Chapter 23: Rage, Rage
-38:30:52
Maiya Hisau knew something was wrong the moment all eight ninja hounds' ears promptly flicked back and their teeth became exposed. "What do you smell?"
"Nothing," Pakkun reported before he hopped up onto Bull, the larger dog looming protectively over a still Irisviel. "We can't pick up any scents, not even that of Kakashi's clone. That's the problem."
Akino and Shiba positioned themselves on either side of the shed's door while Urushi and Biscuit had moved to the Magic Circle. The final two, Ūhei and Guruko, circled Maiya as she readied gun and blade. The former was trained in front of her towards the door, but she knew it wasn't guaranteed whatever intruder would come in from there. How did they even find us? This residence was the secret the entire team had put the most effort in keeping hidden. Maiya closed her eyes. Didn't matter. It was already going to be tough enough dealing with these intruders without Assassin X or Saber.
"Miss Maiya… boys…"
"Steady, ma'am," the woman replied without looking to her ward. "Just stay in the circle." She slowed her breath, sight and hearing stretched out as far as she could manage alongside Reinforcement…
Ding-ding.
Maiya whirled to her left and up, two shots ringing out inside the space. The bullets pierced the ceiling but didn't seem to hit anything else. Biscuit snarled at a shadow flitting past the window. Everyone inside the shed stilled as they waited for their "guest's" next move.
The sole human there reluctantly holstered her Glock; whoever was paying them a visit most probably couldn't be stopped with regular rounds. Besides, she needed one hand free to- A dull thud sounded against the door, followed by another. Each blow left a sizable dent in the metal. Maiya barely managed to finish her action before the door finally caved in with the eighth strike.
A growling shadow with a glowing outline of violet leaned snarling into the shed… and was promptly blasted backwards from the collection of paper bombs Assassin X's Shadow Clone had set up over the doorway.
Outside, the dark figure fell to the grass with a frustrated howl just as two more suddenly found themselves assailed by traps of shuriken and kunai. Yet another thrashed atop the roof in an effort to tear free of the wires wrapped tightly around its arms and legs. Little bells rang from its struggles.
Still, the Copy Ninja's precautions were at best a deterrent against Servant-grade assailants. A new form zipped through the doorway and would've reached Irisviel if Bull and Pakkun hadn't intercepted it. As the two dogs tried to bite the intruder, Maiya finally managed to get a good look at it… and a primal part of her mind almost wished she hadn't.
It was an Assassin, she realized from the dark robes and the skull mask affixed over his face. That alone was shocking enough -later, Maiya would curse herself for falling for a trick she had seen through once- but what drew her attention was the eerily violet glow of the Servant's eyes and veins. Irisviel couldn't help but tremble slightly at the sight of him. Or rather, the corroded feeling his mana gave off. Words such as twisted, perverted came to the homunculus' mind in trying to describe it… unclean.
A sound disturbingly between a growl and a moan emanated from him before he pried a growling Pakkun off of him and hurled him to the floor. The concrete cracked upon the tiny pug impacting it, and he Poofed away with a little yip.
"Pakkun!" Irisviel tried to sit up, but her arms wobbled like jelly, and she fell onto her back again. She had no strength left, no chance to even try to assist in the fight. All she could do was watch with mounting horror as the pack had to engage two more Assassins coming in. Biscuit disappeared from a stab, and Bull soon joined him, albeit while taking his Assassin's arm with him.
Meanwhile, Maiya's frown became a scowl. Whatever these assailants were, they had just made this personal.
She rolled under the slash of one Assassin's blade, a few strands of her hair drifting to the ground, and countered with her own swing. It skipped backwards hissing, a thin line of purple on her bare stomach. Maiya rose to a standing crouch, adjusting her grip on her kunai. Thank you, Kakashi. She spared a glance at the little addition to her arsenal. Better than flowers.
Normal weapons couldn't touch a Heroic Spirit, she'd learned that firsthand in her encounter with Archer X. But a weapon originating from another Heroic Spirit, even one not a Noble Phantasm, produced more satisfactory results. Best of all, the four daggers Assassin X had given Maiya didn't diminish his own supplies in the least.
She lunged for another opening, but the female Hassan sidestepped and countered with a kick that went through the wall. It would've crushed Maiya's skull if she hadn't stopped in time. She couldn't even catch her breath, for the Assassin slashed wildly at her with her own blade. The weapon itself seemed thankfully colorless, ergo untouched by whatever the hell had turned the Servant into this current feral state, but it took all of the woman's combat training just to avoid getting disemboweled, and counterattacking was a pipe dream.
She couldn't ask for furry backup, either; the remaining five dogs were busy dealing with eight other Assassins, all of which oozing that same sickening energy. Urushi nimbly flipped around particularly large arms as he searched for a good spot to bite onto. Guruko and Shiba double-teamed the one who had lost an arm to Bull, knocking him to the ground, then split apart to evade the thrust of another.
These boys had years' worth of combat experience and teamwork, and this was hardly the scariest thing they'd seen. Still, numbers weren't on their side, and in an enclosed space like this, they were nearly as much hampered in maneuverability as their dance partners.
Before long, Akino was gone, too, and Irisviel appeared to be wide open. A sweating Maiya appeared to be caught up in noticing these details, leaving herself wide open for the Assassin to run her through.
Poof! The moment the knife's tip made contact, smoke erupted from the former child soldier's body, blinding the Assassin. It opened its eyes to find its blade stuck in a piece of rusty scrap metal. Meanwhile, Maiya Hisau reached the edge of the Magic Circle in time to flip another dark assailant over her hip while leaving a nasty gash along his left arm. For all the good it did; the spirit didn't so much as flinch from its injuries, neither did his compatriots. He drew a knife and slashed at her snarling. She actually saw foam dripping.
Whatever Kotomine had done to his Servant(s), it had stripped them of pain, fear or reason. These Assassins were frankly more bestial than Kakashi's ninja hounds. An intelligence network reduced to a motley group of Berserker-lites.
Then again, that could work in her favor.
Maiya crouched under another swipe, her free hand traveling to inside her jacket, then slashed while Reinforcing her other arm. The kunai carved into the Assassin's neck, but no blood splashed out. Instead, the wound glowed that same ominous purple. Undeterred, Maiya shoved a sheet of paper into the wound and kicked the lean body away just as it ignited.
She turned away from the subsequent flash of heat and smoke to see a female Assassin had snatched up Irisviel. "Ma'am!" The remaining four dogs were dealing with the rest, so Maiya sucked in a breath and made to follow-
Fingers wrapped around her throat like a vice, cutting off her air supply, then she was lifted off her feet and slammed into the ground. Lights danced about in green eyes as they tried to focus. Maiya was lifted again, barely making out the Assassin's groaning head dangling by a strip of meat from its neck. Yet its eyes continued to burn violet.
Maiya fumbled for a kunai even while lack of oxygen made her vision blur, but even nearly headless, the Assassin didn't falter in hurling her straight at the wall. She landed hard, gasping out air and drops of blood on impact. Sliding to the ground, Maiya tried in vain to get up or grab a weapon. Her midsection burned from front to back, she couldn't coordinate her legs or fingers, her thoughts were a jumble of information and pain.
She could barely make out Akino (or was it Ūhei?) calling for her or the Assassin heading towards her, knife glinting in the moonlight. So… This is it for me, then. …I'm sorry… K-
Then light flared up in front of her, and her ears rang with a familiar song: Chirchirchirchirchirchirchirchirchirchirchirchir…
-38:30:52
"…Ultimately, it took Baraka an entire day to pull his blades free. He spent that time cursing and snapping his teeth at anyone who offered him assistance."
Assassin X chuckled a little. "Going by how you've described Outworld, that wasn't a lot of-" Memories flashed inside his head so quickly he couldn't hide his shock in time.
Saber, Lancer X and Caster X and Berserker paused in their chatter at the sight of the suddenly still Servant of the Shadows. "Is something the matter, Assassin X?" Gandalf asked carefully, noting a distinct increase of turmoil and concern.
Rather than answer, the Copy Ninja turned to where his Master was standing near a seated "Irisviel." She hasn't disappeared yet, so… Kiritsugu was reaching inside his coat. 'Saber, Kiritsugu.' Both tensed at the uncommon urgency in his telepathic message. 'Assassin's still alive! My clone just got taken out after finding one of them near the safehouse!'
Kiritsugu's eyes widened slightly, and Saber barely stopped herself from reacting more vocally. 'Irisviel's location is compromised?! But how could Assassin have survived? We saw Rider wipe them all out!'
'…Rider wiped a large number of them out,' the Mage Killer corrected with a hard frown. 'We just assumed that every last one had been cut down in his Reality Marble.' He cursed himself for his carelessness before fixing his glare at a seemingly perplexed Tokiomi. 'This whole meeting was a setup. He wanted to draw us away from Iri so Kotomine's allegedly dead Servant could capture-'
'I don't think Tokiomi has anything to do with this.' He paused and threw the interrupter a skeptical look. But Assassin X went on. 'This kind of subtlety isn't Tokiomi's style. Besides, Gandalf's the one who organized this, and he'd never work with Rider X or his associates willingly.'
Saber picked up on his last word. 'Meaning, Assassin saw an opportunity with all of us distracted and took it.' Inwardly, she sighed a little in relief; she didn't want to believe Lancelot would've deceived her with his wish to make amends or the wizard responsible for this complicit in such skullduggery. However, there remained plenty to worry about.
Kiritsugu was still doubtful about the Tohsaka Master's complicity, but his Servant "spoke" again to keep him on track. 'Look, there's no time for this. We need to get back there now!' He knew what Assassin X was alluding to, and like it or not, the shinobi's instincts hadn't let him or the others down once. And they both knew Kiritsugu's top priority.
On the rooftop of a building far away, a certain man gave his Shadow Clone specific instructions.
Tokiomi and Kariya watched in wary confusion as Kiritsugu Emiya('s clone) raised his left arm, but he ignored them. Good thing I've been saving them, the original noted while his hand glowed with mana. He spoke quickly before the other Masters and Servants could intervene. "By the power of my Command Seal, Assassin X, return to the safehouse immediately!"
Mana swelled up around the addressed. One moment, Kakashi Hatake was standing before a small collection of trees, the next, he was inside the shed, right behind a semi-headless Assassin looming over Maiya.
Assassin X didn't even bother to go through the handsigns for his Noble Phantasm. Instead, Lightning Blade blazed inside his right hand right before he plunged it into the Assassin's back. Violet blood-like liquid splashed out onto the floor, but the other Servant didn't seem particularly affected by this development. Dark Energon, huh?Assassin X theorized, Waver Velvet's words coming to mind. Okay…
He retracted his hand, more tainted bodily fluids hissing against the electricity. Assassin made to turn around, but Assassin X was faster. Lightning Blade blurred into a flurry of hand chops that diced the Servant's body into tiny pieces, the Sharingan tracking each one carefully as it fell.
Assassin X noted twitching in some and lack thereof in others. The smaller the pieces, the better… Thanks for the advice, King Iskandar. He then leaned away from a thrust to his head and kicked backwards. That Assassin stumbled away, but just as he- well, it seemed about to charge him, it… stiffened. Then it was out the door along with its "siblings," leaving only one Servant, four winded hounds and one human woman.
The latter had been trying to get back up, but every time Maiya moved, a jolt of pain swept through her. She closed her eyes to force it down (she had taken more than her fair share of punishment in her life) and after some success, opened them again to find Assassin X kneeling in front of her. "A…" Maiya hissed from the air rushing against many fresh tender spots in her mouth, then tried again. "Ma'am… they took her… Tried to stop… but…"
"I know," Kakashi assured her while gently checking her for the scope of her injuries. "I've sent my boys after her." Her right shoulder was dislocated, left ankle sprained, bruised ribs, maybe even broken, high probability of internal bleeding, right side of her face was swelling a little. He luckily found no signs of brain damage, and even better, Megatron's little corruptive cocktail didn't seem to have touched her.
Nevertheless, Maiya was in critical shape, and he wasn't good enough a medic to help her. That was Rin's expertise… "I need to get you to a hospital."
But she shook her head. "No time… slowing you down… You need to… save Ma'am…" She adjusted her position against the wall while trying not to scream. "I'll be… fine… Can patch myself… up…" Maiya winced, and not just from the pain. A baby wouldn't wouldn't buy that lie. "Kiritsugu… on his way… Don't worry about me… but Ma'am."
"I can do both." A familiar handsign, and then two Kakashi's were in front of her. "I'm fairly good at multitasking, after all." The original then made for the exit, pausing briefly to shoot her one last look as his clone scooped her up as carefully as possible.
Groaning at his actions, Maiya still tried to protest. "Just… go…" She wheezed out while being lifted from the ground; definitely a broken rib. Maybe two. "My life… not as… valuable… as Ma'am's…" The Shadow Clone Jutsu depleted Kakashi's energy, and he would need every bit to save Irisviel. He couldn't afford to waste time or anything else on her.
"I disagree."
Those two words hung in the air even after Assassin X was gone and his clone was carrying Maiya out bridal style. If it weren't for her condition, the duplicate ninja would've felt a lot more awkward about this arrangement.
Maiya Hisau barely noticed. Inside her battered head, her brain was firing all kinds of contrary signals: Frustration, weakness, anger at herself, confusion… and a few other things she couldn't name. But unlike the prior ones, they were all directed at the template behind the one swiftly carrying her along the streets of Miyama Town.
Why? The word burned on her tongue, just waiting to be yelled out. She was a weapon in Kiritsugu's arsenal, a tool for him to be used however he needed. So, why did this guy from another world keep treating her like a normal person? Why was he always showing her these little kindnesses here and there? The concern, the sweets, the conversations? Why did he keep helping her? Why did he keep showing up whenever she needed-?
Why would Kakashi Hatake squander his strength on saving Maiya Hisau's life, a life no one except for Kiritsugu Emiya had ever seen value in?
Maiya opened her mouth to ask… and shut it again. She stared at the intense gaze of those heterochromatic eyes as they searched for Fuyuki General Hospital, and despite her nerves flaring up in protest, her lips slipped into a tiny smile.
She knew this man well enough to guess what his answer would be: Because you're my comrade.
Well, that's good enough. …I suppose.
Despite what others may say, Kariya Matou wasn't a complete moron. He understood being in close proximity to a magus other magi considered extremely dangerous was risky. Ergo, he had been bracing for the worst when the man all of a sudden called upon his Command Seal. But now, all the Master could do was stare in confusion at the spot where Assassin X had been standing. "…Okay, what the hell is going on?"
His Servants were similarly befuddled, though Caster X slowly began piecing the oddities together. Berserker turned to his King for an explanation, but Saber's gaze was focused on the double of her own Master. She wasn't sure why Kiritsugu had sent Kakashi alone to Irisviel and Maiya. Perhaps he didn't want to expend too many Command Seals, perhaps he decided to keep Saber around in case the other Servants present tried to attack. …Or perhaps it was so she could stay and wipe them all out with Excalibur.
Artoria Pendragon's first instinct in light of this thought was to refuse very vocally. Does he actually expect me to just-But she bit down on her lip and reined in her temper. Saber's relationship with Kiritsugu Emiya was rickety and fragile compared to the level of trust either had forged with Assassin X. With him absent, one cross word would only lead to conflict. Conflict that could lead to him ordering her with a Seal to destroy the group purely out of spite. This was no time to lash out.
So, the Heroic Spirit once King of Britain drew upon every shred of patience and diplomacy she had learned in her original life and her time spent with her newest friend. The result was one simple question: 'Do we have time or energy to expend here, Master?'
Kiritsugu Emiya fought to keep so much as a hint of emotion from showing. Part of his mind couldn't help but notice her phrasing. Appealing to my pragmatism, he scoffed to himself. So, even the King of Knights can pick up a trick or two from the Man of a Thousand Techniques.
This wasn't the time for mirth, though. …Nor, he admitted, was it the time for picking a fight with three Servants and two Masters, all of whom were obviously expecting him to call down Saber's sword on them. Kiritsugu had considered the idea, sure, but in a situation like this, that tactic was suicide. And suicide wouldn't be helping Iri or Maiya at all.
On that note, he glanced towards Maiya's disguised clone. The fact she was still there (and the lack of alarm from his little finger) indicated she was still alive (he huffed in relief at that), but if she were to disappear now, it would raise questions. Right, then… no point lingering.
The copy-Mage Killer adopted a more relaxed stance and addressed his sole remaining Servant. "Saber, head for Assassin X's location. Cut down anything and anyone that tries to stop you." He then nodded at "Iri" who understood and made to leave alongside him. Meanwhile, his progenitor quickly packed up his equipment and headed for the building's stairwell.
Saber didn't let her relief manifest as more than a quick exhale while she moved to comply. "Now, wait one moment." Then Lancer X was suddenly blocking her path, her frown apparent even with her mask on. "I was under the impression that we would be acting as a united front. Now you simply leave us?"
Lancelot bristled instinctively at her behavior towards his King, but Saber remained calm. "Forgive me, Lancer X," her gaze moved to the other two Servants, "I truly had hoped to aid you in this fight. But… a very important friend of ours is currently in danger. Assassin X was sent in advance to aid them, and…" Then she met Lancer X's stare. "I cannot turn my back on my comrade. Not for anything. He wouldn't if our places were reversed."
Kiritsugu's clone nodded subtly to himself, pleased that Saber was showing care not to reveal Iri's nature.
Jade locked eyes with her, searching for any trace of deceit… and finding only pure conviction and concern. Smiling underneath her mask, she quietly stepped aside. Gandalf shared a smile with his partner at ease again and said, "Then go to him, Artoria King, and do so with your conscience at ease. With or without your sword, we shall triumph tonight, and I hope you and Kakashi do so as well."
King Arthur spared a second to smile back at him. "The circumstances of this War aside, I hope we meet again after our tasks are done, Gandalf. I still owe you a debt and your partner my final decision." Her spirit soared as the Knight of the Lake bowed proudly his head to her, right hand slung across his chest. How she would've wished this moment could last a while longer.
Still, Saber had responsibilities to her kingdom and her comrades.
While this exchange between Servants was taking place, Kiritsugu's clone was having a slightly more tense talk with the Masters. "One could consider this an elaborate misdirection, Mr. Emiya," Tokiomi warned him, adjusting his grip on his cane ever so slightly.
"Maybe," the hunter of magi admitted. "But look at it this way: while my team is busy drawing attention, you and Matou have plenty of free time on your hands." He gave the red-clothed father a pointed look. "Chances are, Rider X is involved in our current private… problem, too."
Kiritsugu could practically see the gears turning inside Tokiomi and Kariya's eyes. Even if Saber and Assassin X weren't part of their attack plan anymore, they still had three top-notch Servants, four if Tokiomi could get Archer to join in, and they had a chance to rush Zouken while his partner was away. And that meant less resistance to get Sakura out of that nightmare factory… Kariya answered first. "Fair enough, best of luck to you and yours then."
Tokiomi eyed him a little irritated for speaking for him, but he let it slide. He'd come to the same conclusion. So, he relaxed and moved aside. Besides… "At least between the two of your Servants, that metallic abomination shouldn't be a problem much longer."
Kiritsugu nodded and began to leave along with "Iri" … then paused as a thought came to mind. "It's not Rider X who's kidnapping our associate, Tohsaka." Tokiomi turned back to him with a raised eyebrow. "According to Assassin X, his counterpart did the deed."
The Mage Killer's Shadow Clone watched as shock emerged plain as day on Tohsaka's face. It was only for a moment, but it couldn't have been faked. "Impossible…" More proof to Assassin X's claim that this Master didn't anything to do with the attack on the safehouse.
"What the hell are you talking about?" Kariya glared at the two men confused. "Rider's army wiped Assassin out at that crazy banquet! I saw it happen!"
Tokiomi glanced away, trying to piece this together. "Yes… they were all killed… They needed to… To reveal Rider's trump card… That's what I told-" He quickly stopped himself.
But not quickly enough for Kiritsugu to figure what he was going to blurt out. "That's what you told Kirei Kotomine to do, didn't you? Send all of Assassin on a suicide mission to provoke Rider?" Tokiomi recomposed himself with a small huff despite Kariya glaring at him anew. Kiritsugu suppressed a smile while adding, "Looks like your secret ally hasn't been following your instructions to the letter." With that, he led "Iri" away until they were out of sight, the Shadow Clones promptly releasing themselves.
Kariya Matou didn't bother watching them go, too busy annoyed at his "ally" for yet another trick on his part and at himself for not seeing it coming. Stern looks from Gandalf and Lancelot kept him from lingering on it, though. Tokiomi's behind-the-scenes antics didn't matter right now, so he settled for nodding his head in the direction of a house he'd been avoiding for too long. "Come on. Window of opportunity, remember?"
"…Right." Tokiomi Tohsaka squared his shoulders, tabling his inner strife for later. He spared one last thought, I may have to establish a little order in my house… assuming Emiya was telling the truth. For now, his daughter's safety took precedence.
Assassin X raced down the length of a longer roof before leaping off of it, gaining a precious few more meters after his quarry. The Assassins were moving east, towards the Shinto district. If they reached those tall buildings and wide streets, there would be a dozen places for them to hide, and Kakashi and his dogs were having a hard enough time tracking them already.
The Copy Ninja jumped from another roof over a darker spot and had to twist in midair to avoid the knife thrust at him. The female Assassin was missing her right leg (Kakashi noted with pride bite spots on the torn area), but she slashed and snarled with all the ferocity of a rabid animal. Just as Maiya and his boys had said: Dark Energonseemed to erase pain of anyone infected and replace it with destructive rage.
Regardless, a missing leg was a hindrance in battle. As they landed on the ground, Assassin swayed off balance from the impact on a single foot, leaving her open to a Fire Ball Jutsu so hot it incinerated her completely. Assassin X returned his mask to its usual spot and sprinted over her ashes to continue the chase. He couldn't waste time on analysis or one-liners.
That said, there was something distinctly off about the situation. He counted seven remaining Assassins with the Sharingan, all jumping across Miyama in a single group. They could've split apart to attack Assassin X or try and confound him, make the most out of their numbers. So why stay clustered together? Pain immunity aside, damage done by his traps and the pack was slowing them down, even if just by a little.
Assassin X nimbly climbed up a tree and springboarded off of its highest branches while considering the possibilities. Maybe Rider X's little "donation" is doing more than just making them a little angrier. Again, he remembered that boy Master's retelling. It could be like a Berserker's Mad Enhancement. They can't think let alone strategize for themselves, they can only follow the commands Megatron gives them. Yeah, that sounds like him. Well, just playing catchup isn't getting me anywhere. Let's see if I can't slow them down.
They were physically out of range, but that didn't leave him without options. He clasped his hands together into a sequence of handsigns that resulted in a series of slashing winds. The Assassin group was forced to split apart to evade them, and one or two still received a few lacerations. Good start, even if Kakashi had strained to be careful for Irisviel's sake.
He could barely tell for sure which one had her. The pollutive energy coursing inside of the Assassins made it difficult to differentiate for even his special eye, but he could still make out a flash of burgundy red that was surely her jacket.
He'd gotten a bit closer again, but his darker counterparts had already regrouped on a street, two moving to confront him. But Assassin X wasn't worried about them or their compatriots about to take off. Looks like their awareness has been compromised, too.
None of the Hassan's had bothered to notice the approaching sound of a motor until Saber tore along the street and split one of the rear ones in half with one swipe of her sword. She twisted the Yamaha's handlebars to turn a hundred-eighty degrees effortlessly, her blade nearly beheading another of the Assassins, but they quickly leaped to a roof out of range.
The King of Knights glared at them from the street. Not eager to leave her cycle behind, she began calculating the odds of her riding it along the roofs in pursuit when a sound behind her interrupted such daredevil thoughts. She turned in time to see both halves of the downed Assassin lunging for her.
Twin kunai buried themselves in the polluted flesh, bundles of burning paper bombs hanging from their tassels. Saber lifted her arm in time to shield herself from the explosions that followed, scattering pieces of Assassin across the street. Invisible Air luckily ensured none of said pieces reached her or the Yamaha. She relaxed to find her partner landing next to her. "Are you alright?"
"For the most part," Assassin X huffed. He then rolled his shoulders, fresh energy running through him as he sighed in some relief. "Maiya's at the hospital. She's taken a nasty beating, but my clone hypnotized some staff members into wheeling her to intensive care. From there…"
Artoria noticed his right fist clenching. "You did all you could for her, Kakashi, given the circumstances, and Maiya's strong. She'll survive." He nodded relaxing just a little. "What about you?"
"I haven't taken any damage, but the boys are all tired out, and I haven't had much luck in catching up to Irisviel. Good news is, though, there are now only six Assassins left, I'm positive they're the last of their number."
Saber nodded while she watched the last pieces of the obliterated Assassin fade away. She revved up her bike and nodded to Assassin X, who slipped onto the Yamaha behind her before she took off again. An additional passenger did nothing to diminish the advanced motorcycle's speed; they rapidly began to match the Assassins' pace. Saber couldn't help but frown in disgust, though, as they continued their discussion. "And you said they were beginning to have doubts in their allegiance? That one child Assassin you met told you that?"
"Sounds far-fetched, I know," he tossed a spread of shuriken towards their quarry, hitting some but doing little damage, "but considering who their Master and partner are, and what with their current state, I actually believe her. She was… terrified, right up to the point another Assassin smashed her to pulp."
"One killing another, much less a child? Despicable." Saber swerved slightly to evade a piece of chimney hurled their way. "And just as I would expect of Megatron." Her eyes traveled from the road to the violet-glowing glare a large-armed Assassin shot at her. "So, this is the power that Waver boy spoke of? This Dark… Energon Megatron used to face Rider?"
"Looks like it. It's almost like the Assassins have been turned into mindless puppets. They don't speak, they don't feel pain or fear, and I bet they can't even think for themselves anymore." To prove his point, Assassin X channeled his od into electricity that traveled along the wires attached to the shuriken he'd thrown. Two Assassins that had been struck stiffened as the currents ran through them, but they did not cry out or make other sounds of pain.
Still, it halted them for a crucial second, causing their two "brothers" behind them to plow right into them. The result: A tumbled pile of four Assassins on the roof. "There is no way that would've happened in their normal state," Kakashi concluded while releasing the wires.
Saber accelerated even as she summoned her mana and shifted the Yamaha into Saber Motored Cuirassier. She smirked slightly upon noticing her partner's raised eyebrow. "I cannot let you come up with every unconventional idea," the armored motorcycle revved up and towards the roof, "that's hardly a fair partnership."
Assassin X tightened his grip on the bike but laughed all the same. "Who's complaining?" He scanned the thrashing pile before them; no sign of Irisviel there, so she must still be with the two still on the move. The Copy Ninja tapped the King of Knights' shoulder, a signal he was about to jump off. In their disorderly state, the four Assassins even empowered would be easy pickings for him while Saber caught up with-
A familiar whine tore him from his plans and he barely made out a silver shape. "Incoming!"
Violet plasma struck the side of Cuirassier, sending it spiraling back towards the street. Assassin X's warning had allowed Saber to avoid being blasted herself, but she managed only through sheer Instinct to land her bike on two wheels without being thrown off in the process. Her passenger wasn't so lucky, but he was able to flip onto the side of a house.
Crouching along the horizontal surface, the shinobi glared up at the aircraft hovering over them. A chilling laugh could be heard even over its engine's noise.
"You didn't think I would let it be this easy, did you?"
Saber's burning gaze traveled from Rider X to her Yamaha, smoke curling around the scorch marks on its armor. Between it and Invisible Air, fortunately no damage had been inflicted on the vehicle's most crucial parts. "You have one chance for mercy, Megatron, one you do not deserve" she called up in a clear and authoritative tone. "Have your lackeys release our Master, and you shall receive a quick death."
"Quick…" The ship descended a little before transforming into the Decepticon tyrant in all his glory. He landed onto an empty supermarket's rooftop, shingles cracking underneath his weight. "But not painless?" Rider X's violet optics leered down at his next opponent. "King of Knights, you wield such dismal guile. That Einzbern woman is not and has never been your Master, but she is no less vital to claiming the Holy Grail." His sight flickered to the other enemy Servant. "Come now, Assassin X, you and I have traveled so far for the sake of this splendid miracle, further than the 'heroes' of this world. One as noble as you would surely not deny either of us something so wondrous?"
A kunai danced between Kakashi's fingers before resting in his left hand. "I'd sooner see the Grail smashed to dust than let you anywhere near it. Besides, you never struck me as the sharing type."
"You know me so well," Rider X agreed with a cackle. He waved his left hand, and the Darkened Hassan's gathered around him, snarling and growling and clawing at the air towards them. "No matter, I have my own Assassins. They're not quite as… eloquent in debates, but they have their uses."
Assassin X's temper burned hotter with every moment he had to see his counterpart, Rider X's partner, his comrade, in such a twisted state. But Saber was the first to find her voice. "Uses?" She spat out the word like it was poison. "You let your own partner throw themselves into a fight they could've never won, then turned what was left of them into your playthings! Are there any depravities you would not sink to?!"
Megatron's expression darkened briefly. "I had nothing to do with that imbecilic assault. All it did was prove Tokiomi's stupidity." Then he calmed down and tilted his head towards the six gathered Assassins. "As for them, they thought they could change sides behind my back. And after all they had done to help me further my plans…"
The two Servants of Kiritsugu Emiya frowned in unison, neither liking what this blackhearted creature was implying. They already knew him guilty of forming the faction of rogue Servants, unleashing Caster's madness in full and turning Rider's army against him… but were these crimes, heinous though they were, the scope of it? What else was Rider X responsible for?
Smirking at their posture, he continued. "So, I gave them a portion of my Noble Phantasm to strengthen them and maintain their… cooperation. After all, the moment a ruler fails to exert power over their subjects, insurrection becomes inevitable." He leaned forward as his smirk broadened. "Wouldn't you agree, King Arthur?"
Excalibur appeared in its shrouded state within Saber's iron grip. She breathed heavily through her nose, the logical part of her mind warning her she was being baited. "Ah, tragedy after tragedy I read, such was the pitiful end of Camelot…" He's just trying to provoke me…
"You really should've put down Mordred when you had the chance."
Saber's body seemed to vanish for an instant before appearing high above him. Megatron's arm blade deployed just in time to block the two-handed vertical slash of her sword. The force of her attack sent him skidding a little down the roof… before he stopped.
Dark Energon bubbling inside of him, Rider X grinned at the second King to be defeated in this War. "Still so passionate… and so shortsighted." He pushed her off with one swing of his arm. A glaring Saber landed barely on the edge of the roof, sword at the ready. He stood tall with another chuckle. "My deceased fellow Rider was right about one thing: You are nothing more than a hot-tempered naïve child playacting a King who can stand alone."
He leaped forward while five Assassins lunged simultaneously at her from all angles. "Well, at least you can die alone… again."
As her enemies surrounded her, Artoria Pendragon… smirked back. "Alone, am I?"
A kunai knocked a knife out of one Assassin's grip before its paper bomb detonated, four shuriken embedded themselves into another's eyes, a third was flipped into a fourth, and the final one received a roundhouse kick strong enough to snap its neck.
All of this happened in the same instant Rider X reached Saber. She in turn diverted his thrust and used his own momentum to send him flying off the roof, even slashing him across the back once for good measure. The heavy metal body crashed hard into the street below, but Megatron quickly recovered to spring to his feet again while the Hassan's tumbled down all around him. He paid them no mind as he glared up at the two looking down on him.
"Yeah, I respectfully dispute that claim," Kakashi quipped standing to Saber's left. 'Mind giving me a warning next time instead of jumping the gun?' He complained over their link.
Artoria spared him a quick look. 'Oh shush, it's not like you didn't know what I would do.' Part of her felt a teensy bit guilty for letting her temper get the better of her, but she hadn't feared for her own life. Not with the man she had for a comrade in this Holy Grail War.
Her mirth fell away the longer she locked glares with those violet inhuman eyes. 'He stopped my strike one-handed and with little effort,' Saber surmised. 'This Dark Energonmust enhance his physical strength as well as dominating whoever is infected with it.'
'And unlike his battle with Iskandar, he's not busy commanding half an army and polluting a Reality Marble while fighting personally.' Assassin X eyed the five Darkened pawns springing to their feet with varying injuries and growls of varying pitch. 'He doesn't need to divide his concentration too much.' He then set the Sharingan on the one Assassin who had hung back, two blocks away, Irisviel still in his grip. 'Meanwhile, we're on a rescue mission.'
'And Megatron's well aware of our Noble Phantasms and tactics by now.' This late in the Grail War, there were precious few secrets left among the Servants. Few… but not none. Saber frowned when the memory of him surviving Excalibur returned. 'Whereas he has one final weapon left, one he's been hiding until now.' Not the most optimal conditions for them.
But Assassin X didn't let any worry show. 'He might know about our Noble Phantasms,' he gently corrected, 'but he doesn't know all of our tricks.'
Saber nodded slightly while readying alongside her friend for the next move. Rider X had primed his cannon all while spurring his twisted puppets into action, and the one holding Irisviel hostage was on the move again. 'Then let's educate him.'