Chapter 35: A Night of Blood and Carnage!
"Rider, why did we come here?"
"You'll understand soon enough."
Without bothering to hide their presence, Lelouch and Waver landed the mech right at the front door of the church, strolling confidently inside.
---
"Hmm? Rider and his Master... what business do you have with the Church?"
Risei Kotomine immediately took note of their arrival, standing inside the church as he asked, his expression calm. He didn't believe they were here to attack or harm him. Even if they had come for the Command Seals, they would still need the necessary knowledge of contracts to transfer them. Even if they tried to kill him, it wouldn't be that simple. Stealing Command Seals outright wasn't possible without consequence.
Not to mention, such an action would result in them being labeled as having attacked the overseer, which would incite the other Masters to retaliate. Furthermore, Risei himself was a martial arts master. While he might not be able to defeat a Servant, he could certainly hold his own for a while.
For all these reasons, Risei didn't worry about being harmed.
"There's something I'd like to confirm," Waver spoke hesitantly, still unsure of Lelouch's intentions as he walked ahead.
"Oh? If it's something this old man can help you with, I will answer, Emperor of Britannia," Risei responded politely.
"After the hunt for Lancer, you mentioned giving a Command Seal to each Master who participates. Is that right?" Lelouch inquired.
"Indeed. Is there something wrong with that?" Risei's calm demeanor wavered slightly, his unease growing as he furrowed his brow. He clenched his fists behind his back, unsure of where this conversation was going. Nevertheless, he remained on high alert.
"Then... is there any chance a single Master could receive two Command Seals as a reward?"
"What a ridiculous notion! That could never happen!" Risei scoffed. "I understand your suspicions, but the Church's overseer will not break the rules on a whim."
Shaking his head, Risei answered righteously. He indeed possessed numerous Command Seals left behind by previous Holy Grail War participants, but he had maintained a certain level of fairness in overseeing the war. Even though he had a close relationship with Tohsaka Tokiomi, and his son was Tokiomi's apprentice, Risei had never secretly given Tokiomi extra Command Seals. The most he had done was share some information about the other Masters.
In that sense, Risei considered himself to be fairly impartial.
"So you're saying it's possible to collect multiple Command Seals?" Lelouch smiled slightly as he caught on to the key point in Risei's response, confirming the vital piece of information he needed.
"!?"
Sensing danger, Risei instinctively stepped back. But before he could react further, he saw Lelouch's eyes light up with a strange symbol, glowing red as his voice rang out.
"In the name of Lelouch vi Britannia... I command you!"
---
"They're taking forever. Why hasn't Rider shown up yet?" Saber muttered impatiently, unsure of how long they had been waiting.
"Fifteen minutes," Kiritsugu thought silently, keeping track of the time that had passed since contacting Rider. With Rider's mobility, there was no reason for them to be delayed this long. The only logical explanation was that Rider was making other preparations.
Kiritsugu frowned, a growing sense of unease filling him. The young Emperor of Britannia... something about him felt unsettling.
---
*BANG!*
Suddenly, a loud noise erupted from a nearby building, drawing Saber's attention. From the rubble, a girl emerged, dragging a blond youth by his collar.
"Huh? Saber's here too?!"
"Hey, you wrecked the house," the girl grumbled.
"Lancer and Caster... together?" Saber and Kiritsugu were both taken aback, completely surprised by the sight in front of them. This wasn't what their intel had suggested.
"Saber, test them out. It's possible Lancer and Caster have formed an alliance," Kiritsugu said over his radio as he watched the scene through binoculars from a distant rooftop.
"Understood."
At Kiritsugu's instruction, Saber summoned her holy sword and donned her armor.
"You're here to kick us while we're down too?!" Kyoko scowled at Saber, shouting angrily. She still hadn't forgotten the trouble Saber's team had caused her before.
"Looks like we're not getting out of this without a fight, Jounouchi," Kyoko muttered as she gripped her spear tighter, knowing they'd have to defeat Saber to escape.
"Heh, how about you handle Saber, and I'll take Assassin," Jounouchi said, brushing the dust off his clothes as he stood up with a grin.
"Idiot! How can you smile at a time like this?" Kyoko shot back.
"Can't exactly cry and fight, can I?"
Even in the face of battle, the two shared a brief, almost casual exchange.
"Don't die, Jounouchi!"
"Same to you, Sakura!"
They stood back-to-back, calling out to each other in unison. Despite the lighthearted tone, there was genuine concern in their words.
"If it's a duel between swordsmen..."
"I don't think this guy is going to lose," Jounouchi said, his voice filled with confidence. "Go, *Flame Swordsman*!"
As soon as Kenshin leaped out of the ruined building, Jounouchi had already played a new monster card. A muscular warrior with a fiery orange sword appeared, flames flickering around its blade.
Kenshin narrowed his eyes, focusing. The summoned creature was no mere familiar. It was a magical beast summoned by Caster, and Kenshin wouldn't underestimate it. The heat radiating from the sword was palpable even from a distance.
'Like Saber, but with fire instead of wind,' Kenshin mused, noting the similarity.
"Let me see what you've got," he muttered under his breath, growing excited at the prospect of facing this new foe.
'Assassin, you don't need to kill Lancer or Caster this time. Just start the fight and cause enough chaos.' Kirei's instructions echoed in Kenshin's mind, giving him the freedom to engage.
---
Meanwhile, Saber had already clashed with Kyoko, their weapons colliding in a fierce exchange.
"Sorry, but I have to avenge Sola's death!" Kyoko shouted, using her spear's ability to extend and twist, momentarily gaining the upper hand against Saber.
Saber was caught off guard by the spear's unusual movements. This was her first time fighting Lancer head-on, and she had to admit that the weapon was tricky to deal with.
As for Sola's death? Saber knew that was Kiritsugu's doing, but there wasn't much to say. As Master and Servant, they shared the consequences of each other's actions. This was a grudge she had to accept.
---
"Tsk, mongrels... always so lacking in grace."
Standing atop a tall streetlight, Gilgamesh observed the scene below with disdain. "They've started the battle without waiting for the real guest of honor to arrive. Such insolence can only be atoned for with death. Wouldn't you agree?"
Behind him, standing on the rooftop of a tall building, was the black-armored figure of Berserker, silently watching.
"Tonight... will be a night of blood and carnage."