DW DXD Intermission: About Last Night (Patreon)

During and after chapter 11

Eisenberg Castle

The light of multiple lamps trembled across the castle, each flame bending slightly with each gust of wind outside. The air inside was thick with tension.

Kiritsugu sat in the farthest corner of the room, his expression unreadable as he reviewed from memory the battle at the docks. His sharp mind scanned the battle from every angle, Saber and Lancer’s opening exchange, Rider’s crash-in entrance, Berserker’s rampage, and the unexpected variables that had emerged.

‘This war is already spiraling beyond our control.’ He had accounted for Servants, Noble Phantasms, and the ruthlessness of Magi. But what he hadn’t accounted for was the unknown variable wielding a Noble Phantasm in the form of a gauntlet.

Seated at the opposite end of the room, Irisviel von Einzbern sat with her hands folded in her lap, her crimson eyes filled with concern but also quiet determination. She simply waited for her husband to finish his thoughts as she has always trusted Kiritsugu’s judgment.

Saber stood near the window, arms crossed, posture iron-straight, yet the tension in her shoulders and the tremble of her dominant hand made it obvious the battle still rang in her bones as her displeasure with the night’s events were evident in her expression. The battle had been taken from her hands in the worst way. First by Lancer as Gáe Buidhe had stolen the full use of her hand, then by Rider’s interruption shattering the duel’s rhythm, and then the unexpected entry of Caster and her Master, to the golden armored man and finally by Berserker.

Maiya Hisau, ever composed, leaned against the wall, her rifle disassembled on the table before her. Her hands moved in precise silence, cleaning each component with oil and cloth as she waited for Kiritsugu to speak.

The silence stretched as no one spoke.

Finally, Irisviel broke the stillness. 

“That boy, Hyoudou Issei. He knew where you were, Kiritsugu.” Her voice was soft, but there was no mistaking the seriousness in her tone. 

Kiritsugu exhaled, his brow furrowing slightly. “Yes. That wasn’t just simple luck or coincidence. I wonder how it is possible for him to know that we are married. That raises more questions than answers. Does this mean that he already knows that I’m Saber’s actual master?” 

Maiya nodded in agreement. “It was probably his Servant, Caster, who was able to pinpoint both you and myself. Then they left and couldn’t be tracked once they vanished.” She glanced at Kiritsugu. “That suggests an extremely advanced form of illusion magecraft. Was her Noble Phantasm, the mirror she used, to deflect the attacks from the golden servant? Do we know of any mirror with this ability?”

Saber’s expression darkened. “That woman is dangerous.” Her emerald eyes burned with frustration. “She didn’t even care for the battle. She only acted on her Master’s whim, as if it were all a game to her.”

Kiritsugu then remembered Issei's fight with Gilgamesh. The red gauntlet glowed with power, deflecting various weapons. To think that there was a human capable of being able to use a tool that blocked multiple Noble Phantasm at that speed.

“And her Master?” Irisviel asked.

Kiritsugu leaned forward slightly. “Not a normal Magus. His movements were too raw, too instinctual. But there is no record of any magus family with the family name Hyoudou. His Servant’s abilities are exceptional, but what concerns me more is his own power. That red gauntlet, it’s undoubtedly a Noble Phantasm.”

Saber’s eyes narrowed. “From what I noticed it enhanced his power, but more than that, it let him react to Archer’s attacks than any normal human possibly could.”

Maiya finally lifted her eyes. “Then is he truly just a human?”

Kiritsugu didn’t answer right away. He considered the implications. A Noble Phantasm that could make a human match a Servant’s power? That was something he hadn’t accounted for. Mostly because true Noble Phantasm were impossible to use and recreate. 

“Imposible. True Noble Phantasms can’t be created.” Irisviel says while shaking her head.

Maiya then turned to her. “Then how did he obtain a Noble Phantasm?”

Irisviel’s fingers tightened together. “That is what concerns me. Noble Phantasms aren’t tools you simply pick up. Noble Phantasms cannot be used by any magus. Even the greatest Magi can only wield them under special circumstances, and even then, they must be bound by lineage to a legend.”

Saber nodded. “And yet he fights like a warrior, but lacks the discipline of one.” She sighed. “It’s as if he’s a child playing at being a hero.”

Kiritsugu took a slow drag of his cigarette. “A child or not, that ‘Noble Phantasm’ makes him dangerous. And his Servant… Caster. Her physical stats were nothing impressive but her magecraft surpassed that of any high-class Magus. She stopped Archer’s volley and reversed it.”

Saber scowled at the memory. “Caster will be a nuisance as her magic makes her unpredictable, but the way she fights…” She clenched her fists. “She does not take the battlefield seriously and sees it as frivolous.”

Maiya adjusted her rifle, her tone sharp. “That makes her even more dangerous.”

Kiritsugu tapped his fingers against the table, as he memorized the exchange of Issei evading Gilgamesh’s attacks. “He reacted to the various Noble Phantasms at speeds beyond human capability. Either he has some unknown advanced reinforcement Magecraft… or his ‘Noble Phantasm’ grants him that power.”

Maiya spoke up. “The way it glowed each time he used it and the shout of Boost. It’s almost as if it increases in power over time.”

Kiritsugu shook his head in disbelief. “If his weapon continues to grow his strength, then there’s no telling what it will become by the end of this war. If it truly grows stronger over time, then we must eliminate him before it reaches full power.”

Maiya nodded in agreement. “Agreed, we don’t know its limits. If we let him grow unchecked, he might surpass even the strongest Servants. I wonder what he is?”

“It doesn’t matter what he is,” Kiritsugu finally said. “The real problem is why he’s here.” He turned to Irisviel. “The Einzberns never mentioned a wildcard like this. The Holy Grail chose an anomaly, and we need to find out what we’re dealing with.”

Irisviel shook her head. “He wasn’t part of our calculations either. The Grail should only allow seven Servants, and by all accounts nothing seems unusual, yet Caster’s summoning wasn’t natural. I can feel that much.”

Saber nodded, recalling the feeling from the battlefield. “Her presence is different from the other Heroic Spirits. Not just because she is a Caster, but something deeper, unnatural.”

Maiya placed her rifle parts back into place methodically. “So, what’s our move?”

Kiritsugu didn’t hesitate. “First, we investigate this boy, Hyoudou Issei and his Servant. Then we should investigate any legend of a hero with a fox origin or of a legendary weapon that resembles a red gauntlet.” He turned to Maiya. “Start trying to find them. I want to know where they go, who they interact with, and if they’re making contact with other Masters.”

Maiya nodded. “Understood.”

“We must eliminate them before they become a real problem.” His voice was cold and decisive. 

Silence filled the room.

Irisviel glanced toward Saber, seeing the tension in her expression. She understood the King of Knights disliked underhanded tactics, but this was how Kiritsugu fought.

Maiya was already preparing to move, gathering equipment to begin tracking Issei and his Servant. 

Then the air trembled twice.

Once, like a distant thunderclap of prana. And then a second time, stronger, a surge that made even the lamps flicker as if afraid. A violent surge of prana rippled through the air, like a distant explosion of magical energy, sending a faint tremor through the air. Every Magus in Fuyuki could feel it.

Saber’s head snapped toward the window. "That much energy…"

Kiritsugu immediately pulled up the city’s map, pinpointing the source of the disturbance. His eyes narrowed as he traced the area. "Matou estate."

Irisviel gasped softly, placing a hand on her chest. "That… that wasn’t just an explosion. Did a Servant use their Noble Phantasm."

They soon sent familiars to check the area. And when the familiars arrived, all they saw through them was a burnt ground and a hole where the estate should be.

Maiya leaned forward. "Someone destroyed the Matou estate?" His tone was low, calculating. "But why? What reason would anyone have to attack them?"

Irisview frowned. "The Matou family should have been a major contender in this war. The only explanation is that a Servant was sent to kill their Master to eliminate them from the competition."

“By process of elimination that would mean the Matous were the master of Berserker.” Kiristugu theorized.

Maiya nodded. "Then the next question is, who?"

Silence filled the room as they processed the implications.

Then, Irisviel suddenly stiffened. She gasped, gripping the edge of the table, her crimson eyes widening in shock.

Saber immediately turned to her, alarmed. "Irisviel!"

Irisviel’s lips parted slightly, her breath coming in shallow as great pain entered her body. "He's gone…"

Kiritsugu narrowed his eyes. "Who?"

Irisviel swallowed, her fingers trembling as it grew difficult to breathe. "One of the Servants, Berserker. He’s… dead."

The weight of her words settled over the room like a thick fog.

Saber’s expression hardened. "Then Matou’s Servant was killed tonight."

Waver’s Hideout 

The dimly lit apartment was cluttered with books, maps, and scattered notes. A small lamp cast a glow over the mess, but the main source of light came from the television screen, where a documentary on modern military technology played.

Seated on the couch, with his massive frame taking up nearly half the available space, was Rider, the King of Conquerors, Iskander. In one hand, he held a large bag of chips, crunching away without a care in the world. In the other, he gripped a can of beer, occasionally taking long swigs as he remained fully engrossed in the program before him.

Standing nearby, fuming with frustration, was Waver Velvet, his fists clenched as his face turned red.

“Are you even listening to me?!” Waver yelled, his voice cracking slightly.

Rider didn’t even look away from the screen. “Mmm? Oh, I hear you just fine, boy.” He took another chip and popped it into his mouth. “You’re panicking again.”

“Of course, I’m panicking! Kayneth knows what I did! He knows I stole his relic! Do you not understand how screwed I am?!” Waver waved his arms wildly, his voice rising in pitch.

Rider let out a satisfied sigh as he crushed the now-empty bag of chips and set it aside. He finally turned to his Master with an amused expression. “Screwed? Bah! You worry too much, lad! You should be honored that such a high-ranking Magus even remembers your name.”

Waver twitched violently as if his soul nearly left his body. “You think I should be honored?! He’s going to kill me!”

Rider leaned forward, resting his elbows on his knees. “And why should that bother you? You are my Master, are you not? If some arrogant nobleman dares to threaten you, then it is also my problem.”

Waver swallowed, shifting uncomfortably. “But… but he’s Kayneth El-Melloi Archibald, one of the Lords of the Clock Tower. He’s powerful. I don’t—”

Rider threw back his head and let out a booming laugh. “Powerful?! Is he a Servant? No? Then I care not about him! Of course Lancer may be an issue but I doubt I will lose to him.” He grinned full of spirit, his crimson eyes gleaming with confidence. “If he tries anything, I shall flatten him with my chariot! I shall trample his grand magecraft beneath my wheels, just as I did to the armies of Persia!”

Waver flinched. “That’s not how things work in the modern era!”

Rider shrugged. “Hah! Modern or not, a battle is a battle! You must learn to hold your head high, boy! Do not let fear rule you. You are my Master! The King of Conquerors does not serve a coward!”

Waver’s face flushed red, both from embarrassment and frustration. “I—I’m not a coward! I just—ugh!” He turned away, rubbing his forehead. “Why do I even bother?”

Before Rider could continue, a sudden pulse of energy rippled through the air. Both Master and Servant tensed.

A pressure rolled through the apartment, subtle but unmistakable like the world taking a sharp breath. The television screen flickered slightly as if reacting to the disturbance. The very air inside the apartment felt heavier for a moment before settling.

Waver froze and frowned. “What was that?”

Rider’s easygoing demeanor vanished in an instant. His expression became serious as he stood up, his massive frame towering over Waver. “Something has changed.”

Waver gulped. “What do you mean, ‘changed’?”

Rider turned toward the window, staring out at the city. His brows furrowed in thought before he grinned. “Hah! It seems one of our fellow warriors has fallen!”

Waver stiffened. “Wait… you mean a Servant just died?”

Rider nodded. “Indeed. And judging by the force of that disruption… it was not a quiet death.”

Waver swallowed hard. “Wh-Which one?”

Rider smirked. “That, my boy, is the question! I do believe the battlefield is shifting. This war is becoming far more entertaining than I expected! How tragic. Perhaps we retired too early.”

Waver, on the other hand, felt his stomach twist in knots. “This isn’t entertaining! This is terrifying!”

Rider clapped him on the back so hard Waver nearly fell over. “Bah! Think of it this way—one less obstacle in our path to the Grail!”

Waver groaned, gripping his head. “I’m really starting to hate this war.”

This is only to put into perspective what others are doing. It shouldn't affect the story, but do tell me if I should include it and if there's any mistakes.

This is only to put into perspective what others are doing. It shouldn't affect the story, but do tell me if I should include it as it's only for members and if there's any mistakes. Also tell me if I should include anything else.