Final Chapter, Stirring Shadows

"Ah... the seventh Servant has already arrived? Didn't you say... you definitely eliminated a Master?"

Somewhere, sometime.

The bright, clear tone of a young girl echoed in a dark room. Although the content of the sentence suggested she should have been angry or at least teasing, the voice resonating in the room was filled with a cheerful quality, as if several girls were discussing nail polish colors.

Assassin had already resigned herself to the fact that her Master was not entirely mentally stable.

Let alone the fact that eliminating a Master who hadn't even summoned their Servant was itself rather pointless, or perhaps even counterproductive.

Just looking at her taste – the heavy, silver-grey blackout curtains, the wriggling things in the room that seemed to writhe like chunks of flesh, and the warm, steaming scent of mana in the air. The strong, sour smell was almost unbearable even for a Ninja who had undergone rigorous training. While she could understand that the scent was meant to fill the room with fluctuations of mana... anyone who could sit calmly in such a room and still be cheerful was definitely not right in the head!

In the pitch darkness, the Servant could barely confirm that her Master wasn't wearing much clothing. Large expanses of fair skin exuded a hazy beauty even in the dim light. She was crossing her legs, resting her right foot on her knee, and using a fine brush to apply nail polish to herself.

This was also why Assassin had used nail polish as an example earlier.

As the Master's colorless nails were dyed a mysterious violet, she stretched out her foot with apparent satisfaction. Her slender, fair skin was exposed to the air, swaying, drawing a beautiful arc with the violet color.

It was as if she was admiring her own reflection, or perhaps showing off to Assassin.

Assassin said silently, "The poison I used isn't particularly potent, but its greatest advantage is that it takes effect instantly. It was my miscalculation; I thought that by delaying for so long, the poison would have spread to the point of no return."

"Oh—"

The woman responded, turning her toes back and forth, examining them from left to right, trying to confirm if her technique was perfect.

Perhaps feeling satisfied, her red lips split into an exaggerated smile. She pulled her leg back and moved the brush to her other bare foot.

"—So, that Archer possesses some healing abilities, at least in terms of detoxification?"

"Highly likely."

Assassin's voice was filled with deep confusion.

Her Master was definitely not a foolish person; Assassin knew this best.

For instance, right now, she had quickly deduced the Archer's skills based on the clues presented, something a foolish person couldn't do.

But then, why had she asked Assassin to hunt down the Master before they could summon their Servant?

This clearly didn't align with her interests.

The correct use of an ASSASSIN was to silently track enemies, locate them, and then find an opening to strike with a single, fatal blow.

However, according to the previous strategy, the Holy Grail would simply summon a new Master, rendering Assassin's prior preparations meaningless.

Admittedly, using her unique methods, Assassin had set up eyes and ears throughout the entire city... but this was still an excessive waste.

"Hey, let me guess, you were just thinking..."

The girl narrowed her eyes, and Assassin knew this was the prelude to her teasing again.

"...you were thinking of using my nail polish, weren't you? Heh heh, this is a designer brand, it's super expensive! I'm not giving it to you, hahahahahaha."

"Master, if I may speak frankly."

"Mhm, mhm, you are forgiven! Go ahead, tell me!"

"Master, why did you order me to eliminate the Master before the Servant was summoned?"

"Hmm? You're curious about that? Oh my, oh my~ It's not allowed to pry into a girl's secrets! You creepy old man! Idiot! Fool! H! Just kidding~"

Saying this, the girl giggled again. Even though her tone was pleasant, such aimless, nonsensical laughter only instilled fear.

"Well, forget it. Since you've asked so earnestly, I'll mercifully tell you. To prevent the World Cup from being destroyed—though it's not that powerful, really. Cough, cough... Of course, it's to... hunt Masters?"

From the girl's playful lips came a purpose that could not be ignored, filled with killing intent.

"Hunt... Masters?"

"Yeah! Hmph, actually, I... love killing people the most? I, Matou Aya, love killing the most! Whether it's beheading, dismemberment, burning, burying, or drowning, I love it all! My goal in participating in the Holy Grail War is to hunt Masters! Normally, those Magus hide in their workshops, making them so troublesome to hunt. But the Holy Grail War is different! Everyone has to gather in this place called Qianxi! Since it's a city that was only recently built, neither the Church nor the Association has any residents here! That means it's a no-man's-land, you see?"

The girl, who called herself Matou Aya, raised her delicate eyebrows in enjoyment at this wild confession, her eyes narrowing into beautiful slits, making her incredibly beautiful.

Although there were no actual actions to support it, her enraptured expression and serious tone indicated that this girl was not joking. In a daze, Assassin felt as if a romantic and fiery rose of blood had appeared behind her, and at the center of that beautiful flower was not a sweet, decaying pistil, but a huge, sinister skull.

"So, I thought, why not hunt Masters? As long as we eliminate a few, the Holy Grail won't be filled with the blood of Servants, and it will summon new Masters again. New Masters will naturally come here, and we can continue hunting! Endlessly, endlessly. Ah, but don't blame yourself too much, A-kun. Since the Holy Grail War has already begun, complaining to you is useless, right? So, let's just enjoy it. As long as we win in the end, we can make a wish with the Holy Grail! Hee hee hee..."

Even the famous Ninja, who had committed numerous sins and was known for being heartless in life, couldn't help but feel a chill at her insane declaration. Her Master was truly an extraordinary individual...

A serial killer...

And furthermore, the most unforgivable kind... a pleasure-seeking serial killer. Someone who treated bloodshed as enjoyment and reveled in the thrill of taking lives...

To think that such a person was her lord...

It was truly a sorrowful thing that a Ninja could not choose their lord.

Assassin couldn't help but think this.

He quickly dismissed the thought.

No, loyalty to one's lord was a Ninja's duty, and correcting one's lord's words and actions was the responsibility of a retainer.

Moreover... perhaps only such a killer could bring out the full potential of an Assassin, who was unburdened by moral constraints and resorted to any means necessary to achieve their goals. If there was anything Assassin regretted, it was that in life, his lord had been too upright, and his colleagues had placed too much importance on the honor of a warrior...

Since he had been summoned by the Holy Grail, it would be too tragic to withdraw now.

"I understand, Master. The Assassin will undoubtedly bring you the Holy Grail. All enemies who obstruct you will meet a swift and silent death."

"Mhm! I'm looking forward to it! Please take good care of me, A-kun!"

At some time, in some place.

"Have all seven Servants appeared... Looking at these stats, I'd say only Lancer and Rider have the qualifications to fight against my strongest Saber... Assassin has outstanding abilities, but... heh, only a D-rank Endurance... They'll probably be burned to ashes by Saber's flames before they can even get close?"

In an unknown space, someone's voice exuded confidence.

It was as if they knew the stats of all seven Servants like the back of their hand. However, considering the special nature of the Sixth Holy Grail War, this was not impossible.

This person was like someone who drew a royal flush at the start of a poker game.

That overflowing confidence could only be explained by one thing: their trump card, their Servant, was truly strong.

No one responded to their words; the only response was the crackling sound of burning in the air, like embers from a grand bonfire that had yet to completely extinguish.