"Is it really okay to leave Archer alone?"
On the other side of the magical communication device, Kotomine Kirei's voice came through. In this regard, Tokiomi could only smile helplessly.
"That can't be helped; the King does not listen to us."
The King's self-centered personality made Tokiomi very unhappy, but he felt quite powerless. After all, even if he used a Command Spell to make Archer temporarily succumb, he would have to be prepared to withstand the monstrous wrath of the Ancient King. What's more, the Master had to save his Command Spells to ensure Archer did not commit suicide at the end of the Holy Grail War. As long as they haven't figured out the true strength of the Hero King Gilgamesh, that was fine.
Luckily, tonight they were fighting at the wine table. As long as he doesn't draw his sword and go to war, Archer won't easily reveal the Gate of Babylon. Being able to grasp the situation in the distant Einzbern castle from his own workshop naturally owed to the report of the Assassin who was hiding there. Through Kirei's transfer of information, Tokiomi was able to understand it clearly.
After Rider destroyed the forest barrier, Assassin also masked his presence and successfully infiltrated the estate. The Holy Grail War has entered its fourth night, and Tokiomi has not yet set foot in the Miyama district mansion. He had been staying in his estate for several days to inquire about the situation of the Holy Grail War, and he had already investigated the status of some of the Masters who had been hidden for the time being.
Not only Rider, Iskandar, and his Master Waver Velvet, but also Lancer and his Master, Fujimaru Shirou. Rider had not fought any other Servant yet, so little was known about them. The only thing I know is that Rider's Master is likely a mediocre magus. Don't look at Rider with that big grin; he's actually more sensitive than the other Servants. When eavesdropping on the conversation between the three of them, Kirei also specifically instructed Assassin not to be discovered by Rider.
"By the way, Kirei, the difference between Rider and Archer's combat power... What do you think?"
"It's very likely that Rider's ace is an Inherent Enchantment, and it's hard to tell if Archer's Gate of Babylon can go head-to-head with it."
"Uh-huh..."
Tokiomi, who heard Kirei's analysis, smiled. During the battle at Mion River, Assassin had already discovered that Rider used an Inherent Enchantment in the fight against the Sea Demon. And if Rider's trump card is truly an Inherent Enchantment, then he cannot be Archer's opponent, simply because this King has the strongest Noble Phantasm, Ea, which is an EX-rank counterpart. As long as it's an enchantment, it's impossible to trap Archer!
Then, there's Berserker's Master. The Master who dominates Berserker has expended a great deal of power, and Caster was killed by a mysterious being after summoning the Sea Demon. Gilgamesh will not lose to the injured Saber. Although Lancer is still unscathed, his combat power has basically been figured out; although his melee combat value is very high, Gilgamesh, who is not strong in melee ability, is likely not an opponent in a head-to-head confrontation.
But Gilgamesh, as an Archer, does not need to engage in hand-to-hand combat at all. He only needs to stand on a high place and project his own treasures, which is enough to dominate this Holy Grail War. Now, there are only two people who worry Tokiomi. Lancer's Master, the auburn-haired child; instinct told Tokiomi that the other party was definitely not as simple as he seemed. Then, it was the person who killed Caster in the Mion River. That mysterious existence has not revealed any clues until now.
"It's a real headache..."
The one who can easily defeat such a powerful Sea Demon is truly strong and should not be underestimated. It would be terrible if the other party suddenly intervened when both sides of the battle were exhausted. After thinking about it for a long time, Tokiomi decided to ignore the mysterious existence for now. After all, if the other party didn't take the initiative to show up, he couldn't find a way to track them.
Tokiomi decided to set his eyes on the scenery within Rider's barrier and the Master of Lancer first.
"... Now, it's time for us to try that."
"I see, I see."
Needless to say, Kirei on the other side of the line already understood Tokiomi's intentions. In order to get valuable information, they could send an Assassin to test them. Rider and his Master are having a feast, unsuspecting, and it's a good opportunity to strike now. At this time, the important thing is not victory, but the difference in combat strength. It would be best if Rider could be dealt with, and even if he couldn't, forcing him to use his strongest move would be enough.
"If you want all the Assassins to assemble, I'm afraid it will take about ten minutes."
"Very well, give the order. Although it is a big gamble, fortunately, even if we fail, we have nothing to lose."
For Tokiomi, Assassin is just one of the means used to capture the Holy Grail—a tool to be discarded once used. This understanding is also fully reflected in his disciple, Kotomine Kirei. After Tokiomi finished speaking, he changed his sitting posture and poured another cup of tea. He happily caught the scent of black tea and waited for the results.
...
After Saber revealed her purpose for participating in the Holy Grail War, Archer and Rider fell silent for a moment, as if they had not expected to hear such a goal. Saber felt very strange. Even if her words were full of conviction, the two "Kings" she faced should not be easily intimidated, and it was impossible for them not to understand the meaning of her words. It was clear and direct; there was nothing strange about it. This was her King's way. Whether it was praise or refutation, someone should have spoken up immediately.
But... no one spoke.
After a long time, Rider finally broke the silence, and for some reason, his face was full of doubt.
"Do you mean that you want to 'change fate'? That is, to overturn the history that you have written?"
"Is there a problem?" Saber wondered.
"I watched my kingdom come to an end, and I couldn't forgive myself, so I had to change that ending."