Part 89: Melee / Premonition

"…It's no good just staying here. Saber, come with me. Tohsaka, protect Ilya."


"What!? No, I don't want to look after Rin!"


"I don't like it either. But you said you'd listen to what Shirou says. So obey him politely."



I'll be more helpful than Saber"

She has the mysterious and horrifying powers of loli.

Tohsaka binds Ilya's arm behind her back and puts her hand over Ilya's mouth.

"…! …!!!! …!!!!!"
Ilya continues to throw out insults.



"I'm depending on you. But don't work too hard. Think more about escaping than beating the enemy."
Tohsaka nods back, telling me I don't even need to say it.
Turning my back on Tohsaka, I hurry out to the hallway leading to the porch.



Nodding back to Tohsaka, Saber follows me.

Music: Breach



In that moment.
I doubt my own eyes.



An unavoidable strike attacks me, aiming for my open head.







The attack looks foolish compared to those of Saber, and it feels like the touch of a feather compared to Berserker's.

A wrecking ball feels playfully gentle compared to Berserker.

Music: Stop






"You do not look as though you were scared. All I see is


…that puddle was not there a moment ago, was it?"

"Do not say 'you made it'. You must follow me in a situation like this. Please be cautious from now on."
Saber scolds my carelessness.
She's right, but I just didn't want to be following after her.



There's nothing in the hallway.
The strange thing that was blown away by Saber's attack has vanished like an illusion.


"As Ilyasviel said, they are warriors made by using a monster's body as a catalyst. It seems more like a golem than an automaton, but the quality is low. There should be no problem even if we are surrounded by such things"



"…!"
Where were they hiding… no, when did they get this far in?
Those things, like bad building blocks, are gathering with spider-like movements.
And on top of that, they aren't the only presence I feel.
Many more bones are surrounding this mansion

"Shirou, to your side!"
"!"
I jump away from the wall instantly.

Music: Clashing Souls



"Ku, damn!"
I slash at the bones sidling up on me.







After that, Saber smashes away the bones to protect my back…!

The bones move in with loose movements and all attack in the same way.
It's not hard to repel them, but the house gets destroyed by every attack.
No, and I only have a wooden sword.
Even with the "strengthening" magic on it, it won't last too much longer.

…And I don't want to think about it, but the number of these bone creatures might be infinite.
We might continue this skirmish until we collapse



"Damn, where the hell are they coming from…!?"
I complain with my back to Saber.
Not many bone creatures are coming for me.
They must be coming from inside the house as well, but most of them are coming in from the yard.
Saber is slashing away the ones coming in from there.

…Their goal is the living room.
As Ilya and Tohsaka are in the living room, Saber is busy dealing with the ones heading there







Saber readies her sword again..
Her sword isn't invisible now.
Maybe there's no need to hide it now, but the golden sword is glowing to show off its true powers.

"H-Hold on, Saber! Don't use Excalibur! I don't care if my house gets blown awa… well, I do mind, but there're other houses around here. You should know what'll happen if you use it here…!"
I yell while parrying away bones in front of me.



"…I will obey if it is your order, butit is too troublesome to face such a great number of enemies. We shall be put in danger if we do not sweep them all away."



"I know. They're like familiars, right? Then we'll get the whole army if we get the one controlling them. Saber, can you search for Caster's presence?"



"I do not even need to search. Caster is out in the yard.
…It seems Caster is luring us as the presence is not concealed."

"I don't care. Let's fall for the temptation. We'll tire out first if we continue like this."



"I do not mind. Then we shall go to attack Caster?"

""
The yard is right there.
If Caster's in the yard, it shouldn't be too hard to get there.



You just saw this dead end. It is almost exactly the same, and leads to the same tiger dojo.




"Shirou, please give me an order. There is no time to be indecisive."
I know.
Either way, we're making the situation worse by delaying the decision.

"We'll get Caster. I told Tohsaka to take care of Ilya."


"Then let us go. Master, I will entrust you with my back."

Music: Clashing Souls







"Man."
She told me I'd have her back, but there's no need to protect her like this.
She more than makes me realize how great a swordsman she is.

Emphasis on the 'man'.

Saber charges without doubt.
The foundation for all these bones.
To defeat the unseen sixth Servant that has invaded this mansion.

Music: Stop





…A black shadow.
I'm assaulted by an unknown unease the instant I look at it.

Music: Footsteps of Destruction

"So you are Saber? …I see. You are certainly capable of defeating Berserker. My troops would not even slow you down."

The figure snickers.
It seems the thing in black is the master of the bone creatures… Servant Caster.
But

"No Master…?"
I don't see any sign of a Master near the figure.
Is Caster the same as Lancer, the type to take action away from their Master…?

"You. Is your contract gone?"
Saber asks unpleasantly.
"Yes. He was not a suitable Master for me, so I made him disappear."
I don't know what kind of expression the black robe is making.
But Caster answers in a cold voice.

"Master killerthen your Master is…"
"Already dead. But there is no problem with that, Saber.
We are soul-eaters, correct? There is an abundance of magical energy sources.
All that remains is, yesif I obtain the Holy Grail, there will be no more worries for me."

"…So you wish for revival into this world as well? I do not know which heroic spirit you are, but you threw away your pride for that?"
"Oh. So you do not feel that working for humans is throwing away your pride?
I just could not stand that. I do not wish to be anyone's servant. So I just became the user. You have no grounds to criticize me."

"I would assume so. I also have no interest in your ill acts."
Saber's body inclines a little.
There's only about ten meters to Caster.
Saber should be able to close in on Caster in under one breath and slash Caster away.

"How dangerous. I tried to come and talk, but you act like there is nothing to talk about. I went easy on you, you know?"
"I have nothing to talk to you about. Die here in grace."

Saber intends to kill Caster.
…I won't oppose.
I can only smell blood on Caster.
I bet what Caster said about killing her Master is true.
This raid was also intended to kill everyone here.

"……"
So there's no reason to stop Saber.
First of all, Caster won't even be a match for Saber.
I can sense Caster's ability.
Caster is the weakest when it comes to one-on-one combat.
In this situation, Caster can do nothing but fall to Saber.

"…Don't do it, Saber."
But I can't shake off this strange unease.
This isn't like the hopeless premonition of death like with Berserker.
It must be physiological hatred or an alarm against something bad.
My left hand throbs as if to tell me that Saber shouldn't go near that thing

"…!"
I hesitated too long.
Saber jumps and sprints to the black shadow.









Caster says something in a language I can't hear and casts something that appeals to the brain more than words.

Music: Stop



The world distorts in that instant.
No, the density of the air changes only around Saber.



"Wha!"

A huge impact.
The ground sinks and it seems like something large came crashing down onto Saber.

Music: Nightmare



But what's occurring before me is a great magic.
No magus can express that in one word.
Even if it is possible, they'd have to prepare a catalyst beforehand like Tohsaka does.

But still, Caster executed great magic with just one murmur.
…Caster isn't just on a different level.

She's on a completely different level. No, more than that…

If that was Caster's magic, that figure is no mere magus

"Saber…!"
Saber is frozen on the spot.
Her leg froze as it kicked off the ground.
She is bound in space right now.
No, the air surrounding her has transformed into something like clear gelatin.



"!"
Even if I try to approach her, I'm pushed away by an invisible soft membrane.
It seems that this is only around Saber, but as long as her feet are not on the ground, Saber cannot move.



My magic must look like sorcery for magi in these times."

A laugh comes from the black robe.
Saber is still bound in space.

Music: Stop



She spits those words out.



"Magic resistance…!? It repels even my magic!?"
The black robe retreats.
After cancelling Caster's magic in an instant, Saber dashes with lightning speed.