Baka-Tsuki - User contributions [en]

Fate/Zero:Act 2 Part 4

2007-08-06T12:09:56Z

217.167.235.157: /* 172:38:15 */

== 172:38:15 ==




The saying about the hour when even trees sleep doesn't apply to magi and Servants.

The heroic spirit of the shadows, Assassin, has a better grasp than anyone on the complexity of being prepared in the darkness of the night.

Moreso since the magi gathered in the city of Fuyuki have a double interest. Standing on the hill of the Miyama town, neither of the western-styled houses of Mato and Tosaka are left behind in term of splendor.

Masters aiming for the Grail, the two landlords are using, lately, some low-grade familiars to patrol left and right, day and night around their visible castles. Naturally, the master of the mansion must be ready, and stretch around a multitude of bounded fields for detection and defense even inside the mansion; it must be a stronghold in the magical sense of the term.

Stepping unauthorized into the bounded fields is all but safe, all the more for the large mass of prana that is a Servant. Essentially, regardless if it is a spiritual body, it should be just about impossible to slip through the bounded fields of the fortress

undetected.

However, the impossible can always be made possible. That is the presence concealment skill of the Assassin class. While he does not excel in battle power, Assassin can suppress his prana emission until it reaches zero to creep in the shadow and reach his target.

Additionally, for the Assassin of this time, Kotomine Kirei's Servant, this night's infiltration operation was especially easy. The garden he is now sneaking in isn't the one of the Mato mansion that has been considered enemy territory for a some time. It is the mansion of Tosaka Tokiomi, who was his Master Kirei's ally until just yesterday. Of course, Assassin too has agreed with Kirei and Tokiomi to deceive the other Masters and remain undercover. Obeying that secret agreement, he has undertaken the guarding of the Tosaka mansion on countless occasions. Knowing all about the disposition of the bounded fields, he is naturally aware of the blind spot.

In his spiritual form, Assassin progressed through the many alarm fields without a problem, laughing at the ironic fate of Tosaka Tokiomi. That arrogant magus has placed a considerable faith in his protégé Kirei, but can't imagine he might be bitten by his dog.


Kirei's order to murder Tokiomi has reached Assassin not an hour ago. He is unsure of what urged Kirei to change his mind, but Tokiomi's summoning of a Servant a few days ago must be when it began. Tokiomi seems to have summoned the Servant Archer, but apparently, that heroic spirit must be weaker than Kirei expected. And as the merit of the cooperation with Tokiomi fades away, he agrees with the decision Kirei took this night.

"Vain prudence is unnecessary. Have no fear of facing Archer. You need to obliterate Tosaka Tokiomi quickly."

That was the order of his Master Kirei. Against the despised, weakest fighter Assassin, he won't be afraid and won't hurry? it should be easy to betray the miscalculations of the heroic spirit Archer summoned by Tosaka Tokiomi.

Halfway through the garden, the blind spot of the bounded field you could just pass through vanished. From there on, the barrier has to be destroyed by physical mean, and you need to progress while removing it. It is impossible to proceed while invisible in spirit form.

Leaning over the shadow of the vegetation, Assassin came back from spirit form to physical form, exposing his bony mask and tall, lean figure. He can feel many "eyes" all over him from afar, different from the bounded field of the Tosaka residence. The familiars of other Masters must be observing the Tosaka residence from outside the barriers. As long as he remains unnoticed from Tokiomi himself, there is no need

to worry about any Peeping Toms. Tokiomi's rivals disputing the Grail would never warn him of Assassin's infiltration. If one competitor drops, the others should remain unconcerned spectators.

Snickering without a sound, Assassin extends his hand at the first keystone that binds the barri?

The next instant, that hand was pierced through by a spear flying from above, shining like a flash of lightning.

"... h!?"

An intense pain, terror, and above all, shock. The simple spear strike was completely unexpected, and Assassin swung his head upward, looking for the pitcher.

No, there is no need to search.

On top of the roof of the Tosaka residence, a golden shadow stood magnificently. That divine radiance even steals the dignity of the starlit sky and puts the moon to shame.

The rage of being wounded made Assassin forgot the pain, but he could only fear the overwhelming coercion.

"You worm crawling on the ground, who's pardon are you looking for?"

The golden man asks indifferently to the Assassin hidden on the ground, looking down at him with

a pair of disdainful, burning crimson eyes.

"You can't look at me. Worms can only look at the ground when they die, like the worms they are."

Around the golden shadow, even more glows appeared up to a countless number. Suddenly coming out in mid-air were swords, halberds, not twice the same, all of them treasured weapons with dazzling ornaments. And all of them were turned at Assassin.

I can't win. Without even thinking, Assassin realized it instinctively.

Winning against him is impossible. It's stupid to even think about facing him.

If he is able to hit Assassin, a Servant, it means that golden shadow is definitely a Servant. And if he is stopping an invasion into the Tosaka mansion, then the Master is Tokiomi? in other words, he must be the heroic spirit Archer.

There's no need to fear *that*?

In his pledge to his Master, Assassin knew there was no contradiction in Kirei's words.

In front of such an overwhelming enemy, fear is? yes, there is no place for fear?

There can only be despair and abandon.


Slashing through the air in a howl, an infinity of shining blades started raining down on Assassin.

Assassin felt the eyes. The familiars observing from outside the place. The first Servant to fall in the fourth War of the Holy Grail meets an unsightly end without even a retort, witnessed by the other Masters.

And at the last moment, Assassin understood. The true intention of his Master, Kotomine Kirei, and... of the leader, Tosaka Tokiomi.

X X

Relaxing in a comfortable chair of his room, Tosaka Tokiomi listened to the roar of the countless Noble Phantasms drilling the ground as well as tearing up flesh to pieces.

"Well, things are looking up. Now..."

The magus muttered to himself, his profile glowed a different gold from the other one under the lamp shade.

Just by its presence, the golden figure stands out in the dimly lit surroundings, like the one on the roof that just executed the invader. Turning into spirit form to come back to Tokiomi's room, then again

in physical form, the Servant Archer stood proudly beside his Master, who bore a satisfied face.

The figure looking around was tall and dignified, wearing golden armor. He is a young man with golden hair standing up like a blazing flame, handsome with an elegant face. His eyes crimson like blood are visibly not those of a human, and whoever is stared at cannot but wither in front of their mysterious radiance.

"You made me do some extremely trifle duty, Tokiomi."

Tokiomi stands up from his chair and bows respectfully, yet elegantly.

"I am sorry for your trouble, king amongst kings."

As a Master to the summoned Servant, those were manners more humble than expected. But Tosaka Tokiomi expressed his gratitude without reserve to the heroic spirit he had summoned. As someone from a valued lineage himself, Tosaka Tokiomi can perfectly discern "nobility" more than anyone. He is the guest of honor Tokiomi has summoned to win this fourth Holy Grail War, not a humble servant, but the greatest hero.

This man, Archer in the present era, is the "King of Heroes", Gilgamesh. The tyrant who ruled the ancient Mesopotamia, part divine, part human. As a hero, he has roots in the oldest origin of mankind, he is amongst the oldest kings.


Tokiomi firmly believes in the value of nobility. Even with the supremacy of the Command Seals, or with the best contract, nothing can surpass ranks. Even if he was a Servant, that golden young man was one who deserved the best honor.

"The outcome of tonight's event will greatly save us a lot of complications. Having witnessed the power of the "King of Heroes", no stray dog will try to bite in vain."

"Mm."

Archer appreciated the truth in Tokiomi's words. Tokiomi and his upright attitude, lost in more flattery than it was necessary, has also no hope in this era. The king of heroes could understand that.

"In a little while, the field beasts will understand who the hunting lion really is. Please have patience until then."

"Very well. I will just walk off my boredom. This era seems fairly interesting."

At Archer's words, Tokiomi glossed over his slight irritation with a sour look.

Certainly, the Servant he has contracted with is the strongest. But he gives him headaches when he wanders away for his selfish curiosity. In the present world, he hasn't spent one whole night quietly in the Tosaka mansion. Tokiomi devoted a lot of efforts to keep Archer

inside the mansion for Assassin's raid tonight.

"... Does this era please you?"

"Its ugliness is beyond help. But it does hold love as it is.

What is essential is whether there is or not a treasure worthy of my fortune."

Bragging with a cynical smile, Archer gazes at Tokiomi with his red eyes full of divine authority.

"If there is not a single thing worthy of my favor in this world? the price for summoning me in vain will be heavy, Tokiomi."

"Rest assured. The Grail will definitely catch your attention, king of heroes."

Confident, Tokiomi replied without fear.

"That will be mine to decide. ... Well, this is fine. For the time being, I will do as you say. Every treasure in this world is mine. Depending on what kind of treasure this Holy Grail is, I will not overlook mongrels fighting for it."

With that haughty declaration, the king of heroes turned his heels and cancelled his physical form, vanishing like a mist.

"I will be your lion, and I expect to be amused. I will leave the details to you, Tokiomi."

Tokiomi dropped his head at the shadow voice without a shadow. He didn't stop his reverence until the presence of the heroic spirit

had disappeared from the room.

"... Well, well."

The magus sighed deeply when the pressure from the golden man went away.

Servants receive certain skills when a class is attributed for the heroic spirit in the present world. Those skills are abilities such as Assassin's "presence concealment", Caster's "territory creation", Saber's and Rider's "riding". By the same way, a Servant being assigned the class Archer in the present world possesses the unique skill of "independent action".

This ability means he is capable of being severed from the Master supplying prana and act in autonomy; this is useful, for example, if a Master needs to concentrate all of his prana for a single large spell, or if the Master is injured and unable to supply enough prana. Yet on the other hand, it becomes harder for the Master to have the Servant accompany him and be completely under his control.

As an Archer, Gilgamesh's skill of independent action is ranked A. With this alone, he can use Noble Phantasms at will in battle and remain in the present world, without the Master's back-up... But by having this, the king of heroes was able to ignore Tokiomi's inclination and stroll in Fuyuki city as he wished. Constantly apart from each other, Tokiomi can never be aware of his own Servant's whereabouts, and of what he is doing.

Having not a single interest in his own world, Tokiomi cannot understand what amusement a man like the king of heroes

can find by walking around to watch people's lives.

"Anyway, for now, I can have Kirei handle it. Everything is going as planned for the moment."

Snickering, Tokiomi looks down at the garden through the window. The excess of destruction gouged when Assassin crept in made the scene look like it had been bombed.

X X

"Assassin― has been killed?"

Disappointed by how quickly it had ended, Waver Velvet opened his eyes.

Until a moment ago, he was spying over the complete turn in the scene at the Tōsaka mansion, and his vision now comes back to the room he has gotten used to ― on the second floor of the house of the old couple he lives at like a parasite. The image that was behind his eyelids until just then was coming from the vision of a rat familiar. That kind of magecraft is nothing spectacular for Waver.

With the opening of the Grail War, the first step was obviously for Waver to start by observing the Matō and Tōsaka mansions. There is a detached villa owned by the Einsberns in the forest on the outskirts, but the magus from the North

hasn't arrived yet, so there's no reason to observe an empty place.

Nothing had moved yet from both houses, and the Masters were growing tired of waiting, wondering about raiding either the Tōsakas or the Matōs; that was only wishful thinking to ease the observation, but they didn't expect it to actually happen.

"Hey Rider, here's something new. There has been one loss."

The giant, despite being called, was lying there on the floor, and only responded with an "Hmf" void of motivation, not even turning around.

"..."

Waver was downright pissed.

He had been doing nothing but rest his pained muscles all day in his room ―strictly speaking, that was someone else's room, but let's put that detail aside― but Waver couldn't settle down. Even though he had ordered him to go back to spirit form when he wasn't doing anything, Rider had refused, saying he felt "more comfortable in materialized form", and so he has been showing off his giant body all the time. Just dragging on the materialization means a large prana loss for the Master to supply to his Servant; that isn't too much of a problem for Waver, but in those circumstances, Rider is quite unmindful.

Harder to forgive was what Rider was doing while spending Waver's prana, which is... well, nothing, in fact. Even with Waver scorning, he

was just resting, relaxed, nonchalantly picking in a dish and watching a rental video. Can you believe that Servant?

"Hey, you heard me? Assassin got done in. The Holy Grail War is starting!"

"Hmm."

"... Hey"

As Waver was rising his voice with excitation, Rider finally turned around half of his body.

"Yeah, what about some assassin guy? A rat hiding is not much of an enemy."

"..."

"Anyway, boy, what's amazing is that, here."

Rider turns back to face the CTR as he speaks more heatedly. The cassette is playing "an authentic account on the flight force of the world, part 4"... With a mania for military affair, Rider has put his hand on everything related, books, images. Of course, providing all of it is Waver's problem. Otherwise the giant Servant would walk in a library or video store, which isn't fine with the Master.

"There, that big black B2 thingy. It’s wonderful. I'm thinking about buying

ten of those."

"―You could as well immediately buy a country with that money."

Waver spat his answer out of frustration, and Rider made a serious face, moaning "oh yeah..."

"Of course, funds is an important matter... Maybe I should plunder a city rich as Persepolis."

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| Back to [[Fate/Zero:Act_2_Part_3|Act 2, part 3]]
| Return to [[Fate/Zero|Main Page]]
| Forward to [[Fate/Zero:Act_3_Part_1|Act 3, part 1]]
|-
|}
</noinclude>

Fate/Zero:Act 2 Part 1

2007-05-30T12:18:39Z

217.167.235.157: /* 268:22:30 */

=== Act 2 ===

== 268:22:30 ==




Waver had expected the day to end at the peak of triumph with a successful summoning.

After the previous night spent in a fierce battle with the cackling chickens, he had studied in his bed this night, satisfied with the pleasant weariness of accomplishment.

And—

"... How, did this happen?"

A dry wind blowing strongly over the public park of the Shinto area, Waver sat on the bench, curling in the lonely coldness. He still couldn't understand, just how on Earth did my plan go wrong?

The summoning was a success. That was a satisfactory response.

Along with the successful summoning, the status of the invited Servant was still imprinted in Waver's consciousness. He was of the Rider class. Although that isn't one of the three major knights, his

basic abilities still were at a more than average level. Without a doubt, he was a powerful Servant.

The moment he saw the silhouette of the big frame slowly rising from the summoning circle, behind the white smoke. Waver was so exalted he almost came in his pants.

... Thinking about it, the situation had turned for the worse at around that point.

From Waver's knowledge, a "familiar" is the puppet of its summoner.

An existence that can barely survive in the present world by relying on the prana supplied by the magus.

A wooden doll that can be used as the practitioner pleases. That's what a familiar is, essentially. So he had guessed a Servant would be basically the same, more or less.

But that thing that came out of the summoning circle—

Right from the start, Waver's soul was overtaken by the sharpness of the eyes, glowing like a blaze.

The instant the eye contact was made, he had instinctively sensed that the Servant was a mighty one, overwhelmed like a small animal.

The overwhelming presence of the giant blocking his view. From the body odor he picked up, the fragrant of the muscular stature, Waver understood. Nevermind the quibble about him being a ghost or a familiar, he sure is a HUGE guy.

Waver knew that the Heroic Spirits invited by the Grail are not only

free spirits, they gain a material "body" to exist in the present world. But, the cluster of massive muscles that was the actual entity, not a virtual image or a shadow, the feeling of impending threat, was beyond Waver's imagination.

No matter what, Waver hated the great man.

It's not just that Waver was, still, a bit shorter than an average person. Certainly, his body tended to be frail, because he had done nothing but study in his childhood, and had had little time to forge his body, but he didn’t think it was a weakness. Rather, Waver had pride in polishing up his intellect.

But, the truth of such an obvious thing, wouldn't get through the big man's muscles. No matter what, the time lag before such a game with a rock for a soul would lift his fist and swing it down is way too short. There is no time to expand into a discussion however brief, and there is also no future in using magecraft.

That is— once he is approached by the fist of that pack of muscles.

"... So, I'm asking you. You must be my Master, right?"

"Hah?"

That was the big man's second question. A booming voice that could

shake up the Earth.

He had been overpowered beyond his senses from the first question asked with a voice you couldn't fail to hear.

"Ah— Yes! I-I-I-I'm, I mean, I am! I am your Master, I'm called Wa, Waver Velvet! I mean, that's my name! I'm your Master!!"

Though it really was useless in more than one way, Waver stuck to bluffing with all his might to stand up to the muscles in front of him. ... Even so, he felt dominated already by the physique of the unaware giant.

"Hm, then the contract is complete. So, boy, can you lead me to some archives immediately?"

"Hah?"

Waver was blown out of his mind for the second time.

"Some books, I'm saying! Books."

The giant Servant repeated himself gloomily, leaning toward Waver, stretching a strong arm that looked like the root of a pine tree.

I'm going to be killed— Waver immediately thought, feeling like he was floating. The giant had seized his neck and carelessly lifted him. Waver hadn't noticed until then that he had fallen flat on the ground. He realized that was the reason his interlocutor had, mid-way, started looking even more like a giant.

"If you are one of those magi, you should be able to provide some archive? Now, show me

around. We need to prepare for war."

"W, war... ?"

Now that the giant mentioned it, Waver simply had totally forgotten about the Holy Grail war.

Having lived as a blatant freeloader in a private house, Waver had no kind of archive, and reluctantly led Rider to the library.

The central library of the city of Fuyuki was in the public park in the Shinto area still under construction. Frankly, it felt awkward to walk through the city in the middle of the night —with the recent strange murder case, the police frequently announced a state of emergency— Waver felt that what the big muscles in front of him could do was a bigger crisis than being questioned by the patrolling police.

Fortunately, as soon as they came out of the grove, the giant turned invisible.

That must be an ability the Servants have, to go into spirit form. Waver felt relieved as he wouldn't look suspicious walking along a big man with armored cloth, but he still felt the pressure of being followed by that overbearing presence.


Luckily, they didn't meet anyone when crossing the big bridge of Fuyuki into the Shinto area; reaching the public park, Waver pointed at the modern architecture in the back.

"There should be as many books as you want over there."

Then, the oppression that was weighing on Waver softly went away. Apparently, Rider was entering the building in spirit form.

―And so, it had been 30 minutes since he had been left behind. Released from the threat he didn’t comprehend, he was finally able to calmly sort his thoughts.

"... How, did this happen?"

Waver buried his head in his hands, remembering his shameful behavior from earlier. However powerful, the Servant is his contractor. As the Master, Waver is the one who has to seize leadership.

The Servant Waver had summoned definitely was strong. That was a given, considering the history of the relic he had stolen from Kayneth.

Heroic spirit Iskandar. Also known as Alexander or Alexandros.

The reason he was known under several names depending on the pronunciation of the land, was that he was the heroic "King of conquerors". Succeeding to the throne of Macedonia at only 20, leading the ancient Greece in an invasion on Persia, then through Egypt, up to western India

during the great "eastern campaigns", reaching the success of a great hero in barely 10 years. He literally is the "great king" who built the era known as the Hellenistic civilization.

Even though he is such a great man amongst great men, once he is summoned as a Servant, he cannot oppose his Master. The first reason to this is that in the present world, he depends on Waver. If Waver ever stops supplying him with prana for him to remain in the present era, he will have no choice but to disappear.

There is a reason why all Servants answer the summoning of a Master― that is, why they participate in the Holy Grail War alongside their Master. Namely, just like the Masters, they want the Grail. Hoping to get that wish-granting machine, they also have to fight until only one remains, so that they will obtain the grace of the Grail along with the Master they accompany. In other words, the cooperation between the Master and the Servant is natural.

Furthermore, the Masters also hold the trump card that are the Command Seals.

All three seals can be used one by one for 3 absolute orders. That is what defines the relationship between the Servant and the Master. The Servant cannot oppose an order from the Command Seals, even if it is something as unreasonable as an order to self-destruct. That is the

central point of the contract system made up by one of the "three families of the beginning", the Makiris.

On the other hand, the Master who uses up all 3 of his Command Seals is exposed to the danger of rebellion from his Servant; but it is a risk that can be avoided if the Master acts carefully.

Yes, as long as the Command Seals are carved on this hand― suppressing the irritation in his stomach, Waver, in a trance, stared at his right hand, chuckling― he might be a huge mass of muscles, but he has no reason to oppose the magus Waver Velvet.

As soon as that Servant comes back, I must tell that inviolable rule to his face...

Suddenly, while Waver was thinking, a breaking sound heartily roared.

"Hih!?"

Jumping out of surprise, he turned around as the closed shutter of the library hall were being distorded and torn off. The one who was calmly walking there, materialized under the moonlight, was none other than Waver's Servant, Rider.

With how dark the forest had been, this was actually the first time he could clearly see how he looked in this light.

His height easily exceeded 2 meters. His unprotected arms and thighs spread out

from his bronze armor, and from the size of the muscles all over his body, he looked like he could kill a bear with his bare hands. On his sternly chiseled features, there were eyes with a dazzling glow, and burning red hair and beard. The thick mantle dyed in a similar red, with fringes like his cuffs, was luxuriously decorated, looking just like a curtain wrapping the stage of a theater.

The magnificent posture of that big man in front of the modern library made a somewhat funny combination, but Waver took no interest in that as the alarms resounding like a shrill got him ready to flee.

"Idiot! Stupid, stupid, stupid! What were you thinking, kicking the shutters like that! Why aren't you in spirit form like when you entered!?"

Rider strangely smiled out of good humor, holding out two books at the defiant Waver.

"I couldn't pick up this when in spirit form, could I."

The books were one with a thick hardcover and a thin one. Apparently Rider had taken them from the library. But his Master couldn't afford to disturb public order for something so trivial.

"Don't be slow! Run! We have to run!"

"How unsightly to be that flustered. You look like a thief or something."


"What thief, what's wrong with you!"

Rider was astonished by the threat in Waver's yell.

"You're greatly misunderstanding. Those who run away under cover of the night are night burglars. Walking away victoriously is what the king of conquerors does after looting."

You just can't discuss with him, Waver thought, scratching at his head madly. At any rate, Rider apparently wanted to parade through the night with those two books, looking like a suspicious cosplayer, with no intention of turning back to spirit form.

At the end of his wits, Waver rushed to Rider, picking the two books from his hand.

"You're done, now, right!? Now disappear! Disappear right now! Disappear immediately!"

"Ooh, then I'll leave this to you. You don't have to repeat yourself like that."

Satisfied, Rider nodded then became invisible again.

But Waver still couldn't feel relieved. The alarm of the library had to reach some security firm. You wouldn't know how long it would take for security guards to rush in.

Oh, what the heck, who cares.

"Aah, damn― How― did this happen, man!?"

Waver didn't know how many times he had lamented like that this night, but he just ran

like hell.

X X

When he reached the promenade on the border of the broad bridge of Fuyuki, he felt he had run enough to be safe.

"Ha―, ha―, ha―, ..."

As someone who usually neglected himself, Waver felt his heart was on the verge of bursting from running such a hellish distance. Without the strength to even stand up, he kneels on the roadside― and takes another look at the books Rider took from the library.

"... An anthology of Homer's poetry? And... A world map? Why?"

The luxurious book in a hardcover was from the famous poet of the ancient Greece. The other thin book was a color print you would use for school.

From behind a puzzled Waver, a stern arm suddenly stretched out to pick the atlas by the fingertips.


Once again with a physical body, Rider heavily sat down cross-legged on the road, and, in a clatter, started to turn the pages of the atlas taken back from Waver.

"Hey Rider, when you mentioned preparations for war..."

"You can't start a war without a map. Isn't it obvious?"

Apparently pleased, Rider's face opens in a grin, and he stares at the content of the atlas.

"Apparently the end of the world has been discovered, and it even rolls up in a sphere... I see, that's what we have when we draw the round Earth on paper..."

As far as Waver knows, when a heroic spirit is summoned as a Servant by the Grail, they receive the minimum information so that their knowledge doesn't conflict with the current era. That means that even this ancient one should understand that the Earth is round. So Waver couldn't quite understand why Rider had acted like a thief to get something like a map.

"So... Hey boy, where are Macedonia and Persia?"

"..."

Waver felt discouraged at Rider's usual arrogance in calling his Master "boy" instead of saying his name; still, he pointed his finger at a part of the Atlas. At that moment―


―

"Wahhahhahaha!!"

Waver was again dumbstruck by Rider's excited burst of laughter.

"Hahahah! That's small! Only that on such a big Earth! Hm, good! I was worried by an era where there is no unknown land anymore... But if it's that big, then I'm fine!"

Suitable for his big frame, Rider's laughing voice was grand. Waver felt he'd rather face an earthquake or a tornado than oppose a man of that size.

"Good, good! I'm excited! ... And us, boy, where are we on this map?"

Nervously, Waver pointed Japan at the far East. Rider gave a groan of admiration, and,

"Hoho―h, at the opposite of the round Earth... Hm. That too is very pleasing. Our objective is even clearer, then."

Grimly stroking his chin, he gave a satisfied nod.

"... Objective?"

"First we go halfway around the globe. Westward, straight west. We take over all the countries on the way. Upon

my triumphal return in Macedonia, I will make all the people in my land celebrate my revival. Fufhuhu. How do you like that?"

Dumbstruck for a moment, Waver roared still dizzy from anger.

"What the hell did you come here for! The Grail War, the Grail!"

Rider sighed, bored by Waver's threatening attitude.

"But that’s just the outset. What's the fuss about―"

Rider sounded as if it had only just now occurred to him.

"Right, the Grail, I should have asked about that first. Boy, what would you do of the Grail?"

Unable to read Rider's slow tone, Waver felt a chill he couldn’t describe.

"... Why the change? Why do you ask?"

"I need to make sure of it. In case you too want to conquer the world, then that'll make you my enemy, right? There is no need for two supreme rulers."

It was highly unreasonable of the Servant to say that so carelessly over his shoulder, almost turning his back to the Master and his Command Seals; yet Waver shuddered violently from the hints of cruelty in the big man's audacious voice. The overwhelming fear made him forget his fundamental superiority as a Master.


"Th, that's stupid! The world, I don't..."

Choking until then, Waver suddenly remembers the necessity of keeping his dignity.

"Conquering the world― Fuh, I have no interest in such a vulgar goal!"

"Hoh?"

Rider’s expression completely changed, staring at Waver with great interest.

"Do you mean that there is an aspiration greater than wanting the world for a young man? That's interesting. Do tell me."

Waver sneered, then, with all his courage, started speaking haughtily.

"I... What I wish for, is only to be judged equitably. To renew the impression of my colleagues at the Clock Tower, who never acknowledged my talent―"

Before he could finish speaking, an unequalled shock hit Waver.

Roughly at the same time, he heard Rider roar in his loud voice "That's small!", but the shock and the roar were so equally strong that Waver couldn't tell the difference.

In fact, Rider hadn't particularly put more strength than for slapping a mosquito; but that was too strong for the short and fragile magus, and Waver spun like a top then collapsed

on the ground.

"Small! That's puny! Ridiculous! Is that all the ambition you would risk your life in battle for? And you're my Master? That’s really sad!"

As if he couldn't accept it, Rider proclaimed so to the magus with an amazed expression, far from anger but practically lamenting.

"a― uh―"

Waver had never been confronted with such straightforwardness and violence. Being hit by the truth struck Waver's pride even more than the pain of his cheek.

Waver's lips shook with rage, the color drained from his face, but Rider didn't give it any consideration at all.

"If you want respect from others so much, right... I'll tell you boy, use the power of the Grail to grow by a good 30 centimeters. When you'll have a higher view over things, yeah, you will be looking at most people from above."

"You... you... u"

That was the greatest humiliation to him. More than rage, Waver felt dizzy as if suffering from anaemia, his whole body trembling.


<noinclude>
{| border="1" cellpadding="5" cellspacing="0" style="margin: 1em 1em 1em 0; background: #f9f9f9; border: 1px #aaaaaa solid; padding: 0.2em; border-collapse: collapse;"
|-
| Back to [[Fate/Zero:Act_1_Part_5|Act 1, part 5]]
| Return to [[Fate/Zero|Main Page]]
| Forward to [[Fate/Zero:Act_2_Part_2|Act 2, part 2]]
|-
|}
</noinclude>

Fate/Zero

2007-03-28T14:23:57Z

217.167.235.157: /* Fate/Zero by (Author?) */

== Update ==

== Fate/Zero by Nasu Kinoko & Urobuchi Gen ==

:Prologue
::*[[Fate/Zero:Prologue_1|8 years ago]]
::*[[Fate/Zero:Prologue_2|3 years ago]]
::*[[Fate/Zero:Prologue_3|1 year ago]]
:Act 1
::Chapter 1
::Chapter 2
::Chapter 3
::Chapter 4
::Chapter 5
:Act 2
::Chapter 1
::Chapter 2
::Chapter 3
::Chapter 4
:Act 3
::Chapter 1
::Chapter 2
::Chapter 3
::Chapter 4
::Chapter 5
:Act 4
::Chapter 1
::Chapter 2
::Chapter 3
::Chapter 4
:Postface
::1
::2

== Translators ==

== Editors ==

Fate/Zero

2007-03-28T14:21:43Z

217.167.235.157: /* Fate/Zero by (Author?) */

== Update ==

== Fate/Zero by (Author?) ==

:Prologue
::*[[Fate/Zero:Prologue_1|8 years ago]]
::*[[Fate/Zero:Prologue_2|3 years ago]]
::*[[Fate/Zero:Prologue_3|1 year ago]]
:Act 1
::Chapter 1
::Chapter 2
::Chapter 3
::Chapter 4
::Chapter 5
:Act 2
::Chapter 1
::Chapter 2
::Chapter 3
::Chapter 4
:Act 3
::Chapter 1
::Chapter 2
::Chapter 3
::Chapter 4
::Chapter 5
:Act 4
::Chapter 1
::Chapter 2
::Chapter 3
::Chapter 4
:Postface
::1
::2

== Translators ==

== Editors ==