"The last Servant had been summoned."
Kirei Kotomine sat in a chair in his room, pouring himself a cup of sake.
He had felt it.
The final Servant in this Holy Grail War had been summoned.
In other words, this Holy Grail War was about to officially begin.
"Y-You... who are you?"
Shirou Emiya clutched his bleeding shoulder as he sat in the shadows, staring at the knight standing beneath the moonlight.
The man appeared to be around thirty. His heavy silver-white armor reflected the moonlight so brightly it was almost dazzling. His graying long hair was neatly tied behind his head, and his face was stern and hard-edged. In his hand, he held a broad-bladed knight's sword.
He was practically the very image of a knight.
But...
Why?
Why had he appeared now?
And why did Shirou feel a faint sense of familiarity toward him?
As though they had known each other for a very long time?
A faint breeze stirred behind the knight, making Shirou's pupils contract for an instant.
"Servant, Saber, answering the summons. Now, give your orders."
The knight gave a slight bow and extended a hand toward Shirou.
Shirou's body trembled. Then—
He still reached out and grasped the knight's hand.
An almost imperceptible smile appeared on the knight's face. Then, with a pull, he hauled Shirou up from the ground.
"Then the contract is complete."
"From this day onward, my sword shall be with you."
The knight released his hand.
Then—
Clang—!!!
He spun around in an instant, his sword crashing against a crimson spear.
"A red spear, huh?"
The knight narrowed his eyes. He did not seem to be struggling at all; instead, he appeared to be identifying his opponent based on those characteristics.
"...You're damn strong. Just who the hell are you?"