Reactions and Undercurrents

Shiki devoted himself wholeheartedly to improving his own strength, and he and the slightly surprised Lancelot began their special training.

Meanwhile, news of a new participant joining the Holy Grail War swiftly reached the ears of interested parties everywhere.

Among the many factions in this war, there was one unlucky fellow who had failed to receive the news in time.

Last night, the Clock Tower lecturer who had gone to flaunt his power before the Einzbern Family had carelessly fallen for a scheme by the Magus Killer, Kiritsugu Emiya. He was now bedridden and paralyzed, completely unaware of the latest developments outside.

The other factions, meanwhile, all had different reactions.

A short distance northeast of the Matou Old House stood an exquisite and elegant Tohsaka Mansion.

Inside, Tokiomi Tohsaka sat gracefully in a chair, impeccably dressed.

As he listened to the report from Kirei Kotomine, the disciple he had taken in through his own arrangements three years ago, he could not help remarking, "Did that coward Kariya, who ran away from a Magus's responsibilities, flee again this time?"

The words clearly carried contempt for his opponent, yet Kirei Kotomine stood there like an emotionless machine, his expression utterly calm.

Tokiomi Tohsaka had long grown accustomed to this and paid it no mind.

"Kariya left with Sakura? Then did something happen to the Matou Patriarch?"

Kirei Kotomine replied, "Master, that is possible."

Tokiomi Tohsaka referred to the Matou Patriarch with respect, but the two families were not actually close.

On one hand, they were both Magus families and members of the Three Founding Families. On the other, as the head of his family, Tokiomi Tohsaka addressed an elder with basic respect.

"Damn it. It's inconvenient to investigate the Matou Old House now. If we hadn't been so hasty in establishing the new rules with Father Kotomine, it would have been better if Assassin were still around."

Tokiomi Tohsaka was somewhat annoyed.

Last night, in order to test Rider's Noble Phantasm, Kirei Kotomine's Servant, Assassin, had been eliminated.

However, Tokiomi Tohsaka did not dwell on his regrets for long. He quickly composed himself and asked his disciple instead, "Kirei, do you have any information about Berserker's new Master?"

Kirei Kotomine answered, "Master, I believe Berserker's new Master is the boy who saved Rin yesterday."

Tokiomi Tohsaka frowned. "The boy mentioned in your report, the one who had contact with Kariya?"

"Yes, Master," Kirei Kotomine replied.

Kirei Kotomine had indeed reported this matter last night, but they had been preparing to test Rider at the time, so they had set it aside. Who could have expected news of Berserker changing Masters to spread today?

Tokiomi Tohsaka could not help pondering, "What connection does that boy have with Kariya?"

He truly could not understand it. If they had no connection whatsoever, why would the boy help Kariya deal with the old man of the Matou family?

But he soon put aside his doubts and said, "Forget it. We should prepare to deal with Caster first. We'll understand everything eventually. Kirei, you have worked hard and rendered great service in assisting me. Now that Assassin is gone, you should rest for a while."

Tokiomi Tohsaka believed that without his Servant, Kirei Kotomine had lost his status as a Master and could no longer be of use to him.

With the Servant he had summoned, he firmly believed he could claim the final victory.

"Yes, Master. Then I'll take my leave."

Kirei Kotomine left the room expressionlessly. Yet the instant he closed the door, a trace of boredom flashed through his eyes.

To him, both this Holy Grail War and Tokiomi Tohsaka's plans were unbearably dull, nowhere near as interesting as the Magus Killer, Kiritsugu Emiya.

He could not grasp Kiritsugu Emiya's thoughts or methods at all. He always felt that deep within this man's heart was a unique spirit that drew him in.

"Kiritsugu Emiya, what kind of person are you?"

Elsewhere, perhaps Kiritsugu Emiya himself did not know what kind of person he was.

After settling his wife Irisviel and his Servant Saber in an old house prepared beforehand in Miyamachi, he received a call from his assistant Maiya and hurried to her temporary residence.

"Kiritsugu, the Church has more news. Berserker has changed Masters," Maiya said.

"Mm. Anything else?"

Kiritsugu Emiya was not especially concerned about Berserker, the Servant wreathed in black mist and radiating madness.

In past Holy Grail Wars, Berserker had been powerful, but having lost reason, he could not release his Noble Phantasm and thus was not a true formidable opponent.

As his assistant, Maiya naturally understood why. Since she had specifically called him over, she must have discovered an important clue.

"Kiritsugu, we may have found Caster's Master last night." As Maiya spoke, she tossed a photograph onto the table.

Kiritsugu Emiya picked it up and saw a blond young man dressed in clothes featuring leopard-print elements.

"This is... a leopard? This guy? Has it been confirmed?" Kiritsugu Emiya was somewhat surprised that information on Caster's Master had come so easily.

"That's right. Someone saw this young man fly out of an abandoned bar. After rolling across the ground more than a dozen times, he was somehow completely unharmed. He even got up and started cursing, shouting things like, 'You dare destroy Old Master Qingxu's Magic Dress Gear? I won't let you get away with this!'" Maiya explained.

Kiritsugu Emiya rarely smiled, but he did now. He drew a dagger and pinned it through the smiling face of the young man in the photograph. "That was easy. Then the one who sent him flying must have been Berserker's new Master."

"I think so too. Later, someone saw Berserker's former Master, Matou Kariya, leave with a boy. Then news spread today that Berserker had changed Masters." As Maiya spoke, she spread a black-and-white sketch onto the table. "Based on several descriptions, this was drawn up. The witnesses confirmed that it looks very much like that boy."

The sketch bore an eighty to ninety percent resemblance to Shiki. The artist was clearly skilled, able to recreate Shiki's true appearance from nothing more than people's impressions and directions.

Kiritsugu Emiya glanced at the sketch, fell silent for a moment, then sighed. "He's really young."

"Kiritsugu," Maiya called softly.

"It's fine, Maiya. As long as someone participates in the Holy Grail War, no matter who they are, they are our enemy." Kiritsugu Emiya's expression was grave.

Seeing this, Maiya said nothing more.

When carrying out a mission, the greatest taboo was allowing emotions to interfere.

"Then what do we do now? Target Caster, or Berserker?"

Kiritsugu Emiya pulled the dagger from the photograph. His answer was exactly as Maiya had expected. "We still have to consider the Church's influence. Deal with Caster's Master first, then find a way to eliminate Lancer. Berserker's special ability can restrain Archer, so we can leave him alone for now."

This was not a spur-of-the-moment decision. Ever since the Holy Grail War began, when he had seen Berserker and Archer fight at the port warehouses, Kiritsugu Emiya had already made such plans.

"Kaineth was rescued by Lancer yesterday, but after being hit by an Origin Bullet, all his Magic Circuits were severed and then reconnected at random. He is already crippled. Who will replace him as Master? And Lancer has not completely withdrawn." Kiritsugu Emiya analyzed, "Use Saber and Lancer's arranged duel to find the new Master behind him and eliminate Lancer completely."

Maiya was not surprised by his attitude of treating Servants as tools.

Because that was Kiritsugu Emiya's way of doing things. In his eyes, whether guns or people, everything was a tool for realizing his ideals. Even Maiya herself was no exception.

Maiya had long accepted this. From the day Kiritsugu Emiya saved her, she had accepted all of it.

"Then, Kiritsugu, I'll go monitor Berserker at the Matou Old House. Caster's Master will have to be left to you."

"No problem."

Kiritsugu Emiya had always been good at finding people.

Just as Maiya was about to leave the room, Kiritsugu Emiya called out to her. His lips moved slightly as he said softly, "Be careful."

Maiya nodded and quickly departed.

Only Kiritsugu Emiya remained in the room, staring at the photograph and sketch as he sank into thought.

The last to learn that Berserker had changed Masters was the Rider pair.

At this moment, they had just destroyed one of Caster's bases at a sewer exit. This was already the second Caster base they had found, and the horrific scene inside had enraged the young Magus Waver.

However, compared to yesterday, he was no longer in such unbearable pain.

"Caster, I'll never forgive that bastard!"

A large hand suddenly smacked Waver on the back, nearly knocking his frail body off the chariot.

The towering Rider, Iskandar, laughed heartily. "That's the spirit, kid! That's the kind of fire you need to be worthy of being my Master, Iskandar! Hahaha!"

"Stop laughing, Rider. What do you think about Berserker getting a new Master?" Waver asked.

Iskandar rubbed his chin with a large hand. "Kid, do you think we have an advantage against Berserker?"

Waver nodded without hesitation. "Of course. Rider's Noble Phantasm is the strongest. Taking on Berserker would be a piece of cake."

Hearing that, Iskandar burst into laughter and slapped Waver on the back again. "Kid, that's the confidence you need! We're the strongest. There's nothing to fear. Let's go!"

He yanked the reins, and the Noble Phantasm chariot shot through the sky like an arrow loosed from its bow, pulled by two divine bulls as it flew toward their base.

Everyone who had witnessed Berserker's strength believed that changing Masters would not make much difference to this Berserker-class Servant.

After all, in everyone's eyes, Noble Phantasms were the strongest power of Servants. And how powerful could Berserker be if he could not release his Noble Phantasm?