"...Iri, let's put Caster aside for now. Rider and Archer can deal with him. I'm taking Rin home first—we'll meet at the Tohsaka Mansion."
"All right. Be careful."
After ending the call with Leon, Irisviel and Artoria, who had been searching the riverbank for Caster's trail, immediately changed course and headed toward the Tohsaka residence.
Tohsaka Mansion
Kayneth and Sola-Ui had already returned to the Hyatt Hotel.
With three top-tier Servants already in motion tonight, if Waver still needed Kayneth's assistance, then his student would truly be beyond saving.
After finishing his conversation with Kirei Kotomine, Tohsaka Tokiomi —convinced that victory was all but assured—walked to the floor-to-ceiling window, gently swirling the wine in his crystal glass.
The cool moonlight illuminated the ruby-red wine, making it gleam brilliantly.
Reflected in the glass was Tokiomi's confident smile.
Everything was proceeding exactly according to plan.
"It's over."
"This Holy Grail War belongs to the Tohsaka Family!"
He raised his wineglass in celebration.
Suddenly—
Another figure appeared in the reflection.
Kirei Kotomine.
The smile on Tokiomi's face softened slightly, though he didn't turn around.
"Kirei, this isn't the time for you to be out in the open. If you leave the church without reason, the other Masters may target you."
"Thank you for your concern, Master Tokiomi."
"I've simply been staying in the church for too long and wanted some fresh air."
"And since your residence is the safest place for me, I thought I'd come here."
"I see."
Tokiomi nodded with satisfaction.
"In that case, stay here with me."
"Let us witness the conclusion of this Holy Grail War together."
Kirei's explanation was perfectly reasonable.
Having absolute faith in his disciple, Tokiomi never entertained the slightest suspicion.
He turned away from the window, set his wineglass on his desk, and opened one of its drawers.
Inside was a small wooden box.
He handed it to Kirei.
"What is this?"
Kirei accepted it respectfully.
Opening the box, he found an exquisitely crafted dagger resting inside.
Confusion flickered across his face.
"A Mercury Dagger."
Tokiomi returned to the window with his wineglass, speaking without looking back.
"It is proof that you have completed the introductory course in the Tohsaka family's magecraft."
"I am unworthy of such generosity, Master."
"I truly don't know how to repay your kindness."
"No..."
Tokiomi chuckled.
"It is I who should be thanking you, Kirei."
"Thanks to your support—and Assassin's sacrifice—I have maintained complete control over this Holy Grail War."
"We stand only a few steps away from obtaining the Greater Grail."
His eyes shone with anticipation.
He could almost see the Root—the swirling vortex that all magi sought.
A smile slowly spread across his face.
He never noticed Kirei silently approaching from behind.
Stab.
The dagger Tokiomi had just gifted him plunged straight into his kidney.
Tokiomi's eyes widened in utter disbelief.
He couldn't comprehend what had just happened.
Nor could he understand why the man named Kirei Kotomine would ever have a reason to betray him.
He simply...
Could not understand.
"W-Why...?"
"Kirei..."
He instinctively attempted to gather mana.
But Kirei drove the dagger even deeper.
The sudden agony shattered his concentration before he could cast a single spell.
Thud.
Tokiomi collapsed into a rapidly spreading pool of blood.
Even in his final moments...
He could not understand why the disciple who had always obeyed him without question had stabbed him in the back.
His eyes remained open.
Filled with confusion.
"For the sake of carrying out your teachings, Master Tokiomi."
Kirei spoke only after Tokiomi had drawn his last breath.
"To bring this Holy Grail War to its conclusion..."
"...with composure."
"...and elegance."
Looking down at the corpse before him, an emotion unlike anything he had ever experienced welled up from the depths of his soul.
Rebellion.
Blasphemy.
The exhilaration of betraying everything he was supposed to uphold.
It flooded his entire being.
His heart pounded.
His blood raced.
Every fiber of his existence trembled with indescribable ecstasy.
"So this is it..."
"So this is the delight you were talking about..."
A broad smile spread across Kirei Kotomine's face for the first time.
"...Gilgamesh."
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