Someone in Type-Moon, Starting by Adopting Sakura

Scáthach was particularly displeased.

"Where on earth did he come from?"

Artoria was bewildered.

"What?! Waver Velvet, that rebellious disciple, has already appeared!!"

On the other side, Kenneth, who was relentlessly pursuing Emiya Kiritsugu, was also somewhat surprised.

Rovey applauded directly, playing along with a supportive tone, "Good, just as expected of the King of Conquerors' spirit."

Internally, he mused, 'Just barging in like that, isn't he afraid of being ganged up on by three people at once…'

Matou Zouken's eyes held a hint of confusion.

"Is this part of the plan?"

Rovey shook his head slightly, replying with an innocent expression, "It's quite obvious… this is completely outside the plan."

"In other words… the current situation is that Lancer, Saber, Caster, and the newly appeared Rider have all revealed their true names. Add Berserker Lancelot, and that's five. Then, with Assassin having retreated after attacking the Tohsaka Residence, the only one whose true name hasn't been revealed is Tokiomi Tohsaka's Servant."

Matou Zouken didn't doubt Rovey's words. Instead, he stroked his chin, thoughtfully analyzing the modern battlefield.

"Oh? Old Man Matou, do you really think Assassin would make such a casual exit on the very first night of the Holy Grail War?"

Facing Matou Zouken's analysis, Rovey indifferently shook his head, then reminded him.

"You mean to say…"

Upon hearing this, Matou Zouken frowned. However, people say the longer you live, the wiser you become. Having lived for over five hundred years, he was certainly no fool and naturally understood the hidden meaning in Rovey's words.

"Anyone who can become a Heroic Spirit is undoubtedly a true hero who has left their name and mark on human history. Even an Assassin, who might be slightly weaker in combat, is no exception. How could they possibly make such a hasty exit?"

"Moreover, even if they wanted to use Assassin's advantage for assassination, why choose the highly tense period of the first night? It would be much more suitable for the third or fourth night, when everyone starts to get mixed up in battles and makes mistakes. Yet, he chose the first night, a time that clearly leads to death. This means…"

Rovey didn't finish his sentence, leaving Matou Zouken room for his own deduction.

"Assassin did it on purpose?! He wants to create the illusion of being eliminated and having retreated on the first night, thus shifting from the open to the shadows, and hiding himself in this Holy Grail War."

"The Assassin class is inherently skilled in assassination, so when operating normally, they are specifically targeted and guarded against by all Masters. But if they remove themselves from the equation, they can completely hide in the darkness, and then, when everyone lets down their guard, they can strike like a sharp blade directly into the enemy's chest, gaining an absolute advantage."

In just a few short minutes, Matou Zouken's eyes suddenly lit up, and he immediately grasped the correct answer to the matter.

"Precisely."

Rovey nodded in response. "Then, Old Man Matou, why do you think Tokiomi Tohsaka would help Assassin put on this act?"

Why put on this act…

Hearing Rovey's question, Matou Zouken glanced at him, then thought of himself, and quickly understood everything.

"Hahaha, I see, I see… I never imagined that it wasn't just the two of us who formed an alliance before the Holy Grail War began. That brat from the Tohsaka family actually thought of this in advance."

"He's openly deploying his powerful Archer to draw attention and fight, but he's also secretly allied with Assassin, undoubtedly intending to attack us from both the Master and Servant aspects simultaneously. Truly impressive."

Matou Zouken couldn't help but praise the meticulous plan formulated by Tokiomi Tohsaka.

Even he had to admit that the combination of Archer in the open and Assassin in the shadows was far more advantageous than their own combination of Berserker and Caster.

Just like now…

Upon realizing that Assassin was still alive and might possess very advanced concealment abilities and something akin to a decoy, Matou Zouken's vigilance immediately heightened.

He scanned his surroundings, then released more insects to patrol, fearing that an Assassin might suddenly emerge from the darkness at any moment.

He then lowered his voice and asked Rovey, "Patriarch Crowley, what should we do next? The number of Servants involved in tonight's probing is too great. If we continue fighting, it will be difficult to control the situation. And… should we still assign Matou Kariya to bring Berserker to the scene?"

If possible, Matou Zouken really wanted to keep Berserker close by. After all, they were facing an Assassin who could hide in the darkness at any moment, and it was impossible not to feel uneasy.

Furthermore, he hadn't expected King Arthur to appear in this Holy Grail War. His summoned Berserker was no ordinary individual and happened to have an entangled and complicated fate with King Arthur.

Lancelot, one of the culprits who brought ruin and destruction to the Kingdom of Camelot, would undoubtedly push Saber to the opposing side if he went out. Moreover, there was a high probability that his true name would be immediately exposed.

After all, he was Lancelot of the Lake, a crucial figure who fought alongside King Arthur, defended the country, and ultimately betrayed him. Even if the Berserker manifesting this time possessed the ability to disguise his identity, it might not be enough to fool King Arthur, who spent so much time with him. This was why Matou Zouken hesitated to let Lancelot enter the fray.

"Of course, he must enter. Since we're here, why would we leave empty-handed?"

Rovey immediately advised, addressing Matou Zouken's concerns.

"Four Servants have already gathered on the battlefield. Excluding that hidden Assassin, only Lancelot is missing. With such a grand event, I believe Tokiomi Tohsaka's Servant will appear soon. At that time, let Lancelot enter as well. Let him act as a mad dog to probe the strength of Tokiomi Tohsaka's Servant. If he truly can't win, Scáthach will also make a move."

"Using Berserker for probing…"

Matou Zouken nodded, quickly agreeing with Rovey's plan. "This is indeed a good idea. After all, a berserker who has lost his sanity is the best cover. As for that detestable Assassin… I believe no hero would want to be constantly watched by a hidden figure in the dark while fighting. If we expose his staged retreat, he will undoubtedly become the target of everyone's anger."

"Very well, then I'll leave the situation here to you, Old Man Matou."

"Hmm? Patriarch Crowley isn't planning to see it through to the end?"

Matou Zouken looked surprised when Rovey announced his intention to leave.

Rovey didn't hide anything and directly answered his question.

"Excuse me, Old Man Matou. Because my teacher is also participating in this war, and it seems he is currently clashing with the Master who is the son-in-law of the Einzbern family. Worried about his safety, I need to go and check on him."

"Your teacher? That… Lord of the Mineralogy Department, Kenneth?"

Matou Zouken was somewhat surprised.

He couldn't understand what there was to worry about.

After all, that was a monarch. Without a Servant, if he truly confronted him, even he himself would only be able to flee in disarray. How could a mere Emiya Kiritsugu possibly…

Despite his mind being filled with questions, seeing Rovey's serious gaze, he didn't ask further. He simply nodded gently and then gave a reminder.

"Then I'll leave this place to old me, Master of the Crowley Family. Be careful of the guys hiding in the darkness."

"Thank you."

The reason he wanted to leave wasn't solely because he was worried about Professor Kenneth's safety.

Touko, who had just arrived, also sent him a message via mobile, saying she seemed to have made an unexpected discovery on her end. So, regardless of the reason, he had to go see for himself today.

Moreover, his own Servants were actively fighting on the front lines. As their Master, he couldn't be so lax; he had to do something as well.

If, after everything settled, he still hadn't completed that magecraft concept and met the requirements of the Queen of the Land of Shadows, his final outcome wouldn't be good.

After all, she wouldn't go easy on him in the final battle just because of their brief acquaintance over the past few days.

So, this was entirely a race against time, a ritual that gambled with his own life.

With that thought, Rovey couldn't help but sigh slightly, then turned and stepped into the darkness.

Chapter 35: Golden Heroic Spirit (5K Request for First Subscription!)

"Hahaha! How is it? Does anyone here have any interest in this King's proposal?"

Under the night sky, Iskandar's booming voice echoed in everyone's ears. The scene fell into silence for a moment.

"..."

"Hm? Why is everyone so quiet?"

Seeing the battlefield fall silent after his appearance, Iskandar stroked his chin, his expression somewhat puzzled.

"Could it be that I spoke too quickly? If so, then I shall restate it. Ahem..."

He pondered for a moment.

"I am Rider, my true name is Iskandar, the King of Conquerors. Are there any heroes present who are willing to become my subject?"

Then, this eccentric fellow actually cleared his throat and loudly announced his true name once more.

"...This guy."

The expressions of the three people present became strangely similar for a moment. Although their reactions still differed, generally...

"Rider! Is it for this kind of trivial matter that you barged in and interrupted our battle? As a knight, I cannot easily tolerate such behavior!"

Artoria, who had realized the situation, blinked her eyes and then sternly reprimanded Rider.

"I agree with Saber's view. If you barged in and interrupted the battle of heroes for such a trivial reason, you are being extremely rude, Rider."

Fionn's expression was indifferent, and he nodded gently. "The meaning of the Holy Grail War is naturally to compete for the Holy Grail, but there is only one Holy Grail. That is the treasure my lord is about to obtain, and I will not yield it easily."

"..."

Compared to Fionn and Artoria, Scáthach's mood wasn't any better at the moment.

After all, being interrupted by a reckless fool just as she was about to start a battle would make any warrior unhappy, let alone her, the queen of warriors.

So, she raised her palm and gently flipped it in the air, then pointed two crimson magic spears directly at Iskandar, who was still on his chariot. A cold killing intent was then unleashed without any concealment.

"Since you've interrupted our battle, you must be prepared to pay the price, Rider."

Scáthach said with a cold tone.

"Ugh..."

Sensing the three unfriendly gazes locking onto him simultaneously, even Iskandar's expression couldn't help but turn a little grim. He scratched his head...

"Actually... the terms are negotiable."

"No need to say more!"

Saber, clearly provoked, sternly rejected this absurd topic.

"King of Conquerors, Iskandar, you are a renowned king in history, that much is true. But do not forget, I am also a king, the king who protects Britain. Therefore, no matter what kind of king I face, I will not yield or compromise."

Artoria flipped the edge of her sword and coldly replied.

Since their identities had already been revealed during the battle, there was no problem with them announcing their names now.

"Ho... so it's the King of Knights of Britain."

Upon hearing Artoria's reply, a hint of surprise flashed in Iskandar's eyes.

"King Arthur, huh... it truly is unexpected. That world-famous King of Knights is such a young girl."

Iskandar exclaimed subconsciously, and this untimely remark directly angered Artoria.

She pointed her holy sword at her target and then coldly questioned Iskandar ahead, "A young girl? Then do you want to personally try the edge of the sword held by this 'young girl' you speak of?!"

"King of Conquerors, Iskandar... that's right, it is indeed you."

On the other side, Fionn also nodded slightly in his heart after hearing Iskandar announce his name. He then shifted his gaze to another small black figure on the chariot.

The combination of the mage, Waver Velvet, and the King of Conquerors, Iskandar, was indeed what Kenneth had mentioned to him beforehand.

However, this Conqueror, famous throughout the world, seemed quite different from what Rovey had imagined.

"There's no need, Conqueror. While I am not a king, I am the leader of the glorious Fianna, and a hero who wishes to reclaim past glory."

"Since I have answered my lord's summons, I must naturally help him survive and achieve ultimate victory. Therefore, I will not serve two masters, nor will I commit unjust acts of betraying my lord due to personal desires or romantic entanglements!"

Fionn's words were equally sharp. Wielding his twin-headed spear, he unhesitatingly rejected Iskandar's offer of recruitment.

"Hmph... Conqueror? Just a mortal king. I am, after all, the Queen of Death who rules the land of death and the distant shore. Even the Lord of the Underworld cannot make me bow. Mortal warriors, no matter how powerful, will eventually fall silent in my domain after death, and you... you are merely one of them."

Compared to Artoria and Fionn, Scáthach gave Iskandar no face at all.

Having returned to the mortal world after a long time, her first battle being interrupted like this made her extremely displeased.

After all, she wanted to experience the martial prowess of the renowned god-slayer Fionn and the power of the Holy Sword in King Arthur's hand.

"The famous god-slayer Fionn and the Queen of the Mystic Land, Scáthach? Haha, no wonder King Arthur was pushed into such a desperate situation."

Hearing the three announce their names, Iskandar was very satisfied internally, and at the same time, he had formed certain expectations for these three.

All were heroes from mythology, and besides King Arthur, they were all renowned god-slayers. Whether it was the ridiculously strong Fionn from the original mythological text, or the Queen who ruled the Land of Shadows, both were top-tier heroes among Servants.

Not a single mediocre person among them...

Although he was extremely confident in his own strength, facing these three, even the proud Iskandar had to admit that he wasn't 100% sure he could defeat any one of them.

'There truly are countless heroes in this world...'

He mused inwardly.

And Waver, who had been dizzy from being thrown around like a flying person, suddenly sobered up from the cold wind and the bone-chilling killing intent emanating from the three top Servants.

Three top heroes from Celtic mythology, plus Iskandar, a peerlessly powerful king who had created earth-shattering hegemony in human history. This was simply not a place for a small figure like him to be.

Everyone present was a hero with power far exceeding this era; they could take his life in an instant with just a slight flick of their fingers.

This made Waver involuntarily swallow, while inwardly cursing his past self from a few days ago.