"Archer, please calm down."
Sakura's soft, gentle voice practicaly rippled through the air. For a brief second, a look of dawning realization crossed Emiya Alter's face, as if a long-lost, fragmented memory of a familiar silhouette had flickered into his mind.
He instinctively lowered his gun, his expression shifting to one of clouded uncertainty.
"A bunch of lively youngsters, aren't they?"
Muramasa watched the tense, frozen atmosphere with a look of mild amusement, though he was still struggling to determine if this group was composed of allies or enemies.
The crimson Archer was clearly targeting his Master, while the black Archer was radiating pure killing intent toward the crimson one.
It was a bewildering, almost nonsensical standoff.
"Ah, you really are over here!"
A cheerful, high-pitched voice called out from the other side of the road, drawing everyone's attention.
"Illya? And Sensei?"
The group looked toward the source of the voice. Illya was jogging toward them, followed by Artoria, who was currently carrying a half-naked, unconscious man draped over her shoulder.
"It looks like everyone is safe."
"Ehh? Why are there two Shirous here?"
As she reached the group, Illya looked at both Shirou and Muramasa, her eyes wide with curiosity.
"Ah, it's just like me, isn't it?! Shirou summoned Shirou?"
The others, who hadn't been paying much attention to Illya's words, felt their eyelids flicker at her comment.
Only then did they truly focus on the man Artoria was carrying.
"EEHHH?!!!"
"Why is there ANOTHER Shirou here?!!"
As they got a clear look at the man, a collective wave of shock washed over them.
Even Red Archer's expression went completely stiff.
What kind of situation had he been dragged into exactly?
Leaving aside the lack of a conventional Holy Grail War, and ignoring the black Archer for a moment, the sheer density of "Shirou Emiyas" on the field was reaching a point of absurdity.
There were already four... no, wait...
The situation was becoming increasingly difficult to process.
"..."
Shirou stepped forward, taking his "Other self" from Artoria's shoulder. He scrutinized the man's features, comparing them to his own.
The man wasn't as well-built as he was, and the patch of white hair at his temple looked unusual. There was also a prominent scar on his left cheek.
"His class is Archer, you know."
Hearing Illya's lighthearted voice, Red Archer looked at the small girl with a look of total incredulity.
This bright, cheerful demeanor was the complete opposite of the "Sister" he remembered from his own life.
"Fine. I've accepted this ridiculous reality."
"I'm just glad Sensei is here. And seeing that she's a Master... it certainly puts my mind at ease."
Rin Tohsaka held out a hand as if trying to physically steady her own nerves before speaking.
She had already noticed the Command Spells on Artoria's hand.
"Sensei, have you summoned your Servant yet?"
Sakura tilted her head, looking at Artoria with a curious gaze.
"No..."
"!"
"?"
"..."
The sudden, intense surge of magical energy radiating from Artoria caused the Servants' expressions to shift instantly.
"This mana signature... could it be?!"
"As expected of you, Rin. Your reaction is as sharp as ever."
"Yes. I am both a Master and a Servant."
"My class is Saber."
Artoria offered a faint, approving smile toward the diligent girl.
"So that's why Sensei hasn't aged at all in the last ten years..."
"I see..."
Both Sakura and Shirou came to a mutual understanding, their voices filled with wonder.
Having survived the disaster in Fuyuki City ten years ago and received her guidance, it was only natural for them to eventually piece together the truth of Artoria's identity.
"..."
Red Archer's brow furrowed. He felt as though the experiences of this group were bordering on the impossible.
Their dynamic was entirely different from any of the memories he possessed.
Meanwhile, Black Archer narrowed his eyes and pulled out a small notebook, beginning to jot down notes with a look of detached focus.
"Well, let's worry about the details later. We need to assess the current situation."
"We aren't in Japan."
"Romania..."
"And this isn't a conventional war. It's a five-on-five-on-five three-way conflict."
"In other words, as long as we can defeat the other two groups, we'll secure the right to make a wish."
"Who has the Dragon Balls for our side?"
Rin regained her composure, her voice shifting back to its usual authoritative tone.
"I have one."
"And I have another."
As Shirou and Artoria each produced a glowing sphere, the group confirmed their current assets.
"Two, then. That means the remaining five are divided between the Red and Black factions."
"It seems we, the White faction, are the third variable in this equation."
"Hehe! Doesn't that sound like fun? It's just like a video game."
"Illya, do you even understand what's happening? This is a struggle between magi... exactly the kind of thing your parents never wanted you to get involved in."
"Ehh?"
Seeing that Illya didn't seem to grasp the gravity of the situation, Rin and Sakura offered a stern correction.
"She's right. While it's fine for you to ask us about Magecraft during our daily lives, you've been officially dragged into the conflict now. You can't afford to treat it like a game."
"Even Shirou... you all..."
"We're different. We're properly educated, formal magi."
"!"
Red Archer watched Illya's innocent, wide-eyed expression, and his hand instinctively tightened into a fist.
Muramasa noticed the movement, sensing the shift in the red-clad Archer's emotional state.
"Ugh..."
Black Archer clutched his head. As he watched the scene before him, he felt as though something buried deep within his forgotten memories was struggling to surface.
"In any case, don't you dare wander off on your own."
"Hmph! I'm not a child, you know! I'm actually a year older than Shirou!"
"Hey, Illya, does that even matter right now?!"
"Let's try and find a nearby town or village to gather some intelligence."
"That sounds like a solid plan."
"By the way... does anyone have any currency that would actually be usable in this era?"
"!?"
***
"So, have you chosen to place your trust in me? Assassin?"
"A major battle is looming. We certainly require a unified 'Shadow' to lead us... and if it's you, I suppose I can accept that."
Minato looked toward Amakusa, who stood beside Semiramis, and offered his finalized response.
"A 'Shadow', huh? I'm not entirely sure what you mean by that, but I appreciate your understanding."
"I swear on my own name that I will lead us to victory."
Responding to Minato's sincere declaration, Amakusa spoke with a level of gravity that matched the tone of the conversation.
"Hmm."
Semiramis cast a brief glance at Shirou, her expression one of quiet surprise at his foresight.
She understood exactly why Minato had come around to his side so quickly.
Using his incredible mobility, Minato had located the original Masters.
Upon discovering that they hadn't been harmed, but had simply been placed into a waking illusion, he had realized Amakusa's true intentions.
The man wasn't a villain; he had simply acted to consolidate the Servants' strength, and he had no intention of causing permanent harm to the other magi.
Once the war was over, Amakusa intended to release the "Restraint" on the Masters and allow them to leave unharmed.
Therefore, for Minato, the situation wasn't an impossible hurdle.
In fact, with Amakusa acting as the sole Master for the Red faction, the Servants could draw upon his massive mana reserves to fight at their absolute peak.
Their combat effectiveness would be significantly amplified.
[Translated and Rewritten by Shika_Kagura]