2
2
3 is available right?
Technically, but I'm not sure what you plan to accomplish by going for it again.
just to see what happens
it's not mindbreak if you don't truly break yourself
I think using command spell to achieve true Limit Break will work, but
2
Location: Pinyang City, Level 1
Year: 2018
“Why…”
I glare intensely at the approaching enemy. Silent as a forest, fierce as a flame, and immovable as a mountain, she strides forward with deadly poise. In her hand is a sharp longsword, intended to remove Saber’s head.
Saber is still on the floor, covered in wounds and trying to get back up. She’s in no condition to defend herself. In mere moments, she’ll become a victim to Assassin’s blade without any mercy. That thought fills me with rebellious spirit.
“Why are you doing this? Why are you attacking us!?” I growl at her with open hostility. Even though I know it’s a pointless question, I can’t restrain my anger. What did Saber do to deserve being beaten down like this?
“…” Assassin remains silent. Like before, there is no need for her to answer the cries of a soon-to-be-corpse.
She merely continues to approach Saber carefully. It seems that she’s being deliberately slow and cautious in approach in case Saber suddenly gets back up and counterattacks. She really is a meticulous and calculating sort. All throughout the battle, she was deliberately holding back her Noble Phantasm in order to land a decisive surprise attack at the perfect chance. Her patient endurance and cunning trickery have won her the fight.
Dammit! I messed up. I gave Saber the wrong order. I told her to hurry up and finish it, leading Saber right into Assassin’s trap. If I had only been more cautious, this wouldn’t have happened. I have to do something or else she’ll kill Saber. But what can I do? She won’t even hear me out; she seems to have no intention of talking with the enemy.
If only I knew more about her, I might be able to find some weakness… Isn’t there some sort of hint? I’ve already seen her Noble Phantasm, the embodiment of her legend, so there must be some hint there…
Wait. Could it be?
A Chinese female assassin.
Superhuman martial arts straight out of a marvelous tale.
Hiding weapons inside her body.
My brain races like a bullet as I piece everything together. It’s not a perfect fit but it’s close. Or rather, it’s the only thing I can think of…
“Hey. Assassin!” I suddenly call out to the enemy, stumbling to my feet.
“…” She doesn’t respond once again, but it seems I’ve gotten her attention. She stops, keeping one eye on me and another on Saber.
I have no proof, so the only way to affirm my guess is with the person herself. I gather my courage and confront the intimidating assassin.
“Let me ask you one thing. Your True Name… it’s Nie Yinniang, right?” I cautiously declare.
“!”
She flinches. Her body visibly jolts when I say that name.
“N-no. That is not my True Name. You’ve guessed poorly.” She deliberately scoffs.
It’s a lie. Even I can tell that she’s lying. If it was truly wrong, she would’ve kept silent like before. The fact that she even bothered responding is proof that that name has meaning to her.
“You can’t fool me. I’ve figured out your identity, Yinniang!” I declare boldly.
“… tch.” She clicks her tongue angrily. It seems she sees no reason to try hiding it now that it’s clear and has finally become willing to talk.
So my guess was indeed correct.
Nie Yinniang. She is the titular character of a famous Chinese short story, a female assassin possessing great martial and magical powers. It is said that she is the first female wuxia hero, someone who practically started the trend of chivalrous heroes in Chinese literature.
What a fearsome opponent to be up against. I’m not intimately familiar with her story and history, but even I’ve heard of her before. So that’s the true identity of Demonic Assassin…
Hm, I don’t recall her having any demonic attributes in her story. I wonder why she was summoned as a Demonic Servant then. Well, that’s not important right now.
I desperately scramble through my memory to try to recall Nie Yinniang’s motivations in her story in order to figure out why she’s attacking us and who to stop her.
“Nie Yinniang the chivalrous hero… could it be that you’re attacking us because you think we’re evil?” I ask directly.
“… that’s right.” She confirms coldly. “I won’t allow any sinners to escape.”
As I thought. In her legend, Nie Yinniang had been a just hero who targeted people who had committed great sins. It was only natural for that to be her motivation then.
“In that case, what sin have we committed that deserves this? Do we really deserve to die?” I question her.
“Of course. There is no question that your crimes are punishable by death.” Yinniang states without hesitation, pointing her blade at me. “Your crime is aiding in the destruction of human history. You are an accomplice in the death of billions of people. There is absolutely nothing that can absolve you of that sin.”
“U-ugh…” I fail to rebut her.
If that’s my charge, I can’t really think of a way to argue back. I just stand in front of her accusatory glare awkwardly. This situation sort of reminds me of the confrontation with Lancer way back when.
“I-is that your only goal, though? Surely, there must be something else you want.” I try to ask, uneasiness evident in my voice.
If I can just figure out what she wants, then the possibility of negotiation becomes possible. Now that communication has been established, it should be possible find some common ground. I might be able to convince her to stop attacking us or even join us. That’s what I hoped but—
“Not at all. I’m only here to remove evil and enact justice.” She declares firmly.
“Eh?” I gasp. “Y-you can’t be serious. D-don’t you have anything you want? Money? Authority? Power? There has to be something.”
“I have no need for such trivialities nor for any other material goal. I exist solely to kill sinners. I am merely a weapon built for that purpose. I need nothing else.” She states as a matter of fact. “Right now, my only goal is to kill you and your associates. Afterwards, I’ll find a way to remove the head of that corrupt Emperor for good as well.”
Dammit. So, she’s another one of those Hero of Justice idiots like Lancer. These stubborn fools are impossible to negotiate with. Nothing you say will penetrate their thick skull of self-righteousness.
“Now then, I’ll finish the job before you can ask more pointless questions.” She declares and once more readies her sword, this time her eyes on me.
Seeing that the conversation is over, I take a quick step back and ready for the upcoming attack. Before she launches forth, though—
“I can’t let you do that!”
Like a returning phoenix, Saber suddenly gets back up and swings her sword at Assassin. Taken off-guard, Assassin barely blocks it in time and slides back a few feet from the impact.
“Tch. So you’re still alive after all.” She grimaces, clearly upset that she missed her chance to finish off her opponent.
“Haah… haah… thank you, Master. You distracted her long enough for me to recover…” Saber thanks me in between harsh breaths.
“N-no, I wasn’t… never mind.” I don’t bother explaining myself and just nod along.
Instead, my focus is more captured by Saber’s condition. Though she says she’s recovered, she’s still clearly badly injured and exhausted. Her wounds haven’t gotten any better and her movements are sluggish.
“… there’s no need to worry about me, Master. I won’t lose to her of all people.” Saber remarks, perhaps noticing my doubt.
Though her body is drenched in her own blood, she still forces herself to stand tall and face the enemy Servant.
“Demonic Assassin, Nie Yinniang. I have heard your goal and I refuse to allow you to complete it. No one is allowed to take my Master’s head. I swear that on my honor as a hero.” Saber declares, pointing straight at her opponent.
“… disgusting.” Yinniang scowls at Saber. “If you truly claim to be a hero, then how can you stand fighting for him, even if he’s your Master. Don’t you understand how evil he is? How can you live with yourself?”
Assassin seems particularly sickened by Saber’s declaration. Perhaps she expected more from a fellow hero or maybe she thought Saber was reluctantly serving me due to the contract?
“Certainly, I can’t fully deny your claims. I was an enemy of my Master at first, as well. Though I almost feel like I was a different person back then, I can remember when I myself tried to punish him for his crimes. When I look at it from that point of view, I do agree with your motivations.” Saber says calmly.
“Then why are you on his side? What compels you to protect his blood-soaked hands?” Assassin asks fervently. It was more emotion that I had expected from her; she must be completely confused as to Saber’s own motivations.
Facing that accusatory vigor, Saber merely takes a calm, deep breath and answers with all the confidence and shamelessness in the world.
“It’s love.” Saber announces. “I love him, so I’ll protect him. That is the only reason I need to stay by his side.”
“Huh?” Assassin’s jaw hangs as her questions are answered.
“…” I remain silent. Knowing what I know about Saber’s love, I can’t say anything, nor can I even look at her directly.
It hasn’t even been an hour since I learned about Saber’s feelings for me, and I still don’t know how to process them. The middle of a life-or-death fight was probably the last place I wanted it brought up…
“You can’t be serious. You’re helping that vile scum just because of… dumb love?” Assassin questions angrily, her emotions flaring up like never before. It seems Saber’s really pissed her off.
“That’s right. Do you have a problem with that?” Saber confirms.
“Please. I simply can’t take such juvenile drivel seriously.” Assassin scoffs.
“It isn’t drivel. I’m completely serious.” Saber rebuts with pride. “I can tell that you lack even a shred of love in your heart, so you might not understand. In that case, let me prove it to you.”
Though badly injured and practically on death’s door, Saber stands more alive than she’s even been. There’s a hole in her stomach, her right side is shattered, and a giant cut straight through her back, but she still stands strong. The fighting spirit she demonstrates is saying that this is far from enough to finish her for good. With her feelings on the line, she can’t back down.
“Right here, I shall show you the power of my love!”
Location: Pinyang City, Level 1
Year: 2018
The two heroes clash.
Round two of the battle beings and the two women trade blows once more in the middle of the bathhouse. A vicious display of superhuman martial arts graces the eyes of the unlucky spectators once more, shedding sparks and blood all throughout the large room.
In mere moments, however, it becomes clear who has the advantage. Both fighters are badly injured, but Saber far more so. With three decisive wounds on her compared to Assassin’s one, the discrepancy in their conditions is apparent. Furthermore, Assassin is no longer hiding her Noble Phantasm; she uses it to her full advantage, unleashing insane maneuvers with the myriad of weapons inside her body.
When Saber swings at Assassin’s chest, a shield comes out to block it. When she barely dodges a blow, a mace shoots out and connects. A spear from her knuckles that turns a jab into a long-range thrust, a scythe from her foot that turns a kick into a bisecting slash, a dagger coming out of her neck that turns a blind spot weakness into a trap, each and every body part of Assassin is accentuated by the bevy of armaments inside her. She truly is the embodiment of a one-woman army.
“Guh!” Saber grunts as another blow lands: a sudden staff strike to the stomach, crushing her organs.
Doubling over from the impact, she barely manages to evade the follow up blow, before jumping back and then immediately crumbling over.
“Hm, is that all? What were you saying about proving the power of your love?” Assassin mocks, as she looks down on her opponent. The cool demeanor she exhibited before is all but gone as she openly expresses her contempt.
I wonder what’s going on. She’s suddenly so riled up compared to her calm and collected nature before. Even now, when she has a clear shot on a weakened Saber, she’s choosing to mock her rather than follow up with a decisive blow.
“Haah… like I said, I won’t let you kill the one I love. No matter how many times you strike me down, I’ll keep getting back up to protect him.” Saber declares with hazy breath. As she said, she gets back up on her feet and faces her opponent once more.
“Haaah!? What are you talking about? Are you trying to say that your ‘love’ makes you stronger or something?” Assassin spits out viciously.
“… that’s right. Right now, my love is the source of my strength.” Saber confirms matter-of-factly.
This immediately seems to enrage Assassin. She suddenly lashes out at Saber with a vicious sword swing. The sheer force of the attack knocks one of Saber’s swords away, disarming her.
“Love is your strength? Don’t be ridiculous! Such nonsense is as compelling as rat feces left on the bathroom floor!” Assassin howls, filled with uncharacteristic anger.
“It’s not a joke. Through love, even feces can be as beautiful as flowers. That’s what keeps me standing.” Saber retorts and answers with her own sword swing.
Two fierce swords clash over and over as the Servants argue back and forth. What was once an elegant dance of skill and tactics has suddenly devolved into a battle of power as they pour all their conviction into each and every blow.
“You’re wrong. You’re only saying that because you’ve been blinded by your stupid love. A naïve fool like you can never beat me. Admit it!” Assassin growls in between powerful sword swings.
“I won’t! It’s because I’m protecting my love that I can’t lose to you. I’m a hundred times stronger now that I have someone to protect.” Saber fires back.
“That’s just shallow sophistry. You’re letting your emotions cloud your judgement. Open your eyes and see how foolish you are, girl.”
“My eyes are open. Only after realizing my feelings has the world become so clear to me. Someone like you without a shred of affection in your heart wouldn’t understand.”
“You’re the one who doesn’t understand. Love isn’t a strength. It’s only a weakness. If you let it distract you, you’ll lose sight of true strength!”
“What do you know? How can an empty person like you say that so confidently?”
“I do know! I know better than anyone how weak love is!”
Suddenly, the two swords strike each other head on and Assassin’s sword breaks. The sound of shattering steel fills the room as Assassin quickly jumps back. Without a moment’s weakness, she pulls out another sword from inside her and readies for another clash.
Saber, however, doesn’t chase her. She stands still, only glaring at Assassin and drinking in the meaning of her words.
“You… could it be that… you had once been in love too?” Saber questions with lukewarm eyes.
“… tch. What’s it matter to you?” Assassin hisses.
I, myself, am rather surprised by this revelation. I don’t remember any romantic elements to her story. Who could be the target of her former affections? She was married but… her husband was just some random guy she chose at random. It doesn’t seem like she actually loved him. Instead, the person she most likely felt the most affection towards was…
“Liu Changyi.” I say out loud, after putting the pieces together.
The moment the name escapes my lips, a furious rage suddenly takes over Assassin’s face.
“Don’t you dare bring up his name!” She growls like a beast.
Woah, it looks like I hit the nail on the head. She seems awfully sensitive about this topic. Is this why she was so angry during the fight? Could this be some sort of soft spot for her?
“Master. Please fill me in.” Saber requests, turning back to me.
“W-well, I’m not too familiar with the story but… Liu Changyi was a governor or something that Nie Yinniang had been sent to assassinate. Instead, she became impressed with his abilities and ended up serving him. She becomes his loyal attendant and saves his life multiple times from other assassins.” I explain, recalling the little I remember from the short story.
“So, you were also in love with your Master?” Saber points out after listening.
“… hmph. Don’t compare him to your shoddy excuse of a lord. The governor was far more virtuous and handsome than that piece of crap.” Assassin sneers.
Ouch, her words sure are harsh. Well, she’s not wrong about me.
“Master, please tell me how that story ends.” Saber urges.
“Ah, right, well… one day, Liu Changyi was transferred to the capital and had to leave. Nie Yinniang, however, chose not to go with him and decided to become a wandering hero. The two parted ways and gradually lost contact, never again seeing each other… Nie Yinniang only shows up again at his funeral where she grieved for him deeply…” I tell her, my voice lowering as I got to the end.
Now that I know the hidden emotions of Nie Yinniang, the tale hits a little different. Arriving at the funeral of the man who she once loved to grieve, having been unable to protect him to the end… such a scene plays vividly in my mind. It makes me feel a little bad for the enemy before us.
Saber, however, seems even more hostile towards Assassin and glares at her viciously.
“Why? Why didn’t you go with him? Wasn’t he your master? Weren’t you in love with him?” Saber questions harshly. She seems to have taken some personal offense from the story.
“That’s none of your business. My past affairs are my own.” Assassin declares coldly.
Saber, however, doesn’t seem even a smidge satisfied.
“Tell me.” She demands. “Tell me or else I can only assume that you’re a vile, disloyal bitch. I’ll know for a fact that your justice is mere shallow hypocrisy.”
Saber is serious. More so than just her usual no-nonsense attitude, her current words carry a heavy conviction to them. It’s clear just how much this topic matters to her.
Assassin avoid facing her. Sullenly facing away, she tightens her grip on her sword as if venting some inner frustration before answering quietly.
“… I was becoming weak.”
““Huh?”” Both Saber and I tilt our heads, confused at her answer.
“Fine, you’re right! I was in love with him. I loved him more than anything in the world. More than killing sinners and enacting justice, I just wanted to be by his side and make him happy. I would’ve followed him to the ends of the earth if I could.” She suddenly confesses in an outburst of emotions.
“I don’t get it. Then why didn’t you go with him?” Saber asks, still confused.
“Don’t you see? It’s because I loved him that I couldn’t stay with him.” Assassin admits, her voice flaring with frustration. “Just before he was transferred, I realized just how much my affections had impacted me. More and more, I began thinking about him at all hours of the day. I started to care more about what he wanted than my own sense of justice. My movements had become sluggish. My mind had become hazy. My blade had become dull. Before I knew it, I had become weak. That’s the truth of so-called love.”
Her stance wavers as she tells us her story. It seems that she surprisingly has a very clear experience and view of love. No wonder she got so emotional and angry at Saber’s previous statements.
“So, then, you’re saying that you had to leave him before you became too weak?” Saber asks with sharp eyes.
“That’s right. I’m not some feeble woman who is allowed to drown in her self-indulgent emotion. I am a weapon trained and sharpened to kill sinners. I am a tool to bring justice to the world. From youth, I had already shed away all unnecessary emotions to only focus on my goals. That’s why I can’t allow myself any potential weakness.” She answers resolutely. That is her resolve, her conviction as Nie Yinniang the legendary assassin.
“…” Saber doesn’t respond. She merely stands, blankly staring at the fervent assassin.Wise-up! Demonic Assassin's Status
“Do you understand now? That love you treasure so much is just a chain. It’ll continue to weaken you until you’re no more than a regular woman without any strength or justice. Even now, you’ve allowed it to blind your heroic heart and it has made you side with a vile villain.” Assassin declares, almost pleading. “Abandon him quickly before it’s too late. You can still leave him behind and do what’s right. I can tell you understand deep down what the just choice is!”
Dammit, she’s really trying to convince Saber to turn sides? I wasn’t expecting that. Normally, it should be impossible for Saber to disobey me, but with all the twists and turns happening lately, I can’t even discount that possibility. Should I burn a command spell quickly to make sure she doesn’t turn tail?
Before I can decide such a thing, Saber takes a step forward towards Assassin’s hand and then points her sword resolutely.
“I refuse. I won’t abandon my Master no matter what.” She states without a hint of doubt. “That’s especially true if it means becoming a dirty bitch like you.”
“What!?” Assassin exclaims in shock.
Before she can even respond further, Saber jumps forth and re-engages the battle. With a sharp swing, she shatters Assassin’s sword once more and forces the enemy to fall back and retrieve another weapon.
“Are you a fool? Didn’t you hear my story? If you stay with that piece of trash, you’ll only degrade into common garbage.” Assassin questions as she desperately defends.
“You’re the fool! You left your master because you were afraid of becoming weak? I’ve never heard such stupid reasoning before.” Saber shouts as she viciously attacks.
Like raging storms, the two Servants face each other with all their anger. Trading both blows and words, they fight with more than just their lives on the line.
The girl who found love and discarded her justice, Hu Sanniang.
The girl who discarded love to preserve her justice, Nie Yinniang.
To defend the path they chose, they place everything they have into their blades.
“It’s not stupid. As a hero, I had a duty to continue fighting for justice. My mentor taught me the worthlessness of frivolous emotions. Things like bonds and affection only serve to tie you down. Love is just a weakness!” Assassin pulls out a glaive and swipes at Saber’s legs.
“No, that’s just your weakness! You didn’t have what it takes to protect your lord to the end. You were scared of your own heart and ran away!” Saber leaps over the staff and uses the momentum to kick Assassin in the jaw.
“I didn’t run away! I moved on. I found many more people to protect in the world. I killed many more criminals and saved many more lives after I finally left him.” Assassin arches her back with the movement of the kick, barely avoiding it. As she flips backwards, a javelin launches out of her back and shoots through the air.
“It doesn’t matter how many people you protect if you couldn’t even protect the one person who mattered to you the most. By abandoning that, you lost what made you human. You’re just an empty puppet to your self-righteousness.” Saber carefully catches the javelin mid-flight and then throws it right back at Assassin.
“That’s right, I am empty. Unlike normal people, there’s nothing to distract me from my purpose. It’s because I’m inhuman that I’m strong. I’m a weapon that only exists to kill… That’s what it means to be a hero of justice! Are you saying you’re any different!?” Assassin barely dodges the javelin and pulls out a two-handed great sword.
“I am! I’m not some hollow doll like you. I fell in love and found something to protect with my life. It’s because I’m in love that I’m finally alive!” Saber swings ferociously at the greatsword. The impact of the blow sends both weapons flying out of their owners’ hands, leaving both Servants unarmed. The two of them then quickly jump back to regain themselves.
Is it Assassin’s anger dulling her movements or is Saber’s conviction giving her strength? Either way, the two of them are suddenly evenly matched, matching each other blow for blow.
“Haaah… haah… haah…”
“Huff, huff, huff…”
Both Servants take a break after their neck-to-neck exchange and pant heavily. Even as they breathe, they grit their teeth and clench their fists. Nothing but the heat of their hatred and the steel of their wills drive them.
“Hah… I don’t care what you say, Assassin. I will not lose to a heartless weapon without a Master. My love isn’t as weak as your shallow justice.” Saber concludes with unwavering spirit.
“… is that so?” Assassin glowered, probably sick of Saber’s declarations.
Suddenly, though, her sullen expression breaks into a sly grin. She seems to have come up with something malicious as she pulls out another sword from within her.
“Fine then. If you’re so insistent, why don’t I test that so-called love of yours?” She snickers while brandishing her blade, her anger taking a back seat to some form of smug anticipation.
“… what are you planning?” Saber asks cautiously.
“You see, Saber. The truth is, I have two Noble Phantasms.” Assassin explains playfully. “The first you’ve already seen is called 三寸匕首. As you deduced, it allows me to hide weapons inside my body.”
As she speaks, a mild sense of dread fills me. If she’s telling us this now, she must be planning to use her second Noble Phantasm. We were barely able to survive the first; another one might just finish us off.Wise-up! Demonic Assassin's Status
“… what’s the second one, then?” Saber continues to ask, clearly on guard.
“Don’t worry. My second Noble Phantasm is weaker than the first. It’s hard to use and isn’t very powerful. However, I do think it’ll be perfect for this situation.” Assassin announces joyfully, only a step away from laughing.
She raises her sword and takes a step forward, clearly telegraphing her intent to attack. Saber and I quickly take a step back, but Assassin just keeps walking forward while playfully twirling her sword.
“My second Noble Phantasm is named 刀尽头的爱. It is based on the teachings my mentor gave me and an accompanying anecdote. Once, when I was still young and naïve, I had been sent to assassinate a vile sinner, but became unable to do so immediately when I found him playing with his child. The scene was so lovely that I couldn’t bring myself to kill him then. Afterwards, though, I was scolded and taught to next time kill the child first. From then on, I learned to always kill the sinner’s loved ones before killing him and that mindset has become a Noble Phantasm. So, do you understand what I’m getting at?” Saber details without a care for exposing her secrets.
“… no! It can’t be.” Saber catches on after a second and then turns to look at me with deep concern.
“That’s right. My Noble Phantasm is a single and simple, straightforward attack. It’s not particularly powerful or hard to avoid. But if it fails to land a clean hit on my opponent, the attack instead automatically hits their loved one. If I can’t kill you, I’ll just have to kill the person you love the most; that is my Noble Phantasm.” Assassin delightfully spells it out. “You understand, right? If you avoid or block my next attack, it’ll automatically hit your beloved Master instead. I don’t think he has what it takes to survive a direct hit from a Servant so… if you don’t want him to die, you better stand still and let me kill you instead.”
What!? Is she serious? How the hell is her Noble Phantasm so evil? Trying to defend against it will only result in the death of the person you’re trying to protect. It is an attack that only works if you have someone you love but is super effective against you if there’s someone you deeply love; truly it is an embodiment of her philosophy of love being a weakness.Wise-up! Demonic Assassin's Status
“Well, what’s it going to be, Saber? Who are you going to let die, you or him? Why don’t you show me the proof of that so-called precious love of yours? When one of you is bleeding out on the floor, we’ll see for sure whether or not love is a strength or not.” Assassin openly mocks, practically cackling as she delights in the situation.
This is bad. There’s nothing we can do. Trying to stop it will only result in it being activated.
There’s only one choice to make. One of us has to die. Who will it be?
Choice!
Notes
I'm going to take the Shirou route and pick 3. I also kinda want to use a Command Spell and use Saber's NP to strike down Assassin before her attack hits, if possible. So... between 3 and 4?
Edit:
Switching to Hermes' idea. Would it end badly for us? Probably, but it sounds too good to pass up.
Last edited by BnEl15; August 23rd, 2020 at 05:52 AM.
4 - Run up and deck Demonic Assassin in the face.
Quest of Fate
Apocrypha Universe Fate Quest Project
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Hermes Servant Collection Master Post
Saber's NP doesn't really do anything in the way of striking people down, though it could be of use here.
3.
3.
You can discussThe OG RequiemConQUEST and other Quests in Discord (disc is much more active here).
Click the image to ConQUEST
3
The Act of dozing off in the afternoon is a luxury indeed.
Coffee would be nice, though.
[Collection of my Servant Sheets]
Now Revamped!
4 - Run up and deck Demonic Assassin in the face.
4.
For all the difference it's gonna make.
False face must hide what the false heart doth know.
Location: Pinyang City, Level 1
Year: 2018
“…”
I can neither move nor speak. Not even thought is allowed as my very self has been paralyzed with indecision.
Me or Saber. One of us has to die. Those are the rules of the unfair game that Assassin has created.
I can’t choose. Of course, I can’t choose. There’s no such thing as a right answer. But I can’t do nothing. I need to think of some way to get out of this impossible situation. But no matter how I think, there is none. The choice is simply too cut and dry. There are only two possible outcomes. One of them has to be chosen.
But… but but but but but—
In the end, I don’t get the chance to make the choice.
“Master…” Saber suddenly speaks up, breaking my silent hesitation. “Please take this chance to summon Assassin and begin running away.”
“Wh-wha…” I gasp as her words sink in. “Y-you don’t mean…”
“Yes. I’ll take the attack head on. So please get away before that happens.” She declares decisively.
As if demonstrating her resolve, Saber spreads out her limbs and leaves her entire body unguarded. She truly is ready to let Assassin land a direct hit.
“Heh. So you’ve made your choice.” Demonic Assassin scoffs at the sight. “Like I thought, that stupid love of yours will be your downfall. If not for that, you might’ve even been able to defeat me. Too bad.”
“…” Saber doesn’t respond. She merely stands still and prepares for the inevitable attack.
There is neither fear nor doubt in her expression. She is ready to die to the point of almost seeming eager. The only thing that seems to be on her mind is making sure I get out of here before she falls.
“Now, Master. I won’t be able to protect you after I’m slain, so please run away immediately.” She repeats with urgency.
My feet, however, won’t move. I’m pinned to the spot as I look at Saber’s slender back, shielding me from harm.
“… why?” I find myself asking with a befuddled voice. Even though I know the answer, I ask anyways, unable to accept the truth.
“It’s the Servant’s duty to protect their Master. It is only natural to put my life on the line in order to preserve yours.” Saber states blankly, her countenance as mechanic as ever.
But that robotic demeanor cracks for a brief moment as she softly adds,
“Also… I love you. Even if you don’t feel the same way, my feelings won’t change. That’s why I’ll die for you.”
Those words cause my heart to sink.
What the hell? What the hell is she on about?
“Are those your last words?” Demonic Assassin sneers before finally launching her attack. Sword in hand, she charges to deal the finishing blow and cut down the now defenseless Saber.
But I don’t care about her. I couldn’t give any less of a shit about the enemy right now. My mind has been stolen by the absurdity of Saber’s words and actions.
I don’t get it. Why the hell is something like this happening?
It’s just like last time. Back in the forest on Level 4 all that time ago, Assassin had stood in front of me to take a blow in my place. Back then, she too said that she would protect me since she was my Servant.
It’s ridiculous. It’s so dumb I want to laugh. Why the hell are all these Servants so stupid? Valiantly acting as a shield to protect me, even though I never asked them to, even though I don’t even want them to… who on earth would do something like that. Do they just not mind dying? Is their loyalty really that important? I don’t get. I just don’t get it!
Why would anyone give their life for some guy who doesn’t even deserve to live!?
But more than that, even worse than any of that, is Saber’s dumb ass preaching. I was so entranced by the fight that I couldn’t focus on the argument between the two heroes, but the stupidity of Saber’s words was not lost on me.
Love is the source of her strength? She loves me so she’ll die for me? Don’t be stupid! There’s no way her love is something so noble and powerful. After all, it’s just the result of her Stockholm syndrome.
Saber is nothing more that an artificial personality whose innate programming has led her to fall in love with me. There is nothing genuine about her affection. There is nothing beautiful about it either. It is a vile, twisted love forced upon her in the utmost of villainous manners.
That’s why I can’t accept it. I can’t accept her using that disgusting love as her strength. I can’t accept her dying for such a wicked love.
I can’t let her die for someone like me!
So, I run. Just as Saber pleaded, I run with all I have. Faster and faster, I pound my feet on the floor and charge forth. Further and further, I move to reach my destination. All that is left within me after the confusion and anger is the desire to run. And so, I run with all my strength—
“What!?”
“Master?”
—I run straight at the enemy!
Both of the Servants are clearly surprised as I suddenly dash towards them.
Making it just in time, I raise my fist and swing it at Demonic Assassin as hard as I can. Having carelessly rushed in without expecting a counterattack, she isn’t able to dodge even my sluggish punch.
“Dammit!” She curses as she swiftly deals with the incoming strike.
A flash of steel. So fast I barely even notice it.
In the very next moment, my hand has been cut off.
“A-a-ah…” Strange sounds squeeze through my throat as I slowly begin to realize what just happened.
In the very next moment, the pain kicks in.
“Hi—iiiiiiiiiigggggghhhhhhh!!!” I shriek like a whistle.
Immediately, my body falls to the ground and the detached hand lands immediately after. Blood gushes out like a fountain.
She cut it off. The fist I was about to punch her with was sliced through at the wrist so quickly I couldn’t even register. To be able to counter a surprise attack so swiftly is no mere testament to her skill. If her stance hadn’t been off, she probably could’ve cut my whole body into numerous pieces before I completed my punch.
It hurts. It hurts more than any of the wounds I’ve suffered so far. It’s so painful my mind might just shut down entirely.
But… I’m still alive. And so is Saber. Which means Assassin’s Noble Phantasm didn’t activate.
At the last moment, she reflexively cut off my incoming arm instead of continuing her attack against Saber. Her own superhuman conditioning kicked in and made her defend herself above all else. In other words, she changed the target of her attack to me, thereby cancelling the original attack against Saber. Since I’m the new target and she did manage to land a clean hit, the Noble Phantasm doesn’t activate.
For the small price of my right hand, I’ve broken through the impossible choice!
“UOOOOOOOHHHHH!” Saber roars as I fall to the ground. Not letting my sacrifice go to waste, she balls her fist and drives a full-powered punch into Assassin’s face.
The enemy’s sword drops to the ground and she is sent flying back across the bathhouse. Without even checking on Assassin’s status, Saber immediately attends to my condition.
“Master. Are you okay?” She asks with uncharacteristic emotion.
“Hehe, did you see that? That was my Noble Phantasm Canceller Technique.” I chuckle back.
“This isn’t the time for jokes, Master. I need to stop the flow of blood.” Saber states.
She immediately rips off parts of her clothes to use as a tourniquet and bandages. I would’ve reprimanded her on how exposing that makes her attire if my mind wasn’t preoccupied with the unearthly pain.
“I’ve cut off the blood flow and bandaged the wound. It’s only an emergency patch, but you should be fine for now.” She explains after swiftly wrapping cloth around my arm.
“Gnnn… thanks.” I grunt, enduring the pain as best I can.
Man, what is it with me and getting injured during fights? I mean, I guess getting hurt during a battle makes sense, but still. Ahh, Assassin’s gonna lecture me when we get back.
“Master… I’m sorry.” Saber suddenly apologizes to me.
“Huh?”
“I was unable to break through the enemy’s Noble Phantasm on my own. No, I didn’t even try. Because of my lack of ability, you ended up horribly wounded. Please forgive my incompetence.” She diligently says, filled with the noble spirit of a loyal soldier.
But for a brief moment, the warrior spirit fades as a warm smile suddenly appears on her face.
“And also… thank you for saving me, Master. You were really cool. I fell for you all over again.” She whispers sweetly.
… dammit. Don’t show me that kind of sugary smile. Fall in love with someone better, you idiot.
“Now then, it’s time I end this.” She concludes and rises to her feet.
Across the room, the enemy awaits. Demonic Assassin gets back to her feet after having her face caved in by Saber’s right straight. Despite that, she seems more annoyed than hurt.
“Your attack failed, Assassin. You failed to kill either one of us.” Saber states coldly, slowly approaching her foe step-by-step.
“Tch…” Assassin tuts softly, a sharp change from her delightful cackling from earlier.
“You said that your Noble Phantasm would test the value of my love. Well? What’s the verdict?” Saber continues mockingly.
“… shut up.”
“I didn’t betray my Master and he didn’t abandon me. Together we overcame even your certain kill ability. If that isn’t proof of the strength in unity, what is? Tell me, Nie Yinniang! Try and deny my love!”
“I said shut up!”
Assassin shouts out abruptly, cutting off Saber’s proud preaching. Once again, her entire body is emitting rage. Not a burning fury, but a cold precise anger.
“Shut up, shut up, shut up, shut up, shut up! Just shut up!” She yells with a piercing voice. “I won’t accept it. Neither you nor your supposed love. I wasn’t wrong. I had no choice. I’ll never admit it!”
“—And that’s why you died alone.” Saber coolly states.
At that moment, something must’ve snapped.
“I’LL KILL YOU!!!!!”
Any piece of composure Assassin had left evaporated as she roars like a dying beast – a chilling threat that could pierce through the toughest armor.
Weapons begin appearing from every part of her body. Swords, spears, axes, staffs, daggers, shields and more protrude from her as if manifesting from her murderous intent alone. It is the prelude to her ultimate attack, activating her Noble Phantasm at full power and drawing upon every armament inside her. What will follow is a storm of weapons that will overwhelm any fighter with sheer numbers – the full brunt of an entire army condensed into one assault. No warrior, no matter how skilled, can possibly defend against all of it as her strength is that of war itself. Now that it has come to this, Demonic Assassin will forgo her tricks and mercilessly eliminate her despised nemesis with pure raw force.
That’s—
“That’s what I was waiting for!” Saber cheers eagerly.
As if jumping for joy, she leaps forward and launches her trust lasso at Demonic Assassin. Instead of wrapping the enemy up, however, the brocade cloth goes straight into Assassin’s body.
“What!?” Assassin exclaims as the end of the lasso enters her pocket space storehouse.
“Wh-what are you doing, Saber?” I also wonder, unable to comprehend Saber’s strategy.
Without answering, Saber quickly tugs the lasso back and it goes taut, as if it had snagged something on the other end. Is she trying to pull something out from inside Assassin? She begins yanking on the lasso with all her strength, but it seems like it’s attached to something heavy. The cloth slowly inches its way out even with Saber’s super strength. At the same time, it kind of looks like the weapons protruding from Assassin’s body are slowly coming out more and more too…
“I-it can’t be…” Assassin suddenly gasps as she seems to realize something.
“That’s right.” Saber confirms enthusiastically. “I knew I couldn’t defeat you as long as you had more weapons up your sleeve, so I needed to extract all of them at once. I was just waiting for you to open up your Noble Phantasm fully so I could get my lasso in.”
Hearing her confident confirmation, I slowly clue in on her plan. In order to neutralize Assassin’s powerful Noble Phantasm, Saber’s using her lasso to pull out all of the items in Assassin’s armory at once, like a fisherman hauling in a net full of fish. But since only Assassin is able to open up the gate into her hammer space, Saber needed the Noble Phantasm to activate fully before she could enact her plan.
Could it be that Saber was waiting for this moment all along? Was she intentionally mocking and aggravating in order to make Assassin angrily go all out? If so, I’ve been underestimating how clever of a fighter she was this whole time.
“S-stop it!” Assassin desperately calls out. “I’ll just cut this stupid cloth!”
“Too late. It’s over!” Saber exclaims and makes a final tug with all her might.
The lasso finally comes back out and, with it, a flurry of metal. All of the armaments inside Assassin pour out of her body, like a burst dam or an unplugged sink. Weapons, armor and trinkets alike leave her, not a single item left within.
The armaments land a short distance away from her and form a giant heap several times her size. There really was an entire army’s worth of artillery inside of her. Where the hell did she steal this all from?
“Haaah… haahh… haah… dammit…” Assassin begins panting, falling to a knee.
It seems that having all those weapons pulled out of her was rather tiring, or maybe it was just the exhaustion from activating her Noble Phantasm fully. Either way, the situation has now changed drastically. Where earlier Assassin’s Noble Phantasm gave her an edge in battle, she now had no weapons at all to rely on.
Retrieving and dismissing her lasso, Saber begins walking towards the enemy with cold, scornful eyes.
“Get up.” She commands her opponent. “Let’s finish this.”
“… you think you’ve won? You should already know by now that my entire body is a weapon. Losing my Noble Phantasm alone won’t turn the tables.” Assassin claims, rising to her feet.
I can’t tell if her assessment is accurate. Even now, it’s impossible to tell how this battle will end.
While Assassin has lost her Noble Phantasm, she’s still a fearsome fighter without it. Both of the Servants are unarmed so it’ll come down to a battle of fists. At the same time, while both of them are injured, Saber’s wounds are far more serious. It’s honestly a miracle that she’s even still standing after all the abuse she’s taken. Only her will and stubbornness are keeping her up. If the fight gets drawn out any longer, she’ll definitely collapse first. Of course, Saber knows this more than anyone, which means…
“No, it is over. The next move will be the end.” Saber declares.
She comes to a sudden stop, a short distance away from Assassin, and takes a stance. Both her posture and expression make her intention clear.
“… a one-hit duel, huh? You’re seriously challenging me to a contest of speed?” Assassin questions, narrowing her eyes intensely.
“That’s right. One way or another, I can’t take another attack from you. That’s why I’ll forgo all defense and put everything into my next strike. After that, whether I succeed or fail, only one of us will be standing.” She affirms, exuding conviction.
“Heh. You’re a fool.” Assassin merely mocks and simultaneously prepares herself. Her confidence is no less strong than Saber’s resolve.
Even as they talk, both of the Servants begin slyly eyeing the mountain of weapons that had come from inside Assassin. Though neither say a word about it, they both know the true rules of this duel. Both of them are too weakened now to deal a finishing blow with just their bare arms. If they want to win, they’ll need a weapon, and there just happens to be a convenient supply near both of them.
The first one to dash to the pile of armaments, pick up a weapon, and use it to defeat their opponent in one blow will win. It is a pure contest of agility. After all the techniques, tricks, and special abilities demonstrated in this back-and-forth battle, it will be decided with speed alone.
The two of them ready themselves. Their bodies tense up and their concentration narrows to the utmost limit. Waiting solely for some invisible, inaudible signal, they forget everything but the concept of speed. The pain from their wound, their argument from before, and even the necessity to breath are shaved off to make them even a nanosecond faster.
And then, the final round begins—
Saber runs like the wind.
Assassin sprints like lightning.
Nothing more than forces of nature now, the heroes transcend human limits and traverse the short distance to the target in an instant. Light itself must have trouble keeping up with them as they seem to blink in and out of vision. Such instantaneous movement can only be compared to teleportation, reaching the level of miraculous sorcery.
Yet, despite all that, one of them ultimately proves faster.
Demonic Assassin reaches the pile of armaments first, even if only by the smallest margin. With her agility, that miniscule moment is enough to reach into the heap and grab a desirable short sword. Though nothing special, that lone weapon was now enough to slash Saber in two.
She had won! Her victory was now assured.
It had been somewhat doubtful there for a moment, but the outcome was now set in stone. Both combatants knew that the first to get a weapon would win and her speed had come out on top. No matter what skills Saber has, she who has abandoned all defense for offense will be unable to survive Assassin’s next attack.
All Assassin had to do now is turn around, pull out the sword, and deal the finishing blow. Nothing can stop her now! She had won—
“Wha—!?” She suddenly gasps as she begins to turn around.
The sight that greets her as her head turns is Saber, right in front of her. Instead of still looking at the pile of weapons and picking one up, like Assassin expected, Saber was completely facing her and her defenseless back. While Assassin still had yet to completely pull out her sword and turn around, Saber was already readying to deal the final blow.
That’s impossible. Assassin had reached the weapons first, so how could Saber have gotten ahead of her?
No, wait— there isn’t a weapon in Saber’s hands. The swordswoman is without a sword!
So, that’s it. Saber skipped picking up a weapon entirely and just charged directly towards Assassin. That’s how she got in position to attack first.
But in that case,
“You fool! You just doomed yourself!” Assassin cheers with renewed confidence.
That’s right, Saber had only brought upon her own demise. While she would be able to attack first, her strike will be an unarmed one. Due to her injuries, though, she doesn’t have the strength left to deal a finishing blow with her fists. Her punch might hurt, but it won’t be able to knock out or even blow Assassin away. And afterwards, she’ll be defenseless without a weapon while Assassin will still have the short sword in hand.
In other words, Assassin was still on the tracks of victory. All she had to do was tank Saber’s next attack and then cut her in half in the very next breath. There might’ve been an unexpected turn of events, but the outcome was unchanged.
That is, at least, what Assassin thought—
“Saber, catch!” I shout out, at that moment, breaking both the silent tension and Assassin’s self-assurance.
At the same time, I throw a longsword towards my Servant with my left arm, mustering all the strength and control I have. The bloody weapon soars through the air and manages to reach her.
“What?” Assassin cries in utter disbelief. She immediately realizes that the long sword flying through the air was the one she had used to chop of my arm and ended up dropping at my feet. She must also deduce that I had picked it up and prepared to toss it to Saber while she was concentrating on the contest of speed.
But that contest was a farce from the beginning. Saber never needed to pick up a weapon to defeat Assassin since I already had one to give her. Without a single word between us, she completely trusted that I would understand her plan and would throw the sword to her. And then, with the time she saved not needing to grab one, she was able to get ahead of her opponent and be the first to attack.
“Do you see now, Demonic Assassin, the source of my strength? I protect him with all my love, and my Master supports me will all his heart. Our strength is far greater together than alone!” Saber says resolutely. “Your speed and technique are peerless. You may indeed be stronger than me. But someone like you who has cast everyone else aside can never defeat the two of us together.”
Assassin has no retort. She has neither the weapons nor words to counter Saber with. The only thing she has left are a dull pair of sorrowful eyes. Within them is the beautiful image of a girl who earnestly loved her lord more than anything else in the world. It was like looking in an old mirror.
“… heh, what a farce.” She laughs at the irony.
Saber grabs the sword out of the air and then, in one smooth motion, slashes down.
“This is the power of my love!!!”
Her blade rips through the enemy and ends the fight.
The battle is finally over.
Location: Pinyang City, Level 1
Year: 2018
“Haah… haah…”
“…phew.”
After the heated conflict that took place here had ended, the bathhouse slowly cools down as everyone inside takes a collective breath. I sigh heavily, my shoulders feeling immediately lighter. Saber pants, finally showing exhaustion after everything that went down. Any bystanders left around have already been shocked silent, but even they seem to begin breathing now that it’s all done.
“… so, is she dead?” I finally ask, breaking the silence. Naturally, I’m referring to Demonic Assasin who’s lying limp and motionless on the floor, blood pooling out of her wound.
“No, not yet. At the very last minute, she managed to avoid a fatal blow to her spirit origin.” Saber answers.
So, she’s still alive, huh? It doesn’t seem like she’ll be getting back up anytime soon, though. Saber’s sword cleaved through her chest, only barely missing her core, and leaving a horrible wound. Any normal person would’ve died immediately from just that.
“I know I’m not one to talk, but you guys are way too durable.” I comment bitterly.
Seeing Assassin’s wound reminds me of my own, and I glance at my bandaged arm with morbid curiosity. I can barely feel it anymore, but the mere sight of the bloodied bandages and handless wrist freaks me out.
“Master, we need to get you to the hospital immediately.” Saber declares, eyeing my wound with concern.
“That’s my line. You’re practically half dead yourself.” I counter, motioning at the hole in her guts. “But first, we need to decide what to do with Demonic Assassin.”
One way or another, we have a dying enemy Servant on our hands. Should we just let her fade away or should we deal the finishing blow? Or perhaps we should capture her and bring her back with us? I’m really not sure what to do.
“Master, with all due respect, I believe it’s dangerous to leave her alive. If you command, I’ll finish her off.” Saber offers eagerly. I hope there aren’t any personal feelings in that assessment.
“Hmm, I dunno… I’d like to have her be our ally if we can but… perhaps that bridge is already burnt.” I think out loud.
After how much Saber and her argued, it seems unlikely we’ll be able to convince her to help us. In that case, it might be more trouble than it’s worth to keep her around. But does that mean we have to kill her? I said I was ready to kill any enemy that got in my way but… is that really okay?
I don’t know what to do…
“Then, how about I take her off your hands?”
“Huh!?”
A sudden voice. One that isn’t very familiar, but I’d never forget. The very sound of it sends a chill down my spine.
The very next moment, an entirely different figure appears in the bathhouse from seemingly nowhere. A fierce whirlwind blows through the room, as if a tornado had just touched down. In the middle of it is a beast-like warrior.
“...” He greets us with silence.
“Lancer!” I exclaim at the sight of the Servant I once fought. He was the last person I was expecting to see anytime soon. Rider told me he was on Level 5. Did he make his way up here since then?
The mere sight of him quickly switches all of the alarms in my body back on. Memories of what happened the last time we met replay through my body; it is instinctively afraid of this man, as it should be.
With the arrival of a new enemy, Saber immediately jumps in front of me and holds up her sword. She glares at the foe with a hostile glare.
“Calm down. I didn’t come to fight you, today.” Lancer quickly explains in a cool voice. “Rider already told you I’m not after you at the moment, right?”
“W-well…” I reply hesitantly.
Certainly, Rider told us about how Lancer’s currently prioritizing the defeat of the demon army. It seems that until the demons are defeated, he’ll put off facing us – a temporary ceasefire against a common enemy. Likewise, I finally notice that he isn’t emitting his usual intimidating presence. Normally, his glare alone made it hard for me to breathe, but right now I don’t sense such ferocity.
“In that case, what are you here for, Lancer?” Saber questions sharply. Even though Lancer is seemingly peaceful, she doesn’t let her guard down.
“Nothing. I noticed the fight and came to scout the situation. Like I said, I have no intention of fighting you.” He claims.
It doesn’t seem like he’s lying. No, Lancer doesn’t seem like someone who would lie to begin with. His sense of justice and honor are too strong to allow him to speak falsehoods. In that case, there’s no reason for us to doubt him.
“I’ll leave immediately. But first… I’ll be taking her with me.” He states and suddenly picks up the body of Demonic Assassin with his demonic arm. He then drapes her over his shoulder and prepares to leave.
“Wh-wh-what? H-hold on!” I cry out at the sight.
I step forward to stop him, but a hand quickly blocks my path.
“Wait, Master. Don’t move!” Saber commands. Once I stop in my tracks, she turns back to Lancer with an accusatory glare. “What are you planning, Lancer? That woman is our prey.”
That’s right. We finally defeated and incapacitated Assassin after an incredibly difficult battle. Whatever we decide to do with her, it’ll all be for naught if she gets away now.
Despite all that, Lancer just cocks his head back and shrugs.
“I don’t care. She’s coming with me.” He states with a voice that allows no rebuttal.
For the first time, he shoots us that all-too frightening glare. It makes it all too clear what his intentions are. He’s saying that he won’t hunt us down now since we’re in a truce, but he’s not our friend either. If we try to get in his way, he’ll just kill us now.
Shit. This isn’t good. After all that, the fruits of our battle are being taken away. But trying to get her back will just incur the wrath of Lancer and break the ceasefire we currently have. If so, a fight will break out here immediately. But Saber and I are in no condition to fight, especially not someone like Lancer. One wrong move and we’ll both be dead within seconds!
“… are you planning on making her your ally, Lancer?” Saber suddenly asks. Her demeanor remains cool while I panic.
“… does it matter to you if I do?” Lancer responds.
“Yes. That woman is a hostile threat to my Master. Allowing her to go now would be subjecting my Master to future dangers. Therefore, it is not something I can easily allow without at least an explanation.” Saber states.
“Your Master, huh…” Lancer repeats with a pensive voice.
He shoots a quick glance at me before turning to lock eyes with Saber. The two of them glare at each other with intent, as if reading and sending signals through their vision alone. Some sort of exclusive communication, one an outsider like me can never understand, starts between them.
That’s right. It’s easy to forget now that she’s my Servant, but Saber was both Lancer’s ally and comrade in life. Having lived together, fought together, and slept together over many adventures, the bond they have is something unique. Yet, at the same time, the two of them are now enemies…
After a brief moment that seems to drag on forever, Lancer finally breaks eye contact and grimaces.
“Fine, then. I suppose it would be rude to not explain myself.” He decides at last. “I have no intention of making this one an ally. I simply came to save her life. If she decides to join me afterwards, that is her own choice.”
“Then, you won’t take responsibility for saving her? What if, after she recovers, she kills my Master?” Saber rebuts angrily.
“None of my concern. I plan to kill him myself eventually.” Lancer responds.
Geez, what a great guy. Sure is nice to know that he’s planning to kill me one day. Really helps me sleep at night.
But still, so he just wants to save Demonic Assassin’s life before we kill her? Why… is what I would ask, but it’s obvious. It’s because he’s a Hero of Justice or something like that. How troublesome.
“Well, if you have no more objections, I’ll be leaving now.” He declares and shoots us one last provoking glare.
Saber looks at me with anticipation. She’s leaving it to my call, huh?
Dammit, what do we do? We can’t just let Demonic Assassin go now. But we also can’t fight Lancer. There are no good options…
Choice!
5
Quest of Fate
Apocrypha Universe Fate Quest Project
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Hermes Servant Collection Master Post
5 for now.
Unsure whatever Lancer will accept that considering what happened to Saber.
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We're probably in no condition to fight Lancer for now, but I really want to kill Assassin, so... between 3 and 4. 4 is better if we have a good bargaining chip and can resolve things peacefully, but failing that, 3 it is.
4. Have doubts about most options, but I'd like to try cooperating more openly, this could be the road towards that.
Can't just let them get away, or all this was a wash. Assassin has info about this world we might want.
4
The Act of dozing off in the afternoon is a luxury indeed.
Coffee would be nice, though.
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