Did the Heroic Spirit I conquered become a reality?

Its emerald green eyes were calm and still, yet contained a brilliance that could eclipse the stars.

The fourth Servant tonight, descending upon this world as a Lancer—

The Lion King, Artoria Pendragon!

Almost as soon as they saw the figure, the 'enemies' who were lurking in the darkness observing this scene were already 'drenched in sweat'.

This includes Assassin from this Holy Grail War.

Hassan was now speechless.

If it weren't for his professional decorum, he would probably have complained to his master right now: "I'm here to participate in the Holy Grail War, not to die!"

Three kings and a god, and we still don't know who the remaining two Servants are... If they are both 'exceptional' Servants, then what's the point of me gathering intelligence?!

When the disparity in strength reaches a certain level, any schemes or tricks are useless.

Despite his thoughts, the assassin silently observed everything and reported all the events of the night to his master.

……

In the darkness, Kenneth watched this scene, his brow furrowing slightly.

Lancer's involvement came much earlier than he had anticipated.

According to his plan, they should continue to hide in the shadows and let the three forces wear each other down. When the situation becomes clear or one of them reveals a fatal flaw, Lancer will then intervene with lightning speed and secure victory in one fell swoop.

Lancer has prematurely revealed his strength, which may even arouse the vigilance of three parties simultaneously, undoubtedly disrupting many of his subsequent plans.

“Lancer,” Kenneth’s voice carried a hint of reproach and confusion as he communicated with his Servant through the contract, “now is not the best time to act; you have appeared too early.”

Artoria didn't even turn around, but calmly replied, "As the King of Knights, I cannot stand idly by and watch such a dishonorable act of sneak attack."

Her tone was calm, yet carried an undeniable firmness, a testament to her pride and principles as a "queen."

Kenneth was speechless for a moment.

He knew that he, Lancer, possessed extremely high strength and the dignity of a "king," but this almost stubborn spirit of "chivalry" sometimes seemed like an unnecessary burden in the cruel Holy Grail War.

Thinking of this, Kenneth couldn't help but frown slightly. For some reason, his confidence that he had everything under control began to waver for the first time.

Although the summoned Lancer was unexpected, Kenneth was still able to adjust his strategy in time.

However, when he saw Lancer acting independently and disregarding tactical arrangements, Kenneth felt for some reason that things were gradually slipping out of his control.

……

On the rooftop of a skyscraper, the night wind howled, whipping up the hem of Tohsaka Yu's clothes and the smooth blonde hair of Sajou Aika.

Yu Tohsaka gazed calmly at the Matou family mansion in the distance, which had now become a mythical battlefield. The Gate of Babylon of the Hero King Gilgamesh and the Radiant Great Complex Temple of the Sun King Osmandis were engaged in an earth-shattering clash, with golden divine power and the radiance of the sun illuminating almost half the night sky.

Not to be outdone, Gorgon attempts to drag everyone into her realm of resentment and destruction.

Artoria, wielding the Holy Lance, blocked the Gorgon who was about to launch a sneak attack.

"It's truly spectacular..."

As Yu Tohsaka sensed the terrifying energy fluctuations, he couldn't help but sigh inwardly, "The King of Heroes, the Sun King, the Goddess of Nemesis, and a Knight King wielding a Holy Lance... This Holy Grail War is indeed a battle of gods on a hellish difficulty level from the very beginning."

Sajou Aika, nestled in his arms, gently nuzzled his chest, seemingly quite interested in the scene before her. Her emerald green eyes sparkled with childlike curiosity and a hint of... barely perceptible excitement.

“Caster,” she tilted her head up and asked softly, “don’t you think it’s time for that ‘magician killer’ who always likes to hide behind the scenes and use despicable means to start his show?”

Yu Tohsaka lowered her head, meeting the girl's clear eyes that seemed to see through everything, and smiled, "I think it should be soon. After all, he can't keep such a 'feast' to himself forever."

His gaze swept subtly across several specific directions in Fuyuki City—Einzbern Castle, and… several other locations in his memory that might be connected to Kiritsugu Emiya.

Sure enough, the moment the thought flashed through his mind, Aika Sajou's emerald green eyes lit up slightly, and a pure yet sly smile appeared on her face.

"Hehe...Found it."

She extended her slender finger and pointed to a certain flank of the battlefield, where an extremely subtle magical fluctuation was waiting for the perfect moment, like a venomous snake merging into the darkness.

"It seems that Kiritsugu Emiya did indeed choose the most efficient method..." Yu Tohsaka murmured to himself.

To win the Holy Grail War by directly killing the Master... that's Kiritsugu Emiya's style.

He certainly couldn't miss such a commotion tonight.

“So, Caster,” Ayaka Sajou’s voice held a hint of anticipation and eagerness, “now that the prey has appeared, shouldn’t we begin our move?”

Yu Tohsaka gave a soft "hmm," turned her gaze to the chaotic battlefield, and said calmly, "Leave this battlefield to me... Next, I'll need to trouble you to go to a place, Aika."

Sajou Aika gently leaped down from the boy's arms, her skirt swaying, revealing a glimpse of her fair calves.

With her hands behind her back, she looked up at the boy with a smile: "Leave it to me, Caster."

……

In stark contrast to the bustling scene of gods fighting above the Matou family mansion, the rooftop of another high-rise building in Fuyuki City, untouched by the war, was now eerily silent.

Kiritsugu Emiya lay face down on the cold concrete floor like an emotionless statue, his black trench coat blending almost seamlessly into the night.

The sniper rifle in his hand, meticulously modified to pose a deadly threat to magicians, had its cold scope firmly locked onto the figure in the distant melee—Tokiomi Tohsaka, dressed in an elegant red dress.

"Target locked... Tokiomi Tohsaka. Saber, Maiya, report your location and Archer's movements." Kiritsugu Emiya's voice was transmitted calmly and without any emotion through the encrypted communicator.

"Saber is on standby at the designated location as you instructed, ready to launch a feint attack or provide support at any time." Irisviel's voice came through Merlin's medium, carrying a hint of barely perceptible worry.

"Maiya has arrived at point C. Archer is currently engaged in fierce combat with the newly appeared Rider and has no time to attend to anything else. Berserker and Lancer have also joined the battle, and the scene is extremely chaotic... Is now the best time to snipe?"

Hisayu Maiya's calm and professional report came from the other end of the communicator, interspersed with the faint rumble of an explosion in the distance.

Kiritsugu Emiya narrowed his eyes slightly, the crosshairs in his scope remaining steadily fixed on Tokiomi Tohsaka's head.

Yes, the scene was indeed extremely chaotic.

The King of Heroes, the King of the Sun, the Goddess of Revenge, the King of Knights... these top beings from mythology are currently fighting fiercely in Fuyuki City for their own reasons, and the aftershocks of magic are even causing the city's spiritual veins to tremble.

In this situation, the attention of each Master will inevitably be drawn to their powerful Servants, and their defenses will be relatively relaxed.

This is precisely the moment of the "Magician Killer's" most efficient and ruthless hunt.

Tokiomi Tohsaka... As the head of one of the three founding families and a traditional magician, his very existence is a huge threat to the Holy Grail War.

If we can eliminate him here first, Gilgamesh, the King of Heroes, will lose his Master, and even if he doesn't leave the field immediately, his threat level will be greatly reduced.

This is crucial for him to realize his long-cherished wish of "saving the world".

“Continue monitoring, Saber, stand by.” Kiritsugu Emiya’s voice remained cold as he slowly placed his finger on the trigger. “Tokiomi Tohsaka… I’ll handle him.”

His breathing became long and steady, and all his attention was focused on the figure in the scope. All the noise outside seemed to have disappeared, and the whole world consisted only of him and his target.

Wind speed, humidity, distance, magical flow... all parameters were rapidly calculated in his computer-like brain, correcting the trajectory.

With a simple pull of the trigger, this specially made bullet, which embodies his highest sniping skills and incorporates the concept of the "Origin Bullet," can end the elegant head of the Tohsaka family in an instant.

It's now--

However, just as Kiritsugu Emiya was about to pull the trigger and deliver the fatal blow—

An indescribable, chilling sensation, as if from the depths of the abyss, suddenly swept over him from behind!

It wasn't a physical low temperature, but a kind of... chilling sense of crisis that could freeze the soul and stop the heart!

Kiritsugu Emiya's pupils, which were always as calm as an ancient well, suddenly contracted. Before he could even think, his body, relying on the instincts honed through countless life-and-death battles, rolled violently to the side in an almost contorted posture!

Almost the instant he left his original position, the ground where he had been lying silently collapsed into a shallow pit, as if it had been instantly crushed by some invisible force.

Cold sweat instantly soaked Kiritsugu Emiya's back.

He quickly adjusted his posture, turning the sniper rifle in his hand in an instant, pointing it at the source of the chill behind him.

Then... he saw it.

Unbeknownst to him, a figure had silently appeared behind him.

It was a young man wearing a large black cloak, the hood of which covered most of his face, revealing only an enigmatic smile.

He appeared abruptly, like a ghost blending into the night, without any prior warning, not even to this top assassin.

This guy is... a Caster?!

Emiya Kiritsugu was slightly startled. He suddenly realized that he had overlooked a crucial loophole.

In this Holy Grail War, the focus of all Servants and even Masters was on the 'battlefield' of the Matou family.

Yes... what all parties mean is that his own focus is also there.

He was the Magician Killer, and from the start of tonight's great battle, he had been secretly waiting for a 'kill,' like a hunter... However, even Kiritsugu Emiya did not expect that someone would be targeting him, the hunter, tonight!

"Caster...?"

For the first time, Kiritsugu Emiya's voice was hoarse and extremely wary.

The boy in the black cloak raised his hand and casually greeted the tense man, his tone as relaxed as if they had just bumped into each other on the street.

"Hey, hello there, Mr. Emiya."

Book 1: Chapter 48 Kidnapping Irisviel (4K)

A cold wind howled on the rooftop.

Upon hearing Tohsaka Yu's address, Kiritsugu Emiya's usually calm and unwavering gray eyes involuntarily revealed a glint of extreme vigilance.

Caster... This guy not only appeared behind me silently, but he even said my name directly!

Logically speaking, he has been very careful so far tonight and has not shown his face in front of any of the masters... Did the other party investigate his information in advance?

“I never expected you to be here…c (one)] cage attracts Qi Si wu jiu Si zhou ba aster.

Kiritsugu Emiya's voice was icy, but the muzzle of his sniper rifle unconsciously shifted slightly downwards, as if searching for the best angle to attack.

Seeing Kiritsugu Emiya's tense expression, Yu Tohsaka's smile remained unchanged, and her tone was still relaxed: "Don't be nervous, Mr. Emiya. I mean no harm. I just want to 'talk' about something with you."

Kiritsugu Emiya didn't say anything, but his brows furrowed even more.

On this night when a great battle was about to break out, a Caster of unknown origin suddenly approached him and said he wanted to "have a chat"... This sounded like a malicious opening.

However, just as he was pondering how to deal with the mysterious boy in front of him, and even considering whether to strike first, Tohsaka Yu seemed to see through his thoughts and couldn't help but smile helplessly.

"It seems Mr. Emiya is still quite wary of me." Tohsaka Yu sighed softly, then changed the subject, "But it's understandable, anyone would be like that under these circumstances. Since that's the case..."

He paused, then turned his gaze to the shadows beside Kiritsugu Emiya, and chuckled, "Perhaps, it would be more harmonious to bring out an 'old acquaintance'?"

At first there was no movement, but after a moment, pink petals quietly appeared like a phantom in the previously empty shadow.

A figure dressed in a white mage's robe and holding a magnificent staff walked out slowly, bearing his signature gentle and composed smile.

——Merlin!

Emiya Kiritsugu's eyes flickered slightly as he gazed intently at the boy in front of him.

He had made preparations before the operation tonight; Merlin had been hidden by his side the whole time, serving as his last trump card and strongest protector.

However, to Kiritsugu Emiya's surprise, Caster was able to detect Merlin's presence so easily, and even... seemed to have anticipated his appearance.

"Oh dear, it seems we've been discovered after all." Merlin wore his ever-present gentle smile, his purple eyes scrutinizing Tohsaka Yu with interest. "Tohsaka-kun, we meet again. I was quite surprised that you would take the initiative to come to me."

Yu Tohsaka paused slightly, as if realizing something: "You call me by my name directly... So, it seems you also retain memories of Uruk?"

"I suppose so," Merlin smiled noncommittally. "After all, that experience was quite 'unforgettable,' wasn't it?"

His tone was relaxed, and his mindset appeared incredibly calm and composed, as if the tense standoff before him was nothing more than an interesting drama.

He turned to Tohsaka Yu, a hint of a smile flickering in his purple eyes: "So, Tohsaka-kun, shall we continue playing? If you're interested, I can play with you for a bit, you know?"

Yu Tohsaka looked at Merlin's expression that said, "I'm really looking forward to sparring with you," and his lips twitched slightly.

The next second, without any hesitation, he rushed towards Merlin like an arrow released from a bow!

"Oh?" A hint of surprise flashed in Merlin's eyes, but his smile grew even brighter. "Still intending to spar with me, Caster... Although I'm a magician, I do have some knowledge of swordsmanship—"

As he spoke, he gracefully raised his hand, and with a flash of light from his staff, a magnificent longsword made of magic appeared in his grasp, ready to meet the oncoming Tohsaka Yu.

However, just as Merlin drew his sword, he saw Tohsaka Yu suddenly open his mouth during his charge—

Merlin's smile and his composed sword-drawing motion both froze instantly, as if petrified by a magic spell!

For the first time, an indescribable, almost "terrified" expression appeared on that handsome face that always carried a gentle and playful air.

He...he's planning to use that trick again?!

'We can play by ourselves, stop calling for Mom all the time... Don't you have any dignity as a Servant?!'

While Merlin was inwardly cursing, almost reflexively, the magical longsword in his hand instantly vanished, replaced by countless layers of magical power shimmering with seven-colored light, and a magical barrier made of petals that followed him and Kiritsugu Emiya in an instant.