D' Ultimate Lich King

The bloody battle ended, leaving Saber standing alone on the street, feeling utterly lost.

A throbbing pain lingered in her left wrist. For the first time, this proud sword Servant felt weak and vulnerable.

She felt powerless; unable to maintain a good relationship with her Master, unable to save the children, unable to deliver divine justice upon the evil Servant.

She had failed at everything.

She had even needed help from her supposed enemy's Master.

The famed King Arthur… so helpless; the irony was bitter.

Saber smiled wryly; then, a surge of energy from her magical connection with her Master alerted her; he was in danger!

Immediately dismissing her despair, Saber turned and raced towards the Matou family home.

With her A-rank Agility, Saber's speed was comparable to an Assassin's; upon sensing her Master's peril, she swiftly arrived at the scene.

She found a familiar figure, the man wielding red and gold spears, in a clearing near the Matou home.

"Lancer… why are you here?!"

Saber stared at Lancer in astonishment. He held her Master, Kayneth, who was covered in blood, his life hanging in the balance.

"My Master was careless. Saber's Master, thank your Servant; otherwise, I wouldn't be here watching you, but piercing your body."

Lancer nodded upon seeing Saber's arrival.

Lancer had been sent by his Master to confront the Caster, but unexpectedly, the Caster had fled.

Before Lancer could materialize and greet Saber, his Master was critically injured. Lancer rushed to the scene and found Kayneth on the ground, with Kiritsugu Emiya pointing a gun at him.

Saber arrived to witness the aftermath. She nodded slightly in acknowledgment of Lancer's adherence to the knightly code.

"Next time, I hope for a fair fight, Saber. And don't forget, you're alive because of the King's nobility."

Lancer's words contained a cold sarcasm directed at Kiritsugu; then, carrying Kayneth, he left the clearing.

Kiritsugu stood there, momentarily tempted to forcefully use a Command Seal to compel Saber to kill Lancer's Master, but he ultimately restrained himself.

Aside from the uncertainty of success given Saber's magical resistance, even a moment's hesitation from Saber would give Lancer ample opportunity to resort to a desperate, mutually destructive attack.

Kiritsugu paused, lighting a cigarette.

He should have been more careful in selecting his Servant; he felt the sting of failure, sighing as he exhaled a plume of purple smoke.

Then, as usual, Kiritsugu, without a glance at his Servant, turned and returned to the Matou ancestral home.

Saber's grip on her sword tightened; she wanted to speak, but ultimately remained silent, following him in quiet resignation.

The second night's battle ended rather anticlimactically. Three Servants had appeared, further complicating the already intricate situation.

The erratic Servant, seemingly a Berserker, left everyone with a lingering question.

Was this Servant, who wielded a grimoire and summoned monsters, truly just a Berserker?

Arthas, too, hadn't initially considered this possibility; the situation had shifted. Knowing that Flandre might in fact be a reckless Berserker significantly increased the likelihood of surprise attacks from enemy Servants.

While Flandre wasn't truly reckless like a typical Berserker, their situation had nonetheless become precarious.

Arthas pondered this as they returned to Einzbern Castle.

"At this time… why is there a child?"

Illya suddenly spoke, causing Arthas to pause and turn to his wife.

"Where?"

Due to the ongoing, unsolved series of horrific murders in Fuyuki, despite repeated reassurances from the police, a palpable sense of dread still hung heavy over the city.

Therefore, although it wasn't exceptionally late, the streets were eerily quiet, devoid of any human presence.

The sight of a child wandering the streets at this hour was highly unusual and out of place.

"Going that way. Should we go and see?"

Illya asked, and Arthas nodded, the three of them heading towards the direction Illya had indicated.

Illya's observation was accurate; a child was indeed strolling along the street at this late hour.

This child was someone familiar to Arthas—Rin Tohsaka, the older sister of the former Far坂樱.

Rin was acutely aware of what the night held in Fuyuki City.

Seven mages, including her father, were engaged in a deadly war.

Lethal, strange threats lurked in the shadows of the night streets.

Her understanding of this reality instilled a profound sense of responsibility within Rin.

Today, her friend, Ayaka, had not come to school.

The homeroom teacher stated that she was home sick, but the rumors circulating among the students painted a different picture.

Even when Rin tried calling her house, Ayaka's parents refused to speak with her.

The recent spate of child abductions in Fuyuki City were proving impossible to resolve through conventional investigative methods.

Even if the police were notified, the chances of a child's safe return were slim. The teachers at school, Ayaka's relatives, and friends were likely unaware of this grim reality; only Rin understood.

Ayaka had always placed her trust in Rin. Whether it was instances of bullying from boys in her class or the librarian unfairly burdening her with extra work, Rin would always step in to help.

Being so trusted and respected by her peers filled Rin with pride. "Always maintain elegance"—each instance of assistance provided an opportunity for Rin to uphold her family's cherished tradition.

Now, Ayaka was undoubtedly waiting for Rin to come and rescue her.

With this thought firmly in her mind, Rin Tohsaka slipped out of her house alone, venturing into the late night in search of her dear friend.

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