If Stheno, with 1300 ATK, were to attack Emiya with 2500 ATK directly, Matou Sakura's already low LP would be in serious danger.
"Is it one of those effects that activates after battle?"
Rin Tohsaka watched as Stheno charged in—not to fight Archer, but leapt into the spell/trap zone with a coquettish smile.
"Stheno's effect! After battle, she becomes an Equip Continuous Spell Card and attaches to the opponent's Servant. As long as she remains face-up on the field, you gain control of the equipped Servant! Fall before the [Smile of the Goddess]!"
Control of Archer transferred to Sakura's field.
"Another one of those effects?"
Rin didn't expect a goddess like Stheno, who looked like a delicate young girl, to have an effect that worked like a Crest Worm. She had been relying on Archer's 2500 ATK to fend off Sakura's offense, but now he had become a liability. If it didn't target, she could have stopped it easily.
"Of course, a Servant taken by this kind of effect can't attack this turn. So I activate [Emiya]'s effect: I tribute [Durandal] to destroy [Tokiomi Tohsaka]! Broken Phantasm!"
With Medusa and Euryale still on the field, Sakura had a combined total of 3800 ATK. Destroying Tokiomi meant a clear shot at victory.
Tokiomi Tohsaka was sent to the graveyard by Durandal, which Archer fired like an arrow. Next up was a direct attack.
"Sis, can you survive this turn? [Medusa], attack directly!"
"Of course I can! I activate my face-down card, [Seraphic Layered Halo of Sevenfold Rings]! When the opponent attacks, I can discard a card to activate this. While it won't prevent the destruction of Servants in battle anymore, the key effect is this: I take no battle damage this turn!"
"Not only that, the card I discarded was [Kiritsugu Emiya]! When this card is sent to the graveyard by an effect, I can search my deck for one [Origin Bullet]!"
You had to admit—Kiritsugu really was a high-quality cost.
"I set two cards and end my turn."
"My turn, draw! I activate [Maintain Elegance] again—banishing 10 face-down cards, then drawing two more from the deck!"
When Rin drew her card, Archer felt a resonance through his mana circuits. That card was tied specifically to him.
"Looks like you drew something good, Rin."
Archer spoke with a tinge of emotion. Heroic Spirits could feel the faint connection to cards tied to their very nature. He already knew what she held.
"So, are you going to tell Sakura what this card does and use it against me?"
Rin's trust in Archer had fallen to absolute zero. Even Shirou Emiya himself had gotten caught in the fallout.
"Of course not. You're the Master I've acknowledged."
"Always saying stuff that sounds nice... I hate fickle guys like you the most." Rin pouted. "I activate [Gallows of the Accused]! I send one [Shirou Emiya] from my deck to the graveyard, and add one [Emiya] to my hand!"
"First, I Normal Summon—[Emiya (Assassin)]!"
A smoke bomb rolled out from nowhere. From the mist, a red-cloaked Heroic Spirit slowly stepped forth, face obscured, completely wrapped in his mantle. He glanced briefly at Archer but said nothing, instead slipping into a battle stance—a professional through and through.
[Emiya (Assassin)]
★4 Assassin – ATK 1800(Hereafter referred to as "Servant Kiritsugu")
"When successfully summoned, your opponent can't activate Trap Cards this turn. While you control other Servant cards, this card can't be selected as an attack target. Most importantly—once per turn! By halving his ATK until the end of the turn, he can destroy one of your opponent's backrow cards. Seize the flower while it blooms."
True to form, Servant Kiritsugu aimed a shot at Sakura's set card.
"Sis's luck's not that great... but since it's this card, I'll just activate it right now!"
Sakura responded by flipping it face-up.
"[Mystic Eyes of Petrification]! While it doesn't work on Servants of 3★ or lower, it can seal one from attacking for a turn!"
[Servant Kiritsugu] ATK 1800 → 900.
"It's not about luck. That was exactly the effect I wanted! Next—[Origin Bullet] activates! I target your Servant [Emiya], negate its effects, and destroy it!"
The bullet, crafted from Kiritsugu's own ribs, pierced Archer's head.
"Because [Emiya]'s controller was you when he was destroyed, [Gorgon's Temple] doesn't apply—he's sent straight to the graveyard."
Rin didn't kill Emiya just to remove a threat—it was partly payback.
"Now, [Emiya]'s effect! Once per turn, if sent from the field to the graveyard, I can Special Summon [Shirou Emiya] from my hand or graveyard! Then, I can add one Equip Spell to my hand thanks to his effect!"
[Shirou Emiya] – ATK 1600
"Rin-senpai, did you run into a fight?"
Shirou Emiya, already familiar with being summoned, slid into a practiced battle stance. When he spotted his opponent, his expression twisted in confusion.
"Sakura? What happened?"
"There's no time to explain! I'll tell you everything once this is over!"
Rin raised the card in her hand—it warped the space around it.
"Shirou, are you ready?"
"Ready for what?"
Shirou could feel a kindred energy pulsing from the card. His mana circuits began to hum with joy.
"Of course—to greet the shining future of yourself. The great magus who can manifest his own inner world—Shirou Emiya!"
Rin held aloft the card that the world itself tried to reject.
"I activate the Field Spell Card—[Unlimited Blade Works]!"
A crimson sky. Turning gears. Countless swords. This was the Reality Marble of the Heroic Spirit known as Emiya—or rather, Shirou Emiya.
"This card can only be activated when [Emiya] or [Shirou Emiya] is on the field. It cannot be negated. Upon activation, I can equip up to four Equip Spells from my Deck or Graveyard to the appropriate Servant!"
[Shirou Emiya] ATK 1600 → 3600.
"Next, I also equip the Equip Spell I added to my hand via [Shirou Emiya]'s effect."
[Shirou Emiya] ATK 3600 → 4100.
This number now surpassed the base ATK of any known Servant. Shirou Emiya had entered the battlefield in full force!