Chapter 22: Well then, shall we begin?

Silence filled the area—

Archer and Saber lowered their holy swords, gazing quietly at Shirou and the others.

Shirou and Rin struggled to open their mouths, but under Caster’s spell, they couldn’t move their lips at all.

“—Sorry, but I’m going to have you listen just like that.”

It was Caster who broke the silence.

“This isn’t the place for a long explanation, so I’ll get straight to the point—why don’t we work together?”

As she said that, Caster snapped her fingers. Instantly, the magical restraint binding their mouths vanished.

“—Don’t screw with me.”

Before Rin could speak, Shirou cut her off with a voice full of anger. His eyes were fixed on Saber, whose expression was vacant.

“What did you do to Saber!?”

Her hair was now a deep, wet-looking black, and her once clear emerald eyes had turned to a rich brown. There was no way he’d believe any excuse about that happening naturally.

“—I merely made her closer to the way she looked in life.”

The witch answered without hesitation.

“…In life?”

Shirou reflexively repeated her words, and the witch explained.

“I already told Archer in detail—Saber was highly likely to eventually lose her mind and break down. I simply took the necessary measures. If you agree to form an alliance with me, I’ll return both Saber and Archer to you right away. And of course, I’ll restore their consciousness.”

“You think I’d trust you?”

“If you don’t… then you’ll just die here.”

It was an undeniable fact. Even their last hopes—Lancer and Bazett—had been caught in Caster’s trap and were immobilized. At her whim, Shirou and the others’ lives could be snuffed out in an instant.

Realizing that fully, Rin bit her lip hard.

“…That’s enough, Caster.”

Perhaps out of concern for her, Archer voiced a rebuke to his temporary Master.

“Don’t provoke them needlessly. All you’ll do is make the two of them dig in their heels even more.”

“…Archer?”

The familiarity in Archer’s tone toward Caster struck Rin as odd, and she let out a confused murmur. Ignoring her, Archer kept his eyes on Caster.

After a pause, Caster softened her tone.

“Repelling Makiri’s Saber’s Noble Phantasm was largely to protect you. Honestly, if I’d tried to teleport everyone here at once, I doubt I would have made it in time—but if it were just us, we could have escaped. I’d say you owe me for that, wouldn’t you?”

“And as repayment for that debt, you want us to accept your offer?”

“You can take it that way if you want.”

Rin began to consider both their current situation and what would happen if they accepted Caster’s terms.

First, there was the obvious fact—they were already in checkmate. With Caster holding their lives in her hands, there was no room for negotiation to begin with.

And yet, Caster hadn’t forced compliance, but had instead chosen to bargain. Understanding her intent…

“…Ah, I see.”

She realized why Caster was making concessions.

In other words—

“—You haven’t managed to defeat Makiri’s Saber, have you?”

Caster gave a slight shrug.

“Makiri’s Saber!? But that insane attack hit her dead-on!”

The intense scene from moments ago replayed in Shirou’s mind, and he raised his voice.

Two holy swords weaving together into a pillar of light. A single blow capable of carving away a mountain. There was no way anyone could take that head-on and remain unscathed.

“…Sorry to disappoint you, but if she could be taken down that easily, it wouldn’t be such a problem.”

Caster spoke with a sigh.

“She was injured, yes, but I doubt she was destroyed. I kept our greatest trump card hidden, but now that most of our intel has been taken, I can’t afford to waste strength recklessly…”

That was the reason for her concessions.

Aside from herself, Caster’s forces now consisted only of Saber and Archer. That should have been more than enough to annihilate Makiri’s faction—but only under the condition that the enemy had no knowledge of their capabilities.

Archer’s swordsmanship, in particular, was one of those trump cards she’d wanted to conceal at all costs. Having it exposed to the enemy was a major blow.

“Makiri Zouken is no fool. He’s probably already working out countermeasures. If we fight now, he’ll no doubt swoop in to take advantage, and he’ll end up the one standing victorious.”

The current standoff existed only because everyone was prioritizing their own survival.

If even one person decided to throw their life away, these restraints would never hold for long—and when that happened, a bloody battle would erupt.

Lancer and Bazett in particular seemed ready to move the moment they had an opening.

“That’s something I can’t allow… and that’s why I’m making this proposal.”

Should they accept, or refuse…?

The hesitation lasted only an instant.

“…All right. I’ll take your offer. Shirou, you’re fine with that too, right?”

To refuse would mean giving up any chance of reclaiming Saber and Archer.

Having missed their best opportunity, they were now in a situation where they’d have to shift from a rescue operation to outright elimination.

The key to this operation had been a surprise assault for a quick victory. But now that the enemy was on full alert—

“There’s no way that would work.”

It was Bazett who declared that.

“Are you out of your mind, making deals with a witch from the Age of Gods?”

“B-Bazett…?”

Shirou instinctively faltered under the killing intent radiating from her.

In the next instant, Bazett and Lancer moved.

Lancer’s target was Caster’s neck. Bazett’s target was――

“Stop, Bazett!!”

At the same time as Shirou’s shout, a crimson shadow cut in between Saber and Bazett.

Twin blades in hand, it intercepted Bazett’s advance.

For a moment, it felt as if time had rewound.

Suddenly, both Lancer and Bazett pulled back. That instantaneous switch caused Caster and Archer to show the faintest signs of unease.

And in that instant, Shirou remembered—the reason they had agreed to help him and the others was to secure useful pawns and gather information to ensure the smooth dismantling of the Holy Grail.

That was their “contract,” and their relationship was nothing more than that—dry, transactional.

“――Don’t screw with me.”

He had been mistaken. Through his exchanges with Lancer, he had thought they had built a bond of trust.

The reason they had proposed rescuing Saber was simply to increase their number of pawns. But for a magus to ally with a Servant meant the collapse of their plans.

After all, Caster’s Noble Phantasm, Rule Breaker, could nullify any magical contract once invoked.

If that happened, they would no longer be able to manipulate Shirou and his allies to suit their needs.

So they had chosen—no matter what, defeat Caster here and now. And if Saber or Archer became obstacles to that, they would not hesitate to eliminate them.

In Lancer’s hand was the cursed spear that should have been vaporized by Excalibur. It seemed he had interrupted its activation at the last moment and recalled it to his side.

“Pierce through――”

In that instant, time stopped. Within himself, Emiya Shirou accelerated everything to the limit, disguising a fraction of a second as an eternity.

“――Projection, start.”

With his Noble Phantasm ready to activate, in less than a fraction of a second that spear would pierce Archer’s heart.

All it would take to stop him was a single instant. He needed to break Lancer’s focus.

Choose the right tool, the right projection. That alone would decide it.

“――Huh?”

Lancer’s eyes went wide in disbelief. Even though he had been on the verge of unleashing his sure-kill Noble Phantasm, the reason for his expression was obvious—

The bond between him and his Master, Bazett, had been severed.

“Rule Breaker!!”

The moment Shirou completed the projection, Caster’s spell collapsed. She had not bound their bodies, but rather the surrounding space itself. And so, the moment the Dagger of Treachery appeared, the ritual shattered.

At the same time, Shirou lunged forward, reaching out before Lancer could even speak the spear’s true name.

Lancer’s miscalculation had been assuming Shirou couldn’t break Caster’s binding magic.

“――You bastard.”

Murderous intent flared as Lancer glared at Shirou—only for a red bowman to slash at him.

“Ha! Looks like you just got played by a brat, Lancer!”

His assigned role had been to take the red Archer down in one blow. Failing that, anxiety crept into his face.

Because there was still another Servant here who could move freely.

“Bazett!! Saber’s moving in!!”

Shirou turned his head just in time to see Bazett drive her fist into Caster’s abdomen, slamming her into a wall.

Caster’s damage was severe. She was not someone to be underestimated just because she was human—she was an Enforcer under Sealing Designation.

A single blow from her carried missile-class force, tearing away nearly half of Caster’s midsection.

Thankfully, her spiritual core—her heart—was intact, but she was immobilized. Bazett lunged to finish her off.

And then the transformed Saber struck. Her swordplay now far surpassed what it had been before. Bazett was forced to retreat――

“Strike Air!!”

Strike Air—the wind-element barrier Noble Phantasm, usually serving as the scabbard for Excalibur, unleashed like a cannon blast.

It slammed into Bazett, sending her flying. Saber, intending to finish her, poured magical energy into her holy sword.

In that instant, Shirou’s eyes caught sight of Bazett far away—though he shouldn’t have been able to see her at all. Floating before her fist was a familiar sphere.

“Stop, Saber!!”

Shirou leapt between them.

Yet Saber still tried to bring the holy sword down—until Caster recited a short incantation.

In an instant, light returned to Saber’s eyes. The magical energy within the holy sword dispersed, and it slipped from her hand.

“Shi…rou?”

“Saber…”

Hearing her own name from Saber, Shirou’s face lit up in joy.

But behind him, Lancer closed in.

“――Sorry, kid. Orders from my Master.”

He unleashed the stored runic spells he had prepared beforehand to defeat Caster, pinning down Archer.

Even for a Servant, Archer’s Magic Resistance was low—he was too slow to counter Lancer’s runes from the Age of Gods.

“Die one more time for me, Shirou!!”

The crimson spear shot forward. Shirou had no time to dodge, Saber was still disoriented, and Caster was at her limit.

Checkmate.

Shirou’s only thought was to at least protect Saber—he raised his hand to shove her aside――

“――Don’t you dare pull that crap, Lancer!!”

He heard the roar of the enraged demon god.

By the time Shirou had projected All the World’s Evils to Break, their restraints had already been undone.

And then, from her pocket, she unleashed the gemstone she had prepared for tonight’s decisive battle.

"Kh—!"

Flames and lightning of A-rank intensity. Even Lancer was forced to retreat in order to avoid a direct hit.

Then, a heartbeat later, Archer closed in. On his face was a hatred that surpassed even rage.

"—Disappear, Lancer!!"

The twin yin-yang swords in his hands began to change shape.

The blades enlarged, morphing into a shape like the wings of a bird.

Momentarily delayed in reacting to the change in his opponent’s weapon, Lancer brought up his magic spear to block—only to be knocked violently backward.

"Tch—"

Clicking his tongue, Lancer turned on his heel. At some point, Bazett’s figure had vanished as well.

"Honestly, I didn’t mind our alliance all that much..."

Leaving only those words behind, he melted into the darkness.

What remained in Shirou’s chest was the indignation of having nearly been killed by someone he had, however briefly, believed to be an ally.

While glaring in the direction Lancer had disappeared, his face still tense, Rin, Illya, and Archer returned.

Then—he felt a soft, gentle touch tapping his shoulder. Turning around—

His mind went completely blank.

Right before him was Saber’s face, altered slightly in appearance.

She was incredibly close—less than five centimeters between them. And she was still trying to close that gap.

He tried to pull away on reflex, but Saber’s hand slid around his back, locking him in place.

"H-Hey, Saber!?"

As he stared in shock, Saber leaned in even further, pressing her lips against his.

Running through the forest, Lancer rejoined his Master, Bazett, wearing a bitter expression.

"...Y’know, there was no real need to rush things like that, was there?"

It was far too late to say now, but he couldn’t keep it to himself.

He had obeyed because it was his Master’s order, but he couldn’t believe betraying Shirou and the others was the best choice.

To that, she replied—

"This way, things are easier to understand."

"Hah?"

"Unfortunately for me, Caster and Makiri pose about the same level of threat. However, Caster is at least someone I can handle."

"You mean..."

With a sigh of exasperation, Lancer listened as Bazett continued.

"If we stayed with Caster, there’s no telling what kind of trick she might pull on us. Therefore, we withdraw from the front lines for now and observe the situation. Caster and Makiri—when one side falls, that is when we make our move again. Ideally, I would like Caster and Shirou-kun’s group to eliminate Makiri for us. Even if that doesn’t happen, as long as they wear each other down enough..."

"You really are a merciless one, aren’t you?"

"Call it efficient. More importantly, let’s head to the church first. As the Association’s envoy, I need to discuss matters with the Overseer about concealing the damages from this battle."

"Ahh, you mean that woman..."

For some reason, Lancer’s face turned sour at the thought. Bazett tilted her head.

"What is it?"

"...I dunno, I just can’t stand her."

"That’s unlike you. Pull yourself together."

"Yeah, yeah..."

Master and Servant walked on—toward the church across the bridge.

Injured and dragging her body as she returned, Artoria listened to Zouken’s account of what had happened—and smiled.

"I never imagined even Archer would bring out my sword... It’ll take a full day to heal these injuries... After that—"

Parting from the old man, she walked toward the underground storehouse she used as her usual dwelling, wearing a bright, cheerful smile.

"I’m looking forward to it. Wait for me, Archer."

She wanted the Holy Grail. But a small detour wouldn’t matter.

Suppressing the throbbing pain in her body, Artoria sank her teeth into the arm of a sacrificial victim chained in the underground.

Even “magical energy” came in different forms—sometimes it was life force, sometimes it was memory.

There were several ways to increase the purity of magical energy, but the simplest was the concentration of memories.

By repeatedly torturing without killing, she could implant “memories of pain.” Pain was far more persistent than pleasure, and far denser than happiness.

Because of this, even ordinary people without aptitude as magi could serve to fill Saber’s vast vessel for magical energy.

"I must recover quickly. These ones alone won’t be enough..."

Artoria turned toward the room where the unfortunate girls awaited their turn for torture.

It was like a detention facility at the end of a war—teenage girls in their most sensitive years crammed together, completely naked. In the darkness, there wasn’t even space to sit; they could only stand endlessly. This alone was torture without inflicting pain.

Here, she would slowly raise the purity, then perform the final torture to complete them as sources of magical energy.

"Time is precious. Let’s be quick—have them all dance on heated iron plates."

"...And you want me to prepare that, right?"

The one who sighed as he accepted her horrifying suggestion was Matou Shinji.

Among the girls forced to stand, he spotted a familiar face from his class.

When she saw Shinji, her expression lit up for a moment, as if grasping at hope—

"Getting iron plates ready is a pain. Instead of that, just hand them over to the worms. It’ll be quicker."

Her face froze at those words.

"However, with that, they usually break from fear before they can feel pain."

"Then give them pleasure first—get them used to it. That’ll soften the fear, and then you can take your time giving them pain."

"...Oh, that’s clever, Shinji."

Indeed, alternating between reward and punishment was a basic principle of torture. Normally, the whip came before the candy—but this was a complete reversal of that thinking.

As Artoria looked at him with eyes full of praise, Shinji just shrugged.

"Let’s just get it over with. I’ll take a few for Sakura’s meal, alright?"

"Fine. I’ll tell Zouken to restock later."

"Thanks."

The two of them spoke as casually as if discussing how to cook a meal.

But for the sacrificial girls who had overheard them, it was enough to make them cry and scream in terror.

"Well then—shall we begin?"