Fate/Zero: A Different Path

Chapter 9

After several months of activity in America, I decided to change place

For the past years, I have been busy thinking up new plans for the eventual Grail War. It was not surprising that preparations for this endeavor costs me some effort

And  now it's time to return here. Naturally, the Isle still look as peaceful as I'd imagined it to be from several years ago

The iconic mist of England parted as I made my way through them. It's seven in the morning, the air is crisp and cold with a chance of sunny weather. Overall, a typical day in England

Through the dense fog, my eyes spotted the shadowy silhouette of those who are participating in this excavation, moving discreetly along the desolate street of London early in the morning

Naturally, I am not one of them, as I am not invited

I calmly walked into the shadow, silently observing the Magus unloading the extracted loads into the truck before me. My hand reached out to grasp the handgun in my coat's pocket

The excavation of the holy scabbard Avalon is commissioned by the Einzbern in preparation for the approaching Holy Grail War 

They had really given thought to this. The sheathe's healing property will keep their chosen Master from being transmutated too much in the war from her unnatural disposition as the Holy Grail. Paired with that, King Arthur the wielder of said said scabbard is also a renowed legend that could make for a powerful Servant when summoned

A Servant that can bring me victory in the upcoming war

My eyes calmly analyzed the packages being put inside each cargo. I tensed when the doors were soon closed

For the past few days I have been scouting the nearby location beforehand and relied on gathered information to formulate a proper tactic for this operation of mine

There are a total of fifteen trucks commissioned from the Association to carry out the transference of extracted artifacts back to Germany. Each goes on different routes so as to avoid an ambush

By cross-referencing the data log and the date at which they depart, I was able to determine which convoy contain the scabbard itself, and where they are heading to 

After that things become signigficantly easier

As the truck began to move, I followed them using [Time Alter: Double Accel], my form blurring across the streets unknown to everyone

"Thirty, twenty nine, twenty eight -" I mutter

Attempting to infiltrate their rank and spend time extracting the desired artifact cost time. Time that I don't need

What I simply need to do is steal it from them on the way back

How should i do that?

"- twenty two, twenty one, twenty-"

I at first considered using [Time Alter: Hex Accel] to accelerates my movement speed six time my original and blitz the vehicle. The velocity at which I operate would ensure they would not have time to recover 

Too risky however. Wards placed around the truck's perimeter could negate any magic interference. There's a chance Time Alter will break down and its user bound as retaliation mechanism 

"- Six, five, four -"

Taking time to decode the wards while they were inside is not guaranteed to work either. They could take hours to break down if made by a Magecraft specialist - which goes against my principle of saving as much time as possible