I, Wang Ha, the Three Red Unparalleled Assassin

In this Holy Grail War, neither Gilgamesh nor the Old Man of the Mountain possessed the required Spirit Origin strength and capacity to reach the Grand rank.

While this limited their ability to perform, it also made the outcome of the battle unpredictable.

After meeting all his opponents, Gilgamesh concluded that only the Old Man of the Mountain was worthy of his serious and all-out battle.

This made Gilgamesh, who hadn't enjoyed the thrill of battle for a long time, incredibly eager to see what would happen next in the Holy Grail War.

The Old Man of the Mountain ignored Gilgamesh's provocation. Having lived for countless years, he was no longer the young man who would grab a knife and unleash a rampage at the slightest provocation.

"Haha, it seems that most of the people have arrived. Since I notified the Queen of Heroes before going to find the Old Man of the Mountain, some time difference is inevitable."

Iskandar intervened to ease the tension, after all, they hadn't gathered here tonight to fight.

"Before we begin our conversation tonight, let's have a drink. But has anyone prepared any wine? I was so busy calling people that I forgot about it."

Iskandar scratched his head, looking embarrassed, but his eyes kept glancing in Gilgamesh's direction.

The astute King Conqueror had already guessed the secrets of the Gate of Babylon the moment he learned Gilgamesh's true name.

This action can also be considered a test, to see if the other party has any other items in the same slot besides weapons.

"You bastard, can't you stop being so reckless? Fine, you're lucky today."

Gilgamesh cursed under his breath, and golden spatial ripples spread around him, from which a golden wine jug slowly emerged and landed on the stone table.

He then reached out and caught five golden cups taken from the Gate of Babylon, his expression as arrogant as ever.

"Let me tell you what real wine is. This is one of the few divine brews in the world."

Iskandar inhaled the aroma of the wine wafting in the air and smiled contentedly, as if he could already sense the exceptional quality of the finest wine just from that aroma.

"Hahaha, I originally thought you wouldn't easily take out your collection, but I didn't expect you to be so generous at this time."

After catching the cup that Gilgamesh threw to him, he eagerly picked up the wine jug and poured a cup for each of the Servants present.

The clear, pure liquor was without a trace of turbidity, like a piece of pure amber set in a gold glass. Its unique fragrance filled the air, stimulating the thirst of any wine lover.

While the others tilted their heads back and drank their cups to the brim, the old man of the mountain did not pick up his cup immediately.

He hesitated because the old man of the mountain hadn't drunk wine in a long time, so long that he had completely forgotten what it tasted like.

Chapter 42 The Feast of Heroic Spirits (Part 2)

"Ha, this is truly a rare and excellent wine. I feel like the things I used to drink can't even be called wine anymore."

Iskandar put down his glass, raised his arm to wipe his lips and beard, and said cheerfully.

"Thank you, King of Heroes. This is the first time I have had the honor of drinking such a fine wine."

Diarmuid, sitting upright, thanked Gilgamesh, his humble yet dignified attitude perfectly embodying the demeanor of a great knight.

"Of course, whether it's a fine sword or a fine wine, my treasury contains only the finest items."

Gilgamesh swirled the wine in his glass, his expression utterly indifferent, as if it were all perfectly natural.

All the Servants present at this moment were heroes who had left a great name in history, and each of them had a legendary tale that has been passed down to this day.

Although Gilgamesh arrogantly believed himself to be the only king in heaven and earth, he was not so naive as to deny the great achievements of others.

Therefore, he offered this divine wine willingly, because only a banquet of this caliber would not dishonor the status of this divine brew.

Although Artoria, who had just finished tasting the wine, did not utter any praise, the expression that inadvertently revealed on her pretty face showed that she was also very satisfied with the divine wine.

As everyone finished their drinks and couldn't help but utter words of praise and admiration...

The old man of the mountain, however, did not touch the wine cup in front of him at all, and this unconventional behavior naturally attracted the attention of the others present.

"Old Man of the Mountain, do you look down on the divine wine I keep in my treasure vault?"

Gilgamesh, as the master of the divine wine, was the first to speak up and question, his voice filled with a chilling killing intent that startled Waver and Irisviel, who were watching, causing them to take a few steps back.

But Gilgamesh did not immediately open the Gate of Babylon to attack. Instead, he smiled knowingly and changed the subject, asking lightly:

"Or perhaps, old man of the mountain, you look down on Rider, who hosted this banquet? Or Saber, who provided the venue?"

Gilgamesh's single sentence drew Iskandar and Artoria, who had intended to remain on the sidelines, into the fray, instantly complicating the situation.

While Iskandar and Artoria didn't care whether the Old Man of the Mountain had similar thoughts, things changed once Gilgamesh brought it up.

Although Gilgamesh was arrogant and conceited before, after suffering a loss, his views on this Holy Grail War have changed.

Gilgamesh had a rough idea of ​​Iskandar's purpose as soon as he started to put on an act.

At the same time, Gilgamesh also discerned the deepest, substantive purpose of this banquet, but he did not care about this indirect probing.

After all, even Gilgamesh himself didn't know exactly how many treasures were in his treasury, or what strange and wonderful things they contained.

However, Gilgamesh's indifference does not mean that he will allow Iskandar to act recklessly. For example, at the right time, he also used the Conqueror King as a pawn to test the Old Man of the Mountain.

"In order to stay sober at all times, I vowed in my early years to never touch alcohol, tobacco, drugs or any other hallucinogenic substances that may lead one into delusion."

Despite the gazes of the crowd, the Old Man of the Mountain showed no sign of changing his mind. He slightly raised his black greatsword and smashed it against the stone slab on the ground.

“This is a matter of principle. Gilgamesh, if you have any complaints or objections, you are welcome to try my greatsword.”

As he spoke, the old man of the mountain's body was engulfed in a surge of ghostly fire, and a faint aura of death permeated the dim night, causing the temperature in the courtyard to drop several degrees instantly.

Gilgamesh and the Old Man of the Mountain stared at each other, their fierce auras clashing and causing Artoria and the other two sitting nearby to feel a heavy pressure and an increasingly somber atmosphere.

Although the two of them did not directly make a move, this was a contest on another level.

Just as Iskandar thought Gilgamesh was about to lose his temper and start a fight, the two opposing forces, which had been locked in a life-or-death struggle, dissipated in perfect unison.

The Old Man of the Mountain and the King of Heroes ultimately chose to exercise restraint for the time being, or rather, Gilgamesh believed that now was not a good time to start a war.

The wine for this banquet was provided by him, so in a sense, Gilgamesh was one of the organizers of the banquet.

If someone takes the initiative to start a fight at a banquet where it was agreed that the main purpose would not be physical violence, wouldn't he ultimately only lose face?

"Hmph, I am not an unreasonable person. Since there is such a reason, it is naturally understandable."

Although Gilgamesh wore a relaxed smile, there was a barely perceptible hint of solemnity and contemplation in his crimson serpent eyes.

But he didn't show much emotion on the surface. Instead, he pointed to the untouched wine glass and said:

"However, since the wine has already been poured into the cup, I have no way of taking it back. I might as well just pour it out."

Upon hearing this, Iskandar's short, thick eyebrows furrowed, revealing a rather reluctant expression, but he did not say anything to stop him.

The old man of the mountain glanced at the wine glass, and a red light suddenly flashed in his eyes. A ghostly blue flame appeared out of thin air and began to burn in the wine.

Without damaging the golden goblet, the Netherfire evaporated and burned away every last drop of the divine wine inside.

White vapors rose from the rim of the glass, dispersing into the air like wisps of fairy mist, filling the desolate courtyard, where everything was withered in winter, with the fragrance of a hundred flowers.

"That will suffice; let this brewing, created by the hands of the gods, return to the world."

Seeing that the dispute had been resolved without serious incident, Weber, who had been on tenterhooks, breathed a long sigh of relief.

But Iskandar showed no regard for his little master's heart capacity and couldn't wait to start causing trouble again.

"Now that we've had our first drink, let's get down to business tonight."

Although Iskandar was dressed casually in a T-shirt and jeans, his solemn expression conveyed his seriousness, and everyone waited quietly for the king to speak.

"Although there is only one Holy Grail, so many of us want to obtain it. Why not be frank with each other about our desires and see if we can gain the approval of others through our magnanimity?"

Iskandar touched his fluffy hair, then crossed his arms and nodded slightly, uttering words that were somewhat inconsistent with his title of 'Conqueror King'.

"I believe that it would be best if the problem could be resolved peacefully without bloodshed."

The words had barely left his mouth, less than a second later, when Gilgamesh and the Old Man of the Mountain, who had almost come to blows, spoke up and shouted at each other almost simultaneously.

"What a joke! There's no need to discuss the ownership of the Holy Grail anymore. As long as it's a treasure, it must belong to my royal treasury!"

"The Holy Grail? There is no such thing as the Holy Grail. Delusions should not be confused with fanatical faith!"

Chapter Forty-Three: The Feast of the Heroic Spirits (Part Three)

The shouts of the Mountain Elder and Gilgamesh plunged the atmosphere of the banquet, which had just eased, back into a deathly silence.

Either of their words would have been enough to draw the attention of everyone present, but if Gilgamesh's remarks only aroused hostility among the Servants...

The old man's words not only caught the attention of the Servants, but also caused Tokiomi Tohsaka to feel a chill.

"No, that shouldn't be the case. How could a Servant know the true nature and reality of the Holy Grail?"

After learning about the situation through the No. 2 camera of the Hundred-Faced Hassan and through the audio broadcast by Kirei Kotomine, Tokiomi Tohsaka clenched his fist and slammed it hard on the mahogany table.

His former elegance vanished in an instant, replaced by panic, bewilderment, and a hint of incomprehensible hesitation.

"How would a servant of the Matou family know this? Could it be that Matou-no-o confessed it? No, that's absolutely impossible!"

The Holy Grail in Fuyuki City is not the real Holy Grail that Galahad, one of the Knights of the Round Table, once held in history; it is merely a fake.

To put it bluntly, the Greater Grail in Fuyuki is simply a source of magical energy that has accumulated immense magical power.

Since this Holy Grail is an 'artificial object,' it's not impossible to grant wishes, but only wishes within the scope of human capabilities.

As for unrealistic desires that are beyond human capabilities, such as reversing time or world peace, let's not even talk about them.

A 'miracle wish-granting machine'?

This gimmick was promoted from the beginning to attract foolish magicians other than the starter three to participate in the battle.

The reason Tokiomi Tohsaka was so flustered was, of course, because he had deceived Gilgamesh from the very beginning.

As a counterfeit, the Holy Grail cannot be considered a worthy treasure, or even a treasure at all.

After pacing back and forth a few times, Tokiomi Tohsaka calmed himself down and sent an order to Kirei Kotomine to keep a close watch on the banquet.

He raised his hand and looked at the two Command Seals still remaining on the back of his hand. A cold glint flashed in his eyes as he made a decision and plan for the worst possible outcome.

If, as expected, the King of Heroes has learned the truth about the Holy Grail War through the Old Man of the Mountain, then it is time for him to commit suicide in order to protect himself.

As long as the Tohsaka family survives, there will still be a chance to hold the Fifth Holy Grail War again in sixty years to fulfill their long-cherished wish.

Oh, and we also need to leave behind corresponding family precepts so that future generations will remember never to try to summon the Hero King again.

While Tokiomi Tohsaka was making various plans, Irisviel, who was also a member of the three founding families, was completely unaware of anything amiss.

From the beginning, the head of the Einzbern family, Arhad, only told her about her duties as the Lesser Grail and her inevitable death, without saying a word about anything else.

However, Ahad felt no remorse whatsoever about his actions. A pawn destined to die and a tool to be discarded once used were simply a matter of exploitation and being exploited from the very beginning.