『 At this very moment, as the audience's murmurs swelled into a restless tide of speculation, Souichirou Kuzuki finally grasped the full extent of Medea's machinations.
Yet, his countenance remained an unruffled mask of stoicism. "I see. Because I, as your Master, have granted Caster absolute autonomy in her endeavors… You concluded that I was being manipulated."
Shirou Emiya gave a firm nod. "Exactly. If that were the case, then Caster would be our only true adversary. But if you are aware of her deeds and choose to permit them, then you are nothing more than a common murderer. I will never forgive you for that."
The ultimatum was clear; Shirou had placed the burden of choice squarely upon Kuzuki's shoulders. In that instant, both the witnesses within the frame and the spectators watching from beyond the screen fixed their collective gaze upon the man, breathless with anticipation.
Under the weight of a thousand eyes, Kuzuki's voice finally broke the silence.
"No. What you speak of… this is the first I have heard of it. However…" He paused, his gaze narrowing. "Emiya, are Caster's actions truly so heinous?"
The sudden counter-question caught everyone off guard. Even Shirou stood frozen, momentarily speechless.
"What did you say…?"
"The deaths of those unrelated to me are of no consequence," Kuzuki stated flatly. "I only hope they do not mistake the mere fact of my existence for some form of threat."
"Kuzuki, you… Even as a Magus, you intend to involve innocent bystanders?"
To this, Kuzuki offered only a cold, detached reply.
"I am no Magus. I am merely an obscure murderer. I have no stake in this Holy Grail War. If Caster wishes to kill, or if you all intend to slaughter one another, I shall do nothing but watch from the sidelines. I owe no duty to your struggle, nor do you bear any responsibility for my life. Therefore… proceed as you wish, Caster. Whether you live or die is entirely your own prerogative."
With those words, a heavy, suffocating gloom descended upon the battlefield. 』
『 .....』
Across the interdimensional chat, the spectators were far from composed.
〜Viewer's Chat Room〜
[ Olga Marie Animusphere: From the sound of it, this man isn't even a Magus… It seems he was a former assassin. ]
[ Aozaki Aoko: I see. No wonder I can't detect a single trace of magical energy from him… It's quite surprising that someone who isn't a Magus could actually summon a Heroic Spirit. ]
Aoko was mistaken, however; it wasn't Kuzuki who had originally summoned Medea. Through a series of unforeseen twists of fate, the two had formed a contract, and only then did Souichirou Kuzuki become her Master.
[ Hundred-Face Hassan (Assassin): An assassin? I'm curious, then—as an assassin, how does he dare to stand so brazenly before his enemies? ]
[ Hassan of Serenity (Assassin): I catch a faint scent of the First One lingering on him. Could his methods of assassination be identical to those of the Founder? ]
[ Emiya Kiritsugu: …To make such a choice. How utterly foolish. Though, given his performance in the previous recording, I suppose this is to be expected. ]
[ .....]
〜In the Worldline of Fourth Holy Grail War〜
Kiritsugu Emiya watched the screen, his brow furrowed in a deep scowl. Without question, Medea's methods had incited the wrath of this "Magus Killer," the man who championed a cold, utilitarian justice.
The moment Kuzuki made his choice, Kiritsugu had already pronounced a death sentence upon them both.
—
〜In the Worldline of ██████ Chaldea〜
Meanwhile, Mash Kyrielight stared at the screen in disbelief.
"How could they… to steal the lives of innocent residents just for something like magical energy…"
Noticing the tremor in Mash's voice, Romani Archaman let out a weary sigh.
"Mash, this is the world of Mages. Once you've seen enough, you'll realize that such atrocities are, lamentably, commonplace…"
—
『 Artoria, who had been listening in silence, could no longer restrain the rising tide of her indignation. The King of Knights was absolutely incensed by Medea's callousness. Her voice rang out, sharp and commanding.
"Is that so? Then you won't mind falling in battle right here, will you? Isn't that right, Master of Caster!"
As the Heroic Spirit drew herself up, the audience leaned in, their excitement reaching a fever pitch.
There was no doubt in their minds: this was to be the showdown between the King of Knights and the Witch of Betrayal! One was the legendary, ever-victorious King; the other, a sorceress of infamy. Everyone wondered—who would emerge triumphant? 』
『 .....』
〜Viewer's Chat Room〜
[ Iskandar[F/Z] (Rider): A duel between the Great King of Knights and Medea? No matter how you look at it, the King of Knights has the upper hand. ]
[ Diarmuid Ua Duibhne (Lancer): To be fair, the Knight classes inherently possess superior attributes compared to the lower four classes. The Caster class, in particular, isn't suited for confrontation. This is Artoria's victory, through and through. ]
〜IN BETWEEN〜
〜In the Worldline of ██████ Chaldea〜
Reading Diarmuid's commentary, Romani found himself falling into a pensive silence.
Can't casters fight in close quarters?
Romani felt a strong urge to object. After all, as a Grand Caster himself, he was once the "King of Fists" in Israel! And he wasn't the only one—between the Axe-King of Uruk and the Finger-Snapping King of Britain, which of them wasn't a frontline battle-mage? However, after a moment's thought, he decided to remain silent.
—
[ Mordred (Saber): Ohhh—it's Father!! Father is incredibly powerful. Kuzuki and Caster are in for a world of hurt. ]
[ Gilles de Rais (Caster): OHHH!!!! Jeanne, MY JEANNE!!!! Double the Jeannes, double the joy! ]
[ .....]
The audience had long since grown accustomed to the antics of the infamously delusional Marshal. At this moment, their curiosity was fixed entirely on the outcome of the duel. They all expected Artoria to settle the matter swiftly and decisively.
What they did not anticipate was that Artoria's opponent would not be Medea, but Souichirou Kuzuki himself. Nor could they have guessed that the conclusion of this battle would defy all expectations.
〜In the Worldline of Fourth Holy Grail War〜
Watching herself on the screen, Artoria felt a sudden, inexplicable chill run down her spine.
"I have a very bad feeling about this…"
—