"So... who's next to show their 'caliber'?"
Jeanne's gaze swept the group, taking on the role of host in place of Samuel.
Samuel sat, adopting the air of a judge scoring their worth.
A brief silence fell, the atmosphere growing awkward as no one responded.
"Then... Lancer? What wish drove you to answer the summons?"
With no volunteers, Jeanne, like a teacher, called on someone.
"My wish is to clash with heroes from different times and lands, etched in history! The Holy Grail War itself is my desire!"
Karna smiled, his sharp, fiery gaze meeting each Servant's eyes. None shied away, not even Roman, who returned his challenge with a wry grin. Finally, Karna's eyes locked on Samuel.
His gaze burned with unyielding resolve, fearless against any foe.
A declaration of war to warriors he deemed worthy.
"Heh."
Samuel chuckled, meeting his gaze calmly but not accepting the challenge—it was meaningless. Victory was assured.
Instead, he devised a strategy to sway Karna to his side.
"So, Lancer, you have no reason to compete for the Grail?"
Iskandar asked.
"Not entirely... As a Servant, I must seek what my Master desires."
Karna spoke matter-of-factly.
"Oh? Fulfilling your Master's wish, upholding your duty as a Servant. May I know your True Name?"
Iskandar asked sincerely.
Karna glanced at Sola, who nodded. He declared boldly, "I am the son of the sun god, Karna!"
"Karna!!!"
Waver, the most knowledgeable guest, gasped. Though lesser-known in world history, mages were often history buffs, and he knew the name well.
"Seems you know him, kid. Share with the class?"
Low EQ: Spill the intel!
High EQ: Enlighten us?
"Karna, from the Indian epic Mahabharata, son of the sun god Surya and mortal Kunti, an undying hero."
"Proof of his divine heritage was the golden armor and earrings granting immortality. His mother..."
Waver paused, glancing at Karna with concern or perhaps seeking permission.
"It's fine."
"Kunti, young and unwed, bore Karna to test a mantra, then abandoned him. She later became queen of the Kuru king Pandu."
"Unaware of his mother, raised humbly, Karna rose to prominence as a guest of the rival Kaurava king, fighting in a territorial war. His equal in spear combat was Arjuna, son of Kunti and the thunder god Indra. In the final battle, Indra tricked Karna out of his golden armor, curses piled upon him, and he lost all allies, slain by his half-brother Arjuna. For his noble deeds, he's hailed as the 'Hero of Charity.'"
Waver summarized Karna's life concisely.
"Impressive... I want you in my ranks even more now."
Iskandar grinned at Karna.
Karna returned a simple smile.
Saber nodded, acknowledging his noble qualities.
The other Servants cast admiring glances.
"Solomon and I seek bodies for different reasons, Karna for his Servant's duty... So, the first two to clash? What about you?"
Iskandar turned to the initial combatants, Assassin and Kingu.
"I came to counter an unpredictable entity, but clearly, my strategy was futile..."
Assassin's brief words drew eyes to Samuel.
"..."
After a short silence, they looked to Kingu.
"I... don't quite know why I was summoned. Perhaps to see more, to understand humanity better?"
Kingu replied hesitantly. As the "Child of Man," endowed with humanity, she struggled to grasp it.
"So... neither of you cares much for the Grail?"
Both nodded. They had no desire for it, though Kingu added, "If Father wants it, I'll eliminate you all!"
"...Er, no need. The Grail's already in my hands."
Samuel said calmly.
He raised his right hand, a rift to another dimension splitting from his fingertips. A golden chalice slowly emerged.
The gleaming Holy Grail hovered in his palm, drawing every gaze.
Tokiomi's eyes blazed, and he staggered toward Samuel, muttering incoherently.
With a wave, Samuel sent an invisible gust, ejecting Tokiomi and Kariya. Tokiomi was unfit to discuss the Grail, and Kariya seemed to lack the desire.
"Everyone, the Grail is here, ready to hear your wishes and consider granting them. We have an ancient demigod, three kings, and a guardian of the Human Order. This is a banquet of heroes. If your 'caliber' falls short, I'll toss you out like those two. Now... our final guest, the King of Knights of Britain, Miss Saber, show us your 'caliber' to earn a chance at the Grail!"
With Samuel's words, all eyes fell on Saber. The heroes had shared and acknowledged each other's worth as heroes, despite not fully knowing one another.
Now... it was Saber's turn!!!
***
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