Fuyuki Church.
Gilgamesh lounged comfortably on a magnificent golden sofa befitting the King of Heroes, casually swirling the wine in his golden goblet as Kirei Kotomine meticulously presented his report on every Master and Servant participating in the Holy Grail War.
It was, in a sense, the only legacy Assassin had left behind.
"Should I also report on the Masters and Servants who have already been eliminated?" Kirei asked, arms folded as he leaned against the nearby wall.
"Of course."
Gilgamesh gently swirled the wine in his goblet.
"Their elimination from the Holy Grail War does not erase the desires that drove them to seek my treasure."
"I wish to hear them all."
"I want to know what kind of resolve those who dared covet what belongs to me possessed."
"I understand."
Kirei nodded and began fulfilling the duty stipulated by his contract with Gilgamesh.
"First, Lancer's Master and Rider's Master."
"Neither of them has any wish they seek to have the Holy Grail grant."
"Oh?"
Gilgamesh raised an interested eyebrow before declaring with amusement,
"Those who feel no desire for my treasure are equally guilty."
Kirei continued without pause.
"As far as I know, they participate only for the honor of being magi."
"They seek victory solely to add a distinguished achievement to their respective careers."
"As for Caster's Master..."
"He doesn't even know what the Holy Grail actually is."
"He entered the Holy Grail War simply because he views it as an extension of his favorite pastime—murder."
"As for Berserker's Master..."
"The identity is believed to be a man named Matou Kariya of the Matou Family."
"However, both he and the Matou patriarch, Zouken Matou, disappeared together."
"For reasons still unknown, Saber attacked the Matou residence and destroyed it."
"Yet Berserker remains active, proving that at least one of them is still alive."
"I see."
Gilgamesh nodded.
"Continue. Tell me about both of them."
"Zouken Matou is Matou Kariya 's adoptive father."
"He is obsessively devoted to prolonging his own life and is a master of Crest Worms."
"If he is Berserker's Master, then his wish is almost certainly something along the lines of eternal youth or immortality."
"'Immortality,' hm?"
Gilgamesh scoffed.
"What an unimaginably tedious wish."
Kirei calmly continued his analysis.
"However, his body has deteriorated to such an extent that it would be incapable of supplying the tremendous amount of mana required to sustain Berserker during his previous battle against you."
"Judging from Berserker's repeated attacks against you and my teacher, Lord Tokiomi, I believe Berserker's actual Master is more likely Zouken's adopted son—Matou Kariya ."
"He harbors an obsessive attachment to Lord Tokiomi's wife—my teacher's wife—Aoi Tohsaka."
"In that sense, his motives are perhaps the most petty and commonplace among all seven Masters."
At those words, an unmistakable smile crept across Kirei's lips.
Ever since awakening to the joy he found in human suffering, he had become utterly incapable of understanding a man like Matou Kariya .
To throw away one's life...
Simply for the sake of a woman.
How utterly foolish.
"After abandoning the Matou Family in hopes of living an ordinary life..."
"...he ultimately failed to obtain either magecraft or the woman he loved."
"If he truly is Berserker's Master, then everything falls neatly into place."
"Driven by resentment and fury after Lord Tokiomi 'stole' the woman he loved..."
"...he sought revenge."
"However, Kariya's aptitude as a magus is exceptionally poor."
"Therefore, Zouken used Crest Worms to forcibly awaken his latent potential, squeezing enough mana from his remaining lifespan to sustain Berserker and compensate for his lack of talent."
"That is the most likely explanation."
"Furthermore..."
"A man as obsessed with preserving his own life as Zouken would never entrust such an important asset as Berserker entirely to an adopted son with whom he shares such a poor relationship."
"Although his corpse was recovered from the burned ruins of the Matou residence..."
"...I believe he has actually transformed himself into one of his worms and is now hiding inside Kariya's body."
"Most likely within his heart or brain."
"Waiting for the perfect opportunity to seize control of Kariya's body and use the Holy Grail to obtain immortality."
"Once that happens..."
"...having abandoned his original flesh, he could use the Holy Grail's power to restore himself completely."
Using only the intelligence Assassin had gathered before his death, along with the information already available to him, Kirei had reconstructed the truth behind the Matou Family and Berserker with astonishing accuracy.
"Hmph."
Gilgamesh snorted dismissively.
"Two filthy worms hiding in the shadows..."
"And they dare covet my treasure?"
"What I have said regarding Matou Kariya and Berserker was originally only a deduction."
"But during your encounter with Berserker the other night..."
"...you shattered his helmet."
"His true face was revealed."
"That indirectly confirmed my hypothesis."
"Matou Kariya is indeed Berserker's Master."
"And the Berserker summoned in this Holy Grail War is an exceptionally rare possession-type Servant."
"His true body may actually be that suit of armor..."
"...or perhaps the black sword he carries."
"I searched through an enormous number of historical records and legends..."
"...yet none matched Berserker's abilities."
"His true identity remains a mystery."
"None of that matters."
Gilgamesh waved his hand dismissively.
"The next time we meet..."
"I'll grind that filthy worm into the dirt."
He looked toward Kirei.
"Well, Kirei?"
"Continue."
"Yes."
Kirei respectfully inclined his head.
"Assassin's Master is myself."
"And Archer's Master is my teacher, Lord Tokiomi."
"Those require no further explanation."
"Which leaves only..."
"...Saber's Master."
At that point, Kirei's expression grew noticeably more serious.
Yet beneath that solemnity lingered an unmistakable excitement.
"I can now state with certainty..."
"...that it is not the white-haired, crimson-eyed female homunculus."
"There is someone else standing behind Saber."
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