"It wasn't unjust… this defeat wasn't unjust at all!"
Darnic suddenly erupted into a fit of maniacal laughter, clutching his face, an eerie atmosphere swiftly permeating the hall.
It sent chills crawling down the spines of everyone present.
Jeanne intended to check on Darnic's condition, but before she could even rise, Darnic spoke again, uttering words that stunned them all into silence.
"Amakusa Shirou Tokisada was summoned by the Einzbern family during the Third Holy Grail War. He was the Ruler of that war."
Jeanne was aware Amakusa Shirou Tokisada was also a Ruler like herself, yet she hadn't known he was a Servant from the Third Holy Grail War.
Even though Amakusa had acquired a physical body, Jeanne had easily recognized his class.
But before Jeanne could say anything, Darnic began muttering to himself again.
"So, I wasn't the only one who spent these past six or seven decades scheming over the Grail."
Darnic immediately grasped how the Greater Grail he'd hidden beneath the Yggdmillennia castle had been discovered—and by whom. Even the Mage's Association knew only that he possessed the Greater Grail, but never its exact location.
Darnic had meticulously protected the Greater Grail. Even the Mage's Association mages who visited Yggdmillennia Castle never detected a hint of its presence.
Yet, despite all his precautions, Amakusa Shirou Tokisada had still found it.
Darnic had long been convinced his preparations were flawless. He'd gathered countless relics, even summoned Vlad III with a significant territorial advantage. Against those arrogant mages from the Association—except perhaps Sisigou Kairi—their victory should have been all but certain.
Unlike the unified Yggdmillennia, the Mage's Association was fragmented by internal arrogance and disunity. Every factor had pointed toward certain victory for Darnic's family.
Yet, due to Amakusa Shirou Tokisada's interference, Darnic quickly understood: after decades of his own meticulous scheming, there was no reason a Servant from the same era—a Heroic Spirit, no less—wouldn't have prepared even more thoroughly.
Both sides had plotted around the same prize; victory hinged entirely on who had planned more deeply.
Clearly, Amakusa Shirou Tokisada had vastly outmaneuvered him.
Moreover, one operated openly while the other hid in shadows. Amakusa had likely been aware of most of Darnic's preparations, whereas Darnic knew virtually nothing about him. Had Jeanne not revealed the truth, Darnic would likely have died without ever knowing that the Master he'd opposed was actually the Ruler from the Third War.
"Amakusa Shirou Tokisada… the saint from the Far East?"
Everyone present furrowed their brows. Indeed, none had suspected that the Red Faction's Master they faced was actually a Servant himself—a Heroic Spirit.
Fiore turned to Jeanne, cautiously asking, "Ruler, what are your thoughts on Amakusa Shirou Tokisada?"
Fiore's question stemmed from the logical assumption that Jeanne, revered as a Catholic saint, might hold insights about another devout Catholic Ruler. Perhaps they'd even conversed in the Throne of Heroes.
But the moment the question left her lips, Fiore realized its flaw. Though both followed Catholicism, one hailed from distant Japan and the other from France—there had been no opportunity for them to cross paths historically.
"I met him once on the battlefield," Jeanne answered plainly. "I can only say, Amakusa Shirou Tokisada is an extremely terrifying man."
His menace didn't stem merely from his raw strength or cunning strategy. The truly terrifying aspect was his unwavering conviction to bring salvation to all humanity.
In their encounter, Jeanne had clashed with Amakusa directly. If the Red Assassin hadn't intervened at the critical moment, Amakusa would have perished beneath Jeanne's banner.
Yet even when faced with death, Amakusa's expression had never wavered from a serene smile, utterly indifferent to his impending demise.
What sort of belief allows a man to face death with such tranquility?
Jeanne was certain Amakusa's composure wasn't based on faith in his Servant's ability to save him. He simply didn't fear death at all.
In his own words:
"My wish—to grant salvation to all humanity—is itself a miracle that could never be realized by ordinary means. If I perish here, perhaps it's simply God telling me my wish is not worthy."
Such fanaticism and unshakable resolve even drew Jeanne's admiration.
"His existence has completely disrupted the Holy Grail War, to the point of interfering with the world itself. This behavior, for a Heroic Spirit, is unforgivable," Jeanne concluded, responding directly to Fiore's inquiry.
"So, Ruler… does this mean you intend to intervene in the war?"
Fiore's eyes lit up with anticipation. The Black Faction had tried repeatedly, yet unsuccessfully, to recruit Ruler. If Jeanne joined them now, their odds of victory would soar dramatically.
"I see no other option," Jeanne sighed softly, nodding in assent. "The entire Red Faction is essentially under Amakusa Shirou Tokisada's control. Alone, I cannot overcome both Rider and Assassin. Not to mention Jack the Ripper, who remains hidden. She has violated the rules of the war by attacking innocents. Even without my Ruler identity, I cannot overlook such atrocities."
Jeanne had considered another possible ally: The Master of Hassan-i Sabbah. But after intervening on behalf of Emiya Shirou, she had thoroughly offended Hassan. She no longer considered an alliance viable. Moreover, Hassan's Master, associated with that sinister, cursed arm, likely harbored ill intentions.
Previously, even after Amakusa had sent Servants to eliminate her, Jeanne had never viewed him as an enemy.
But now, Jeanne finally regarded Amakusa Shirou Tokisada as a true opponent. Her stance was finally clear.
Thus, Jeanne d'Arc—the Ruler summoned solely to oversee the fair progression of the Holy Grail War—now resolved to actively join the conflict.
She would align herself with the Black Faction. At least until Amakusa Shirou Tokisada was stopped, Jeanne would lend them her aid.