Chapter 31: The Summoning! The Hunt for Lancer!

"Strange," Kyoko muttered as she dashed through alleyways, narrowly avoiding the relentless attacks. Her body bore several cuts, but none were fatal. She had noticed something odd—the Assassin chasing her didn't seem intent on killing her.

"What's his game?" she thought, glancing toward her pursuer. The Assassin's sword was sharp, and his speed was unmatched, making him a deadly opponent. Yet, despite his clear advantage, it seemed like he wasn't going all out to finish her off.

'Well, whatever his goal is, it's not necessarily a bad thing for me,' she thought, wiping the sweat from her forehead. As she locked eyes with Kenshin, she could tell that this fight wasn't as straightforward as it seemed.

His sword was unbelievably sharp, and his speed paired with his swordsmanship made him nearly unstoppable. There was no way she could overpower this "Assassin" in a direct confrontation unless she unleashed her greatest "Noble Phantasm." However, Kyoko hesitated.

After all, her greatest weapon, "Witchification," was a double-edged sword. If she were to use it, she would transform into a "witch." Kyoko had fought witches many times before and had even witnessed Sayaka's tragic fate. She couldn't bring herself to trust this so-called Noble Phantasm.

If she were to turn into a witch and wreak havoc on the city, it would be a disaster. That was why, despite her struggles, Kyoko had always refrained from using it.

"Clang!" Kyoko blocked another strike from Kenshin with her spear, gritting her teeth as she held her ground. Thankfully, she wasn't fighting alone.

"Clang!" Kenshin's divine blade was deflected, and he stabilized his stance, watching Kyoko carefully.

'Lancer's mana is unusually stable,' Kenshin thought. 'She doesn't seem like a Servant who's lost her Master.'

Kenshin was puzzled. How was Lancer, who should be struggling with mana depletion, able to fight at full strength? Something wasn't right.

'Withdraw for now, Assassin. You've done enough,' came Kirei's voice through their connection. Kenshin stopped mid-swing, lowering his blade.

"Hey!" Kyoko shouted, baffled as she watched him vanish. "What the hell was that about?"

---

"Our familiars were wiped out by mysterious creatures?" Tokiomi mused, looking perplexed. "It seems Caster is also in the vicinity. Is this just a coincidence?"

Tokiomi and Risei shared a tense glance. The familiars they had dispatched to monitor the situation had suddenly been destroyed. Upon learning the culprit, they were left wondering if this was mere happenstance or something more.

"It doesn't matter," Tokiomi said, turning to Risei with resolve. "Now that we've forced Lancer into this position, we can proceed with the next phase of the plan. Once we initiate the call to arms, the other Masters will have no choice but to join us."

Risei nodded. "I'll begin preparations for the announcement."

As his father left to make arrangements, Kirei followed in silence, his mind filled with questions. While he hadn't spoken much, he couldn't shake a growing suspicion.

Kirei didn't believe it was a mere coincidence that Caster had appeared so close to Lancer. From the intelligence Assassin had gathered, it was entirely possible that Caster and Lancer had formed an alliance. Otherwise, Lancer's unusually high mana levels couldn't be explained.

A smirk tugged at Kirei's lips as he thought about what might come next. In a quiet voice, he muttered, "Things are about to get interesting."

---

"You okay?" Jounouchi asked as he arrived, eyeing Kyoko's wounds. To his relief, most of her injuries had already healed.

"Yeah, I'm fine," Kyoko replied. "The cuts weren't that deep, so they're already closed up."

"Man, you've got the worst luck," Jounouchi said with a chuckle. "Who was the attacker?"

"Assassin," Kyoko answered, still puzzled. "But something about the whole thing felt off."

"What do you mean?" Jounouchi asked, curious.

"He wasn't trying to recruit me, and he wasn't trying to kill me, either," Kyoko explained. "It didn't feel like he was there to win a fight."

Listening to her, Jounouchi furrowed his brow. The situation was odd, but he wasn't one to dwell on it for too long.

"If it doesn't make sense, then stop thinking about it," Jounouchi said with a grin. "In a war like this, there are bound to be some weirdos."

"True," Kyoko agreed, though the mystery still nagged at her.

"Here," Jounouchi said, tossing two cards toward her.

Kyoko caught them midair, raising an eyebrow in confusion. "What's this?"

She glanced at the cards, unable to fully comprehend their details.

[Dark Ruler No More] 

[Monster Reborn]

"Why are you giving me these?" Kyoko asked, tilting her head in confusion. The cards held powerful energy, but their exact function was unclear to her.

"Keep them on you," Jounouchi replied. "You never know when they might come in handy. I've already infused them with mana, so you don't even need a Duel Disk to use them."

The reason Jounouchi handed over the cards was simple—he believed Kyoko needed them more than he did. Plus, by using up his cards, he could now draw new ones. Despite being an "Archer," bound by the rules of dueling, Jounouchi still had to play by the deck's restrictions.

With only six cards allowed in his hand at a time, Jounouchi had to use or set cards to draw more. He had already summoned [Red-Eyes Black Dragon] and [Time Wizard]. His remaining cards were face-down: [Skill Drain], [Powerless Attack], and now the two he had given to Kyoko.

By freeing up space in his hand, Jounouchi could now slowly draw five new cards.

'To win this war, I'll need the right cards to turn the tide against these human-shaped monsters,' Jounouchi thought, feeling the weight of the conflict.

---

"Thank you for coming here on such short notice, Masters," Risei said solemnly, standing at the front of the church, addressing the familiars sent by the remaining Masters. "There is an urgent matter at hand that requires your assistance."

He looked around the room, ensuring that all eyes were on him before continuing.

"Earlier today, we received word that a Servant has killed a civilian. After investigating, we have determined that the culprit is none other than Lancer, who recently fought Assassin."

He paused, letting the gravity of the accusation sink in.

"Such vile behavior cannot be tolerated. I implore you all to join forces and eliminate this evil Servant before more innocent lives are lost."

Risei smiled as he delivered his final offer. "Of course, your efforts will not go unrewarded. Anyone who participates in this hunt will be granted a Command Seal."

The room buzzed with activity as the message was relayed back to the various Masters through their familiars. While some might have been disgusted by the underhanded tactics, none could deny the allure of a free Command Seal.

After all, who wouldn't want such a valuable asset? To the Masters, the promise of a Command Seal for simply taking out a rogue Servant was an opportunity too good to pass up.

Even if they suspected foul play, they wouldn't object. They would simply remain silent, supporting Risei's plan with the understanding that this was, in the end, beneficial to them.

---

PS: Partial Character Information!

Assassin (Himura Kenshin):

- Hiten Mitsurugi-ryū (B-A+): A technique so fast it's almost invisible, combining speed, precision, and power. It not only delivers strong offensive moves but also has counterattack capabilities. However, since Kenshin hasn't fully mastered its final secret, he cannot unleash its full potential.

- "Shingan" (Pseudo/A): Known as the sixth sense, this refers to the extraordinary danger perception ability developed through training and experience. It allows him to stay calm in disadvantageous situations, fully grasp his condition and the enemy's, and find a way to survive through a "battle instinct."

- "Intuition" (A): His extensive experience with killing grants Kenshin an almost instinctive ability to judge the "best way to defeat an enemy" in an instant. He can sense danger and predict the trajectory of bullets or gunfire, making him capable of dodging them.

- "Living for Death" (E): Lacks the will to survive, so at crucial moments, he is willing to trade blows and die together with his opponent.

Lancer (Kyoko Sakura):

- Magical Girl (A++): Due to a contract made with an unknown being, Kyoko has transcended human limitations. As long as her Soul Gem remains intact, her body can be regenerated an unlimited number of times, making her a near-immortal being whose soul has been materialized.

- Rossa Phantasma (A): Summons numerous physical duplicates as strong as her original self to assist in battle.

- Witch Transformation (A++): Allows her to willingly transform into a "witch." The specific effects of this transformation are currently unknown.