Star, moon, night.
In the distance, a cold crow rose with a hoarse, eerie cry before fluttering away.
The air was fresh and empty, with faint traces of light falling on the asphalt road, guardrails, and sparse traffic, lending this vast world a sense of security born from civilization.
Yet if the late-night drivers had been perceptive enough to fix their gaze on the highway signs guiding their way and spent some time adjusting to the darkness, they might have faintly discerned a presence detached from the silhouettes.
The night breeze carried a slight chill, rustling black robes as a pair of golden eyes ignited within a silhouette that burned quietly like black flames. The young man reached up to remove his hood, revealing white hair as cold as frost in the night. He gazed at the faint horizon, lost in silence for a moment before suddenly letting out a sigh.
"To think the Black Faction would become so turbulent so quickly..."
The awakening and escape of the homunculus 'Sieg' marked the acceleration of the war's progression. No longer were the Red and Black Factions merely probing—now they were mobilizing their forces, engaging in wave after wave of assaults.
Take, for instance, the Red Berserker still charging toward the Black Faction's fortress, or the nearing completion of Semiramis' 'Hanging Garden of Babylon.' Or perhaps... the Ruler, Jeanne d'Arc, who had descended due to the irregularities of this Holy Grail War, wielding absolute command over the Servants.
At this very moment, Sakatsuki stood in the cold wind, waiting silently on the Transylvanian highway—the only national road leading to Trifas.
Originally, the plan had been to lay preparations here after investigating the Greater Grail, setting the stage for Jeanne's arrival the following night... But thanks to Chiron's interference, Sakatsuki's magical energy had been completely drained, and recovery would take no small amount of time.
The plan for an early ambush had to be abandoned, though it wasn't without its gains—Reika, the first to discover and entrust the homunculus to Astolfo, had already stepped into the heart of the Black Faction's undercurrents. No matter what happened, she now had the convenience and right to involve herself.
In contrast, the 'Red Faction' he belonged to...
As he moved in spiritual form, Sakatsuki let out a bitter laugh in his heart.
Perhaps because he himself was part of the 'conspiracy,' Amakusa and the Empress were unusually wary of him. Even when he deliberately exposed himself to the familiars' sight, Amakusa showed no intention of contacting him—as if Sakatsuki had been completely forgotten.
Was the method of joining too aggressive...? No, if it hadn't been this way, Amakusa would never have agreed to his participation in the first place.
In the span of a fleeting thought, Sakatsuki reached a conclusion.
If he was going to be radical, he might as well commit to it fully.
Approaching the leyline, Sakatsuki accelerated his magical energy recovery, his golden eyes shining like stars.
Next, he was going to do something risky.
***
Among the seven magi selected by the Clock Tower to subjugate Yggdmillennia—one of them, the overseer sent by the Holy Church, Father Shirou, knelt respectfully before the five Masters.
Just like the throne room, Shirou and the Masters were separated by a considerable distance. Not only that, but a thin curtain was drawn before the five figures. Shirou's vision was obscured, allowing him to only vaguely discern silhouettes.
"...Report."
Shirou spoke fluently as he reported to the Masters beyond the thin curtain: "...The battle situation is entirely in our favor. Of the seven enemy Servants, five have already been eliminated, while all seven of ours remain unharmed. The fleeing Masters have also been captured. Awaiting further instructions."
Amakusa's words were so fantastical that anyone hearing them would surely laugh. Yet before long, muffled laughter arose from the Red Masters.
"Kill them, kill them, kill them, of course. We'll take the heads, and throw the bodies to the wild dogs. The rotting entrails are useless—only the heads are needed for the bounty."
No one questioned whose heads these were, nor did anyone bother to clarify how they had defeated the enemy. Reveling in their hollow victory, Amakusa seized the moment to press further:
"...Understood. By the way, have you considered my earlier proposal?"
Silence fell beyond the curtain. Unlike the outright rejection last time, there now seemed to be room for consideration.
"We trust you. But it's unnecessary. As Masters, we must command those Servants."
"I will take on that responsibility. There is no need for concern."
"...So you mean it's no longer necessary, is that it?"
This question carried an emotion never before present—one Amakusa did not overlook.
Timidity, or perhaps war-weariness, and the relief of shifting responsibility onto another—
"Of course."
Hearing Amakusa's firm words, hushed whispers broke out behind the curtain. The white-haired priest remained kneeling, awaiting orders.
"...Never mind, it's still too dangerous. For safety's sake, it's better to stay dispersed."
"Understood."
"For safety's sake," they said. After all, it wasn't something they could simply hand over to another. But without a valid reason, they couldn't outright refuse the proposal. The common sense within their ranks was on the verge of collapse—just a little more push would do, Amakusa Shirou Tokisada concluded.
"Then I shall take my leave. Please, enjoy your discussions."
After bowing, Amakusa stood and departed. The Masters hidden behind the curtain immediately resumed their idle chatter. Even skilled magi, if devoid of their human side, could never blend into the world. As they rambled about magecraft and life experiences, they truly reveled in peace.
...Even if it was a false peace, steeped in poison and deceit.
No, it's better to push the situation a little further... Amakusa Shirou Tokisada, the mastermind behind it all, pondered as he strode toward the door, leaving these terminally corrupted Masters behind.
Sikera Usum, the Wine of the Arrogant King—Anti-Army Noble Phantasm, Rank B+.
As the most ancient poisoner, Semiramis's second Noble Phantasm could not only imbue various attacks with poison attributes but also taint the very air and magical energy itself. Any substance that could be called 'poison' could be realized through this Noble Phantasm.
——The illusion that plunged the Red Faction's Masters into delusion, distorting their reason and perception, was undoubtedly a form of poison.
This Noble Phantasm was one of the reasons Amakusa had summoned Semiramis, and the very foundation of his confidence in commanding the great heroes with ease under the guise of the "Red Faction's leader."
As he pushed open the door, the sound of a heated argument immediately interrupted Amakusa's thoughts. His gaze shifted forward, where his Servant—the bewitching Empress clad in a black dress—stood firmly before the door, locked in a tense standoff with a young man also dressed in black robes.
Lord Sakatsuki?
A sense of foreboding rose in his heart. Amakusa quickly stepped to Semiramis' side, silently questioning her with his eyes about what was happening.
"Thou hast arrived," Semiramis said, her rigid posture relaxing slightly, though her gaze toward Sakatsuki remained dark. "This one has been insistent on entering the room."
Entering the room? No, absolutely not.
In an instant, Amakusa understood why Semiramis was treating this as a dire threat.
Whether it was the blatant traces of poison in the room, the risk of Sakatsuki—an unpredictable variable—waking the Masters, or his status as an envoy of the Mage's Association, all of it meant this young man could not be allowed to cross this line under any circumstances!
"Lord Sakatsuki," Amakusa said, his voice measured, "I believe you are aware that barging into another's room uninvited is a disgraceful act."
"Oh? Is that so?"
Faced with Amakusa's wariness, the young man responded with an unshaken smile.
"I merely wished to meet the members dispatched by the Mage's Association. Surely that isn't too much to ask?"
He knows?!
Amakusa's heart lurched. Instinctively, he flicked his wrist, and the Church's standard armament—Black Keys—materialized in his grasp. Simultaneously, the Empress lowered her hands, readying herself for battle.
"How did you find out?"
"Did you truly think the Association's envoys wouldn't leave tracking charms with their clients?"
As he spoke, Sakatsuki's expression hardened. The paired weapons, Kanshou and Bakuya, took the form of pistol-grips in his hands. With the crisp sound of their mechanisms loading, the twin blades were now aimed squarely at Amakusa and Semiramis.
"Step aside," Sakatsuki said coldly, "or I will cut you down myself—then rescue those pitiful, foolish Masters."
Under Sakatsuki's pressure, the battle within the Red Faction was on the verge of eruption!
***
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