Fate/Stay Night: Unlimited Blade Works

The Reward for the Fight to the Death (1x7)

: 23, 2014

Saber engages Assassin in battle after he threatens the safety of Shirō, and is shocked to find that despite her advantages in strength and agility, she cannot break through his defenses. At Ryuudou Temple, Caster reveals that Assassin is her own Servant, as she is a mage as well. Archer claims that she broke the rules of the Holy Grail War and insults her tactics before engaging her in battle. After a while, Archer manages to critically wound Caster, prompting Assassin to finish his assault prematurely with his Noble Phantasm. When Caster asks Archer why he is not finishing her off, he responds that his main goal was Shirō's safety and he is not a believer in senseless slaughter. This causes Caster to compare Shirō and Archer, claiming that their ideals are so identical that they are "the same", before trying to ask them to join her, although both reject the offer. Archer then allows Caster to flee despite the fact that she will continue to kill innocent people. When Shirō protests this decision, Archer counters that doing so will be instrumental in the defeats of not only her, but those of her Master and Berserker. Disgusted by Archer's willingness to allow collateral damage, Shirō criticizes his ideals, and Archer defends them, citing that if Caster were to win the Holy Grail, the damage would extend far beyond Fuyuki. Unable to accept this, Shirō tries going after Caster alone, but is slashed in the back by Archer. He staggers out of Ryuudou Temple and is tended to by Saber, who survived Assassin's Noble Phantasm. Archer continues his assault, but is distracted by Assassin, who is impressed by Saber's power and allows her and Shirō to escape. At the dojo, after commenting on Archer's swordsmanship, Shirō, now unwilling to lose to him again, asks Saber to teach him how to fight with a sword.