"Halftime? Do you have any idea what you're saying?"
The enemy Magus glared at the intruder, feigning indifference while secretly raising his guard. This newcomer was radiating magical power without any restraint, letting it pour out into the surroundings. For a normal Magus, such an act would be a constant drain on their magical power—tantamount to suicide. Therefore, the Magus concluded, this person must be in the middle of casting some kind of spell.
"I clearly have the upper hand here. If you want to take him away, that's not impossible, unless..."
Seizing the opportunity, the Magus struck. Like Kiritsugu, he was a heretic who cared nothing for the pride of a Magus. A gale of wind erupted from him, slicing directly at Jiang You's neck. The recoil propelled him backward; if the attack missed, he planned to gather intelligence on this man and return later. Such immense magical power meant this was no ordinary opponent.
"Looks like we've won," Kiritsugu murmured, watching the Magus attack Jiang You. A confident smile spread across his face. As Jiang You's first Master, how could he forget the effect of his Noble Phantasm? The attack would be nullified, and the Magus would be dragged into the Duel Space. Inside that space, Jiang You was practically a god.
But this time, Jiang You didn't act as Kiritsugu expected. Instead, he charged straight into the attack, completely ignoring the steel-severing force. He grabbed the Magus's ankle, swung him around, and slammed him back into the room. The sickening thud of flesh against concrete echoed through the space. The Magus, dazed and disoriented, couldn't get back up.
Kiritsugu froze, momentarily unable to process what he'd just seen. Was this the same Servant whose Parameters, aside from his Noble Phantasm and Luck, were all E-rank—barely stronger than a normal person? He was intensely curious about what Jiang You had been through recently, but he suppressed the urge to ask. Now wasn't the time. There would be plenty of time for questions after they dealt with the enemy.
Without hesitation, Kiritsugu pulled out a submachine gun and emptied a full magazine. But the Magus still had some skill; the swirling currents of air around him deflected every bullet. Kiritsugu then tossed a grenade, but if the Magus's wind barrier could stop high-speed bullets, a thrown grenade stood no chance. The Magus even used the wind field to hurl it back at him.
Fortunately, Kiritsugu's experience kicked in. He swiftly kicked the grenade into the empty room next door. The violent explosion shook the building, causing plaster to rain down from the ceiling.
"Caster!" Kiritsugu shouted, urging Jiang You to attack. He had no more effective weapons against this opponent. While he still had Time Alter as a trump card, the Magus's wind barrier made it impossible to get close. Jiang You's current strength was more than enough to overwhelm their foe. All he needed to do was strike, and this would all be over.
"First of all, I'm not a Caster anymore."
How could a noble Foreigner possibly revert to one of the lowly standard Seven Classes?
"And second," Jiang You continued, "I apologize for interrupting you while you're working. I'm actually here to deliver an invitation."
He then produced a blue and white envelope, and Kiritsugu's face darkened. Though Jiang You had always been eccentric, he used to at least try to read the room. Now, he wasn't even bothering to pretend.
"Don't worry," Jiang You said casually. "I've called for an intermission. The enemy isn't going anywhere."
This is your problem, not mine, Jiang You's attitude seemed to say. I'm staying out of it. He had even greeted Maiya on his way in; she was busy planting explosives. It seemed that if he hadn't shown up, Kiritsugu would have had to repeat the high-rise demolition incident he'd owed Kenneth, using it as a chance to escape. So, even without Jiang You's intervention, Kiritsugu would have found a way out.
"Aren't you curious about the invitation?"
Kiritsugu wasn't curious at all. He was still in a life-or-death battle. Only Jiang You could be this utterly devoid of tension. But he knew Jiang You wouldn't let it go until he answered. Resigned, Kiritsugu forced himself to ask, "What invitation?"
"It's for my wedding with Illya..."
Before Jiang You could finish, Kiritsugu's face turned a sickly green, like a corpse. Veins bulged on his forehead. If he hadn't known he was powerless against Jiang You, Jiang You was certain Kiritsugu would have unloaded a full clip on him right then and there.
"Alright, I'll stop teasing you," Jiang You said, relenting. "It's for a Duel Tournament. This invitation serves as your entry pass as a seeded player."
The Magus tried to seize the opportunity to escape, but Jiang You grabbed him by the ankle and dragged him back. The man's strength was actually quite impressive; if Jiang You hadn't activated his Pain Suppression, he would have been howling in agony. Unfortunately for the Magus, Jiang You was cheating.
Watching his opponent being toyed with so effortlessly, Kiritsugu realized Jiang You's power must have grown immensely. The old Jiang You could already face a Beast capable of destroying humanity head-on; he couldn't even imagine what level he had reached now. Jiang You truly had the right to be this arrogant.
But what's a Duel Tournament? Kiritsugu wondered, examining the envelope. It was even a Magical Artifact.
"A Duel... that's your Noble Phantasm, isn't it? It sounds like an invitation to a large-scale Holy Grail War."
"A Holy Grail War? Now that you mention it, it does sound a bit like one." Jiang You scratched his chin. After all, the ultimate prize for both was a wish.
"But it's not as bloody as yours," he added. "You know my Duels are perfectly safe as long as lives aren't on the line."
No, it doesn't seem safe at all. Kiritsugu didn't say it out loud, but he felt that a ritual where the victor could take everything from the loser was anything but safe. He wasn't ignorant of how Jiang You obtained things like Soul Crystals. If even the concept of a soul could be stolen, then personality and magical power were surely fair game.
"What's with that look?" Jiang You scoffed. "Even though I'm the one granting the wish, don't underestimate the energy I have at my disposal. If you wanted to destroy the world, I could make it happen in minutes."
He wasn't bluffing. The most powerful being he could currently summon was Bubble. Of course, he wouldn't even need Yog-Sothoth's help. If he fully unleashed his own Spirit Origin and just stood there, the resulting Mental Pollution alone would be enough to drive humanity insane.
"You should already know what my wish is, right?" Kiritsugu asked, his voice steady.
Kiritsugu knew Jiang You understood him completely. His past and future were laid bare on those cards; how could Jiang You not know?
"I know. World peace... Let me think. If you give me a specific plan, I could probably make it happen."
He was thinking of Archer's method: replacing violence with Duels. The role of weapons would be minimized. If people wanted to arm themselves, the best way would be to forge bonds and create history.
"For example..."
Jiang You then explained Archer's ideas and methods in detail.
A flicker of color returned to Kiritsugu's hollow eyes. While this approach fell far short of his ultimate ideal, it was a significant step forward—far better than his current method of assassinating one target after another.
"In that case, I'll accept your invitation. All I have to do is win, right?"
Perfect. He took the bait. Jiang You glanced at something in his inventory, a smug, "just as planned" expression spreading across his face.
"That's the idea," he said cheerfully. "But your upcoming opponents are: the Remnant of the Grand Dragon Albion, the Miko of the God of Chaos and Disorder, and humanity's Savior, the Messiah."
Although the Messiah hadn't officially confirmed their participation, Jiang You was certain they wouldn't miss this opportunity.
"Your Einzbern and Emiya Decks are already power-crept and can't keep up with the current meta."
"Wait, wasn't there another important person? Did I forget someone?"
As Jiang You reviewed the registration list, he had a nagging feeling that he'd missed a heavyweight contender. But with Fuyuki currently a chaotic free-for-all teeming with major players, it was understandable if one slipped his mind.
"..."
Kiritsugu only recognized the names "Albion" and "Messiah." Considering Jiang You could freely traverse timelines, he feared the claims were true. These were genuine heavyweights. What was the point of even fighting? Shouldn't he just surrender now?
"They're just titles," Jiang You said, noticing Kiritsugu's expression and realizing the pressure was getting to him. "In reality, one is a Dragon Fairy born from Albion's corpse, and the other is an ordinary high school student currently saving the world. As for the Miko... allow me to keep that a secret for now. Don't feel too overwhelmed. They're certainly not pushovers, but you still have a chance. You know that Decks generate Cards based on the past, present, and future, right?"
Kiritsugu nodded. This was a fundamental rule of Jiang You's Noble Phantasm. He didn't understand why Jiang You was asking.
"Regarding Future Cards, I have an important warning. The 'future' isn't an unfixed, indeterminate one. It's a confirmed observed future."
"To be precise, it's based on the timelines from the anime and manga," Jiang You explained. "The future isn't set in stone. For example, if you acquire a powerful Magical Artifact right now, a corresponding Card will be generated in your Deck."
"I see. So temporary boosts are also reflected in the Cards."
Kiritsugu understood. If he found a way to become stronger, his Deck would upgrade accordingly. He looked at Jiang You, guessing his intentions. A bad feeling crept in. Jiang You wouldn't have come all this way without a hidden agenda. Still, based on Jiang You's past actions, he probably wouldn't do anything truly malicious. Kiritsugu decided to take the bait, even if it was a trap. "Since you've brought it up, you must have something that can make me stronger, right?"
"As expected of Kiritsugu Emiya. Your analytical skills are top-notch."
Kiritsugu had already figured out Jiang You's "playstyle" during their game, so it wasn't surprising he could guess this tower's purpose.
"But great power often comes with a price. Are you prepared for it, Kiritsugu?"
"What's the price?"
Kiritsugu stared at Jiang You's malicious grin, a sinking feeling telling him this "price" wasn't going to be anything conventional.
"My lifespan? Or my loved ones?"
"Let me be clear upfront: I don't care about my lifespan. But if it involves my family, I must refuse."
Although Jiang You's personality suggested he wouldn't demand such a thing, Kiritsugu still drew a firm line in advance. After seeing Illya's disappointed expression earlier, he had made up his mind: he had to save the world, but he couldn't abandon his wife and child either.
"Don't worry. The only one paying the price is you."
Jiang You produced a Mystic Code—a replica of Ruby and Sapphire created by Medea. Unlike the originals, this version hadn't developed self-awareness, and its functions were significantly nerfed. However, powered by a high-purity Soul Crystal, its actual performance surpassed some low-rank Noble Phantasms.
"Prototype Joyful Mystic Code I. Since it's a prototype, its functions have been cranked up to test its limits. Upon activation, you'll gain Reinforcement Magic meticulously inscribed by an Age of Gods Magus. It also triggers a costume change. The new outfit provides the defensive capabilities of an E-Rank Defensive Noble Phantasm and comes with a flight function..."
Kiritsugu Emiya took the crystal-like jewel. Its magical power was so tightly contained that he could only feel the immense energy within upon contact. Even without Jiang You's explanation, he knew this was no ordinary artifact.
"There's a good opponent right here. Give it a try."
Jiang You had kept this Magus alive precisely to demonstrate the Mystic Code's power to Kiritsugu. While it couldn't compare to Ruby and Sapphire, the boost it provided to the user was nearly as substantial. Ruby and Sapphire granted access to Parallel World Magecraft, which was highly dependent on the user's own nature. Medea's replica, however, only mimicked their form; its enhancement functions were fixed. Combined with the Soul Crystal Jiang You had generously provided, its core principle was simply "brute force." Once Kiritsugu experienced its effects firsthand, Jiang You was confident he wouldn't be able to refuse. This was his path to fulfilling his wish, and Kiritsugu would have no choice but to grit his teeth and accept it.
"How do I use this thing?" Kiritsugu asked, examining the jewel in his hand as he felt magical power surge through his body.
"Just place it on your chest and shout 'Transform'!"
(As an aside, the device also came with built-in light effects—part of its Defensive Magic, designed to prevent the transformation from being interrupted.)
"I understand—Transform!"
Kiritsugu had made his decision. If he was the only one paying the price, his lifespan and everything else were irrelevant.
Then, the immense magical power blasted Kiritsugu's clothes to shreds. Streams of light flowed from the jewel, enveloping his body. Before the enemy Magus's horrified eyes, Kiritsugu was transformed, now wearing a pink frilly dress identical to Illya's. The tight pink top clung to his frame, outlining every detail of his muscular physique.
"..."
"..."
Everyone, even the enemy, fell silent. Only Jiang You remained unfazed.
"...Is this... the price?!"
Kiritsugu's entire face twitched. Even he wasn't immune to shame.
"Who said dignity can't be part of the cost?"
Jiang You nonchalantly pulled out his phone. A scene like "Magical Girl Kiritsugu" was too precious not to commemorate.
"Now, go ahead and test the physical enhancements. By the way, this thing can fire Magic Bullets. Just treat the wand like a pistol."
Jiang You gestured invitingly toward the enemy Magus, a wide smile spreading across his face. "The intermission is over. If you don't want to die at the hands of this Magical Girl, you'd better give it your all."