Intermission: About Last Night

Eisenberg Castle The light of multiple lamps across the marble floor, slightly with each gust of wind outside. The air inside was thick with

Eisenberg Castle

The light of multiple lamps across the marble floor, slightly with each gust of wind outside. The air inside was thick with tension.

Kiritsugu Emiya sat in the farthest corner of the room, his expression unreadable as he reviewed the memory from the docks. His sharp mind scanned the battle from every angle, the battle of Saber and Lancer, the interference of Rider, Berserker’s rampage, and the unexpected variables that had emerged.

‘This war is already spiraling beyond control. He had accounted for Servants, Noble Phantasms, and the ruthlessness of Magi. What he hadn’t accounted for was an unknown variable wielding a Noble Phantasm in the form of a gauntlet, something not bound to legend.’

At the opposite end of the room, Irisviel von Einzbern sat with her hands folded in her lap, her crimson eyes filled with concern but also quiet determination. She had always trusted Kiritsugu’s judgment, but tonight’s events had shaken her.

Saber remained near the window, arms crossed, her displeasure with the night’s events evident in her expression. The battle had been taken from her hands in the worst way—first by Lancer injuring her hand, then by Rider’s interruption, and finally by the unexpected entry of Caster and her Master, to Berserker and Lancer’s master.

Maiya Hisau, ever composed, leaned against the wall, her sniper rifle disassembled on the table before her, quietly cleaning each part as she waited for Kiritsugu to speak.

The silence stretched.

Finally, Irisviel broke it.

“That boy, Hyoudou Issei. He knew where you were, Kiritsugu.” Her voice was soft, but there was no mistaking the seriousness in her tone. Irisviel folded her hands in her lap, her voice soft but firm. 

Kiritsugu exhaled, his brow furrowing slightly. “Yes. That wasn’t just luck or coincidence. That raises more questions than answers.” 

Maiya nodded in agreement. “His Servant—Caster—was able to pinpoint both you and myself. Then they left and couldn’t be tracked once they vanished.” She glanced at Kiritsugu. “That suggests an extremely advanced form of illusion magecraft. Not standard illusions, was that her Noble Phantasm, the mirror. Do we know of any mirror with this ability?”

Saber’s expression darkened. “That woman is dangerous.” Her emerald eyes burned with frustration. “She didn’t even care for the battle. She only acted on her Master’s whim, as if it were all a game to her.”

Kiritsugu took another drag of his cigarette, remembering Issei's fight with Gilgamesh. The Boosted Gear glowed with power, deflecting weapons from the Gate of Babylon. That a gauntlet was capable of blocking multiple Noble Phantasm at that speed.

“And her Master?” Irisviel asked.

Kiritsugu leaned forward slightly, pausing the video on a still image of Issei. “Not a normal Magus. His movements were too raw, too instinctual. There is no record of any magus family with that name. His Servant’s abilities are exceptional, but what concerns me more is his own power. That red gauntlet—it’s undoubtedly a Noble Phantasm.”

Saber’s eyes narrowed. “It enhanced his power, but more than that—it let him react to Archer’s attacks faster than any normal human could.”

Maiya frowned. “Then is he truly just a human?”

Kiritsugu didn’t answer right away. He considered the implications. A Noble Phantasm that could make a human match a Servant’s power? That was something he hadn’t accounted for. Mostly because true Noble Phantasm were impossible to use and create.

Maiya looked up. “Then how did he obtain a Noble Phantasm?”

Irisviel’s grip tightened on her arm. “That is what concerns me. Noble Phantasms cannot be used by any magus. Even the greatest Magi can only wield them under special circumstances, and even then, they must be bound by lineage to a legend.”

Saber nodded. “And yet he fights like a warrior, but lacks the discipline of one.” She sighed. “It’s as if he’s a child playing at being a hero.”

Kiritsugu took another slow drag of his cigarette. “A child or not, that ‘Noble Phantasm’ makes him dangerous. And his Servant… Caster. Her physical stats were nothing impressive but her magecraft surpassed that of any high-class Magus. She countered Archer.”

Saber scowled at the memory. “Caster is a nuisance. Her magic is unpredictable, but the way she fights…” She clenched her fists. “She does not take battle seriously. She plays with it.”

Maiya adjusted her rifle, her tone sharp. “That makes her even more dangerous.”

Kiritsugu tapped his fingers against the table, analyzing the footage of Issei evading Gilgamesh’s attacks. “He reacted to the Gate of Babylon at speeds beyond human capability. Either he has some unknown reinforcement Magecraft… or his ‘Noble Phantasm’ grants him that power.”

Maiya spoke up. “The way it glowed each time he used it and the shout of Boost. It’s almost as if it increases in power over time.”

Kiritsugu shook his head. “If his weapon continues to grow in strength, then there’s no telling what it will become by the end of this war. If it truly grows stronger over time, then we must eliminate him before it reaches full power.”

Maiya nodded in agreement. “We don’t know its limits. If we let him grow unchecked, he might surpass even the strongest Servants. I wonder what he is?”

“It doesn’t matter what he is,” Kiritsugu finally said. “The real problem is why he’s here.” He turned to Irisviel. “The Einzberns never mentioned a wildcard like this. The Holy Grail chose an anomaly, and we need to find out what we’re dealing with.”

Irisviel shook her head. “He wasn’t part of our calculations either. The Grail should only allow seven Servants, yet Caster’s summoning wasn’t natural. I can feel that much.”

Saber nodded, recalling the feeling from the battlefield. “Her presence is different from the other Heroic Spirits. Not just because she is a Caster, but something deeper, unnatural.”

Maiya placed her rifle parts back into place methodically. “What’s our move?”

Kiritsugu didn’t hesitate. “First, we investigate Hyoudou Issei and his Servant.First we should investigate of any legend of a hero with a fox origin and of Issei Hyoudou or of a legendary weapon that's a red gauntlet.” He turned to Maiya. “Start finding them. I want to know where they go, who they interact with, and if they’re making contact with other Masters.”

Maiya nodded. “Understood.”

Saber’s lips pressed into a thin line. “And if they are hostile?”

“Then we eliminate them before they become a real problem.” His voice was cold, decisive. 

Silence filled the room.

Irisviel glanced toward Saber, seeing the tension in her expression. She understood the King of Knights disliked underhanded tactics, but this was how Kiritsugu fought.

Maiya was already preparing to move, gathering equipment to begin tracking Issei and his Servant. 

Then the air trembled twice.

 A violent surge of prana rippled through the air, like a distant explosion of magical energy, sending a faint tremor through the air. Every Magus in Fuyuki could feel it.

Saber’s head snapped toward the window. "That much energy…"

Kiritsugu immediately pulled up the city’s map, pinpointing the source of the disturbance. His eyes narrowed as he traced the area. "Matou estate."

Irisviel gasped softly, placing a hand on her chest. "That… that wasn’t just an explosion. Did a Servant use their Noble Phantasm."

They soon sent familiars to check the area. When the familiars arrived all they saw through them was a burnt ground and a hole where the estate should be.

Maiya leaned forward. "Someone destroyed the Matou estate?" His tone was low, calculating. "But why? What reason would anyone have to attack them?"

Irisview frowned. "The Matou family should have been a major contender in this war. The only explanation is that a Servant was sent to kill their Master to eliminate them from the competition."

“By process of elimination that would mean the Matous were the master of Berserker.” Kiristugu theorized.

Maiya nodded. "Then the next question is—who?"

Silence filled the room as they processed the implications.

Then, Irisviel suddenly stiffened.

She gasped, gripping the edge of the table, her crimson eyes widening in shock.

Saber immediately turned to her, alarmed. "Irisviel!"

Irisviel’s lips parted slightly, her breath coming in shallow as great pain entered her body. "He's gone…"

Kiritsugu narrowed his eyes. "Who?"

Irisviel swallowed, her fingers trembling as it grew difficult to breath. "A Servant, Berserker. He’s… dead."

The weight of her words settled over the room like a thick fog.

Saber’s expression hardened. "Then Matou’s Servant was killed tonight."

Waver’s Hideout 

The dimly lit apartment was cluttered with books, maps, and scattered notes. A small lamp cast a glow over the mess, but the main source of light came from the television screen, where a documentary on modern military technology played.

Seated on the couch, with his massive frame taking up nearly half the available space, was Rider—Iskandar, the King of Conquerors. In one hand, he held a large bag of chips, crunching away without a care in the world. In the other, he gripped a can of beer, occasionally taking long swigs as he remained fully engrossed in the program before him.

Standing nearby, fuming with frustration, was Waver Velvet, his fists clenched as his face turned red.

“Are you even listening to me?!” Waver yelled, his voice cracking slightly.

Rider didn’t even look away from the screen. “Mmm? Oh, I hear you, boy.” He took another chip and popped it into his mouth. “You’re panicking again.”

“Of course I’m panicking! Kayneth knows what I did! He knows I stole his relic! Do you not understand how screwed I am?!” Waver waved his arms wildly, his voice rising in pitch.

Rider let out a satisfied sigh as he crushed the now-empty bag of chips and set it aside. He finally turned to his Master with an amused expression. “Screwed? Bah! You worry too much, lad! You should be honored that such a high-ranking Magus even remembers your name.”

Waver twitched violently. “You think I should be honored?! He’s going to kill me!”

Rider leaned forward, resting his elbows on his knees. “And why should that bother you? You are my Master, are you not? If some arrogant nobleman dares to threaten you, then it is also my problem.”

Waver swallowed, shifting uncomfortably. “But… but he’s one of the Lords of the Clock Tower. He’s powerful. I don’t—”

Rider threw back his head and let out a booming laugh. “Powerful?! Is he a Servant? No? Then I care not about him! Of course Lance can be an issue but I doubt I will lose to him.” He grinned, his crimson eyes gleaming with confidence. “If he tries anything, I shall flatten him with my chariot! I shall trample his grand magecraft beneath my wheels, just as I did to the armies of Persia!”

Waver flinched. “That’s not how things work in the modern era!”

Rider shrugged. “Hah! Modern or not, a battle is a battle! You must learn to hold your head high, boy! Do not let fear rule you. You are my Master! The King of Conquerors does not serve a coward!”

Waver’s face flushed red, both from embarrassment and frustration. “I—I’m not a coward! I just—ugh!” He turned away, rubbing his forehead. “Why do I even bother?”

Before Rider could continue, a sudden pulse of energy rippled through the air. Both Master and Servant tensed.

The television screen flickered slightly as if reacting to the disturbance. The very air inside the apartment felt heavier for a moment before settling.

Waver frowned. “What was that?”

Rider’s easygoing demeanor vanished in an instant. His expression became serious as he stood up, his massive frame towering over Waver. “Something has changed.”

Waver gulped. “What do you mean, ‘changed’?”

Rider turned toward the window, staring out at the city. His brows furrowed in thought before he grinned. “Hah! It seems one of our fellow warriors has fallen!”

Waver stiffened. “Wait… you mean a Servant just died?”

Rider nodded. “Indeed. And judging by the force of that disruption… it was not a quiet death.”

Waver swallowed hard. “Wh-Which one?”

Rider smirked. “That, my boy, is the question! I do believe the battlefield is shifting. This war is becoming far more entertaining than I expected! I believed we retired too early. If this happened.”

Waver, on the other hand, felt his stomach twist in knots.

“This isn’t entertaining! This is terrifying!”

Rider clapped him on the back so hard Waver nearly fell over. “Bah! Think of it this way—one less obstacle in our path to the Grail!”

Waver groaned, gripping his head.

“I hate this war.”

This is only to put into perspective what others are doing. It shouldn't affect the story, but do tell me if I should include it as it's only for members and if there's any mistakes. Also tell me if I should include anything else.