"They are certainly causing quite a stir," Cyd remarked as he stood atop the clock tower, gazing down at the fog-covered city below.
"Their approach was correct, but a bit reckless," he continued, his eyes narrowing at the scene unfolding beneath him.
The red lightning that had flashed earlier had effectively dispersed the thick fog surrounding Mordred, revealing Jack's figure. In a head-on confrontation, the Assassin's advantage was significantly diminished. Yet, while clearing the fog exposed Jack, it also made Mordred conspicuous—an easy target in the now-clear environment.
"Yes, it was indeed reckless," Chiron agreed, his bow already drawn.
"Teacher, are you planning to deal with the Assassin as well?" Cyd raised an eyebrow. "Isn't she one of your allies?"
"From a personal standpoint, I'd rather not work alongside her," Chiron said with a sigh. "Despite her appearance, her aura of resentment is unmistakable. She's not just killing magicians for mana; the brutality with which she destroys the bodies suggests a deeper malice. My Master shares this view."
He recalled the expressions of those victims—the agony they must have endured before their deaths.
"Teacher, I'm heading off. If I linger any longer, a certain village girl might get upset," Cyd stretched and then nodded. "And... thank you for the gift."
With a swift motion, Cyd leaped into the fog, disappearing from Chiron's view.
"So, you're still alive? That's a relief," Chiron said with a genuine smile. His long-standing concerns were finally alleviated, reaffirming the correctness of his previous decision.
The Holy Grail War could not be lost now. Chiron felt a long-forgotten surge of excitement.
.....
"Saber!!!"
Kairi's roar shattered the night's stillness as he detected the breach in the barrier.
Mordred, engaged in her fight with Jack, pushed her opponent back with a forceful sword strike. She quickly surveyed the area. Her Master was experienced and wouldn't have given away his location unless it was critical.
She felt a chilling sensation as if a target had been placed on her back. But who could target her in the heart of the fog?
Mordred's gaze shot upward to the highest point in the city—the clock tower. Under the moonlight, a tall figure loomed, aiming a bow directly at her.
"Hmph, so the Black Faction's Archer is making a move," Mordred muttered, recognizing the danger.
An arrow shot from the darkness, intercepting Chiron's arrow aimed at Mordred. Jack, caught off guard, was hurled back by the force of the impact. Despite her speed, she managed to retreat into the fog, but the fog began to thin.
The Black Faction's Assassin had retreated, but the night's skirmishes were far from over.
"Hey, stay out of this, Archer!" Mordred snapped, her frustration evident as she brandished her sword. "That one's mine."
"Your opponent has arrived," Atalanta announced, landing gracefully on the roof of a nearby building.
"Hm?" Mordred glanced towards the street's end. There, a girl in a wedding-like dress, wielding a massive hammer, appeared.
"I'll handle the Black Faction's Archer," Atalanta said, nocking an arrow and aiming at Chiron atop the clock tower.
"Don't order me around!" Mordred growled, charging toward Frankenstein in the distance.
"Ah, to be targeted by you," Chiron sighed, drawing another arrow with a hint of weariness.
Atalanta, the famed huntress of Greece, had a complex history with his student Cyd. Their relationship was multifaceted—partners, spouses, and even hunter and prey. Atalanta had once pursued Cyd to the underworld, making her a formidable opponent.
"So, I'm supposed to take on both of you?" Kairi groaned, glancing at the siblings. Why was he the only one stuck with two opponents?
"If you leave now, we won't chase you," Fiore said, her ominous magical apparatus unfolding behind her, its spider-like limbs stretching out menacingly.
"Do you really think... I'll just walk away?" Kairi replied, scanning the area for cover.
"Of course not, but I have to make the offer," Fiore replied with a smile.
"Alright then," Kairi said, lowering his shotgun.
"Huh? Are you actually leaving?" Fiore asked, puzzled.
"Sister, watch out!" Caules shouted, tackling Fiore to the ground. The wall behind them shattered violently, debris raining down and striking Caules on the head, knocking him unconscious.
"No way, you dodged that too? Medusa, were you holding back?" Kairi stroked his chin thoughtfully.
Lowering his weapon didn't mean surrender; it meant he was no longer needed.
"Hmm," Medusa, wielding an oversized scythe, emerged from the shadows.
"That kind of destructive power," Fiore said, cradling the unconscious Caules. The crack in the wall made her expression tense. "A heroic spirit?"
"Looks like your intel isn't exactly precise. You didn't even know what kind of monster had infiltrated the Red Faction," Kairi said nonchalantly, lighting a cigarette.
"—Iron Arm of War, prepare to fire!"
Fiore's mechanical limbs fully extended with a menacing whir, the sound of bullets being chambered. But before they could engage, a flash of cold steel severed them.
"Clang—"
The heavy mechanical limbs crashed to the ground with a deafening clang. Fiore's eyes widened in shock as Medusa stood before her, her expression calm.
"—Guardian Arm, intercept!"
Fiore gritted her teeth and activated another mechanical limb, aiming to grab Medusa's neck.
At this range, you can't swing that scythe!
Medusa's gaze remained serene as she raised her hand.
With a screech of twisting metal, the aggressive mechanical limb contorted in Medusa's delicate grip, its power failing against her strength.
"Wow," Kairi clapped slowly, "Thinking about fighting you after defeating the Black Faction makes me want to go home."
"I have to use a Command Seal..."
Fiore glanced at her hand. Summoning Chiron from his battle with the Red Faction's Archer was her only chance for survival. But given Medusa's speed, did she have the time?
"The battle is over. You may leave," Medusa said softly, her hand tapping Fiore's forehead with surprising gentleness.
"Huh?" Fiore shivered from the unexpected cold touch.
"Huh!" Kairi's cigarette fell from his mouth. Wasn't Medusa supposed to finish them off? Why the intimidating show of force?
"Why?" Fiore asked her face a mix of confusion and frustration.
"Now is not the time," Medusa said, fading back into the shadows with her scythe.
Kairi blinked, instinctively reaching for his shotgun. With Fiore's apparatus wrecked and her brother unconscious, he could potentially score a double kill...
Noticing his movements, Fiore's anxiety surged.
"Forget it. Why should I do someone else's dirty work?" Kairi sighed, putting his shotgun away.
The strategy was to pick off the scraps between the Red and Black factions, avoiding direct conflict. He couldn't afford to let the Black Faction suffer further losses.
"See you next time, little girl," Kairi picked up his cigarette, waved at Fiore, and walked away. "You two are good, but neither of you is cut out to be a magus."
Fiore sighed in relief, gently patting Caules' head.
"Idiot."