บท 47: Chapter 47: Berserker – Stuck Between a Rock and a Hard Place!
"Berserker, let's leave him alone for now," Lelouch instructed.
"Understood," came the immediate response.
"Oh, by the way, my lord," Kirei added, "there's another thing I should mention. Gilgamesh is drawing power from the ley lines I connected him to. His magical energy will be constantly replenished as long as that link remains intact. Should I sever it and inform you of the process?"
"Of course we should cut it off! Otherwise, that guy's nearly impossible to deal with!" Waver jumped in before Lelouch could respond, clearly shocked. "I knew something was off during the siege. Archer's magic reserves never seemed to deplete, but now it makes sense—he's literally drawing power from Fuyuki's ley lines! He's like a walking fountain of magical energy."
"Kirei," Lelouch addressed Kirei's father directly.
"I am at your service!" Kirei responded immediately.
"How many Command Seals does Tokiomi have left?"
"He still only has two. The church's compensation, which included an additional seal, was delayed due to the need for handling the aftermath of recent events."
Satisfied with that information, Lelouch paused briefly.
"Rider?" Waver asked cautiously, unsure of Lelouch's next move. He couldn't predict what the Emperor was plotting this time.
"How many Command Seals do you have left?"
"Twelve."
"Good." Lelouch's sharp gaze moved to Kirei, who revealed his arm, showing the intricate network of Command Seals that had been passed down through generations of Masters.
Waver was floored. He knew the Church had been entrusted with keeping a stockpile of Command Seals, but twelve? That was practically an army's worth of power!
"Kirei," Lelouch continued calmly, "you don't need to worry about severing Archer's ley line. For now, just focus on completing your task."
"And what task is that?" Kirei asked.
"Make sure you kill Emiya Kiritsugu," Lelouch ordered.
"Understood, my lord!" Kirei saluted before exiting the church, ready to follow Lelouch's directive to the letter.
Watching Kirei leave, Waver was filled with questions. He trusted Lelouch's judgment but still struggled to grasp his larger strategy.
"What's the plan?" Waver asked.
"Not yet, Waver. We need to let Archer remain a threat for now," Lelouch replied, a knowing smile creeping onto his face. He was piecing together a strategy, assembling his perfect play. In his mind, everything was falling into place.
"The formula for victory... might already be here."
---
"Welcome back, Assassin," Kirei greeted.
Kenji Himura, now cleaning his recovered sword, stopped momentarily as Kirei entered the room. Something felt... off.
'Is it my imagination?' Kenji wondered, sensing an unusual shift in Kirei's demeanor.
"I've received word that Emiya Kiritsugu is preparing to attack," Kirei said.
The mention of Kiritsugu caught Kenji's attention. His mind immediately flashed to Saber, the King of Knights, and their unresolved duel. Kenji had always known that his final battle with Saber was inevitable.
But then, Kirei did something unexpected—he opened a cabinet and pulled something out.
"You're after revenge, aren't you? So, let's give him a little parting gift." Kirei spoke slowly, a grin forming on his lips as he slipped the mysterious item into his jacket.
Kenji watched quietly. This was the kind of behavior he'd come to expect from Kirei—a man of subtle malice. There was no need to ask questions.
As Kirei turned, Kenji caught a glimpse of the Geass sigil glowing faintly in his eyes.
"Reunite him with his wife and assistant... I'm sure he'll appreciate that," Kirei whispered darkly as he left the room.
---
Tokiomi Tohsaka sat in his workshop, carefully reviewing the message sent by Kirei.
"He plans to engage Kiritsugu in combat?" Tokiomi muttered, frowning. He wasn't in favor of this decision. Kirei was being reckless—he should have waited until Archer was fully recovered before making any moves. The timing couldn't be worse.
Tokiomi tried to contact Kirei using his familiar, but there was no response.
"Dammit!" he cursed, slamming his hand on the table. The more he thought about it, the more he realized how badly things could go. If Kirei succeeded, great—but if he failed, Tokiomi would be losing a vital ally for no reason.
Archer was powerful, but even his strength couldn't fully offset the loss of Kirei. This was not a situation he wanted to face.
And what if Berserker showed up to take advantage of the chaos? That would make things far worse.
Tokiomi's blood ran cold as a realization hit him: this was a trap. Kiritsugu was luring Kirei out, knowing that it would stir up trouble. Kiritsugu knew that if both he and Kirei were in danger, it would force their respective allies—Waver and Tokiomi—into action, whether they wanted to or not.
Kiritsugu didn't fear a two-way battle with Kirei. He feared a Berserker ambush. By drawing Kirei into a fight, he was baiting Berserker out. Neither Tokiomi nor Waver could afford to let that happen.
"Damn it," Tokiomi muttered through gritted teeth. He was trapped. There was no easy way out.
---
In the Matou mansion, Kariya Matou sat uneasily as his familiar observed the distant conflict.
"Are you going to intervene, Berserker?" Kariya asked, watching his Servant carefully. Berserker, who was busy preparing a meal, simply shook his head.
"There's no need."
"If I step in now, it'll only push the remaining Masters to unite against us." Berserker scribbled down his answer on a piece of paper.
"Besides, no matter what happens between them, someone will be eliminated by the end of it," Berserker noted.
Still, he felt conflicted. He knew what Sakura's wish was, and it was a difficult one to reconcile with his own desires. If he fought now and won, that would grant Sakura the power to make her wish come true—to keep him in this world. But if that happened, Berserker might never be able to return to the other side, where he had unfinished business.
Fighting was the only way to protect Sakura, but not fighting meant he wouldn't have to deal with the consequences of her wish.
It was an impossible choice.
"I'm stuck between a rock and a hard place," Berserker thought, sighing inwardly. If only someone else could bring this war to a close.
---
OGA/N: Kiritsugu's plan is based on rational analysis of the current situation, and under normal circumstances, it would play out as expected. Archer and Rider are too injured to intervene, and Berserker would hesitate to face off against all the other Masters at once.
However, what Kiritsugu doesn't realize is that Lelouch is holding back a trump card: Geass. Meanwhile, Berserker is restrained by Sakura's wish. As a result, Kiritsugu unknowingly walks straight into a one-on-one duel with Kirei.
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