Fanatic's ability was to copy the techniques created by her predecessors. Although she firmly believed all her techniques were worse than theirs, that wasn't actually true. Unlike the Hassan who had to sacrifice an arm to obtain [Delusional Heartbeat], she achieved it without any sacrifice, which was clearly more successful.
While the leader who transformed every part of his body—from bodily fluids and mucous membranes to nails, skin, and breath—into deadly poison, her [Zabaniya: Delusional Poison Body] existed only in her blood. But this wasn't because she lacked talent. Instead, she was concerned that spreading poison indiscriminately might harm her allies and innocent people.
Some of her techniques were weaker than her predecessors', like [Zabaniya: Raving Shadow Flash]. The Hassan who created it could reportedly transform each hair strand into something as thin as spider silk and behead a target miles away without anyone noticing. However, the Fanatic, who preferred direct combat, used this skill as an area attack for killing and controlling nearby enemies.
She also had skills that surpassed her predecessors, such as [Zabaniya: Ichor of Reverie], which controlled targets through song. When facing multiple opponents, she could disturb their minds and make their magic circuits malfunction. But if she focused her "song" on one person, she could make even regular Heroic Spirits kneel. If the target was human, she could completely control their brain or slowly burn them from within, as she did to Ryuunosuke.
This was how she organized numerous techniques that had reached Noble Phantasm level, choosing the most appropriate tactics from them. She could even use multiple Noble Phantasms at once.
If people set aside her lack of practical experience and mental preparation due to not becoming the leader, she with her eighteen Noble Phantasms was clearly the most versatile assassin.
Tonight, following Ryuuto's orders, she was using [Zabaniya: Meditative Sensitivity], the skill famous for "enemy detection" within the order. Wearing a swimsuit, she was using her body to search for a certain heretical magus participating in the Holy Grail War.
She felt the flow of wind and magical energy, creating echoes in space and treating the entire harbor district as if it were her own body, with streets, warehouses, and buildings as her internal organs. This was the supreme technique that let her sense all surrounding terrain structures as parts of herself.
Its actual capabilities seemed to go beyond this. Information about the Hassan who used this technique was limited, and even she once doubted whether this technique and its creator really existed.
Soon, she located the target. Usually, finding someone in a large, open area like the harbor district would be very difficult, but Ryuuto had given her some hints. The target was a magus who used firearms. With this clue, she easily identified the location.
Besides that, there was an even more important factor. After removing her airtight black robe and wearing the embarrassing swimsuit... Though she didn't want to admit it, she discovered her body had become more sensitive than before. This detection skill, which she wasn't originally good at using, had become more effective.
Her pale shoulders trembled slightly under the moonlight as she gazed at the ground and drew in a sharp breath. My lord, to help me grow to this extent... was this all part of your plan?
But no, she didn't know that in reality he just wanted to play with her.
"Master... I've found the heretical magus you were looking for."
"Already?" Ryuuto was somewhat surprised. If finding a hidden target was this easy, wouldn't fighting in the Holy Grail War be a complete slaughter with proper planning?
"It's all thanks to your blessing," she looked up with a dreamy expression. "If you hadn't awakened my potential, someone as ordinary as me couldn't accomplish anything."
...What did that have to do with him? He felt slightly confused and after a moment's pause, he said anyway: "Oh right... exactly. That's right. I'm glad you understand. All my efforts weren't wasted. Now let's go. Take me there."
"Yes, Master." She came to his side but then suddenly stopped.
"?"
She rubbed her hands together nervously in front of her body, speaking in a shy voice. "Um, may I... carry you?"
"Hmm." He thought about it briefly, then said: "Consider it a reward for finding the enemy."
When she heard this, she made no attempt to hide her happiness, her cheeks showing a slight blush in the darkness. Then, he suddenly felt his feet leave the ground—She was carrying him like a princess.
"I said take me there, not like this. But... whatever." Having spent her entire life in the order, she probably had no idea what a princess carry was.
Under her hopeful gaze, he waved his hand: "Do as you wish." And so, the tall girl in a swimsuit carrying the boy disappeared from the hotel rooftop. The two merged into the night, moving like the wind through Fuyuki's buildings.
…
Among the containers stacked on the waterfront, Kiritsugu lurked silently. His Walther WA2000 was set up between the mountain of containers, and through the electronic scope, he monitored the entire battlefield.
Two targets were captured by the thermal imaging device. Standing on the main road was Irisviel, silently supporting Lancer from behind. The other heat source appearing on the rooftop was undoubtedly the enemy's Master.
Kiritsugu smiled with satisfaction in the darkness. The beginning was just as expected.
Saber's Master must have used a concealment spell, but such things were meaningless before an optical scope. In this pale green, phosphorescent deep-sea-like field of view, he had killed countless excellent magi. Like all the magi who had died at his hands, Saber's Master was about to follow in their footsteps.
Kiritsugu called his assistant, Maiya Hisau, who was positioned on the other side of the battlefield. "Maiya, northeast of Lancer's position. Saber's Master is hiding on top of the warehouse there. Can you see him?"
"..."
There was no response from the communicator.
"?"
Kiritsugu frowned in confusion. Maiya was an excellent fighter; she would never lose focus in the middle of a battlefield. Taking out the binoculars beside him, he looked toward Maiya's direction. Unfortunately, it was a complete blind spot. The two coordinates had been chosen to maximize enemy detection range, so observing each other was impossible.
"...Maiya, what's happening on your end? Respond immediately if you receive this." Kiritsugu raised his voice as much as a sniper could while feeling a growing sense of unease.
"..."
After a long silence, Maiya's communicator remained quiet.