Chapter 254 - 19

Chapter 19: Texan Fury

-58:16:21

Ox… Snake… Tiger… He clicked his tongue in annoyance. That's not right… His fingers drifted apart before folding back together again, this time performing the correct sequence of odd signs. He repeated the process twice, then a third time with a half-second more speed. I'm nowhere near the level where I can cast jutsu without handsigns, so I'll have to go through them as fast as I can.Combining speed and efficiency was the key.

The machine that is Kiritsugu Emiya paused in his practicing to scan his surroundings, but the forest space just on the city's border was still empty. He had spent the day alternating between monitoring the other Masters' residences, the Matou grounds in particular, and refreshing his arsenal. Assassin X had suggested (much more tentatively than usual) he try ninjutsu of a slightly higher difficulty, and given the increasing threat level of this Grail War, it sounded like a smart move. Kiritsugu and a Shadow Clone of his had been alternately continuing surveillance and practicing new techniques in the forest such as the Hidden Mole Jutsu.

Burrowing underground for the first time had been… disconcerting. Kiritsugu may've never been claustrophobic in his life, but he certainly understood now how the fear could be born. Fortunately, he managed to keep himself from panicking by recalling his Servant's advice… and dreams.

The Mage Killer ended his handsign practice and pulled out the Calico from his jacket. Moving over to a tree stump, he sat down even as his hands already began fiddling with the gun. Magecraft and jutsu were useful, but so were firearms, and they needed to be checked periodically. Can't have a faulty safety or a bullet out of place gumming up the gun.

The machine's hands deftly slid apart the many pieces, laying each carefully down on a small tarp he'd spread out, but the man's vision kept flickering: The helical-feed magazine became a pouch for a split second; the muzzle looked briefly like a kunai; when he picked up the handle, he suddenly thought he was holding the-

It clattered to the tarp, and Kiritsugu shut his eyes as tightly as he could. When he opened them, it was once again the handle of a Calico M950. Not that of the White Light Chakra Sabre.

He whispered a curse. The final thought he'd had before going to sleep last night sprang to mind. "My head ought to be less cluttered come morning…" Kiritsugu set aside the Calico's pieces and withdrew his cigarette pack and lighter. "I just had to go and jinx myself."

His mind refused to move on from those dreams since he'd woken up this morning. Only his experience in compartmentalizing such things had left Kiritsugu with any chance of focusing on his work, and even then, Assassin X's memories had surged about in his head so much it felt like an agitated beehive. The worst part came when they started mingling with his own memories. Peering at a target through the scope of his rifle shifted into lurking inside a tree's leaves over an enemy on the prowl, testing Innate Time Control became jutsu practice…

When his mind drifted back to that night his father died, he found himself peering down at a crumpled form on tatami mats, back turned back to him, silver hair contrasting with the blood pooling underneath him.

The cigarette in Kiritsugu's mouth burned halfway down with one drag. Get over it, you idiot, he growled to himself while releasing a cloud of smoke. So, it turns out you have a few things in common with Assassin X. His brain inadvertently dredged up images of the white dog mask the Copy Ninja had worn as an Anbu member. Running across battlefields covered in flames and bodies. Listening to others gripe about how stoic and callous he was. Dispatching enemy shinobi, one after the other, until he received other epithets: "The Man of One Thousand Techniques." "Cold-Blooded Kakashi."

"Comrade-Killer."

The Mage Killer sighed out some more smoke before amending himself. Okay, you have more in common with him than you thought. And… you were wrong about him.His sight dropped down to the inside of his right hand as it apparently lit up with electricity and dripped with blood. Rin Nohara's blood. He knows exactly what it means to sacrifice…

But for all the answers Kiritsugu Emiya had received about Kakashi Hatake, new questions had arisen that confounded him. The cold logic he had used in his last argument with Obito had struck a number of familiar chords:

"As shinobi, completing the mission takes priority, even if it means sometimes sacrificing one's comrades." Sound, mature reasoning, even if Kiritsugu's heart lurched a tiny bit at hearing it from a twelve-year-old boy's mouth.

"If this mission fails, this war will stretch on, and even more sacrifices will have to be made." Another lurch, but, again, correct. Tough choices made in the present ensured that more lives will be spared the horrors of war in the future. "Sacrifice the few for the sake of the many," that was the core principle behind Kiritsugu's decisions. Besides, he noted sadly, Assassin X had firsthand experience with what the wrong choice could do in such a situation.

"If you accept unnecessary things, they'll just end up excess baggage." Such a statement sounded cruel, but it had been for Obito's sake as well as for the mission's. That hotheaded boy was a fool in Kiritsugu's eyes, always wasting his time and that of his team's with gratuitous sentiments. He'd help old ladies cross the street when he was supposed to be at a meeting, then make a big fuss over his teammate's attitude, all while trying to impress Rin with talk of how he'd be Hokage one day. Just the kind of stupid, romantic kid he pitied, inspired by tales of exaggerated heroism and chivalry like the ones of Saber. Well, he was still a kid. They all were. A shame Obito and Rin never got the chance to grow up…

"The most important thing for a shinobi is to be a tool that completes the mission. Emotions are unimportant." A fundamental rule for all shinobi of that world. And yet, so few of them were actually capable of following it. And for a man with a lifestyle like the Mage Killer's, it was just as well. Natalia would've agreed if she'd ever heard it. Shut off your emotions, be a tool… like a machine.

He removed the stub of a cigarette from his mouth, watching the last few glimmers before dropping it to the moist earth. The life Assassin X had chosen, the things he had been taught, the people he had lost… He partially wanted to discuss all of this with the enigmatic Servant, but he hadn't known what to say throughout the day especially after last night's quarrel. The similarities between them were just so blinding. They're not the same, Kiritsugu rubbed his eyes in irritation. Assassin X didn't kill his father like I did. The White Fang did cause a lot of trouble, though, for compromising the mission to save a few comrades. Many more died because of him.

It was odd that he didn't feel any resentment towards Sakumo Hatake for this, though. If anything, the memory of how his Servant lost his father was just dejecting. The magus hunter's calculating side was appalled at how wasteful the Hidden Leaf Village was in letting such a skilled warrior of theirs fall into depression. Another part, the bitter one, felt the outcome was just typical of the "justice" people prattled on about and used to condemn others without taking the full situation into account.

…And maybe there was a microscopic part of him that sympathized with Assassin X over growing up without a father. Hell, I'm lucky compared to him, at least I had a "mother"…

Kiritsugu turned back to the disassembled Calico, but even while his hands slid the pieces smoothly back together, his musings rumbled about in his mind.

He just couldn't understand it. How could Assassin X wear that headband with pride when the village that gave it to him had trained him and other youths into weapons, choice or no choice?

How could he walk and talk so casually (and read porn) after the horrors of war he'd been exposed to?

How could he interact like a regular person with him, Maiya, Iri or Saber, his partner a very paragon of the heroism his father was condemned for?

How could he open his heart again to three naïve brats he was expected to turn into semi-decent ninja, a heart so broken from all the comrades he had lost?

The last piece slid into place, and Kiritsugu hefted his handgun to aim it at his imaginary target. Nothing seemed out of place with the Calico, as was the Walther he had inspected an hour ago. And the Contender twenty minutes ago. They were all in top shape.

A pity he couldn't say the same of his thoughts. He lowered the gun and stared at the Command Seals on his left hand, partially wondering if the answers were hidden inside that swirl.

"…How can he still have faith?"

His eyes traced the crimson lines again and again, so many times he almost thought he was hypnotizing himself, but the questions remained. He let his hand drop with a sigh. The sun was just about down, the other teams would be getting ready for the next battles. Tohsaka, Kariya and Zouken Matou, that kid: only four Masters and nine Servants left. Thirteen targets in total. And even if the Master still didn't know how the hell to discuss these infuriating questions with the familiar he hadn't planned on summoning, he couldn't deny Assassin X's assistance had been priceless so far. They'd already discussed which target should be-

Static crackled suddenly from the headset around his neck, then a panicked voice rang out. "Kiritsugu, are you okay?! Oh man, please respond!"

The Mage Killer pulled the set into place with a confused frown. "I'm fine, Ūhei." He'd summoned the ninja hound (he checked his watch) roughly forty minutes ago to scout the immediate. "Calm down, what's going on?"

An audible sigh of relief rippled into his ear. "Thank goodness…" Ūhei's anxiety was troublesome; dog or not, he was trained alongside his pack into certifiable shinobi. These boys didn't spook easy. Okay, maybe Kiritsugu was a little touched that any of them would show concern for him… "I picked up Archer X's scent a while back and traced it. And it's bad, Kiritsugu. Real bad."

He stiffened. "Was she at the safehouse, Ūhei? Is Iri's location compromised?"

"No, no. She didn't anywhere close to it, I'd bet my snout on that, and so would the others." He relaxed just a bit. "But the garage… the one who you and Maiya stored your… bigger gear?" The tension returned. "That's where she was!"

"What?!" Kiritsugu bolted from the stump, his legs already carrying him towards his car.

"I'm standing in it, and it's empty, Kiritsugu! The whole place has been picked clean!" Damnit! That was bad. The oil tanker, the explosives and modifications it sported courtesy of Maiya… In the hands of Archer X, a Heroic Spirit obviously well-versed in guerilla warfare? No, "bad" didn't even come close to describing the potential fallout. "I-I think I can track her. If not Archer X, then maybe the gas or the C-4."

"Then give it a shot, Ūhei, but watch yourself," Kiritsugu commanded as he strode out of the forest. "I'll bring the team up to speed, then we'll coordinate the search-"

A dull BOOM rang out in the distance, cutting him off. He glanced up to see a large funnel of red-tinged smoke rise from the middle of the Shinto district.

The Mage Killer was too used to such scenes to let them rattle him for long. "Ūhei, return to the pack and tell them to stand by. We're going to need you boys at your best." He barely registered the affirmative bark over his headset as he opened the car door and slid into the seat. 'Saber, Assassin X,' he contacted his Servants as levelly as he could, 'we've got a situation.'

Flames and smoke billowed from within the Hyatt hotel, most of its windows shattered or pitch-black. Its occupants could be heard shrieking in a panic as the building began to split halfway of its height. The upper half slowly began to collapse against the lower with a loud groan, prompting the people on the streets below to bolt panicked away.

It took about a few minutes for the Hyatt to finish its destruction. Between its staff and the guests who had checked in for the night, roughly a thousand people had been inside when the bombs had gone off.

But Agent Texas simply strode atop the ruins until she reached the highest point, ready and waiting. What better way to lure in all the other players than with the damn place where she had been summoned and all of her misery in the Holy Grail War had started?

She caught a glimpse of a tiny hand sticking out of the rubble, limp and covered in blood and dirt, but she simply clenched her fists tighter. It had to be done. This would all be over soon.

Tires squealed on the street below, and lightning crackled along with an all-too-familiar rumbling and snorting. Archer X rolled her shoulders. Here we go…

As he steered the Gordius Wheel towards the Servant presence they had only noticed right before hearing the explosion, Rider gazed stonily over the smoldering ruins, noting how the street was just about empty of bystanders. No surprise considering the devastation, and yet the King of Conquerors noted something curious about that.

"Pretty low-key for a bitch with her temper, huh?" Berserker X rumbled next to him by the railings.

Their Master stared up at the foreign swordsman in disbelief. "You call this low-key?"

"No, he's right." Iskandar nodded at how his friend shared his reasoning, brutish though he seemed in appearance and action. "The destruction is fierce but restrained to only one single building." He hummed to himself while adjusting their flight path. "…Didn't Qrow say this location was the main fort for Lancer and his Masters?"

Waver frowned while turning back to the destroyed building, nodding in confirmation after a moment of recollecting his fallen mentor's reports. "She chose to target that building alone," Rider continued as they descended among the smoke wafting from below. "The place where she perhaps first came to this world alongside Lancer and later turned on her Master. For whatever reason, that building was significant to Archer X, significant enough for her to erase it from the face of this city."

Another monarch shared these musings as she sped down the street on her new ride. The exhilaration Saber had savored while familiarizing herself with the Yamaha V-Max had shifted to anger at this wanton destruction. Did Archer X instigate it simply to draw me out for killing Lancer? If so, she has succumbed to an insanity like Caster's. But the King of Knights knew even while thinking so this comparison wasn't quite accurate. Caster had been dependent on his demonic monsters, whereas Archer X was far more capable in combat.

Kiritsugu had warned her and Assassin X about this rogue having raided his arsenal, and Saber doubted she had all expended all of her plunder for the Hyatt bombing. Once close enough, she parked her motorcycle into a nearby alley (voicing a silent prayer that it be left untouched by the battle to come) and transitioned to her armor in mid-sprint.

At the same time, Irisviel sat anxiously in her Mercedes with Maiya at the wheel, the sleek car squealing to a stop not close by. As close as Maiya permitted; even if the homunculus' earlier confession hadn't increased her concerns, the mercenary knew they could only provide support and from a distance. Kiritsugu's instructions for the time being were to stand by and keep an eye out for the signs of the other rogues.

They stepped warily out of the car, Maiya glancing just for a second up to see a human-sized blur pass above them. Assassin X, she noted instinctively while readying her Steyr. The ordinary gun was useless against a Servant, but she felt more at ease with a weapon in hand.

The Copy Ninja flipped up onto a building opposite from the Hyatt's remains and still intact. Archer X glared at him from her perch, her fingers twitching at the prospect of wringing that aggravating bastard's neck. The only way said prospect could be more satisfying to the Freelancer was if she did so in front of those women hiding in the alley's shadows… and his partner, storming towards her with that damn sword hidden by the wind. That self-righteous little doll, judging her just for fighting like they really were in a war and not a fancy dueling club. That "King" who had caught Lancer's attention and then cut him down before her eyes.

Those damn green eyes glared right back at her without trepidation, and for just a moment, Tex could've sworn Caroline was standing there. But she soon snapped back to reality when Saber opened her mouth. "This ends tonight, Archer X."

She stared at the defiance in those eyes, and whatever doubts had lingered faded away. "Nobody knows that better than me."

Rider's chariot descended to roughly equal height with the rogue. "A bold claim, black one. But Caster has already tried using mass destruction as his weapon, and we stopped him as well. What good has your little explosion done you?"

'An excellent question, Archer X,' Zouken's voice slithered its way into her mind. 'I don't recall Rider X or me giving you permission for such a brazen assault. We still need more time.'

"What can I say?" She replied to both her Master and the enemies before her. "Maybe I'm just sick of playing hide-and-seek in this goddamned city. Maybe it's time we stopped pretending we're all a bunch of noble heroes fighting for honor and all that shit."

Saber's grip tightened around her blade. "I've heard more than enough disparaging comments towards honor in the last few days, and whatever your grievances with me, you have no right to drag innocent lives into-"

"Oh, cut the crap." Tex began to march down the ruins, scorched cement and metal crunching beneath the fury of her steps. "At the end of the day, we're all just a bunch of self-righteous strangers from other times and worlds, called here by smug little men with magic tricks all so we can kill each other for the sake of a miracle. There were bound to be casualties from the minute we were summoned. But you guys apparently keep forgetting we're in the Holy Grail War. This right here?" She spread her arms wide. "This is war. Mass destruction, lots of people dying in stupid, pointless ways." She brought her hands together and started cracking her knuckles, one loud pop at a time. "Servants are just weapons to make all that happen, right? So, I think it's high time we stopped pretending this city was still going be around after all the fighting was done."

Something blurred, and she barely twisted away from Assassin X thrusting his hand into her torso again. Archer X lashed out with a kick, widening the distance, then she ducked under a swing from Saber before rolling further down the ravaged Hyatt until stopping at the street. Blood trickled from the horizontal gash Lightning Blade had carved in her armor.

Assassin X straightened and glared with both eyes down at her, his Noble Phantasm sparkling. "So, that's your excuse for blowing up this particular hotel? Or did it just remind you of Lancer?" He didn't need the Sharingan to notice her stiffening at that. "War always comes with casualties, yes. But don't go twisting harsh truths to justify your selfishness. And if you think we're going to let you do as you please-"

"You're not paying attention, wise guy," the Servant of the Bow interrupted with a snarl. "What I'm saying is, I'm donepulling my punches. So just try and stop me." Her right index finger moved to her left forearm and began pressing buttons hidden there.

Saber and Assassin X both sensed the shift in her mana and rushed as one towards her. Higher up, Berserker X vaulted over the Wheel's rail and hurtled downwards as well, sword raised above his head. He didn't give a damn about the black-armored woman's yakking, but she'd been on his list of candidates for a fight too.

But before either could reach the Servant, she typed in the final part of the sequence. "Or should I say… Us?"

Blinding light erupted from her body, blinding all three attackers as well as Rider and the non-Servant onlookers. Berserker X landed feet-first onto the street with a curse, but the sudden flare would hardly stop a warrior who rendered himself half-blind on a daily basis. He gauged he wasn't too far from Archer X and lashed out with his nodachi, feeling the long blade cut into something… and then stop.

Then the light dimmed again, and everyone saw that Kenpachi's sword had indeed found Archer X.

Or, well, one of her.

Where before there had been a single Archer X, now multiple people in black armor stood there in front of the razed hotel. Unlike the (supposedly) late Assassin, however, they all appeared exactly the same in height, build, armor details, and even mana from what the onlookers' senses could determine. Assassin X scanned from one end of the crowd to the next, searching for any clue of where the original might be, but they stood too closely together and were all too much alike. All he could determine was their number. "One hundred," he muttered just loud enough that Saber and the others listening via comm could hear. "One hundred duplicates in total."

This was Heroic Spirit Agent Texas' final Noble Phantasm: 100 Tex Battle: "The Director's Many Attempts."

The Servant of Madness blinked repeatedly to expedite his eyesight returning, then he saw how one of the many clones had grabbed his sword with both hands, halting its path through her left shoulder. He smirked. "First Caster and now you… You rogues are all just a bunch of backstabbing shits hiding your best tricks, huh?"

"Big talk for a musclehead who's outnumbered," another Archer X snarled as she put the barrel of a freshly materialized shotgun to his forehead. "There's a hundred of us, and we're not those loser Assassins-"

The shotgun was smacked away, its shot firing wide, then the other Tex Drone took a heavy kick to the gut. She could only double grunting over before Kenpachi's nodachifinished splitting her in half, and when her fellow drone tried to swing her rifle around, the blade flashed high and claimed her head.

Not even three seconds had passed.

"Two down." Berserker X brandished his nodachi with a fresh hungry grin. "Who's next?"

The army of Archer X's bristled collectively, but even on the other side of them, the skirmish hadn't escaped Assassin X and Saber's notice. 'A mite more fragile than the original, aren't they?' The knight-class Servant nodded slightly at her friend's observation. Berserker X was easily one of the strongest melee combatants in this Grail War, but for him to fell two duplicates of Archer X so casually indicated they were of lesser strength. It made sense, too; a Noble Phantasm like this always came with some sort of disadvantage.

Rider was thinking much of the same while watching from above. The number of their adversaries was roughly that of an average company, and bunched up like they were, he could've easily pulled them all into Ionioi Hetairoi. But with Megatron nowhere to be seen, he decided to hold off on invoking his trump card now. Besides, Via Expugnatio was perfect for mowing down these kinds of crowds.

Eyeing the mass of black, temperamental Servants below, Waver tightened his grip on the chariot's rails as the King of Conquerors made to snap his reins right as another explosion went off further east. "What the-?" The boy exclaimed in surprise.

The others on the ground level heard it, too, and saw the fresh column of smoke emerging. New screams were echoing down the streets. "You dumbasses didn't think all I'd set up for tonight was just one building going down in flames, did you?" They turned back to the crowd of Archer X's (though it was impossible to tell which one had spoken) and realized immediately that was a mistake. The outermost ring activated multiple flashbangs simultaneously, the resulting burst of light and sound painfully disorienting for a Servant's heightened senses.

As Saber, Assassin X, Rider and Berserker X stepped back, trying to shake off the debilitating effects, the ninety-seven Tex Drones as well as the original activated their cloaking devices with one last taunt. "Let's see how good you 'real heroes' are at saving lives instead of just taking them."

By the time they could see again, not a single Archer X remained. Assassin X clicked his tongue at this development. "Of course, she wouldn't keep all of her clones bunched up like this. One strike from Excalibur, Rider's chariot or Berserker X, and they'd have been wiped out."

Saber frowned at his words. "So, all of this was just her putting on a show to draw us out-" She stopped when Assassin X thrust out with his right hand, Lightning Bladestill active, towards her-

No, over her. She heard a gurgle, then he retracted his arm as one Archer X flickered into view with an open gash in her throat. She fell past Saber onto the ground before fading away into mana particles. Kakashi then nodded sharply to across the street, and his friend immediately understood the message.

Maiya was busy helping Irisviel who was still reeling from the flashbangs' effects, so both wouldn't have registered the two Tex Drones that had snuck up on them. Fortunately, they were under watch. One Drone was bisected by Saber's wind-shrouded sword, the other Lightning Blade impaled through the back. Irisviel's vision cleared just in time to see both Archer X's dissipating. The sight helped realign her thoughts to the current situation. "Are any more of them still around?"

Assassin X glared about the area before shaking his head. "They're scattering across the district. Another three minutes or so, and they might be all over Fuyuki City." He turned back to the street. "And Rider and Berserker X have taken off, too, most likely to hunt them down. They'll be having a hard time with that if Archer X and her clones maintain their stealth mode."

"That possibility's unlikely." All four turned with some surprise to see Kiritsugu striding in from the alley. "Archer X has raided my supplies, and there's no way she won't be putting them to use," the Shadow Clone of Saber and Assassin X's true Master continued. "This isn't just a city-wide game of cat-and-mouse. She must be planning something big."

Saber digested these words before shaking her head. "But this makes little sense. Archer X certainly has a temper, but she's received extensive training in cloak-and-dagger tactics. You yourself have compared her movements to your own, Kiritsugu." She gestured to the ravaged Hyatt. "This here is basically Archer X throwing down the gauntlet to all of the other Servants, not just me and Assassin X. What could she be possibly thinking with an assault this brazen? This isn't like Caster and his abomination, this is practically suicide."

"Maybe this isn't her idea," Maiya offered as calmly as she could. "Her Master might've come up with this. Or maybe it was Rider X. This kind of unreadable tactic, chaos erupting all around us, making us scramble to react? It does seem his style."

Assassin X hummed at the suggestion. "It could be… except I don't sense him anywhere near us." He shook his head. "And either way, we've sadly given Archer X ample reason to want to see us all dead and ashes in the wind." Saber's gaze briefly shifted to the ground; she was likely remembering her cutting down Lancer. "It could just be she's finally snapped and decided to ensure that happens to us, even if she dies in the process."

Those words made something lurch inside Artoria. She had managed to settle the matter with Diarmuid as honorably as it had been possible (and with no small thanks because of Kakashi's efforts), and she didn't regret the outcome. But the consequences that had emerged from this: Archer X's slipping into violent madness, these bombings she was orchestrating…

This isn't my fault, Saber affirmed to herself before noting the tension in her friend's posture, nor is it Kakashi's, no matter what he may think. But… we did play a part in her mental state deteriorating. And we made Diarmuid a promise on his deathbed.

"Regardless, we have to stop her here and now before she reduces the whole city to a pile of rubble." She suppressed her smile; of course, Assassin X was on the same page.

Kiritsugu on the other hand frowned at the determination in his Servant's tone. "We don't even know how many bombs Archer X has set up, let alone where they could be. The most obvious target she might've had, she just blew off the map." Using my own precision blasting, too, from the looks of it… he grumbled to himself. "Even if we tried to stop her from detonating them, where would we begin to look?"

"When in doubt," Assassin X's hands blurred into a series of signs they all recognized, "follow your nose." He slapped his palm against the ground, and all eight ninja hounds appeared in a burst of smoke. They fixed their full attention to him. "Archer X has summoned duplicates of herself and scattered them as well as explosives across the city. We need you boys to sniff the latter out." He tilted his head thoughtfully while speaking. "These bombs were likely made with components she'd stolen from Kiritsugu's warehouse, so a good starting point is looking for spots that have traces of Archer X's scent mingling with Kiritsugu's or Maiya's."

Irisviel watched amazed at how the hounds she'd enjoyed cuddling with often these last days absorbed these instructions so calmly. And to think their owner was able to think all of this through despite the chaos… Once again, she was reminded that the dogs and Assassin X were veterans of war.

Kiritsugu was similarly impressed with the professionalism before him. But he couldn't help but think there were a few gaps in this plan. "Do you even know anything about disarming the type of bombs she uses?"

"Not much," the silver-haired Servant admitted readily while turning towards Kiritsugu with a calculating gleam in his eye. "Not as much as you and Maiya do."

Wait… what?

The latter addressee was the one who found her voice first. "You… you trust us to disarm them? Archer X is from another world, and her weapons might have similar functions to this world's modern ones, but they're not the same. Who knows if we could even understand anything she's built?"

"If you can put an explosive together, then you ought to have a good idea of how to take it apart without blowing up," he explained with impressive calm given the situation. "And with your Shadow Clones, we can spread out and disable more of Archer X's bombs quickly."

Saber nodded sharply at her comrade's words. "Besides, Kakashi and I will deal with Archer X and her duplicates, as will the other Servants. All you two need to concern yourselves with are the bombs while we keep them off you."

"We've still got the trackers and cameras you loaned us," Pakkun chimed in while pawing the technology affixed to Bull's collar, "so even if you or clones get separated from us, you can still figure out where we are." With that, the eight dogs dispersed in the blink of an eye.

"The other Masters might not be able to follow the same plan we are, but they won't let Archer X do as she pleases either," Assassin X continued. "They'll be sending the Servants out to take down as many of her duplicates as they can find. And like you said, Kiritsugu, a surefire way of shutting down a Noble Phantasm is to kill its origin. Rider and Caster X are bound to figure that out, too, ergo, one of us ought to catch the real Archer X if we're all hunting for her."

Maiya was actually beginning to agree with this strategy, which was baffling since Kiritsugu visibly disagreed. But that didn't stop her from pointing out another detail. "Plus, if Archer X is using her own equipment along with ours, those will automatically disappear along with her once she's dispatched." She eyed her savior cautiously. "It'll go a long way."

Kiritsugu acknowledged the logic in these arguments despite a tiny part of him being baffled that Maiya would indirectly voice them. "That still leaves our weapons, though, and they won't just disappear when she dies." Still, this all felt too naïve for what was the simple truth. "Fuyuki might not be the biggest city in the world, but there's still a sizable number of square miles for us to cover even with Shadow Clones," he countered. Iri turned to him in concern (and some disappointment, he noted as he felt his heart grow a heavier) but he kept his gaze on the one who perplexed him most of all. "Even if we put all of our energy into stopping Archer X, there's no guarantee we can find all of her traps or clones in time."

Saber almost lost her temper again upon realizing what their Master's current plans were. But she took a breath while remembering her conversation with Kakashi and Maiya earlier today and responded with as even a tone as she could manage. "So, you're basically saying you and Maiya should conserve your energy and focus on eliminating the other Masters as per our original strategy?"

Emiya for his part showed perhaps just a bit more courtesy by facing her when he spoke. "You and Assassin X can still dispatch Archer X and any other rogues you encounter, but it's impossible to save every single life, Saber, even if you're a Heroic Spirit." The lack of venom in those last two words took her a bit aback, but his gaze remained cold and dispassionate as ever. "And like I've said before, the Holy Grail is our top priority."

As dangerous as the current situation had become, Kiritsugu still felt the old adage, "Crisis breeds opportunity" applied here as well. Assassin X was right about the other Masters not letting the rogues do as they pleased, so they'd be amply distracted scrambling after the Archer X's and would therefore let their guards down. The Mage Killer had been in warzones often enough to know the effectiveness of such tactics. He felt nothing towards Archer X, neither hatred nor camaraderie; their methods were similar, but that simply made her an enemy for him to be especially wary of. Still, her onslaught provided an opportunity.

Contrary to what Saber or an increasingly mortified Irisviel might've thought of him, Kiritsugu Emiya didn't likeconsidering taking advantage of the chaos like this, but he saw it as the best course of action… At least, until thatServant opened his mouth.

"The Holy Grail might slip beyond our reach yet." Assassin X stared levelly right back at him. "Do you honestly think we'll be able to continue the Grail War if we let her blow up half the city, Kiritsugu? Magic aside, the rest of Japan if not the whole world will take notice of what's going on. And what do you suppose this land's government would do to protect its people?"

Kiritsugu's frown deepened as once again the Servant's arguments burrowed through the cracks in his logic. Damnit, he's right. There was no way Archer X's explosive rampage wouldn't make the hottest news, especially with the multiple kidnappings and the confrontation with Caster at the Mion River. The latter incidents had barely been covered up, but it was starting to look like third time's the charm. The Japanese government could send its troops into Fuyuki City to confront the terrorists presumably responsible for these fiascos. Worst-case scenario was total evacuation and lockdown of the city; they could theoretically still conduct the Grail War with that, but if the Magus Association intervened, too…

Kakashi Hatake didn't need to Sharingan to see the conflict inside his Master's features. Ever the pragmatist. Or rather, convincing himself he is one. He stood by what he'd said to Irisviel and Artoria hours ago, and he wasn't about to give up on the man just yet. "Kiritsugu Emiya, I know you believe in sacrificing the few for the sake of the many, and you're probably right that it's impossible to save everyone in this situation." Something flickered in those dark eyes, spurring the Copy Ninja's words on. Pragmatism had pried open the door, now it was time to try and slip through. "But doing nothing saves no one." Another flicker. With that, he judged now was the time to ask one crucial question. "Can you really live with that?"

Whatever retort Kiritsugu might've been able to muster caught in his throat. Assassin X knew he'd struck a vulnerable point but hoped the blow wasn't too deep. The man before him, the Mage Killer feared and loathed among magus society, the broken soul what lay within… He had been taught by Natalia Kaminski and this world itself that saving every person just wasn't possible. In order to save one, you had to sacrifice another. Such was life.

But Kakashi believed that for all of his utilitarian, cold-hearted decisions, Kiritsugu Emiya was fundamentally invested in protecting people, not killing them. The only reason he hadn't cracked under the weight of his "sacrifice the few for the sake of the many" principle was because he told himself there was a "many." You know you can't save the world, the Servant mused sadly, so you're fighting with all you have for a miracle that can. Deep beneath all of the bitterness and pain that encompasses your heart lies the question Shirley asked you, doesn't it? Even after so many years, so many sacrifices, you still want to keep your promise.

He didn't voice these thoughts aloud, though, out of respect for his Master's privacy. Artoria was giving him a conflicted stare, no doubt having determined that Kakashi knew more about this dark man than she did but trying to be graceful enough not to pry. His respect for her deepened all the more for that. She carries a stronger will than I ever did, he mused with a mental chuckle despite the severity of the situation. No wonder she's such a legendary King.

On either side of the Heroic Spirit duo and their Master, two women stood watching this apprehensively. Irisviel von Einzbern was silently praying to whatever merciful deities existed in this world or another that the man she loved would listen, even while she cursed her own weakness. It was taking everything she had to keep standing tall. Maiya Hisau, on the other hand, remained silent. She had said her part, more than usual for her, in fact, but she wouldn't go against the wishes of the man who had given her everything. Not for… anyone.

Another explosion rang out, drawing the others' attention due to it being slightly closer than the previous one. Saber's legs tensed to spring out into the fray, but she forced the impulse down and turned back to Kiritsugu. "One way or another, we cannot just linger here."

"You don't need to tell me that." Two sets of index and middle fingers formed a t-shape, and with a Poof! four Shadow Clones appeared next to Kiritsugu Emiya. "Four's the maximum I can manage for now," he grumbled, "but so long as we don't actually fight, it might work." All five scoffed at the triumphant look the King of Knights shot them (and ignored the exuberant one from Iri). "We're just doing our part so there isn't outside interference afterwards."

Another Kiritsugu muttered, "There's still no guarantee we can save all of the city, anyway."

"No," Assassin X conceded with a relieved shrug, "but a little bit can go a long way. Besides, you can at least give the hero thing a try for once."

"Haven't got the practice for that," a third scoffed before turning to Maiya who had just quintupled herself, too. "Looks like we're the Grail War's bomb squad. Comms?"

One of the dark-haired women nodded and retrieved a duffle bag filled with radio equipment. "Good thing I stocked up after Assassin X taught me the Shadow Clone Jutsu. We can listen in on the pack's findings, trace them and coordinate to cover more ground like this."

"And I'll assist, too." Irisviel stepped forward, her own fingers shifting into the same handsign. Seven more white-haired homunculi appeared behind her, and they all did so with the original's determined glare that shut up the Kiritsugu's. "Even if I don't know anything about explosives, we can provide mana and healing spells for the rest of you. We all need to contribute if this city is to survive." Iri knew this wouldn't do her deteriorating condition any favors, but there was no point whining about her own weakness. Not if she wished to see her love's dream come true. It was high time she followed the example of the two Servants who had befriended her and earned her admiration.

Saber smiled at her friend's newfound strength before nodding to her comrade. "Shall we get down to business, then?"

Assassin X stretched out his arm and bowed slightly. "After you." With that, both Heroic Spirits leaped off to hunt down Archer X and her duplicates, determination spurring them on to save as lives as they could.

As they raced along the buildings, one sent a little private message to the other. 'And here I thought Charisma is mySkill.'

'Nah, I'm just a believer.'

The remaining group scattered as well, Kiritsugus and Maiyas quickly commandeering vehicles to ferry them and the Irisviel clones as widely apart as possible and all the while tuning their communicators and viewscreens to the hounds' frequencies. Amidst these actions, the Mage Killer gave a tiny scoff to himself. There was a pretty big chance they couldn't save any lives tonight, yet he was, rushing off like some idealistic kid to try anyway. Maybe he had pushed a little too far against Assassin X, and the latter had countered him.

But despite the crisis, Kiritsugu's heart felt oddly… lighter.

-58:12:04

A growl emanated from Rider X as he stormed in spirit form up to Fuyuki Church's roof. I did not authorize this assault, it is far too early! He had intended to channel Archer X's fury into whittling away at his enemies step-by-step, reducing their numbers. Saber and Rider, his chief rivals, each retained deadly partners as direct aid, and the team of Caster X and Berserker was still in play and on good terms with both. The battle with Caster had proven that these Servants were too strong when united.

And now that impulsive brute had gone and given them another reason to join forces! I suppose this is only to be expected when you trade a treacherous pawn for an unstable one… Or… A dark suspicion crept its way into his processor. He materialized to batter aside the door and step into the open air. Smoke was still wafting about above Shinto, and he could already sense battle in Miyama. 'Zouken, why is Archer X acting than we agreed upon?'

'Believe me, I only learned of it myself with the first explosion,' the old worm replied smoothly. 'She really is good at sneaking around. And it seems Avenger X may have encouraged her a little to take the initiative.'

'Did he now?' Megatron's sharpened denta ground against one another. He knew that newcomer could pose as much a threat as an asset, and it seems the time he had spent nurturing Kirei's potential had been exploited. 'Well, call her off then! There's still time for us to salvage that wench before her impulsiveness robs us of our weapon. You still retain her Command Seals, don't you?' Gunshots rang out in the distance, and a smoke cloud was suddenly split apart as though by a gust of wind. Or a powerful slash.

His tautness grew at the tone of Zouken's reply. 'I do, but frankly, I see little reason to expend them at the moment.' The human went on, overriding Rider X's words. 'We both know she would simply run off for another attempt the moment we drop our guards, and I would have to use my final Seal just to wrangle her in again. So, we might as well put her attack to good use while our enemies are scrambling panicked about, don't you think?'

A fair point. Whereas Caster's nautical horror show had lured the allied Servants to Mion River and effectively bottled the clashes in one location, Archer X's widespread bombing runs would force the groups apart to stem her destruction. They couldn't cooperate with each other so easily, and that would allow for picking off individual targets. Which also provides you with another opportunity to erase Caster X, eh, Zouken?

The logic did little to curb Rider X's anger over this happening in spite of his authority. Did Zouken and Avenger X believe him unaware of their own schemes?'Alright, Zouken, I see your point,' he answered as calmly as he could even as his temper boiled. 'Then let's make the most of this debacle.'

The Cybertronian Servant barely registered Matou's triumphant cackle on account of approaching footsteps. He turned to see Kirei Kotomine leaning against the battered door. "Do you seek to leash me tonight for my own safety, Master?" Rider X asked sardonically.

The freshly tainted priest scoffed at that. "If you were concerned about your safety, you wouldn't be loitering about on an enemy Master's property." He rapped a finger against the broken wood. "Though I would appreciate you not taking out your frustrations on the church. Doors do cost money."

A smirk twitched across the Heroic Spirit's face. "How refreshing to see your sense of humor is developing alongside your passion, Kirei. I take it then that you will not try to oppose me?" He had not chosen these words carelessly. Between the Dark Energon inside Kirei and the Command Seals he carried, it was still unclear whether Master or Servant held more power in this arrangement. Now might've been an inopportune time to test it, but if need be…

But the Master simply shrugged. "I am already busy enough coordinating the church's efforts to keep bystanders out of the proceedings. So, I would appreciate it if you try not to stand out too much tonight, regardless of what you do." He turned to head back inside while muttering, "Hopefully we don't come up with an explanation for a monster attack twonights in a row…"

"Better not tempt fate like that, Kirei," Rider X shot after him with a chuckle. But then he sobered and leaped high to transform into Alt-Mode Starship, his thrusters taking him up into the higher clouds. He needed to gain a clearer view of the battlefield before making his next decision. Perhaps Avenger X had provided him an opportunity or two with releasing Archer X into the wild. Megatron could certainly think of one confrontation he'd enjoy.

But that didn't mean he'd let that horned wretch or his Master off the hook so quickly. I'll let you play your little games for now, parasite. If you get rid of your rival, then all the better for me as well. But if you dare to stand in my way… then two or two hundred Servants would not save you from the promise I made when we first met.

Zouken Matou leaned pleased back in his study's chair, sensing the "conversation" was over for now. He was under no illusions of how powerful or dangerous his unexpected ally was, but for the time being, he was confident the malevolent titan would be preoccupied with making heads and tails of Archer X's rampage. Thus, he shifted his black eyes to the room's only other occupant. "Well, you've evaded Rider X's wrath for now. But there will most likely be a reckoning to come."

"There always is," Avenger X replied without a hint of anxiety, his fiery gaze locked on the scene outside the windows. He drew in a long breath, like he was trying to inhale the chaos, then continued. "He and I are bound to face each other sooner or later. Provided one of us does not perish before the moment comes. Until then, I see no reason as to let him set the pace for this War." His eyes sharpened for just a moment. "I made that mistake in life, but I will not make it now."

Zouken hummed while absorbing this information. He'd received tiny flashes in what few dreams he received (the Matou patriarch had conditioned himself long ago to minimize his need for sleep, as enemies could be dealt more easily awake), and they had all spoken of pain, hatred, but also… subservience. Fear of a man "Darth Maul" had known as "master." This one's used to being a pawn in someone else's game. And now he's striving to be a player.

Well, this was a different game from the one the Servant was used to. And he was far from the only player, as the Master was quick to remind him. "Seeing as I'm graciously indulging you and Archer X, you can show your gratitude with a particular mission."

Those yellow eyes finally turned towards Zouken. "Caster X," Avenger X inferred. "You still consider him the priority target to be cut down, then?" The Sith easily sensed the enmity swirling about in the ancient body seated before him. But he couldn't deny his own instincts were pushing him to rid the Holy Grail War of that wizard. Perhaps even more so than Saber, despite the loathsome purity of her sword which he had witnessed.

The Master inclined his chin, those black beads sharpening like daggers. A little smile played along Maul's lips, and he bowed slightly. "Then I had best be on my way." Thus, he shimmered away into spirit form.

"And I'll be waiting," Zouken murmured, flicking a finger, "and watching." A buzzing bit through the study's silence as his insects headed out into the night. They would trail Avenger X to make sure he understood his responsibilities. Naturally, Zouken would've preferred witnessing that abominable being's demise in person, but his little familiars would suffice. Besides, he could still enjoy Kariya's subsequent tumble into madness and despair. And for the moment, his other Servant was stirring up quite some entertainment herself, even if her prior defiance was a little grating. No wonder Kayneth El-Melloi had been at odds with her.

But there was one other detail that honestly perplexed Zouken: How could Archer X spread out her doppelgangers so much? A single battlefield was one thing, but they were scattering to all across both halves of Fuyuki. Her Noble Phantasm bears some similarity to Rider's, he contemplated, only with fewer numbers and a bit more strength among each individual soldier. But Rider's army is restrained to combat within the Reality Marble; he could probably call forth only a handful outside, and even that wouldn't last more than a minute. Archer X can't even imagine a Reality Marble let alone create one, and with her sub-average mana levels, she shouldn't be able to sustain the duplicates at such a large and wide distance, even if I don't sever my connection to her.

Yet as his Crest Worm flyers could confirm, not only was both Archer X and her clones still present, but they were fighting, too. How was this possible…?

Did Rider X- Zouken shook his aged head at the ridiculous thought. No matter how much she had snapped, Archer X would've sooner ripped out her own heart than accept power from someone she didn't trust. Besides, Megatron wasn't one to share anything, much less power. He hadn't even shared the location of the Reactor's new hiding place, having deemed the Matou manor as apparently not safe enough for his new mana source.

The five-hundred-year-old drummed his fingers against his cane's head, considering one hypothesis after another until two words came to mind: Independent Action.

Of course… Zouken's smile returned at the amusing conjecture: Under regular circumstances, Archer X could function without a Master's mana for two days. It was how she'd been unaffected by killing El-Melloi prior to making a new contract with the Matou family head. And now she's somehow channeling that time into maintaining her Noble Phantasm, Zouken surmised with a little laugh. He wasn't quite sure how she'd managed to pull it off, but the idea of her burning her own life away just for a possibility of victory tickled him. She's literally gambling her life on this single battle. Win or lose, this is Archer X's final night in the Holy Grail War.

…What a pair she would've made with Kariya had he summoned her. The image of his useless "son" screaming and raging about, flanked by two equally volatile Servants in black armor, made him briefly double over into a laughing fit.

But sadly, fate had other plans for that useless pup of his. Zouken's mirth faded as he recalled that infernal wizard. Right then. Archer X could go off on her exaggerated suicide mission with his blessing, she was bound to drag at least one Servant down with her. In the meantime, Avenger X could make up for his earlier fun with her by taking care of a certain nuisance in a gray beard and pointy hat during the chaos ensuing.

And just in case… He lifted the little book containing what was originally a Command Seal for Caster and was now Avenger X's, held it over his left hand where two more sat for Archer X, and concentrated before pausing. On second thought, he watched one of his hand's Seals evaporate, I might as well toss a little oil onto her fire. Now she can put forth an even more spirited performance, perhaps even enough that my dear partner doesn't survive this city-wide crossfire.

Zouken sighed to himself while transferring the last Seal to his book. Let no one say I'm not a generous fellow.

-57:28:39

The Yamaha's motor roared as it carried its driver along the streets. Saber weaved left and right as the Tex Drone ahead of her emptied her assault rifle's ammo, bullets flying. Not a single one reached the mounted knight even as she closed the distance and cut both of her adversaries down with one swing of her sword. She took one glance behind her to check the two she'd found were fading away before speeding on.

Meanwhile, Urushi had found one bomb underneath another skyscraper and alerted one of Maiya's Shadow Clones. Said dark-haired woman was now crouching by a concrete pillar to slowly peel off the outer casing. She narrowed her eyes at what lay before her. "Failsafes, dummy leads, booby traps…" she murmured underneath her breath. "…It's a work of art."

A clone of Irisviel hovered nervously over her. All the homunculus saw was a compact mess of wires and hardware. "But can you disarm it?" It had baffled her how easily Maiya had snuck them both into the garage and to the column, but the timer read "01:56" and was steadily counting down. There'd be no time to evacuate the building even if they didn't get arrested for trespassing.

"Maybe…" Maiya gently moved some wires with a set of metallic prods, tracing the wires. "It's definitely a mesh of her equipment and the tools stolen from Kiritsugu. Definitely another precaution to try and make sure they still go off even if she dies. But Archer X didn't have much time to set this up, and it's not like foreign equipment just slides together even if the designs are similar …" She glanced down to the fidgeting dog beside her. "Go search for others, Urushi. Whether or not this one goes off, our originals will learn from the outcome."

The grey little hound whimpered but nodded. "Please don't blow up, 'kay?" He then sprang out through the driveway.

The Maiya clone ignored her heart fluttering at the dog's plea in favor of returning to the task at hand. "Can you cast a small Bounded Field to block outside noise and intruders, Ma'am? I'll need as much quiet as I can get if I want this to work." A light tremor reverberated along the walls, probably a different bomb going off. But there was still time for the one right here.

"Right." The white-haired clone nodded before concentrating. Even if she shared the original's physical weakness, she could still perform magecraft well enough to prevent outside interference so long as said interference wasn't from a Servant.

The air shimmered about inside the garage, but Maiya paid it no mind as she adjusted the wires' places with deft movements. According to the timer, she had one minute and three seconds left before it triggered; not much room for dithering.

She drew in a breath and released it to suppress what little anxiety swelled inside her. For as long as she could remember, she had spent her life on one battlefield or another. (00:55) This sort of life-or-death situation was second nature to her. She could see the many little pieces of the trigger, the timer, the explosive itself, but traps had been laid inside it as well. One slip-up and they'd be gone. Well, the two women were only Shadow Clones. If they dispersed, their originals would receive the data and have a chance to do better next time. (00:47)

But there wouldn't be a "next time" for anyone caught in this building's destruction. The Maiya clone knew that but could acknowledge it with clinical indifference due to sharing the original's emotions as well as her knowledge. (00:41) But she felt something else too. A… drive. She closed her eyes in discomfort; she'd narrowed it down to three different wires and didn't need anything misleading-

Maiya's eyes snapped open. She slipped the clippers away from a red wire and cut a black one with yellow stripes. Behind her, Irisviel flinched at a beep-

But the timer remained frozen at thirty-five seconds. Both women sighed in relief before Maiya proceeded to carefully strip away the components. "One down," she murmured while stowing away some familiar C-4. "Almost fell for a dummy lead," she clicked her tongue. "Sloppy."

The Shadow Clone of Irisviel von Einzbern giggled at the faint annoyance in her comrade's tone, then dispelled the Bounded Field with a wave of her hand. "We should tell the others this one's been handled and how you disabled it. Maybe it can help them with theirs."

Maiya nodded at the suggestion. "Good point. Archer X didn't have much time for adding any major variations while she'd been putting these together. They ought to have more or less the same inner workings." She retrieved her earpiece and briskly reported the details over Kiritsugu's frequency. It would help if I could send pictures over my piece or phone…

Then Shiba interjected with the finding of another bomb about two blocks from them, and they hurried towards the car Maiya's clone had hotwired. This was going to be a long night.

-56:59:34

Berserker X smashed through a brick wall, sword at the ready. The dust scattered by the impact wafted through the air before seemingly hanging over four humanoid shapes in front of him. His grin returned as he registered one pointing a gun at him. "About damn time. I hate chasing down rabbits."

The Tex Drone fired her shotgun while her fellow copies moved to swarm him, but the Shinigami Servant casually swatted the pellets away before raising his sword high…

"ULULULULULULUIIII!"

Only to hold it in place as Rider swooped down in his chariot. All four of the adversaries were mowed down like black grass as the Gordius Wheel's bulls trampled over them, and the two outer ones were unlucky enough to get caught in its blades. Bloody chunks of meat and armor splattered across the place.

A vein bulged above a twitching hairless brow as Berserker X glared up at his friend. "Hey, I saw them first, Kandy!"

"U-um…"

"Oh, come now, you were the one who claimed the first kills," Iskandar shot back while steering his ride to turn around, "and I let you have the last two we found! Now we're of an even score."

"G-guys…"

"Look, I like you, but that don't give you the right to steal my kills. You're lucky I didn't chop you up along with them!"

"Idiots…"

"Hah, I'll well aware of your strength, but don't think you could hope to destroy my mighty chariot without removing your eye-"

At this point, Waver jumped in between them with a near-manic look. "Bomb! Right there!" He pointed wildly at a metallic tower before him, a box with wires and a beeping clock strapped to one of its supports. "Do something, Idiots!"

The Servants eyed the explosive forty-nine seconds away from, well, exploding, and Waver just sighed into his hands. He didn't know anything about bombs aside from the odd thriller novel he'd read, and these two boneheads barely had a functioning braincell between them, what could they hope to-

Berserker X crossed the distance to it in three quick strides, tore it loose from the metal with one jerk of his left hand, and hurled it with all of his might straight upwards.

So quick were his actions, the internal anti-tampering devices set off the trigger precisely one second after it had been removed, and it finally exploded thankfully high enough in the sky to not cause any damage.

Waver Velvet and Rider stared up at the massive smoke cloud a while longer before slowly tilting their gazes down to a grumpy, bored Berserker X. "There," he huffed. "Done. Let's go find some more Archer X's."

"A fine plan of action, Kenpachi!" The King of Conquerors laughed heartily as his friend climbed up onto the Wheel. "Let us settle our petty quarrel by moving as a united front onwards! And the first who spots an Archer X may claim her as his!"

That offer mollified the fight-loving Heroic Spirit as expected, and the "Wheel of Heaven's Authority" carried both off joking away for the next battle while its third occupant just cradled his face in his hands. Of course,Rider would appreciate this kind of solution…

-56:42:58

The telltale rattling of a minigun sounded through the night, multiple shells clattering to the pavement. The Tohsaka manor's Bounded Field flickered from the rounds battering against it, bolts of mana sparking out into the night, but none had yet to pierce it. Lancer X weaved among the barrage, green magik dancing along her body as she released Promise Keeper. The Noble Phantasm spun in a wide arc that first sliced off one Archer X's hand and then embedded itself into the minigun's barrels. The damaged firearm promptly burst apart, its owner forced to drop it and then cross her arms to block the strike that followed.

Edenian Sojourner Staff broke its target's right ulna with an audible crack before it whirled around for another swing that decapitated the Tex Drone. Lancer X then sidestepped the stomp kick from one of her two other foes, the one now missing a hand. She parried the succeeding knife jabs and slashes with her Staff before stabbing it into the ground to vault over the duplicate and lash out with a magik-enhanced double kick strong enough to reduce her torso to pulp. She landed just as the final Tex Drone who brandished a semiautomatic.

Jade leaped again to strike her head with her staff, then teleported behind her while summoning Promise Keeper back into her hand. The collapsed blades sank into the Drone's back before being dragged down along her spine. Next the Edenian warrior teleported again to the staggering clone's front and unfurled her Noble Phantasm's blades while slicing her throat open, then tossed it high, caught it, stabbed it into her head and finished the combo with a charged kick that pulverized her.

She returned to a standing form but kept both of her Noble Phantasms deployed. 'Are there any more in the area?'

'Not at the moment,' Tokiomi's voice replied from inside the manor. 'The defenses are holding as well, and I've searched every inch inside. There's no trace of any sort of explosives, just as I said.'

'Perhaps,' Lancer X forced herself not to return the agitation in her Master's last words, 'but it pays to make sure when dealing with shifty opponents.' She walked cautiously along the perimeter, tracking the sounds of battle coming from the city. 'What of the other rogues?'

Inside his workshop, the Tohsaka Master loomed over his desk, a set of special gems arrayed atop a map of Fuyuki. He watched the gems' movement attentively, noting which one was represented by which Servant. Masters couldn't be discerned due to them having less pronounced mana signatures, and Archer X's duplicates were proving difficult to trace, but he'd managed to get a general with a peculiar powder an uncle of his had produced forty-one years ago by crushing mana-charged quartz. 'Rider X and Avenger X both appear to be on the move, but neither one has engaged in battle themselves. Curious…' Tokiomi stroked his goatee pensively while watching an amethyst and dark ruby move across the map.

'With respect, Master, I'm not sure letting Archer move out alone will be enough to quell this attack on the city.' He noted Lancer X's deliberately neutral tone, as well as a slight hesitation unlike her. 'He may have chosen to go of his own volition but didn't display more motivation than usual. Seeing as the grounds are currently secure, perhaps I should depart as well to aid the other Servants.' There it was again, the slight waiting where she would normally be more decisive in her words.

It's like she's more trepid with me now, as if she expects us to begin arguing again with one wrong word. Tokiomi considered. Well, considering how our last debate ended…His eyes followed the tourmaline lazily moving through the Shinto district before moving down.

He should've been pleased that his Servant was holding her tongue around him, and that she was actually awaiting orders rather than just rushing off on her own as Archer had. That was how a familiar was supposed to act around its Master. But… Tokiomi found himself missing her dry wit and assertiveness. It didn't sit right with him to see Jade forcing herself to act so docile, as if she were back in Outworld, trying not to incite Shao Kahn's wrath.

Besides, he knew what her true aim would be if she left the grounds. His turquoise gaze lifted again to stare at a certain spot in Miyama Town.

Outside, Lancer X sensed another explosion occurring further away, but her attention kept shifting towards somewhere a bit closer, thankfully untouched by Archer X's rampage. She had been wrestling with herself throughout the entire day not to barge into the Matou house and rip Sakura free of Zouken's filthy hands. But she still had enough sense to realize the cretin wouldn't take notice of Servants running amuck without taking precautions in case of Archer X throwing a stray explosive at his home. Jade didn't need anyone to tell her that charging recklessly into enemy terrain was a foolish move.

However, she sensed her restraint eroding with passing minute as her mind dredged up all sorts of vivid-

'Jade, I need you to listen to me carefully,' Tokiomi's voice thankfully broke through her imagination, and the Servant's agitation ceased slightly as she registered her Master addressing her by her True Name. 'I have a very important task for you.'

-56:40:52

A Kiritsugu-Shadow Clone ducked even further into the power station's shadows, fingers wrapped tightly around the wire clippers. He'd believed himself lucky at moving solo while following Bull's lead to this explosive, but then two of Archer X's clones had appeared close to the area locked in battle with one of Assassin X's, then three more black-armored thugs had dropped in out of nowhere and overwhelmed him. Good thing it wasn't the real one…

And instead of moving on, they were remaining at the station and slowly combing through each part of it. Do they know I'm here? Kiritsugu wondered despite trying to focus on the bomb's mechanics. No, they would've found me by now. More likely, they're just making sure nobody stumbles upon their little surprise here by accident or otherwise.

He huddled into his corner, gauging the device strapped to the station's main systems. If it were to go off, all of the power in this block of Shinto would go off, causing even more of a panic. A sound guerilla strategy, and between the pack's reports of other locations where they'd found bombs (as well as those who detonated too quickly to be reached or for them to be disarmed), the Mage Killer was beginning to recognize a familiarity. She isn't just demolishing random buildings, he contemplated while sorting through the wires, she's targeting the city's crucial points: power, communication, water supply. Classic guerilla playbook. The Hyatt was just a personal sore spot to Archer X… and maybe a message at me. She could be trying to tell me I'm not the only one who knows to fight this kind of war.

Kiritsugu cut through the wire Maiya's clone had indicated a couple of minutes ago; her intel had expedited the dismantling process for quite a few others. But his previous thoughts wouldn't go away. She obviously blames Saber and Assassin X for Lancer's death, so I'm most likely on her kill list, too. She stole my equipment and the oil tanker, and I can see some of my components in this explosive. Does she want to frame me? Is she trying to draw my original out into the open? Or is all this just a mask to cover up her sanity unravelling?

Either way, the timer was out of commission… but he could hear footsteps approaching. Two sets of footsteps, from either side, and even if these copies were weaker than the original, Kiritsugu still couldn't hope to take one on, let alone five. Well, the Shadow Clone could release himself, but they could just as easily fix the wire and start it up again. Damnit…

That's when the footsteps stopped, and only then did Kiritsugu recognize a new presence.

"I have little interest in tromping into this filthy place, so do yourselves a favor and come out now, ants." Gilgamesh, King of Heroes, stood before the power station, arms crossed in front of his chest and an impatient glare adorning his eyes. The building suddenly exploding hadn't escaped his notice, and he'd initially been tempted to see just what sort of entertainment his counterpart could provide. But now as they stormed full of bravado out of the building, he felt disappointment wash over them. Pitiful.

One Drone stomped forward and cracked first her knuckles, then her neck, the others following suit. "Well, look who finally decided to get off of his gold-lacquered ass. What say we find out who's the top Archer in this Grail War?"

"I thought that'd be obvious," the one on her far left sneered as she trained her missile pod on their target. One shot out instantly, the projectile leaving smoke in its wake as it hurtled through the air, only to be intercepted by a golden portal. Smoke billowed from the impact.

The clouds swiftly cleared to reveal the King of Heroes hadn't moved an inch. "Indeed."

A set of fingers in golden gauntlets snapped, and multiple flashes of gold were the last thing the Tex Drone quintet saw.

"As though I would waste my time with a contest of power against a gaggle of black ants." Archer eyed the roof wreckage and body parts skewered by his treasures fading way before closing his crimson eyes with a dismissive scoff. "It seems I overestimated the female mutt."

He turned away, his eyes opening again to glare in the direction of his "Master's" home. All of this noise had done little to distract him from the fact that Tokiomi had been stringing him along from the beginning to be his weapon and sacrifice. Archer had half a mind to return to the manor and decorate its walls with a certain arrogant little magus' entrails. That green minx of a partner of mine may protest this… or she may decide to join me in the pastime if I reveal the truth to her as well. His lips shifted into a wolfish grin. Oh, that would be a fine sight to enjoy with a bit of wine. It's the loyal ones who always suffer the most when betrayed.

But just as he would've considered making his musings reality, a familiar presence prickled against the back of his mind. Humming in curiosity, Archer turned away from the manor and slipped into spirit form, following a familiar sound.

A few seconds later, Kiritsugu Emiya's Shadow Clone walked out of the station, cradling a disassembled explosive. He sighed while surveying his ravaged surroundings. "I suppose Heroic Spirits have their uses after all."

The central building's back wall was reduced to smithereens as a Tex Drone crashed through it. She tumbled cursing along the floor as her attacker stomped in after her. Berserker X pulled back his sheathed sword with a smirk. "There's more where that came from, princess."

He made to draw his nodachi free when she flipped to her feet and brandished a combat knife. "When I'm through with you, you're gonna need that eyepatch for real, nutjob!" she promised while lunging at him.

Back outside, Rider had left Waver alone on his chariot to grapple with another duplicate. She wasn't quite as strong as the original Archer X, but she still carried her combat training and knowledge. She slipped under his meaty arms and drove an elbow into his nose, making him stagger slightly back as she drew forth a shotgun and pressed it under his chin.

But Iskandar had honed martial skills of his own throughout his many conquests. He slipped loose of the gun's barrel even as it fired, kneed her in the stomach, and brought down his spatha roaring. It cut through the armored shoulder and into her chest, then Rider struck the Tex Drone with his fist to send her to the ground. His blade was wrenched free by the motion, and he finished her with a stomp of his right foot. No need to prolong her suffering.

The Drone still inside the building with Berserker X tried to run her knife through his throat, but it only bounced off without leaving so much as a scratch. He only scoffed while ceasing to draw his sword; too much effort for a scrub who couldn't even get past his Mana Burst. So, he smacked its handle against her helmet hard enough to shatter the visor and knock her back down, then crushed her with one overhead swing.

Kenpachi turned away from the dissipating mangled body with a bored huff. "They're not much trouble on their own," he grumbled, swinging his blade up onto his shoulder, "but this hide-and-seek game's getting boring-" A Bang from down the hall cut him off, making him glance over with a "hm?"

A third Tex Drone fired again, the white-haired woman's body turning into smoke from the impact. "What the hell was that all about…?" She muttered before shrugging. "Eh, who gives a shit, the bitches moved quick and quiet, don't they…?" She checked the device strapped to the center building's supporting structure, then moved on for the rest when satisfied. A skyscraper this big falling over, at just the right angle, was bound to crush any others in its wake like a set of dominoes.

A good plan, and the building was almost entirely empty, which should have meant no heroic idiots trying to mess up the game plan. But then while this Drone trio had been distracted by Rider and Berserker X arriving in the center's vicinity, the white doll Saber had taken everywhere with her and her other bodyguard had somehow slipped in and found their payloads. Worse, they had successfully disarmed all except the last one before the Tex Drone found and got rid of them.

Okay, it doesn't look like they had the time to dismantle them, she considered as she approached a disabled explosive. If it's just a couple of clipped wires, I can patch them up no problem- Then a tremor swept through the floor that almost made the solider lose her footing. What the-She whirled around to check on the only active bomb. There's still a minute on the thing! The wall on her left crumbled, and she drew sighing her gun. Of fucking course.

The wall burst into dust and rubble as the Gordius Wheel'sbovines trampled through the wall and turned a pair of desks into toothpicks, but Archer X's clone was already firing her gun. "Whoa!" Rider grunted while just barely leaning away, one round singing part of his beard.

Berserker X, on the other hand, batted away the bullets near him with his sword before deciding to throw it. The Tex Drone had no time to react as the chipped, impromptu javelin soared through the room to sink into her chest and pin her to the wall. A crater formed from her impact, and she weakly tried to reach for the bandaged handle protruding from her until its wielder crossed the distance and pulled the entire nodachi upwards, splitting her in half.

"Remind me to thank Qrow for that move." Kenpachi flicked the blade clean before whistling at the many bombs around them. "Where the hell did she get all of this crap?"

"Well, at least we know how she was able to disperse them across this city in so little time," Iskandar noted as he hopped off of the chariot and leaned down to inspect one. "Impressive how something so tiny could unleash such destruction and panic." He poked its digital clock with a finger. "But it seems someone was already here before us and disabled them. Fortune smiles on us still…" A sad smile twitched above his beard.

Waver had left the Wheel, too, and was idly staring at another while bracing himself against the wall. He couldn't really see anything broken about the device other than its frozen timer, and he didn't sense any traces of mana on it. What kind of magus would know how to disarm a bomb without using magecraft? He wondered, frowning while he looked at another…

And his eyes widened like dinner plates at the timer counting down. "T-that one!" The Servants turned to see their young Master pointing at the bomb. "I-It's still active, and there's only fifteen seconds left!" He hurried back towards the Gordius Wheel. "We need to leave-"

But neither Heroic Spirit joined him. In fact, they were now looming over the bomb. "What do you suppose the odds are, this one going boom will make the others go boom too?" Berserker X had never had problems before heavy thinking to other people, but he didn't need to be a scientist to have a bad feeling.

Rider, who likewise hadn't paid much attention to his science tutors, shared his apprehension. "A mite too high for my liking." He frowned at the broad room. "And judging by their placement, they're meant to collapse the entire structure." Nine seconds left. The Gordius Wheel could easily carry them to safety in that time, but many lives would be lost, admittedly not an outcome he could stomach easily. The King of Conquerors knew casualties were a companion of all wars, but there was nothing to praise in Archer X's wanton murder.

He also knew, though, that there was a difference in operating a game controller and dealing with this explosive, especially with only five seconds remaining. He looked hopefully to Kenpachi and almost felt his hopes dashed at his friend's frown… when an idea came to him.

"No window to throw it out this time, maybe I can smash some holes in the- Hey!" Berserker X's mutterings were cut off as his partner shoved him onto the bomb just as the timer reached zero. Waver ducked desperately into the Wheel's seat and covered his head-

A dull boom sounded through the room.

The budding magus opened his eyes to see he was still in one piece and hesitantly pulled himself up (thanking whatever benevolent deities out there that his pants remained dry) to look coughing around. Aside from the smoke gathering around and setting off the fire alarms, the room and by extension the building was miraculously undamaged. He slumped relieved back against the Gordius Wheel before realizing that meant Rider must still be alive too.

But that still left one person unaccounted for. Waver released a weak wind spell to disperse some of the smoke. Sure enough, Rider stood unharmed, beaming about at his idea having been a success. Berserker X was crouching over the crumbling wall, though, smoke wafting from him. He slowly turned around just as either began to worry…

And they saw his entire front covered in a little soot but otherwise just fine. A hand reached up to wipe some black off of his face, revealing a mouth set in a straight line and a flat gaze. "Okay," Kenpachi Zaraki finally muttered, "that was honestly the most fun I've had all night."

Waver just sighed against the rails as Rider laughed in triumph. "Well, I've had plenty of excitement for tonight," the former grumbled, "and we might as well get going so you two can fill your bloody quotas." He waved his hand towards the hole they'd made to get here.

The Macedonian King jovially clapped his slightly shorter partner on the back, dislodging some soot. "And our Master has finally understood how we think, what an adventure! Oh, don't give me that look, Kenpachi, I trusted you would be too powerful to let a measly explosion like that do you in."

"Uh huh, well next time, you can hug the damn bomb." Berserker X was smiling as he said that, though, and they walked in good nature back to their transport. There was no point in trying to mess with the deactivated bombs themselves, between the alarms and the noise, professionals would be here soon. The trio were ready to leave with this small victory.

…When they sensed a new presence entering the room.