Chapter 10: The Recovery Operation!

This will be the last chapter for today, tomorrow could be one, two, or more, or maybe none at all. Ill post whenever i could.

--

"You're injured again?" 

Kirei Kotomine frowned slightly as he observed Assassin return with visible wounds. 

All he had tasked him with was scouting the Matou residence, so how had he come back wounded again? 

Thankfully, with the scabbard's healing properties, the injuries wouldn't impact their next actions too much.

"That must have been Berserker." 

"I hadn't even gotten close to the estate before he detected me." 

"He's strong—stronger than Saber, based on my judgment."

Kenshin did not try to defend himself regarding his injury, instead explaining the situation truthfully. 

He had realized that while he could handle opponents who were still human-like, facing supernatural enemies was a different matter. 

Those adversaries far outclassed him in both skill and equipment. Saber was tough enough, but Berserker was almost beyond anything he could deal with.

"Don't be too hard on yourself." 

"As an Assassin capable of matching Saber in combat, you're more than impressive." 

"There may be some extraordinary beings in this war, but as long as they have Masters, they have weaknesses."

Kirei could sense the doubt Kenshin harbored, a hesitation buried deep in his heart. He spoke in a calm, reassuring tone, though inwardly, he couldn't help but wonder: 

'The Matou family drew quite a powerful card.' 

'But who is their Master?' 

'If Assassin can't even approach, familiars won't be able to spy on them either.'

While they had confirmed that the Matou family's Servant was Berserker, the identity of the Master remained a mystery. 

And there was still Rider, who hadn't revealed himself.

Without dwelling too much on it, Kirei decided to report his findings to his teacher, though how much he would disclose was another question entirely.

---

"A participant working so closely with the Church, huh? It seems we can't fully trust the overseer." 

Kiritsugu was crouched inside a small building, sharing intel with Maiya and Saber. 

He knew exactly who Assassin's Master was: Kirei Kotomine. 

Even just locking eyes with that man had sent a shiver down Kiritsugu's spine. 

Kotomine was dangerous. 

Knowing his identity and ties to the Church, Kiritsugu felt an unsettling sense of foreboding. 

If the referee and a participant were working together, the situation could get complicated fast.

"We need to move before nightfall. There's no time to wait."

---

"Mm..." 

Already awake, Irisviel sat in a chair, dressed in a nun's habit, watching Assassin tend to his wounds. She couldn't hide her surprise. 

The gash on his chest was clear, as if something massive had sliced through him. 

Irisviel found it hard to imagine who could have injured Assassin so severely. 

Even Saber had struggled to gain the upper hand against him in their duel, his agility being beyond normal.

'This scabbard...'

Irisviel could feel the miraculous healing of her body. Kirei had extracted Excalibur's scabbard from her body and was using it to heal Assassin. 

If only she could bring this scabbard back home, "Ba" could be saved, too. 

Her thoughts drifted back to the moment before her summoning.

Kenshin's original wish had been simple: peace for the world. 

In his desire to achieve that, he had defied his master's wishes and joined the Ishin Shishi, engaging in years of bloodshed. 

It wasn't until "Ba" entered his life that he began to rediscover his humanity. 

But now, with the opportunity of the Dragon Balls, Kenshin's heart wavered. 

If victory in this war could bring peace and heal Ba, wasn't it worth the risk?

But reality had been cruel. 

The opponents in this war were not just ordinary warriors like himself but legendary figures far surpassing him in skill. 

Saber's speed could keep up with his Hiten Mitsurugi-ryu, and Berserker's defenses made his strikes useless. 

Not to mention the magical cannon fire and the self-proclaimed "King" Archer he had faced at the beach.

And there were still Lancer, Rider, and Caster—unknown and dangerous foes.

*Thud!* 

Having healed most of his wounds, Assassin stood up and left without a word. 

Irisviel could sense the tension in the air but didn't dare ask any questions. 

The house was sealed with magical barriers; she was trapped.

Her thoughts turned to Kiritsugu. 

Waking up in this state, she had never expected to survive, but Saber's scabbard had kept her alive. 

Now, it was in Kirei's possession, being used to heal Assassin. 

Since waking, Kirei hadn't made any demands of her. He simply kept her locked in this room, and she had a terrible feeling about it.

---

"Who would have thought... even you could be so anxious, Kiritsugu Emiya." 

Kirei Kotomine found himself under attack in his own residence.

*Bang! Bang! Bang!* 

On the other side, Kiritsugu had already set up his sniper rifle, firing round after round at Kirei. 

Kirei, clad in a bullet-resistant outfit, barely cared about the bullets. He only needed to protect the vulnerable parts of his body.

*Ping! Ping! Ping!* 

The bullets struck his clothing, bouncing off with a satisfying ring.

"I know, Saber is waiting nearby, keeping an eye on Assassin, right?" 

"And you've sent your assistant to rescue that woman." 

"You want to kill me, but you haven't found an opening."

Kirei's lips curled into a slight smile, enjoying the situation. 

It was exhilarating to be in a position where his opponent was left powerless, yet still forced to listen to him. 

It was a rare pleasure.

But what happened next caught Kirei off guard. 

Kiritsugu used **Innate Time Control: Double Accel!**

*Bang! Bang!* 

'What?!' 

'One Origin Bullet and one regular round...'

Reacting as quickly as he could, Kirei realized the speed of Kiritsugu's attack far exceeded his expectations. 

The bullets were already too close for him to defend against.

'Too late.'

Unable to raise his hand in time, Kirei knew if these bullets hit, he would either lose his life or be incapacitated.

*Clang!* 

But just then, a broken sword appeared, deflecting both bullets, saving Kirei from certain death.

"Tch! Assassin, huh?" 

That level of reflex and speed could only belong to a Servant. 

Kiritsugu scowled, realizing that Saber had failed to stop Assassin in time. 

If he had been just a bit faster, he could have taken Kirei out of the war entirely.

'Damn it!'