Irisviel's right hand hovered in front of her eyes for a few seconds before slowly lowering it.
After opening his wine-red eyes, he stared at the ceiling for a while.
His eyes were vacant, as if he hadn't figured out where he was.
After a few seconds, she blinked twice and turned her head to look at the bedside.
Artoria stood there, watching her.
"... Saber?"
My voice is incredibly dry, like there's a wad of sandpaper stuck in it.
"You're awake."
Artoria's words were brief.
Can you move?
Irisviel tried moving her fingers, and then slowly moved her wrists and elbows.
Sensation in my body is gradually returning.
But there was a hole in his chest.
There used to be something there, but now it's gone.
The gap was invisible, but Irisviel could clearly perceive it.
How long was I unconscious?
"More than a day."
Artoria said directly.
Kiritsugu is dead.
Irisviel's hand stopped.
"Caster just infiltrated the castle and took the Lesser Grail from your body."
"She left behind a ball of lightning when she left, which blew up the west wing of the castle. Kiritsugu was trapped under the rubble. The contract is broken."
When Artoria said these things, her tone was very flat, as if she were talking about casualties on the battlefield.
Every sentence is very clear.
Irisviel sat on the bed, looking at Artoria's face.
She didn't cry.
This matter hasn't actually affected her yet.
The words "Kiritsugu is dead" entered my mind first, and it will take some time before they transform into something else.
Before that, Irisviel mentioned something else.
" The Lesser Grail has been taken away."
"Yes. Caster took it. It should have gone back to the Tohsaka mansion."
"Then we need to go get it back."
Artoria nodded.
"However, before that, we need to solve one problem."
She extended her left hand towards Irisviel.
" Kiritsugu is dead, and the contract between us is broken. The Avalon within you is still providing me with existence mana, but this temporary supply won't last long."
"We need to re-establish a formal master-servant contract."
Irisviel looked at Artoria's hand.
She extended her right hand.
Two hands clasped together.
Magic surged from the point of contact, connecting the two parties' Magic Circuits to form a new contract.
A Command Spell appeared on the back of Irisviel's right hand.
There is only one.
One Command Spell, one opportunity for an absolute command.
It should be used where it's most needed.
Irisviel glanced at the red pattern on the back of her hand, then looked up.
Let's go.
Tohsaka Residence.
Mayuri passed through the defensive barrier above the mansion and landed in the courtyard.
Tokiomi Tohsaka was already waiting at the door.
He was wearing that burgundy suit, and when he saw the fist-sized, pale golden organ in Mayuri's hand, the corners of his mouth turned up slightly.
For Tokiomi Tohsaka, this was already considered an outward display of emotion.
"Thank you for your hard work, Caster."
Mayuri handed over the Lesser Grail.
Tokiomi Tohsaka received it with both hands, and as soon as his fingers touched the surface of the Lesser Grail, the magical power within immediately flowed through his fingertips.
Tokiomi Tohsaka turned and walked into the mansion.
Mayuri followed behind.
study.
The coffee table has been moved.
A pre-prepared container was placed in the center of the floor.
To be precise, it is an octagonal gem array.
Eight high-level magic gems of different attributes were placed at the eight corners, and the gems were connected by silver powder patterns.
At the center of the array was a recessed stone container, just the right size to hold a human heart.
Tokiomi Tohsaka placed the Lesser Grail into the central container.
All eight gems lit up at once.
Pale golden light seeped from the Lesser Grail, flowing along the silver powder patterns in eight directions, and connecting with the magic within the eight gems.
The entire formation began to operate.
The Lesser Grail entered a dormant state within the array, its internal soul energy sealed.
Tokiomi Tohsaka stood at the front of the battle, looking at the pale golden organ.
I've got the keys.
The endgame mechanics of the Holy Grail War are not complicated.
After the souls of all seven Servant are collected by the Lesser Grail, the Lesser Grail, when fully charged, will open a portal at a designated location.
When the souls of the seven Heroic Spirit return to the Throne of Heroes together, a brief hole appears between the real world and the Root.
Tokiomi Tohsaka wanted that hole.
He doesn't need the Holy Grail to make a wish.
The Tohsaka Family- cherished wish is to reach the Root.
Once that hole appears, he can use it to travel to the Root.
There are now four souls in the Lesser Grail.
Hassan of the Hundred Faces, Lancelot, Iskandar, Gilgamesh.
Three more are needed.
Saber Artoria, Lancer Diarmuid, and Caster Mayuri.
The first two need to be resolved in battle.
The third one.
Tokiomi Tohsaka shifted his gaze from the Lesser Grail to Mayuri's back, who was standing in the doorway.
Caster.
She is his Servant.
In the end, they too must become sacrifices.
After Saber and Lancer leave the stage, Tokiomi Tohsaka will use the remaining two Command Spell Seals to order Mayuri to commit suicide.
The two Command Spell, when combined, issue the same command, making it difficult for Mayuri resists.
A Command Spell can be overcome by Servant with a strong will.
Pressing down both simultaneously, in the Holy Grail System, is essentially the command itself.
Tokiomi Tohsaka didn't think much of it.
He is Magecraft.
Magecraft seek the Root.
Sacrifice is acceptable for the sake of Root.
Servant are essentially tools summoned to participate in the Holy Grail War.
Mayuri turned around, her rose-red eyes meeting Tokiomi Tohsaka's blue eyes.
" Master, Saber hasn't left the stage. Kiritsugu Emiya should be able to regroup soon and send Saber to reclaim the Lesser Grail."
"I know. Let her come."
Tokiomi Tohsaka spoke calmly.
"Send Lancer to intercept them first. You stay at the mansion and wait."
Suburbs of Fuyuki City.
A black sedan was parked on the side of the road on the highway leading to the Tohsaka Residence.
The car door opened.
Irisviel got out of the passenger seat.
She found the car in the castle's underground garage.
The spare vehicle that Kiritsugu used when he went on missions.
Irisviel isn't a very good driver.
She drove quite erratically from Einzbern Castle to here, scraping the curb several times and almost turning the steering wheel the wrong way.
The Tohsaka Residence is still three kilometers away.
The two got out of the car and walked.
Artoria was the first to sense the Servant's Spirit Origin fluctuations.
About 500 meters ahead, right in the middle of the road.
Someone was standing there.
Dark green combat suit, amber-colored eyes, red longsword in left hand, and yellow shortsword in right hand.
Diarmuid.
"He's waiting for us."
Artoria's tone was flat.
Irisviel stood behind Artoria, watching the figure blocking her way in the distance.
Can we win?
"Able."
Artoria did not hesitate.
This wasn't just something I said offhand.
Diarmuid strong.
The combination of two demonic swords and two demonic spears, a total of four Noble Phantasm, is a rare sight in this Holy Grail War.
However, his base attributes are still a level below.
In a head-on clash, the King of Knights has the upper hand.
The problem lies in the supply of magic.
Artoria's current state is different from before.
Previously, Irisviel also had Lesser Grail inside her.
That heart connects the Greater Grail and the Servant; magical energy flows from the Greater Grail through the Lesser Grail into Irisviel, and then to Artoria.
The transmission efficiency is very high.
At that time, Artoria could unleash high-intensity slashes with her Mana Burst while maintaining the defense of her magic armor.
The Lesser Grail is gone now.
As an artificial being, Irisviel's total magical power far exceeds that of an ordinary Magecraft.
However, after losing the Lesser Grail, the conduction pathway narrowed.
The magic power is enough, but the transmission speed can't keep up.
Artoria could no longer simultaneously launch a full-force attack and maintain full-force defense as she had before.
She turned off the additional defense of the magic armor.
The magical sheen on the silver-blue armor faded.
The armor itself is still there, but the magical protection is gone.
All the saved magic was poured into Excalibur.
The golden-white light on the holy sword became even brighter.
Artoria walked towards Diarmuid.
Diarmuid stood in the middle of the road, watching her approach.
His golden amber eyes were very calm.
He had a faint red aura around him, which was the residual effect of the Command Spell enhancement.
Before Kayneth set off, he used a Command Spell to boost all of Kenneth's attributes.
" King of Knights."
"Lancer."
This is the third time.
"And this is the last time."
Artoria didn't stop.
Excalibur changes from holding the hand at an angle to raising it forward.
The golden holy sword was revealed in the night, its blade flowing with magical light.
Diarmuid moved when Artoria was thirty meters away from him.