Sakura Matou Rewrites Destiny

"Checkmate~!"

The flintlock pistol pressed against the back of the black-haired beauty's head.

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

Compared to dealing with Servants, dealing with their Masters was undoubtedly a better way to secure victory in the Holy Grail War.

In this regard, some of Sakura's considerations happened to align perfectly with Kiritsugu Emiya's.

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

As he watched the Kurumis in the Garden gradually close in.

Cold sweat covered Kiritsugu Emiya's forehead as he dropped the firearm in his hand...

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

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

Calmly glancing at the Kurumis around him as they stopped walking.

Kiritsugu Emiya immediately replied.

"Because I'm still alive..."

"Pfft, hahahaha! How is the fact that you're still alive a reason?"

"If you wished, the young lady in the yard could have used that method from earlier to kill every Master the instant we entered Fuyuki City, winning the Holy Grail War... But you didn't. You also haven't interfered with the Holy Grail War..."

"Mm~ And?"

Sakura's voice still came from an unidentifiable direction, and she herself had never appeared within Kiritsugu Emiya's line of sight.

Kiritsugu Emiya had actually been planning to capture Sakura and use her to force the release of Irisviel and Hisau Maya, but faced with such a cautious Sakura, he had no choice but to extinguish that thought.

He took out the half-empty pack of cigarettes from his pocket and lit one as if no one else were present.

Then Kiritsugu Emiya continued.

"Sakura Matou, you have your own objective... and that objective is related to this Holy Grail War... Therefore, you won't kill the participants of the Holy Grail War!"

"Is that your judgment?"

Kiritsugu Emiya did not answer. As though he had already decided that his judgment was correct, he merely smoked his cigarette in silence.

Controlling the Holy Grail War was naturally nonsense. At most, Sakura wanted to fish in troubled waters and gain some benefits through the Holy Grail War.

And these named Masters and Servants were all targets she could fleece.

Naturally, Sakura did not want them to withdraw so early, only days after the Holy Grail War had begun.

Even just now, if Sakura had not gained a surge of Destiny Points through self-destruction and successfully summoned Kurumi Tokisaki... then when facing two Servants and Kiritsugu Emiya, Sakura might have had no choice but to flee in disgrace with Orochimaru's help.

However... Kiritsugu Emiya did not know that Kurumi had only just been summoned, nor did he know that Sakura had essentially relied on "cheats" to reach this point step by step.

That was why Kiritsugu Emiya, who had investigated Sakura to some extent before attacking the Matou Residence, had come to that somewhat outrageous conclusion.

After all, Sakura was far too mysterious... A five-year-old young girl who had become the head of an ancient mage family in barely half a year, who had even toyed with the former head in the palm of her hand and driven him out of the Matou Family after the Holy Grail War began...

Combined with Sakura's earlier self-destruction and Kurumi's sudden appearance, with her ability to use "Time Magecraft."

The image Sakura presented in Kiritsugu Emiya's eyes had become extremely strange, so his conclusion was not surprising at all.

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

"Fine, let's say you guessed right. Then leave... But Mr. Magus Killer, please remember that your assistant and your wife are now in my hands... If you do something like today again... even if I'd hate to part with those two big sisters... I'll still kill the hostages!"

As Sakura's words fell.

Kurumi moved aside, opening a path toward the Garden gate...

It seemed everything had come to an end... Only Fuyuki City had been hurt... Achievement unlocked.

Inside an inconspicuous ordinary residence in Fuyuki City.

Through the activation of the magecraft trap from earlier, Zouken Matou had watched the entire battle through insect familiars.

He gently patted the head of a certain red-haired boy beside him... Then, as though he had already conceived some scheme, he let out his signature sinister cackle...

Zouken Matou and Shirou Chiko

Shirou Chiko was an unknown child from Fuyuki City.

Other than his somewhat dull red hair, he had always seemed to be nothing more than the most ordinary member of the world.

A happy family, parents who loved him... Shirou Chiko might have seemed somewhat plain, but he had never wanted to pursue anything more.

However... several days ago, an old man claiming to be his grandfather moved into his ordinary home with his parents' approval... and a whole new world opened before him.

Magecraft... Servants... the Holy Grail War...

For Shirou Chiko, who was not yet seven years old, his young worldview had naturally been shattered by these miraculous things.

And naturally, Shirou Chiko was grateful to the old man who had brought him the truth—Zouken Chiko. Besides... he was Shirou Chiko's grandfather.

Perhaps out of gratitude, perhaps simply because he wanted to help his grandfather.

After happily following his grandfather for several days to learn about this new world...

When his grandfather asked him to participate in the Holy Grail War... Shirou Chiko agreed without hesitation.

However... during the first two days, after the Servant who only growled in a low rage had been summoned, aside from gaining a set of bright red Command Seals on his hand.

Shirou Chiko did not seem to feel that the Holy Grail War was any different from ordinary life.

Until...

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

"Yes, grandfather. Please rest assured, I'll definitely win the Holy Grail for you and cure your body."

Looking at Shirou Chiko before him, seriously patting his little chest as if making a vow.

Zouken Matou immediately nodded with a kindly expression.

Hehehe... What a perfect vessel, Shirou... Perhaps encountering you, encountering an individual like you who mutated to possess twenty-seven Mage Circuits... is the sign of destiny that I, Zouken Matou, am fated to obtain the Holy Grail!

Yes, Shirou Chiko and Zouken Matou's encounter had been a complete accident.

Had Sakura not expelled him from the Matou Family, Zouken Matou would likely never have imagined that, right beneath his nose in Fuyuki City, Shirou Chiko had mutated into someone qualified to become his vessel.

Using Suggestion Magecraft, Zouken Matou had successfully entered the Chiko Family as an ancestor. In his heart, he had already regarded Shirou as his next vessel, deceiving the ordinary Chiko family just like that.

Under the name Zouken Chiko... he had become Shirou Chiko's "grandfather."

"No... Shirou, compared to this old man's body... you should be more concerned about your own safety."

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

As Zouken Matou began playing the role of a kindly grandfather.

The thoroughly fooled child grew even more determined to win the Holy Grail War for his grandfather and cure his body...

Through the Engraved Insects secretly implanted in Shirou Chiko's body, Zouken Matou could roughly read Shirou Chiko's pheromones.

At this moment, he was naturally very satisfied, and his eyes filled with growing affection toward Shirou Chiko, his future vessel.

In the outskirts of Fuyuki City, within Einsbern Castle.

After returning in defeat, Kiritsugu Emiya safely left the Matou Family... his expression heavy as he returned to this "home" once more.

Yet the moment he pushed open the castle doors... an uninvited visitor had appeared within the barrier surrounding the castle.

Passing through the dense forest, Shirou Chiko carefully followed Zouken Matou through the woods, and soon saw the towering spires of the grand Einzbern castle.

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

Looking at Zouken Matou with curiosity and nervousness, the young Shirou Chiko had no real concept of the Einzbern castle.

Perhaps, in his eyes, castles were inevitably connected to fairy tales.

Is this where the Holy Grail War is truly being held? If my grandfather brought me here, does that mean I'm really about to participate in the battle for the Holy Grail?

Yet in response to Shirou Chiko's question, Zouken Matou merely gently patted his head, seemingly having no intention of answering him at all.

"Be patient, Shirou... The master of this place will soon come to receive us."

He called it receiving them... but judging by Kiritsugu Emiya's expression when he appeared, Shirou Chiko felt that this uncle who had suddenly shown up looked more like he wanted to drive them away.

However, Shirou Chiko had no opportunity to ask his question this time.

The instant Kiritsugu Emiya appeared, the Engraved Insect attached to Shirou Chiko's heart acted up.

At that moment, Shirou Chiko completely became a puppet manipulated by Zouken Matou.

"Zouken Matou... State your purpose."

"Heh heh... An alliance. This old man has come to form an alliance with you."

Kiritsugu Emiya frowned as he looked at Zouken Matou, who had brought a boy and walked straight into the barrier surrounding Einsbern Castle.

He did not particularly doubt Zouken Matou's words about forming an alliance.

After all, the fact that Zouken Matou had not brought a Servant with him already demonstrated his sincerity.

But... was an alliance necessary?

The Zouken Matou before him was merely a stray dog, and in Kiritsugu Emiya's view, his life and magical energy were like a candle flickering in the wind...

If he had not been a participant in the Holy Grail War... Kiritsugu Emiya might not even have met Zouken Matou. The moment he entered the barrier, Kiritsugu would have simply dispatched a Servant to eliminate him.

Seemingly sensing Kiritsugu Emiya's hesitation.

Seeing that Kiritsugu Emiya had not replied for a long time.

Zouken Matou controlled Shirou Chiko and directly added another bargaining chip.

"Kiritsugu Emiya... This old man is not a participant in the Holy Grail War. The participant is actually the boy beside me..."

"Are you saying you have no desire for the Holy Grail?"

"Hehehe... No. This old man is telling you that you can obtain a proton!"

Yes, the reason Zouken Matou had brought Shirou Chiko to find Kiritsugu Emiya was to give Kiritsugu Emiya some reassurance.

After all, only once the alliance was formed... could Zouken Matou proceed with his scheme.

"Saber, Lancer, and this old man's Berserker... Kiritsugu Emiya, as long as we join forces, obtaining the Holy Grail will be effortless..."

"Then... what do you want?"

"The Matou Family~ I need your help to regain control of the Matou Family. This old man cannot accept being driven out of the Matou Family like this. This old man will never forgive that little monster for taking over the nest... The Matou Family belongs to this old man. It can only belong to this old man..."

Gilgamesh and the Mysterious Servant...

If he could regret it.

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

He swirled the wineglass in his hand.

Leaning lazily against the sofa, Gilgamesh looked harmless enough, an elegant smile on his face. Yet as he looked at his nominal "partner," he seemed utterly listless, his entire body exuding a decadent air.

"A boring stage, clowns with poor acting... 'mongrels,' how much longer must this King wait before acting and ending this dull game?"

The Servant wore a black hooded robe, with a somewhat patchy gray-white beard. He seemed shrouded in darkness, revealing almost no distinctive features. After hearing Gilgamesh's words.

He merely raised his head in silence, glanced at the arrogant King of Heroes before him, and then sank back into silence.

If it had been an ordinary person, daring to treat Gilgamesh—the oldest King of humanity and the most ancient tyrant—with such an attitude.

Their ashes would likely have long since been scattered.

But this fellow before him... could face Gilgamesh with such an attitude, and Gilgamesh did not seem angry in the slightest.

"Tch... Are you planning to face this King with silence again?"

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

"Tch... 'Mongrel,' this King does not know why you accepted the Counter Force's arrangements... but this King is already nearing the limit of what he can endure of such boring days..."