I, Kenneth, am going to get to the root of the problem today.

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With difficulty, Artoria turned her head away, her face filled with determination. She closed her eyes with difficulty. The aroma was spreading, and even though Artoria could hold her breath, the delicious taste that remained in her memory became clearer and clearer.

The desire for what you can't have always lingers. Starving, Artoria stiffly turned her head.

"No! How can I succumb to the oppression of Sister Mo? The honor of a knight cannot be tarnished."

"But wasting food goes against the virtues of a knight. No, there's definitely something wrong with this food! How could she waste such delicious food? It's simply..."

Her resolve began to waver, and Artoria found it increasingly difficult to look away from the food on the table. At this moment, the food was as tempting to Artoria as Tifa in the 3D zone was to… cough cough.

"Even if there's something wrong with the food, given my physical condition, it should be fine..."

"Waste is the greatest enemy, and if I don't eat it, Mo... Sister will use a Command Spell. Rather than let the Command Spell go to waste, even if it's poisonous food, I, Artoria, will eat it to show you!!"

After successfully convincing herself, Artoria, with a death-defying spirit, closed her eyes and began to devour the food on the table like a whirlwind.

In a corner of the room, Morgan, suppressing his aura to the lowest possible level, wore an expression of smug satisfaction, like the neighbor's daughter has grown up and he's eating a ton of fancy food. He then silently pulled out the gem he used for recording.

Chapter Sixty-One: Gilgamesh, on His Missionary Mission

Gazing at the man before him who shared the same color scheme as himself, an unusual flutter welled up within Kirei Kotomine. Suppressing the urge to desire the man before him, Kirei Kotomine extended an invitation to Kiritsugu Emiya in his usual tone.

“Saber’s former Master, the Church has received your report. As a departing member, the Church, as the overseer, will provide you with protection.”

"No need. I will be leaving Fuyuki City tonight. Thank you for the church's generosity."

As Kiritsugu Emiya, whose right arm had been taken from him, left, Kirei Kotomine's indifferent expression made it impossible to fathom what the priest was thinking.

“Master, Saber’s Master just came to see me and confirmed that he has lost his qualifications. His arm and Command Seals have been taken away by Lancer’s Master.”

Tokiomi Tohsaka paused, his heart skipping a beat. Lancer's strength was already comparable to Gilgamesh's, and with Saber added to the mix, two of the top three riders were in Kenneth's hands. Tokiomi Tohsaka knew he had no confidence in defeating Kenneth, who was already ready to pop champagne.

"Kirei, leak the news and guide the other groups. By the way, can you find some reasons? Like leaking something mysterious. It would be best if the other groups could join forces to attack that Lord."

Now that things have come to this, Tokiomi Tohsaka no longer intends to let Gilgamesh leave the field. He only has two Command Seals left, one to save for Archer to commit suicide, and the remaining Command Seal is far from enough to start a team fight. Tokiomi Tohsaka is now prepared to survive in the poison circle.

"The magician at the clock tower did a very clean job; I'll try my best to find him."

After hanging up the phone, Tokiomi Tohsaka looked at the Command Seals on the back of his hand and fell into thought. In Tokiomi Tohsaka's view, even if Kiritsugu Emiya was a notorious assassin, so what? He had already lost his Servant and was already eliminated.

After hanging up the phone, Kirei Kotomine turned around and saw Gilgamesh, who had appeared there at some point.

"Archer?"

"You have more fine wine here than in Tokiomi's room. You are truly an unworthy disciple."

Upon seeing Gilgamesh appear here, Kirei Kotomine, after a brief moment of confusion, resumed his daily work as a priest. Watching the priest, who was as mechanical as a machine, Gilgamesh idly swirled the blood-red wine in his cup.

“It’s really boring to keep doing the same thing over and over again, Kirei.”

"Fun, what is that thing?"

As Kirei Kotomine tidied up the bottles Gilgamesh had thrown on the ground, he calmly asked the question that had been bothering him.

"Hahaha, what is fun? How could you ask such a stupid question? I ask you, have you really never experienced fun?"

Meeting Gilgamesh's eyes, a feeling of being seen through arose in his mind. He stopped speaking, gripped the cross hanging on his chest, and began to recite the teachings he already knew by heart. With a smile, Gilgamesh appeared as a spirit in front of the priest who was still praying.

"Don't you know what it is? It's that feeling in your heart. Why should you repent to those charlatans? Why should you think it's wrong? Why should you destroy happiness?"

Like the whispers of a demon, Gilgamesh's series of "whys" kept echoing in Kirei Kotomine's mind. Seeing that the man before him could still hold on, Gilgamesh summoned the throne and sat above Kirei Kotomine.

"I have some news for you: that mongrel still carries the aura of a Servant. As Tokiomi's disciple, I'm giving you a chance. Will you tell Tokiomi this?"

His body began to tremble. Faced with the information given by Gilgamesh, Kirei Kotomine's breathing became rapid, and his increasingly tense hands showed the struggle in his heart. The prayers in the church gradually became clearer, and the corners of Gilgamesh's mouth turned up more and more.

"Oh, it seems you're planning to keep this from Tokiomi. Why not tell him? What's your reasoning? You're excited to see him panic and bewildered, aren't you?"

"Imagine his hysteria and struggle after he learns the truth... You're looking forward to it, aren't you? You can't control that thought. You want to see his face filled with impotent rage. It gives you satisfaction, doesn't it?"

'Click—!'

The cross held in the priest's palm shattered completely. Kirei Kotomine, who had been praying with his eyes closed, opened them. For the first time in over a decade, his eyes, devoid of spirit, shone with a light called intention.

"Tokiomi summoned me so that I could maintain my physical form in the modern world. He served me with the respect due to a subject, and I had to repay him. But I never expected him to be such a boring person."

Swirling the red wine in his glass, Gilgamesh crossed his legs and rested his head on the back of his hand with an icy expression.

"The root cause, what a pointless wish."

"The pursuit of the root, the pursuit of the outside world, is the desire of every magician. Others pursue the inside world, those worldly desires."

Kirei Kotomine's answer pleased Gilgamesh greatly. He drank the red wine in his glass, his eyes narrowed, and in the reflection of the wine glass, Gilgamesh's smile appeared particularly wicked.

Gilgamesh: Kirei Kotomine, you have piqued my interest (smirks).

"Isn't it good? Prestige, desire, power—these are all things I like. What about you? What is your desire for the Holy Grail, Kirei?"

The second time Gilgamesh mentioned his wish, Kirei Kotomine, who had already realized that he was not a saint, fell silent. Unlike the first time, he did not directly deny it. Kirei Kotomine's heart was stirred.

"What is my wish? What am I... pursuing?"

Seemingly sensing Kirei Kotomine's inner struggle, Gilgamesh rose from his throne, his golden body gradually transforming into spiritual particles along with the throne.

"I await your answer, Kirei."

In the main hall of the Tohsaka family, golden spiritual particles began to gather. Upon seeing this, Tohsaka Tokiomi, who was sitting on the sofa, immediately stood up and offered a respectful bow to the master he had summoned. Gilgamesh, ignoring Tohsaka Tokiomi, took out a glass of red wine and stood in front of the French windows on the balcony. Realizing that he had become invisible, Tohsaka Tokiomi, maintaining a humble posture, carefully chose his tone and asked his question.

"Your Majesty, did you go to inspect the territory today?"

"What, do I need to report my itinerary to you, Tokiomi?"

Sensing Gilgamesh's impatience, Tokiomi Tohsaka bowed even lower.

"It was I who overstepped my bounds. There was just a minor mishap. I was only worried that some petty person might offend Your Majesty."

The air fell silent, and only Tokiomi Tohsaka's breathing could be heard in the room. Just as Tokiomi's back was about to give way, Gilgamesh spoke.

"Get up for your loyalty. But, Tokiomi, don't try to read my mind with your eyes. The glory of the king is not something those scoundrels can covet. They are nothing but ants."

"Your subject will humbly follow the teachings of the King of Kings."

Turning around, Gilgamesh looked at the man who was still bowing to him with his bloodshot eyes, drank the red wine in his glass, and disappeared into the study.

Chapter Sixty-Two: The Holy Grail War Gradually Goes Astray

As the sun rose, the Fourth Holy Grail War had far exceeded Kenneth's expectations overnight. Feeling the heat hitting his face, the tense Kenneth opened his eyes.

With a hissing sound, the printer on the table started up, and several specially processed documents appeared in Kenneth's hands under the influence of the Moon Spirit Essence Liquid.

"Matou Kariya, this is troublesome."

The information Kenneth had was a record of his investigation into Matou Kariya over the past six months. More than six months ago, Matou Kariya had not left the Matou family home since returning. The few sightings were all recorded by the El-Melloi family's magicians who saw him from afar in the Matou family's courtyard.

"No, there's something wrong."

With these thoughts running through his mind, Kenneth pulled out another observation record about Zenjou Aoi and Tohsaka Rin from the drawer. After carefully comparing the timelines of the two documents, a bad feeling popped into Kenneth's mind: Matou Kariya might have already sent it.

The thought, once it surfaced, lingered and wouldn't go away. By carefully comparing his memories of his past life with the previous chaotic battle, a detail that Kenneth had overlooked suddenly came to mind.

"Lancelot appeared at the wrong time."

Given Matou Kariya's hatred for Tokiomi Tohsaka, the latter would never miss an opportunity to provoke Tokiomi. Lancelot did indeed go mad during the port brawl, but that was after Gilgamesh's departure. Moreover, apart from the time Matou Kariya had just returned to Fuyuki City, Matou Kariya never went to see Zenjou Aoi and Tokiomi Rin again, which is completely inconsistent with Matou Kariya's character.

"We were still careless, Matou Kariya, no, I should call you Matou Zouken now. We still don't have enough information. Let's test the waters first."

Picking up the formal attire for the mission, Kenneth also laid out his plan. The method of testing was simple: have his magicians dress up as villains. Zenjou Aoi was definitely Matou Kariya's goddess, and the real Matou Kariya would never tolerate anyone touching her.

Similarly, given Tokiomi Tohsaka's personality, as long as Rin Tohsaka, as the heir, is safe, Tokiomi Tohsaka, a typical magician, would never care about his legal wife for the sake of the Holy Grail War.

"Phew, you better not disappoint me, my big brother who was sent to me by Tokiomi."

Setting down his formal attire, Kenneth quietly awaited the arrival of night. Although the idea that the Holy Grail War was being conducted in secret was already a joke, this was only the beginning, and the act had to continue.

Meanwhile, thanks to Kirei Kotomine's arrangement, news of Saber's change of ownership was leaked. Faced with this almost common knowledge, each participating pair had their own thoughts.

Morgan, who was in cahoots with Kenneth, remained unmoved. Tokiomi Tohsaka and others, who were the scheming masterminds, wanted to take advantage of the situation. Kirei Kotomine was undergoing abnormal development under Gilgamesh's influence. The Matou family was as quiet as death. Only Waver, who couldn't contain himself, shook Iskandar's arm in disbelief.

As Iskandar put down the controller, he flicked Webber's forehead with a flick of his wrist.

"What kind of panicked behavior is this? So what if your teacher took Saber away? War is about plunder. Is there anything wrong with the victor taking everything from the loser?"

Iskadar: Winner takes all, loser eats the dust (Tokiomi).

"But Rider, that day..."

*Smack!*

Iskandar delivered another flick to Webber's forehead, interrupting Webber's dejected remarks with his actions.

"So what if Lancer and Saber are strong? I am the King of Conquest! Overcoming powerful enemies, conquering and ravaging are what I, Iskandar, excel at! Or are you scared, little Master?"

"Rider... How could I be afraid? We are the strongest team participating in the Holy Grail War, and we will definitely be the final victors!!"

Under Iskandar's tutelage, Webber, at least on the surface, was no longer so inactive. He straightened his back and his fighting spirit soared instantly under Iskandar's encouragement.

"Rider, now that Kenneth-sensei already has two Servants, shouldn't we find another alliance to form?"

Rubbing his beard, Iskandar pondered along with Weber's thoughts.

"The King of Heroes is probably out of the question. Berserker can be put on the waiting list, so it seems that only Caster is left. This is a bit of a problem. Caster hasn't shown up yet. Little Master, do you have any ideas?"

"Given Berserker's strength and hostility towards the King of Knights, they should be Servants from the same era: Mordred, Vortigern, or perhaps the Roman Emperor Lucius?"

After studying Weber's analysis, Iskandar first ruled out Lucius, and Iskandar gave a simple reason: he did not sense any kingly aura from Berserker.

Waver, overwhelmed by passion, couldn't find any reason to refute Iskandar's explanation. Just as Waver was carefully comparing the similarity between the legend and the Berserker, Iskandar slapped Waver on the shoulder.

"My little Master, there's no use thinking about it now. Berserker is just a backup option. Let's go find Caster first!"

Amid Waver's screams, Iskadar tucked Waver under his arm and jumped through the second-floor window into the Kamui Wheel. He rode the Kamui Wheel straight into the sky, flying towards Fuyuki City amidst Iskadar's loud laughter.

"Baka!! Fuyuki City is so big, where are we going to find Caster? Instead of looking for Caster, we might as well go to the Matou family first, since Berserker's Master is in the Matou family!!"

After a flick on the forehead, Webber immediately performed a defensive squat with his hands on his head, gripped the reins tightly again, and turned his gaze toward the gradually clearing Fuyuki City.

“Foolish. The Matou family is one of the three founding families of the Holy Grail. Their understanding and affirmation of the Holy Grail far exceeds our imagination. Even if they want to form an alliance, our first choice is not us. Compared to that Berserker who cannot communicate, I think we should go find Caster first.”

"But Caster hasn't shown up yet, where are we supposed to find her?"

"Snapped"

Another flick landed on Waver's head. Iskandar slowly descended the oxcart and pulled a map of Fuyuki City from his pocket, spreading it in front of Waver, who was almost stunned by the beating.

“If the other party is Caster, then they must have built a magic workshop. Since they are magicians, it’s instinctive for them to find sufficient spiritual veins. It’s only a matter of time before they find Caster by following the spiritual veins. Quick, mark down the places that are there for me.”

Stunned by Iskandar's unification analysis, Weber, still somewhat dazed, picked up a pen and began sketching on the map before him.

Chapter 63 Emiya Kiritsugu Delivers Himself to Our Doorstep

Here's another picture of Irene.jpg

In the warehouse of Fuyuki City, Kiritsugu Emiya took stock of the equipment before him. Twenty-nine Origin Bullets lay quietly in a briefcase, and the specially modified Gyrard Pistol exuded the smell of gunpowder. Thirty-seven Origin Bullets, made from Kiritsugu Emiya's ribs, had already taken the lives of thirty-seven magicians in the hands of this assassin.

"Archer, how is it?"

Drawing his gun, loading, aiming, silently counting down the time, again and again, this cold-hearted man was gradually adapting to his disabled body.

"The news has already spread. The Tohsaka family wants to sit back and watch the tigers fight. The Matou family hasn't reacted, and I think they probably have similar ideas. Caster's situation is unknown, and only Rider is taking action. It seems like they want to join forces with Caster."

He drew his pistol from his waist, loaded it, aimed, and fired. After calculating the time, he realized that he had reached the limit of his one-handed shooting speed, and a solemn expression appeared on his face.

"Close to two seconds? That's too much time for them to react. We need to think of something."

With these thoughts in mind, Kiritsugu Emiya put away his pistol and looked at Red A, who was sitting cross-legged on the steel coil.

"A bunch of rotten guys, so the only one making a move is the Rider."

Without Hisayuu Maiya's assistance, Kiritsugu Emiya's eyes in Fuyuki City have all been wiped out by Kenneth. Now, Kiritsugu Emiya, hiding behind the scenes, only has Archer left as a means of obtaining information.

"Keep an eye on Rider. They're the only ones we can use now. If they can find Caster, we must find a way to confirm whether the Lesser Grail is in Caster's possession."

Upon hearing Kiritsugu Emiya address Irisviel, a complex expression flashed across Archer's face and eyes. He turned away without responding to Kiritsugu Emiya, and Archer, now in spirit form, once again headed to Fuyuki City.

Returning our attention to Kenneth, upon seeing the message from the El-Melloi family, Kenneth, who was still troubled by the problem of Kiritsugu Emiya, instantly perked up. The message was simple: someone wanted to order a prosthetic limb from Touko Aozaki through Rojane. This would normally be a very ordinary matter, but the fact that the recipient left the pickup location as Fuyuki City was quite intriguing.

Kenneth really had to thank those old fogies at the Clock Tower. Although the news of Aozaki Touko's seal being lifted had spread, they hadn't revealed a word about why. Apart from Aozaki Touko, only the various rulers of the Clock Tower knew the details. If Emiya Kiritsugu could extract information from them, he wouldn't be the universally hated magician killer.

Thanks to Aozaki Touko's concealment of her true appearance at Kenneth's request, the magic world now believes that this Grand Puppeteer is still wandering. Under the influence of various factors, Emiya Kiritsugu, in his desperation, directly fell into Kenneth's trap.

“A prosthetic limb, Kiritsugu Emiya, you offered it to me yourself.”

As an assassin, Kiritsugu Emiya would definitely check the prosthetic limb when he received it. There was no need to waste such a good opportunity for a cursed assassination with almost zero success rate. After instructing Aozaki Touko to keep some small tricks for tracking, Kenneth also hung up the communication from London.

As he pondered, dusk approached outside the window, and the Holy Grail War entered its second night. Kenneth opened the door and, accompanied by Karna, stepped out of the workshop. Then, Kenneth realized that he had overestimated the courage of those traditional magicians. Kenneth, who was prepared to be ganged up on, didn't even catch a glimpse of Hassan. The night was already past midnight, and Kenneth, who had already declared that he was going to fish for nothing, returned to the workshop expressionlessly.