Overture, Choices, and Undercurrents

The night was deeply shrouding Japan, and this day was about to end after fierce clashes.

After successfully completing the operation to eliminate Lancer, Shiki arranged for the Black Knight to escort Kaineth and Sola away from Japan.

It was already ten o'clock at night. Although there were no direct flights to England, Kaineth stated that as long as he could leave Japan, he had his own ways to return to his homeland safely.

At half-past eleven, Shiki returned to the Matou Old House.

The old house was filled with an ancient atmosphere, and dim yellow lights flickered in the eerie corridors, as if they could be extinguished at any moment.

He sat in the study, piled high with Magecraft tomes, and began to review the night's battle results.

The night had been very fruitful. Most importantly, he had obtained a large source of magical power, which would allow him to recover some of his strength and give him more confidence in the brutal Holy Grail War to come.

In addition, he now held a crimson spear – the "Red Rose of Purgation."

This was originally Lancer's main weapon. When Lancer was eliminated, Shiki used the power of his Magic Eye to retain it, preventing it from dissipating along with Lancer.

Once activated by Lancer's magic, this Noble Phantasm's ability surpassed its own rank. Even though it was still a B-rank anti-person Noble Phantasm, its actual power was far beyond what a B-rank could describe; it wouldn't be an exaggeration to call it an anti-magic, anti-Magecraft Noble Phantasm.

Perhaps the original Diarmuid, the complete Heroic Spirit, his demon spear already possessed such immense power.

Shiki picked up the spear and tossed it lightly in his hand, his brow furrowing slightly. "It's a bit heavy, probably over ten kilograms. Much heavier than the Demon Sword. Why is that?"

He mused that the Black Knight's Demon Sword weighed just over a kilogram, less than two kilograms. Although it was a sizable knight's sword, it was very light, and Shiki could swing it easily with one hand.

But the weight of this spear was truly beyond his expectations.

If he hadn't been filled with magic and his physical abilities hadn't been enhanced, it would have been almost impossible to wield it nimbly.

The volume and materials of the spear were indeed greater than the Demon Sword, but the weight was far too much more than the Demon Sword, which was clearly abnormal.

"Is it because the Noble Phantasm the Master retained, by defying the Holy Grail's rules and resisting them, made the Master feel that the Noble Phantasm became heavier?"

A low voice sounded from behind.

Shiki turned his head and saw the Black Knight slowly materializing from the void into the study. He smiled and asked, "Lancelot, you're back. How was it? Did Kaineth and the others leave Japan safely?"

The Black Knight knelt on one knee and replied in a low voice, "Master, I have returned. Kaineth and his fiancée have departed Japan from the airport closest to Fuyuki City."

"The closest airport? Kansai International Airport?"

"Yes, Master."

"Alright."

Shiki recalled the map in his mind. If he remembered correctly, when Saber unleashed that awesome version of the Holy Sword, the "Caliburn," the beam of light had swept over Kansai International Airport.

Thinking of this, he couldn't help but click his tongue. "I hope nothing unexpected happened there, otherwise, tsk tsk..."

The Black Knight seemed not to hear Shiki's mumbling and continued, "Master, I believe it is your abilities resisting the Holy Grail's rules that is the main reason for the Noble Phantasm becoming heavier."

Holy Grail rules? Is there such a thing?

Shiki pondered for a moment, feeling that the Black Knight's words were not unreasonable.

Heroic Spirit Noble Phantasms were originally part of the Heroic Spirits. When a Servant disappeared, their Noble Phantasms would inevitably dissipate and return.

But who would have thought that he could use his abilities to retain a Noble Phantasm belonging to a Heroic Spirit, preventing it from returning with the Heroic Spirit?

In this way, the Heroic Spirit would no longer be complete. The Holy Grail, out of instinct, would naturally try to make the Heroic Spirit's soul complete, thus pulling at this part of the Heroic Spirit's Noble Phantasm.

This created a conflict with Shiki. The power of the Greater Grail was insurmountable, but when the Lesser Grail competed with Shiki's Magic Eye, it failed to pull the Noble Phantasm, and now it was in a stalemate.

Under the tug-of-war between these two, the Noble Phantasm naturally became heavy.

Shiki suddenly realized, "So that's how it is. So that's what happened."

To wield this spear nimbly would inevitably involve the issue of the Lesser Grail.

However, he obtained this Noble Phantasm solely to deal with a specific Servant. After dealing with that opponent, this Noble Phantasm would be useless to him.

"Never mind, I should get some rest. I've been busy all night and need to conserve my energy. Tomorrow, I'll have another fellow eliminated, and this Holy Grail War will soon be over."

Shiki stretched, saying with a hint of fatigue.

The Black Knight nodded and slowly retreated. He had consumed a lot of magic in the battle with Lancer today, but with Master's magic sustaining him, recovery was not difficult.

Moreover, Master still had plenty of Command Spells, which could play a significant role at critical moments.

While Shiki was preparing to rest, Kiritsugu Emiya, on the other hand, found it hard to sleep due to Irisviel and Saber.

In the church in Fuyuki City, Kirei Kotomine stood alone beneath the pulpit, looking at his father lying there, his heart filled with mixed emotions.

Tonight, for some unknown reason, Kirei Kotomine had not followed his father's instructions to help his teacher Tokiomi. Instead, he had watched the battle of the Heroic Spirits against the giant Sea Monster alone.

He had personally witnessed Archer recklessly unleashing his Noble Phantasm, instantly turning two expensive fighter jets into fireballs.

Archer's arrogant demeanor, treating human lives as nothing, was that of a tyrant.

"Is this the true Gilgamesh...?"

He couldn't understand why, upon seeing such a scene, he would involuntarily curl his lips; he also couldn't understand why, upon seeing his deceased father, he felt no sadness, but rather a ridiculous thought, "Since he was going to die anyway, why wasn't it me who did it?"

Had he gone bad?

Had he never truly felt the meaning of being alive from the very beginning?

"You seem to be lost, Kirei."

A slightly mocking voice echoed in the silent church.

Kirei Kotomine looked up, seeing the golden-haired, red-eyed Archer, dressed in casual clothes, holding a glass of red wine and slowly approaching.

The faint moonlight filtering through the stained glass windows of the church cast a glow on Archer, adding to his mystique and majesty.

"Archer, Gilgamesh."

Kirei Kotomine wasn't surprised by his appearance; it wasn't the first time they had met alone. They had spoken privately several times behind his teacher's back.

Archer walked over to Kirei Kotomine, looking down at the long-dead old priest. Though his face showed no obvious emotion, his eyes held a hint of mockery towards fate.

"The more you try to control something, the less you can control it. What do you think, Kirei?"

"What do you mean, Archer?" Kirei Kotomine frowned slightly.

"Heh, Kirei, there's a limit to pretending ignorance."

Archer stepped past the old priest and walked to the pulpit in the center of the church. He chuckled softly and sat down on it.

He swirled his wine glass, holding it up to the bright light. The light passed through the red wine, refracting onto both their faces, as if dyeing them the color of fresh blood.

"Kirei, your desire for the Holy Grail still exists, doesn't it?"

"I... the Holy Grail? Desire?"

Kirei Kotomine was full of confusion. His Servant, Assassin, had already been defeated. Logically, he should have lost his Master qualifications and withdrawn from the Holy Grail War.

Why would Archer say he still desired the Holy Grail?

He didn't think he had such feelings.

"Yes, Kirei's desire and pursuit of the Holy Grail are no less than that clown's. You still want to keep fighting, don't you?"

"Keep fighting..."

Kirei Kotomine fell into thought. That's right, he still couldn't understand Kiritsugu Emiya's actions and goals. He also didn't understand why the woman beside Kiritsugu would sacrifice her life for him.

And on the day his own wife committed suicide, he also didn't understand why he had the absurd thought of wanting to end her life with his own hands.

He couldn't understand any of it.

Archer seemed to see through Kirei Kotomine's inner struggle. He swirled his wine glass, the light and shadow shifting on their faces like flickering flames.

He spoke in a seductive tone, "Stop suppressing your true nature, Kirei. Didn't we say before, the more you want to control, the less you can control? There will come a day when your true nature erupts. Why not today?"

"Suppressed nature..."

Kirei Kotomine asked himself, was he really suppressing his true nature?

His experiences from childhood, his battles, and all the choices in his life seemed to suggest that he had been suppressing himself all along.

"Release your true nature, Kirei."

Archer applied a slight force to his right hand, and the golden wine glass instantly cracked, then shattered. The red wine splashed onto both their faces like blood.

Kirei Kotomine subconsciously licked the red wine from the corner of his lips. For some reason, he tasted the inherent evil of humanity.

"..."

This night was destined to hold many events.