"Come to think of it, isn't this street a little too quiet?"
Out on the road, Sakura Kyoko noted the unusual number of shops closing their shutters early.
"The usual, old man."
Arriving at her regular fruit stall, Kyoko habitually bought a bag of apples.
"Oh, it's you. Good timing. I'll be closing up soon."
The shopkeeper recognized her immediately. The girl had apparently moved here recently.
She was a solitary little apple-lover who seemed to wander the shopping district regularly.
"Did something happen?"
Handing over cash she'd found in Sola's belongings, Kyoko clenched a blade of grass between her teeth.
"Haven't you seen the news and the Church announcement?"
"That young foreign woman who was found dead?"
"Rumor is the killer's still hiding in Fuyuki. Everyone's on edge."
"The Church said the suspect's on the run. Told people to stay indoors, especially away from deserted areas."
"Upshot is, everybody's closing up way earlier than usual. Nobody wants trouble."
Passing her a bag of apples, the shopkeeper offered a kindly explanation.
"Be careful yourself. Don't go wandering around too late."
"Got it. Thanks, old man."
Chomp!
She immediately bit into an apple from the bag, nodding in acknowledgment.
Leaving the stall, she continued down the street.
"A world without Witches."
"Must be nice."
Chewing thoughtfully, Kyoko watched children being led home by their parents and felt a strange, hollow envy.
In her world, "Witches" posed a constant threat to ordinary people. "Magical Girls" existed to counter them.
Exterminating Witches was a Magical Girl's duty.
But one day, through a certain event, she'd learned a cruel truth.
The Magical Girls who maintained the world's peace were themselves the precursors to Witches.
The more one wielded magical power, the closer one drifted to falling.
Before one's "Soul" was completely tainted, no one could predict what would happen.
She'd witnessed the truth firsthand. Her hard-won comrade, Miki Sayaka, had suffered exactly that fate.
She'd watched Sayaka transform from Magical Girl to Witch with her own eyes.
And afterward, she might have been forced to destroy her.
Sakura Kyoko could not accept that ending.
She would save her!
Even if that creature called "Kyubey" claimed no precedent existed, Sakura Kyoko would try anyway!
"I will save you..."
Clutching her Soul Gem, Kyoko whispered the vow.
If the Dragon Balls were truly as miraculous as claimed, then reversing a Witch transformation had to be possible.
That was why she'd answered the summons.
Though the road had proven far harder than she'd imagined.
The opponents here made Witches look tame by comparison.
"Ah, nothing in life is ever simple."
Recalling the monstrous Servants she'd witnessed, Kyoko winced.
She'd underestimated the "Dragon Ball War."
And she'd underestimated the summoned "heroes."
"Well, one step at a time."
"Like Jonouchi said..."
"Things'll work out eventually."
"Lancer is walking toward the shopping district alone?"
After summoning Kirei back, Tokiomi received the familiars' observation report.
Locating an unconcealed Servant was simple enough. But the anomaly was Lancer's behavior: casually strolling as though she hadn't lost her Master.
Logically, a Masterless Servant should have been frantically searching for a new contractor. Otherwise, mana depletion would spell dissolution.
"Does she have the Independent Action skill?"
"No, teacher. Even with that skill, it wouldn't explain why she's eating apples and taking a leisurely walk."
Kirei offered a measured reminder.
On the verge of elimination, even the most carefree person shouldn't be this relaxed.
"We haven't found Caster yet, but Lancer will serve. Ideally, we'd observe longer for safety's sake..."
"But this is undeniably an opportunity."
Tokiomi glanced at the father-and-son pair beside him, clearly tempted.
Starting the plan early meant exposing Berserker's Master sooner and seizing the initiative.
'Assassin, begin.'
Under the gazes of both elders, Kirei had no choice but to order Kenshin to execute.
'Can it really be this simple?'
Harboring that doubt, Kirei couldn't shake the feeling that something was wrong.
Lancer's casual demeanor was too suspicious.
Though the plan was to frame her regardless, he hoped nothing unexpected would interfere.
Whoosh!
A shadow darted through alleyways and rooftops, moving along trajectories invisible to ordinary eyes.
Compared to the architecture of the Bakumatsu era, modern buildings were ideal for concealment.
After several swift traversals, Kenshin located his target.
Hiss!
Lurking in shadow on an empty street, Kenshin burst forward, simultaneously drawing the divine sword from his hip.
"!"
Sensing the blindingly fast approach, Sakura Kyoko instantly manifested her spear and battle attire, releasing the bag in her grip.
CLANG!
Crimson and shadow collided, sparks erupting where spear met sword.
"You bastard!!"
"..."
Kenshin's eyes narrowed slightly. The divine blade had stopped at her throat but couldn't advance further.
Not only had she deflected his angle with the spear, but she'd also locked his sword with magically-formed thorn chains, halting it completely.
"You sneaky rat! Die!!"
Zero hesitation. Kyoko met the ambush with full hostility.
A burst of magical energy shoved the Assassin back several paces. In the same motion, she thrust her spear at his exposed body.
Clack!
Kusanagi deflected the incoming strike, but before Kenshin could counter, the next attack was already upon him.
Click-click!!
The spear's tip split and reformed, the segmented shaft folding and snapping like a flail, striking from close range at shifting angles.
"!"
The unexpected transformation forced Kenshin into a sharp backward retreat.
Riiip!
Even so, his left shoulder's clothing was torn, a shallow red line drawn across the skin.
A fraction of a second slower, and the spear would have pierced clean through.
Studying the shape-shifting weapon, Kenshin encountered this kind of armament for the very first time.
"A spear that can change form and extend?"
[Translated and Rewritten by Shika_Kagura]