Half an hour later, New City.
Several fully enclosed black Hummer SUVs barreled down Route Three, kicking up thick clouds of dust. They passed through remote paths and drove into the dense forest.
As the engines shut off and the doors opened, Samael, who had arrived first, stepped over the dead branches and fallen leaves covering the ground and gazed darkly at the father and daughter surrounded by several Slaughter Soldiers in an open clearing.
Koyanskaya, the Princess, Scathach, Bazett, Artoria, and the others stepped out of the vehicles in turn, intentionally or otherwise adopting guarded stances as they remained wary of both what lay before them and their surroundings.
The two in the clearing wore tattered clothes, their bodies covered in scratches from branches and numerous cuts and stab wounds from sharp blades. The blood at the corners of their mouths had even dried into reddish stains.
Clearly, their journey here had not been easy.
Samael seemed to understand at once. The clues had mostly confirmed the suspicions in his heart. He composed himself and approached the pair as the leader of the Church's Seven Riders.
"We meet again, you two from the Reizenkan Family."
Before the Reizenkan head could think of an opening or carefully choose his words, the forthright Mishaya Reikokukan rushed forward and raised her head, coldly meeting the man's gaze.
"You want the Holy Grail too?"
"More or less..."
Samael neither confirmed nor denied it, then stated his objective bluntly.
"To be honest, I'm more interested in the remnants of Enzworth and the whereabouts of the woman behind you."
He had heard enough barbed words wrapped in pleasantries to know how exhausting they could be. He did not dislike this kind of straightforward negotiation, especially when there was no time to beat around the bush.