In Type-Moon, Starting with Adopting Sakura

Kenneth, having realized he had been betrayed twice, was directly laughed into fury by these two fine students who so respected their teacher. That day, every student in the El-Melloi Faction classroom was temporarily assigned a practical combat class and had a heartfelt exchange between master and disciple with Kenneth.

That day, nearly every student got a taste of Kenneth's iron fist of love, then was carried back by puppets.

This also made them realize in shock that their teacher was not merely outstanding in magecraft. His free fighting was absolutely professional-level as well; those iron fists of his could even smash a practice puppet to pieces.

Could this be a fake Lord?

They could not help thinking it.

"Phew..."

Time returned once more to the period of the Holy Grail War, inside some towering building in Fuyuki City.

The tall Lemon-haired Blond Noble overlooked the city's nightscape. This was considered the highest point in the city, so the view was exceptionally broad. Standing here gave him the sense that everything lay within his grasp.

"Are you ready, Lancer? Follow the plan I arranged earlier. Take the initiative and draw out the Servants from the other groups. Do you have any objections to this arrangement?"

"None, my lord. Your plan is flawless. I would be delighted to serve."

The moment Kenneth finished speaking, a refined and gentle voice sounded beside him. Accompanied by several bright golden motes, the Heroic Spirit of the Lancer class appeared at his side and answered respectfully.

"Good. In that case, I'll leave it to you."

Seeing how obedient his summoned Servant was, Kenneth's tightly furrowed brows eased slightly, and even his attitude became far more genial.

Only those who have suffered betrayal can understand how precious loyalty is...

He sighed inwardly, then reached his hand toward the night sky.

"Rovey, Weber, you two unfilial disciples who betrayed your master and forsook your ancestors, I'll definitely teach you a lesson this time."

His gaze was resolute, and his words carried an unshakable determination.

An Invitation from the Strong

—My death will eventually come.

"Phew..."

He let out a soft breath of foul air.

Irritated. Extremely irritated. Incredibly irritated.

That was how the man felt at this moment.

Inside a Safe House somewhere in Fuyuki City, Emiya Kiritsugu had just finished sorting the weapons he had prepared and assembling his Stinger RPG. He stubbed out the cigarette in his hand, turned to look at the night sky beyond the window, then exhaled a heavy cloud of smoke.

The Holy Grail War had begun, and the slaughter that belonged to them had already commenced.

Though he had long grown accustomed to battles of life and death, he was not as attached to his own life as one might imagine.

He, Emiya Kiritsugu, had aspired since childhood to become an ally of justice. To that end, he had personally killed his biological father and even killed his adoptive mother to protect more people, all to carry out his will.

Ah...

He had killed his father, killed his adoptive mother, killed those who had once loved him most, and personally set himself upon a road from which there was no turning back...

From that day onward, his fate had been sealed. The only meaning left in his life was saving the world.

Emiya Kiritsugu knew very clearly that he had never feared death. Perhaps he should have died long ago. When he killed his parents, he should have died...

He would die. That was beyond doubt. He had killed too many people in his life and stained himself with too many sins for the sake of justice. He would neither deny nor reject those countless crimes.

But not yet. Before dying, he had to do everything in his power to obtain that legendary miracle and exhaust all his strength to fulfill the wish buried in his heart since childhood...

Save the world, and let true peace descend upon this era.

Beyond that, he wanted nothing else.

For that miracle, Emiya Kiritsugu had married into the Western European Mage Family of Einzbern, intending to participate in the Holy Grail War under that family's name. He had also made every effort in preparation.

Although he had already suspected, when Ahadon ordered him to summon that one, that his own despicable character would likely clash with that king—

When he truly summoned her into this world, however, the dissonance was far more outrageous than he had imagined.

The king who protected Human Order, the King of Knights of Britannia, King Arthur of Celtic Mythology—the legendary monarch so vividly described in myth was actually a woman.

This surprised Emiya Kiritsugu, who had summoned her, and also made him feel as though he had been deceived.

Through their brief contact, his earlier misgivings had gradually proven true.

Her rigid knightly manner, her chivalric spirit of following rules and discipline—every motion she made displayed the nobility that belonged to King Arthur.

Heh... There was no need to keep testing or asking. Emiya Kiritsugu knew full well that, with her personality, she could never accept his methods of combat. Her naivety suited his wife Irisviel quite well, but it filled him with deep disappointment.

That disappointment was not because of King Arthur's strength.

After all, a Heroic Spirit's power depended heavily on their legend and original myth. King Arthur, so renowned in Celtic Mythology, could not possibly be weak no matter how one looked at it. Her strength was undoubtedly among the very finest Heroic Spirits.

Yet Emiya Kiritsugu simply could not see any compatibility between them. Perhaps even their meeting had been a mistake.

Powerful allies in the Holy Grail War could unleash unimaginable strength through cooperation. But what if a pair had no compatibility at all? No matter how strong they were, what difference did it make? Forget cooperating—they would only hold each other back in battle.

Then the situation was clear. If he wanted to win this Holy Grail War, he could only rely on himself. King Arthur was merely support; she only needed to hold back the other Servants. The bullet that would truly determine the outcome of this war would ultimately be his.

The enemies in the Holy Grail War were not merely the heroes and great figures revived in this era. Targeting the Masters, who were more fragile than Servants, was undoubtedly more appropriate.

And he happened to be an expert in that field.

If it were merely a contest of magecraft or a frontal assault, then not only Grand Magus Aozaki Touko and the Clock Tower Lord of the El-Melloi Faction, but even Tokiomi Tohsaka, a conventional Magus, could crush him.

But if it came to assassinations where life and death were at stake... that was what he did best.

In this war, he would let those Magi experience firsthand why he had been given the title of Magus Killer.

As Emiya Kiritsugu thought, he loaded the remaining bullets into the magazine.

Then he turned toward the window, his somewhat weary gaze gradually drifting into the deep night sky.

Elsewhere, on a beach in Fuyuki City.

Under the moonlight, a beautiful white-haired woman like an elf moved with light steps across the beach, leaving a string of footprints behind her. From time to time, her clear laughter rang out like silver bells.

She had only just left the castle she had never stepped outside since birth, so everything beyond it was exceptionally fresh to Irisviel.

The deep blue sea beneath the night sky, glinting with starlight, and the salty, damp sea breeze so unlike the frigid wind all gave her a novelty she had never known.

Born as spotless as a blank sheet of paper, she could easily take on different colors, personally experience beauties she had never felt before, and gain true joy from them.

For Irisviel, that feeling was... freedom.

Something she had never possessed.

"Irisviel..."

Watching Irisviel walk happily along the beach, Artoria, dressed in a black butler's uniform behind her, could not help losing herself for a moment when she saw that innocent, flawless smile.

Seeing such a pure smile and Irisviel's free-spirited figure, the outline of a memory she had long deliberately concealed became increasingly clear in her mind.

Once upon a time, had she not been such a girl as well? In her earliest days, had Artoria—the Lily as pure as a white lily—not been as beautiful and innocent as Irisviel was now...?

Looking back at who she was now, even Artoria could not help reflecting on the road she had once traveled.

She had experienced far too much along that path. So many people and events had gradually shaped her into what she was now...

Just as Artoria looked back on the past and felt a faint sense of melancholy, she suddenly seemed to sense something. Her calm, nostalgic gaze sharpened abruptly as she turned toward a certain direction. The azure battle aura wrapped around her petite body erupted uncontrollably at that moment.

"Did something happen, Saber?"

The azure gale danced wildly around the shore, making the air hum.

Irisviel, who had been strolling ahead, also sensed the fierce battle aura Saber had unleashed behind her and could not help turning around to ask.

"A Servant is actively releasing their presence and inviting me just now. No, it would be more accurate to say they are inviting every Servant in this city to come."

Artoria explained.

"Then, Irisviel, should we go take a look?"

"Huh? A Heroic Spirit is actively sending out a message inviting us over... Could it be the purple-haired Heroic Spirit we encountered today?"

At the mention of other Servants, Irisviel immediately thought of the purple-haired Heroic Spirit they had run into earlier that day.

"I don't know... The aura they are releasing is extremely powerful and sharp, but I am not Caster. It is difficult to identify someone merely from their magical energy. If we want to know, we will have to go and see for ourselves."

Artoria shook her head.

"What should we do, Irisviel? Shall we go take a look?"

"Huh? Wait a moment, Saber. I'll ask Kiritsugu first."

"Very well."

Just as Irisviel was about to call and ask her husband what he wanted to do, the phone in her handbag began to ring. It was Emiya Kiritsugu, who had also noticed the anomaly. She hurriedly answered and asked about the plan.

After quietly speaking with her husband for a while and waiting until he hung up, Irisviel nodded slightly. Then she nodded to the Heroic Spirit of the sword by her side and said,

"Kiritsugu said he sensed the magical energy released just now as well. He wants us to head to the harbor and meet the challenge. He will arrive soon."

"Oh, so that direction is the city's harbor? I understand. Then let us go, Irisviel."

Having received her Master's order, Artoria nodded. Then, like a knight, she gently took Irisviel's fair hand and escorted her toward the appointed battlefield.

Elsewhere, in the Underground Parking Lot near Fuyuki City Gymnasium.

Rovey was still diligently perfecting his workshop and continuing to fill in the ritual array beneath his feet. At the same time, he was waiting for an opportunity—or rather, confirming an answer...

"Is this... a challenge? Someone actually has the same idea. How bold and interesting."

Suddenly, Scáthach, who had been sitting in a chair reading a modern fashion magazine, rose to her feet. She walked outside, looked in a certain direction, and muttered to herself.

"You noticed it too, Queen Scáthach."

Rovey, who had also sensed the anomaly, stopped what he was doing and asked Scáthach.

"Yes. Someone is brazenly releasing their magical energy in public. They are probably trying to draw out more challengers. What an interesting fellow. I had been planning to take the initiative myself."

Scáthach narrowed her eyes and spoke slowly as she looked in that direction.

"I see... Someone beat you to it. Though that is hardly surprising, considering you came back and immediately started reading fashion magazines over there."

Rovey narrowed his eyes slightly. He already had a rough answer in mind.

It seemed that, aside from himself, this World Line truly had not changed much...

It was just that his bargain-bin teacher had already been left a letter warning him not to come, so why was he still charging down this dead-end road?

Thinking of that Lemon Head, Rovey could not help feeling a little helpless.

But it was already too late to say anything. Since the other man had come, he would not be able to get away easily. Rovey also knew that, with his teacher's temperament, convincing him to give up now would be harder than climbing to the heavens. Besides, his teacher had most likely come because of him...

"Well, Caster, shall we go take a look?"

"Of course. Since someone has issued a challenge, there is naturally no reason not to go. Besides... I can sense the water-clear magical energy and battle aura that person is releasing. They must be a formidable opponent."

"To personally fight such a powerful foe in this era is also something I desire."

Scáthach nodded and answered Rovey directly, the purest fighting spirit appearing in her eyes.

"Mm... In that case, let us leave at once. Remember to bring Aoko with you. I will support you when necessary. Besides, it seems something unusual has happened at the Tohsaka Residence tonight..."

The Clash of Spear and Sword

At the edge of Fuyuki City's harbor, in the warehouse district.

Cold moonlight, bright and frosty, spilled down from the hazy night, adding a touch of brightness to this empty area.

This place was remote. The sea surrounding it rolled with waves, while countless containers and unmanned machines sat silently nearby, arranged like building blocks in designated areas. They blocked pedestrians' paths and formed a natural barrier. Moreover, aside from the obstruction provided by the buildings, Magi had placed a spell to drive away idlers throughout the area, suggesting that ordinary people leave at once. All this successfully divided the urban district and this harbor into two entirely different worlds.

Soon, this place would become a battlefield, a stage chosen for ancient heroes to shine. Tonight's moonlight was desolate and beautiful. Beneath the watchful gaze of the surging waves, everything foretold that what would happen here next would be anything but peaceful.