Fate: Hero of Justice Takeover-Chapter 169: [] Rider and Kiritsugu, A New Pairing

"Is this enough, Archer?"

"Hmph, what are you doubting? Are you doubting that a Noble Phantasm can't restrain a weak magus, or are you questioning the decisions made by this king?"

"I dare not, King of Heroes. It's just that, as a director, I must always ensure that the actors are in place. If we only bind his hands and feet, I'm worried this unruly actor might escape."

"Ridiculous! Are you suggesting that a petty magus, no different from an ordinary human, can break free from my Noble Phantasm? This is a D-rank Snake Chain, a living rope that can easily repair itself even if damaged. Using such a treasure against this kind of trash is already the greatest mercy from this king!"

'...Someone is beside me? So noisy...'

As consciousness returned, stagnant thoughts began to flow again. Waver instinctively tried to move, only to realize that his limbs were sending involuntary signals. A cold, slippery sensation spread along his skin, like a venomous snake invading his heart.

"This is... poison..."

Waver couldn't help but let out a groan of discomfort. Without even needing to look in a mirror, he was sure his face must be pale.

It must be a poison that continuously saps strength, transmitted through the skin. It's not lethal, just meant to prevent the captive from having the energy to escape. Moreover, as a hostage, the priest Kirei Kotomine would never let him die easily.

Meanwhile, the two voices outside continued their conversation.

"What's next, Kirei? Are you going to show me nothing more than the boring act of kidnapping a hostage? This king allowed you to kill Tokiomi, not to see an even duller performance."

"Of course not, King of Heroes..."

The voices gradually faded, indicating that the two had moved away from the room where Waver was held. But even so, the snippets of information revealed were enough for Waver to ponder deeply.

The King of Heroes, meaning Tokiomi Tohsaka's Servant, Archer?

Allowed you to kill Tokiomi Tohsaka... So, Kirei killed his own teacher and allied with Archer?!

Trying to ignore the weakness spreading through his limbs, Waver furrowed his brow, feeling that the situation was becoming more and more perplexing.

Tokiomi was alive just yesterday, meaning his death was recent. No wonder we didn't notice... But why? Why would Kirei kill his own teacher? And why would Archer form a contract with him? Where did Kirei go yesterday?

No, that's not the point. The point is, why did Kirei kidnap me? As the second overseer of the Church, he knows full well that interfering in the Holy Grail War violates the agreement between the Holy Church and the Mage's Association. If I were to expose this...

If I were to expose this...

The little colour left in Waver's face drained away, leaving only paleness.

This participant in the Holy Grail War finally realized that he was standing on the edge of a cliff.

Whether through control or death, no matter what, Kirei would never let him walk out of this prison with his free will intact.

The reasons, the process, the cause and effect... These no longer mattered. What mattered was how he could survive this deadly crisis.

Rider... No, not only do I not have Command Spells, but the priest has also used some method to sever the contract between me and Rider.

Unaware of the truth, Waver sighed inwardly, ultimately casting aside all distractions.

At this point, he could only rely on himself to escape.

First, to escape, he needed to understand what was binding him. According to Archer's words, this seems to be a D-rank Noble Phantasm called 'Snake Chain,' with the characteristics of being alive, self-healing, and possessing a poison that weakens strength.

With his current frail strength, there's no way he can move while bound. He must destroy the ropes binding him, and Waver already had a plan.

But if it's alive, does it possess self-awareness...

Waver cautiously opened his eyes, and what greeted him was the ominous pattern of a snake's body. The snake's tail was tied to his ankle, while the snake's head was facing his face, a triangular head directly opposite his forehead, hissing with its forked tongue.

No way, does it have to be this disgusting...

Waver's scalp tingled, but he suppressed the urge to vomit, staring intently at the 'snake's' eyes. After a moment, he confirmed one fact.

There was no presence of a familiar, nor any traces of autonomous magecraft.

Considering the nature of the Noble Phantasm, Waver even boldly recited a few incantations. Aside from his Magic Circuits protesting, the 'snake' binding him merely moved mechanically, showing no signs of any reactive response.

It's basically confirmed to lack intelligence, but then again, a D-rank Noble Phantasm couldn't be that advanced...

Waver breathed a sigh of relief, then tensed his body, slowly bending down to reach for the sole of his shoe.

Although he had lost most of his strength, simple movements were still possible.

However, at that moment, a creaking sound came from the door.

The room's door opened, and the dazzling golden light made Waver squint, his heart wailing in despair.

Why didn't I hear any sounds? Not even footsteps!

But when he saw who had entered, a shiver ran down his spine, and boundless fear exploded within him.

Servant, Archer!

Those vivid, blood-red snake-like eyes were fixed on Waver, a look of amused interest in them.

It was the gaze of a cold-blooded predator locking onto its prey.

***

While Waver was suffering from Archer's arrival, the Servant he longed for, Rider, was meeting with Kiritsugu Emiya.

And then...

Just like the love song goes, "Just because I saw you in the crowd..."

No, cut that, switch to a more fitting one.

"He runs, he chases, he can't escape..."

When Kiritsugu noticed Rider staring at the Command Spells on his hand, he immediately turned and fled.

He was currently a lone Master, with no power to confront a Servant.

However, he didn't know that Iskandar, due to his Master being kidnapped, had fallen into a state of paranoia.

He runs when he sees me... Could it be that Kiritsugu is the accomplice?

Moreover, he has Command Spells, meaning he's Saber's Master!

After a brief moment of doubt, Rider decisively flicked the reins and gave chase.

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If he's the accomplice, then capturing and interrogating him would surely yield information about Waver.

If not, Kiritsugu Emiya, being an assassin, must have better intelligence-gathering skills than a burly man like me!

"Don't run, Einzbern's assassin—"

Fortunately, due to the rain, the streets were empty. Otherwise, Kirei would have had to clean up the mess caused by Rider's loud voice.

Hearing Rider's booming voice, Kiritsugu not only didn't stop but ran even faster, even briefly activating Time Alter, heading straight for the bustling city center.

It's daytime now. As long as I blend into the crowd, even the King of Conquerors wouldn't dare to charge in directly!

However, Kiritsugu overlooked one thing—would a king like Rider not think of that?

Moreover, he's not that freak Sakatsuki. How could a human's physical abilities compare to a Servant's?

In just an instant, the chariot in the sky closed in on him, and a black shadow descended from above. If Kiritsugu hadn't dodged quickly, he would have been crushed and severely injured, leading to a quick defeat.

But... his current situation wasn't far from being eliminated.

"Magus Killer, Kiritsugu Emiya."

The sword of Kupriotes, wrapped in lightning, locked onto the grim-faced Kiritsugu. The red-haired giant spoke gravely.

"I ask you, why are you running?"

"Then why are you chasing?"

"If you didn't run, would I chase you?"

Having seized the initiative, Iskandar knew time was short and decided to be straightforward

"Because of Kirei Kotomine and Archer, and perhaps some other reasons I'm unaware of, my Master Waver has been kidnapped, and our contract has been severed. In other words, I..."

"Want to form a contract with me, right?"

Kiritsugu fell silent for a moment, considering bargaining, but the current situation didn't allow him to waste time with Rider. Moreover, he was even more anxious than Rider.

"Coincidentally, I also have a mission to kill Kirei Kotomine—let's cut the chatter and form the contract."

"That expression... It seems you're also caught in the whirlpool!"

Rider looked at Kiritsugu's slightly anxious face and laughed heartily, reaching out to touch him.

"Declare—Your body shall be entrusted to me, my fate shall be entrusted to your sword. If you are willing to follow the Holy Grail's decree, obeying this principle and will, then respond."

"Oh! I shall obey you for now, until we rescue that boy Waver. My chariot shall gallop for you!"

As a vortex of magical energy rose, a new pair of Master and Servant was born.

***

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