Kiritsugu Emiya continued to scan the list before him. His face, normally composed, turned disturbingly pale when he reached the final name.
"This person... How is this possible?"
Indeed, every name listed was formidable, but this one—this one filled him with genuine horror.
"What happened?"
"This man! No—how could he be here already?!"
Irisviel looked at Kiritsugu with concern. "Isn't he just another powerful opponent? What's so strange about that?"
Kiritsugu took a deep breath, his hawk-like eyes locked onto the display in front of him.
"His name is... Arthur!"
Irisviel blinked. "Arthur? Isn't that just a name?"
"It's not just a name! A year ago, no one had even heard of him. Then, out of nowhere, he rose to power, defeated Zouken Matou, and started living with the Tohsaka family. The ever-arrogant Tokiomi Tohsaka actually treats him with respect and even entrusted his wife and daughter to him! All signs point to one conclusion—he's a Servant!"
Kiritsugu clutched his head, frustration evident. "Arthur! Has he been summoned already?!"
"What? That's impossible!"
Irisviel looked at him, eyes wide. That was King Arthur's Heroic Spirit! Without Avalon, how could someone summon him?
"Remember, Iri, nothing is impossible."
Irisviel took a deep breath, calming herself. She reached out, placing a reassuring hand on Kiritsugu's.
"My Holy Grail vessel... when it's full, it belongs only to you—only you, Kiritsugu."
She had always supported him, from the very beginning.
Kiritsugu closed the data file, turned around, and wrapped his arms around Irisviel.
"That's right... No matter what, I won't lose."
Irisviel gazed at him affectionately. Maybe, just maybe, her family's mission paled in comparison to this one man in her eyes.
"Maybe he isn't that Arthur after all?"
Still, it was fortunate Kiritsugu didn't give up summoning his King because of this doubt. Otherwise...
Otherwise, Arthur would definitely regret it!
---
Meanwhile, at the Tohsaka Residence
"Be careful, Kirei. No one saw you enter, right?"
According to Tokiomi Tohsaka's plan, Kirei Kotominehad officially betrayed him. The relationship between them had deteriorated, so Kirei appearing here was a risk.
"It doesn't matter," Kirei replied casually. "Whether or not someone can track me is irrelevant—I'll make sure of it."
Just then, a female voice echoed in the room. A shadow flickered, and from the darkness emerged a silent figure.
Hassan of the Hundred Faces had arrived.
The Assassin knelt respectfully before the two men.
"Do not worry," she said in a hushed tone. "In this world, there is no one who can escape my surveillance. This place is safe."
Tokiomi nodded in understanding. Hassan's ability to remain unseen made her invaluable.
Kirei turned back to him. "The information regarding all Servants and their Masters will soon reach my father. Please wait patiently."
Risei Kotomine had a magical device capable of detecting Heroic Spirits. Of course, Arthur was an exception.
"For now, only Assassin has appeared, which means the other Masters are still preparing."
"It's only a matter of time."
Kirei trusted Tokiomi but knew better than to be careless. Keeping an eye on unknown Masters was crucial, and Assassin would play a key role in that.
"You may go now," Kirei ordered. "Assassin, continue observing the area."
"Yes, Master."
With a faint shimmer, Assassin faded back into the shadows.
Tokiomi had meticulously planned his approach. First, Assassin would gather intelligence—tracking the movements of Masters, analyzing their Servants' Noble Phantasms, and gauging their abilities. Once the time was right, Tokiomi would take action personally.
To pull this off, his Servant needed to be one of the strongest. Yet, surprisingly, Tokiomi's Servant had not yet made an appearance.
Kirei, noting this, glanced at Tokiomi with curiosity. But before he could ask, Tokiomi smirked knowingly.
"I have already made my choice. My Servant will undoubtedly surpass all others. Any enemy that stands before him will be defeated."
Tokiomi's confidence radiated off him as he spoke. He truly believed his Servant was invincible.
"Really?" A new voice joined the conversation.
Both men turned, and there stood Arthur.
"I'm very curious to see just how strong your Servant really is," Arthur remarked, a playful smirk on his lips.
Tokiomi straightened, realizing his slip-up. Speaking of another Heroic Spirit so casually in front of Arthur was rather impolite. He quickly moved to apologize, but Arthur simply raised a hand, stopping him.
"He is said to be unbeatable if he fights seriously, right?" Arthur continued. "I'd like to see that for myself."
Arthur knew Gilgamesh's abilities all too well. Compared to him, Arthur's Strength and Agility were both ranked B, while his Endurance was A—higher than Gilgamesh's B. However, his Magic was only D, and even with magical reinforcement, it barely reached C, far below Gilgamesh's A. In terms of Noble Phantasms, Arthur had fewer in number, but their quality was undeniable.
"There's still a gap between us," Arthur admitted. "But that's only true for Tokiomi's Gilgamesh. If he were to become Kirei Kotomine's Gilgamesh... well, let's just say the outcome wouldn't be so clear."
Thinking about it, Arthur felt a little amused. He wasn't even dead yet—he wasn't technically a Heroic Spirit. He had Heroic Spirit abilities, sure, but without the faith bonuses from legend, he wasn't at full power. Still, that didn't mean he was weak. In this Holy Grail War, there were only three opponents he genuinely considered threats.
"King," Tokiomi said respectfully. "You are truly broad-minded."
Arthur smirked. "Flattery suits you, Tokiomi."
He had to admit, Tokiomi was quite the smooth talker. It was no wonder the man handled relationships so skillfully.
And soon enough...
The Holy Grail War would truly begin.
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