The Best Partners / Intelligence, Kenneth

The Sword of Promised Victory...

"So it was true. You are King Arthur. My apologies—I was merely surprised just now, and had absolutely no intention of slighting you. After all, the sharpness of your blade leaves no room for even the slightest arrogance from me."

"That is for the best. However, I have now gained some clues regarding your identity as well."

"Oh?"

The Blond Man raised his brows, a flicker of interest flashing through his eyes.

"For you to discern my identity in such a short time, you must surely be a hero of exceptional wisdom. Not only do you possess a handsome face so perfect it seems cursed, but you also wield a spear with such superb skill—and that demonic spear of yours is no inferior to Excalibur...

Considering the legends, your true name should be... Cú Chulainn, or Diarmuid Ua Duibhne!"

Artoria gripped her weapon tightly and laid out her analysis with sound reasoning.

"Ah?!"

Yet upon hearing that familiar name, the Blond Man's expression visibly twisted and twitched uncontrollably.

His original elegance and easygoing demeanor stiffened at that moment... He clenched his spear and drew in a deep breath, as though enduring something.

Slowly exhaling, the Blond Man forced himself to perk up and gave Artoria a polite yet proper smile. Then, without hesitation, he raised his Double-Headed Spear and spun it through the air before commanding the water currents to launch a thunderous strike at her with lightning speed.

—Bang!!

Driven by the flowing water, immense magical power wrapped around the strange spear as it crashed into Artoria's weapon with unmatched force, sending her flying several steps back.

That thrust gave Artoria an even deeper understanding of her opponent's overwhelming strength. Whether it was an illusion or not, she could clearly sense that beyond its fierce fighting spirit, the strike carried a great deal of pure... rage!!

"Though the renowned King of Knights has earned my respect, revealing your true name in battle is not something a warrior should do."

"If you truly wish to know, experience it for yourself!!"

The instant the man finished speaking, a glint of cold light arrived first, followed by a spear that shot forth like a dragon.

The Best Partner (2/2)

On the outskirts of the warehouse district, within a particularly hidden corner.

"Letting Lancer take the initiative and battle the other Servants, forcing those Masters hiding in the shadows to reveal the Servants they summoned, then selecting and analyzing the exposed groups in order to determine the most dangerous opponents?"

Old Worm, hunched over and leaning on a cane, with gloomy eyes and an aura of decay, stood within the shadows and asked.

Behind him stood a pitch-black Servant with crimson eyes and an ominous aura, utterly motionless. Its black aura gradually merged with the darkness.

Matou Kariya, the unlucky fool being used as a shield, had long since been arranged by the two of them to wait quietly on the outskirts.

"Yes. After all, it is an obviously effective method, isn't it? Though openly challenging others to battle in order to lure out opponents might seem foolish to Magi like us, who possess little sense of honor or morality, it is precisely the opposite for heroes who lived in the Age of Gods."

"No hero whose name has endured through the ages could refuse such an invitation, could they?"

Rovey spoke as he watched the water mirror created through magecraft in midair.

"Putting aside a Servant like Berserker, who has lost his sanity, those who have appeared so far include Lancer, Saber, and... the queen of my household, who does not resemble a Caster in the slightest."

Mentioning Scáthach, who had rushed off energetically with Aozaki Touko, Rovey could not help but reveal a bitter smile.

Still, he did not care too much about it.

After all, even if he had summoned Cú Chulainn as Caster according to his original plan, the situation would have been the same. Neither master nor disciple was particularly well-behaved.

"Oh? So this Lancer intends to bypass the Magi and directly issue invitations to heroes from every era... Given the personalities of most Heroic Spirits, naturally none would refuse such an invitation."

"Even if their Masters disagree, it would be difficult to stop a Servant who wished to go. If they truly wanted to forcefully prevent it, they would have no choice but to use a Command Seal. And if a Magus really did that, not only would they waste a precious Command Seal, they would also create a rift between Master and Servant."

Matou Zouken frowned and analyzed the matter seriously.

"So it is this kind of open scheme... It seems Lancer's Master truly is capable."

"Yes. Isn't that why my own queen happily accepted the invitation?"

Rovey nodded, then continued watching Lancer and Saber, who were still fiercely clashing in the center of the warehouse district through the water mirror.

Unlike Matou Zouken, who was carefully observing the battle and analyzing the two Servants, Rovey's gaze was thoughtful.

Saber was indeed Artoria...

And her Master was still Emiya Kiritsugu.

Berserker was still Lancelot, and the Master was still the Matou Family.

Because of him, Ryunosuke Uryu had been crippled and thrown before the families of his victims, so Caster had changed from Bluebeard to Scáthach.

Logically, aside from the things he had changed, everything else should have remained the same...

Yet when he saw that blond Lancer, a peculiar change came over his expression.

Diarmuid had actually become Fionn mac Cumhaill...

It seemed this Holy Grail War had indeed undergone some unusual changes. The question was whether the Master who summoned Lancer this time was still Professor Kenneth. And had Tokiomi Tohsaka summoned that most troublesome of Servants... the King of Heroes?

Rovey's gaze was contemplative as he began planning his next move.

"Mm... This is good as well. After all, we possess the fighting strength of two Servants. If a chaotic battle truly breaks out on the first night, we will hold a tremendous advantage."

"Even if no melee begins, tonight's gains have already been more than sufficient. Thanks to that blond Lancer, we learned Saber's true name—King Arthur—without paying any price at all."

"And... it seems something rather extraordinary has happened not only here, but at the Tohsaka Family's side as well."

Matou Zouken seriously assessed the current situation, then said nothing more. He merely stood beside Rovey and continued observing the scene with him.

Quietly waiting for the right opportunity to arrive.

While Rovey and Matou Zouken watched from the shadows, the other Masters were not sitting idle either.

Inside the Hyatt Hotel.

"So this is spearplay from the Age of Gods... It truly is astonishing. Even I, a genius already standing at the pinnacle of modern Magi, cannot help but marvel at it..."

"Lancer, Fionn mac Cumhaill, truly is the finest Heroic Spirit most compatible with a genius such as myself."

With his hands clasped behind his back, Kenneth watched the battlefield through magecraft and wore a smug smile. Fionn's performance on the battlefield had clearly satisfied him greatly.

Not only had he suppressed Saber with spearplay from the Age of Gods and commanded water currents, he had also used his extraordinary wisdom to expose her true name.

Saber—King Arthur.

A name renowned throughout both European history and mythology.

As an old London aristocrat, Kenneth was naturally no stranger to her. On the contrary, he had read the legends of King Arthur countless times as a child. Now that he had seen her in person, he felt an inexplicable sense of unreality.

King Arthur herself was actually a girl? That was truly surprising...

Watching the battlefield where Artoria and Fionn fiercely exchanged blows, Kenneth's lips curled into a smile.

King Arthur was powerful as a Servant, but she was still considerably inferior to the Servant he had summoned.

Though both were heroes from Celtic Mythology, the one he had summoned was a descendant of Nuada, the Celtic God of War, and the commander of the glorious Knights of Fianna.

He had not only slain countless terrifying monsters, but had even killed gods—an absurdly impressive achievement. He was a great hero who had created numerous tales of valor, with a status sufficient to stand alongside the great hero of the Celts, Cú Chulainn, the Child of Light!

After losing his cloak, Kenneth had originally intended to return to his family and find something similar to use in the war. But who could have expected Rovey to be so ruthless?

That one visit of his had practically emptied Kenneth's entire collection. The workshop had been left with only a few worthless items, along with a letter from him.

Its meaning was roughly this: 'The Holy Grail War is extremely dangerous. If you come, you will lose your life, so I emptied your materials room beforehand to keep you from finding a Sacred Relic and participating. I especially want to stress that you should not come looking for me. Stay at the Clock Tower and enjoy your honeymoon with Mistress Sola-Ui. Do not come here to throw your life away.' And other words along those lines.

The moment Kenneth read that letter, his already terrible mood exploded.

Not only had Rovey emptied his materials room, he had even cursed him to die? He, Kenneth—the Lord of Mineralogy and Ninth Generation Magus Head—would die in some rural magecraft ritual? What utter nonsense!

Thus, Kenneth simply ignored the letter and immediately flew to Fuyuki City anyway.

What if he had no suitable Sacred Relic?

Then he would simply dispense with one and perform a compatibility summon!!

Kenneth refused to believe that, with his outstanding ability, he could not participate in the Holy Grail War without a Sacred Relic.

Today, he would use his own strength to show those two unfilial disciples that even without a Sacred Relic, Kenneth could still claim victory!

And so, without a Sacred Relic and relying purely on compatibility, he summoned this renowned great hero of Celtic Mythology.

Not only was he powerful, he was obedient, entirely without airs, and most importantly... he was truly loyal!

For Kenneth, who had been betrayed twice, that was genuinely comforting.

Seeing Fionn's exceptional performance now, Kenneth could not help applauding inwardly, while the corners of his mouth unconsciously rose.

They got along perfectly. They truly got along perfectly.

How could there be such a Servant in this world, one so suited to him?

Without realizing it, Kenneth had even begun feeling grateful toward Weber, that unfilial disciple who had stolen his Sacred Relic.

"Mm, the situation is about right. In a moment, I will have Lancer release his Noble Phantasm and deal with this King Arthur directly, then continue holding back the other Servants who reveal themselves..."

Then... it was time for him to personally move out and sweep away those lurking in the dark. The grudge between master and disciples was a family matter, and he had to settle it properly. He would not allow any other blind Magi to interfere!

Watching the intense battle on the screen, Kenneth's lips curled up slightly. He then returned to his workshop and equipped himself with dozens of carefully prepared Mystic Codes.

"Rovey, Weber... You two unfilial disciples had better pray you do not meet me too soon. Otherwise, I will give you an extracurricular lesson you will never forget for the rest of your lives!"

He muttered under his breath.

Then he tossed out two gems, opened the hidden door he had installed in the workshop beforehand, and silently slipped outside the building before rapidly heading toward the battlefield.

Kenneth the Information Broker (Two-in-One)

The fierce clashes of spear and sword tore through the air with ease. Two dazzling arcs trailed a succession of sonic booms, and the force unleashed by their weapons colliding alone was enough to rip apart the earth and shatter the surrounding environment...

At this very moment, a battle that did not belong to this era was unfolding in a place no detector could perceive.

It was a special battle absent from the modern age, the recent age, and even the Middle Ages. To trace its origins, one could only look back to those older mythological chapters shrouded in mist and legend.

Two warriors from different eras, each wielding world-shaking power, had begun a battle transcending time and space under the summons of a magecraft ritual...

At this moment, every Magus who witnessed this battle, openly or from the shadows, held their breath. This was the first time they had seen heroes from that era fight. Through this astonishing battle, they were fortunate enough to glimpse a corner of the Age of Gods...

In the darkness, a man in a black trench coat silently endured the night wind, pressing his body tightly against a huge steel container. He used the darkness as camouflage and held his breath, not daring to make the slightest unnecessary sound. Yet his heart could not settle after witnessing this mythological battle beyond mortal comprehension.

"So this is a Servant..."

The reappearance of heroes from that distant Age of Gods.

Before coming here to participate in this Holy Grail War, Emiya Kiritsugu had already read information about these heroes in the Einzbern archives. He had mentally prepared himself for Servants, beings who utterly defied modern common sense. Yet only when he witnessed this battle from the Age of Gods with his own eyes did he realize how greatly he had underestimated them.

Britannia's glorious king wielded a holy sword and commanded raging winds in a fierce assault; the golden Lancer spun his demonic spear and used flowing water to dissolve every attack.

The ultimate martial arts recorded only in myths were now being displayed so casually before his eyes.

His prepared trump cards—Origin Bullets, Time Alter, and several high-tech modern firearms—were a joke in the face of heroes powerful enough to defy all reason...

Only after witnessing this battle did Emiya Kiritsugu understand the true meaning of Ahadon's warning.

"In the Holy Grail War, use Servants to defeat Servants. Only heroes can contend against heroes. Do not act rashly; proceed with caution in all things." Those words echoed through Emiya Kiritsugu's mind, and he finally recognized his own position.

He had once naively believed that with Time Alter, Origin Bullets, and the power of modern firearms, even if he could not defeat these Servants head-on, he could at least entangle them long enough for King Arthur to ambush the other Masters. Only now did he realize how naive that idea had been.

Setting aside Saber, King Arthur, merely judging from the martial skill displayed by that golden man who commanded water, if Kiritsugu dared to test him, he would die the next instant.

Even with the support of Time Alter, he could not endure more than a few exchanges against his opponent, much less counterattack. The only outcome would be for the man to spot a flaw and spear him to death on the battlefield.

Thus, his heart repeatedly warned him, Do not act recklessly. Do not act recklessly... He should abandon the absurd notion of defeating a Servant head-on with the body of a Magus as soon as possible.

"Phew..."

After letting out a breath and forcibly suppressing his restless heart, Emiya Kiritsugu fished out the Infrared Night Vision Goggles he had prepared in advance. He set up the Barrett M82A1 Sniper Rifle beside him and began searching the surrounding area for traces of other Masters.

Though he could not possibly defeat a Servant, that did not mean he could not defeat Magi.

On the contrary, he had not been granted the title of Magus Killer by coincidence. The bullets in his handgun were the bane of every Magus in the world—Origin Bullets.

They were specially made from his Origin. As long as they struck a Magus, they would take effect the instant the target used magecraft or drove magical energy, causing the target's Magic Circuits and meridians to go berserk. If a Magus struck by one of these bullets used magecraft, not even the gods could save them.

This was his ultimate hidden weapon, a key reason he had established such a fearsome reputation in this world. To this day, no Magus who had seen his Origin Bullets had survived...