Fate/Apocrypha Vol 2 Chapter 2.04

VOLUME 2

Chapter 2

Ch2-4

The fired arrow hit just as planned. But the target hadn’t moved as planned. Without lowering his bow, Archer loaded his next arrow.

“Did you succeed?”

Archer shook his head at the question of his Master, Fiore.

“No. Unfortunately, Saber dodged the attack just now. She really does deserve to be called a member of the strongest class.”

“And Assassin—?”

“Assassin avoided a fatal blow as well. Though I did manage to inflict a wound on her.”

Sighișoara’s famous clock tower boasted of being the tallest building in the city, with a height of sixty-four meters, and, just as one could see nearly the entire town from atop it, the tower was visible from everywhere in town.

It consisted of a central spire surrounded by four smaller spires. Above even the tower’s highest hallway, Archer and Fiore stood on an outcropping so small that it that couldn’t even be called a thin foothold.

The reason Archer was able to calmly stand somewhere that normal people wouldn’t be able to endure for even a few seconds was probably due to his innate sense of balance. It was nothing to be surprised about for someone of his caliber.

The problem was his Master, Fiore. Her legs were disabled due to the effect of her degenerated Magic Circuits. Normally she was incapable of standing, and the foothold wasn’t wide enough to hold her wheelchair either. In spite of that, she was on that foothold. However, she wasn’t standing.

Her feet were suspended in midair. Long metal arms were extending out from her back and supporting her body on the small foothold.

“—Master. It appears that Assassin of Black has decided to retreat.”

“Then we’ll move on to fight Saber of Red just as planned. Archer, please face Saber. I’ll fight with her Master Shishigou Kairi.”

If possible, she wished they could have killed both Assassin of Black and Saber of Red together with that last attack. If one were to ask which they prioritized between Assassin of Black and Saber of Red, the answer would naturally be Saber. Now that they had lost their camp’s Saber, she was a Servant that they absolutely wanted to take down here and now.

“Master. Please don’t overextend yourself.”

“Yes… I know.”

By Archer’s judgement, Saber’s Master Shishigou Kairi and his own Master Fiore were nearly even in ability. Shishigou was superior when it came to experience and Fiore was superior when it came to sense. The only remaining factor was how calmly either of them could deal with this battle situation.

Saber’s angry gaze pierced Archer. Her exposed face was surprisingly young and beautiful. But Archer, having seen many heroes, could tell. She definitely had the disposition of a hero.

Feeling a sense of exaltation as if the bottom of his stomach was ablaze—Archer smiled bitterly. It appeared that he himself was still a green youth. Or perhaps it was due to being summoned in the form from his heyday. As he was now, Archer leaned toward recklessness so much that it surprised even him.

Saber exchanged a glance with her Master Shishigou for just an instant, and then immediately charged in Archer’s direction. It wouldn’t take her even ten seconds to reach the clock tower.

Fiore matched her and headed towards Shishigou while circumventing Saber’s path.

Saber’s gaze turned towards Fiore for an instant. Instantly, Archer fired his nocked arrow at her to deter her from doing anything to Fiore.

Saber cut down the arrow with a single stroke. That seemed to decide Saber’s mind. Without glancing at Fiore any further, she charged straight at Archer—

Chapter end