Enzou Mountain.
At some point, black mud had filled the mountaintop.
Under the night sky, a circular void silently opened, its edges emitting a faint blue glow.
Manaka Sajyou quietly observed the scene, her smile growing increasingly delighted, her heart filled with anticipation.
Once all the Servants gathered and began fighting, they would provide more magical energy to the Greater Holy Grail… until finally, the so-called 'Greater Holy Grail,' the omnipotent wish-granting machine, would truly manifest.
By then…
Bang!
As her thoughts reached this point, a gunshot rang out from the distance.
A bullet cut through the snow and wind, heading straight for the back of Manaka Sajyou's head.
The girl stood still, her eyelids slightly lowered, a faint smile curling at the corners of her lips.
But just as the bullet was about to touch her body, a red glow quietly flickered beneath her feet.
At first, it was just a faint light, but in an instant, a terrifying blaze erupted with a whoosh!
A wall of interwoven black and red flames distorted the air with its heat, bursting into a dazzling fiery hue.
The bullet was effortlessly blocked the moment it touched the flames.
"After hitting me once before, you thought you could succeed a second time…? Though you're called a mage killer, your combat experience seems to be just that."
Manaka Sajyou glanced sideways.
In the distant snow, a man dressed in a black coat emerged from the steps, holding a black handgun.
Since this was the mountaintop, there were no sniping positions available.
To reach the Greater Holy Grail, one would inevitably have to pass Manaka Sajyou first.
Kiritsugu Emiya stared at the golden-haired girl before him, his voice low and calm. "..Manaka Sajyou, background unknown, suspected to have the ability to foresee danger…
The holy relic you used to summon Saber must have come from ancient Britain, right?"
"..You're one of the 'transmigrators,' aren't you?"
Hearing his words, Manaka Sajyou's beautiful eyes narrowed slightly as she scrutinized the man before her, smiling brightly. "Looks like you've investigated me quite a bit… but you probably didn't find much, did you?"
Kiritsugu Emiya didn't respond directly: "..After all, you're a transmigrator… The information you have belongs only to your era."
The sound of a gun being cocked echoed in the night.
Kiritsugu raised his handgun, aiming at the golden-haired girl before him, his voice icy. "..Where did you hide them?"
"..And… what's the connection between the Holy Grail you mentioned and her?"
Manaka Sajyou paused slightly, a trace of confusion on her small face: "..You were hired by the Einzbern family, and they didn't tell you the truth?"
Kiritsugu frowned tightly, staring at Manaka Sajyou without speaking.
The latter pointed to the 'Greater Holy Grail' behind her, emanating a terrifying aura, and smiled: "..If you want to know the truth… go see for yourself."
"..All the answers you seek are hidden in that pile of black mud—"
Bang!
Before she finished speaking, Kiritsugu Emiya had already pulled the trigger.
From the start, he had no intention of having a normal conversation with Manaka Sajyou.
After all, he didn't think this girl was someone who could be reasoned with.
Compared to these matters, the only thing he truly cared about now was one thing.
—The Greater Holy Grail.
Manaka Sajyou let out a soft sigh and said quietly. "..Looks like, compared to your wife or daughter, you've chosen this side, huh?"
Facing the approaching Kiritsugu Emiya, the girl suddenly raised her head. "Then there's nothing more to talk about."
Magical energy erupted in an instant!
…
At the same time, on the other side.
Rolling thunder filled the night sky, accompanied by a young man's scream.
"..Rider, slow down! I'm really going to fall off, aaaaah!!"
"..Relax, I'm not about to let my Master fall to his death from the sky.
Just hold on tight!"
The Conqueror King's hearty, booming laughter rang out.
Like lifting a chicken, he grabbed Waver by the back of his collar with one hand, the other gripping the edge of the chariot, heading toward Enzou Mountain.
But at that moment, he suddenly seemed to sense something, letting out a curious 'huh, stopping his chariot in mid-air.
The Conqueror King stroked his chin, carefully observing the mansion on the ground below.
In the mansion's courtyard, the Golden King was sitting there, casually playing with a wine goblet in his hand.
As if sensing something, Gilgamesh soon spoke in a cold, arrogant tone. "..The only one in this world qualified to look down on others from the heavens is this king… Are you seeking death, Rider?"
With Gilgamesh's personality, on any other day, the treasures from his Gate of Babylon would likely already be heading toward the Conqueror King.
But perhaps because he knew this rugged man didn't have much cunning, or for some other reason, he didn't immediately use his Noble Phantasms.
The Conqueror King was stunned for a moment, then quickly revealed an amused smile, guiding his chariot to quietly descend from the sky.
"..Now that the Greater Holy Grail has appeared at the top of that mountain, how do you still have the leisure to sit here drinking, Archer?"
As he spoke, he curiously eyed the golden goblet in Gilgamesh's hand, and couldn't help but sigh in emotion
"..This Noble Phantasm is really convenient. I didn't expect it to store so much fine wine."
Gilgamesh glanced at the Conqueror King's admiring gaze, snorted coldly, and tossed a golden goblet toward him before he looked up toward Enzou Mountain and said quietly.
"..Haven't you noticed, Rider? This Holy Grail War has been abnormal ever since that girl appeared."
"..You mean the girl named Manaka Sajyou?"
The Conqueror King took a sip of the wine from the goblet, savoring its rich flavor, his gaze growing more serious: "..That girl's magic circuits are different from those of ordinary mages… and with Saber's presence, she's indeed quite troublesome."
"..Is that why you haven't gone to Enzou Mountain yet?"
The Conqueror King asked.
Since he had no interest in the Greater Holy Grail, even now, with its appearance, the Hero King remained unmoved…?
That's what the Conqueror King thought at the moment.
Gilgamesh toyed with the golden goblet in his hand, a hint of amusement coloring his crimson eyes.
"..This king is waiting for someone…
I told him before that I hoped he could survive until the end of the Holy Grail War."
"..But it seems he's run into some trouble."
The King of conqueror's eyes flickered, and he soon seemed to recall something as he spoke softly: "..Saber?"
No way...
Was there anything that could trouble Saber…?
Although Iskandar was also quite arrogant and believed himself to be no less than anyone, he did not underestimate Saber, after all, that guy just eliminated the formidable Berserker.
These days, he had heard the stories about the legendary White Dragon of Britain and knew that the other party was a dangerous foe, however, now, Gilgamesh was telling him that Saber had run into trouble.
Could there be another formidable Servant this time?
Gilgamesh didn't respond to his doubts, instead, he just gazed in a certain direction with interest.
From the moment the Greater Holy Grail manifested, he had already sensed the truth behind this Holy Grail War.
A tainted Holy Grail, black mud capable of blackening Servants…
For Servants, yes..this black mud was indeed extremely dangerous, but that's only for Servants under the limit of Holy Grail war.
But to think that such a thing could rewrite his Spirit Foundation, wasn't that underestimating Saber… or perhaps, underestimating 'Mother'?
"..Aaaaaa!!!"
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