A Person in Type-Moon, Currently Unreachable

I'm probably beyond saving.

Wishing for Merlin, got a three-star.

Chapter 17: A New Alliance

"What brings you here? Master of Berserker." Kiritsugu Emiya was the first to react. He instantly broke free from Irisviel's support and strode towards the young man formed by butterfly familiars. His back was straight, like a knight's spear planted in the ground, showing no signs of injury. "I don't recall us having any prior acquaintance."

Kiritsugu Emiya wasn't one for socializing. His usual method of communication involved bullets, rocket launchers, and fragmentation grenades. However, with the Master of Berserker suddenly paying a visit, he had no choice but to brace himself.

"Oh, really?" The young man seemed completely oblivious to diplomatic niceties. He completely ignored Kiritsugu Emiya's resistant attitude. "After all, we're both inheritors of the Emiya family's research. From that perspective, I should be calling you 'senpai'."

If he could, Kiritsugu Emiya would have loved to tie up this "kohai" right in front of him and take him to an interrogation room for a friendly chat about "fellow disciple camaraderie." Unfortunately, the other party was merely a clone made of familiars, and catching him would be useless.

Moreover, Saber was no match for Berserker. If he angered the opponent, Kiritsugu Emiya's plan for salvation could be fed to the pigs.

"So? Kiritsugu's junior disciple, what is it you want?" Saber stepped forward, blocking Kiritsugu Emiya. Although she disliked Kiritsugu Emiya, she would not refuse her duty as a Servant because of it.

"Of course, I'm here to help you." The young man looked at Saber's hand, which could no longer hold a sword. "If you don't heal Saber's hand, you'll be eliminated."

Helping Saber heal her injuries was a funny joke. Everyone in the Holy Grail War was an enemy; how could they help each other?

Unless the other party had an enemy they couldn't defeat alone, or a problem that only Saber could handle.

Kiritsugu Emiya's heart raced. Indeed, if that were the case, the Master of Berserker would have a reason to help them.

"Can you tell me what we can do for you?" Kiritsugu Emiya took a deep drag from his cigarette, only stopping when half of the white cigarette had turned to ash.

It was convenient talking to smart people; no need for endless rambling.

"Form an alliance, and then divide the Holy Grail." Li Zihan's words were shocking. "I'll help you win this time, and you'll help me obtain the Holy Grail, the vessel."

Kiritsugu Emiya was stunned. He knew the other party had ulterior motives for coming, but he never expected their ambition to be so colossal.

"Is it that strange?" The young man shrugged. "Compared to participating in a deadly ritual every sixty years in a foreign land, it's obviously better to hoard the Holy Grail for myself."

Wasn't he afraid that if the Holy Grail left Fuyuki City, the Holy Grail War ritual couldn't be performed?

Kiritsugu Emiya's expression grew solemn. The Master of Berserker's idea was too insane, like a wild dog off its leash. Even the most basic communication with such a person required extreme caution.

"You should know that your plan is almost impossible to succeed," Irisviel couldn't help but interject. She analyzed Li Zihan. "The conditions for casting a magical ritual of the Holy Grail War's caliber have always been stringent: the ritual terrain, ley line Magic Power, participants, Command Spell system... many conditions are indispensable."

"Madam, you understand magical rituals very well. It's as expected of someone from the Einzbern Family." Li Zihan applauded the lady, whose actual age was only three. He signaled everyone present to remain quiet and then began explaining the structure of the Holy Grail War to these foolish children who eagerly rushed to fight upon hearing that their wishes could be granted.

"The Holy Grail is a wish-granting machine created by the joint efforts of the Tohsaka, Matou, and Einzbern families. The Tohsaka family hopes to reach the Root through it, Zouken Matou wants to use the Holy Grail to eliminate all the evil in this world, and the Einzbern family wishes to perfect the Third Magic—the materialization of the soul—through the ritual." The young man waved his hand. "This is all common knowledge; there's no need to elaborate."

Kiritsugu Emiya's face remained unchanged, but his heart was churning like a stormy sea. This was all internal information of the Three Founding Families, incredibly difficult for outsiders to uncover. To call this knowledge common... how much information about the Holy Grail did the Master of Berserker possess!

Irisviel, with experience comparable to an infant, showed a shock that was no different from writing "Why do you know this?" directly on her face.

"The Einzberns created the Lesser Holy Grail and the Greater Holy Grail. Makiri laid out the Servant system in the Holy Grail War and invented the technique of binding them with Command Spells. The Tohsaka family merely provided a superior spiritual land as energy. This was the beginning for the Three Founding Families." Li Zihan explained, "Simply put, the Tohsaka clan was responsible for building the reservoir, the Einzbern family for manufacturing the faucets, and the Makiri clan developed the employment system to command the workers to open the faucets." Li Zihan smiled, and Kiritsugu Emiya clearly felt the Master of Berserker's mockery towards the Tohsaka family.

Kiritsugu Emiya understood. The Tohsaka family did the grunt work; the important parts were solved and assembled by the other two families. If they could steal the Holy Grail, which condensed the achievements of the Einzberns and Makiris, and with a piece of superior spiritual land, it was highly possible to recreate the Holy Grail system.

"Then why don't you cooperate with your teacher?" Kiritsugu Emiya asked. "If you provide one Holy Grail, he'll forgive you for whatever mistakes you've made in the past, right?"

"There are so many people in the Archibald Family and the El-Melloi School. How can one Holy Grail be divided? Pouring red wine into a cup and taking a sip each?" Li Zihan narrowed his eyes, his gaze icy. "I have a high tolerance for alcohol; a sip or two won't get me drunk."

"Please show your sincerity." After a moment of silence, Kiritsugu Emiya extended his hand. "We'll discuss the details of our cooperation later."