Chapter 7: Come out!

Beta read by Shigiya, Paragon of Awesomeness and Fluffy Slayer

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-Kuoh-

"Haa… today sucked."

Lately, Issei couldn't stop repeating the same phrase over and over again. It all started on the day he discovered that his girlfriend was actually a Fallen Angel, sent to kill him for his unique gift. The girl he had grown to love in less than a day had been deceiving him all along… pretending to like him while hiding her true intentions.

And then, just when he thought things couldn't get any worse, a white-haired handsome bastard appeared out of nowhere and hammered his girlfriend into the ground as she pleaded for mercy, leaving Issei helplessly watching in horror as the woman he loved abandoned him.

"..."

"That sounded very wrong." 

That definitely needed some rephrasing: Yuuma was pretty much beaten to a pulp by the guy. Even though she was on the verge of killing him, Issei couldn't bear to watch and pleaded with the guy known as Archer to stop. Somehow it worked and she escaped… But did Issei regret his action? He couldn't say for sure.

As if summoned by magic, a stunning woman emerged from a red glowing magic circle thingy, before revealing it to be one of the revered Onee-samas in his school. Her luscious crimson hair and curvaceous body was quite infamous, leaving an impression on every single hormone-fueled teenager who laid eyes on her luscious form — including himself. She offered him a chance to become a Devil, promising a harem of big tiddy busty girls in return. Despite Archer's words, Issei remained reluctant to give the guy any credit after getting humiliated in class that morning by a piece of chalk.

But the offer… was too tempting to refuse.

Yet something went wrong and he was told to wait for a bit. 

"Just what is her relationship with that guy?" She had mentioned him being a Servant, which was akin to a ghost hero. But what Issei really wanted to know was how close they were, the way he called her 'Master' reminded him of the scanty scenes from Matsuda's BDSM porn collection. "No! No way is Rias-senpai that lewd, it's probably a name thing or weird roleplaying." 

He still wanted to touch her boobs and refused to entertain the thought that his objective was impossible. 

Flap!

The familiar sound of wings flapping reached his ears, but there were no birds or crows in sight, yet he heard it coming from somewhere close by. A chill ran up his spine, a sense of danger washing over him.

"I feel like someone's been watching me for a while now." The once familiar streets now seemed shrouded in a dreadful and mysterious atmosphere. His body trembled as he heard footsteps approaching from behind.

He turned around.

Issei could feel his body tense up as he realized the source of the flapping sound was a person, a large man wearing a trench coat who glared at him fiercely for no particular reason. Issei couldn't help but freeze as he looked into the man's eyes.

'Wasn't this what they called killing intent? But why was this man looking at me like that to begin with!?' Issei wondered, trying to shake off the feeling of dread that was building up inside him. 

The man's hostile aura was palpable and as he walked silently towards him, Issei couldn't help but fear the worst. Was he a supernatural person? A serial killer? Or worse than that… a rapist who liked handsome boys like him!

"This is bad! Why did I have to run into some dangerous guy on my way home!?"

"You were surprisingly easy to find," the man said, causing Issei's heart to race. "Raynare said you would be protected by the Devils, but I didn't expect them to let go of their pet like this… It's likely you're already one of them." 

Issei backed away, feeling sweat cover his back as the memories of Yuuma resurfaced in his mind. 

As the man inched his way closer, Issei could sense  a perverted aura emanating from him.

"Trying to run away? Who is your Master? There are only two of them here, not that it matters in the end. But then again, you could easily belong to another… so answer my question. Oh, and tell us where this white-haired man who wields the dao swords is." The man demanded in an icy tone.

Issei didn't know how to respond nor did he plan to speak even if he had any answers. He turned around and sprinted across the dark streets of Kuoh, hearing more flapping sounds ahead before a pink flash caught his eyes.

"Shit!" Issei leaped to the side, narrowly avoiding a pink spear that resembled a straight pole with a double-pointed head. The impact left a gaping hole in the road and sent pebbles flying in every direction, almost hitting him. 

As he caught his breath, a mocking voice came from the sky. "Hahaha! What kind of lame dodge was that? So ugly!" A young girl sat on another pink spear, wearing a gothic dress with messy blonde hair tied in a twin tails — she looked to be around the same age as Koneko. "Can't believe Raynare failed to kill him, he's so pathetic. Don't you think so, Dohnaseek?"

Issei winced as he heard those words cut through him like butter. Dazed, he took a step back before freezing as he remembered the presence behind him. The nauseating feeling of impending danger grew until even his legs shook uncontrollably.

"She mentioned a man in red, wielding both a bow and sword. He was obviously protecting the boy, perhaps being part of a peerage — a Knight most likely", the man said to the little girl beside him. "Raynare has truly grown weak if she couldn't handle one person. Mittelt, has Kalawarna reported any approaching Devils or enemies?" 

"Nope, the coast is clear. Hurry up and kill him so we can get this over with."

Was he truly going to die here? Issei pressed his back against the wall, with no escape route in sight. He had just escaped death not that long ago and it seemed like these people really wanted him dead. 

The man approached, raising his arm up where another light spear appeared. Now that he was closer, Issei could see how, unlike Raynare's jagged and crooked red spear, this one was much smoother and normal looking in a way. 

"Honestly, I would have preferred if you were accompanied by the Knight. Then all three of us could have taken him out with ease. Scratch that, just two of us would have sufficed."  Dohnaseek sneered openly, the arrogance dripping from his voice,was not lost on Issei. He couldn't help but feel a sense of dread, as he didn't know how strong Archer was nor how dangerous these people were… but none of that mattered now that  he was on the chopping block!

Donhaseek approached, raising his spear above Issei's head. 

"Goodbye kid, I'll make it painless and quick."

Issei closed his eyes in desperation and fear, bracing himself for the impact.

Schrk!

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"Kyah!"

Thud!

"Aaaaahh!" 

A loud guttural scream reverberated through the streets, followed by the sound of a heavy thud. "Huh?"  Issei's eyes snapped open, and he found the Fallen Angel clutching his arms, his face twisted in agony — his hands were missing… 

His eyes followed the trail of blood to the source where he saw a pair of hands still grasping a light spear. Blood gushed from the severed stump, splattering on Issei's face and making his stomach churn. His face went from pale then green at the sight and the metallic scent of blood in the air. 

But the sound of something falling didn't come from the man. Issei turned his head to see the lolita girl from earlier, struggling to stand with both her wings and legs pierced by a particular set of arrows.

"Honestly, this is the second time. Just how bad is your luck, kid?" 

{Break}

Archer didn't immediately intervene when he spotted the Fallen Angels in the distance. As all three of them made their way towards Issei with haste, the third one, a woman with purple hair and a tight leather suit, decided to remain behind and survey the area. 

The boy was unaware of their presence until one of them landed near him, Making it  impossible for him to hide or even run away. Meanwhile the other side of the road was blocked by a young-looking girl with blonde hair.

From their conversation, it was evident that they had planned to  use Issei as bait to ambush Archer. Despite wanting to call them fools, Archer couldn't, as the plan had worked. He now stood in the middle of the road, having shot the blonde Fallen Angel — Mittelt — so that she couldn't  escape like his last target. However, he knew that this was mainly due to Issei's interference, as his Master had given him an order. If not for that, Raynare would have met her end.

"Honestly, this is the second time. Just how bad is your luck, kid?" 

The frequency at which his Master had tasked him with rescuing young, naïve teenage boys hinted at a grim future for him as a Servant. Was this a curse in disguise? 

"Y-You! Fucking Dev—Gah!" Donhaseek attempted to take flight, but Archer was quicker. With a swift slash from Bakuya, he mercilessly slashed through the Fallen's wings, causing the man to cry out in agony as he plummeted to the ground. 

Issei remained in a state of shock, which was to Archer's advantage. He had made a blunder not killing Raynare swiftly, allowing both the boy and Rias to interfere at the eleventh hour. This time he wouldn't give either of them such a chance. Within seconds after firing his first arrow, he reached the spot and traced Kanshou in his left hand and made a quick, decisive move — rotating his body with lightning speed, he sliced through Donhaseek's neck before anyone could react. 

In the fleeting moment before  his blade was halfway through his target's neck, Archer glimpsed the man's eyes filled with despair and regret. Realizing that his fate was sealed with no hope of survival, Donhaseek could only plead with a silent gaze. Unable to utter even a sound as his windpipe had already been severed. 

"Humph," he scoffed, eager to deride the Fallen Angel for his senseless actions and pathetic ambush that seemed to have no real strategy behind it. 

Did he feel sorrow? No, perhaps the entity known as Emiya Shirou would have been abhorred by such a sight, but the current Archer had already forgotten the man's name before his lifeless head even hit the blood-splattered ground. 

Fwish! 

In a split second, he materialized right next to Mittelt, "A-Ahh-AHHHHH!" As she let out a blood-curdling scream, her current appearance gave off the impression that he was about to kill a young child. Something that Issei couldn't help but notice. 

Archer saw the boy trying to raise his hands and voice, probably wanting to stop him before he could do anything else.

"Fool… I only need one of them alive." 

Even now, Issei still had the urge to spare these people, a fact that the Heroic Spirit couldn't help but sigh at. Perhaps it wasn't so much about saving these people, but rather about stopping Archer from perpetrating another gruesome act that seemed to affect him at a deeper level. 

"Wa—"

He didn't even have time to speak before Bakuya pierced the girl's face and sliced straight through her skull. Her hands that had attempted to block the attack froze midway before falling limply to the ground. 

"—!"

Issei's face was a jumble of emotions. Confusion, fear, anger, shock, and disgust, all of which seemed to fight for dominance. He was hyperventilating and looking at Archer with a hazy stare before eventually collapsing unconscious. 

"... I had expected more from these people. Are Fallen Angels truly this weak?" Rias previously explained to him  that the ranking of Fallen Angels depended on the number of wings they possessed, With a single pair being the weakest and those with twelve wings representing the pinnacle existence known as Seraphims — an existence just below even that of the biblical god.

'Is everything okay, Archer?' Rias spoke through their connection. 

'See for yourself, I took care of the Fallen Angels that were after the boy, but it seemed like the sight was too much for him and he fainted. I'm failing to see how he has a Sacred Gear inside of him when, even after two near-death encounters, he still hasn't unlocked anything.' Akeno and Kiba had helped him understand more of these Sacred Gears and the circumstances under which they could be manifested. There were many different types of awakenings, but the most common one occurred when the wielder's life was in danger. Yet Issei had been in such scenarios twice and nothing had happened. 

'Ah… a bit brutal don't you think so, Archer?' Rias mentioned after watching the scene through his eyes. 

'Brutal yes, but I prefer calling it efficient, Master.'

'This… this is a dangerous case. If there is a chance that they were indeed from Grigori then—' 

'Rest assured, you are in the right this time.' Archer interrupted her, assuring her that she had made the right decision by playing it safe, but also realizing that they couldn't simply leave things alone. 'You offered them a chance during the previous encounter with Raynare, I even mentioned Hyoudou Issei's connection to the house of Gremory. They even asked if he belonged to the Sitri or Gremory.'

'They could have seen Issei as a possible stray.'

Again, he denied that possibility.

'Unlikely. Firstly, he's a human being without an ounce of Devil magic in him. And secondly, why would we be protecting a Stray in the first place? I understand your concern, but you must realize that these people didn't come with the purest of intentions. You even admitted their status as Rogue Fallens previously, Master.'

He heard Rias sigh, 'Right, that's true. I'm just worried about making mistakes and paying for it later on.' 

He gazed at the spot where the third Fallen had been and found it to be empty. Archer didn't panic, as he knew the direction she had flown off to and was confident he could catch her quickly. 'I should catch up to the last Fallen, she could serve as an ideal informant and reveal their secret plan. But what should I do with the boy?'

'Hm, don't worry about him, I'll have Kiba take care of him and bring his body back to his house along with disposing of the bodies. Just be careful, Archer.'

With that said, the Servant vanished from his spot, heading west to pursue the blue-haired woman who had fled.

…

"What was that!?" 

As she flew above the city of Kuoh, Kalawarna couldn't help but feel a sense of panic from what she had just witnessed. 

Her plan was supposed to be simple; Scout the human and use him as bait to lure out the Gremory Knight that would potentially appear, then kill both of them in one fell swoop. But if Raynare couldn't kill him on her own, then surely all three of them would be more than enough.

But in the end, it turned into a complete massacre within a matter of seconds. She blinked and both Donhaseek and Mittelt were left dead. The former with his head gone and the latter having a sword embedded in her face. It was clear that the knight was powerful, having freakish speed that was characteristic of their kind.

"A sick monster… that bitch lied to us!"

Raynare insisted that he was around the same level as them and only won from using ambush tactics. Notwithstanding  how she rumbled on how she was going to rip his hands off and disembowel him with his own swords.

"Raynare is nowhere near his level!" How did she even survive an encounter with that guy? "Forget it, I need to go back and force Raynare to abandon this whole operation. It's too dange-Ah!" Her left wing suddenly seized up with a searing pain.  In horror, she looked down to see  the same signature arrow that had struck Mittlet had pierced her as well.

He caught up to her!

With her injured wing rendering her flightless, Kalawarna desperately tried to regain control  of her descent as she hurtled towards the bustling city below. In a last ditch effort, she struggled to guide herself towards the outskirts of the city, where the dense forest awaited. 

Crash!

The trees provided some cushioning to her fall, but it was not enough to prevent Kalawarna's body from being battered with bruises and cuts. Her Fallen constitution however, keptthe woman alive despite the impact of the fall. With a throbbing headache and ringing ears, she crawled away slowly, determined to escape her pursuer before it was too late. As she tried to collect herself, the ominous feeling of impending doom and death intensified when she heard the sound of footsteps approaching her. 

As she turned her head robotically, Kalawarna locked eyes with the figure who was silently observing her. Possessing silver eyes like liquid metal, devoid of emotions that she would expect from a Devil. His white hair blended perfectly with the Moon behind him, creating a more chilling image in her heart. 

Nevertheless, a single thought drifted inside her head, "D-Don't, k-kill me… please." 

She found herself pleading to a Devil, a humiliating experience that would haunt her for centuries to come. Yet, she reasoned  that it was preferable to meeting the same gruesome fate as her two colleagues. 

"Surviving a fall from several hundred meters is no small feat. I must say, you Fallen are a resilient breed." He spoke calmly, sending shivers down her spine  as she struggled to predict what he would do next. "I am almost flattered that you thought of orchestrating a three versus one battle, a testament to the impression I must have left on Raynare." 

"..." 

Kalawarna was at a loss for words, utterly terrified of the man before her and unable to muster a response. 

"Setting aside you and Raynare, how many more of your kind lurk within the city?" He demanded, blocking off the path she was crawling to. "If you provide me with an answer then I'll spare your life. If not, then there will be no need for further discussion and I'll end things here and now." 

"N-No no! I'll talk! I-I'll talk!" Gathering her composure, kalawarna took a deep breath to steady herself, despite the throbbing pain she was enduring. With gritted teeth, she began speaking. "T-there's only Raynare and me remaining, the rest are… dead." She avoided making eye contact, fearful of seeing a murderous glint that would seal her fate. 

He persisted with another question, "Why did Raynare attempt to kill Issei in the first place? I fail to see any benefits to such an act aside from inviting more trouble for your group. Meaning that someone gave you orders to carry out this task. Who's behind all this? Or, better yet, what's your primary objective in Kuoh?" 

Kalawarna trembled uncontrollably, unable to provide an answer. As a mere grunt, she had followed Raynare's orders without question, yet she barely mentioned anything about the mission to kill that kid. "I-I don't know, we were just told to wait for s-someone's arrival. As for the decision to kill the human, that was entirely Raynare's doing! I h-had nothing to do with it!" 

Raising his eyebrow, Archer let out a deep sigh. "That's all you can tell? In that case there is no reason for me to keep you alive…"

Panic flooded her body as she moved hastily, grabbing onto his leg, "W-Wait! I know other things! I've been with Grigori for centuries! I know many secrets and information about Azazel and the higher-ups! A-And I'm even good at physical activities, I'll even let you use my bod—"

Her words were cut short as the soles of a boot filled her vision.

Bang!

The last remaining thought that crossed her mind before losing consciousness was a fervent desire to pummel Raynare's head against a wall for her idiocy.  

{Break}

"Their wings appear to be a significant weakness, susceptible to damage and attacks. Perhaps this is only true for weaker entities but it's something to keep in mind." Archer knelt next to Kalawana, checking for any signs of deception, but found none. Her wounds were minor and consisted of some bone fractures in her legs. "I'll ask her about their hideout once we return. However, based on the path they took and the direction Raynare flew off to last time, my guess is that it's likely the abandoned church on the outskirts of the city." Having spent a considerable amount of  time in Kuoh, Archer had meticulously memorized the city's layout, including all possible locations where enemies could be hiding, such as empty warehouses and abandoned buildings.

A habit he had developed from his past experience as both a Servant and a Counter Guardian. In most cases, he would obtain general knowledge from the Grail and focus on the details — though when he first arrived, such detailed information wasn't provided to him.

He projected a chain and secured the woman's hands and legs. Her wings were left unbound as he knew they could be easily dismissed at any moment. 

Just as he was about to lift her and head back to the Occult Research Club, Archer suddenly stopped in his tracks. 

"Hn?" 

He scanned his surroundings with  hawk-like eyes, as if searching for a hidden threat. The countless eons he had spent as a Counter Guardian had sharpened his senses to an otherworldly level, surpassing anything his mortal self could have hoped to achieve in a single lifetime. His Mind's Eye had never failed him in the past, enabling the Servant to temporarily match the abilities of beings far superior to himself, like certain Demigods. It was a talent he honed to foresee and sense danger with an almost sixth sense–like intuition, allowing him to evade many perilous situations. 

"Who's there?" 

In the darkness of the night, with the only source of light being the Moon itself, Archer felt a disturbance in the air… as if he was being watched by an entity. He tightened his grip on his bow and felt his muscles tense as the feeling intensified with each passing moment.

"I know you're there, why don't you come out so we can have a chat?" Uncertain if the presence belonged to a human or perhaps another Fallen Angel, Archer remained vigilant and kept his guard up. "If you don't appear right now, then I'll force you to come out. It's common courtesy to greet the person you're stalking, and I'm rather displeased with your actions so you must know that I won't hesitate to use force if necessary. Consider this your first and last warning." 

"..."

Once more, the forest fell into a deafening silence, not even the sound of insects breaking the quietude. Archer clutched an arrow tightly in his hands, slowly pulling back the string to his bow as he surveyed his surroundings with hawk-like precision 

"Then so be it."

With great speed, he aimed for the furthest tree, hidden within the fauna and flora of the area. It was quite an unsuspecting plant, one that no one would even give a second glance — but he fired at it regardless. 

The arrow was strong enough to tear through steel, so it should have destroyed the tree's trunk. However, that didn't happen…

Bang! 

Before the arrow could reach the trunk, a blue film of energy surrounded the tree and effortlessly shattered it into pieces. 

"Interesting, I did not expect for you to accurately spot my presence." The illusion was shattered as a woman speaking in a detached tone walked out, wearing a maid outfit of all things. With silver hair and red eyes, she was undoubtedly a Devil, as he had sensed moments ago. Her posture was perfect, showing no signs of imperfection. 

Archer's senses screamed at him to be cautious of this woman. It had never given such a reaction with the Fallen Angels, but with her, it wouldn't stop. 

"Our stalker has finally come out. Interesting choice of clothes, I must say. It makes me even more curious about your identity, miss prowler. Who are you?" Archer asked calmly, smirking as he threw small jabs. He wondered if she was an enemy from a rival clan or the mastermind behind the Fallen Angels that were causing problems for Gremory and Sitri heir. 

"..."

"Not a person of many words I see, let me guess, the Ice Queen type? How frightening, I'm shaking in my boots. Or perhaps you're a comedian, here to waste my time and have your lackeys ambush me? How cowardly, and fitting for a Devil." Her eyebrows twitched at his words, but her expression remained emotionless.

"May I ask how you detected my presence? I was certain that my cover was perfect." She inquired, her voice devoid of any emotion as she patiently ignored his jabs.

"None of your business. But I must say, your innate capacity for acting so cold is impressive. Are you trying to intimidate me?" 

"..." 

Her eyes narrowed at his response, obviously displeased. Then she glanced at the bow and arrow he was holding. "Interesting magic, it resembles Sword Birth quite a bit, perhaps even Blade Blacksmith."

She saw his battle against the Fallens.

Archer clicked his tongue in annoyance. How did she know he would be present there? Did she anticipate his arrival when Hyoudou Issei was in danger? 

The man continued to speak, feeling the tension rise with each passing second. "Oh, comparing my magic to Sacred Gears — a waste of time and purpose. Are you an enemy?" The idea of a Devil working with the Fallen Angels may seem absurd to some, but it was not a possibility he could ignore. The world was vast and full of people who would align themselves with the Devil just to further their own goals. And he couldn't help but notice the irony in his own words 

"And what if I am? That all depends on you." Her Devil magic began to leak, even a tiny sliver of it far surpassed anything he had seen from Rias in the past. If that girl was an ant then this woman was an unmoving mountain, whose peak could not be seen. It felt like he was facing a Caster-class enemy with the amount of power she was showing. "I need you to answer a few of my questions. What is your connection with Ouroboros and what do you plan to do with the Gremory heir?" 

Honestly, Archer was completely clueless about the mention of this Ouroboros.

"Allow me to reiterate, in case you misheard me earlier. None. Of. Your. Business. You Devils seem to lack manners, don't you? I haven't even been given the courtesy of a name. If you have nothing better to do, then I suggest you leave and return to the cosplay party you came from." 

Her frown deepened and the sudden emergence of killing intent made it clear that she was going to strike at any moment.

"Then you'll force me to choose a more assertive option." She coldly said.

His next move came in the form of releasing another arrow. Unlike before, it flew at an astonishing speed, even faster than a bullet. The silver haired woman, caught off guard, summoned another barrier around her body as the arrow approached. With a small explosion of fire and smoke, the arrow shattered and temporarily blinded her.

As the dust settled, Archer appeared before her with his trusty dao swords at the ready. Without hesitation, he launched a second attack, aiming both blades for her jugular. However she remained calm, and the power of her blue Devil magic intensified, causing  the entire area to glow brighter and brighter until it exploded in a blinding white light.

Boom!

{Break}

-Kuoh Academy-

'... Be careful, Archer.' 

In the Occult Research Club, Rias sat silently in her chair with her eyes closed, her mind focused on her connection to Archer. Through this link, she could see the world through his eyes, but it was an ability that required intense concentration. Archer had mentioned that with practice, it would become easier, and Rias was determined to improve this ability.

Although she didn't witness the battle, the aftermath was undeniably bloody. Archer had ruthlessly taken down two Fallen Angels without hesitation and she couldn't fathom how someone like Akeno would derive any enjoyment from such carnage. Not that she was willing to find out, her Queen was quite… unique and unpredictable in such things. Which was also why she had tasked Kiba with the clean up instead, as well as to make sure Hyoudou Issei was brought back to his house. 

"Ara, did something happen, Buchou?" Akeno asked, standing by her side with a tray of tea. Just from the smell she could deduce that Akeno had experimented with a new blend and brewing technique. She spent an entire hour in the kitchen testing different leaves and even sourcing different types of sugar and milk. The offhand comment from Archer really ignited a large brazier inside her heart. 

As Rias took a sip of her tea, she noticed that it was a tad bit sweeter than her usual brew, with a more pronounced fragrance. It was a definite improvement but still no match for Archer's skills. "The Fallen Angels have made another attempt on Hyoudou Issei's life again. This time, they sent three of their members to gang up on Archer. But he proved to be more than a match for them, killing two and pursuing the third." 

Akeno sneered, a palpable aura of hatred emanating from her whenever the topic of the Fallen Angels was broached. Rias shook her head silently as she watched her  cheerful Queen lose her smile. The tragedy of the past involving her mother and father still remained deeply ingrained within Akeno's heart. 

The redhead had tried her best to give Akeno a happy life, providing the girl with anything she could ever want using the vast resources of the Gremory fortune. But even that was not enough to heal the wounds that Akeno carried. She still despised that side of hers along with her father and the species as a whole. 

'There's nothing I can do to change what has already happened, but I can at least do my best as her King going forward.'

"He should kill them all." She said, pouring a cup of tea for Koneko. "We don't have any use for them, they're better off gone."

"Akeno, you're being too cruel. While I understand the logic of eliminating such threats, we still need to know to determine their purpose in Kuoh and question whoever is behind this — if there is someone. Of course, once we have all the information, then we can dispose of them. I doubt that Grigori will say anything." Archer's words helped to ease her worries. This was her territory, and if she acted too cautiously or passively, then others would take advantage of her. However, she also couldn't afford to act recklessly and be caught off guard. There needed to be a balance. 

Knock 

Knock

"Come in," Rias called out, already guessing who it might be. The large Ebony door swung open to reveal two beautiful bespectacled girls. The first being none other than the heir to the Sitri clan, Sona and her Queen, Tsubaki Shinra. Both were well-known to the student population as the Students Council President and Vice President respectively. While Tsubaki also held the unofficial title of Onee-sama at the school. "Good evening, Sona, how's your day been?" She began the conversation with some light questions. 

Sona sat across from Rias at the table, while Tsubaki quietly joined Koneko on the sofa. Akeno, ever mindful of their presence, had already served tea and biscuits before taking her place near Rias. 

"Haa… Not great I must say. I have been dealing with my potential future Pawn. So far, Saji Genshirou has shown the proper desire and capability to become a powerful Pawn, as for Kiyome Abe, she has mostly ignored my request."

Oh, Rias recalled the girl vividly. She was currently the captain of the tennis club, a blonde haired girl coming from a long line of beast tamers. So far, she kept a clear distance from every Devil and made it apparent that she desired to live the peaceful life of a highschool girl. Rias sympathized with this sentiment, as she too desired the same. 

"I can understand his drive, you did help his family's financial troubles and even promised to take care of the future scholarships of his siblings. I remember Kiyome Abe as well, I believe we came to Kuoh around the same time. It's a pity that you couldn't convince her, but I think it's best to drop the matter as of now and not get involved with her family." 

Sona's glasses glinted ominously. "Easy for you to say that. Besides Hyoudou Issei, who you've taken for your group, there is also this familiar that I haven't been introduced to yet." She had helped Rias uncover long-forgotten knowledge about a magic ritual, and the  least she could do was reveal who or what she had gained from it. Judging by Rias's relaxed demeanor and irritatingly smug expression— it was easy to surmise that it must have been someone or something quite powerful. 

Rias wore a sly smile on her face, while Akeno giggled and half-covered her face with the tray. 

"Ara Ara, I thought Kaichou had already met our mysterious familiar, fufufufu~" 

"Yes, I'm honestly surprised, weren't you in charge of going through the paperwork I left for you last week?" 

Sona frowned, deep in thought as she carefully considered each of their words. Last week had been quite hectic for her, being swarmed by clubs' requests and dealing with the antics of the Perverted Trio had forced her to delegate her usual workload to other members and staff. Oh, she remembered vaguely that Rias had mentioned a new teacher she wanted to appoint to the school, a rather unique request from the redhead but it had slipped her mind in the midst of all the chaos. 

"Wait," realization slowly dawned on her face. "This new teacher is your familiar!?" She exclaimed loudly, catching Tsubaki's attention as the girl followed the conversation closely. A familiar as a teacher? That certainly wasn't something one would hear every day.

"Indeed," Rias said calmly, relishing the astonishment on her long-time rival's face. Bringing out such a reaction from her friend and rival was always a pleasant experience. Sona was a tough person to fluster, but when she managed to break through her strict persona, then what awaited her was pure entertainment. 

"What!? How!? How could a human be a familiar!?" She exclaimed loudly, banging her hands against the wooden desk in disbelief. Rias ignored her outburst, enjoying the scene before her. 

"Well~♪ He's no longer a human from his own words and he's called a Servant." 

"Explain." Sona demanded, unwilling to leave until Rias gave her every single detail. 

Lowering her cup onto the desk, Rias positioned herself and began explaining the basics of what Archer had told her. Carefully omitting the details that would be detrimental to her, such as Archer's magecraft. Regarding the command seals, she simply stated that they represent the connection between Master and Servant — only mentioning that he was powerful enough to take down a Fallen like Raynare with ease. Oh, and she also downplayed the possibility of summoning multiple Servants with the ritual, as a means to keep herself ahead of the game. Stating how only a single Servant could be called forth and anything else was impossible. Sona was her friend, but Rias wasn't ready to hand over such a potentially powerful ally just yet. 

As she had assisted with the ritual and their research, Rias suspected that Sona must have taken notes about the whole process. In order to delay the possibility of a second summoning, she was determined to mislead her.

A dirty tactic but Rias never said she would play a fair game against her rival.

Sona's complection turned pale as a myriad of emotions flitted across her face: surprise, jealousy, wonder and finally disbelief. Tsubaki stood in the background, portraying a similar reaction. 

The Sitri heiress shakily trembled as she pointed a shaky finger at Rias, struggling to keep herself from flying off her chair. "Y-Y-You summoned a-a ghost of a heroic warrior of the past from another world as your Servant? A figure like Okita Souji, with the ability of a Queen, but without any Evil Pieces inside him?" Pride swelled within the Gremory heiress's heart as Sona reacted in disbelief. "A-A-And to top it off, y-you made him your personal butler and even a teacher of all things!?" 

"And a kitchen thief who has no appreciation for fine cooking." Akeno whispered from behind with a pout, still stinging from  Archer's previous comments on her tea making and his theft of everyone's attention with his culinary skills. Now even the flavors of her own dishes left her wanting, as her taste buds had grown accustomed to his cooking — all thanks to that hateful man. 

"Indeed, he's quite the catch, don't you think?" Rias said, her grin widening.

"Oh, and he also became Buchou's personal body pillow."

"Akeno! You didn't need to say that!" The grin faded from Rias' face, replaced by a deep blush. She would have preferred that tidbit to remain hidden.

Sona propped her head up with her hands, struggling to process the unbelievable information she had just received. The fact that there existed a magic spell capable of summoning and contracting people from other worlds,  not to mention making them one's Servant was mind-blowing and shattered everything she thought she knew. And how unfair was this world? Just when she believed she had the upper hand in their competition,Rias flew right past her, threatening to create a wide gap between them. Furthermore, since this Archer fellow counted as a familiar, he could participate in Rating Games, giving Rias the advantage to keep adding more Peerage members to her roster. 

This was so unfair!

"Don't smirk like that just because you think you've gotten an advantage over me." Sona grumbled, her veins throbbing at Rias' smug expression. 

"Oh but I do feel that I've taken the lead at this moment, Sona. You can't blame me for my fortune, as that would be beneath someone like you." 

"Humph!" Sona rose from her seat, heading to the door while trying to keep her emotions in check."Let's go, Tsubaki. We have lots of work to do. And call Saji Genshirou to the Student Council room on Monday, I believe he's had enough time to think about my offer." 

"Understood, Kaichou."

As the King and Queen bid their farewells to the other guests in the room, the Queen with heterochromatic eyes couldn't help but feel a twinge of disappointment that Kiba wasn't among them. She brushed it off, knowing that there would be another opportunity to see him soon.

Once the door closed with a large thud, the room fell silent. But it didn't stay that way for long before Rias and Akeno both started giggling, their laughter echoing off the walls.

"Did you see her face? I never thought she would react like that, unless her sister wasn't coming to pay a visit." Akeno said, still relishing the experience. 

"Fufufu~! It is always fun to see Sona lose her composure. But I have a feeling she's probably going to approach Archer herself or call him to the Council and start questioning him. Maybe even ask if the pact can be annulled and if he's willing to become her Servant." 

The raven haired Queen was astonished by those words. "No way… you really think she would do such a thing?" 

Rias nodded slowly, "For now it'll only be her searching for an answer, she won't take any action regarding matters concerning my… you know what." The mood in the room turned somber while thinking about that particular case. "But once that problem is resolved, I have no doubt she'll try to lure Archer to her side. I don't blame her, I would have done the same." Very few people in the world knew Sona as she did. 

"Aren't you worried that Archer will accept, Buchou?" This time, Koneko spoke. A trace of worry flashing in her eyes. The thought of him leaving was unbearable to her.

"Don't worry, Archer would never do such a thing. There is nothing to even suggest that the pact could be broken and remade with another Master." She believed that she had a good understanding of Archer's personality and morals, even though they hadn't known each other for very long..

As they continued to discuss the delicate matters between Sona and Archer, the room suddenly shook violently.

Boom!

In the distance, they all heard a deafening explosion and felt a huge wave of energy wash over them. 

"It's coming from the forest." Koneko said, her eyes widening in alarm. She moved closer to her King, sensing danger on the horizon. "A battle… powerful and dangerous… familiar feeling." She recognised the energy signature from somewhere but couldn't quite place it.

"Wait, could this be…" Rias's heart pounded in her chest as a sinking feeling settled in her stomach. She hastily grasped the connection within herself and tried to talk to her Servant.

'Archer! Is everything okay? Did something happen? Please! Say something!?' 

He wasn't answering! Why!? Had the enemy launched an attack? Or was it a trap? Terrible thoughts raced through her mind, leading her to horrifying conclusions. Her body trembled with fear and worry, making it impossible for her to peer through Archer's vision. Riasneeded to focus her mind, but her anxiety was too overwhelming. As she was about to contemplate using her command seals to teleport him back to the room — she finally heard his voice inside her head.

'Sorry for the delay, Master. I'm just having trouble dealing with a silver-haired stalker in a maid outfit.'

.

.

.

"Wait, what!?" 

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The next 5 chapters of Snafu, Harry Potter and my 3 other Fate fics (Fate Coiling Sword with 3 chapters, A Fake Familiar Reborn with 3 chapters and To love a sword having 4 chapters) are already available on my P@treon. With 4 more Broly chapters at /NimtheWriter. Also, I post monthly commissioned arts on each story, already posted a few on an Archer's Promise, Broly and Snafu.