"ROOOAAARRR!!!"
Iskandar charged at the head of his army.
Behind him thundered the Ionioi Hetairoi — the Army of the King — consciously steering clear of Leon's group and Waver Velvet, the King's Master.
Facing the advancing army, the endless tide of soldiers stretching to the horizon, the many incarnations of Hundred-Faced Hassan were overcome with despair.
Many simply gave up resisting, letting their weapons fall from their hands.
Others fled desperately, refusing to abandon all hope of survival.
But—
It was all in vain.
An open plain.
Cavalry versus infantry.
Assassin had no chance of victory.
No chance of escape.
Only inevitable annihilation.
"Charge!!"
The moment Iskandar cut down the first Hassan, the Assassins' morale collapsed like an avalanche.
The King's army surged forward.
Spears flew.
Blades rose and fell.
Mounted warriors rode through the enemy ranks, cutting them down without mercy.
Within moments, every Hassan on the battlefield had been wiped out.
And with that—
The Assassin-class Servant ceased to exist.
Because...
For this suicidal assassination attempt, Kirei Kotomine had deployed every last one of Hundred-Faced Hassan's bodies.
High above the clouds—
Aboard the radiant flying vessel of gold and emerald known as Vimana, the King's Throne.
The moment Assassin perished, Kirei, as the Servant's Master, immediately sensed it.
The three crimson Command Seals on the back of his right hand glowed faintly as the bond between Master and Servant was severed.
"Assassin... is gone."
Kirei spoke calmly.
"I see."
Seated upon the royal throne, Gilgamesh raised an eyebrow.
"At least they managed to reveal Rider's greatest Noble Phantasm before dying."
"They served some small purpose."
"Though it means absolutely nothing to me."
His scarlet eyes shifted toward Kirei.
"Still..."
"That leaves one man carrying Command Seals..."
"...without a Servant."
A pleased smile appeared on the King of Heroes' face.
"Indeed."
Kirei nodded.
"If I wish to remain in the Holy Grail War..."
"I'll need to form a new contract with a Servant who currently has no Master."
"...Conveniently enough."
"There happens to be one here."
His sharp gaze met Gilgamesh's.
The corners of his mouth curved upward.
"I wonder..."
"Would this wandering Master be worthy of the King of Heroes' favor?"
"No objection."
Gilgamesh looked Kirei up and down with his usual arrogant scrutiny.
"You're a bit too rigid, leaving a minor flaw in an otherwise excellent gem..."
"But your potential is considerable."
"You've already begun to amuse me."
"I suspect you'll become even more entertaining."
"Thank you for your approval."
Kirei bowed respectfully like a loyal retainer before raising his head once more.
"Then allow me to confirm."
"You truly have no objections..."
"King of Heroes, Gilgamesh?"
"Hmph."
Resting his cheek lazily against one hand, Gilgamesh snorted.
"So long as you don't bore me."
"Do your utmost to entertain me, Kirei Kotomine."
"In that case—"
Kirei extended his right hand.
Rolling back his sleeve, he revealed more than a dozen crimson Command Seals covering the back of his hand and forearm.
With a smile, he began the summoning oath.
"Your body shall answer my command, and my fate shall be entrusted to your sword. Respond to the Holy Grail's call. If you will heed this will and this reason..."
"...Then I hereby swear."
Gilgamesh calmly continued where Kirei left off.
"Your devotion shall become my flesh and blood."
"Kirei Kotomine..."
"My new Master."
As the contract was completed, Kirei's unused Command Seals glowed once more.
A new magical connection formed.
One that would supply Gilgamesh with mana—
And serve as the chain binding Servant and Master together.
"Very good, Kirei."
"Now..."
"Let us begin."
"Bring this farce to its perfect conclusion with your schemes."
"As your reward..."
"I shall grant you the Holy Grail."
Gilgamesh rose from the King's Throne and stood beside Kirei, the two looking down upon the world together.
"I have no objections."
"King of Heroes..."
"Please enjoy the performance."
"Until you obtain the answer that truly satisfies you..."
"I shall gladly play the fool for your amusement."
Kirei's smile twisted into one of pure delight.
It was an expression so genuine that no outsider had ever witnessed it before.
On the ground—
Inside the Tohsaka Residence.
Once Iskandar dismissed Ionioi Hetairoi after effortlessly eliminating Assassin, Leon and the others reappeared inside Tokiomi Tohsaka's study.
Most of the furniture had been overturned by the immense magical energy released during the Reality Marble's deployment.
The room was a complete mess.
Because Ionioi Hetairoi only transported living beings into the Reality Marble, Tokiomi's corpse had been left behind.
It now lay sprawled across the floor in an absurdly undignified position—
Prone, in an awkward posture that the elegant head of the Tohsaka Family would never have struck while alive.
Yet after death...
No one paid it any attention.
Aoi Tohsaka had already suffered one shock after another.
Her mind was beginning to break.
She instinctively huddled beside Leon, fearing everyone around her except him.
As for Rin Tohsaka...
She remained fast asleep.
Leon had no intention of waking her.
The instant they returned to reality, the communicator attached to Leon's clothing crackled to life.
"Leon!"
Artoria's anxious voice rang out.
"This is bad!"
"Irisviel..."
"Her condition has suddenly gotten much worse!"
"Irisviel...?"
Leon had barely begun to ask another question when Artoria—moving with speed far beyond human limits—leaped from a distant rooftop into the Tohsaka estate's courtyard while carrying Irisviel in a princess carry.
Seeing them arrive, Leon immediately scooped up the sleeping Rin with one arm while supporting Aoi with the other.
With a single leap, he passed through the shattered French window and landed beside Artoria.
After entrusting Rin to Aoi's care, Leon immediately examined Irisviel's condition.
Nearby, Iskandar and Waver also wandered over, showing no intention of leaving just yet.
Irisviel's sudden deterioration confirmed Leon's suspicion.
Assassin had truly died.
Instead of immediately returning to the Throne of Heroes, the Servant's soul had been intercepted by Irisviel, the Lesser Grail Vessel, further increasing the burden on her body.
"I'm afraid..."
"If one or two more Servants are absorbed..."
"Irisviel's body will begin visibly collapsing."
Leon's expression grew solemn.
A soft green radiance spread across the hand resting against her cheek.
The Aegis Sigma — War God's Shield and Avalon — The Everdistant Utopia, already embedded within her body, activated simultaneously.
One eased her suffering.
The other stabilized her physical form.
The tightness in Irisviel's brow slowly relaxed.
Her tear-filled crimson eyes gradually opened.
Her pale lips trembled weakly.
"Leon..."
"Artoria..."
"I'm so glad..."
"The first people I saw when I opened my eyes were the two of you."
"For a moment..."
"I thought I'd never see you again."
"Irisviel..."
Artoria looked stricken.
Leon gently stroked her cheek.
"Don't say things like that."
"You're going to be fine."
"I promise."
"Mmm..."
"I believe you."
A blissful smile appeared on Irisviel's face.
Helping her sit upright, Leon gently kissed her damp forehead.
"Feeling a little better?"
"My mother always said this was a kind of magic."
"Oh, stop..."
Irisviel lightly patted his chest with a smile.
"I'm not a child."
"You can't fool me that easily."
"Is that so?"
"What a shame."
Leon deliberately sighed.
But seeing her smile again...
That had been the true purpose of the "magic" all along.
"Artoria."
"Take Irisviel back to the hotel and let her rest."
"I can handle Caster myself."
"Understood."
"Oi, Saber."
"Don't forget about me—and this kid."
Iskandar laughed heartily, giving the utterly reluctant Waver a powerful slap on the shoulder.
Despite his rough demeanor, Iskandar wisely refrained from asking about Irisviel's condition.
His focus remained entirely on conquering the Holy Grail War.
That unwavering straightforwardness...
Was part of the King of Conquerors' unique charm.
"Fine."
"If you can keep up."
Leon smiled back.
To lessen Irisviel's suffering...
He had to bring this Holy Grail War to an end as quickly as possible.
As for what had really happened within the Tohsaka household—
There was no longer any mystery.
Leon didn't even need to think.
He already knew exactly which two pleasure-seeking monsters had orchestrated it.
"Hm?"
At that moment—
A brilliant golden "star" shining in the night sky caught Leon's attention.
Iskandar sensed something unusual as well.
The two looked upward simultaneously.
"That's..."
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