"What is it?"
Amakusa turned his head as he noticed Semiramis's furrowed brow. Dressed in her regal attire and seated upon her throne, she looked as elegant as ever.
"I don't think he'll trust you quite as simply as you seem to believe."
"Ah, that's a given. He only trusts me for now because of our shared position."
"He's already left a series of marks on the other Masters. If I make even one suspicious move, he'll likely have them all out of my reach in a heartbeat."
"But because of that, I won't do anything to betray his expectations."
"After all, he is a vital asset for our success."
"As long as my actions don't contradict his ideals or personal code, he'll continue to stand with us."
"In fact, I've even entrusted my own life to him."
Responding to Semiramis's concern, Amakusa let out a light laugh and began to explain his reasoning. He pulled back his sleeve, revealing a complex sealing mark etched into his shoulder.
"I've given him my word that he can kill me the moment he begins to doubt my motives. That was my promise to him."
"You really are something else, aren't you?"
The confidence in his voice suggested that her Master had everything firmly under control.
"Well, Assassin... Minato... is handled for now."
"That leaves Berserker. I only hope she remains cooperative for the next three days while she accepts the situation."
While he maintained a gentle, diplomatic approach with the others, he suspected the "Hand" might require a slightly different method of persuasion.
***
A figure blurred through the landscape. In this massive conflict, each faction held a specific territory or domain.
Minato was currently on a scouting mission.
As a precaution, he intended to leave [Flying Thunder God Seeds] scattered across numerous locations.
Whether for the sake of future combat engagements or to ensure a quick retreat, it was a practical and necessary step.
The stability of this world surprised him. Aside from the presence of magi, the major nations seemed to be in a state of stalemate, with no sign of immediate, large-scale warfare.
In a small town, he moved as a spirit, completely concealing his presence. As an Assassin, his [Presence Concealment] allowed him to scrub every trace of his existence from the surroundings.
His gaze fell upon a Master and Servant pair wandering the streets below.
'Are they on our side...?'
He realized that this pair must be the members of the Red faction who hadn't met with Shirou Kotomine yet. He began to analyze their capabilities.
"Hmm? What is it?"
Kairi Sisigou noticed Mordred pausing in her tracks and asked a casual question.
"Nothing. I just felt like someone was watching us."
"?"
Sisigou didn't doubt her instincts. He immediately tensed, his senses sharpening.
"Maybe I just imagined it?"
Mordred looked around, seeing no sign of killing intent or any unusual presence. She eventually dismissed the feeling.
"Hey, don't worry me like that."
"What? I just felt a slight anomaly, that's all. Besides, do you really trust my judgment that easily?"
"Tch. If a Master doesn't trust their own Servant, what's the point in entering a war in the first place?"
"We aren't playing some political game of power and greed here. I trust your word."
"Heh, you..."
SWISH!
A sharp, whistling sound echoed as Mordred instinctively shoved her Master aside.
A weapon appeared in her hand in a flash of light. She swung it in a wide arc, swatting away a series of projectiles that looked like throwing knives.
"An Assassin?!"
She looked down at the kunai that had embedded themselves in the pavement, immediately identifying the class of the attacker.
Only an Assassin would utilize such "Concealed Weapons."
Sisigou rolled as he was shoved, diving into the shadow of a nearby alleyway. He surveyed the area, his gaze falling upon the kunai that Mordred had knocked toward his feet. A look of confusion crossed his face.
The design of the "Hidden Weapon" wasn't something he associated with standard Magecraft.
Furthermore, they were supposedly still within the territory of the Red faction. Even if the other factions were eager to start the fight, this level of aggression felt... premature.
"Where are you?!"
The attacker's presence vanished almost as quickly as it had appeared. Mordred struggled to pinpoint his exact location.
"!"
"?"
"..."
The next moment, she felt a sudden surge of mana, but the realization that followed left her stunned.
Even Sisigou's eyes widened in total disbelief.
"As an ally, your alertness is commendable. But you're still a bit too careless."
Minato held Sisigou's wrist firmly with one hand, a kunai pressed against the man's throat. He offered a calm, professional evaluation.
"You!"
Mordred's expression shifted to one of intense rage. She hadn't even seen him move!
But the next second, Minato released his grip on the Master and pushed him back gently, granting him his freedom.
"!"
The scene left both Sisigou and Mordred completely bewildered.
"It's a pleasure to meet you. I am the Assassin of the Red faction."
"I was out on a scouting mission."
"I apologize if my methods were a bit... abrupt."
Minato dropped his serious demeanor and offered a faint, lighthearted smile, revealing his true stance.
"Tch."
Mordred couldn't sense a single drop of hostility or killing intent coming from the man. Once she confirmed her Master was unharmed, she begrudgingly accepted his explanation.
"It seems we were being tested, then."
"As an Assassin, you're a terrifying individual."
"I'd appreciate it if you could explain exactly how you managed to get that close to me."
Sisigou looked at the man, feeling the same sense of shock as Mordred. He hadn't felt a single thing.
"I'm afraid I can't disclose that."
"So, the gaze I felt earlier... it was you."
"I'm impressed by your Sharpness. Most people wouldn't have noticed me even if I were staring right at them."
Minato understood that this Saber, whom he had never met before, was a formidable combatant. It gave him a sense of reassurance.
Having powerful teammates significantly increased their chances of victory.
***
"It's... a bit too quiet, isn't it?"
Inside the Yggdmillennia castle, Madara slowly pushed himself out of his chair, staring out at the bright, afternoon sun.
"..."
Darnic remained silent, standing behind him with his head bowed. He didn't dare speak.
The man in the chair seemed to be bored by the lack of conflict. Not knowing his true personality, Darnic was hesitant to say anything that might provoke him.
"Give me the radar that the Caster made."
"Yes!"
Darnic's brow furrowed at the Rider's request, but he knew better than to refuse.
He ordered a homunculus to bring the device and then handed it over.
BEEP BEEP.
It was a small, circular machine. With a single press of the button on top, several glowing points manifested on the screen.
"Two of them are moving freely..."
"And the other three are over there, huh?"
A predator's smile slowly spread across Madara's face as he saw the locations of the Dragon Balls.
"Well then. I suppose it's time for a bit of exercise."
Darnic's pupils dilated as he realized his Servant's intentions.
"Do you intend to go out alone?"
"Or did you planning on coming with me?"
Madara offered a mocking, playful retort.
"No... at the moment, the Servants capable of immediate combat..."
"It doesn't matter!"
Madara cut off Darnic's attempt to protest.
"One person or two, it makes no difference to me."
"I only hope the opposition isn't so pathetic that I lose interest."
Archer,Genos,was currently undergoing repairs?
Caster,Natsu,was unconscious after his rampage?
Caster,Bulma,had no combat potential?
And the only one left to fight was him and Saber,Siegfried?
None of that mattered.
In this war, he alone was enough.
[Translated and Rewritten by Shika_Kagura]