"Maiya, we have a new quest."
After repeatedly confirming the room's security, Kiritsugu Emiya activated the shielding devices before sharing the mission details with Maiya Hisau.
"Our target this time is the person in this photograph."
Maiya took the photo. It showed a young woman with vivid red hair lounging languidly on a sofa, her bare feet casually toying with a pair of high heels on the floor. Maiya couldn't shake the feeling that it looked like a private boudoir shot. Shouldn't mission targets usually be blurry surveillance photos taken from a distance?
This wasn't particularly unusual, however. She and Kiritsugu had handled contract killings and other such assignments before.
"Pay close attention to blood," Kiritsugu warned, producing intelligence from their informant. "Our target is codenamed 'Baobhan Sith,' a Magus specializing in blood magic and curses. She's a thoroughly twisted and depraved villain. Her hobby is collecting high heels, and she'll even chop off a person's foot to steal their shoes. Regardless of her motives, we must eliminate her. She's scheduled to trade extremely rare Spell Materials at a remote train station in two days—materials said to be connected to the Holy Grail. This is our opportunity."
"A Magus?"
This wasn't Maiya's first time facing a Magus as an opponent. A Magus stripped of their workshop loses much of their power, and without preparation, their defenses are little better than those of an ordinary person.
"This codename—'Blood-Sucking Fairy'—comes from Scottish folklore. They're likely a Dead Apostle, so we need to prepare accordingly."
"Yes, anti-Dead Apostle bullets are ready. Given their expertise in curse magic, this operation will focus on long-range sniping. Before we proceed, we need to conduct on-site reconnaissance to identify optimal sniper positions."
Kiritsugu Emiya opened the guitar-shaped case and retrieved the sniper rifle hidden inside. He then produced several sets of blue work overalls. "I've already arranged our cover—railway maintenance workers. This will make our reconnaissance less suspicious. There's a worker's manual in the pocket. Take some time to read it tonight and familiarize yourself with the details to avoid any obvious flaws."
"Understood!"
Maiya smoothly changed into the overalls.
Two days passed swiftly.
"Is this plan really reliable?" Fairy Tristan asked, shaking out her trench coat. She felt thoroughly uncomfortable in modern clothing, still preferring the attire of her native Faerie Realm.
"Is it really this difficult to get a card?"
"There's no choice. Even Irisviel can't track Kiritsugu's movements, and our informant can only contact him directly. He doesn't know when Kiritsugu will show up, and we can't just keep squatting here waiting for him forever."
Jiang You decided to liven things up by bringing Illya and Hundred Faces along. "Illya, I'm counting on you for this."
"No problem," Illya nodded. "I'd like to hear what he's thinking now too."
"Ooh, is something fun happening? Why didn't you tell me?" Fairy Tristan leaned in.
"Just filling in a skipped scene for him."
Jiang You handed a marked map to Hundred Faces. "Let's see exactly what's going on in the Hero of Justice's heart these days."
As night fell, the bright chirping of insects echoed through the tranquil night sky.
This was a deserted train station, its surrounding municipal offices having gradually relocated over the decades due to urban redevelopment. Only this dilapidated station remained, with a few flickering streetlights still operational.
"Maiya, the target has reached the designated location. Can you see her from your position?"
Through his binoculars, Kiritsugu spotted a bright pink-haired girl entering his field of view. She was carrying a massive suitcase, large enough to hold a grown adult.
"Damn, I can see her clearly!"
Maiya, observing the terrifying magical power radiating from Baobhan Sith, gasped sharply. The girl made no attempt to conceal her aura, brazenly unleashing her magical power as she moved.
"She doesn't care about maintaining the secrecy of the Mystery! A long-range attack probably won't work. And this magical power... it's even stronger than that of the Servants from the Holy Grail War! Where did such a monster come from?!"
"As expected," Kiritsugu muttered, "you can't expect common sense from someone who cuts off people's feet just because they like them."
He reached for a cigarette to calm his rising frustration. While the intel had been detailed, the girl's power level far exceeded expectations. Who the hell issued this quest? "We'll wait for an opening. If all else fails, initiate Plan B: blow her and the train station sky-high!"
Kiritsugu Emiya resorted to explosives without hesitation. A close-range blast of this magnitude would be impossible for even a Magus to withstand.
"Wait, Maiya, don't act rashly for now. The person she's trading with has appeared. Anyone who can deal with someone of her caliber must be a formidable opponent. We can't afford to spook them. I've planted eavesdropping devices in the waiting room and the ticket security office. Let's gather some intelligence first."
Although letting them enter the building meant losing visual contact, Kiritsugu had already prepared contingency measures.
"Head to designated Point Two. It offers the widest possible view of the train station interior."
Kiritsugu skillfully set up his eavesdropping equipment, put on his headphones, and began gathering intelligence.
"Stay in contact. If anything goes wrong, retreat immediately."
Unable to directly observe the target's location, he had to be extra cautious about his movements, avoiding exposure.
But Kiritsugu's worst fears materialized. Through the earpiece connecting him to Maiya, he heard gunshots, followed by the sound of the earpiece clattering to the ground. A few seconds later, someone seemed to pick it up.
"Mr. Kiritsugu Emiya."
A male voice. Kiritsugu's heart sank—Maiya had likely been killed, or at best, captured.
"You've been quite elusive. Let's play a game, shall we?"
Kiritsugu remained silent, abandoning his expensive equipment to retreat immediately. The enemy might be trying to use this method to pinpoint his location, a tactic well within the capabilities of a Magus.
"Don't worry, I won't come after you right now," the man said. The cautious Kiritsugu Emiya naturally didn't trust his lies, but he also couldn't risk discarding the earpiece, fearing he might lose track of Maiya's situation.
"Still as cautious as ever, I see. Well then, what if I told you the reward for this game isn't just Maiya Hisau, but the Lesser Grail as well?"
Hearing those three words, Kiritsugu Emiya's breathing quickened.
"Ha ha ha!"
The man's malicious laughter echoed through the earpiece. "Once you've made your decision, get to the station's security room within ten minutes. You'll get the clearest view from there. If you're late, I can't guarantee what might happen."