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43.89% Endless Path : Infinite Cosmos / Chapter 1033: Meeting

Chapter 1033: Meeting

After breakfast and another short discussion about how they would explain his existence, Vahn and Rin made their way toward a rendezvous point within the downtown district, the Shinto region, of Fuyuki. Unlike Miyama town, on the West side of the Mion River, Shinto was filled with tall and densely packed buildings the represented the rapid modernization of the land after it had been reclaimed in the early 1990's. With more than twenty-four years of development, the region had become a highly developed metropolitan area where the vast majority of people commuted to work. Everywhere you looked, there were colorful lights and signs that were made necessary by the tens-of-thousands of pedestrians that constantly flowed through the City streets like the blood in a person's body, breathing life into Fuyuki and its surrounding regions.

While walking through the densely packed streets, Rin kept close to Vahn as she muttered, "I hate this place. It feels like a failed attempt to forcefully repress the past as an excuse to drive people towards an uncertain future..." As the Shinto region had been destroyed during the Fourth Holy Grail War, much of the buildings present had been hastily built over a short ten year period. The City Planners had rushed the job, leading to the current situation where the City now looked 'clumped' together after newer buildings rose up aside those that had been built previously. Now that twenty years had passed since the 'Fuyuki City Disaster', the area had been converted into a central hub where people congregated, completely ignorant to the fact they walked upon grounds that were stained with both the literal corpses of thousands of victims, all tainted by the world's evil...

Since Fuyuki was Vahn's only real exposure to a modern City, he didn't really share Rin's opinion, even though he also found the way people lived in the present 'lacking'. The City itself seemed rather charming, with most of the buildings having similar design and layout that made them mesh together, even if they were placed haphazardly. Everywhere he looked, there always seemed to be something new and interesting, giving him the feeling that, even if he explored aimlessly, there would always be something new to find. This was somewhat different from how Orario had been constructed as, though there were some pretty fantastical places to visit, the vast majority of shops and restaurants were similar. Even the way business was conducted was fundamentally different, though Vahn had already seen several overlapping practices that he had considered exploiting in the future...

As they got closer to their destination, Vahn noticed that Rin was now practically bumpings arms with him as she grew increasingly annoyed with the people who had been gawking at them. Since Rin was quite the beauty in her own right, she generally garnered a fair amount of attention wherever she went. Standing next to Vahn, however, the two looked like a pair of Idols making their way to a movie shooting, a scene completed by the fact they both wore high-end clothing while carrying themselves with a natural dignity normal citizens couldn't match. As a result, they had created a curious phenomenon where people's heads turned like a wave to catch sight of them, many rudely taking pictures and commenting about the 'celebrity pairing' that seemed to be trying to remain incognito.

By the time Vahn and Rin stepped into the Fuyuki City Hyatt Hotel, the largest and most extravagant hotel within the Shinto district, they actually had a small group of people following after them from a distance. Fortunately, though Vahn didn't exactly agree with the rather high-profile arrangement, the entire Hotel had been reserved while a private security firm kept normal people out. This caused people to speculate that the Hotel had been booked for a movie shooting, causing a group of bored pedestrians to congregate outside as they blindly speculated on the matter. Seeing so many people, seemingly without anything better to do, caused Vahn to shake his head in admonishment once he and Rin passed through the magic formation at the front door...

Rin, sharing many of the same sentiments, released a tired sigh as her shoulders slumped almost as soon as they were out of view. She then looked towards Vahn's face, almost as if she were appraising him, before saying, "You might want to consider adopting a form that doesn't stand out so much in the future. I didn't think about it much before, but it will be difficult for us to walk through the City together with your stupidly handsome face..." Though Vahn had altered his appearance to remain untraceable, he still defaulted into a form that was like eye-candy to the ladies of the modern era.

Instead of humoring Rin's slightly accusatory statement, Vahn adopted a teasing smile before remarking, "I'll change when you stop wearing makeup and spending a half-hour on your hair before leaving the Manor..." This caused Rin to immediately adopt a pouting expression but, unlike how she would act when they were alone, she kept mum since there were others present. Vahn wanted to point out that this was another way she paid attention to how other people perceived her, as it was obvious her upbringing had accustomed her to 'expecting' attention. She didn't want to stand out but, so long as she was out and about in public, Rin acted prim and proper while going through all the necessary steps to appear like the high-class woman her heritage made her out to be...

After riding the elevator to the penthouse suite located at the very top of the hotel, accessible only by having a special keycard, Vahn and Rin stepped out into a lavish foyer where someone Vahn had previously met awaited. Wearing the same muted grey and black clothing as their first encounter, the ashen-haired woman, named Gray, looked back at Vahn and Rin with her striking blue eyes. When she saw Vahn, Gray gave a small nod, as if to say she now genuinely believed his words about being Rin's companion. As for Rin, her face formed into a complex expression that was hard to read, causing Vahn to wonder if there were some tensions between her and Gray. Since the latter had almost no reaction to Rin's presence, other than hanging her head slightly, Vahn felt like it had less to do with her than Rin herself...

With none of the posted security preventing their access, Vahn and Rin entered into the penthouse proper, finding three people seated around an expensive-looking table. In fact, everything in the room seemed ridiculously expensive, causing Vahn to shake his head slightly as, from amongst the group of seated individuals, one showed extreme shock while the other two had curious gazes. Rin seized the initiative while she still could, casually gesturing to Vahn with her thumb before saying, "This is the guy I told you about, Vahn Mason. I know it might be a little late to change our plans at this stage, but I think his support will be instrumental to the success of our mission."

While the two men seemed to be treating Rin's words seriously, the drill-haired woman, Luviagelita, who Rin not-so-affectionately referred to as just 'Luvia', had already risen to her feet as she walked over with hastened steps. Rin curiously took a 'defensive' posture in front of Vahn before reminding, "Are you looking to taste another loss so soon after the last one...?" In response to this, Luvia gave a haughty 'hmph' before crossing her arms to accentuate her rather large breasts, saying, "I swear, Rin, you become more barbaric every time we see each other. Worry not, however, as my 'heart' is more than big enough to tolerate your childishness. Now, if you would allow me..."

Rin interrupted Luvia's words by holding up her index finger, forming a small orb of water at the very tip as she muttered, "If you're that thirsty, I don't mind help you out, Lu-vi-a~." This behavior of Rin's caused Luvia to instinctually take a step back as, compared to their prior meeting, she was currently wearing a white blouse, accented by flowers, atop a long blue dress that extended to her calves. If she ended up getting wet, it could 'complicate' things, requiring her to alight to her room for a quick change of clothes to avoid embarrassment.

Though he didn't mind the ongoing rivalry between Rin and Luvia, Vahn's expression remained calm and implacable as he sternly reminded, "Rin, do not forget our purpose. We are here to discuss our future cooperation, not pick a fight...besides..." As everyone in the room was listening closely to what he was saying, Vahn gave a polite nod before erecting a soundproof barrier and adding, "I don't think Fenrir would appreciate it if we kept her waiting back home by herself." These words were all it took to send a shiver up Rin's spine, followed by her crossing her arms in a huff and saying, "I know, I know! Jeez...try to see things from my perspective, would you...?"

Rin said the last part of her sentence as a soliloquy so Vahn chose to 'pretend' he hadn't heard it as he 'waved' away the soundproof barrier. The casual nature of his actions had caught the attention of everyone in the room, causing the atmosphere to immediately become more serious. Deciding to take advantage of this, Vahn placed his hand atop his heart before giving a polite bow as he said, "Miss Luviagelita Edelfelt, it is a pleasure to make your acquaintance. As Rin had previously stated, my name is Vahn Mason. For the period of our cooperation, feel free to refer to me by name."

Vahn's formal introduction had caused Luvia to use her gloved hand to touch her lower lip as she remarked, "My, such a gentleman. How ever did such a high-class man come across my dear friend, Rin...?" As soon as these words left Luvia's lips, Vahn slightly squinted his eyes as an overbearing pressure suddenly weighed down on everyone within the room. With the same smile he had used to introduce himself, Vahn 'casually' answered, "Miss Edelfelt, the words I had directed towards Rin were intended for your ears as well. Surely, someone as noble as you seem to be would not pollute the purpose of this meeting with her own personal affairs...?" As Vahn was more than accustomed to dealing with 'Noble' ladies, he had decided to make certain that Luvia knew he wasn't here to pander to her whims...

Feeling the overbearingly powerful aura radiating off of Vahn's body, Luvia felt her entire body break out in a cold sweat as she barely managed a sheepish, "Yes...you are correct..." At the same time, the two men, who Vahn knew as Lord El-Melloi II and Flat Escardos, had adopted a pseudo-battle ready stance. From behind, Gray and several private security guards entered into the room, creating a tense atmosphere that was on the verge of 'breaking' at any moment. In response to this, Vahn continued to steadily increase the pressure he was emitting until it reached the point that the entire penthouse had started vibrating. The only reason anyone was even able to remain standing was due to the fact he wasn't targeting any of them directly, knowing full-well that the weaker security forces may not be able to survive the experience.

It was at this point that Rin, seemingly unaffected by Vahn's aura, lightly elbowed him in the ribs before saying, "Cut it out. You're making everyone nervous." Then, as if it had never existed in the first place, the pressure completely disappeared in an instant. Vahn returned a small nod to Rin before smiling as he said, "It seems I got wrapped up in the moment and caused one of the very same issues I had wanted to avoid. Please forgive my lack of decorum...this world's customs are still foreign to me." Making sure to emphasize the last sentence a little more than his excuse, Vahn garnered a few confused expressions from everyone present before Lord El-Melloi II looked towards the security forces and commanded, "Return to your posts. Gray, you may stay."

Waiting for everyone else to leave the room, Lord El-Melloi II then turned his gaze upon Rin, asking, "What is this about, Rin? You have some explaining to do..." Immediately following this statement, Flat, Lord El-Melloi II's rather handsome blond-haired-blue-eyed Magus Apprentice remarked, "I didn't think we'd have a BOSS-class ally in our party at this stage of the game. Things are really starting to look up, ahahaha~." This remark earned him a glare from Lord El-Melloi II, something that Flat just laughed off in good spirits before raising his hand and saying, "Hey there, my name is Flat Escardos. I'll be in your care and look forward to working with you, Vahn."

Lord El-Melloi II just sighed at his protege's lack of tension before shaking his head and returning a polite bow of his own before saying, "Greetings, Vahn Mason. I am Lord El-Melloi the Second, a Fes-Class Lecturer within the Clock Tower. I pray my students do not cause you too much trouble in the coming days..." With his own introduction done, Lord El-Melloi II gestured towards Gray but, much to his surprise, she simply stated, "We have already met previously. Vahn is very powerful...I couldn't do anything at all." This statement alone caused Lord El-Melloi II, Flat, and Luvia all to express shock as they were all aware of how powerful Gray was. Though not quite at the level of a Heroic Spirit, the only thing she lacked to qualify for the title was a 'legend' of her own.

Piggybacking off of Gray's words, Flat smiled even bigger than before as he said, "Nice. If Gray says you're strong, that makes you more of a Raid-BOSS. I'm starting to look forward this~!" Seemingly sharing this sentiment, Luvia nodded her head before looking at Vahn with an appraising gaze and remarking, "Rare as it may be, I can't help but agree with Flat. What we're trying to accomplish here won't be well-received by those who desire the Holy Grail for themselves. The more powerful allies we have, the better. To that end, I will be in your care, Vahn. Please take care of me..." Punctuating her sentence with a wink, Luvia then 'retreated' to the nearby sofa under the close scrutiny of Rin's piercing gaze.

Following Luvia's example, everyone else took a seat around the table, leading to the situation where Vahn was flanked by the two beauties as Lord El-Melloi II and Flat sat opposite them. Gray took up a position standing behind the sofa, causing Vahn to wonder whether or not she was treated fairly by the group since she seemed a little 'too demure' for someone possessing the power she had at her disposal. Now wasn't the time to look into such things, however, as the purpose of this meeting was to discuss their future cooperation. To that end, Vahn preempted the obvious questions by plainly stating, "I will not keep it a secret. As we will be allies in the future, you should have at least a basic understanding of my capabilities. Though I will not go into too many details, it is enough for you to know that I have the power to rival a Pseudo-Divine Spirit. As for my identity, I will allow you to know that I originate from another world, one on a completely separate time axis than your own. How I came to reside in this world is unimportant, as the less you know regarding the truth, the better off everyone will be."

Vahn and Rin had decided to 'nerf' his capabilities a fair amount as, if his true power were known, there was no guarantee that the situation wouldn't escalate faster than they could control. Even being compared to a Pseudo-Divine Spirit elevated him to a point most people couldn't even fathom, however, resulting in everyone else showing expressions of shock and disbelief. Gray was actually the first to speak, providing some unexpected support as she said, "That is how you were able to block Add with your bare hand...you possess an immortal body?" As it was nearly impossible to harm a Divine Spirit, regardless of how powerful an individual may be, Vahn's 'revelation' provided an answer to the matter that had been concerning Gray since their previous meeting.

Using Gray's words to his advantage, Vahn gave a curt nod before adding, "My reason for helping you, as I'm certain you are curious, is because Rin helped me when I first fell into this world. In order to repay the debt I owe her, you can count on my support in completing the task you have set out to accomplish. Know that, while I harbor the desire to return to my world, I am already aware that the Greater Grail lacks the power to grant my wish. As the thought of people squabbling like children to have their wish granted displeases me, I am more than willing to ensure the Grail's destruction." To avoid any kind of misunderstandings, Vahn had decided to be forthright about his feelings regarding the Grail. Everything he said was very close to the truth so, even if they might suspect something, it was impossible to see through the story he had concocted with Rin beforehand.

Hearing Vahn's words, Lord El-Melloi II gave an understanding nod before saying, "I won't deny that I have some misgivings about working alongside someone who purports to come from another world. However, as there are several historical accounts of similar incidents, I will choose to trust in Rin's judgment. Having someone with your power on our side will greatly increase our chances of successfully destroying the Grail. Though I am a bit later than the others, allow me to express my appreciation for your assistance. I look forward to working alongside you, Vahn Mason. Perhaps, once this incident is behind us, you will be more willing to divulge the finer details of your situation. Though I may not have means beyond even the power of the Greater Grail, I will do my best to help you return to your world after we complete our current mission."

Of everything Vahn had said, the most obvious 'truth' mentioned, something everyone had picked up on, was that he wished to return home. Even though Vahn had become exceedingly proficient at masking his emotions, it was hard to hide the 'longing' contained within his eyes when he briefly mentioned 'home'. It was primarily because of this that Lord El-Melloi II chose to trust Vahn, even if he still had several concerns regarding what exactly could have happened to allow a Pseudo-Divine Spirit to be thrown into their world. After all, this meant Vahn's existence was near the same level as a True Ancestor, placing him very near the pinnacle of power according to his current understanding of the world...

(A/N: Alternate Titles: 'Vahn got that celebrity swagger','How big is your power level? 'Cause mine's pretty big...','Imagine if Vahn introduced himself as 'Type Omega' xD...')

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Chapter 1034: Plan

After a short discussion about the basic capabilities of everyone present, the conversation quickly transitioned to the more important discussion they had originally gathered for. Lord El-Melloi II, who had come up with the original plan to destroy the Greater Grail, gave a surprisingly well-informed accounting of the previous two Holy Grail Wars and their 'projections' for what to expect this time around. From him, Vahn learned that the Servants who participated in the Fourth Holy Grail War were the Heroic Spirits of Iskandar, King of Conquers, Lancelot, Knight of the Round Table, Diarmuid Ua Duibhne, Arturia Pendragon, King of Knights, Gilgamesh, King of Heroes, Hassan-I-Sabbah, and Gilles De Rais.

Though Vahn's wasn't too surprised that Lord El-Melloi II had been the Master of Iskandar, the revelation that Arturia, derived from the legendary 'King Arthur', was actually a female. Even more surprising were the revelations that Gray, who essentially acted as the protege and 'knight' of Lord El-Melloi II was descended from the Line of Kings, a descendent of Arturia herself. When she was introduced as such, Gray seemed somewhat uncomfortable with the attention, pulling her hood to hide her face for reasons Vahn wasn't aware of. It was obvious that she also had a past shrouded in darkness but, as now was not the time to probe into such things, Vahn continued to listen to Lord El-Melloi II's explanation.

With the Fourth Holy Grail War ending without a decisive victor, primarily as the result of the Lesser Grail's destruction, the Fifth Holy Grail War took place only a decade after its conclusion. Much like the Fourth, the Saber-Class Servant ended up being the King of Knights, Arturia, once again. This time around, she was the Servant of Rin's deceased friend, Shirou Emiya, the adopted son of Saber's former Master, Kiritsugu Emiya. As for the other Servants, there was Rin's Archer-Class, Ishtar, the Assasin-Class, Sasaki Kojirou, the Lancer-Class, Cu Chulainn, the Caster-Class, Medea, the Berseker-Class, Heracles, and the Rider-Class, Medusa. Vahn was more than a little surprised that the names Heracles and Medusa both appeared, but he quickly set wayward thoughts aside since he knew they were fundamentally different existences.

During the discussion regarding the Fifth Holy Grail War, Lord El-Melloi II went out of his way to talk about various theories that were common within the Magus Community. This was primarily related to the 'unstable' nature of the fifth ritual as, for the first time since the Grail Wars had started, a Goddess had manifested. Now, as a result of external interference from Masters and Servants that had bided their time since the completion of the Fourth War, the Fifth had also ended without a victor. With how quickly information traveled in the current age, it was impossible to keep this fact hidden from the rest of the world so, unlike past Grail Wars, the number of people expected to try and participate had increased exponentially. Not only that but, due to the growing instability within the Grail's mana, it was expected that other gods could manifest, further complicating things...

The primary reason behind Lord El-Melloi II's and Rin's decision to destroy the Greater Grail, other than the trauma they had both experienced, was out of concern for the World's safety. With the Grail now having increased its internal mana to an unfathomable extent, the power gained by whoever managed to complete the ritual would be monstrous. If they actually managed to have their wish granted, while happening to have malicious intentions, there was a very real chance the entire world could be thrown into chaos. After all, the only restriction of the Greater Grail was the fact it could only grant wishes that were within the scope and power of the World itself. Though this seemed like an arbitrary concept, those that knew what resided at the 'pinnacle' were very aware of how dire things could come if such individuals got their hands on the Greater Grail.

Transitioning from the discussion of the Fifth Holy Grail War, Lord El-Melloi II went on to explain, "This time around, the Mage's Association has placed the significance of securing the Greater Grail as one of their highest priorities. Unfortunately, after the failure of the previous two wars, it is expected that the Einzbern family, the creators of the Lesser Grail, have tweaked the ritual to benefit their side. At the same time, Magi from all over the world have begun to flock to Fuyuki and its surrounding territories in order to try their luck at gaining access to the Grail. Since the previous War manifested Sasaki Kojirou, a fictional Hero from an eastern legend, and the Goddess, Ishtar, it is obvious that the rules presiding over the ceremony have become discordant. Previously, the Grail was only supposed to be capable of summoning Heroes from western legends, so as to even the playing field for participating Masters..."

At this point, Lord El-Melloi II opened a briefcase full of documents, each detailing a potential Master and the expected catalysts within their possession. This allowed them to predict which Servants may appear, effectively giving them ample opportunity to come up with countermeasures. One of the most important factors of every Grail War was secrecy, not only from the public, but from the participating Master's themselves. Having your Servant's name and legend known could provide a significant disadvantage as, depending on their legends, they could have easily exploited weaknesses. Now that the world was in the 'Era of Information', the availability of information, primarily as a result of the internet and telecommunications, made it much easier to research and counteract your opponents' Servants...

After passing around the documents, Lord El-Melloi II explained, "Much like previous Grail Wars, the families involved in the establishment of the ritual have priority when it comes to participating as Masters. The Einzbern's have given their privilege of participation to a foreign Magus named Alex Everdale. He is a mercenary who made a name for himself killing high-profile Mages, making him one of the more dangerous Masters that will be participating. As for the representative of the Tohsaka and Makiri families, they will be Rin and, if the information you have provided proves accurate, the current head of the Matou family, Sakura Matou..."

When Lord El-Melloi II mentioned Sakura's name, Rin's expression turned dour but, as there was nothing she could do to change the reality of the situation, she remained silent. Seeing this, Lord El-Melloi II's expression turned empathetic but, as now wasn't the time for such things, he quickly moved on, explaining, "Unlike past Grail Wars, the Einzbern's haven't been too cooperative with the Mage's Association. They blame the Mage's Association and the Holy Church for the failure of the previous two wars, even though it was their own agent, Kiritsugu Emiya, who ordered his Servant to destroy the Lesser Grail. Regardless, the other participating Master's could be any of the Magi currently located within Fuyuki. So long as they have a proper catalyst and access to the ritual required to summon a Servant, practically anyone has a chance at participation..."

Without wasting any time, Luvia leaned a little closer to Vahn as she added, "Regardless of if a Magus gets selected as a Master at the start of the War, you can be sure that this won't stop others from trying to get in on the action. It is common knowledge now that the theft of a Master's Command Seals, the crest used to compel a Servant's loyalty, would grant you the right to claim the Grail for yourself. As a result, there are more than a hundred sharks swimming around, each waiting to step in at the moment an active Master shows any sign of weakness. We're not the only group that is planning to game the system but, fortunately, the vast majority are just ignorant fools trying to fish in troubled waters."

Piggybacking off Luvia's words, Flat laughed in an easygoing manner before saying, "It's like watching a bunch of noobs trying to steal a rare drop while more skilled players are distracted. This is turning out to be the bloodiest Holy Grail War ever, hahahaha~."

Earning a glare from both Rin and Luvia, Flat laughed it off while rubbing the back of his head, giving Lord El-Melloi II the chance to sigh before going on to explain, "Originally, our goal was to secure the position of Master for each of us, even if it required 'stealing' Command Seals from others. However, I can't help but feel that your presence, especially at such a sensitive time, has greater significance than even you yourself are aware. You are something the other factions couldn't have possibly factored into the equation...tell me, Vahn, are you willing to play the part of an extra Servant to sow discord amongst the other Masters?"

With Vahn's power already being at a level above many Heroid Spirits, Lord El-Melloi II felt they could use that to their advantage to fool the other Masters. Vahn, however, instantly shook his head before explaining, "It is impossible for me to play such a part, even if I were willing. Instead, I have every intention of being one of the participating Masters. Even if my Servant ends up being on the weaker end, I am certain I would be able to empower them to the point that other Master's have no chance at victory." Following this, Rin also added, "Even if Vahn is unable to become a Master through the normal method, I intend to transfer my Command Seals and Servant to him. I have a better understanding of his power and character than everyone else so trust me when I say this is the best chance we have at victory."

As Rin hadn't discussed this with him previously, Vahn was a little surprised by the fact that she instantly supported him, even at the expense of being a Master herself. He couldn't help giving her a small smile in return before saying, "The moment I learn the identities of the other Master's, I will move to secure their Command Seals for our faction. It is my intention to move independently for much of the Holy Grail War, so I can still achieve the purpose of being an unexpected variable for the other Masters. I also have a method of allowing Rin to appear as a Master, though it will be up to her if she is willing to go through with it..." To this, Rin gave a nod of approval as everyone else present showed faces of confusion in response to the two's 'selfish' antics.

From Vahn's right, Luvia had the most 'extreme' expression as she muttered, in much the same way as Rin, "How does Rin keep getting all the good ones...am I doing something wrong...?" Following this, Luvia looked down at her rather buxom breasts before using her arms to press them together. This caused her to immediately shake her head before whispering, "There is no way I'm lacking in charm compared to that gorilla girl..." Though these words were spoke to herself, everyone present could hear Luvia's soliloquy, Rin included. Her twin-tails were beginning to 'ripple' as her anger continued to rise but, not wanting to spend his whole afternoon discussing plans that may not even matter after first contact, Vahn leaned his body forward to obscure each girls' view before saying, "If there are no other pressing concerns, I would like to discuss when the summoning ritual is to take place. Based on Sakura's words, am I wrong to assume it is already possible to summon a Servant?"

Understanding Vahn's intentions, Lord El-Melloi II cleared his throat before answering, "The official start of the Holy Grail War is scheduled to begin in ten days. Before the three families summon their Servants, others will be unable to conduct their own rituals. Because of this, there are a large number of Magus who have been lingering around in an attempt to gather information. Everyone wants to be the first to summon a Servant so they do not lose the chance. Since many catalysts can only be used one time, they are forced to wait until Rin, Sakura, and Alex summon their Servants. Though there are some advantages to summoning a Servant early, the Overseers of the Holy Grail War could enact a severe punishment on anyone that exposes the existence of the event to the public..."

As the Holy Grail War made use of a City-wide formation that would basically hypnotize people to retiring indoors early in the evening, keeping the streets clear for any conflict that would occur, it was highly frowned upon to begin fighting early. Without taking these measures, the death toll during the Holy Grail War could easily extend into the tens of thousands given how powerful some Servants could be. Though this had the downside of making it easy for disreputable Mages to take advantage of the common citizens during the event's duration, they were considered 'acceptable' sacrifices for an event as major as the Holy Grail War...

After hearing what he wanted to know, Vahn then asked, "Do we know if the other two families have summoned their Servants?" In response to this, it was Gray who shook her head lightly before answering, "At the end of the last Holy Grail War, the Einzbern's managed to recover the stone earrings of Cu Chulainn after coming to an agreement with the Mage's Association and the Holy Church. We don't know if they used them as a catalyst to summon Cu Chulainn as a Lancer-Class Servant, but we know they have already completed the ceremony. As for Sakura Matou, it is almost impossible to determine if she has completed the ceremony due to the secrecy surrounding the Makiri family..."

With her sister being mentioned once again, Rin released an audible sigh that caused a small lull in the conversation. When she saw everyone was focused on her, she showed a resolute expression on her face before saying, "We'll know once I summon my own Servant. If she genuinely mistook Vahn as a Servant, there is a good chance she had already summoned one for herself. If that is the case, we may be able to get away with several summonings before anyone realizes the battle has already begun."

Following up Rin's words, Gray once again spoke out, drawing attention to herself as she said, "Now is the best time to move forward with that plan. Last night, many of the Mages that had been sent to investigate Miyama Town quickly left the City. Something must have happened behind the scenes that spooked them all..." As she spoke, Gray's eyes were locked on Vahn, even as she shrunk away under the combined gazes of everyone else present. This caused them to also turn their heads to Vahn, resulting in the latter smiling as he said, "I may have gone for a walk last night..."

Since she hadn't known about this previously, Rin showed a dissatisfied expression on her face but, choosing not to discuss it in front of everyone else, she kept mum. This didn't stop her from using her heel to dig into Vahn's foot though, even if it had absolutely no effect on him. As for the rest of the people present, Gray gave an approving nod to Vahn while Flat just laughed in an easy-going manner before remarking, "Your actions have probably caused others to think that the Assassin-Class Servant is already in play. Nice going, hahahaha~." As the Assassin-Class Servant was often the weakest amongst the other Heroic Spirits, it was far more common for their Master's to have them target other Master's while acting from the shadows.

After Flat, Luvia held her chin with her index finger in thumb, smiling with a thoughtful look on her face as she mused, "Knowing the Makiri family, there is a good chance their Servant is actually of the Assassin-Class. This is something most people should be aware of so there is a good chance most of the focus of other potential Master's is placed on them at the moment. With the precedent set by the Einzbern family, we can assume they have either summoned the Berserker-Class, Heracles, or the Lancer-Class, Cu Chulainn. There is a good chance their move to secure Cu's catalyst was a misdirection, especially when considering they hired a Mage-Killer. Logic would indicate they once again summoned the Hero fo the Twelve Labors, Heracles..."

Agreeing with Luvia's conjecture, Rin nodded her head, even as a fearful look passed across her eyes. Having born witness to the awesome might of Heracles with her own two eyes, Rin cautioned, "With Heracles charing from the front, it would create an easily exploitable gap for Alex Everdale to take out enemy Masters. Heracles has the ability to resurrect eleven times after death, all while gaining immunity to almost anything that previously killed him. With a skilled Master commanding him, their combination would be one of the hardest to deal with..." As she knew this information was well-known by everyone else present, Rin's words were primarily intended for Vahn. Even if she knew his own existence was greater than Heracles', she harbored no illusion that it was 'impossible' for him to die...

Knowing Rin was worry about him, Vahn adopted a gentle smile before saying, "If Heracles is truly who the Einzbern's have summoned, I already have the means to deal with him outright. Please trust me Rin..." After fighting a previous Heracles, with surprisingly similar abilities, Vahn knew what he should expect going into the fight. If he used [Enkidu] from the start, it should be possible to bing a Heracles that has been blinded by the Mad Enhancement. Then, regardless of if he had twelve, or even twelve-thousand lives, Vahn was confident he could kill the enraged Demigod. As for his Master, Vahn didn't think the Einzbern's would have hired him if he didn't possess quite a bit of skill. Vahn wouldn't underestimate him but, at the same time, he also didn't believe the purported Mage-Killer would be a threat without his Servant.

With the atmosphere suddenly becoming a little awkward, Lord El-Melloi II made a show of clearing his throat before saying, "We'll leave the decision of when you want to summon your Servant to you, Rin. Once the ceremony has completed, make sure to update us before informing the Overseer at the Fuyuki Church. Up until the official start of the Holy Grail War, we'll be keeping an eye out for any Master's that appear in the area. If we get any news about any Servants who have appeared, we will contact you immediately." As there was little they could do other than provide support indirectly, much of the fighting would be left to Vahn and Rin unless they could keep their involvement a secret from the Overseer assigned by the Holy Church. Though other, lesser-known Magi might be able to simply lay low for a while, even if they got caught breaking the rules, Lord El-Melloi II's status made it much harder to take a more proactive role.

Nodding her head in understanding, Rin radiated confidence as she stated, "No matter what it takes, let's make sure this is the last time this bloody ceremony ever occurs...!" In response to her outburst, Lord El-Melloi II gave a decisive nod of his own while Flat, once again, just laughed in a light-hearted manner. As for Gray, she gave a curt nod without uttering a single syllable while Luvia, not wanting to be outshone by Rin, raised her head high before saying, "Using something like the Greater Grail to have there wishes granted is an action only cowards would seek out. If they have the power to obtain the Grail, they might as well use the same resolve to improve themselves. There are no limits to a person's growth so relying on such shady methods is simply irreprehensible...!"

Surprisingly, of the two arguments, Vahn actually found Luvia's to align closer to his own thoughts on the matter. He might not be the best person to speak on the subject, as having access to The Path afforded him opportunities others couldn't even imagine, but Vahn genuinely believed that people should always put in the effort to grow stronger. If they relied on their family, background, or external resources, it would never be 'their' power. Since so many disreputable types relied on power they had 'recieved', compared to power they had obtained for themselves, Vahn's impression was that power you didn't earn was often what led to corruption. There was an incalculable number of examples to pull from, each seeming to affirm this theory, so Vahn had a bit of confidence in his conjecture...

(A/N: Alternate Titles: 'Vahn be like, 'Why not da Queen of Knights...?','Rematch of the Ages, the Emperor vs. The Strongest Hero...!','Standing at the precipice...')

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