Chapter 61: Conflict

"Slow doooooown. Basaka!"

Whether it was wolves or her own magical circuits sucking her life force away, Illyasviel had been close to death numerous times in the last months. Yet, nothing came close to the ridiculous jump Berserker did from her mansion.

Her homunculus servants had sensed raging waves of magical energy somewhere in the forest, so she came out to investigate it. Berserker brought her to this place, where two masters stood along with three servants.

Berserker shook the forest with his landing. Cu Chulainn remained unflinching under Berserker's beast-like glare.

"A worthy opponent." He chuckled and summoned Gae Bolg. "Master, let me fight."

Haruki nudged Cu Chulainn's shoulder. "Let's finish my business first."

"They won't let us go without a fight."

Illyasviel hopped down Berserker's shoulder and patted her chest in relief. "I'm alive."

"Berserker," Rin muttered as beads of sweat rolled down her forehead.

The contrast between Illyasviel standing next to the black titan Berserker threw her off. Berserker's sheer size brought out a dreaded feeling. Berserker surpassed every servant she saw in raw power but she couldn't find a clue about Berserker's True Name.

Rin clicked her tongue before she swiveled to her servant. "Archer, can you win?"

Archer grinned. "Master, are you kidding me? We're the strongest duo."

Putting aside the narcissist duo, Haruki smiled at Illyasviel. "An uninvited guest."

"Parties are fun my way." Illyasviel giggled playfully as she lifted the sides of her skirt and curtsies. "Nice to meet you, Rin and Unknown Master. I'm Illya. Illyasviel Von Einzbern. You should have heard of us."

"Einzbern." Rin stiffened at the mention of the name. "How can I forget one of the founder families of the Holy Grail War?"

She couldn't fathom how this cheerful girl was artificially made through the miracle of Alchemy Magecraft.

"It makes things easier for me." Illyasviel nodded politely as she smiled at Haruki. "I never heard of a young magus living in Fuyuki."

"Illyasviel, can we do this later?" Haruki sighed. "I have something important to do right now."

He started with gentle persuasion. If it didn't work, he'd break through with brute force. The combined force of Cu Chulainn, full-powered Medusa, and Emiya could take more than ten lives or even end Berserker's life.

"More important," Illyasviel replied. "Ne, Onii-chan. Are you Assassin's Master?"

Haruki shook his head. "Rider and Lancer are my servants."

"I'll leave you alone then. I also have somewhere else to be."

She had to find a cure for Shirou's poison, which required her to hunt down Assassin and their Master.

"Berserker, let's go."

Berserker glared at Haruki for a good moment before he swooped up Illyasviel and leaped into the air.

Rin put her arms on her waist and breathed a sigh of relief. "Why is she interested in Assassin's Master?"

"We'll see later." Haruki's hand on her shoulder spooked her out. "Come with me, everyone."

Haruki enhanced his physical attributes with his Mystic Code, then he dashed through the forest. Rin's ponytails fluttered as she stared at Haruki's superhuman display of agility. It was no less than Archer's agility when he carried her around.

"He is—"

"Master, hold on to me."

Archer picked her up and followed after Haruki. Cu Chulainn put back Gae Bolg and grinned at Medusa.

"Keep up with me, yeah?"

He disappeared in a gust of wind. Medusa chased him like a bullet piercing through the air. In an odd few seconds, she was head to head with Cu Chulainn. The Irish Hero surpassed her in a sudden burst of speed, but she had a leg up on him in endurance.

***

No random event came in Haruki's way this time as he successfully rendezvoused with Semiramis and Artoria. They hadn't tried anything in his absence. Though Semiramis had taken the time to cast a spell around the mansion to keep an eye on Zouken.

"My master, your prey is inside. Can you call Medea to fetch me?" Semiramis was being solemn for the quest, understanding how much it meant to Haruki. "I don't want to fly…"

Haruki complied with Semiramis's request. Medea arrived like a phantom and took Semiramis away.

Artoria quietly glanced at Haruki. She was alone with her master for the first time since she was summoned by him. Sensing something behind her, she threw a quick glance over her shoulder.

"Master."

"They're friends."

Three figures landed behind them one after another. She had heard about all of them from Haruki, so she acknowledged with a polite nod.

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The others didn't take Artoria's presence so lightly.

Archer froze as he connected Artoria to the servant whose appearance pushed him deeper into the world of mages and mysticism. His ideal to save everyone clouded his mind so much that he had failed to save what was in front of him.

'Saber. Haruki summoned her as well?'

He was Master of four servants, wielder of a Mystic Code on par with a Noble Phantasm as well as a talented magus with aptitude for Projection Magecraft. He kept surprising Archer at every turn in this war.

Rin stretched her hand and leaped at Artoria. She grabbed Artoria's shoulder, getting a clueless head tilt from the knight.

"Another servant!" Rin couldn't keep a lid on her boiling curiosity. "Who is your master?!"

Artoria unconsciously glanced at Haruki, giving Rin the answer she needed.

"No, it's impossible." Rin refused to believe. "Hayashi-kun can't have four servants."

"It's five, actually," Haruki admitted calmly. "Rin, look where we are right now."

His high charisma cooled down her head, and she observed her surroundings.

"Matou Mansion, why are we here?"

Haruki touched Rin's forehead. She was confused about his intentions until a rush of images filled her mind. Haruki used the mental inference spell 'Shared Mind' to transfer Sakura's fragile moments. Rin saw her sister venting out her anger and frustration in front of Haruki.

Her legs lost all strength, and she collapsed on her knees.

"Master."

Archer tried to help. Haruki gestured to Medusa and Cu Chulainn. They held back Archer.

Rin's body trembled. "Everything was in front of me, but I denied everything."

Haruki crouched in front of her and patted her cheeks. "I'm also responsible for her suffering. I was too weak to help Sakura."

"Why didn't you? Aren't you a strong magus?"

"Believe it or not I was an ordinary person before the war."

Rin looked up at him, and her face twisted in rage. "I'll kill him."

Rin clenched her fists. A wave of dark emotions clouded everything ahead of her. She only had the old Matou ancestor in her sight.

Haruki expected her to be this hotheaded. "No, we'll kill him."

***

Illyasviel didn't jump around with Berserker since it was day. She decided to walk to Shirou's home. Her 'Mental Interference' spell could divert the attention of any onlookers, so nobody would see her and Heracles in plain sight.

Heracles walked out of the forest and squeezed his ax-sword in his hand. A low growl escaped his throat as he looked at the figure awaiting them on the road.

"Berserker," Gilgamesh said as he approached Illyasviel with his hands tucked in his pocket. "And an offspring of a homunculus and a human no less. You might have potential as the Grail's vessel."

Gilgamesh's words gave her a foreboding feeling. Illyasviel jumped down and created a pair of familiar birds with her hair. The birds created a formation with the blonde servant as their target.

"Who are you?"

Illyasviel's question went unanswered.

Numerous golden ripples formed behind Gilgamesh, from which swords, polearms, and every kind of weapon peeked out.

"A fight with a Great Heroic Spirit like you may relieve me of my boredom."

Without any warning, the weapons came down on Heracles. He roared and struck down the weapon no less dangerous than a Noble Phantasm.

Gilgamesh grinned to find a worthy opponent in this monotonous Grail War.

"My treasury is infinite, Berserker. How long can you survive?" Gilgamesh rained down more Noble Phantasms on Heracles. "How long can you keep that doll safe? Show me, Berserker!"

Heracles didn't charge like a mindless beast. Instead, he stayed near Illyasviel and thwarted any Noble Phantasm coming at her.

Illyasviel controlled her magical energy. "Storch Ritter: Knight of Stork, Zähre!"

The bird constructs released a wave of bullets. Gilgamesh laughed as the bullets dispersed before hitting him.

"You amuse me, little doll."

"Berserker, kill him!"

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