Sakura Matou Rewrites Destiny

A fully armored knight, carrying a near-mad battle intent, forcibly inserted herself between the two—it was Mordred, drawn by Gilgamesh's fierce fighting spirit.

"Isn't this the Golden Pikachū who made my Father King look so pathetic last time... Solomon, can you let me have this guy to stretch my limbs?"

For Mordred, her Father King was hers to cut down, but no one else's.

If she had run into any other Servant now, perhaps Mordred, out of respect for her ally Solomon, would have sized up the situation first before deciding whether to cut or not.

But against Gilgamesh, who had attacked her Father King, Mordred was like a cat whose tail had been stepped on—she bristled instantly.

"Solomon, this mongrel of a servant of yours... need this king to discipline him for you?"

Glancing at Gilgamesh, Solomon made a "go ahead" gesture toward the two, then unhesitatingly layered several reinforcement spells onto Mordred without any attempt at concealment.

After doing all this, Solomon walked calmly to the side of the road, leaving the wide street to the two of them.

Faced with Solomon's actions, Gilgamesh, whose eyes had been blazing with fury at Mordred's "Golden Pikachū" remark, suddenly returned to a state of calm.

It was clear that Solomon's attitude was a blatant declaration that he stood with Mordred.

"Never mind, I'll spare this mongrel's life for now. But Solomon... I 'hope' you can protect her until the very end..."

39. Kischur Zelretch Who Wants to Withdraw...

"Never mind, I'll spare this mongrel's life for now. But Solomon... I 'hope' you can protect her until the very end..."

Watching Gilgamesh rein in his battle intent and turn to leave.

Mordred, with her twisted personality—basically a giant brat—wasn't about to let that slide.

"You trying to run away?"

"Run away? Hah... this king simply has no desire to cross blades with a mongrel like you."

Pouring oil on the fire.

Staring intently at Gilgamesh's back, Mordred's teeth ground audibly at those words. She was like a firecracker lit, ready to launch an attack on Gilgamesh.

But just as Mordred surged with overwhelming magical energy and prepared to charge at Gilgamesh—

A golden ripple appeared. A chain gleaming with golden light suddenly materialized beside Mordred.

Like a nimble venomous snake, or a soaring dragon.

The Chains of Heaven, incredibly agile and carrying the force to split mountains and crack stone, directly halted Mordred's charge, forcing her to watch helplessly as Gilgamesh departed at his leisure.

"As expected, a shoddy copy... compared to your 'Father King,' you truly are a mongrel of no standing."

Watching Gilgamesh vanish without a trace along with the Chains of Heaven that were about to catch her.

At that moment, Mordred was absolutely furious.

Glaring at Solomon beside her with a mix of rage and complaint, clenching her teeth with nowhere to vent her fury, Mordred finally let out a roar and swung her greatsword, using the buildings along most of the street as her stress relief...

Looked like tomorrow's news about a gas explosion would be topping Fuyuki City's headlines again.

"I'm going to kill that Golden Pikachū!!!"

"Kill who?... The Servant Lord Solomon just called the King of Heroes?"

With two Servants stirring up trouble, provoking each other and shouting, how could the two Clock Tower Lords in the temporary workshop not know?

In fact, Kischur had arrived nearby long ago, but had been hiding and not showing himself.

Now that Gilgamesh had left, Kischur naturally stepped out from his hiding spot.

Brushing the dust that had splashed onto his clothes, hands clasped behind his back, exuding an air of authority and nobility, Kischur walked with a standard gait that even models couldn't match, step by step, until he stood beside Mordred.

"You here to mock me too, Kischur?"

Dispelling her armor with magical energy and changing into a youthful, cool outfit, Mordred rolled her eyes at Kischur in annoyance upon hearing his seemingly teasing remark.

"Mocking you? Hardly. I'm no less reckless than you, am I not?... I thought this was a magical competition where I could earn merits, only to realize I'm just a little bug caught in a spider's web... Lord Solomon, please allow me to withdraw from this Holy Grail War."

Bowing with a hand to his chest, meeting Solomon's gaze, Kischur suddenly spoke words that were quite shocking.

"Wh... what! Kischur, you're withdrawing!"

"Yes... but rest assured, Mordred, I will keep my Command Seals until you settle things with your Father King... However, after that, regardless of your outcome, I intend to withdraw..."

A bitter yet relieved expression crossed his face. After explaining to Mordred, Kischur immediately turned to look at Solomon.

Initially, Kischur had accepted Sakura's invitation to participate in the Holy Grail War for a simple reason: a merit, something worthy to offer his 'goddess' at their engagement ceremony.

But as time passed, after Solomon was summoned by his senior, Marisbury Animsphere, using a Holy Relic, Kischur knew there was no chance of victory on this trip.

Still, after witnessing the scale of the Holy Grail War (capable of summoning Solomon), Kischur chose to stay. After all, in a magical ritual 'competition' of this caliber, if he could assist Marisbury in achieving victory, it wouldn't be a wasted trip.

However... Solomon's prophecy and Kiritsugu Emiya's shot had thoroughly awakened Kischur. He realized that if not for Solomon's prophecy, which made him wear the 'mortal' equipment he always looked down on—a bulletproof vest—he would likely be dead.

Kischur was arrogant, confident, even narcissistic... but he was no idiot.

After being jolted awake, he reorganized all the information in his hands... and finally understood his situation... making the decision to withdraw.

In fact, before this, Kischur had already made this decision and had been discussing with Marisbury how to withdraw from this Holy Grail War safely and smoothly.

Deliberately putting on a thoughtful expression, Solomon carefully studied Kischur before turning to look at Marisbury, who was walking toward them, and spoke.

"Have you already discussed it with your Master?"

"Yes, Your Majesty. Please allow me to withdraw early..."

"Since you've already discussed it with your Master, I won't pry into the details. But Sir Kischur, do you truly intend to violate the Covenant?"

The Covenant—this was the supreme magical oath forged by Solomon after Marisbury summoned him through a Holy Relic, signed by both parties. Sir Kischur, who had sealed this oath, could not simply withdraw as he pleased. According to the terms of the Covenant, his act of breaking the alliance would incur punishment.

"It's fine, Solomon. Kischur and I have found a loophole left within the Covenant... After a Perfect Finale, Kischur's departure will not violate the oath."

"Perfect Finale... Let it be so, then."

Faced with Marisbury's words, Solomon pondered briefly before nodding. Whether Kischur withdrew or not, Solomon cared little—after all, he had already accomplished nearly all his objectives for this Holy Grail War. Add to that the 'pleading' of his current Master, his future 'boss'! Though Solomon, in his kingly bearing, had indeed entertained the thought of punishing Kischur to make him pay some price, out of respect for Marisbury, he chose to relent. Let him have his Perfect Finale.

Seeing Solomon agree to his withdrawal, Kischur felt a wave of relief. After all, before Solomon, the King of Magi... who could truly face him with ease? Lifting his head to gaze at the gradually darkening sky, Marisbury—whose face seemed forever etched with a smile—looked at the relaxed Kischur, then at Mordred, who wore a sour expression but neither caused a scene nor spoke a word. "The stars are chaotic, the heavens ambiguous... Kischur... tonight, you shall have your Perfect Finale!"

40: I want to save him, I want to save this youth!

Einsbern Castle, deep within the great forest on the outskirts of Fuyuki City.

After Gilgamesh's earlier rampage, the castle—once perfectly blending with its surroundings—now stood out starkly against the woodland. Yet no one inside the castle cared about the golden figure outside. Because with Gilgamesh and King Hassan's appearance, the intelligence gathered by Kiritsugu Emiya and Zouken Matou had revealed all Servants except for Caster, who was likely lurking in a workshop somewhere, biding their time. Though Archer and Assassin's true identities remained unknown, they had already displayed terrifying power in today's attack.

As for Caster, who had never once appeared in the eyes of Kiritsugu or Zouken—neither Zouken, as the patriarch of the Matou Family, nor Kiritsugu, representing the Einzbern, paid much attention. After all, based on past Holy Grail War experience, while the Caster class posed a great threat to Masters, they were no match for other Servant classes outside a carefully constructed workshop. As for Caster's combat power within a workshop... look up 'demolition expert' Kiritsugu Emiya. So neither Zouken nor Kiritsugu cared much about Caster's whereabouts.

"Old Man Matou... how many more battles can that boy's body endure?"

Flicking the ash from his cigarette, Kiritsugu—who had faced nothing but frustration since joining this Holy Grail War—furrowed his brow as he looked at Zouken, who sat cross-legged on the sofa opposite him. Zouken, still as gaunt and skeletal as ever, yet inexplicably flushed with vitality, let out his signature eerie laugh before extending a hand like a dried corpse and holding up a number. "Two times. The boy I picked up can't bring out Berserker's full strength unless I use a Command Spell during battle."

Kiritsugu had naturally witnessed Shirou Chiko activating the Special Command Spell during the day's fight. It was only after that activation that Berserker had erupted with formidable power. As for Zouken claiming the Command Spell was his doing, Kiritsugu didn't care—clearly, the old man had tampered with something inside that boy. 'Two times... Is it due to Command Spell restrictions? Or something else?' Unconsciously glancing at the four remaining Command Spells on his own hand, Kiritsugu silently filed away this suspicion.

"Only two uses left... The situation is getting worse."

"Kekekekeke... No, Kiritsugu, in my view, two times are enough. As long as you're truly willing to cooperate with me... Berserker can handle the situation we face now." Indeed, if Kiritsugu were willing to deploy Artoria and Leonidas alongside Berserker, based on their gathered intelligence, they could handle any Servant alone. But could Kiritsugu trust Zouken, who was as venomous as a snake? To Zouken's words, Kiritsugu gave no answer... For a moment, the two men, each harboring their own schemes yet forced by reality to sit together for a so-called 'discussion' between allies, fell into silence.

In another room of the castle.

Gazing at Shirou Chiko, whose eyes were tightly shut on the bed, Artoria's mood grew worse by the minute. Perhaps sensing her distress, Leonidas—leaning against a corner wall, head bowed so his expression was hidden—suddenly spoke. "Arthur... what wish do you seek from the Holy Grail?" Hearing Leonidas's unexpected question, Artoria, who sat by Shirou's bedside with fists clenched so tightly her knuckles cracked, froze for a moment before turning to look at him in confusion. Flexing his muscles, Leonidas slowly raised his head, revealing sincere eyes as he met Artoria's gaze. Whether he misinterpreted her look or had intended this all along, in the instant their eyes met, he bluntly stated the reason he had joined this Holy Grail War.

"Spartans fear no battle... Spartans relish every battle... That is why I answered the summon."

Perhaps infected by the aura Leonidas radiated at that moment, after hearing him state his reason for participating in the Holy Grail War, with a trace of reminiscence... Artoria slowly spoke her own wish.

"I want to go back... back to Camelot, back to the moment I first drew the sword..."

Hearing the words Artoria slowly uttered, Leonidas couldn't help but furrow his brow.

"I want to return to my side back then... to tell her... I hadn't done enough yet, I needed to try harder..."

Relaxing his knitted brows, a glint of admiration flashing in his eyes at that moment, Leonidas immediately bowed to Artoria.

"To have you, Arthur, your people are truly fortunate..."

"Fortunate..."

Several faces involuntarily surfaced in Artoria's mind, and she shook her head with a bitter smile.

"Arthur... perhaps some will fail to understand you... but isn't a king's purpose precisely to protect his people?"

Recalling the final scene at Hot Springs Pass, where he had marched to his death with open arms.

Leonidas unconsciously recited the poem later poets had carved upon their tombstone...

"Stranger, tell the Spartans that we lie here, obedient to their commands.

Arthur... the people will remember us until the very end!"

Thinking of the works about King Arthur he had encountered since arriving in the real world, and the recognition from later generations recorded in those writings...

Upon hearing Leonidas's words, as if some shackle had been loosened, Artoria felt an indescribable lightness at that moment.