Kapitel 406: The Heroic Spirit Amidst the Unexpected
Kaguya's seemingly light punch had the impact of a boulder. The orange-haired youth felt as though his internal organs had been knocked out of place, and he was close to blacking out from the sheer force of the hit.
How could such a delicate, pretty little girl possess such immense strength?
It felt like he'd been hit by an elephant, and even now, he was struggling to catch his breath, his entire body drenched in sweat. The chill from the wind only made him feel colder, as if his blood had turned to ice.
"To think I got played by a little girl," the orange-haired youth muttered, a twisted smile creeping onto his face. Suddenly, he threw his head back and burst into laughter. "How amusing, truly amusing! I didn't expect to find such an interesting character here. It seems coming to this city was the right decision after all."
Slowly getting to his feet, he took a deep breath and clutched his stomach, his grin widening as he watched Kaguya's small figure disappear into the distance. "We'll meet again, little one. Next time, I'll bring a much better gift for you."
With that, he turned around and limped away, still holding his injured abdomen.
Kaguya, on the other hand, had no idea that she'd let a potential threat escape due to her momentary carelessness. But even if she had known, it wouldn't have mattered to her. After all, in her eyes, that man was nothing more than a small fry—hardly worth her time or concern.
Meanwhile, in the basement of a distant mansion, two men were engaged in a serious discussion.
One of them had neatly trimmed hair, a carefully groomed beard, and wore a perfectly tailored suit. He had an air of refinement and elegance about him, and in his hand, he held a crystal glass of red wine. However, his brows were furrowed, and his expression was one of contemplation as he muttered to himself, "This doesn't make sense. There shouldn't be any problems with the summoning process."
"What's wrong?" asked the other man, who had just walked over. He had short hair, sharp eyes, and a face that looked like it had been chiseled from stone. His appearance wasn't particularly handsome, but it exuded a kind of quiet strength and charisma.
If Kaguya were here, she would have instantly recognized them as Tokiomi Tohsaka, the man responsible for many of the tragic events of the Holy Grail War, and Kirei Kotomine, the enigmatic figure whose actions would influence the Fifth Holy Grail War.
"I just received word from the church. There's been an anomaly in the Holy Grail," Tokiomi said, pacing thoughtfully.
"An anomaly?" Kirei raised an eyebrow, intrigued.
"Yes," Tokiomi replied, placing his glass on the table and walking toward the magical device that had been recording data with a steady 'click-click' sound. "As you know, the Holy Grail War was originally designed for seven magi and their seven Servants to battle for supremacy. However, something unexpected has occurred."
"You mean…" Kirei's gaze sharpened as he began to understand the implications.
"An eighth Servant has appeared," Tokiomi said gravely, "one who doesn't belong to any of the seven summoned by the designated Masters."
Kirei's eyes narrowed in surprise. "Are you certain of this information?"
"Absolutely. The news came directly from your father," Tokiomi said, sitting down at the table. "Now isn't the time to question the validity of this report. We need to figure out how this unexpected participant will affect the Holy Grail War. While the strengths of the Masters and their Servants vary, the addition of even one more powerful force could drastically shift the balance."
"So you're concerned that her presence might interfere with our plans?" Kirei asked, his voice calm.
"Exactly," Tokiomi replied, taking a sip of his wine before continuing. "For her to materialize on her own without disappearing from a lack of magical energy means she's exceptionally powerful. A rogue Servant of such strength will undoubtedly attract the attention of the other Masters. If any of them manage to win her over—even if she doesn't officially become a Servant—their chances of winning the Grail will increase significantly."
"So you want me to locate this Servant and bring her under control, is that it?" Kirei summarized.
"Precisely," Tokiomi said, tapping his fingers lightly on the table. "Her arrival has already thrown the Holy Grail War into disarray. The only way to mitigate the potential chaos is to find her and ensure she doesn't upset the balance."
"I understand," Kirei said, turning to leave. "I'll take care of it."
As Kirei reached the door, Tokiomi suddenly called out, "You haven't exposed this place, have you?"
Kirei paused, but didn't turn around. "I've checked the familiars and surveillance devices. There are none nearby. Besides, with Assassin watching, there's nothing to worry about."
"Good," Tokiomi said, a faint smile playing on his lips. "It won't be long before this place becomes the focus of investigation for the other Masters. We need to act quickly and prepare thoroughly if we want to succeed in the Holy Grail War. But don't rush—hasty actions only lead to mistakes."
"Understood," Kirei replied, leaving the room.
Tokiomi watched him go, then drained his glass of wine in one swift motion. His gaze became distant, as if he were peering into the future. "The mission and honor of the Tohsaka family… are nearly within reach."
While Kaguya was being discussed by these influential figures, she was dealing with a problem of her own.
"How can everything be closed at this time of night?" Kaguya grumbled, kicking a nearby streetlamp in frustration. "Aren't there supposed to be 24-hour restaurants?"
Having pocketed the money from the orange-haired youth, Kaguya had planned to find a restaurant and have a proper meal. Yet, to her dismay, all the nearby shops and restaurants were already closed. Even the supposed 24-hour convenience stores had their shutters down. The streets were empty, save for a few hurried pedestrians rushing off into the distance.
What's going on?
More importantly, she was starving. Her stomach was growling like a wild animal. Ever since becoming a Servant, Kaguya found herself getting hungry much more easily, likely due to the increased energy consumption from maintaining her magical abilities.
Just as Kaguya was about to smash a nearby vending machine in frustration, a petite figure appeared before her, smiling sweetly.
"Excuse me," the girl said softly. "Are you hungry?"
Wöchentlicher Energiestatus
-- Power-
Rangliste 
-- Power-
Stein