After informing Matou Zouken of the upcoming battle plan, the old man's desire for the Holy Grail, coupled with this being the closest he had ever come to victory, left him without suspicion. He agreed immediately.
He willingly took on the role Roy assigned him, joining Kayneth and Waver to attack Kotomine Kirei and take down the most troublesome Heroic Spirit in the Holy Grail War: Gilgamesh, the King of Heroes. Then, he would bide his time for an opportunity to act.
However, Roy had long seen through Zouken's schemes, knowing the old man would never stay docile. He had already chosen a fitting grave for him, and even if Zouken caused no trouble, Roy had no intention of letting the old worm live.
Though Zouken was unaware, Roy knew that for this former comrade of justice, being buried in the war that had haunted him his entire life would be the finest funeral.
As for contingencies, Roy had arranged everything clearly, ensuring the old man would be sent off cleanly and permanently.
The pain would last only a moment.
...
"Has Tohsaka Tokiomi really died?"
Witnessing the blaze that consumed the Tohsaka residence and all its assets, Emiya Kiritsugu reached his conclusion.
"Was it Roy, or El-Melloi...?"
His assistant couldn't help but ask, but Kiritsugu shook his head slightly.
"Neither. The most likely culprit at this point is his disciple, Kotomine Kirei."
"Kotomine Kirei did it?"
Upon hearing this explosive news, Hisau Maiya's face showed a flicker of surprise.
"That's the only conclusion for now... but this complicates things."
Kiritsugu clicked his tongue. This unexpected event had thoroughly disrupted his plans.
His original strategy was to send Saber to the Tohsaka residence to assist Archer, sparking a six-way melee among the Servants. By sacrificing King Arthur and the King of Heroes, along with a few other Servants, he would gather enough offerings to summon the Greater Grail. Meanwhile, he would take Irisviel to the designated site for the Grail's descent, seizing the initiative to make his wish and claim victory in the Holy Grail War.
But with Tohsaka Tokiomi likely dead and Kotomine Kirei's stance unclear, Kiritsugu couldn't trust someone who had killed his own professor, even if Kirei claimed to honor their alliance.
In short, the situation had spiraled into chaos.
Already at a disadvantage in the war, Tohsaka Tokiomi's sudden failure at this critical juncture split their two-Servant alliance into separate entities, making them easy prey for their enemies to divide and conquer.
Moreover, with the Tohsaka residence burned to ashes, Kiritsugu had no way to track Kotomine Kirei and Gilgamesh's movements. Even if he wanted to negotiate, it was impossible in such a short time.
Kiritsugu's already troubled mind throbbed with pain.
Faced with this thorny situation, he could only chain-smoke to calm his nerves, trying to calculate the most likely outcomes.
"...If Archer, Gilgamesh, is still active, it would have been impossible for Kotomine Kirei to kill Tohsaka Tokiomi so easily. Given the circumstances, either Tohsaka Tokiomi and Gilgamesh both withdrew, or... Gilgamesh abandoned Tohsaka Tokiomi for another magus."
Kiritsugu analyzed carefully, recalling the silhouette of the Golden King he had seen through his surveillance equipment that night.
No matter how much he hoped otherwise, he couldn't imagine Gilgamesh being taken out silently, which meant...
"Right now, Archer, Gilgamesh's Master, is very likely Kotomine Kirei!"
After piecing together the intelligence, Kiritsugu's eyes widened as he grasped the hidden truth. "The conclusion is that they conspired to eliminate Tohsaka Tokiomi, and Kotomine Kirei, now without a Servant, took over, forming a new partnership."
As expected of a seasoned mercenary, Kiritsugu swiftly unraveled the situation from fragmented information.
"That's likely the case, but this means our previous alliance is probably void..."
Kiritsugu pondered, then spoke to his assistant.
His repeated clashes with Saber—whether it was letting Irisviel pose as his Master, leading to her capture by Aozaki Touko; using a Command Spell to force her to assist Assassin in attacking Kayneth; or hiding Avalon to keep her in check—had obliterated what little trust remained between them.
If not for the King of Knights's honor preventing her from betraying or turning her sword on her Master, Kiritsugu might have followed in Tohsaka Tokiomi's footsteps.
Though they hadn't reached the point of mutual hatred or betrayal, their rapport was nonexistent. When Saber learned from Roy that the Lesser Grail, Irisviel, would sacrifice herself for the Greater Grail's descent, she saw Kiritsugu as a despicable man who would stop at nothing, even sacrificing his wife, for his goals—a person she could never respect.
Faced with her accusations, Kiritsugu offered no explanation or response, only silence.
He knew Saber was right. He was scum, through and through, a man who would do anything to achieve his ends.
His path was paved with the bones of loved ones.
He had reached this point because they had pushed him forward. Though his chances were slim, this was the closest he had ever come to his goal. For that ideal, he had to act, even if it meant sacrificing his... wife.
Despite the ordeal at Aozaki Touko's hands, Irisviel, recently released, didn't blame him. Instead, she gently embraced his shoulders, offering her final support as his wife.
"Is Saber still with Iri?"
"Yes, since bringing Miss Irisviel back, King Arthur has stayed in her room, tending to her without leaving. Kiritsugu, is this really...?"
Maiya sensed the tense, even hostile, dynamic between Kiritsugu and Artoria, and her heart filled with concern.
"It's fine. Let her be... Our incompatibility was inevitable, especially after what happened. She's destined to be a sacrifice... As long as she still desires the Grail and is willing to fight, everything else is irrelevant."
Kiritsugu sighed, accepting Artoria's current state as something he could only endure.
"What about the next steps? What's your plan?"
"Hm... If Tohsaka Tokiomi were still the Master, we could send King Arthur to the Tohsaka residence to fight alongside Archer, engaging all Servants in a decisive battle to trigger everything simply. But now, the Tohsaka residence is gone, Tohsaka Tokiomi is dead, and the Master is Kotomine Kirei—a man whose motives we can't predict."
Maiya analyzed the available intelligence candidly, sharing her thoughts.
"But at the banquet that night, the King of Heroes declared he would deal with anyone coveting his treasures. So, tonight's decisive battle will likely see him release his presence to draw all Servants to him for the final showdown. We could seize that chance to send Saber into the fray."
"Indeed, I'd rather deal with Tohsaka Tokiomi than Kotomine Kirei. For now, let's fall back—we might be their target too."
"But we're not at a dead end yet. We still have a way to break through."
Kiritsugu rubbed his chin, thinking. "We still have one final trump card we haven't played. Tonight is the perfect time and place to use it—an unpopulated area with all Servants gathered. It's a golden opportunity. Even if they can't defeat each other, this card can take them all out, whether it's the King of Heroes or the King of Conquerors."
"Kiritsugu, you mean... that?"
Maiya's brow furrowed slightly, clearly aware of some details about this trump card, but using it would be too...
"Yes, the one I had you prepare at the military base in Japan... I meant it as a contingency, but I never thought we'd actually need it..."
"I know using it could cause massive disputes and harm between nations. But at this point, I have no choice. I've lost too much for this ideal. This is the closest I've come to achieving it, so I can't afford to fail!"
Addressing Maiya's doubts, Kiritsugu didn't hide his intentions. With a melancholic sigh, he retrieved a sophisticated satellite communicator from his briefcase and entrusted it to his assistant.
"Maiya, I'll be taking Iri to the Greater Grail's descent point then, so this task falls to you. When the time is right, activate it and issue the preset command—'Fire.' That's all."
Kiritsugu looked at Maiya, who had faced life and death with him countless times and was family to him. With a solemn expression, he entrusted his final trump card to her.
As a mercenary, he never left his fate in others' hands, not even his Servant's. But Maiya was different.
She was the last family he had in this world, besides Irisviel and Illya. Now, he was willing to entrust everything to her.
"Kiritsugu..."
Taking the satellite communicator, Maiya nodded solemnly, feeling the cold metal in her hand. She had her answer.
She gazed earnestly at the man before her, who had never abandoned his ideals despite a lifetime of loss—the man who had saved her from hell. With utmost seriousness, she promised,
"Leave it to me, Kiritsugu. This time, I won't let you down, even if it costs my... life."
"Maiya..."
Seeing her resolute expression, Kiritsugu nodded without further words, only saying softly,
"Then, I entrust everything to you."
"Understood."
...
...
"Matou Zouken? Isn't that the ancestor of the Matou family, the magus skilled with butterfly familiars from a century ago... Wait, you're saying you've lived for five hundred years?"
In a roadside diner, after using magecraft to clear out all bystanders, Kayneth and Waver sat in a large private room, staring in shock at the withered old man who seemed to have crawled out of a horror film.
"Indeed, I am Makiri Zolgen from five hundred years ago. I was one of the founders of the Holy Grail War, alongside Tohsaka Nagato, the ancestor of the Tohsaka family, and the Winter Saintess, Justeaze, under the witness of the Second Magician."
Unfazed by their astonishment, Matou Zouken pulled up a chair and sat down. Accepting a cup of tea poured by the Black Knight behind him, he sipped it while recounting his story and details of the Holy Grail War to the two.
"Centuries ago, I traveled the world for a certain wish, meeting many capable individuals and geniuses. In a castle on the outskirts of Berlin, I encountered the one who could fulfill my lifelong pursuit: Justeaze of the Einzbern family. With my sincerity and wisdom, I convinced her to join me in completing that grand plan—the foundation of the Holy Grail War."
"So, you're saying... you've really lived for five hundred years? And the Holy Grail War ritual came from your hands? You witnessed its creation firsthand?!"
Unable to decide where to begin, Waver was dumbfounded, and Kayneth behind him was equally stunned.
He had thought a battlefield of heroes with a Lord like himself was grand enough.
But there was an even greater master here?!
How did a five-hundred-year-old magus from history show up in this fight? This man was mentioned in The Golden Sail and Da Vinci's Notes...
Kayneth could hardly believe he was meeting such an ancient monster today.
He cast a rare, pleading glance at Roy, who was chatting animatedly with Scáthach and Iskandar about the evening's battle plan.
Sensing Kayneth's gaze, Roy stepped away from the Servants' table and joined the Masters' discussion.
Seeing Kayneth's plea, he clarified that Matou Zouken was not lying—he was indeed Makiri Zolgen from a century ago.
"So it's really him..."
With Roy's confirmation, Kayneth's perspective shifted entirely.
"Indeed, it is I. And that useless descendant of mine, Matou Kariya—you've met him, I presume?"
"Seems the death of that Tohsaka brat hit him hard, so he fled not long ago and returned control of Berserker. What a worthless fool."
Mentioning Matou Kariya infuriated Zouken. Last night, seeing the Tohsaka residence ablaze and Tohsaka Tokiomi likely dead, he had suspected Kariya would falter.
And that failure never disappointed in disappointing him.
When Zouken received Roy's message and went to check the situation, he found Lancelot at his doorstep with the Book of the False Attendant, along with a handwritten letter from Kariya, roughly stating...
[Old worm, Tohsaka Tokiomi is dead, so this Holy Grail War means nothing to me anymore.
So play by yourself. I'm off to wander the world.
—Your grandpa, no need to miss me.]
Reading that letter nearly made Zouken explode with rage.
He wanted nothing more than to drag Kariya back and teach him who the real grandfather was.
But with the assembly time approaching and Kariya having returned Berserker and the Command Spells, pursuing him further was pointless. So Zouken came straight here for his first meeting with his remaining allies, Kayneth and Waver.
To gain their trust, he deliberately revealed explosive information, including Berserker's true name: Lancelot.
The effect seemed satisfactory.
"The head of the Matou family is Makiri Zolgen—that's shocking news. And the Knight of the Lake, Lancelot, behind you is quite the asset..."
Unlike the still-stunned Waver, the worldly Kayneth quickly regained his composure.
He looked at Matou Zouken, nodded slightly, and reassessed their situation.
In short, one Lord, two magi, a five-hundred-year-old monster, and four Servants backed by near-infinite mana—an invincible lineup capable of breaking the Holy Grail War's balance.
In other words, with their four-person alliance, the war held no threats, and the remaining two Servants could be crushed effortlessly...
By sidelining the other two, only Roy and Waver—his students—remained, meaning the El-Melloi faction had a 100% grip on victory.
Thus, he had no reason to refuse, even knowing his ally was a five-hundred-year-old monster.
Kayneth El-Melloi was never inferior to anyone! His peerless talent shone in any era, so what if this was Makiri Zolgen?
Leaving aside whether his magecraft matched Zolgen's, the Holy Grail War wasn't just about magecraft—it was about Servants.
His side's Servants were overwhelmingly superior in quality and quantity. No matter who this was, the outcome was set.
"In other words, we four and our four Servants will form a united front for this assault," Kayneth said knowingly. "No reason to object."
...
Everyone tacitly agreed.
"Good, let's confirm tonight's tactics again."
"The usual: three of us tackle Gilgamesh, one holds off Saber. Any issues?"
"None," everyone nodded.
"Then, Professor Kayneth, Waver, and Elder Matou handle Gilgamesh and Kotomine Kirei. I'll stall Saber. Sound good?"
"You're stalling Saber? That's reasonable. After all, Scáthach fought King Arthur before and held the absolute advantage."
Kayneth found no fault with the arrangement.
If possible, he wanted to team up with Roy and Waver to focus-fire Gilgamesh, then turn and eliminate the other two.
But learning Berserker was Lancelot nixed that absurd idea. The last time Scáthach nearly finished Saber, Lancelot's frenzied intervention stopped her.
Lancelot's compatibility with Saber was clearly disastrous; sending him could cause unnecessary trouble.
Glancing warily at Matou Zouken, Kayneth considered.
Though he could take Fionn, leaving this five-hundred-year-old monster with his student made him uneasy. Waver and Roy were too young, and even he had lived only a fraction of Zouken's years.
The older a magus, the more cunning. He couldn't guarantee his students wouldn't be outmaneuvered without him watching, so he had to go himself.
Thus, stalling Saber naturally fell to Roy, as expected.
The plan was simple and effective; Kayneth saw no flaws.
But with the Tohsaka residence burned down, where would they find Kotomine Kirei and Gilgamesh?
Roy had anticipated this.
"If I'm right, they'll likely appear in this area tonight. Professor Kayneth, just prepare for battle in advance."
He produced a prepared map, circling the location of Fuyuki City's church.
"Oh, Fuyuki City's church?"
Kayneth studied the map thoughtfully. "Indeed, as a church cleric, with the Tohsaka residence destroyed, Kotomine Kirei is most likely there. It's remote—perfect for Servants to go all out."
"Ho ho... then the plan is set."
Matou Zouken's face twisted into a strange smile as he chuckled. "In that case, I entrust this battle to Lord El-Melloi's care."
"Naturally."
Frowning at the twisted smile, Kayneth was more concerned about Roy.
"Be careful. That Mage-Killer's methods are no joke."
Kayneth warned Roy.
"Don't worry, Professor. I'm an El-Melloi prodigy. I won't tarnish your reputation."
Smiling at Kayneth's concern, Roy grabbed his trench coat from the table, threw it on, and turned to leave. "Let's go, Scáthach."
"Ha—!"
Scáthach, who had been waiting outside for a while, yawned.
"Done already? Let's move!"
Seeing Roy, Scáthach, tired of playing along with these fools, lit up and eagerly asked,
"Are we fighting Saber?"
Hearing her excitement at the mention of battling Saber, Roy felt a twinge of pity for Artoria.
A formidable King Arthur, stuck with a deplorable Master like Emiya Kiritsugu, was practically doomed to suffer.
But this worked out well. After Fionn, Lancelot, and Scáthach, it was his turn to face her.
When that online trickster demanded he personally fight Saber and guide her, Roy was stunned, pointing at himself and asking,
"Me, fight Artoria? Seriously?"
The answer was clearly serious. To guide that stubborn knight, words alone wouldn't suffice.
To wake a sleeping beauty, a kiss might do.
But to rouse a King of Knights pretending to sleep, fists spoke the truth.
Resolved, Roy prepared to stride off with Scáthach toward the Einzbern stronghold.
But...
"Wait!"
Kayneth, as if struck by a thought, called out from behind.
Before Roy could react, Kayneth stripped off his double-layered police bulletproof vest and plopped a bulletproof helmet—seemingly from nowhere—onto him.
"If you're going after Saber and Emiya Kiritsugu, take these."
"Huh?"
***
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