Everyone's Schemes

"Good work, Leonidas."

The frozen surface restored peace to the battlefield. Due to the shockwaves caused by the clash between the two Servants, the refrozen ice field was jagged and uneven, looking thoroughly dangerous.

Abner's prized castle had been struck by a peculiar beam attack, but it was only equivalent to a D-rank Noble Phantasm. To Abner, such an attack was hardly worth mentioning.

The only damage that beam cannon had caused was coating the outer walls of Abner's Ice Castle in a layer of black scorch marks. It looked ugly, but that was all.

It had not even managed to melt those translucent outer walls.

Inside the castle, Leonidas rolled his arms as he swung his spear through one arc after another. He seemed to be venting his boiling blood.

A satisfied smile showed on the face of that muscular giant. His young, proud features and clear eyes, blazing like fierce flames, radiated such heat that Abner did not know what to do.

Considering Leonidas's intense hatred of magecraft, Abner had not used much magical healing beyond restoring the fatal wound through his heart with a Command Spell. Leonidas had not asked him to do anything else, and the bleeding wound on his thigh had now healed, leaving only a pale brown scar.

Had he only just noticed Abner approaching? Leonidas seemed to come to a realization as his eyes locked onto Abner.

"Yo, Abner. Did you see that? The way Spartans fight."

"Yeah. It stirred the soul."

Abner made no effort to hide the excitement on his face.

That fearless, head-on style of combat was enough to make anyone's blood boil just by watching it. It made him itch to don armor himself, take up sword and shield, and fight the enemy to the death. He now somewhat understood how those young people in the cinema earlier that day had felt, their chests overflowing with hot blood.

Besides, Leonidas and Lu Bu were both peerless warriors, masters of the art of battle. If it had been two Berserkers hacking at each other instead, it probably would not have been nearly as thrilling.

"So, was the result what you expected?"

Leonidas laughed boldly, his lips curling into a confident grin. Though it sounded like a question, the confidence overflowing from his words made it clear that he was certain he had satisfied Abner.

"Yes, very much so."

Sure enough, Abner acknowledged it. He nodded, his golden hair tracing a gentle arc, then lightly inclined his body in a noble salute to Leonidas.

Tonight's operation had one purpose: to let every Master know, "Lancer Leonidas is invincible. Therefore, if you want to take down our pair, come target me, Abner."

However, Assassin's earlier actions had proven something else: Abner himself did not seem to be in this castle. This castle was a trap.

That made sense. What Magus would openly stroll down the street with a materialized Servant while radiating magical energy? Was that not practically telling everyone, "Come follow me?"

Put those two conditions together, and it was not hard to reach a simple conclusion: this castle was a trap, and Abner was elsewhere.

Then, once they found Abner's second workshop, they would face another choice. Was Abner so clever that he had prepared three hideouts like a cunning rabbit? Or was the most dangerous place the safest place?

The smarter the person, the more they thought.

That was precisely the effect Abner wanted.

As for the conclusion? It did not matter.

Which side was the trap and which was real did not matter.

That did not depend on Abner, but on the attackers.

It seemed Abner intended to fight this positional war to the bitter end.

And besides...

Abner smiled faintly and raised a hand to pinch the gray suit he wore.

A closer look would reveal that it was not fabric. Under the hazy moonlight, the suit shone with a metallic gleam.

This was mercury, also known as quicksilver—a fluid metal rare in nature.

Abner's magecraft was Precision Manipulation of fluids, so naturally, mercury was within his range of control.

Furthermore, Volumen Hydrargyrum, the Mystic Code that Lord El-Melloi II's teacher, Lord El-Melloi II, had been so proud of, was a Mystic Code constructed from mercury. It possessed formidable offensive and defensive power. Abner had incorporated it into his own magical theory and built his Mercury Mystic Code.

If some fool of a Servant truly came after him, it would not be an exaggeration to say that even if Lu Bu reached Abner himself, he was absolutely confident he could escape unscathed.

Tonight, Leonidas's fierce battle had already been enough to convey that information to every Master watching him.

"And now... how many fish will take the bait?"

Abner smiled faintly, but then his brow tightened...

Tohsaka Mina... where was she now? What was she doing?

Please don't let anything happen to her...

"Master! You bastard!"

Roughly two kilometers outside Abner's castle, the crimson rider angrily set down his Master. Lu Bu's otherwise ordinary face twisted heavily with fury, and raging flames seemed ready to burst from his eyes.

This was an empty park. At this late hour, the only people wandering through a park were probably couples. Unfortunately, due to Asagi's particular circumstances, there were pitifully few couples around.

As if startled by Lu Bu's thunderous voice, Tohsaka Mina shuddered like a kitten, trembling all over.

Then, as if remembering that she was the Master, she forced herself to raise her brows and summon a bit of authority from within, retorting, "Y-you're the one who should think about it! His Noble Phantasm was EX-ranked! EX! And after you pierced his heart, all his abilities became EX-ranked! You couldn't beat him! Besides, if his heart was destroyed, it should have been fine to just leave him alone, right?"

Lu Bu agreed with every word Tohsaka Mina had said.

Her methods as a Magus might have been somewhat immature, but anyone who was not an idiot could have figured out that information.

Leonidas's own strength truly was inferior to Lu Bu's.

But that ability that made him stronger the more wounded he became was truly troublesome. A Servant like that could only be destroyed in one blow while his body was still intact. Someone like Lu Bu, who fought enemies head-on in direct combat, was completely countered by Leonidas!

However, if he tried to carry out that plan, Leonidas's EX-rank Endurance would become the greatest obstacle...

That Servant practically had the words "headache-inducing" written all over him.

Still, since his heart had already been pierced, Lu Bu also felt that Leonidas's death was only a matter of time. At the very least, he would not have to worry about encountering Leonidas again in the future.

So here was the problem...

When one person was completely right, would the other person admit it?

"Hah? Don't be stupid! I'm Lu Fengxian, unrivaled under heaven! That guy? Hmph, even with a Noble Phantasm, he wasn't my match! Relying on strength to bully the weak—what kind of hero does that make?!"

Lu Bu furiously retorted. His already imposing expression turned terrifying as his eyes widened in rage and his face contorted. Tohsaka Mina was startled again. Her legs, already trembling from the magical exhaustion of projecting the Sword in the Stone, could no longer support her. She stumbled back several steps before barely managing to steady herself.

That was right. Lu Bu could not accept that conclusion.

Even though he himself knew that Tohsaka Mina was completely right, and that he truly was inferior to Leonidas.

Even though he himself knew that retreating decisively at that moment had been the correct choice.

Even though he himself knew that the only way to escape EX-rank Agility was to use a Command Spell to enhance his Servant's speed.

But what he needed was not correctness. He needed an outlet.

Consumed by rage, he had to find someone to vent his anger on. When a person was furious, correct reasoning would not extinguish that anger. Instead, it would only add fuel to the fire and provoke defiance. Lu Bu stubbornly argued with Tohsaka Mina, placing all the blame on his Master's poor judgment.

That could not solve the problem.

But it could make him feel better.

(Besides!)

Lu Bu muttered inwardly.

(This is the Master's fault! I didn't lose to that musclehead! It's the Master's fault! His Master could freeze a river, so he was definitely a first-rate Magus. And his ability parameters, too... but my Master... Hmph. If I had a first-rate Magus for a Master, I'd definitely be stronger than that guy!)

At that thought, a scorching ghostly flame quietly rose in Lu Bu's heart.

(A first-rate... Master?)

His gaze slid toward Tohsaka Mina, who was gritting her teeth in his arms, wanting to argue yet on the verge of tears. His valiant eyes moved from her beautiful golden hair to her crimson coat and ample chest.

(Heh... forget it. Better wait for now. If I rebel too casually, people might think Lu Fengxian is dangerous... White Gate Tower... I don't want to go through that a second time...)