Bab 13: Chapter 12: Sight
It wasn't just Emiya Kiritsugu's group that was watching the two battlefields on the northern coast.
In the basement of Fuyuki Church, fifteen kilometers away, Kotomine Kirei was also selectively observing the two battlefields through the vision shared with Assassin.
A few days ago, he applied for asylum from the Cathedral Church because of his "Servant's defeat," but that was just a trick to deceive other Masters.
The Servant he summoned is called "Hassan of a Hundred Faces" and has many personalities. After Hassan became a Servant, these personalities became countless individuals as the manifestation of the Noble Phantasm.
The Hassan who was killed by Archer was just one of them. For Kirei, this loss was at most like losing a little finger.
This was the strategy that Kotomine Kirei and his father, Kotomine Risei, had prepared with the help of Tohsaka Tokiomi.
Disguised as Assassin's exit, he continued to monitor the movements of other Servants and Masters from the shadows.
"...I didn't expect the first two battles to start at the same time."
Kirei spoke into the ancient phonograph on the table.
A voice responded from the phonograph.
"Strictly speaking, this is the second and third battle that has been publicly confirmed."
The sound quality was a little out of tune, but the owner of this calm and unrestrained voice was Tohsaka Tokiomi, Kotomine Kirei's magic teacher.
The split between master and disciple was also a sleight of hand for outsiders, aimed at covering up their cooperation. This allowed Kirei to "retreat" while secretly driving his Servant to continue assisting Tokiomi.
Tokiomi was unable to observe the battlefield using the shared perception of his Servant, relying instead on Kirei and Assassin as his eyes and ears.
"The battle at sea seems to be between Saber and Berserker. Saber's abilities are particularly outstanding, with most of her stats equivalent to A-rank. Berserker is similar, though her stats in various aspects seem enhanced by her berserk state."
"An evenly matched opponent," Tokiomi commented.
"Not only that, but according to what Assassin saw, Saber and Berserker look very similar. Judging from their first battle, it seems the two Servants knew each other in their lifetimes and might even be related." Kirei revealed a fact that shocked Tokiomi even more.
"Can you see both Masters, Kirei?"
"There is only a silver-haired woman standing by the sea watching the battle. She should be Saber's Master. She just fell due to the aftermath of the battle and is preparing to evacuate with the help of her guards."
"Silver-haired woman?" Tokiomi was slightly surprised.
"Yes, with silver hair and red eyes. She doesn't look like an ordinary person."
Tokiomi hesitated for a moment before making a guess. "...It should be the Einzbern family's homunculus. Could it be they created another puppet master? I thought Emiya Kiritsugu was a pawn prepared by the Einzbern family, but it seems I was wrong."
Kirei did not agree but kept his own judgment and continued to report.
"Berserker's Master previously separated from his Servant and returned to the city alone to take the two children home. He did not arrive near the battlefield until after Saber and Berserker started fighting."
"...I see." Tokiomi sighed.
As a father, he was thankful that Sakura had a new guardian, but as a magician, he was somewhat puzzled by Tatsuya Suzuki's actions, prioritizing such trivial matters during this period.
"As I recall, Tatsuya Suzuki has some ties with you, right, Kirei?" Tokiomi asked.
"Yes…" Kirei confirmed succinctly.
Not just Tokiomi's second daughter.
Kirei himself, due to personal reasons, entrusted his biological daughter, whom he could not personally care for, to Tatsuya, who was gradually withdrawing from his work as a magus at that time.
After that, Kirei heard that Tatsuya came to Fuyuki and adopted Tohsaka Tokiomi's second daughter, needing a successor with excellent qualifications to inherit the magic path.
For the purpose of gathering intelligence, Tatsuya, who obtained the qualification of the Master of the Holy Grail War, also came under Kirei's surveillance.
However, Kirei could not understand Tatsuya Suzuki.
This magician, younger than himself, had a humanity completely different from that of a magician. Besides teaching Sakura magic, he brilliantly took on the role of a father despite being unmarried.
In any case, Kirei's daughter, who was adopted by Tatsuya, might have a better life and grow up better than anywhere else.
Kirei, who could not feel the happiness of an ordinary person, could only offer due prayers for his daughter, whom he would never see again, based on the moral values he had cultivated since childhood.
"You said Tatsuya is near the battlefield. Can we see him?" Tokiomi was very concerned about Tatsuya's actions.
If possible, he would be willing to fulfill the gentleman's agreement made two years ago to only eliminate Tatsuya's Servant and then let them take refuge in the church until the end of the Holy Grail War.
If necessary, perhaps Tatsuya could even help look after Rin.
After all, Tokiomi knew that whether he won or lost, he would never be able to return to Rin's side.
If he won, he could use the Holy Grail to reach the whirlpool of Origin. If he lost, he might be killed by other Masters.
"Yes, but…" Kirei was rarely embarrassed.
"What's wrong?" Tokiomi thought something had happened to Tatsuya.
"That person is currently fighting Lancer's Servant, all alone." Kirei added an explanation, fearing Tokiomi would not understand.
Even though he saw the scene himself, he found it beyond comprehension.
"...What?" Tokiomi could hardly conceal his surprise and almost forgot the family precepts of the Tohsaka family.
"Assassin saw it with his own eyes, but I find it hard to believe. Tatsuya Suzuki is fighting Lancer to a stalemate, and I don't think it's because Lancer's fighting ability is too low..."
After all, no matter how weak a Servant is, they should be an invincible enemy compared to humans.
Even though Kirei was an agent with extraordinary combat power, he could not claim a complete chance of winning against his Assassin.
However, Tatsuya Suzuki broke this common sense.
Kotomine Kirei only remembered that when he and Tatsuya carried out a joint mission between the Magic Association and the Holy Church, Tatsuya had shown his proficiency in rune magic.
"It seems the worst enemy of the Holy Grail War has been identified..."
Tokiomi's voice was particularly solemn.
In that case, perhaps only by relying on Archer's powerful fighting ability to kill both Tatsuya and the Servant could the Tohsaka family's long-cherished wish to entrust the Holy Grail be realized.
But if that happened, Sakura would lose her place to stay... and Kirei's daughter as well.
Is there any better way to solve this situation?
Tohsaka Tokiomi couldn't figure it out for the time being.
"Kirei, continue to monitor the battlefield. The other Servants and Masters must have been attracted by their two-front war."
"Yes."
After Kirei accepted the mission, he continued to pay attention to the two battles taking place in the distance.
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