It was a rough night, but in the end, Daisuke managed to survive. It sucked that he couldn't see Edward in action without risking his life, but judging by the retreat of the other Servants that were there, it appeared that Berserker was truly a force to be reckoned with. It was to be expected, considering Berserker was one of the stronger classes, but it was still surprising all things considered. Daisuke was expecting someone less... coherent than Edward, given the level of power he had. And Edward seemed a little too mana efficient - was he supplementing his intake of mana somehow?

Daisuke wasn't too bothered by this line of thought as he walked home. He had managed to survive a very dangerous area, with minimal mana expenditure and only a single confrontation with an enemy Master. She left before Daisuke had a chance to explain his neutrality in the war, but that was probably a good thing. The less time he spent around other Masters during this war, the better. Eventually, Daisuke and Edward managed to make their way back to their home base, and the young master was quick to relax. He wasn't as tired as he expected, given he performed a Servant summoning ritual and engaged in mass combat for a brief time. Daisuke planned on asking Edward how he managed to keep his maintenance costs as low as he did the next day since it seemed extremely useful going forwards.

Daisuke entered his apartment, placed his Tome on the foyer's pedestal, and prepared for bed. His nighttime ritual was usually an extended affair, involving a refreshing bath and careful skincare maintenance - in addition to feeding his favorite familiars, of course. It was a stressful night, however, and Daisuke did not feel like going through so much effort. Instead, he simply got into bed, and slept for the night, completely oblivious to the fact that Assassin had tracked him and his Servant back to their home.

---

The next morning, Daisuke awoke with a long yawn and overdramatic stretching motion. The stress from the prior night was completely gone, and he was feeling renewed. Today was going to be a good day - hell, maybe he wouldn't even see any other Masters tonight! Thus began the usual morning ritual. Daisuke brushed his teeth, took a morning cold shower to wake up and help his hair and skin, applied all the hair products he needed to keep his kingly mane looking perfectly pedicured, and went to feed his Familiars.

He froze in his tracks when he saw that the pedestal, normally proudly displaying his Tome of Beasts for all to observe, was completely bare. Luckily, he hadn't made his morning smoothie yet, so he didn't drop anything that could shatter, except his feelings. Somehow, someone had broken into the apartment and stole his Familiars! Daisuke's mind raced, searching to figure out the various explanations. Obviously it was an enemy Master, but Daisuke didn't think that they did the act themselves - he didn't know anything other than the basics in any magical arts other than Familiarcraft, and from what he knew, it shouldn't have been possible for a Master to completely break in and steal a single object, without alerting anyone. Like all nights, Survivor was awake the entire time, staying in Daisuke's room in case any roadkill was found outside on the street. It had better senses than a Bloodhound, and Daisuke really doubted a Master could have stolen it without at least alerting Survivor to their presence.

It had to be a Servant - more specifically, it had to be an Assassin. There were no absolutes with Servants, but usually, only Assassins had the ability to hide their presence so well. At this realization, Daisuke boiled with anger. He didn't stop to think that he easily could have died since no one had recognized the enemy Servant's presence. No, he was far too angry - someone stole the closest thing he had to a family and thought they could get away with it. Daisuke, originally not having a use for them other than design, knew exactly what to do with his Command Seals now.

Instead of using them to win the war, like they were intended, he would ruin the thief's chances of winning. The only problem was, while he knew the Servants class, he had no idea who the Master could be. His mind jumped to the only one he knew of, the Red-haired girl, but that would be a grave assumption. He didn't want to kill someone who hadn't slighted him, even an enemy Master. Besides, he didn't know where she was, so wasting a Command Seal to kill her would be pointless.

Daisuke punched the wall in fury, before immediately pulling his fist back and jumping up and down in pain. It hurt much more than he was expecting, but luckily, fate was on his side! He didn't break his hand by punching the wall, and could still pursue his path of vengeance. Daisuke got ready, grabbing his only other Mystic Code and his usual supplies before stuffing them in his duffel bag, and heading out.

"We're leaving Berserker, come on."

Normally Daisuke would fluff that up a bit with fancy words, but he wasn't in the right headspace for that. He stomped down the stairs, not paying attention if his Servant was following him or not. It didn't really matter since what he planned for the day didn't really require his Servants aid too much. Daisuke passed by his manager on the way out the door.

"Oh, you clocking in Nakahara-san? We're just about to ope-"

"I'm not working today, Kojima-sama. I have something important to attend to."

Daisuke slammed the door a little too hard for what he intended - hopefully, it didn't come off as rude. Daisuke immediately started walking down the road, not dressed in his usual Robe and Crown. He didn't have time to put them on before realizing his familiars had gone missing. Daisuke, instead of working, spent several hours in the library, reading up on various mythological heroes. He knew a great deal already about Servants, but he wanted to refresh his knowledge on who he could be up against. He pred over books, searching various mythos and stories from across the world, trying to plot up ideas and strategies in his mind. Brutus? He could classify as an Assassin, without a doubt. Arsene Lupin was a famous fictional Thief, as was Jack from Jack and the Beanstalk - this would certainly be up to their area of expertise.

---

Hours were wasted at the library until Daisuke reached an inevitable conclusion - There was no way in hell he would manage to pinpoint the enemy Servants identity in this manner, especially if he couldn't confirm or deny it. He went back home in shame, resigning himself to the waiting game. If there was one benefit to being a master, it was that other Masters were very eager to meet him. He could stay awake all night with Edward and kill the Assassin as soon as they returned to kill Daisuke. He made his way back home, entered his apartment, and only ten minutes later, heard a knock at the door. Upon answering it, he was given a telegram, and when he heard it, he grew livid.

So it was the Red-haired Master after all? And now he knew where she was. Daisuke had to restrain himself, moving to his closet and donning his finest Robe and Crown. He nearly took along his scepter, but decided against it - he bought it for a grand occasion, and this was dirty work. He never wanted to hurt someone as badly as he did at that moment, but killing her as soon as he could wouldn't work. She could set a deadman switch on his Tome, and even if it felt good at the moment, killing her would undoubtedly weigh on his conscience. No, he'd have to deal with her civilly, and try to be diplomatic. Daisuke tried to cheer up at this fact - that was what he wanted in the first place, to show that he wasn't a threat!

It was hard to swallow his pride, especially when she stole the closest thing Daisuke considered to a family. Still, he had to be calm - best-case scenario, he could turn the one person who knew where his base was into an ally. Worst case scenario, he would kill her with as many Command Seals as he needed and deal with the consequences.

"Berserker, I need your aid. I might need to kill someone tonight, and if not, protection would still be greatly appreciated."

Daisuke exited his home, preparing to make his way to the address described in the telegram. Luckily, Daisuke was a very good actor - he managed to hide the intense anger he was feeling very well. He still had around 30 minutes to make it to the address, and it was close enough that he didn't see the point in driving there. Of course, he didn't sense any presence nearby, since he didn't even know what the hell a Bounded field was - if Berserker managed to notice them despite their stealth measures, or the pair that were hiding decided to reveal themselves, there was still plenty of time before his meeting with the Red-haired Master.

@Yankee@KoL@SSW

"Hey, Emon, come down here for a moment and meet me in this place's toilet, will ya? You haven't been back home during the whole day and I was busy tampering with Bird Boy's Mystic Code so I didn't get the chance to do something for you," Alex said over her mental bond to Emon as she arrived at the meeting place she set up with Bird Boy, asked for a strawberry cheesecake and a cup of tea, before taking a quick detour to the toilet.

Upon arriving there, she quickly set up a small bounded field just to dissuade anyone from entering the place while she waited for Assassin.

"Just to make it clear. I wanna place a rune on your shoes to make it impossible for those hounds to track you, or get a hold of your scent, just like I did on mine. That should make it easier for you to counter spy on them," she said as she produced a blank scroll, ink, and a pen and began writing a Scroll of Geis to use on Bird Boy.

"Also, if you can, try to stay close and ready to take me out of here just in case Bird Boy is crazy enough to try to do anything funny in a public place. I really don't wanna die just because I'm dealing with an amateur. Better safe than sorry, after all."

"Sheesh! I guess that I'm really becoming the villain, huh?"

"When I was alive, I was a member of an organization called the Sanada Ten Braves." Assassin retorted. Clearly he had a bit of a story he was dying to tell. "We all served under the lord Sanada Yukimura. Each of the ten were ninja, and each of us had a record of deaths that reached far back. But our lord Sanada is remembered fondly as the last hero of the Sengoku Era. An unrivaled man who was beloved by all in his time, and in all times going forward. If you are worried that working alongside an assassin, or using blackmail has turned you into a villain, than you are wrong. You are merely a hero who pushes the line."

That probably wasn't as comforting as he thought it might be, but it was the thought that mattered. The methods used may seem underhanded, but since she wasn't burning down buildings that meant she was a hero. Though, only Nobunaga really did that... And he was still seen as a hero of somekind... So maybe Japan just liked monstrous heroes?

Either way, assassin didn't mind it. Maybe that just fit him. Though he didn't mind being a hero either. Maybe he just liked being remembered?

He appeared by his master's side in a moment, hands folded over his chest, and still no smile on his lips. He just didn't smile it seemed. Not that she should mind, some people are just like that. "To be honest, Master, I was not worried about the dogs. I have already used my own ninjutsu to cover any flaws in my sneaking that they would be able to pick up." He tugged briefly on his scarf, showing several talismans he had made earlier in the day. Each marked to nullify a certain sound. The sound of his breathing, the sound of his footsteps, and the sound of his heartbeat. After all, what assassin wouldn't have taken care of such things? That, and he had worked to nullify his own scent, as that it mixed in with that of the city. "As this is japan, my magical foundation is at its height. Though if you wish, I will submit to your runes."

"As for Bird-boy, his name is Daisuke. If you hope to form an alliance, I feel it would be best to use his real name, rather than mock him. He no doubt has a powerful servant, and if he decides there is more value in attacking you rather than retrieving his book, I will be at a disadvantage in a public place." It was a warning. Don't get cocky. Don't be rude. If they wanted that boy and his servant to be their allies, albeit a forced alliance, they shouldn't be pushing him. Assassin knew that as soon as he stole that book of familiars. This was dangerous.
Personally, if he was going to blackmail somebody, he'd never meet them in public. He'd do it by letters and a dropbox. Much safer to never get close to others.

"Well, if we're all set, I'm going to find a vantage point." Assassin said. He had left a familiar by the Petshop, and was more than aware that their query had just left the comfort of his home. Before he left though, he handed his master a Talisman. "This is for you. It will substitute your position with that of another object nearby as soon as you are attacked. Normally I'd prefer to not rely on something like this... But for your safety, it is our best bet."

With nearly a day in advance to plan this, Assassin had no doubt prep'd the area to be as useful as possible for his desires. The nearby pottery in particular held a nasty surprise for when things went south.

So... He waited.

Archer Actaeon

Petshop base; The hunt begins

Night had fallen over Tokyo once more and with it the second stage of the war had begun; and unlike last night he was in a better position to participate. Last night he had been able to do nothing but occasionally check the reports from his hounds as they scoured the city; most had an uneventful night, enjoying a run though the metropolis, but the group he had sent to the tower had seemingly found the war in its entirety. He had seen two Servant’s in action, a Lancer and a Rider fighting in the skies over a park, and had caught a glimpse of some Servant who he found it difficult to even look at. Powerful opponents for a man like himself.

And a hound had died. Killed by a foe Laelap’s, one of his best trackers and hunters, had been unable to detect until the last, fatal moment. It must have been a Servant, as he couldn’t imagine any person born in the current age being capable of something like that, and even among the heroes of this war only the Assassin class would have the ability to do something like that.

These were the opponents he would have the deal with if he or Mercedes wanted to claim the grail. This was who he was hunting. Could he do it? Was he capable of winning this war?

Archer nodded in response to his Master’s query, the only response the mute hero could or would give in the current circumstances. He was ready for that hunt. He was ready to answer that challenge.

The hunt, in fact, was already under way. They had visited the site of Laelap’s demise and found the traces of two Masters, Archer’s hounds collecting their scent and the scent of their mana before they moved on. Mercedes had a hunch as to the identity of one of those Masters and had brought them here to this small apartment opposite a pet shop somewhere not too far from the tower that had been the centre of last night’s events. It seemed a fair assumption, given that the magus was known to live in the city and was a specialist of sorts in familiarcraft, that he was a Master in this war. Given how many scents his hounds could detect in the building Laelap’s had died in, many of which seemed to belong to familiars, there was a good chance he was the Master of one of the Servant’s he had detected last night.

Archer watched the entrance to the pet shop closely. Daisuke had returned home some time ago, entering through the front entrance of the business downstairs and retreating to the apartment upstairs. The Servant had no idea if he was the one they were looking for and with another Servant potentially in the area it was too dangerous to send a hound down to check his trail. It was similarly too dangerous to attack a magus in their home without numerous precautions being taken, even if it felt like Daisuke hadn’t even set up a bounded field around his home. Destroying the building in its entirety, workshop, pet shop and every occupant together, was a possibility, but not one Archer was willing to entertain. A hunter did not catch its prey by burning down the forest it lived in.

The door to the pet shop opened and Daisuke exited the building, robe across his shoulders and crown atop his head; a strange person, but one who seemed to be on the move. Archer pulled the notebook and pencil from his pocket and wrote a note for his Master; he couldn’t see anyone with Daisuke and he couldn’t detect another Servant either, but with Assassin still presumably active in the war that didn’t mean that there wasn’t one nearby. Finishing writing he held the notebook out for Mercedes to see what he had written.

Kill or follow?

@Yankee@Duoya

Charndoisella Ariellitya

---

“C’mon Caster, it’ll be a lot of fun! My butler said that the most fun people could ever have is inside of one of these Japanese arcades!”

Charlie was rampaging through the street, grabbing her Servant as she did so. To the uninitiated, it just seemed like two genki JK girls on their way to the arcade. Even to the initiated, that was more or less what was going on.

Even if the sun was setting on the rest of Tokyo, arcades in Akiba were always open fairly late. This may or may not have something to do with the karaoke rooms often placed inside of them. A tired businessman could simply sing away the sorrows of the day with the rest of his coworkers inside one of those karaoke rooms. They surely wouldn’t be as well stocked a more professional karaoke place, but beggars can't be choosers.

Especially since Charlie had no actual care for Karaoke.

Instead, her interest gravitate towards one machine in particular. Out of all the shooting, racing, and fighting games, Charlie’s attention went towards this strange machine which had directional arrows on the floor of it. The name of the machine was plastered on the side of it, and it read D*nce D*nce R3volution.

Whatever this strange device was, Charlie was gripped. She quickly read the rules which were on a small label on the other side of the machine.

“This one Caster! This is the one we have to play!”

Cleo Forsberg

Let the games begin

The stands of the Tokyo Dome stood empty and dark. An arena that was used to seeing audiences in the tens of thousands, that would often by filled with cheering crowds as it hosted sporting events and concerts, held a silence that seemed all the starker for how large the space was. There was something eerie about it, the sheer emptiness and lack of life making the dome feel more devoid of life than any graveyard Cleo had ever visited.

“Are you ready Shielder? You should be able to fight to your heart’s content in a place like this.”

The preparations Cleo had wanted to perform last night were now complete and she was ready to join the war in earnest. The brief scuffle at the tower last night had given them little, earned them almost nothing, and their actions tonight were aimed at correcting that. The Tokyo Dome was about to become host to a spectacle that few in the modern age would ever see, that most wouldn’t ever learn had taken place.

She took up her position in the announcer’s box, giving her a clear view of the entire field at the arena’s centre and most of the stands. The familiars she had spent a portion of the day creating were hidden at each entrance and in the many hallways that ran through the building. The air around her was filled with the spirits, wraiths and apparitions that would be her tools should another Master seek her out.

They were ready.

“Go ahead Shielder. Let everyone know where we are, send out the challenge.”

@Crusader Lord