บท 30: Chapter 30: Something Feels Off!
Kenshin adjusted his stance, eyes fixed on Kyoko. Though she appeared to be a young girl, she wasn't as easy to deal with as he'd initially thought.
"That unusual movement… You're an Assassin, aren't you?" Kyoko sneered. "I've already lost my Master, and yet here you are, still pestering me."
Even as she sized him up, Kyoko couldn't help but feel something was amiss. Normally, after losing a Master, a Servant wouldn't be an immediate target. Unless, of course, someone wanted to recruit them. But Assassin's intent was clear—he was here to kill her. Kyoko found the whole situation strange, making her wonder what the motive behind this attack was.
"Looks like you won't say anything, huh?" she muttered, shifting her stance. "Then I guess I'll just have to beat it out of you!"
Fortunately, thanks to her contract with Jounouchi, she wasn't as cornered as she would have been otherwise. The mana she had stored was enough to put up a decent fight.
"Whoosh!"
Watching Kyoko not only stand her ground but also move closer, Kenshin felt a pang of uncertainty.
'Given her loss of mana supply, this should be her biggest issue right now,' Kenshin thought. 'But she isn't retreating. In fact, she seems ready for a fight.'
The two clashed—Kenshin's sword meeting Kyoko's spear. Their movements were fluid, their footwork continuously shifting to evade and strike. However, the more Kenshin engaged with Kyoko, the more something didn't add up.
He had expected her to be on the defensive, barely holding on, but she was calm, composed, and seemed to be in full control. Kenshin felt an ominous premonition rising within him.
"Take this! Take this! Take this!" Kyoko shouted as her spear lashed out, the weapon shifting mid-attack as if it were a whip or a nunchaku.
Despite his experience, Kenshin had to stay cautious, constantly avoiding Kyoko's bizarre weapon. The transforming spear was unlike anything he'd encountered before. Though her outfit was strange, Kyoko's skill was undeniable. She wielded her weapon with precision, not blindly flailing.
"You're good at dodging, I'll give you that," Kyoko muttered, realizing that her spear alone wasn't enough to land a hit. The Assassin was far too quick.
"If that's the case, try dodging this!" she cried.
"Whoosh!"
With a wave of her hand, thorny chains erupted from the ground, forming a square cage around Kenshin, shrinking tighter and tighter.
"Heh, let's see you dodge now," Kyoko smirked, certain that her trap had left Kenshin nowhere to run.
"Clang! Clang! Clang!"
But to her shock, Kenshin's sword sliced through the chains effortlessly, the severed links scattering across the ground like falling petals.
'What kind of weapon is that?! It can even cut through my chains,' Kyoko thought, stunned by Kenshin's prowess.
"Whoosh!"
Before Kyoko could react, Kenshin closed the distance between them once more.
"Tch!"
She instinctively retreated, commanding her chains to attack from all directions.
"Clang! Clang!"
But each time her chains approached, Kenshin sliced through them, his sword flashing as he cut down each attack.
'This sword… it's incredibly sharp,' Kenshin thought, admiring the weapon bestowed upon him by the "Hero King." It was a remarkable blade, far superior to any he had used before. Had it been his usual katana, he doubted he could have dealt with Kyoko's attacks so easily.
For the first time, Kenshin understood the importance of wielding a high-quality weapon.
"You're a tough one," Kyoko muttered, realizing she couldn't land a hit.
Just then, she conjured another spell.
"Rossa Phantasma!" (Red Phantom)
Suddenly, a dozen doppelgängers surrounded Kenshin, all poised to attack at once. Yet, instead of panicking, Kenshin remained utterly calm.
"It's unfortunate," he said softly. "But Hiten Mitsurugi-ryū is designed for situations like this."
In the blink of an eye, Kenshin moved, his blade slicing through each phantom in an instant.
"What the…"
Kyoko watched in disbelief as Kenshin effortlessly cut down every doppelgänger. The sheer speed and precision of his strikes were overwhelming, reminding her of a character from an old anime or film—someone who could take down dozens of enemies without breaking a sweat.
'Who is this guy? A sword master from what era?' she wondered, suddenly feeling the pressure of facing a true expert.
Without hesitation, Kyoko turned and sprinted down the street. She had no intention of continuing this fight. This Assassin was far too strong. His skill in swordsmanship far surpassed that of Sayaka, who fought with brute strength and aggressive strikes. This man was a true master of the blade.
'I can't beat him. Not like this,' Kyoko thought, darting through the streets. She had no interest in pushing the fight further.
Though Kenshin could have easily caught up, he refrained. His mission wasn't to kill Lancer—at least, not yet.
---
"It seems no matter how much we watch, we still can't figure out Lancer's true identity," Tokiomi said, observing the battle through his familiars.
Tokiomi, Kirei, and Kirei's father had been watching the encounter closely, hoping to gather intelligence on the elusive Lancer.
"She uses doppelgängers, thorn-like chains, and a transforming spear. Her long crimson hair and unusual outfit… none of this matches any known hero."
It wasn't that Tokiomi and his colleagues were ignorant; Lancer's traits simply didn't align with any legends they were familiar with. After all, Servants were figures of legend and renown, but this girl didn't fit any of those profiles.
"No matter. We don't need to know her true name," Tokiomi continued. "Assassin has done a good job forcing her to retreat. The moment she steps out of line, we'll have the evidence we need."
As his father and teacher discussed their plan, Kirei remained silent. He couldn't shake a nagging thought.
'How was Lancer able to keep up with Assassin so well?'
It was a question Kirei had been mulling over since the fight began. Lancer had lost her Master, yet she still had the strength to hold her ground against Kenshin, an incredibly skilled Assassin.
Usually, Servants without a Master were at a significant disadvantage. Masters provided a steady supply of mana, boosting a Servant's stats like Strength, Endurance, Agility, and even their Noble Phantasms. Without a Master, a Servant's abilities should drastically weaken.
Assassin's Agility, for example, was ranked at "A." Even the famed Gilgamesh only had a "B" in Agility. Typically, a Servant with a Master should have the upper hand over one without. Yet, Lancer showed no signs of weakening.
'Something's not right. There's more going on here than we realize,' Kirei thought, feeling uneasy about the situation.
---
OGAuthor note:
Let's explain some more of the mechanics at the end of each chapter! You'll often see Agility, Strength, and Endurance ratings with "+" and "++" symbols, like A+ or A++. EX means the ability is beyond measurable limits, impossible to evaluate.
Here are some stats for Servants in this story:
Berserker (Warrior of Light):
- Out of Combat Regeneration (EX): When not engaged in combat, Berserker can rapidly regenerate mana and heal wounds, returning to peak condition in a short amount of time, even from near-fatal injuries (including severed limbs).
- Class Shift (A++): Due to his varied history and mastery of multiple fighting styles, Berserker can change his class by switching weapons, unlocking different Noble Phantasms. He can even be summoned under unusual classes like "Savior," "Avenger," or "Ruler."
- Heaven's Flame (A): Usable only in lance form, this attack releases latent energy to target enemies, locking onto them in a way that makes evasion nearly impossible.
Caster (Jounouchi):
- Good Luck (EX): When making a gamble, Jounouchi will always get what he needs. Although it can occasionally fail, the odds of that happening are extremely low.
- Summon Familiar (E-A++): Jounouchi can summon various unknown monsters to fight for him.
- Magic (E-A++): Using cards, he can cast a wide range of spells and set traps.
More to come in future chapters!
T/N: will move these to aux chapter, comment section.
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