I, Kenneth, am going to get to the root of the problem today.

Page 26

"What a bunch of rotten bastards, all wanting to be the oriole in the night? There's always an eagle behind the oriole. Since you're not coming to me, then I'm coming to you."

The Zenjo family was also a magic family a hundred years ago. Although their magic circuits have disappeared, their excellent bloodline is still an irresistible temptation for Tokiomi Tohsaka, who was born out of nowhere. At one o'clock in the morning, little Rin was studying the homework left by Tokiomi Tohsaka at her desk, fiddling with the gems on the table. As if facing advanced mathematics, Rin Tohsaka gave up and started rubbing her twin tails when faced with these family magics.

"Ugh! Why is it so complicated? I followed the steps exactly, so why is it still not working?!"

Despite her young age, Rin Tohsaka already possessed a luxurious airport, showcasing her exceptional talent for facial expressions. Suddenly, Rin's expression froze as the trap she had set in the lawn was triggered. Realizing there might be an intruder, Rin, who was tormented by the tediousness of magic, immediately came up with a bold idea.

Turning off the desk lamp, barefoot Rin Tohsaka tiptoed into her room. After confirming there were no intruders in the hallway, Rin, who had an inexplicable confidence in magic under Tokiomi Tohsaka's tutelage, went up the stairs to the empty hall. With her bright blue eyes wide open, Rin carefully opened the window and crouched down, appearing in the flower bed outside the wall.

Peeking out with half its head, it looked at the triggered trap. In the illusory blue light, a pigeon was firmly bound to the lawn by chains made of magic.

"What? It was just a pigeon. All that anticipation was for nothing."

Looking at the opulent airport, Rin Tohsaka stood up from behind the flowerbed, grabbed the windowsill, and tried to climb back into her room.

"What were you expecting?"

A cold male voice rang out, and before Rin Tohsaka could even scream, her body was immobilized on the spot. Immediately afterwards, a figure stepped into the Zenjou family villa through the window that Rin had opened.

Watching the man walk up the stairs, Rin Tohsaka just wanted to scream for help, but the magic, far beyond her limits, kept her firmly in place.

"Damn it, that person is a magician! Why is he attacking us? Could he be Father's enemy? Oh no, Mom's still up there! Move!! Rin Tohsaka, move now!!"

As Rin struggled, the spells binding her body began to loosen, and Rin realized that the magic her opponent had cast on her was not very strong, which secretly pleased her.

"You have good talent, but you're still too young."

The cold voice rang out again, and the binding magic on Rin Tohsaka suddenly increased to a higher level. Her only movable eye looked towards the stairs, where a black-haired, black-eyed man in a black trench coat carried a figure with green hair down the stairs.

"mom..."

"You can still talk? I guess I underestimated you."

The man's figure appeared in front of Little Rin the next moment, and under Rin's gaze, he brought down a heavy chop to the ground.

His right hand...

Darkness filled her vision, and Xiao Xiaolin fell into a coma under the man's relentless tapping.

Chapter 64 Liudong Temple

As dawn broke, Tokiomi Tohsaka's face rapidly shifted between blue and purple. Based on Rin Tohsaka's description, Tokiomi had already guessed who the magician who attacked the Zenjou family last night was: Kiritsugu Emiya, the Master of the Einzbern family whose Command Seals had been stolen.

However, it was precisely because of this that Tokiomi Tohsaka felt something was amiss. As a magician killer, Kiritsugu Emiya could not possibly be unaware of the importance of an heir to a family. Taking away a useless mother body and abandoning a more threatening heir was completely out of character for him. But on second thought, Tokiomi Tohsaka put the matter out of his mind. A mother body can be found again, but a good heir is truly gone.

"Rin, it's alright. I'll arrange for Kirei to take you to a safe place. Don't come back until you receive a message from me."

"But Father, Mother..."

Without giving Rin Tohsaka a chance to plead, Tokiomi Tohsaka, who had been planning for the Holy Grail War for decades, hung up the phone directly. Stroking the gem in his palm, Tokiomi Tohsaka was immediately overwhelmed with doubt. No matter how much Tokiomi Tohsaka thought about it, he could not have imagined that all of this was arranged by Kenneth, and that the purpose had nothing to do with him.

Kenneth's goal was merely to use Zenjou Aoi to test Matou Kariya. As for why he had his subordinates dress up as Emiya Kiritsugu, that was purely Kenneth's perverse sense of humor. He could disgust Tohsaka Tokiomi while also making Emiya Kiritsugu uncomfortable, so why not?

Under Kenneth's arrangement, the morning news in Fuyuki City and dozens of television stations that Fuyuki City could receive had been broadcasting the burglary case from the previous night in a continuous stream. Looking at the photo of the suspect provided by a concerned citizen, Kenneth couldn't help but smile.

"The net has been cast. Who exactly are you, Matou Kariya? Let me see for myself."

At the same time, Iskandar, who had been traveling all night, appeared with Weber in front of the winding stone steps. Looking at the mountain gate above, Iskandar's expression immediately became serious.

"Rider, is this Caster's base?"

Shaking his head, Iskandar's gaze toward Ryudouji Temple gradually became more serious.

"I can't be sure. I can't sense the Servant's presence, but this level of magic is definitely not something an ordinary magician could do. I need to be on my guard. If it really is Caster, entering their workshop would be very dangerous."

While saying he should be on high alert, Iskandar took a big step up the steps in front of him, and Weber followed closely behind, standing cautiously outside the gate of Ryudo-ji Temple.

"Haha, an unknown Caster, huh? Aren't you going to greet your guest?"

Standing outside the temple gate, Iskandar's booming voice echoed through the empty Ryudo Temple. Waver, who had been warned to remain vigilant, grabbed Iskandar's cloak and began to shake it incessantly at Iskandar's shout.

"Baka!! Didn't we agree to stay alert? Why did you suddenly call for help? What if this is Caster's base...?"

"Guest? I don't recall having a guest like you, Rider."

Morgan, dressed in a long black and blue dress that concealed her face behind a veil, stood abruptly in front of the main hall of Ryudou Temple. Iskandar tilted his head and stroked the beard on his chin as he gazed at Morgan, who was wearing a crown.

"This magic... you truly are a powerful magician. Would you be interested in joining my ranks? I, Iskandar, will share with you the joy of conquering the world!"

"Rider—!! What's wrong with you now? Don't invite her on the first meeting!! And Caster looks like she's going to be hard to get along with!! She's looking over here, hey! Rider, you need to do something about it!!"

Looking at the master and servant who were acting like a complete clown in front of him, even though he already knew the other's personality, Iskandar's overly self-conscious invitation still made Morgan's eyebrows twitch.

“Rider, I don’t have time to play your nonsense. Before I change my mind, take your Master and leave this place.”

Faced with Morgan's sharp rejection, Iskandar scratched his head in frustration.

"He actually got rejected? Why? His pose was so cool..."

"It would be a miracle if Caster agreed!! And have you forgotten why we're here? Wake up, you idiot!!!"

With his fist pounded in his palm, Iskandar seemed to only then remember the purpose of his search for Caster. Raising his hand, Iskandar casually extended an invitation to Morgan.

"Caster, I am Iskandar, the King of Conquerors! Are you willing to form an alliance with me to seize the Holy Grail?!"

"Rider, you idiot!! How can you invite someone to form an alliance like that?!"

As the two resumed their banter, Morgan's face beneath her veil was filled with black lines. She raised her hand from under her black dress, and a magic bullet, more of a warning than an attack, flew straight toward Iskadar, who stood before the mountain gate.

"I have no interest in your childish games. I don't want to kill anyone right now. Take your Master and leave this place!!"

The aura of a witch poured out. Iskandar, who was used to all kinds of storms, was fine, but Waver, who had never seen much of the world, suddenly rushed behind Iskandar under Morgan's murderous intent. Sensing Morgan's hostility, the Conqueror's gaze also became sharp.

"Unknown Caster, I ask you, do you truly intend to refuse my alliance?"

"I reject!"

Hearing Morgan's straightforward refusal, Weber, having regained his courage, stepped out from behind Iskandar and looked anxiously at Morgan, who was ready to make a big move.

"It's not good for a Servant to make decisions directly before their Master, and besides, Saber's Command Seals have already been..."

"This is my Master's idea. We are aware of Saber's situation, but we have no intention of working for someone else."

Without giving Weber any chance to advise him, Morgan fully activated the magic workshop beneath his feet, and a sky-covering spell suddenly enveloped the sky above Ryudo-ji Temple.

"But..."

“Let’s go. Caster’s meaning is clear.”

Grabbing Weber by the collar, Iskandar leaped onto the Kamui Wheel in mid-air. Looking down at Morgan, Iskandar flicked the reins and left Ryudouji Temple before dawn. Sensing that Iskandar's presence had completely disappeared, Morgan also tore off the magic he had been preparing for a long time.

"Is that Kenneth's student? He looks like he's easy to bully."

"It must be him. They're such a noisy pair. It seems they're the only ones who were kept in the dark. I don't know if it's lucky or unlucky."

Aozaki Aoko's voice echoed in his mind. While chatting with Aozaki Aoko, Morgan checked the barrier outside the mountain gate. Several kilometers away, Red A, standing on the treetop, saw everything that had happened. He caught Morgan's spell that connected the ley lines, and a bead of cold sweat slid down Red A's forehead.

Chapter 65 Kiritsugu Emiya: The Suspect is Me

As an assassin, Kiritsugu Emiya never forgets his professional ethics. Similarly, assassins will try some unconventional methods to achieve their goals. For example, now, after losing his eyesight for gathering intelligence, Kiritsugu Emiya is squatting in front of the television projected by Archer, trying to find some clues from the news in Fuyuki City.

[Our station reports that the port explosion case has been solved today. It was caused by a gas explosion due to worker error, not a terrorist attack. The employee involved was an intern and has been dismissed. The public is urged not to panic. Further investigation is underway...]

The Hyatt Hotel shooting incident is a complete rumor, and no assailant attempted to blow up the building. Experts analyze that the incident was caused by firecrackers igniting methane gas in the sewers. The woman who fell was an employee of XX company who was not properly secured with a safety rope while performing work at height. Both incidents are coincidental. Please do not believe rumors...

[Breaking news from this station: A vicious home invasion robbery occurred last night. The suspect, Kiritsugu Emiya, entered a private residence at gunpoint, took a hostage, and escaped. The case is still under further investigation. The suspect's photo is below. We urge the public to actively report any information. A reward will be given for any valid clues. Report hotline: XXX...]

Upon hearing his name, Kiritsugu Emiya, who was maintaining his weapons, raised his head. He was stunned when he saw the handsome young man with thick eyebrows and big eyes on the wanted poster.

"Caster has been found, but there's a problem."

Before Kiritsugu Emiya could even begin to wonder if he was dreaming, Archer's voice rang in his ears. Stopping his gun-wiping action, Kiritsugu Emiya looked at Archer, whose face was filled with seriousness.

“That Caster, she chose Ryudou-ji Temple as her base. From what I’ve observed, she has probably already integrated the entire Enzo-zan with the Magic Workshop.”

Suddenly standing up, Kiritsugu Emiya dropped the high-precision sniper rifle he had been carefully maintaining to the ground. Looking incredulously at the serious-looking Archer, Kiritsugu Emiya really hoped he was hallucinating.

"Are you sure? The ley lines of Mount Yuanzang aren't so easy to control!"

As Archer slowly nodded, Kiritsugu Emiya's heart sank to the bottom. Knowing the importance of Mount Enzo, Kiritsugu Emiya silently lit a cigarette for himself.

Amidst the swirling smoke, Kiritsugu Emiya began to desperately extract information about Mount Enzo from his mind. As the Master of the Einzbern family, Kiritsugu Emiya knew perfectly well what lay buried beneath Mount Enzo: the Greater Grail, the core of the Holy Grail ritual.

The grand ritual that Einzbern ancestors like Justeza sacrificed themselves to create, and the thought that Caster had completely taken control of Mount Enzo, made Kiritsugu Emiya feel like his scalp was about to split open.

"Hopefully, that Caster didn't discover anything in the mountains..."

Now, Kiritsugu Emiya, who is already at a complete disadvantage, can only hope that the Caster hasn't discovered what's under Mount Enzo. Facing a Caster who can be chosen by the Holy Grail, if the Caster discovers the Greater Grail and tampers with it, Kiritsugu Emiya will truly collapse.

"Archer, have you found any trace of the Lesser Grail in Caster's area?"

"No, Caster's magic is very strong, I didn't get very close."

Through his past of being abandoned, Archer recognized Morgan's identity, but in order not to upset the man in front of him, Archer kept Morgan's identity a secret. The cigarette in his mouth burned out, and after licking his dry lips, Kiritsugu Emiya flicked the cigarette butt in his hand.

"Let's continue monitoring. Besides the Matou family, Caster is the only one who could potentially attack the castle. Oh, and when I have time, I need to go to Mount Enzo. I need information on the Greater Grail."

Nodding, Archer, who had long since become a tool, had no objection to Kiritsugu Emiya's arrangement. His body transformed into spirit particles, and just as Archer's body was about to dissipate, Kiritsugu Emiya added:

"Investigate last night's burglary. I want to know what the perpetrator's motive was."

Without answering Kiritsugu Emiya's question, Archer disappeared into the warehouse in a flash of golden light. Picking up the gun that had fallen to the ground, Kiritsugu Emiya continued to ponder Caster's thoughts with mixed feelings.

Compared to the love story in Fuyuki during the Fifth Holy Grail War, the Fourth Holy Grail War can definitely be described as a Fuyuki battle royale where no one is willing to fight. In the dirty adult world, even though Kenneth has shown the most unusual aspect of this Holy Grail War, apart from Waver, the other magicians who only have themselves in their eyes have no intention of stepping forward.

Aozaki Aoko is Kenneth's trump card. Before this puppet body is destroyed, in order to avoid any underhanded tactics, Aozaki Aoko needs to continuously use the Fifth Law to conceal Kenneth's true form. Similarly, as a nuclear weapon-level existence, Kenneth estimates that if Aozaki Aoko dares to intervene prematurely, he might run into a kind old man who likes to ring bells.

To prevent these guys from lurking until the last day and then throwing a super cool party, Kenneth must weaken the other groups as much as possible before the final battle.

Kenneth knew very well that his opponents were not the other groups in this Holy Grail War. These people were at best elite monsters in front of the BOSS room. When he deviated from the timeline, he had already become an anomaly, and the cleanup mechanism would not allow him to keep jumping around.

Under a strange tacit understanding, the Fourth Holy Grail War became inexplicably calm with Kenneth's intervention. Office workers went about their daily lives, while high school girls, now dressed in spring clothes, added a touch of youthful energy to the surface world, untouched by the harsh realities of society.

Sitting on a bench by the street, watching the passersby, Kenneth's attention was focused on the television in the coffee shop across the street. On the screen, heavily armed police officers were using loudspeakers to persuade the criminals in the warehouse to surrender, while Kiritsugu Emiya, the criminal himself, had his intimidating face frozen on the screen after destroying the remote-controlled car that had infiltrated the warehouse.

As for why the Fuyuki City police were able to find the magician Kiritsugu Emiya much faster than Beika Town, according to a concerned citizen who wished to remain anonymous, he saw a man buying melons this morning who looked extremely similar to the wanted criminal. As a model citizen, the reward was secondary; he felt that any evil should be brought to justice.

All of the above is pure nonsense. In reality, after Aozaki Touko's prosthetic limb was delivered, Kenneth made a cameo appearance as a member of the Chaoyang crowd. Disgusting Emiya Kiritsugu was secondary. Kenneth made a big fuss mainly to test whether Matou Kariya would take action. Rather than an old bug who would do anything to survive, Kenneth preferred his opponent to be a lovelorn young man.

"Matou Kariya, hang in there! You're such a wonderful older brother who was sent to you by the heavens, you must be happy!!"

In the television footage, Kiritsugu Emiya, who has a deep understanding of art, directly detonated the explosives placed around the warehouse. The burst of fire sent nearby police cars flying into the air, and the camera fell to the ground. Amidst screams of pain, Kiritsugu Emiya kicked off the live broadcast.

"Tch, what a ruthless man. Fine, I've achieved my goal. Let's see what you'll do next, Matou Kariya."

Although no trace of Kiritsugu Emiya using magic was captured on camera, Kenneth was very satisfied with Kiritsugu's cooperation. The bigger the commotion, the wider the news would spread, and the faster Kenneth could confirm the truth about Kariya Matou.

Chapter Sixty-Six: Rin Tohsaka's Adventure

Lilith.jpg

He got up, and thanks to the magic, the passersby didn't notice Kenneth, this foreigner with a different style, at all. He swaggered down the streets of Fuyuki City, using himself as bait to lure out a few rats with his good looks.

However, after wandering around for several hours, Kenneth didn't even catch a single Hyakko. Realizing that the Tohsaka and Matou families were planning to remain silent and play dumb, Kenneth, having successfully failed in his mission, completely abandoned the idea of ​​stinging the enemy.

Kenneth waited silently for his magician's report, but he wasn't going to wait any longer. Aozaki Aoko was for high-level games, and before that, Kenneth absolutely had to eliminate the evil forces led by Gilgamesh.

The green traffic light began to flash, and Kenneth, lost in thought, did not notice that the light had turned red. He stepped forward, and at that moment, an unexpected hand landed on Kenneth's shoulder.

"Master, be careful."

With a 'whoosh', the dump truck sped past. Kenneth, who had almost ended up in another world, instinctively took a step back. Realizing that he had almost become part of the dump truck's sales record, a hint of embarrassment appeared on Kenneth's face.

"Thank you, Lancer."

"It's okay, protecting you is my responsibility."

This overflowing boyfriend charm, this overwhelming sense of security—to be honest, if Kenneth's XP wasn't normal, he would have seriously suspected that he had become a seasoned member of the Little Bird Spinning Club after the Holy Grail War. Lost in his thoughts, the trivial matters lingering in Kenneth's mind faded away.

"Then I'll leave the rest to you, Karna."

"I will try my best, Master."

Faced with such a considerate Karna, Kenneth's back straightened up instinctively. Could any other combination have such an obedient Servant? If it had been Tokiomi Tohsaka who did it before, Gilgamesh might have kicked him and cursed him as a bastard, then corrupted Kirei Kotomine in a flash, and had him cremated that very night.

"By the way, Lancer, have you sensed the presence of other Servants? Or perhaps something with magical energy fluctuations?"

Instead of answering Kenneth's question immediately, seemingly to double-check, Kenneth could clearly sense Karna, now in spirit form, flying into the sky through the connection between Master and Servant.

"Nothing unusual was found. I only found some Caster crows nearby."

"I see. I never expected these guys to be so tight-lipped. They don't want to attack me, but they also don't want me to target them. That really fits the old geezer's thinking."