Chapter 31: Visitor
Beta read by Shigiya, Darklord331 and special thanks to Gamecrusher55.
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-Fuyuki-
The morning sun pierced through her eyelids, triggering a wave of irritation that washed over her. The sounds of birds chirping and leaves rustling filled the air, offering both comfort and confusion. It was comforting because Bazett realized she had survived, yet confusing because she had distinctly felt herself about to be killed by a servant, especially when she was at her limit.
"Agh…" she groaned, her eyelids feeling as heavy as lead as they opened slowly to reveal an old wooden ceiling. Attempting to sit up proved to be an even greater challenge; her muscles and limbs screamed in agony at the slightest movement, like a swarm of ants biting at every corner of her body.
But this wasn't an unfamiliar sensation; having endured similar pain during her youth, especially after pushing herself beyond her limits in training, she knew it was something she could endure with relative ease.
"Where am I?" Her throat felt parched, dry from not having had any water for a significant amount of time, accompanied by a lingering taste of iron. "That night… I was heading to Atrum Galliasta's last confirmed location to bring him back to the Clocktower, but he… he…" Slowly, her memories began to return. She recalled how her target had anticipated her arrival, having summoned a Servant far earlier than she had expected.
Fury bubbling over, Bazett slammed her fist against the wooden floor. "Damn it, Kirei! You told me Atrum wouldn't have a Servant yet. And a Caster, of all things?" She clicked her tongue, a bitter taste in her mouth. "That conniving priest... But this doesn't add up." Unease crept into her thoughts as she recalled Kirei's usual precision. The man she'd worked with countless times before wasn't prone to such glaring mistakes. A chilling realization dawned on her. "Did he... set me up?"
Multiple scenarios came forth, all with different explanations trying to make sense of what happened and why it happened.
A simple case of oversight… that could also be the case.
She hadn't even begun the process of summoning yet and had almost been killed by a Servant.
"Hahahah… how pathetic." A chuckle escaped her lips as she reflected on how narrowly she had escaped death due to her own negligence and underestimating her opponent.
It dawned on the woman just how terrifying these entities were. Even with an advantage in physical combat, Caster had toyed with her, wielding a multitude of powerful spells that not even a high-ranking magus could cast with such speed and efficiency.
"Rescue or capture?" Bazett mused, her eyes scanning the room. "Imprisoned" seemed too harsh a word, given her surroundings. It was unlikely her target would've bothered with such careful treatment - bandaging her wounds, providing a cozy bed, even leaving a nightlight, water, and first aid kit within reach. This level of consideration pointed to something else entirely, though what exactly, she couldn't say.
So, Bazett leaned toward the former option. "Another master, perhaps?"
Regardless of who it was, she was grateful to still be alive. Slowly, she pushed herself up from the bed, checking her body. Most of it was covered in bandages, and there was a floral scent wafting off her skin. As she moved to the door, she was surprised to find it open without any resistance. Her eyes fell upon a quiet hallway that appeared to be part of an old-style Japanese house.
"Is anyone here?" Bazett's voice echoed across, but no one answered. Looking around for a few seconds, Bazett consciously searched for any hidden traps or any signs of danger. But the longer she looked, the more apparent it became how pointless this paranoia turned out to be. "It really is just a regular house, leaving me to roam around so freely without any supervision was bold."
The place was big, with a whole courtyard, long corridors, and multiple rooms. A while of walking around and exploring ended up leading to the living room where her nose twitched as a mouthwatering scent wafted from nearby.
As she made her way over, Bazett was surprised to find a table filled with a variety of dishes—traditional Japanese cuisine alongside some Western dishes. The abundance was enough to feed at least ten people, all laid out invitingly with no one in sight. The food was still steaming, indicating it had been freshly prepared just moments ago, and the aroma was so enticing that her stomach grumbled in protest, urging her to satisfy her hunger.
All of this just did not make sense!
"This doesn't feel normal; it must be poisoned or some sort of trap," Bazett thought as she scrutinized the sight before her. Shaking her head, she pushed down the desire to take a bite or two of the delicious food. After all, it was common for mages to subdue their opponents in such a manner.
"It can be otherwise," she reasoned, "If whoever this is wanted to kill me, they could have done so when I was at my weakest or allowed Caster to finish me off."
With that thought lingering in her mind, her eyes drifted back to the table. Various thoughts raced through her head, one part urging her to abandon any desire to eat and leave this place, while another part argued that a bite or two wouldn't hurt.
"What am I thinking?" In the end, she sighed and cursed herself for being swayed so easily by something so trivial as hunger.
A metallic clang echoed from outside, drawing Bazett's attention to a nondescript shed tucked away in the courtyard's corner. Straining her ears, she caught the faint murmur of a voice drifting from within. Curiosity and caution warred within her as she contemplated meeting her mysterious benefactor - or potential captor. Steeling herself, Bazett crept towards the shed, her steps measured and silent, ready to face whatever awaited her inside.
Drawing closer, the voice became more audible. The faint sound of a male voice grew louder, accompanied by frustrated groans and the unmistakable clatter of metalwork.
"This… may take some time to properly fix. I just got these tires replaced and you had to do a burnout… fortunately, they managed to stay intact and somehow don't even look that worn out," the voice said incredulously, doubting the very words that were coming out of his mouth.
"I took great care when driving the bike, Master. I made sure to take gentle turns and not overdo it." Then came the voice of a woman, calm as she explained herself.
"Gentle? You call that gentle? I've seen bulldozers with a lighter touch. If that's your idea of taking it easy, I shudder to think what you'd do if you really let loose. We'd have every cop in Fuyuki on our tail, and I'd probably keel over from sheer terror before we even got caught."
"You can trust me; I made sure to take routes that avoided the cameras. As for safety, you're in good hands—or rather, good handlebars. Though I must admit, your grip on my chest was... unexpected. Effective, but unexpected."
"I-I'm sorry… I didn't touch them intentionally…"
"I know, which is why I don't mind if you are more bold and hold me securely, it's to make sure you won't fall after. Are you perhaps disgusted by being in physical contact with me?"
"No! You know that's not true!" He exclaimed, sounding even flustered. "It's just… you know…
"I'm afraid I don't understand," The woman's voice turned almost into a whisper, even Bazett felt goosebumps across her skin from listening from far away. "You need to explain things to me more clearly, Master."
"..."
"Are you… afraid that your body will react beyond your control—
"—P-Please, let's just change the subject," the male voice replied hurriedly, clearly pushed into a corner and trying his best to stir the conversation into another route. "The suspension is done for, and I'll need to ask Fujimura-san if he can get me some new parts delivered soon. The brakes are a bit worn out, the engine sounds like it's on its last leg, and there was literally no fuel left when I checked this morning. With the attack, the frame is slightly bent. Seriously, how the hell did you ride this thing over here so smoothly? Even I can't get it to drive a few meters in the courtyard, let alone from the city to here."
"It's only natural. After all, I have an A+ rank in Riding for a reason."
"Don't look so smug. Being an excellent driver doesn't mean you should break hundreds of traffic laws and give me a heart attack every five seconds."
"I'm not being smug."
"I can see that smile on your face."
"..."
"Don't try to hide it just because I pointed it out. Also, I told you that just Shirou is fine, being called that way feels weird."
"I was just happy that this motorcycle is not beyond saving."
"I'd be even happier if you got off the bike; your leg is blocking my view."
"...Just making sure it won't fall off and doing my own tests. If it's blocking you then you can push it aside yourself."
"You're doing this intentionally aren't you?"
"I have no idea what you're talking about."
The conversation exchanged between those two sure felt odd as Bazett unintentionally eavesdropped from outside. For some reason, the voice sounded incredibly familiar, conjuring the image of a certain headache-inducing suicidal redhead in her mind.
"This can't be…" Unable to believe her speculation, she opened the door to the shed and was surprised to find a black-smudged, freckle-faced redhead crouched near an old bike, pushing aside a woman with a clear blush on her face.
"It really is you…" The first time she encountered him, he had tried to shoot her down, nearly dying at her hands. The second time, he helped her take out the monster at the port, which led her to forgive him for his past actions and reprimand him for his recklessness. And now, in this third encounter, not only had he saved her, but he also had a servant by his side, evident from the red mark on the back of his hand.
"You…" Her eyes twitched with frustration and disbelief as she realized the depth of his involvement.
"Bazett!?" His reaction only fueled her irritation further.
"Aah, this is a friend of my father's. Her name is Med, and she's just helping me with—" he began, trying to give a ridiculous response as if she would believe it.
"—Shut up."
Massaging her temples, she glanced at the servant, who merely shrugged her shoulders as if to say there was nothing she could do about it. "I told you back then… I told you not to get involved with dangerous matters, yet here you are, suddenly a Master in a deadly war."
Shirou stopped his explanation, realizing that any attempt to hide the truth was a waste of effort. Instead, he scratched the back of his head, revealing an embarrassed smile. "Hahaha… I see there's no point in trying to hide the truth from you. Not that it matters much since you would have known about it sooner or later. Well, a lot has happened since you left."
She could tell that much, even though it hadn't been long since she went to London and returned.
"You must be hungry. Why don't we go eat first, and then we can talk? I'm pretty sure the food had cooled down a bit." As if agreeing with his suggestion, her stomach let out a low growl that echoed in the quiet space. A small blush crept onto Bazett's face, but she couldn't protest; her body was truly famished.
"Wipe that grin off your face, or I'll do it for you," she said darkly, glancing at Shirou, who flinched and looked away.
"Hah…"
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"So… Do you like it?"
Shirou broke the silence, his smile a mix of hope and nervousness as he sat across from Bazett. Rider sitting next to him, her face as impassive as ever. Sakura had left for a quick grocery run, leaving Shirou to play host with the marooned-haired Irish until she had woken up. He'd meant to wait in the living room for their guest to wake, but somehow found himself tinkering with the bike Rider had brought back. Old habits die hard, he supposed.
"It's good." The Irish woman answered, having already eaten her second bowl of rice. Unfortunately, it did little to wipe that frown on her face as she kept glaring back at him for quite a while.
After a few minutes, she sighed after finishing her meal. "I remember the first time we met, you were barely able to keep up with me. Using rudimentary spells and mostly using firearms, you were capable when it came to dodging and overall endurance but I was also holding back. Second time you acted recklessly against an artificial Basmu-like creature, and only managed to lay a deadly strike due to luck with a projected sword."
He flinched with every detail she mentioned while Rider listened curiously, looking at him afterward, and whispered. "So you were always like this."
What was that supposed to mean?
What is with that tone of resignation, Rider?!
In any case, she wasn't wrong, his past encounters with the woman didn't always start out well and never painted a good representation of his abilities. And honestly, he relied on weapons more so than his Magecraft on most occasions for a reason, there was only so much simple Reinforcement, Projection, and Structural analysis could do.
But still, the result from projecting a blade against the chimera monsters made him realize that the sensation felt… the different steps he used to create a weapon capable of handling the monster where his bullets failed. The sensation of the blade in his hand, though a mere copy for but a moment felt genuine and he treated it as such. Pushing all his effort to make it go a bit further. So that it would be able to cut better, not break as easily, and be no different from the original.
He practiced it on his own for a while, anything from swords to daggers felt easier to create than bullets, which he managed to increase his rate of success to at least sixty percent — but that plummeted whenever he tried to match the same speed as he would use with the swords.
And the amount of Magical Energy still remained as high as ever for something so small.
"I've gotten better since last time." He argued weakly, "There has been a lot of progress, and my abilities have improved a lot since last time."
"A lot is not enough, Emiya. People who participate in Grail Wars are not just any random mages, they are capable mages and some of them can contend against Enforcers."
The more he listened, the more familiar this conversation sounded, he had it with a certain blonde-haired heiress not even a day ago. Nevertheless, while he understood she was saying this for his own good, Shirou refused to just accept them without saying anything.
"But Masters aren't supposed to intervene during a battle against Servants. So as long as I'm careful, it should be completely fine." As he said that, Shirou could feel the piercing gaze behind those blindfolds from Rider. He didn't even need to be a mind reader to understand what she was thinking, but this was not the time to bring up matters of the past.
'Masters that aren't supposed to intervene during a battle between Servants huh, those are wise words but reeks of hypocrisy.' Her voice reached his inner mind with a hint of mirth. 'It would have been comforting had you learned of this sooner.'
'I'm just saying it to calm down Bazett and have her believe me. And I only plan on supporting you from afar, not directly jumping in between your fights.'
'Just like how you've tried with Caster?'
'That was a special case!'
'...'
Something told him that maybe this woman didn't completely believe him, had she not been this quiet then a scoff would have left her mouth.
"That… you idiot! There is nothing stopping the Masters from targeting one another!" Bazett pointed out a fact he knew and hoped the latter would overlook, he was far too optimistic from the looks of it.
"That is why I am still trying to get better! To improve so that Rider doesn't have to worry about me anymore."
Said Servant audibly scoffed next to him, earning a curious glance from Bazett and a pleading look from her Master.
Bazett stared at Shirou, his golden-brown eyes burning with determination. She felt a twinge of frustration mixed with reluctant admiration. They'd only crossed paths a few times, yet here he was, diving headfirst into a war he couldn't possibly comprehend.
"You're in over your head, kid," she muttered, shaking her head. "This isn't some game. You could die."
Shirou's jaw set stubbornly. "I know the risks, Bazett. But I can't just stand by and do nothing."
The Enforcer sighed, pinching the bridge of her nose. She didn't particularly care for the boy, but she couldn't deny feeling a certain responsibility. After all, he had saved her life. Twice.
"Look," she said, her tone softer, "I get it. You want to help. But you're walking into a nightmare without a clue what you're up against."
She paused, searching his face for any sign that her words were getting through. But all she saw was that same unwavering determination. Bazett sighed, rubbing her temples.
However, this matter involved participating in a Grail War where both sides, in the end, would inevitably face each other again. And the idea of killing him did not leave a good taste in Bazett's mouth.
Even a bit of lingering shame from having a seventeen-year-old boy willing to jump into danger to save a person who tried to crack his skull a few days before.
"Is this because of that goal of yours you mentioned to me before?"
"Eh?"
Scratching her head, she recalled the conversation they had after killing the monster at the shipyard. "The part where you want to become a savior of sorts… a hero of justice."
"..."
"You can't be serious, kid."
"I am, just like what I told you last time. I'm doing this to prevent what happened during the last war from occurring ever again. I don't have a wish and don't plan on competing for it. I'd rather that no one wins and everyone comes out alive in the end — even if I have to fight you again." He said the last part with conviction, meeting Bazett's shocked eyes head-on. But then his expression changed at the end and he became uncertain, "Um, you're here to participate in the Grail War or just on another job? If it's the last part then forget what I just said."
"..."
"..."
The atmosphere turned awkward, had Luvia been there she would have burst out laughing at his sudden change of demeanor especially when facing an enforcer.
Even Rider's mouth twitched upwards, once again faced with the fact that her Master was strange in more ways than one.
"Forget it, I'm feeling too tired to deal with you now, we'll pick this up another time — if you're still alive until then."
"You make it sound like I can't defend myself. And Rider is more than capable of keeping me safe!"
"Weren't you the one complaining about getting a heart attack because of how she drove." Bazett rebutted lazily, taking a sip of her coffee. "Anyway, aside from that, I'll have to leave tonight. Thanks for the food and saving me kid, but we'll have to part ways now."
"Woah! Careful there, you're still not completely recovered." Seeing the woman trying to get up and grimace from the pain, Shirou quickly came over to Bazett, keeping her from falling over. "Your wounds from Caster still are fresh. Rest for another day or two just to make sure."
"It's fine, I've dealt with worse." She insisted, her eyes twitching when the one who was supposed to be a legendary Heroic Spirit picked the empty plates up from the table and brought them to the kitchen.
Was this a Servant?
Truthfully, the presence of such an entity had her tense the entire time. The other party was a Rider Servant, one of the four cavalry classes with high magic resistance and a perfect counter against Caster other than a Saber.
'The blindfold is unnerving, I can't tell where she is looking. But weirdly enough, they are getting along well enough.' At least it didn't look like this woman was planning on killing her Master given he was trying to ruin the Holy Grail War with no desire to win.
Bazett was pretty certain their conversation was… too friendly.
'Maybe she's trying to seduce the kid and change his mind.' As soon as that thought came to her mind, Bazett looked at the redhead who was supporting her body and began to frown.
There was something she had to confirm after what happened yesterday and only one person who could answer her.
A young man was easier to control.
"Emiya, It's fine."
"No, it's not, you can barely walk let alone try to defend yourself."
"You haven't seen what I can do at my worst."
"And I frankly don't care about that."
This stubborn little shit!
"You're not going to give up are you…"
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(A few hours later)
This was definitely not the place Shirou imagined Bazett wanted to go. The eerie atmosphere coupled with the sound of leaves rustling in the background coupled with crows announcing their arrival — this small church gave him the creeps anytime he saw it. Had it been in the middle of the night, this held the ability to be a picture-perfect area pulled straight out of a horror movie.
Even with Rider around in her spiritual form did little to push down the uneasy sensation coming from this place.
"You haven't been here before?" Beside him, Bazett, vested in a dark suit, asked curiously after noticing his reaction.
"Once, long ago but I never went inside." A place he initially wanted to visit but decided against that as soon as Kiritsugu learned of his plans and warned him from ever coming here. This was the one and only time that the old man ever told him such a thing, which made this place feel even more dangerous somehow. "You've been here before too?"
Bazett nodded. "A bit run down from the outside, but it looks like your average church on the inside. This is a good opportunity for you to meet the supervisor of the war given you are a Master now. If you're not willing to take the next step, then just wait outside."
He took a deep breath, "Got it."
With a nod, he followed her into the building. The place was even darker on the inside with dozens of wooden pews set on both sides of the area. In the end, there was a raised podium, and behind it was nothing more than an empty space. But what caught him was the sound of paper being turned, a middle-aged man's back facing him as he remained fixed in his prayer.
"Ah, Bazett Fragga... How fortuitous to see you. I trust you are well, though, in times such as these, one must wonder—what truly constitutes 'well'?" He said when turning his attention to the woman, clearly able to see the state of her body. "Nonetheless, it is joyous to see you are back safe and sound, I suppose your mission has encountered some hurdles."
A prominent frown came to her face though she remained calm. "Enough with the fake pleasantries, Kotomine. You know exactly why I'm here! Why did you lie to me about the Galliasta heir not having summoned any Servants? That was clearly not the case!"
The man had an ever-present smile on his face even while facing the barely suppressed rage within Bazett's voice.
"I am but a humble priest and God's servant, which is why I am not omniscient nor all-seeing. It could just be your bad luck that he may have summoned one as soon as you got here." He answered respectfully, offering a light bow that didn't look sincere in Shirou's eyes.
"Is that an excuse?"
"You can see it like that if it brings you any peace, but know that what I am speaking are merely facts. At the end of the day, taking the risk to go after him remained in your hands. Surely I cannot be blamed for the faults of another."
Bazett clenched her jaw, visibly struggling to contain her frustration. She took a deep breath, her eyes narrowing at Kotomine. "This isn't over," she said, her voice tight. Then, gesturing to Shirou, she added, "For now, let me introduce Emiya. He's here to formally declare his status as a Master in the Holy Grail War."
At the mention of Emiya's name, Kotomine's expression flickered briefly - a subtle change that went unnoticed by both Bazett and Shirou. The priest's eyes, however, seemed to gain a new intensity as they fixed on the young man.
"Hoh, It is always painful to see someone so young rescind their lives and to such a gruesome war for a wish — but I can respect it. Well met, Emiya Shirou."
"..."
Once again, Shirou was reinforced with the idea that this person was not normal. The man kept smiling but his eyes were anything but that, lacking any life and was unmoving the entire time. So it was best he followed Bazett's example and just remained equally as collected.
"You are wrong about my desire to participate in this war and kill other people." He said, not liking how the older man was painting his current situation as someone driven by the greed of the Grail rather than desire to protect the people.
His answer certainly wasn't what the priest expected. "So, you've come this far, and have thrown yourself into a conflict not meant for ordinary men. Tell me… what is it you seek from the Grail? What wish could drive you to endure this brutal war?" Kirei's voice was calm, yet it carried an odd undercurrent of twisted amusement as if he already knew the answer but relished in forcing Shirou to say it out loud.
Whether that was truly the case or he ended up imagining it, it didn't matter.
Shirou stood before the man, his expression hardened, his fists clenched tightly at his sides. There was no point in keeping his desires a secret, Bazett knew and so would others eventually.
"I told you, I don't want anything from the Grail."
The priest raised an eyebrow, his lips curling into a faint smile. He steps closer, his dark robes swaying with the movement, the dim light casting shadows over his face.
"No wish at all? How strange. You fight in a war where the ultimate prize is a wish—a single desire that can reshape the world to your liking. And yet, here you stand, telling me you seek nothing from it? I find that hard to believe. You, just like all people, must have a wish."
He circled around Shirou, hands clasped behind his back. "No matter who or what you are, everyone has a wish. Perhaps… deep down, you desire something you're too afraid to admit. Something selfish. Perhaps you wish for the power to bring back those you've lost… or to erase the sins of your past. Fame and fortune are not out of the picture as well, but something tells me that isn't something of your interest."
Shirou doesn't move, his eyes locked ahead, his voice steady but laced with certainty.
"Look, I'll say it again: I don't need the Grail. It could grant a million wishes, and I still wouldn't want it. My goals? I'll achieve them myself. All I'm here for is to stop innocent people from getting hurt and to make sure no one uses that thing for something they shouldn't. That's it. "
Kirei's smile widened a little more. His steps slow as he comes to a stop in front of the boy, looking him in the eyes, searching for something in the boy's unwavering gaze.
"You must be aware of the Fuyuki fire, a tragedy that claimed countless lives, and shattered families. Perhaps even lost something or someone important all those years ago just like many. Just like many who have suffered through that tragedy, don't you wish it would have been otherwise? A wish that the fire was to never happened, to save the thousands of lives that were lost? Or maybe… to take back what you lost?"
"I told you, I refuse to use the Grail!" Anger started to rise within Shirou's heart the longer he spoke to this person. The way the other behaved and tried to tempt him with said prize felt wrong and deliberate.
Shirou suppressed a shudder. There was something deeply unsettling about Kirei Kotomine, beyond just his words. The priest's unblinking stare and eerily calm demeanor made Shirou's skin crawl. He glanced around the dimly lit church, suddenly hyper-aware of the oppressive atmosphere. The musty air, the worn empty benches, the flickering candlelight - it all felt wrong. Shirou had an overwhelming urge to get away from this man. As Kotomine continued to watch him with those lifeless eyes, Shirou couldn't shake the disturbing thought that he was face-to-face with a walking corpse rather than a living man.
"I just came today to accompany Bazett and announce my purpose as a Master. As far as I know, there is no rule against having a Master focus on keeping people safe rather than blindly chasing after a Grail. And not just for this war, I'll accomplish my goals of a better world one way or another with a wish-granting device."
At the end, a trace of disdain appeared within the man's eyes. "Is that truly your wish, Emiya Shirou? To save people? To fight endlessly for the sake of others, all while denying yourself? Tell me, does your dream still hold meaning in the face of this war? In the face of all the lives lost, the people betrayed?"
"My wish… isn't for myself. I fight because I want to stop people from suffering the way I did. I've made mistakes, and I've seen too much pain. But I won't stop trying to save as many people as I can." He took a step forward, meeting Kirei's cold gaze head-on. "I don't need the Grail to do that. I don't need some miracle to make the world a better place. I'll do it with my own hands, even if it takes my entire life."
Kirei's expression remains unchanged, but his eyes flicker with more dark—amusement, curiosity, and perhaps even pity. He unfolded his arms, his voice low and contemplative chuckle.
"Rejoice, young man, for the Lord has listened and will surely grant you his blessings in your upcoming trials. You who pursue this particular goal may deem it impossible or foolhardy. You should know. Your wish will not come true unless there is a clear evil. Even if it's not something you approve of, a hero requires a villain to defeat."
Kirei's smile twists into something more foreign as if he's enjoying watching what the future would bring.
"..."
Rather than give him another answer, Shirou turned his back and walked out of the church. Walking past a silent Bazett who hadn't interfered since the beginning. "I'll wait for you outside."
…
With only Kirei and Bazett left in the room, the priest couldn't help but chuckle as he watched the young man's back leaving the church.
"How long do you think he can cling to that goal? How long until the weight of it crushes him and he falls into the abyss?"
"Don't judge." Bazett rebutted, but her tone lacked conviction in itself.
"I am not. Just asking a simple question from my observation. You know this to be the truth as well." His eyes narrowed, the amusement in his gaze fading slightly. There's a long pause, filled only with the quiet hum of tension between them.
"Such an odd boy… clinging to a dream that will only lead to his destruction. But he's just like him, how interesting and yet still just as foolish." He shook his head from pity before turning his attention back to Bazett. "I suppose this is about matters related to the Galliasta Master."
At that, the woman's fists clenched and she looked at him with fury.
"He said I am no longer qualified to be a Master, what the hell is going on."
The priest shrugged, going back to close the book behind him and extinguishing the lit candles one by one.
"Just as you've heard, you are no longer considered as a Master candidate chosen by the Clocktower. Your slot has been handed over to another magus who arrived a few days ago with his aid. As for you, well, there are more pressing matters you should be worried about concerning your safety."
A powerful fist struck a nearby pillar with enough strength to cause it to crack. "I was framed! I had nothing to do with that incident and it's clearly Atrum's fault!"
"Internal matters with the Church such as your case hardly involve us, so there is little I can do to help you. At best, I can offer you asylum in my humble abode, but I doubt you'll accept living in hiding as a rat — it does not suit your personality. That is of course, unless you become desperate enough."
Her face turned red from anger, it was clear that trying to continue this conversation would lead to a dead end.
"I don't need your help, I'll deal with this myself." With a huff, she left the place not looking back once.
But Kirei still had one more thing left to share with her.
"Though you have been dropped by the Clocktower, at the end of the day, it is not them or us who control the Holy Grail. If the Lord ends up favoring you, then there is little we can do to change the course of fate."
"..."
The only answer he got was Bazett's steps halting for a second before continued to make her way out.
{Break}
-Outskirts of Fuyuki-
The night was darker than usual, with the moon absent from the sky, creating a somewhat ominous scene devoid of any light other than the distant illuminated city. The surrounding mountains of Fuyuki were nothing but untouched wildlife, and under the cover of darkness, a number of grotesque skeletal entities crawled along the ground, drawing closer to the city. All of them numbered in the hundreds, possessing a faint amount of magical energy linking them to their owner. Familiars, tasked to observe and scout, scattered across the area all heading to the same location.
Squish!
Moving within the guise of shadows, one of the creatures was instantly turned to shards of bones by a spell that struck it, destroying the creature in an instant. The others around were startled and scattered, their movements growing frantic as they tried to enter the city through different routes. However, all failed seconds later as a larger number of worms, wiggled from the ground and ambushed them, feasting on their dissolved bones and managing to kill most of them.
The pile of larvae began to gather in one spot, laying over one another to create a grotesque column of writhing flesh till it started to resemble something familiar. This mass took the form of an old man, whose appearance was more demonic than anything human. His usual frown deepened considerably on this particular day, a trace of anger and frustration flashing in his eyes as he gazed at his familiars, who were swiftly dispatching the remaining creatures.
"More rats scurrying around my home."
He walked with his cane, patiently surveying the area for any signs of those familiars, ensuring that none of the creatures managed to infiltrate as more of his worms were set into every corner.
"It's you again," he rasped, looking at one of the familiars in front of him who had not fled but instead stared straight at him. Unlike its mindless brethren, this familiar bore a pair of gleaming red eyes that seemed to pulse with an eerie intelligence. Zouken narrowed his gaze, recognizing the telltale signs of remote viewing. No doubt the creature's master was peering through those crimson orbs, observing from afar. A bold move, but one that would prove futile against the ancient magus.
"You are a stubborn one. I stopped you last time from interfering and even destroyed that body of yours, yet you do not learn your lesson. Fuyuki is not your territory, and the Grail has nothing to do with the likes of you. If you choose to interfere any more than necessary, then believe me, I will stand here prepared, and so will the Church."
The tiny creature screeched at him, its intentions mirroring its owner's—those of extreme dissatisfaction. "Someone like you wouldn't be interested in this war to begin with. I don't know what you are after or if this is just some kind of entertainment for you, but as long as I live, you shall not set foot inside Fuyuki. Now go back and rot."
His wooden cane struck the ground lightly, and the only remaining creature died in front of him. Rather than feeling pleased that he had managed to deal with this issue, the old man instead felt more worried than anything else. For the first time in a long while, there was a sense of urgency blooming in his heart. All of his meticulously made plans were at risk of being ruined if this person got involved.
This person grew bolder by the day, unlike last time, she was determined to breach into the city even if it meant facing him once more.
"Placing more insects in the surroundings will only buy so much time, I doubt she'll make the same mistake as before." He needed time, Sakura was not yet fully ready and he didn't want to rush things.
But at this rate, he didn't have a choice but to speed things up.
"Time to bring little Sakura back."
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The next 5 chapters of Snafu, and my other Fate fics (Fate Coiling Sword with 3 chapters, A Fake Familiar Reborn with 3 chapters, Steel Eyed Faker soon to be 3 chapters, Hound having 3 and To love a sword having 4 chapters) are already available on my P@treon. With 4 more Broly chapters at /NimtheWriter. Also, I post commissioned arts on each story, already posted a few on an Archer's Promise, Broly and Snafu.