"Hmm?"
Genos was just about to follow the coordinates displayed on his internal radar when a single arrow, fired from a great distance, caught his attention.
He didn't break his stride. He simply extended his left arm behind him, projecting a life-sized energy barrier from the palm of his hand.
BOOM!
KABOOM!!
The arrow detonated on impact, unleashing a violent explosion that rocked the empty street. A semi-spherical shockwave of light expanded outward, tearing up the pavement and sending debris flying in every direction.
Despite the sheer scale of the blast, Genos remained perfectly stationary within the billowing smoke. The energy barrier had absorbed the brunt of the kinetic energy and neutralized the magical payload. Only a few wisps of grey smoke drifted through the hairline fractures that had formed on the shield's surface.
"Tch... what a monster."
Emiya stood on a rooftop several blocks away, his brow furrowed as he watched Genos emerge from the smoke entirely unscathed. His previous attack,a Noble Phantasm used as a Broken Phantasm,had only managed to crack the target's defenses.
'What kind of background does this guy have?'
"Detonating a Noble Phantasm as a long-range projectile?"
"An interesting concept."
"I should record this for future reference."
Genos analyzed the previous exchange, his internal combat processor logging the tactic. The fact that the shield had cracked at all was proof of the enemy's significant firepower. If he had been hit by that strike before his latest set of upgrades, his chassis would have likely been pulverized.
But things were different now. After Dr. Kuseno's latest overhaul, his performance parameters had skyrocketed. He had also been equipped with several new utility functions, such as the energy barrier he had just demonstrated.
"He's heading straight for Sakura's location," Emiya noted, his eyes narrowing as he tracked Genos's trajectory through his scope. "Does he have some kind of tracking equipment?"
The path Genos was following led directly to the house they had rented. And right now, Sakura was there alone.
More importantly, Sakura was currently holding one of the Dragon Balls.
Given how focused Genos was on his destination, Emiya suspected the cyborg was equipped with a Dragon Ball radar.
'If that's the case...'
Emiya realized the situation was even more dire than he had first thought. If Genos was simply tracking magical signatures, they might be able to hide. But if he was tracking the Dragon Balls themselves, they were effectively beacons. Without a Noble Phantasm specifically designed to mask or shield them, their position was constantly compromised.
"The Black Faction truly has some talented individuals."
Emiya turned toward the source of the voice below him. A man was standing in the middle of the street, his clothes torn and dusty from previous combat.
It was a Master.
Based on the man's aura and the way he spoke, Emiya immediately flagged him as a member of the Red Faction. But for a Master to appear here alone...
"Greetings, Emiya Shirou. Or should I call you 'Archer'? I am Amakusa Shirou Tokisada."
Emiya's expression hardened. His True Name had been seen through instantly. And that name... Amakusa Shirou Tokisada. It wasn't a coincidence. Was he in a similar situation to Artoria?
"Are you wondering why I'm revealing my identity so freely?"
"There is no point in hiding it. You would have found out from Muramasa soon enough anyway."
"I am indeed the historical Amakusa Shirou Tokisada. I was fortunate enough to obtain a physical body during a previous Holy Grail War."
"Thus, I am participating in this new war as a Master. I believe your King Arthur is in a similar position, is she not?"
Amakusa spoke calmly, preemptively answering the questions he saw forming in Emiya's eyes.
"As for how I identified you... I'm afraid I must keep that secret for now."
"What is it you want?" Emiya asked, his voice cold. He knew a man like Amakusa didn't do anything without a reason.
"I have no particular agenda at this moment."
"I was led here by the influence of [Revelation] to observe."
"The primary target has yet to be found, but I have discovered the Black Faction's hidden fourth Servant."
"Archer Genos... it seems he is quite the formidable opponent."
Amakusa looked toward the distance where Genos was continuing his advance. He sensed Emiya's hostility but didn't make a move to engage. Instead, he seemed more focused on re-evaluating the Black Faction's strength now that this new factor had been introduced.
"I see. So you can see right through a Heroic Spirit's identity, can you?"
"You're a dangerous individual," Emiya replied. He was beginning to realize that this war was far more populated with "monsters" than he had anticipated.
"Identity is meaningless if the enemy is invincible."
"How about it? Would you be interested in a temporary alliance?"
Amakusa's proposal was unexpected, but he spoke with a sincerity that made Emiya pause to consider.
On paper, the Red Faction had a near-perfect lineup. Even though Mordred was technically the "weakest" on their team in this specific context, she was still a top-tier Saber.
However, with Yubel's desertion, a significant piece of Amakusa's tactical puzzle had gone missing. Coupled with the Black Faction's overwhelming military might, Amakusa could no longer guarantee his own victory path.
He needed more forces to counter the Yggdmillennia.
And if his suspicions about Yubel were correct,and given Muramasa's previous comments,it was likely the White Faction had lost a Servant to her as well. They were both shorthanded. In a war of attrition against the Black Faction, that numerical disadvantage would eventually become fatal.
"Heh... an interesting suggestion."
"But what is the guarantee of our cooperation?" Emiya asked, his mind racing. He knew the Red Faction Servants were far from weak.
"Hmm... shall we agree not to target each other for the time being?"
Amakusa offered the terms with a simple nod.
"A straightforward restriction. It sounds flimsy, but under the current circumstances, it's the most effective one we have."
Emiya looked back at Genos, who was preparing to resume his march through the town square. He raised his bow once again.
Amakusa, in turn, produced a set of [Black Keys] from his sleeves.
"In that case..."
"The alliance is formed!"
***
"Ugh."
Yubel wandered through the desolate mountains, clutching her head as a wave of smooth, stabilizing mana washed over her. The weakness that had plagued her earlier was finally beginning to recede.
"A wise choice, heh heh."
She had extracted a crucial piece of information from her last "project," and a cold smirk spread across her face as she looked at a specific card hidden in her Duel Disk.
'Those fools can enjoy their temporary victory.'
'Once I finish setting things up... things are going to get very interesting.'
The thought of what was to come made Yubel laugh with a twisted anticipation. The "gift" she was preparing for them would plunge the entire conflict into absolute chaos.
"Oh, I shouldn't stop here."
"It shouldn't be much further now..."
"The spiritual vein..."
[Translated and Rewritten by Shika_Kagura]
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Sorry for the late chapter, im editting all the error i can spot, anyway bonus 1 chapter across all the fics i translated, also if u found an error i skipped, please do tell, ill fix it asap or next week!