit.
Clang! Bang!
The strength of the strikes was within her ability to handle, and she easily parried them.
However, her opponent displayed impressive combat instincts, making him a tricky adversary.
"That's not a Servant."
"It's a familiar, but one that can only be controlled by a skilled Caster."
From a distance, Kenneth observed the battle and identified the situation.
"Although it's not as powerful as Lancer, it's definitely a nuisance."
Sola, Lancer's Master, also recognized the challenge, even without Kenneth's explanation.
"Good post-meal exercise."
Kyoko made this remark as she continued to fight, not wanting to seem weak in front of Kenneth and Sola.
With a swift movement, she thrust her spear at the familiar, which twisted its body to dodge the blow.
"Too bad."
"Dodging won't help you."
Her spear bent mid-thrust, turning like a nunchaku and striking the familiar's side.
Smash!
With a sound like shattering glass, the familiar broke apart and vanished.
"Huh? Its defenses were that weak?"
"It only took one hit to destroy it."
Kyoko blinked in surprise, confused by the unexpected fragility of her opponent.
The familiar's armor had seemed strong, but it had broken so easily.
"I see... So that's how battles work here?"
A voice echoed from around the corner, and Kyoko turned to see a blond-haired young man stepping out of the shadows.
"You must be the familiar's master."
"Not a Master, but probably a Caster?"
Kyoko pointed her spear at him, unsure why he was so confident to reveal himself.
Either way, she was more than willing to fight.
"Hmm, I don't really get all the rules here."
"The role they gave me is something like 'Caster,' I think."
"But that's not important. We both know what we're after, don't we?"
The young man grinned and pulled out a Dragon Ball, the orange orb gleaming in his hand.
"Heh, why don't you just hand it over?"
"That's not gonna happen."
---
"Something feels off."
"Hm? What do you mean?"
Sola was puzzled by Kenneth's comment as they sat in the car, discussing the situation.
"Normally, Masters are the ones who keep the Dragon Balls safe."
"Just like the Command Spells, they're something only Masters should carry. You mentioned this to me before."
"Yes, that's right."
"But that Dragon Ball is being held by Caster, a mere mage, and he's daring to face one of the three great knights, Lancer?"
From the data they had gathered, Caster's stats, aside from luck, were all far lower than Lancer's.
Even in terms of magical power—Caster's specialty—Lancer surpassed him.
In this situation, it didn't make sense for Caster to boldly show himself. Something was wrong.
'Lancer, finish him quickly. This might be a trap!'
Sola's realization made her anxious, and she urged Lancer to end the battle swiftly.
"We should also move back a bit."
Kenneth, not wanting to repeat last night's mistake of being caught in the blast radius, wasn't willing to take any chances.
"You dared to show up, Caster? Then don't blame me for what happens next!"
Kyoko had no intention of holding back. Her spear twirled in her hand as she prepared to attack.
"Oh no..."
"You declared an attack just now, didn't you?"
Jonouchi stood confidently, hands on his hips, grinning smugly.
"!?"
In that moment, Kyoko suddenly found herself unable to move.
"What the—?"
Looking down, she noticed strange magical circles around her arms.
"The Seal of the Hexagram!"
Golden light rings surrounded her, binding her arms tightly like chains.
She could still move her legs slightly, but her arms were completely immobilized.
"So, this is your magic?"
Though Kyoko had been given knowledge about the Holy Grail War, she had never encountered an opponent like this.
She hadn't even seen Jonouchi make a move, and yet she was already caught.
Jonouchi, still full of confidence, responded proudly.
"The moment you declared an attack on me, the trap was triggered!"
---
T/N
Seal of the Hexagram: This card targets one monster on the opponent's side of the field. That monster cannot attack or change its battle position. When the targeted monster is destroyed, this card is also destroyed.
This essentially disarms the opponent, making it a perfect counter against close-combat fighters.