Chapter 156: The Third Servant

"Why do we have to keep running all day?! And what is that Einzbern girl thinking? How are we supposed to cover up the destruction of the Matou estate? What about Sakura's condition?!"

Rin Tohsaka sprinted forward, her complaints spilling forth as she ran. It wasn't fair—she had been running nonstop since heading toward the Matou residence from the Emiya household earlier, and now she still had to race ahead.

She began questioning whether their target was even human. Perhaps he was a Dead Apostle or something similar—how else could anyone move so fast?

Rin felt on the verge of losing her composure. This was only the first day of the Holy Grail War, yet already the Matou estate lay in ruins. She dreaded imagining what might happen over the next few days.

"Miss Tohsaka, you haven't explained to me yet—what exactly is this Holy Grail War?"

Faced with Shirou Emiya's question, Rin hesitated. Originally, she had planned to bring Shirou to the Church so that Kotomine Kirei could explain everything. But events took an unexpected turn, forcing them here instead—and straight into trouble with that troublesome magus.

While dialogue seemed possible, it required ensuring equal strength on both sides. The opponent commanded two Servants; thus, they needed at least two Heroic Spirits to match. That meant relying on Saber's power for now.

"When we see Sakura, I'll explain everything properly," Rin replied. "I apologize, Shirou, for dragging you into this mess. But I need your help—and Saber's strength."

The other Master claimed his Servants were Rider and Assassin. Though he stated Rider belonged to Sakura Matou, Rin hadn't noticed any Command Seals on Sakura during school. This raised doubts about the truth of his words.

"I understand. We can wait until we confirm Sakura's safety before discussing further. Also... is everything really fine at the Matou estate?" 

Shirou frowned deeply. Taking lives so casually and destroying someone's property—was this how magi waged war? He couldn't reconcile such actions with justice.

"This is how magi fight," Rin explained grimly. "Magi adhere to the principle of secrecy. Battles usually take place out of sight, but if civilians witness anything, measures must be taken to eliminate the evidence."

Shirou subconsciously touched his chest, recalling the spear piercing his heart just hours ago. Though miraculously healed, the pain and darkness of near-death lingered vividly in his mind. He himself was a prime example of why ordinary people caught in these conflicts often ended up being silenced.

"Would you do the same, Rin?"

Would she kill someone simply because they saw something they shouldn't? Such logic mirrored that of murderers desperate to eliminate witnesses.

"There are many ways to handle such situations," Rin responded firmly. "Typically, we use magic to erase memories. That's my approach. Unlike Lancer, who kills indiscriminately, I wouldn't resort to murder." 

Her honesty left no room for doubt. As the heir of the Tohsaka family, she wouldn't stoop to crude methods like those described.

"I trust you, Rin."

Both Rin and Shirou continued running, exchanging words despite the difficulty of speaking while maintaining their pace. Their physical conditioning allowed them to endure the strain.

Saber accompanied them, clad not in her usual yellow trench coat but in full armor. Despite its apparent weight, the metallic plating didn't hinder her movement. If not for accommodating her Masters, she would have moved far faster.

As for the unnamed Archer, he wasn't present. At Rin's request, he had pursued their quarry using Servant-level speed to investigate the destination.

Soon, Red Archer returned to Rin's side. Upon materializing from his ethereal form, his expression darkened.

"He wasn't lying. His final destination *is* Mount Enzo. However, I discovered something troubling—a 'Temple' there."

"A 'Temple'?!"

Most magi construct workshops tailored to enhance their abilities. These sanctums serve as strongholds where magi prefer engaging enemies. Conversely, fighting within another's workshop grants the defender significant advantages.

A "Temple," however, represented a higher tier than ordinary workshops—something beyond the reach of most contemporary magi.

"Could that magus have constructed a Temple-level workshop? Impossible! Where did he come from—a relic of the Age of Gods?"

Building such a structure on Mount Enzo, right under her nose as the guardian of Fuyuki City's ley lines, seemed absurd. Was she truly so inept as the Tohsaka heir?

Yet as they neared Mount Enzo, Rin couldn't deny the presence Red Archer had detected. The moment they reached its base, she sensed the oppressive aura emanating from above.

The "Temple" loomed majestically atop the mountain.

Shirou, on the other hand, exhaled a sigh of relief. He feared the conflict might endanger Ryudou Temple, home to his friend Ryudou Issei. Fortunately, their current path led elsewhere, though both destinations resided on Mount Enzo.

Noticing Rin's grave expression, Shirou asked cautiously, "What's wrong, Rin?"

"You should be able to see it, Shirou—the towering 'Temple' dominating the entire mountain."

"So… what exactly is a Temple? Is it some kind of shrine for worshiping deities?"

Rin paused, realizing her companion lacked proper understanding. Though nominally a magus, Shirou operated largely outside formal circles, relying solely on rudimentary knowledge gleaned through isolated study. Such individuals weren't uncommon in Japan, dismissed by the Clock Tower as insignificant denizens of the Far East. The Tohsaka family's influence there stemmed primarily from ties to ancient treasures rather than genuine merit.

Rubbing her forehead, Rin sighed. "I'll explain later. For now, think of the 'Temple' as an enhanced bounded field designed to amplify the enemy's capabilities. Please tell me you at least know what a bounded field is?"

Scratching the back of his head sheepishly, Shirou admitted, "That much I do know."

In Japanese culture, especially within Onmyōdō traditions, bounded fields played prominent roles in folklore.

"For now, let's proceed with that understanding. Archer, does this 'Temple' belong to the magus or Caster?"

Modern magi constructing a Temple-level workshop wasn't entirely implausible. However, their target's incredible speed suggested expertise in physical enhancement—an unusual focus for most practitioners who specialized in singular paths.

This opened another possibility: Caster.

Historical figures renowned enough to qualify as Caster could easily erect such structures. If true, this meant...

There was another Servant on Mount Enzo!