Sakura Matou Rewrites Destiny

"General~!"

A flintlock pistol pressed against the black-haired beauty's nape.

Without a doubt, from this moment on, Kiritsugu Emiya had been completely checkmated.

Compared to taking out a Servant, taking out a Servant's Master was undoubtedly the easier path to victory in the Holy Grail War.

On this point, Sakura's considerations happened to align perfectly with Kiritsugu Emiya's own thinking.

The moment Hisau Maya was captured by Kurumi, the moment Kurumi's voice reached Kiritsugu Emiya through his earpiece—

Watching the Kurumis in the garden slowly closing in, Kiritsugu Emiya, cold sweat beading on his forehead, dropped the gun in his hand...

"Come out and talk, Sakura Matou..."

"Oh~ What makes you think I'd be willing to talk to you? You barged into my home and used a Command Seal to order your Servant to kill me... Magus Killer."

He calmly glanced at the Kurumis who had stopped in their tracks.

Kiritsugu Emiya then replied.

"Because I'm still alive..."

"Pfft, hahaha, you're still alive—what kind of reason is that?"

"If you wanted to, that young lady in the courtyard, with the methods she just showed, could have killed every single Master the moment we entered Fuyuki City and won the Holy Grail War... But you didn't do that. You didn't intervene in the Holy Grail War either..."

"Hmm~ And then?"

Still unable to pinpoint the direction of Sakura's voice, and with Sakura's figure never appearing in his line of sight, Kiritsugu Emiya—who had been secretly hoping to grab Sakura and force her to release Irisviel and Hisau Maya—had to extinguish that thought in the face of her extreme caution.

Pulling out a pack of cigarettes with only half left, he lit one as if no one else was there.

Then Kiritsugu Emiya continued.

"Sakura Matou, you have your own goals... And those goals are tied to this Holy Grail War... That's why you won't kill the participants!"

"Is that your judgment?"

Kiritsugu Emiya didn't answer. As if he had already decided his judgment was correct, he simply smoked his cigarette in silence.

Manipulating the Holy Grail War was, of course, nonsense. At best, Sakura wanted to use the chaos of the Holy Grail War to fish for benefits for herself.

And these named Masters and Servants were all prime targets for her to exploit.

That was why Sakura naturally didn't want them to drop out just a few days into the Holy Grail War.

In fact, just moments ago, if Sakura hadn't used her self-destruction to trigger a surge of Destiny Points and successfully summon Kurumi Tokisaki... then, facing two Servants and Kiritsugu Emiya, Sakura would probably have had no choice but to flee in disgrace with Orochimaru's help.

However... Kiritsugu Emiya had no way of knowing that Kurumi had just been summoned, nor did he know that Sakura had gotten this far entirely by "cheating."

That was why Kiritsugu Emiya—who had done some research on Sakura before attacking the Matou residence—had come to that somewhat absurd conclusion.

After all, Sakura was too mysterious. A five-year-old girl, in just half a year, had become the head of an ancient magical family, even "playing the former head in the palm of her hand," and had driven him out of the Matou family after the Holy Grail War began...

Combined with Sakura's earlier self-destruction, her sudden appearance, and her ability to use "time magic" with Kurumi, The persona Sakura had built in Kiritsugu Emiya's eyes was very strange—so it wasn't surprising at all.

But Sakura didn't deny Kiritsugu Emiya's judgment... After all, she had no obligation to explain anything to him.

"Alright, you guessed right. Then you can leave... But Magus Killer, please remember: your assistant and your wife are now in my hands. If you try something like this again next time... even if I'd hate to let these two big sisters go, I will still pull the trigger!"

With Sakura's words, Kurumi cleared the path leading to the garden gate...

It seemed that was the end of it... Only Kiritsugu Emiya was hurt in Fuyuki City.

In an unremarkable ordinary house in Fuyuki City, Zouken Matou, who had been watching the entire battle through insect familiars triggered by the magical traps earlier, Gently patted the head of a certain red-haired boy beside him... Then, as if he had already hatched some scheme, let out his signature cackling laugh...

28. Zouken Matou and Shirou Chiko

Shirou Chiko was an unremarkable child in Fuyuki City.

Aside from his slightly dull red hair, he seemed to be the most ordinary member of the most ordinary family.

A happy family, loving parents... Though Shirou Chiko seemed plain, he had never wanted anything more.

However... a few days ago, an old man who claimed to be his grandfather moved into his ordinary home, welcomed by his parents... and a brand-new world opened up before him.

Magic... Servants... the Holy Grail War...

For Shirou Chiko, who wasn't even seven yet, his small worldview was naturally shattered by these miraculous existences.

And the old man who brought him the truth—Zouken Chiko—Shirou Chiko was naturally grateful to him, especially since he was his grandfather.

Perhaps out of gratitude, or perhaps simply wanting to help his grandfather, Shirou Chiko... after happily following his grandfather to learn about this new world for a few days...

Faced with his grandfather's request to participate in the Holy Grail War... Shirou Chiko agreed without hesitation.

However... in the first two days, after summoning that Servant who only growled in low anger, aside from a set of crimson Command Seals appearing on his hand, Shirou Chiko felt little different from ordinary life.

Until...

"Shirou... have you made your resolve?"

"Mm, Grandfather, please rest assured. I will definitely win the Holy Grail for you and cure your body."

Watching the earnest Shirou Chiko, who patted his own small chest as if swearing an oath, Zouken Matou nodded with a look of kindly satisfaction.

'Hehehe... what a perfect vessel you are, Shirou—encountering you, an individual mutated with twenty-seven Magic Circuits... this must be the omen of destiny that I, Zouken Matou, am meant to obtain the Holy Grail!'

Yes, the meeting between Shirou Chiko and Zouken Matou was entirely an accident.

If not for being driven out of the Matou Family by Sakura, Zouken Matou would never have imagined that right under his nose in Fuyuki City, a boy with the qualifications to become his vessel had mutated into existence.

Using Suggestion Magecraft to smoothly enter the Chiko Family as an elder, Zouken Matou, who inwardly regarded Shirou as his next vessel, thus deceived the ordinary Chiko Family.

Under the name Zouken Chiko... he became Shirou Chiko's 'grandfather.'

"No... Shirou, rather than worrying about my body, you should pay more attention to your own safety."

Facing Zouken Matou, who had lived for centuries and possessed monstrous acting skills, how could Shirou Chiko, a child less than seven years old, withstand it?

As Zouken Matou began to play the role of a kindly grandfather, the thoroughly deceived little boy grew increasingly determined to win the Holy Grail War and cure his grandfather's body...

Using the Engraved Insects secretly planted inside Shirou Chiko's body, Zouken Matou could easily read Shirou's pheromones.

At this moment, he naturally felt very satisfied, and his eyes grew fonder of Shirou Chiko, his future vessel.

At the Einsbern Castle in the suburbs of Fuyuki City.

Kiritsugu Emiya, returning in defeat, after safely leaving the Matou residence... with a heavy expression, he once again returned to this 'home.'

Yet just as he pushed open the castle gates... an uninvited visitor appeared within the barrier surrounding the castle.

Passing through the dense forest, carefully following Zouken Matou as he walked through the woods, he soon spotted the towering spire of the Einsbern family's magnificent castle.

"A castle! There's a castle in the forest... Grandfather?"

Looking at Zouken Matou with a mix of novelty and nervousness, the young Shirou Chiko had no concept of the Einsbern Castle at all.

Perhaps in his eyes, castles and fairy tales were still somehow linked.

'So this is the real venue for the Holy Grail War? And he brought me here... does that mean I'm really going to participate in the battle for the Grail?'

But facing Shirou Chiko's questions, Zouken Matou only gently patted his head, seemingly with no intention of answering.

"Patience, Shirou... the master of this place will soon come to welcome us."

'Welcome' though it was called—judging by the expression on Kiritsugu Emiya's face when he appeared, Shirou Chiko felt that this suddenly appearing uncle was more like someone coming to drive them away.

However, Shirou Chiko had no chance to voice his doubts this time.

The moment Kiritsugu Emiya appeared, the Engraved Insect attached to Shirou Chiko's heart activated.

In that instant, Shirou Chiko became nothing more than a puppet manipulated by Zouken Matou.

"Zouken Matou... state your purpose."

"Hehe... an alliance. This old man has come to seek an alliance with you."

Frowning, looking at Zouken Matou, who had barged straight into the Einsbern Castle barrier with a young boy in tow, Kiritsugu Emiya did not doubt the words about an alliance too much.

After all, Zouken Matou had come without bringing his Servant, which already showed his sincerity.

But... was an alliance truly necessary?

The Zouken Matou before him was nothing but a stray dog, and his life and magical energy, in Kiritsugu's eyes, were like a flickering candle in the wind...

If not for the fact that he was a participant in the Holy Grail War, Kiritsugu Emiya might not have even met with Zouken Matou—he would have simply sent his Servant to eliminate him the moment he crossed the barrier.

Sensing Kiritsugu Emiya's hesitation, seeing that he remained silent for a long time, Zouken Matou drove Shirou Chiko to add another bargaining chip.

"Kiritsugu Emiya... this old man is not a participant in the Holy Grail War. The actual participant is this young man beside me..."

"Are you trying to say you have no desire for the Holy Grail?"

"Hehe... no. This old man is telling you that you can have a hostage!"

Yes, the reason he brought Shirou Chiko to see Kiritsugu Emiya was to give him a reassurance.

After all, only by forming an alliance could he, Zouken Matou, carry out his schemes.

"Saber, Lancer, and this old man's Berserker... Kiritsugu Emiya, if we join forces, obtaining the Holy Grail will be a simple matter."

"So... what is it you wish to obtain?"

"The Matou Family~ I need you to help me retake the Matou Family. This old man refuses to accept being driven out of the Matou Family like this. I will never forgive that little monster for stealing my nest... The Matou Family is mine, and mine alone..."

29. Gilgamesh and the Mysterious Servant...

If he could take it back.

Gilgamesh would never have chosen to accept the summoning and descend upon this Holy Grail War.

Swirling the wine glass in his hand.

Languidly leaning back on the sofa, appearing as harmless as can be, a graceful smile hanging on his face, Gilgamesh looked at the nominal 'partner' before him, as if utterly drained of energy, exuding an air of decadence.

"A boring stage, actors with pitiful skill... 'Mongrel,' how much longer must this king wait before I can end this tedious game?"

The black full-body robe, a slightly mottled and graying beard, the Servant shrouded entirely in darkness, revealing almost no distinguishing features—upon hearing Gilgamesh's words—

Only silently lifted his head, glanced at the arrogant King of Heroes before him, then sank back into silence.

If it were anyone else, daring to face Gilgamesh, the oldest king of humanity and the most ancient tyrant, with such an attitude—

They would likely have had their ashes scattered long ago.

But this fellow before him... could face Gilgamesh with such an attitude, and Gilgamesh himself seemed not the least bit angry.

"Tch... Do you intend to face this king with silence again?"

"You need only wait... Gaia and Alaya have already woven everything..."

"Hmph... 'Mongrel,' though this king does not know why you accepted the arrangement of the Counter Force... I can no longer endure such tedious time..."