Fuyuki City, inside a building.
One of the Twelve Lords from the Clock Tower, a genius Mage and child prodigy, Kayneth, had rented out an entire floor specifically to participate in the Holy Grail War.
He also spent a fortune buying or renting numerous Mystic Codes and Bounded Fields, and even brought three Mana Reactors—the supreme Mystic Codes of the El-Melloi Faction, which possessed a mana supply on the level of a lesser grail.
He had transformed this building into something akin to a magical fortress.
Even if all the other Servants attacked together, they could be held off for a considerable amount of time, unless a Grand Bomber came along and blew up the entire building.
At this moment, on one of the upper floors of this sturdy Magic Workshop.
A purple-haired knight frowned deeply, remaining motionless for a long time.
This abnormality caught the attention of Kayneth, who was sitting on the sofa chatting with his fiancée, Sola-Ui.
“Saber, what’s wrong?” Kayneth asked.
“I felt my King’s summons, but I… have no face to respond, nor the ability to do so.” The purple-haired knight’s brow relaxed.
Just now, the feeling of being summoned had dissipated.
“Your King… are you saying that in this Holy Grail War, King Arthur has also been summoned as a Servant?”
Kayneth thought for a moment and understood the key point.
“Most likely, Master,” the purple-haired knight replied.
“Interesting. Lancelot, King Arthur…”
“I thought this magic competition in such a small place was nothing special, but now it seems things aren’t as simple as I thought.”
A smile appeared on Kayneth’s face as he swirled the red wine glass in his hand.
“In other words, are we to be enemies with legendary figures like King Arthur this time?” Sola-Ui also showed great interest.
“Things are gradually becoming interesting.”
Kayneth suddenly recalled his encounter at the Clock Tower before he left.
The catalyst he had originally prepared was a fragment of a cloak, likely belonging to the person who created a vast empire spanning across Asia, Africa, and Europe.
—A piece of Alexander the Great’s cloak.
But unfortunately, a thief appeared among his students and stole his catalyst.
If nothing went wrong, that foolish student who wrote a death-seeking thesis and didn’t know his place—Waver.
He must be hiding in some corner of Fuyuki City right now, having summoned that world-famous King of Conquerors, right?
Arthur, Alexander, Lancelot…
“The Holy Grail War, is it? Bring me more surprises! Hahahahaha!”
…
Fuyuki City, Holy Church.
An old acquaintance who had been away for a long time, Risei Kotomine, arrived here.
This elderly priest, whose hair had already turned gray, was once again serving as the Supervisor of the Holy Grail War.
Originally, this Holy Grail War was supposed to be supervised by his son, Kotomine Kirei, the new priest of the Fuyuki City Holy Church branch.
However, something unexpected and rather absurd happened.
As the Supervisor, command spells appeared on Kotomine Kirei’s hand, making him one of the participants chosen by the Holy Grail.
Despite being the Supervisor and referee of the Holy Grail War, he ended up becoming one of the players on the field.
What kind of situation was this?
Left with no choice, Risei Kotomine had to rush back from abroad to supervise this Holy Grail War.
And now, it was also time to summon a Servant.
Kotomine Kirei stood by the magic circle and chanted the incantation in full.
As the light and dust settled, the Kotomine father and son successfully saw the Servant’s true appearance.
It was a female Servant clad in a black robe with a veil over her face, leaving only a pair of beautiful large eyes exposed, appearing in the magic circle in a crouching posture.
“I ask—”
The Servant slowly raised her head, revealing murderous intent, as the figures of the Kotomine father and son were reflected in her eyes.
“Are you the Mage who summoned me in order to obtain the Holy Grail?”
Kotomine Kirei was stunned for a moment, then shook his head.
“Oh?” The female Servant was quite surprised, and the Noble Phantasm she had already prepared began to dissipate its mana.
Kotomine Kirei explained, “To be honest, I don’t know why the Holy Grail chose me. I am certain that I have no desires or pursuits in my heart.”
“I was supposed to represent the Holy Church as the Supervisor of this Holy Grail War.”
The corner of the female Servant’s mouth under the veil curled up.
“The original Supervisor of this heretical ritual who knows not what he seeks?”
“Heh, fine. I shall acknowledge you as my Master.”
“Servant, Assassin, a believer without a true name, reporting for duty.”
Normally, the Assassin class in the Fuyuki City Holy Grail War would only summon a certain Hassan.
But the female Servant before them did not wear a bone skull mask and was not one of the Hassans.
The Kotomine father and son were well aware of this but said nothing.
“A nameless believer? I am Kotomine Kirei.”
“Though it’s a bit unexpected, in any case, please look after me during this Holy Grail War.”
Kotomine Kirei showed sufficient politeness and magnanimity.
He had noticed Fanatic’s murderous intent just now, but he still didn’t point it out.
In fact, if Fanatic had really made a move just now…
She would have been met with Kotomine Kirei’s Bajiquan—and then, he would have used a command spell to order her: ‘Commit suicide, Assassin.’
Shattering Fanatic’s dream of killing her Master on the spot.
“My Master, next I must go and find the other heretical Mages who lust after the vessel that is the Holy Grail.”
“I won’t be staying with you.”
“If there’s anything, call me through the contract.”
Fanatic said arbitrarily.
Kotomine Kirei agreed, but he reminded her of one thing.
That was his teacher, Tokiomi, who was also one of the Mages participating in this Holy Grail War.
Originally, according to their agreement, he was supposed to assist his teacher in obtaining the Holy Grail.
But now, the Servant he had summoned did not like the Holy Grail.
Furthermore, she held a strong murderous intent toward Mages who sought the Holy Grail.
This alliance would likely be difficult to fulfill.
However, for some reason, Kotomine Kirei felt that he didn’t want to tell his teacher that his Servant harbored murderous intent toward him.
But his father was right there.
The old priest was on good terms with the Tohsaka Family and would surely inform Tokiomi.
What a pity—for some reason, such a thought popped into Kotomine Kirei’s mind.
So regrettable, so immoral.
And yet, it brought an unstoppable sense of pleasure.
Even, when Kotomine Kirei thought of the Servant who was supposed to be an ally suddenly killing his teacher with a single blow…
His body couldn’t stop trembling.
Am I…
excited?
Am I longing for that moment to arrive?
How could I have such a wicked thought?
Could it be that this is my true face?
Ugly, wicked, broken, and full of profanity.
Gradually coming to understand everything, Kotomine Kirei’s lips curled into a joyful smile.
The Holy Grail War, the Servant Assassin…
this is truly interesting!
Thank you for letting me see through my own pathetic and hateful nature.
Then next, let me repay you well.
Kotomine Kirei looked toward the departing, invisible Fanatic, a hint of madness hidden in the depths of his eyes.
He had actually found the answer he had sought for many years all by himself; it was practically a miracle!
…
On the outskirts of Fuyuki City, in the storehouse of a certain residential house.
As a tall, red-haired hunk emerged from the magic circle.
The weak and frail boy was so scared he fell back onto the ground.
A thick shadow loomed over him, covering the boy named Waver, who looked up at the tall Heroic Spirit and murmured in awe, “So… so big!”
“I am Rider, the King of Conquerors, Iskandar.”
“I ask you, are you this King’s Master?”
Waver shouted loudly, “That’s right! I am the Mage who summoned you, here to seize the Holy Grail and gain recognition!”
“To gain the recognition of others… do you mean conquering their spirits and hearts? That’s quite a fine ideal!”
“Very well, kid. Since you have a direction, give it your all!”
Instead of mocking him, Iskandar reached out to help Waver up from the ground, showing encouragement.
“Rider…” Waver was in a daze, a warm current welling up in his heart that he hadn’t felt in a long time.