When I was a child, I dreamed of being a hero of justice.
What do you mean, "dreamed"? Did you give up?
Yes, unfortunately...
Being a hero is a limited-time thing.
And when you grow up, it's difficult to call yourself one.
I wish it hadn't taken me so long to realize that.
I see.
Guess you can't help it now, then.
Yes...
I really can't.
Yeah.
Since you can't, I'll become one for you.
You're an adult now, so it's too late for you, but I can do it.
Just leave your dream to me.
All right.
I feel better...
Well, what was the urgent errand from Kuzuki-sensei?
#05 Dancing After School
I don't know.
All she said was,
"I have to finish the errand Kuzuki-sensei asked me to do tonight or else.
So, Sakura-chan and Saber-chan, try to get along."
She didn't go into detail. She just left...
Jeez, she's the one who suggested you stay over, and she splits.
But it's okay. It gave me a chance to chat with Saber-san about things.
Yes, Sakura and I understand one another.
Come on, I'll be fine.
There will be a lot of people at school.
Besides, didn't you say yesterday that school was safe?
Shirou, that was yesterday. It doesn't mean that it's still safe today.
If you're gonna talk like that, I won't ever be able to go anywhere.
Anyway, you need to conserve your mana, so get some rest.
Very well, if that is your decision, Master.
But if you run into an emergency situation, use a Command Seal.
I will. See you later.
Hey.
What? Do I have something on my face?
Self-Study
Student Council Room
Issei, aren't you going to eat lunch?
I'll eat later.
I just want to sleep now...
Hmm? Did you stay up all night?
No, I just haven't been sleeping well lately.
Issei, someone's here.
I don't care! Tell them the student council is closed!
It's Kuzuki-sensei.
Ryuudou, I need to speak to you.
Yes, sir.
Then she hasn't gone home, either?
I understand.
Pardon the intrusion. I felt I should inform you, as school is likely to end early.
Yes, sir.
What was that about?
Hey, Issei?
Well, you're not exactly an outsider, so I guess it's okay for you to hear this.
Late last night, a family called the faculty office,
reporting that their daughter hadn't come home from archery club practice.
Based on what they learned from the other club members,
they determined that Shinji was the last one to talk to the missing student.
Shinji?
But Shinji wasn't at practice yesterday.
Apparently, a first-year student forgot something at the dojo,
and when he came back for it, he saw Shinji and the missing student arguing.
We tried to confirm this with Shinji.
But he's absent today, and no one's been able to reach him.
Don't keep me in suspense, Issei.
Who's the missing student?
Mitsuzuri Ayako,
the captain of the archery team.
Did you notice anything odd about Shinji's behavior yesterday?
I'm sorry, Senpai.
I haven't seen him very often lately, either.
That's right. You wouldn't know anything.
Sorry, I shouldn't have asked you that.
No, that's not true.
I know my brother better than anyone.
It's nothing for you to worry about.
See you.
All after-school club meetings are canceled today.
The library will also be closed.
Students with no urgent business are asked to leave school grounds at once.
I repeat...
If you're looking for Ayako-chan, she's home sick today.
Oh, thanks.
If Mitsuzuri comes tomorrow, don't mention this, okay?
Okay...
Tohsaka?
Unbelievable.
Are you crazy, coming to school without your Servant?
What choice did I have?
Saber can't dematerialize, so I can't bring her.
Then stay home from school.
A Master strolling around without his Servant
may as well be holding a sign that reads, "Please kill me."
Emiya-kun, do you have any idea how big an idiot you are?
Idiot?
Masters don't fight with other people around, right?
So school should be perfectly safe.
Then tell me this...
Do you see any others here?
Huh?
Finally sinking in, I see.
Seriously, this morning, I went from exasperated to pissed.
"After all I told him, why is he doing everything he can to get himself killed?"
A Magic Crest...
Yes, this is the incarnation of the magic passed down in my family.
Simply by passing mana through it, I can invoke any spell etched here.
I've sent Archer away.
The Gandr Shot here will suffice for you.
Gandr? Isn't that just a simple Nordic curse?
That's right... A perfectly simple curse.
W-Wait, Tohsaka!
Are you crazy? We're at school!
If we make a scene, someone might come!
I'll worry about that when it happens.
My policy is not to miss an opportunity when it presents itself.
Sorry, Emiya-kun, but I'll deal with you now.
Besides, if you keep bumbling around like today, I don't think my nerves can take it.
Wait, damn it!
I don't want to fight you—
Even if you don't, I do!
Just prepare yourself, Shirou!
That was Gandr?
It's different from what I know! Are you trying to kill me?!
I thought I made that clear!
Hold it right there!
Ow...
You could really hurt someone with those things!
If you don't like pain, stand still!
I'll finish you off quickly!
If they hit a vital spot, you'll die instantly!
That doesn't sound like a mercy killing!
Shut up! Then quit running around!
I'm getting worked up because my target won't stand still!
Oh, crap...
Das Schließen Vogelkäfig... Echo!
She put up a Bounded Field!
Fixierung, Eilesalve!
Trace on!
Huh?
She's out of mana?
So you finally came out, Emiya-kun?
Put down that silly weapon.
You don't have a chance of winning, Emiya-kun.
I won't know until I try.
Oh?
This is your final warning.
Put down your weapon, and give me your Command Seals.
At worst, I'll strip the nerves from your arm, but better to lose those than your life.
No, I cannot give you the Command Seals!
That's no different from telling me to betray Saber.
I see.
I'll give you three seconds.
It's your life, so it's your decision.
That's three seconds. Emiya-kun, what's your decision?
Tohsaka, was that...
A scream?
Wait, Emiya-kun!
It looks like she's just unconscious.
She isn't just unconscious! Can't you see she's been drained dry?
Drained dry?
Of her mana... Her life force, if you like.
She hardly has any blood left.
If we don't do something, she'll die.
Die? Hey, Tohsaka...
I should be able to stabilize her with this gem.
Tohsaka, look out!
Wh-What is that?
Why did you...
I mean, you're bleeding... You're bleeding badly!
D-Doesn't that hurt?
It hurts... It hurts like you wouldn't believe.
Tohsaka, take care of her.
Wha—
A Servant!
She vanished?
I'm surprised. You aren't going to use a Command Seal?
Sorry, I don't have many left.
Ah.
Unlike my Master, you possess courage.
In that case, I will take a different tack.
I shall give you a merciful death.
Compared to the other Servants, you aren't very impressive.
You don't pack any punch.
No, this is the end for you.
You were at my mercy all along.
Now, then... What was that amusing thing you were saying?
Something about my being inferior to other Servants?
That won't do at all.
I'll start by plucking out those eyes that were so dearly mistaken.
Then I'll move on to your remaining limbs.
Emiya-kun, are you all right?
W-We have to stop this bleeding!
Emiya-kun, do you have anything I can wrap it with?
Uh... Oh, I have a handkerchief.
Sakura always prepares them for me.
Like minds, huh?
But it's better than nothing.
Together with my towel, we can make do.
So, that woman was a Servant?
Yeah. She attacked out of nowhere.
Don't look at me like that.
I couldn't tell who it was, but doesn't that mean there's another Master here besides us?
They finally made their move, huh?
Okay, I've patched you up for now.
Tohsaka, what happened with that girl?
She's better. I think she's out of the woods.
Oh...
That's good.
Why are you staring at me like that?
J-Just so you know, I'd never do something like that!
Listen, I know.
You'd never do that.
I'm talking about our fight.
Want to keep at it?
Tohsaka? I mean...
What do you want to do?
I don't want to. Let's call it a day.
For one thing, I owe you again.
Okay, let's go.
We need to get your wound treated.
Please bear it until we get to my place.
Your place?
Put simply, there's another Master at school,
doing what was done to that girl again and again.
Why would they do that?
To win the Holy Grail War, of course.
Their plan is to sacrifice the students to strengthen their own Servant.
Are they nuts?
Who knows? But there's already a Bounded Field around the school.
Once it's activated, everyone inside will probably weaken and die.
Emiya-kun...
Coming from me, you might reject this,
but I think we should call a truce.
A truce? Between you and me?
I want to deal with this other Master first.
So until then, want to call a truce and help me track them down?
Well? Personally, I think it's a good deal.
Sure, I'll feel better about my chances with your help.
I'm not really helping you. We've simply agreed to a ceasefire.
But as long as you don't betray me, I'll assist you, Emiya-kun.
So you're on my side for good, then. Let's do our best, Tohsaka.
It won't be quite that long, but try to make yourself useful.
Now I understand.
You aren't a legitimate heir.
Your father died before he could pass his Magic Crest on to you.
I'm not so sure...
He was always against my becoming a mage.
Isn't that contradictory?
Maybe.
It always seemed like Dad only taught me because I refused to give up.
In the end, he only taught me strengthening magic,
so that's all I can use.
Hold on... Why would you tell me that?
Tohsaka?
Look, Emiya-kun, we might be partners for the time being,
but mages should always keep their arts secret.
What's the point of hiding it now?
Dad always said that magic isn't something you should go out of your way to hide.
He really said that?
Yeah, I think he was trying to say to not let myself be bound by rules.
He always said to quit if I wanted to.
That's ridiculous! Your father was no mage!
If he trained you, I can't recognize you as a mage!
Why are you mad?
I know I can't call myself a mage, but my dad was the real deal.
That's not what I mean.
I'm trying to say...
Well...
Yeah, I do have a problem with your lack of training.
What can I do? My old man's dead.
Yeah, that's the inherent limit of a single mage.
Mages never know when they'll die, so they leave behind a Magic Crest.
I was just angry at your father for not taking the proper steps to prepare.
Magic is the culmination of lifetimes of work,
handed down from parent to child, for generation after generation.
The instant a child is born into a mage family,
that child becomes heir and successor.
That's the reason we're born, and it's what we die for.
A mage family's duty is to take the human child they gave birth to
and turn it into something else, over long years of rigorous training.
That's why your father was no mage, Emiya-kun.
He put being a father ahead of being a mage.
Is this Ryuudou Temple?
Please don't be so stiff, Emiya.
All the people in this town belong to me.
Although I am inexperienced, I am still a mage.
Next Time Mirage
If you wish to pass, then force your way through.