A Few Minutes Earlier, Same Night
Arjuna had just seen the Summon of Saber. He ran fast, and arrived at a host, checking the area, he opened the door
Little did they know, crystal-like insects came out from the ground.
Meanwhile, Arjuna was inside the house as he took a deep breath, looked around, and heard it.
"So, how did it go?"
Arjuna looked to see her; She wears a black business suit with a red-violet tie, has short, magenta hair, and a mole below her left eye. She has Dark Pinkalmostt purple hair and Red Eyes.
[Insert image of Bazett]
This was his master, Arjuna sighed, as he went to sit on the living room Couch.
He sat down as Bazett sat next to him, as he looked at her. "It went well, I had a run-in with the Tohsaka and her servant".
Bazett raised an eyebrow as she spoke. "Really, did you get the class and servant name?".
Arjuna looked at her as he spoke. "Surprisingly enough, yes, it's Caster and his name is Gilgamesh".
Bazett narrowed her eyes as she looked at her servant. "That's gonna make things difficult. Anything more?".
Arjuna looked at her as he spoke. "Before I met him, I fought Lancer, didn't learn his name, and during my fight with the king of Hero, a witness saw us, so I chased him to erase his memory. When I got to him, he summoned Saber".
Bazett's eyes widened as she spoke. "A server, who was he?"
Arjuna looked at her as he spoke. "It wasn't a He, it was a She, Jeanne D Arc, after her summon, I did as you told I retrieved".
Bazett's lips curved into the faintest smirk, her gloved fingers tightening. "So… the rumors about the Grail spitting out irregulars weren't lies. Jeanne d'Arc, a Saber-class Servant, and a child witness who somehow summoned her."
She leaned back on the couch, eyes narrowing. "This war is going to be more troublesome than I expected."
Arjuna crossed his arms, his expression calm but voice sharp. "He's inexperienced. I could feel it. His Reinforcement spells were sloppy at best, but… there's something about him. His conviction wasn't false."
Bazett tilted her head. "You sound impressed."
Arjuna looked away. "…Not impressed. Curious."
The room fell silent for a moment, until Bazett rose to her feet, pacing slowly. "Gilgamesh, Jeanne, Tosaka's line, and Illyasviel von Einzbern with Rider… all confirmed in a single night." She clenched her fist. "That means every move we make must be calculated. No wasted mana, no wasted battles. The Association didn't send me here to lose."
Arjuna's eyes flickered with faint light as his bow shimmered into existence briefly before vanishing again. "…You want me to eliminate Jeanne and her Master?"
Bazett shook her head. "Not yet. We need to know how much that boy can really do. Anyone who can summon Saber is no ordinary magus."
Arjuna frowned slightly. "Then what do you order?"
Bazett turned, her crimson eyes gleaming in the dim lamplight. "Observe. Hunt only if the opportunity is perfect. And if you cross paths with that 'Goldy'… test his limits, but don't risk it. Even Gilgamesh at half-strength is more trouble than he's worth."
Arjuna gave a small nod, his gaze distant. "Very well."
Bazett sat back down, folding her arms as she smirked faintly. "Besides… it might be fun to let the others bloody themselves first. Then, we strike."
The crystal insects on the floor twitched, spreading deeper into the shadows of the house, listening.
Arjuna frowned, arms folded. "Wait. You met the Einzbern heir… and she didn't attack you?"
Bazett leaned back, her expression tight. "That's the strange part. It was after I sent you out."
---
Flashback
The door of the safehouse slammed shut as Arjuna left. Bazett exhaled and turned toward the Bounded Field. She extended her hand, reactivating the layers of runes one by one—
Snap.
Silver threads laced across the doorframe like a spider's web, severing her spell mid-cast. Her body tensed immediately. Combat stance.
"Tehe~ not so fast."
The voice was childish, singsong, but dripping with something cold.
Bazett pivoted, her runes flaring. Standing just beyond the doorway was a little girl in a pristine white dress. Red eyes half-lidded, her smile was sweet—too sweet.
And behind her… a tall woman in blindfold and leather shifted her weight, prana rolling off her in waves.
Bazett's stomach sank.
"…Who are you?"
The girl clasped her hands together, tilting her head. "I am Illyasviel von Einzbern."
The name froze Bazett where she stood. "…The Einzbern heir."
Illya's smile widened, her voice playful but her eyes never opening. "Correct. And this—" she gestured, "—is my Servant, Rider."
Medusa said nothing, but the air grew heavy as her chains slithered faintly against the floor.
Bazett's fingers twitched toward her Command Spells. If I call Arjuna now—
"Oh, there's no need for that." Illya interrupted softly, her tone sing-song yet precise. "Your Servant is an Archer, right?"
Bazett froze. She'd given away nothing, but the girl said it with absolute certainty. Her heart rate spiked, but she forced her face to remain neutral.
Illya's smile turned sharper. "So it was Archer. Very well, then. Let's start, Ri—"
A flutter interrupted her words. A crystal bird landed delicately on her palm, chirping in an unnatural cadence. Illya's head tilted as if listening to a report only she could hear.
"…Oh? Lancer has been found." Her smile thinned into something far more sinister. "Then we'll play another time."
Before Bazett could react, Rider scooped the girl into her arms and leapt skyward. In seconds, they were gone.
Bazett hissed through her teeth, slamming her hand to the wall as her runes reignited, re-sealing the safehouse. Her pulse pounded in her ears. That brat knew too much…
Flashbacks
The door of the safehouse slammed shut as Arjuna left. Bazett exhaled and turned toward the Bounded Field. She extended her hand, reactivating the layers of runes one by one—
Snap.
Silver threads laced across the doorframe like a spider's web, severing her spell mid-cast. Her body tensed immediately. Combat stance.
"Tehe~ not so fast."
The voice was childish, singsong, but dripping with something cold.
Bazett pivoted, her runes flaring. Standing just beyond the doorway was a little girl in a pristine white dress. Red eyes half-lidded, her smile was sweet—too sweet.
And behind her… a tall woman in blindfold and leather shifted her weight, prana rolling off her in waves.
Bazett's stomach sank.
"…Who are you?"
The girl clasped her hands together, tilting her head. "I am Illyasviel von Einzbern."
The name froze Bazett where she stood. "…The Einzbern heir."
Illya's smile widened, her voice playful but her eyes never opening. "Correct. And this—" she gestured, "—is my Servant, Rider."
Medusa said nothing, but the air grew heavy as her chains slithered faintly against the floor.
Bazett's fingers twitched toward her Command Spells. If I call Arjuna now—
"Oh, there's no need for that." Illya interrupted softly, her tone sing-song yet precise. "Your Servant is an Archer, right?"
Bazett froze. She'd given away nothing, but the girl said it with absolute certainty. Her heart rate spiked, but she forced her face to remain neutral.
Illya's smile turned sharper. "So it was Archer. Very well, then. Let's start, Ri—"
A flutter interrupted her words. A crystal bird landed delicately on her palm, chirping in an unnatural cadence. Illya's head tilted as if listening to a report only she could hear.
"…Oh? Lancer has been found." Her smile thinned into something far more sinister. "Then we'll play another time."
Before Bazett could react, Rider scooped the girl into her arms and leapt skyward they got on Pegasus. In seconds, they were gone.
Bazett hissed through her teeth, slamming her hand to the wall as her runes reignited, re-sealing the safehouse. Her pulse pounded in her ears. That brat knew too much
End Flashback
Bazett crossed her legs, looking at Arjuna with narrowed eyes. "That's what happened. She left without pressing the attack, but I didn't learn Rider's true identity."
Arjuna's jaw tightened. "So she knows my class. That makes any future engagement more dangerous."
Bazett tapped her chin, thinking. "The Einzberns don't play games without a reason. If she didn't fight, it's because she's prioritizing something else… or because she's already confident she has us cornered."
Arjuna frowned, voice low. "…She's a child. But her presence didn't feel like one."
Bazett smirked bitterly. "Don't be fooled. That 'child' commands a Servant that could trample armies. And she has Einzbern resources to match. If she knows your class, we'll have to counteract it. You'll need to move like a Lancer, fight like a Saber, and strike from shadows like an Assassin."
Her eyes gleamed in the lamplight. "If Illyasviel wants to play games… we'll make sure she loses."
Arjuna exhaled slowly, fingers steepled in thought. "This complicates matters. Our original plan was straightforward—discover every Servant's True Name and Class, examine their legends, and craft a strategy to exploit their weaknesses."
His tone was steady, but his brow furrowed. "If the Einzbern girl already knows mine, then one piece of our board is exposed. Worse, she's unpredictable. That makes her more dangerous than a Heroic Spirit we understand."
Bazett leaned back on the couch, pulling off her gloves finger by finger until only her runic seals glowed faintly on her bare hand. She picked up a stress ball from the table, squeezing it until the rubber groaned.
"Yeah." Her jaw tightened. "That's the pain in the ass. Knowledge is supposed to be our advantage. If she's already stripped some of it away…" She let the ball roll in her palm. "Then we can't play this war cleanly."
She tossed the ball up, caught it, then smirked thinly. "Still, that doesn't mean we're out of options. We've confirmed the existence of at least four Servants so far: Lancer, Saber, Rider, and Caster. If we adapt, we can still turn their strengths into liabilities."
Arjuna's eyes flickered. "But Rider complicates the field more than expected. Pegasus is no ordinary mount. A flying Noble Phantasm alone forces me to divide my focus between ground and sky. And if my arrows don't fell her in one strike, we lose our element of surprise."
Bazett gave him a look, the corner of her lip twitching. "So shoot straighter."
Arjuna closed his eyes, letting out a breath through his nose. "You make it sound simple."
"It is simple." Bazett squeezed the ball again, her rune-covered hand glowing faintly. "Execution is the hard part."
Bazett sighed as he got up. "We will make new plans tomorrow, fow now go to sleep".
She got up, and walked up too her room, as Arjuna noded, as he went on spirit form
Back in the Emiya household—
Rin pinched the bridge of her nose, staring at Ritsuka like he'd grown a second head. "Really. A mirror? Your brilliant plan is to hold up a mirror in front of Medusa so her Mystic Eyes backfire and turn her to stone?"
Ritsuka crossed his arms, not backing down. "Why not? It worked in the Perseus story. He used a polished shield to beat her, didn't he?"
Jeanne tilted her head, sitting at the table with her hands folded. "In legends, yes… but in reality, Noble Phantasms rarely allow such simple solutions. The strength of her eyes is not so easily reflected. If it were, many would have defeated her already."
Gilgamesh materialized halfway into the room, lounging against the wall with a smug grin. "Hah. A boy clings to fairy tales and thinks himself clever. Do you believe a cheap hand mirror will rival the shield of Perseus—an artifact blessed by the gods themselves? Foolish, yet… amusing."
Ritsuka scratched his cheek, sheepish but still stubborn. "Well, excuse me for trying to think outside the box. I don't have divine weapons lying around, Goldy."
Gil's smirk widened. "Then you should rely on me, mongrel. Every treasure Perseus wielded—yes, even that shield—is mine by right. The Gate holds them all." He tapped his chest. "But whether I lend them to you is another matter entirely."
Rin groaned, massaging her temple. "Great. So my choices are a reckless master with half-baked myths for plans, or an arrogant king who wants to hold them hostage."
Jeanne smiled gently despite the tension. "At least Master is thinking. Even flawed strategies can reveal truths if tested."
Ritsuka looked down at his hand, tracing the faint glow of his Command Seals. "I'll do whatever it takes. If mirrors won't work, then we'll find another way. But I won't underestimate her—or Illya—again."
Rin took a deep breath, as she hold her Cross neckless, as she took a deep breath. "God, give me strength to deal with this idiot".
She then looked at Ritsuka as he spoke. "Listen here, even if that could work, Perseus whole Shield was Divine Level BS"
Rin pinched her brow, glaring at him. "Exactly! Do you have a Divine Level BS artifact hidden in your closet, Ritsuka? No? Then stop trying to reenact Greek mythology with half-assed props!"
Ritsuka crossed his arms defensively. "Hey, it's called creativity! You never know, sometimes dumb ideas actually work in anime!"
Rin's eyebrow twitched. "This isn't anime. This is real life, and one wrong move gets us killed."
From the side, Jeanne awkwardly raised a hand. "Actually… Master isn't entirely wrong. Mirrors do reflect light, and if Medusa's eyes are just cursed beams, technically…"
Rin whipped around. "Don't you dare encourage him!"
Ritsuka smirked. "See? Even Jeanne agrees with me. That's one point for the Mirror Plan!"
Rin groaned, muttering under her breath. "Lord… why do you send me these kinds of allies…"
Rin sighed as she remembered what Ritsuka told her earlier. "Show me".
Ritsuka blinked as he held his Body. "Heh!"
Rin realized her mistake as she spoke with a red face. "No I didn't mean that, you said your father, though you Time Alter, show me that".
Jeanne sighed as Ritsuka looked at Rin. "Oh, that's better... But I should tell you, it's very rough".
Ritsuka stretched his arms, rolling his shoulders as if preparing himself. "Alright, but don't say I didn't warn you."
Rin crossed her arms, trying to act composed despite the faint pink on her cheeks. "I just want to see if you're actually capable of what you claim. Don't make excuses."
Jeanne, standing off to the side with her hands clasped together, gave a soft but worried sigh. "Ritsuka… please be careful. Time Alter isn't a technique to be used lightly."
Ritsuka nodded to her, then looked back at Rin. His expression sharpened. "Time Alter: Double Accel."
For an instant, his body blurred—like the world itself had slowed down. He reappeared several paces away, the afterimage lingering faintly before fading. The floor creaked under the sudden pressure, and a bead of sweat trickled down his temple.
Rin's eyes widened despite herself. She took a step forward, her magecraft senses still tingling from the distortion. "That— that wasn't just reinforcement. You actually bent your own body's time."
Ritsuka gave a weak grin. "Told you… it's rough. Push too far, and I'll shred my nerves or tear my muscles apart. But when it counts… it's worth it."
Jeanne placed a hand on her chest, whispering softly. "A forbidden technique… yet one he wields for the sake of others. Truly…"
Rin frowned, forcing her amazement down under a layer of irritation. "You're reckless. No wonder you come up with idiotic ideas like using mirrors against Medusa. At this rate, you'll kill yourself before the Grail War does."
Ritsuka chuckled breathlessly, waving her concern off. "Reckless? Nah. I just call it 'style'."
After a while, Rin stood outside the Emiya household, the night air cool against her skin. She adjusted her coat and exhaled. "I'll be leaving now. From today onward… we're allies, Emiya."
Ritsuka gave her a small smile. "Thanks, Tohsaka."
But his hand instinctively tightened around the wooden box in his arms—the one holding Avalon. Rin's eyes immediately locked onto it like a hawk.
"Oi—just hand that over to me," Rin snapped, stepping closer. "Something like that shouldn't just be lying around with you. I'll take good care of it."
Ritsuka pulled it protectively against his chest. "No way. This was my dad's. He left it with me, and I'm not giving it up just so you can pawn it off for some mage family prestige."
Rin's composure cracked, years of church discipline, family pride, and her carefully maintained air of superiority all snapping at once. She stomped her foot, cheeks flushed red.
"P-please, just give me the box!" she half-yelled, half-whined, gripping her hair in frustration. "Do you have any idea how poor my family is when it comes to actual magecraft resources? The Tohsaka name looks impressive, but in reality we're dirt poor compared to the old families!"
Jeanne, watching from the doorway, blinked in surprise at Rin's sudden outburst. She brought a hand to her mouth, stifling a laugh. "She's… more honest than I expected."
Ritsuka chuckled, shaking his head as he turned away with the box still secured. "Sorry, but no deal. This isn't something you can put a price tag on."
Rin groaned loudly, stamping her foot again before turning sharply, hiding her red face. "F-fine! Keep your stupid box then! Just don't come crying to me when you realize you don't even know how to use what's inside!"
With that, she stormed off into the night, muttering under her breath about "idiot Emiyas" and "useless stubborn men."
Ritsuka smiled faintly, running his hand over the box. "Nice try, Tohsaka…"
To be continued
Hope people like this ch and give me power stones and enjoy