The Cup Battle Begins

A new day.

As the Einzbern Family's private jet arrived from Germany, Irisviel stepped off the plane. Watching through the surveillance feed, Mo Li said, "They're here..."

After Irisviel and the others left the airport and got into a luxury car, several homunculi drove through Fuyuki City. Mo Li looked at the girl beside him, who had just gotten up and was stretching lazily. "Medea, come with me to meet the Einzbern Family's people and their Servant."

"Okay, but what about Caren?"

"She can come too. Let's just treat it as a shopping trip. Artoria and Irisviel aren't here to start a war either."

"Caren, wake up~ Mo Li said he's taking us shopping~"

"Mmph..." Caren opened her bleary eyes. "Shopping... I need to wash up first."

Mo Li said, "Mm."

Very soon after.

Medea ate a scoop of strawberry ice cream as she watched the handsome, cross-dressing beauty Artoria and Irisviel eating street food not far away. She said to Mo Li, "Since we're already here, is it really okay not to go introduce ourselves?"

Mo Li smiled. "No rush. Let's observe them for now. Their mood is just right—they're sharing their feelings with each other. This is a crucial moment for strengthening their friendship. Wouldn't it be rude for us to suddenly show up? It's a good thing that they can open up to each other."

Caren, wearing a backpack and licking her ice cream, said, "Then isn't watching them from the side like this considered spying?"

"We're looking openly. They just haven't noticed us. How is that spying?"

That was what he said, but they followed them until nightfall. Thanks to Medea's formidable mastery of Age of Gods Magic, along with Mo Li's help, the three of them were never discovered by Artoria or Irisviel.

Mo Li's group shopped as they followed Artoria and Irisviel. As for the homunculus attendants who had come with Irisviel, they split into two groups. One returned to the Einzbern Family's castle in Fuyuki City, while the other brought Einzbern Family books to Tokiomi Tohsaka's residence to offer assistance in resolving the Holy Grail's contamination.

It was not until the two women headed for the seaside that even Medea, not to mention Caren, no longer wanted to keep hiding. "We've followed them long enough, haven't we? Are we just going to watch those two play by the sea? No matter how well we conceal ourselves, we can't blend into a crowd if we follow them there. We'll definitely be discovered."

Mo Li said helplessly, "Yeah, soon, soon. Mainly, I'm waiting for Berserker to return. Once Artoria and the others go answer Lancer Diarmuid's challenge, we'll go watch together."

"Lancer's challenge..." Medea looked toward the harbor. There, Lancer Diarmuid was releasing his presence as though waiting for a challenger to come to him.

After a while.

Mo Li said, "Let's go. Artoria and the others are done talking and are heading toward Diarmuid. We're going too. Medea, just protect yourself and Caren."

Medea took out her staff. "Mm."

"Okay!" Caren stuffed the Age of Gods Magic book Medea had written back into her backpack, slung it over her shoulders, and stood up.

"Excellent!" Sensing the powerful presence entering the harbor, Diarmuid was somewhat delighted. As he walked out to meet his opponent, he said, "I swaggered through this city all day today, yet no one was willing to show themselves."

Artoria and Irisviel looked around, trying to locate the source of the voice. Then they spotted Diarmuid stepping out. Seeing them, he said, "You are the only strong opponent to accept my invitation. Such pure fighting spirit... You are Saber, aren't you?"

"Indeed." Artoria faced Diarmuid directly. "And you must be Lancer."

Hearing that answer, Diarmuid immediately felt helpless. "Hmph. To think I cannot even exchange names with an opponent I am about to fight to the death. What a disappointing restriction."

Seeing Diarmuid raise his weapons and assume an attacking stance, Artoria immediately released magical energy all over her body. She returned to her armored appearance, gripping her holy sword as she confronted him.

Watching the situation in the field, Mo Li said to Medea, "I'll go meet Kiritsugu Emiya first, so he doesn't accidentally kill Kayneth. You two can keep watching the show."

Medea nodded, her eyes shining as she looked at Artoria. "Okay."

Caren was also quite interested as she watched the field. "Are they about to fight now?"

"Mm." After answering, Mo Li headed toward Kiritsugu Emiya's location.

Seeing Diarmuid's earnest expression, Artoria felt her heart stir slightly. She immediately calmed those faint ripples and asked, "Charm magic?"

When Artoria exposed his passive skill, Diarmuid gave a light laugh. Resting the Armor of Red Rose on his right shoulder, he said, "My apologies. It is like a curse I was born with—I truly have no control over it. If you wish to blame someone, blame either my birth or yourself for being a woman."

"You don't seriously think that face of yours can affect the speed at which I draw my sword, do you?" Artoria's tone turned sharp. "Lancer."

Diarmuid said, "It would be a great disappointment if that were the case. I see. Saber's Magic Resistance is not undeserved..."

Listening to the conversation through his earpiece, Kiritsugu Emiya adjusted the precious sniper rifle in his hands. As Artoria and Diarmuid began fighting, he also started moving toward his ambush position.

With his back against cover, Kiritsugu Emiya said to Maiya, "It's begun. Someone has set up a barrier here. It's probably Lancer's Master."

Maiya glanced at the gantry crane. "From up there, one would have a complete view of the battlefield."

Kiritsugu Emiya looked in that direction as well. "That truly is the best observation point. Anyone would think so at a glance. Maiya, circle around from the eastern pier. I'll go from the west. Find a position where we can monitor both Saber's battle and that gantry crane."

"Understood." After replying, Maiya carried her gun and began circling around.

Watching his companion move out, Kiritsugu Emiya muttered to himself, "Then let me see what you can do, dear King of Knights."

Within the battlefield of the two Servants, even Artoria found the fight extremely difficult. Both of the enemy's spears were unusual. Though she did not know their exact properties, she had not gained any advantage so far.

Artoria considered the two spears in Diarmuid's hands, unable to determine which one was his trump card for victory. Even Irisviel was deeply worried about the battle. The atmosphere at the scene was incredibly tense.

After another exchange of probing attacks, Lancer Diarmuid still held the advantage.

Artoria was certain that he was an exceptionally skilled spear-wielding Heroic Spirit. He was absolutely not an opponent she could defeat quickly. Even among her Knights of the Round Table, he would certainly have earned a place.

Just as the two continued testing each other in search of an opening, Kiritsugu Emiya held his WA2000 sniper rifle, glanced at the battlefield, and began searching the area for a place to hide.

Before long, Kiritsugu Emiya spotted Kayneth, who had not intended to conceal himself particularly well.

By instinct, Kiritsugu Emiya's crosshairs settled on Kayneth's head. After hesitating for a moment, he lowered his aim, trying to target the area from the thigh to the abdomen.

Mo Li had told him not to go on a killing spree. He had also said that the Holy Grail was contaminated, and that the main purpose of this war was to find a way to purify it and restore its normal operation. Kiritsugu Emiya had indeed taken those words to heart, but he did not have many ways to let an enemy leave safely. Shooting the leg or abdomen from a distance was already the best choice he could make.

Kiritsugu Emiya said, "Maiya, Lancer's Master is standing on the warehouse roof northeast of Saber and the others. Can you see him?"

Maiya glanced in that direction. "No, it's a blind spot from where I am."

"Understood. I'll make him leave. Let's hope he's lucky enough." Kiritsugu Emiya had just loaded his weapon when he suddenly sensed a gust of wind. Turning and raising his gun, he spotted one of Kirei Kotomine's assassins, Hassan of the Hundred Faces, watching the battlefield from atop a gantry crane. That immediately made things rather troublesome.

Though there was theoretically no need for everyone to fight to the death now, a Heroic Spirit was still an enormous threat no matter how one looked at it.

Just as Kiritsugu Emiya found himself caught in a dilemma, Mo Li suddenly appeared with a faint smile. "Kiritsugu Emiya, I've finally met you. Come to think of it, your entire household being Heroic Spirits is truly rather lamentable."

"Who are you?!" Kiritsugu Emiya spun around in alarm, but Mo Li had already placed a hand on his shoulder.

On the other side, Maiya called out, "Kiritsugu?!"

Mo Li smiled. "It's fine, I'm on your side. Do you remember the letter informing you that something had gone wrong with the Holy Grail War, that the Grail had been contaminated? I sent it."

Kiritsugu Emiya swiftly assessed the situation and rapidly calmed down. "You? The current head of the Matou Family, Matou Zouken?"

Mo Li smiled faintly. "No, I'm Mo Li."

Kiritsugu Emiya fell silent for a moment, deciding not to dwell on that highly suspicious statement. Instead, he said, "If you're an ally, could you let go of me?"

"Of course. Just don't attack me, okay?" Mo Li released him, then turned toward the battlefield. "Artoria doesn't know Diarmuid's information. She's bound to suffer badly, but it doesn't matter. I'll intervene."

Watching Mo Li casually turn his back on him, Kiritsugu Emiya ruled out the possibility that the other man was an idiot. He concluded that Mo Li was simply highly skilled and fearless, and truly was his ally in the Holy Grail War. Only then did he relax and stand beside him. "Diarmuid? Is that the name of that Lancer?"

Mo Li smiled. "That's right. But what would knowing his name change? Artoria will still suffer. She doesn't know what effects Diarmuid's weapons have."

"Alice, Lancer is Diarmuid." After pressing his communicator to inform his wife, Kiritsugu Emiya asked Mo Li, "Could you tell me what those two spears do?"

Mo Li smiled. "No. This is still the Holy Grail War, after all. While I don't want anyone to die in the Holy Grail War, having all of one Heroic Spirit's abilities exposed to the enemy while knowing nothing about the opponent would be rather unfair. But I'll step in before Artoria gets hurt."