Kirei Kotomine took out the test tube containing Gry's blood from his pocket and handed it to Shirou Emiya.
"Let's begin, Shirou!"
Shirou Emiya carefully took the test tube from Kirei Kotomine, glanced at Kallian, who looked worried beside him, then walked to the summoning circle and began to chant loudly as Kirei Kotomine had instructed.
As the light dispersed, a woman wearing a crown, dressed in thin clothing with armor only on crucial parts, appeared at the center of the formation, riding a magnificent horse covered entirely in armor.
The woman raised her long spear and pointed it at Shirou Emiya, asking, "Did you summon this King?"
Shirou Emiya quickly nodded in response to the woman before him. Then, his left hand's back grew hot, and three Command Spells appeared on his hand.
"I, Artoria Pendragon, hereby acknowledge the contract!"
Upon hearing the Servant before him acknowledge the contract with him, Shirou Emiya finally breathed a sigh of relief. After all, the pressure Artoria Pendragon exerted on Shirou Emiya was immense, as if she were a divine being.
"Who is it? Hiding there, reveal yourself to this King."
Artoria lightly pulled on the reins, and her mount, Donstalian, instantly carried her to a pillar in the church. Artoria thrust her long spear forward, piercing the pillar directly.
Section 83 Chapter 80: Ruler and the Curtain Rises!
A fist emerged from behind the pillar, striking the tip of the Lion King's spear.
Seeing the Lion King brandishing her spear again, preparing to attack, the figure behind the pillar voluntarily revealed itself and shouted at the Lion King.
"Wait! Just wait!"
The figure flashed again, and with a leap, the Lion King's spear brought her in front of the statue of Christ in the center of the church.
Only then did everyone clearly see the figure before them.
She wore a black sun hat, with long, blue-purple hair cascading down her back. A red collar around her neck held a crucifix. Most notably, she was wearing a swimsuit – yes, a swimsuit.
"I told you to wait, honestly. I am Martha, the Ruler for this Holy Grail War. Please take care of me, little Master!"
Kallian looked at Martha, who was pointing at her, in surprise and asked, "Is it me?"
"Of course, it's you, little Master."
"But I don't have any Command Spells!"
"Oh! Perhaps it's because the divine power you carry is responding a bit slowly. Look, here it comes!"
As Martha finished speaking, Kallian felt a burning sensation on the back of her right hand. Indeed, three Command Spells appeared on Kallian's hand.
Shirou Emiya, seeing Kallian drawn into the Holy Grail War, anxiously asked Martha, "Wait, what's going on? Why was Kallian chosen as a Master for the Holy Grail War? She didn't even perform a summoning ritual. And what's this about a Ruler?"
"Hmm? Let me sort this out. Hmm~"
After a moment of thought, Martha explained to everyone.
"Ruler, as the name suggests, is an arbiter. That means I am the referee for this Holy Grail War. Do you understand now? Actually, I should have the ability to use two Command Spells on each Servant, and I should have manifested by possessing a little Master. I don't know what happened, but something went wrong during my descent, dispatched by the Counter Force, which resulted in this situation."
Shirou Emiya looked at Martha before him, took a few steps closer, and asked, "Excuse me, Miss Martha, but aren't there only seven classes in the Holy Grail War? And why would an existence like the Counter Force dispatch a referee to the Holy Grail War?"
"Little one, you must be little Master's brother, right? I understand you're worried about your sister, but I'm sorry, I don't quite understand these things either. However, the reason the Counter Force sent me as a referee is because someone has seriously violated the rules in this Holy Grail War!"
At this moment, outside the world, Alaya and Gaia frowned and asked the black shadow before them in a cold voice, "Why did you interfere with us dispatching a Ruler?"
"Hahahaha, of course, it's because you violated the agreement!"
"We did not. Our agreement was that we would not interfere with Rin Tohsaka, and we dispatched a Ruler because someone violated the rules of the Holy Grail War, not to target Rin Tohsaka!"
"Hahaha! But your actions have interfered!"
Alaya and Gaia fell silent as they looked at the black shadow before them. After a long while, the figures of the three outside the world disappeared simultaneously, and the outside world returned to peace.
On the outskirts of Fuyuki City, a forest shrouded in a barrier was where the Einsbern castle stood.
Illya sat on Berserker's shoulder and asked Sella before her, "Sella, have you found Kiritsugu?"
"Miss, we found traces of Kiritsugu Emiya near the Matou Residence."
"Is that so? That's great! Berserker, let's go say hello to Kiritsugu!"
Meanwhile, in a farm on the outskirts of Fuyuki City, a fierce battle was taking place.
Lorelei spiritedly commanded the Choir, launching continuous attacks on the farm.
"Hmph, I didn't expect these Dead Apostles to dare to come here. Eliminate them, destroy them!"
"Yes!"
Upon hearing Lorelei's declaration, the Choir shouted in unison. These elite Magus who were able to join the Choir once again began a massacre of the Dead Apostles within the farm.
At this moment, an old man dressed as a butler walked up to Lorelei and whispered in her ear.
"Miss, those Magus have agreed to your demands in the face of your majesty. They have chosen to fight for you."
Lorelei looked out at the Fuyuki City skyline, a fighting spirit rising in her eyes.
"Sajyo Ayaka, I know you're here. Just wait! The humiliation you inflicted on me, I will repay tenfold this time! Butler, inform those Magus to begin their preparations. I want to ensure not a single fly can escape Fuyuki City!"
"Yes, as you wish!"
Soon, the butler's commands were relayed, and with Magic Beasts dispatched to various parts of Fuyuki City, a large group of Magus, acting on Lorelei's orders, began setting up a barrier around the entire perimeter of the city.
A Magus, traveling on a speedboat across the sea, looked at the brightly lit Fuyuki City in the distance and couldn't help but complain to his companion.
"What rotten luck. I was planning to try my luck in the Holy Grail War, and I run into the Queen of the Clock Tower. Ugh!"
"Heh, I was against coming here from the start. You were the one who insisted!"
"Alright, you two, stop complaining and get to work. Those ordinary people in Fuyuki City are the unlucky ones. Only a portion of them will likely be able to leave Fuyuki City before the barrier is completed. Most of those left behind will probably die here. I heard the Queen of the Clock Tower brought the elite forces of the Clock Tower this time! Fuyuki City will probably turn into a battlefield then!"
"That's true. We're much luckier than those unfortunate souls. Speaking of which, once Fuyuki City is reduced to ruins, can that Queen of the Clock Tower really keep such a major event hidden? Won't she expose the world of Magecraft to ordinary people?"
"You talk too much. What kind of person do you think she is? Bartholomello! One of the three great noble families of the Clock Tower. They've definitely sent people to communicate with the higher-ups among ordinary people already. What do we have to worry about! We should just focus on carrying out Bartholomello's orders and then consider how to survive this Holy Grail War!"
In the Holy Church in Koyomi City, adjacent to Fuyuki City, the atmosphere was also tense. The local administrator was speaking to the higher-ups of the Holy Church in a strained tone.
"Yes... that's right... Bishop, that heretical Queen of the Clock Tower has entered Fuyuki City territory with a large number of elites... Please rest assured, we will constantly monitor their movements... Yes... We will be prepared to welcome the esteemed members of the Knights of the Black Cross... Understood!"
After finishing the call with the Church hierarchy, the local administrator hung up the phone and slumped into his chair, sweating profusely, staring blankly out the window.
"Lord, is the apocalypse about to descend?"
With Fuyuki City at its center, the curtain that would sweep across almost the entire world of Mystery was slowly being drawn!
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Section 84 Chapter 81: Tiamat's Dragon Crystal and the Opening Battle!
In the Tohsaka Villa laboratory, Rin rested her chin on her hand, looking at thirteen test tubes emitting a large amount of magical energy. She turned to Da Vinci and said.
"It seems the first plan failed!"
"Mm, someone must have summoned King Arthur ahead of time!"
Rin casually picked up a test tube, feeling the immense magical energy and life force contained within. She took a deep breath.
"At least Plan B is fine. I'm counting on you!"
Da Vinci nodded solemnly at Rin.
"Don't worry, Rin. I will extract the Dragon Factor and ensure it is compatible with you."
After hearing Da Vinci's words, Rin put down the test tube and turned towards the basement door. As she reached the door, she whispered.
"It's so good to have you, Da Vinci!"
When Rin exited the basement, Gilgamesh, leaning against the wall by the basement exit, was waiting for her with a cup of fine wine.
"Rin, are you finally going to fuse with the Dragon Factor?"
"You saw again? Gil."
Gilgamesh didn't reply. He opened his free hand towards the air, and a golden ripple appeared. A pearl, shimmering with a deep blue, gem-like luster, landed in Gilgamesh's hand.
"Rin, you're missing this. Tiamat, the crystallization of the dragon aspect!"
"Tiamat? The sea goddess from Mesopotamian Mythology, the creator of all things, the embodiment of primordial chaos?"
"Yes! In Mesopotamian Mythology, she is deeply connected to dragons!"
After speaking, Gilgamesh placed the pearl in his hand into Rin's, who was staring blankly, and disappeared from her sight in a flash of golden light.
Rin, clutching the pearl tightly, turned and walked back into the basement.
"Thank you, Gil."
The Matou Residence under the night sky.
Illya had already arrived here with Berserker.
Illya looked at the Western-style mansion before her with a hint of nervousness, her mind filled with excited anticipation of the scene when she would meet Kiritsugu Emiya.
At that moment, Berserker's gentle roar reached Illya's ears, bringing her back to reality.
"Thank you, Berserker!"
Then, Illya called out loudly towards the Matou Residence.
"Kiritsugu, aren't you going to come out and see me?"
Suddenly, Berserker, from behind her, embraced Illya and leaped into the air, dodging an attack that came out of nowhere.
"Roar!"
Saber Alter, looking displeased, glared at Berserker, who roared at her after putting Illya down, and contemptuously reprimanded him.
"What idiot dares to disturb the King's meal!"
Illya first glanced at Berserker, then spoke to him with full confidence.
"Go! Berserker, defeat him, and Kiritsugu will definitely show himself."
"Roar!"
Hearing Illya's command, Berserker let out a wild cry, stomped hard on the ground, and like a cannonball, swung the giant Nameless Axe Sword in his hand, charging towards Saber Alter.
"A beast!"
Saber Alter gripped Excalibur tightly with both hands, and it collided with Berserker's Nameless Axe Sword. Tremendous wind pressure and sonic booms were continuously generated from their clash.
A war, like a myth or legend, once again occurred in Fuyuki City.
On the second floor of the Tohsaka Estate, Zouken Matou smiled as he looked at Kiritsugu Emiya beside him and asked, "Emiya, that's your daughter, isn't it? Aren't you going to see her?"
"There's no need. All I need now is the Holy Grail."
"Hehehe, how truly cold and ruthless!"
On the road, which had been reduced to ruins, the Servants' battle continued. The superb martial arts of both sides and their similar stats made it impossible to determine a winner in a short time.
However, compared to Berserker, who had the excellent Master Illya, Saber Alter's Master, Shinji Matou, was holding Saber Alter back considerably, causing Saber Alter to lose the initiative in close combat.
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