In the following days, Scáthach stayed in the workshop, tending to her injuries while crafting charging, and carrying devices for her Noble Phantasms. Lancelot was stationed in the first-floor living room, on standby, prepared for any potential intruders. Shinji and Kariya spent their days monopolizing the training grounds. Shinji practiced throwing Indra Vajra, exploring various techniques, and even had the audacious idea of using the "Divine Spear Bow Sword" (Slingshot) to launch Indra Vajra from a distance. Kariya familiarized himself with Ishtar's battle spear, preparing it as a trump card for his confrontation with Tokiomi.
Seeing his uncle working so hard, Shinji couldn't bear to tell him that Tokiomi might die soon.
"What? Did I forget something that needs to be addressed?"
"No, the best course of action for the two captives at the moment is to keep them under soft confinement. Although Scáthach removed the command seals from Sola's hand, both Kenneth and Sola need some time to contemplate the situation and face reality. Shinji also doesn't plan on revealing his plans and bait right now; everything will be discussed after the Holy Grail War is over."
Just when Shinji finally managed to figure out the technique for projecting Indra Vajra, a message arrived from Justeaze.
"Tokiomi Tohsaka and Irisviel are meeting tonight at the church. It seems he intends to ally with Saber's faction."
This news was within Shinji's expectations, considering the plot and current circumstances. It wasn't difficult to see that Tokiomi was starting to lose his composure.
Tokiomi's greatest reliance was Archer's powerful Noble Phantasm, not only the "Treasure of the King" but also an extraordinary EX-ranked Noble Phantasm that surpassed Saber's "Excalibur." Tokiomi always believed that this power was unique to Archer, which is why he tolerated Archer's capriciousness and served him with the utmost loyalty. However, the latest information revealed that Rider also possessed an EX-ranked Noble Phantasm, just like Archer. This revelation made Tokiomi unable to sit still.
Although Tokiomi didn't think Archer would lose to Rider, the Holy Grail War wasn't a battle between only two Servants. The other Servants also posed considerable threats, such as Saber, who had already demonstrated the power of "Excalibur," and Assassin, who remained elusive and had yet to reveal her trump card.
To minimize uncertainties and secure the final victory, it was natural to consider forming an alliance.
Tokiomi marked Rider as a target for elimination, and he still hadn't found Assassin's hiding place. As for Berserker... Tokiomi had always looked down on Kariya, and Kariya's previous actions had severed any possibility of allying with them. That left only Saber.
Allying with Saber's camp had several advantages:
First, it seemed that Archer had his eyes on Saber, so he wouldn't oppose this proposal.
Secondly, the Einzbern family's homunculi are not adept at scheming and have a relatively good reputation.
Thirdly, as the "Three Families" who constructed the Holy Grail system together, they have closer ties than outsiders.
Fourthly, Saber has already revealed her trump card, and with Archer's strength, dealing with her wouldn't be too difficult.
Of course, this is Tokiomi's perspective. He doesn't know that Emiya Kiritsugu is Saber's true Master, nor does he know about the alternate use of Saber's scabbard. In the end, his plans may not work out as he intends...
Well, even before the end, Tokiomi's plans never got off the ground.
Irisviel, who presented herself as a fragile figure, displayed astonishing aggressiveness during her conversation with Tokiomi. Every word she uttered was sharp and intimidating.
The result of their heated exchange was that the alliance turned into a non-aggression pact until the other Masters were defeated, with two additional conditions.
The first condition was that Tokiomi's side would disclose information about the Rider and Assassin factions.
To this day, Kiritsugu has not obtained any information about these two factions, and the revelation that Assassin exposed Irisviel carrying "Avalon" raised the threat level of the Assassin faction to the highest degree for Kiritsugu.
However, despite having the resources of the landowners and the Church, Tokiomi has no information about the Assassin faction. Neither Irisviel nor the Assassin Master has registered for battle at the Fuyuki Church, and everything about them remains a mystery.
As for the information on the Rider faction, Tokiomi obtained it through Kirei Kotomine and shared it with Irisviel.
The second condition was that Kirei Kotomine must leave Japan, and he must depart immediately the next morning. This man posed too great a threat to Kiritsugu, to the extent that Irisviel had to resort to any means necessary to keep him away from Kiritsugu.
Although Tokiomi found this request somewhat unexpected, he did not find it unacceptable. Kirei Kotomine, as an assistant and student, had already lost half of his value when he lost his Command Seals two years ago. The remaining value, after gathering information on the other Masters, was also minimal. Tokiomi, who followed the elegant and dignified principles of a proper magus, never thought of using his student as a substitute combatant to hunt down other magi. As long as he could obtain favorable conditions by trading the last remaining value, there was no reason not to agree.
Tokiomi's bargaining chip was: within Fuyuki City, Saber is prohibited from using "Excalibur of the Promised Victory," and even outside the city limits, she cannot cause direct or indirect harm to civilian residences. Supervisor, Father Risei died unexpectedly yesterday, and his son, Kirei Kotomine, has taken over the role of supervisor. Driving away from the supervisor would make post-war cleanup difficult, so large-scale destruction must be prevented.
This request was both reasonable and practical. Saber herself did not want to cause widespread destruction, and in the end, Irisviel agreed to Tokiomi's exchange conditions, thus achieving a temporary non-aggression pact.
Upon hearing the subsequent report from Justeaze, Shinji's lips curled into a distinct cold smile and mockery.
Tokiomi's act of allying wasn't wrong in itself; the mistake lay in his failure to consider the opinion of Kirei Kotomine, who was present and one of the conditions. In the middle of it all, Kirei, influenced by Gilgamesh's manipulation and the revelation that he had lost his Servant but was once again bestowed with Command Seals by the Holy Grail, gradually realized his true nature. He didn't want to withdraw from the Holy Grail War at that point. Tokiomi's decision became the catalyst for a complete rupture between master and disciple.
Just a few hours before leaving, during the opportunity to bid farewell to Tokiomi, Kirei seized the chance and stabbed Tokiomi from behind with the magic dagger Tokiomi had just given him, the so-called "Treasured Tool for Masters" that had been planned between the two of them, catching Tokiomi completely off guard. Tokiomi died without ever believing that someone could kill him under the protection of Gilgamesh.
Afterward, Kirei formed a contract with the now Master-less Gilgamesh and became the mastermind behind the two consecutive Holy Grail Wars, orchestrating the tragic events of the Tohsaka family and the Einzbern family.
Nowadays, although Kirei was not granted Command Seals by the Holy Grail, Command Seals can be stolen. In the depiction of the Fifth Holy Grail War, Kirei seized Bazett's Command Seals by cutting off Bazett's arm. As long as Gilgamesh remains interested in Kirei and continues to manipulate him, there is still a great possibility for Kirei to kill Tokiomi and seize his Command Seals, becoming the final participant. Kirei's previous actions also showed signs of heading in that direction.
Shinji had sufficient reason to believe that Tokiomi would meet his end in frustration, just as described in the book. Although he felt a little sorry for Sakura, Shinji had already decided to stand by and do nothing. In his view, it might be good if something happened to Tokiomi. However, the essence of being a proper magus caused Tokiomi to make a series of mistakes that directly and indirectly harmed his wife and two daughters. Shinji didn't want to bother saving a person he disliked, and if Tokiomi didn't die, how would Kariya ever have a chance?
Once Tokiomi died, Kariya could naturally take advantage of the situation and be by Aoi's side, comforting and taking care of her. Then, he could find an opportunity to kill the two culprits, Gilgamesh and Kirei, in front of Aoi. How could Aoi not be moved by that? After Aoi married him, Rin and Sakura would happily become sisters, and as their stepfather, Kariya would love the two daughters even more than Tokiomi did. Everyone would be happy.
With these thoughts in mind, Shinji fell into a deep sleep. He had a dream where Aoi and Kariya held a wedding ceremony, and he argued with Rin about who was the eldest in the family. They nearly got into a fight on the spot, with Sakura holding onto her brother with one hand and her sister with the other, not knowing which side to stand on. The entire Matou family was filled with a joyful atmosphere.
As he woke up from the dream, the sky was already bright, and then...
He received a message from Justeaze.
Kirei Kotomine boarded the 6 a.m. flight to Europe, and Tokiomi watched him leave.
Shinji was stunned for three seconds, then he fell directly from the bed and cursed loudly:
"What the fxxk! Wasn't Tokiomi supposed to die?"
====
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In the following days, Scáthach stayed in the workshop, tending to her injuries while crafting charging, and carrying devices for her Noble Phantasms. Lancelot was stationed in the first-floor living room, on standby, prepared for any potential intruders. Shinji and Kariya spent their days monopolizing the training grounds. Shinji practiced throwing Indra Vajra, exploring various techniques, and even had the audacious idea of using the "Divine Spear Bow Sword" (Slingshot) to launch Indra Vajra from a distance. Kariya familiarized himself with Ishtar's battle spear, preparing it as a trump card for his confrontation with Tokiomi.
Seeing his uncle working so hard, Shinji couldn't bear to tell him that Tokiomi might die soon.
"What? Did I forget something that needs to be addressed?"
"No, the best course of action for the two captives at the moment is to keep them under soft confinement. Although Scáthach removed the command seals from Sola's hand, both Kenneth and Sola need some time to contemplate the situation and face reality. Shinji also doesn't plan on revealing his plans and bait right now; everything will be discussed after the Holy Grail War is over."
Just when Shinji finally managed to figure out the technique for projecting Indra Vajra, a message arrived from Justeaze.
"Tokiomi Tohsaka and Irisviel are meeting tonight at the church. It seems he intends to ally with Saber's faction."
This news was within Shinji's expectations, considering the plot and current circumstances. It wasn't difficult to see that Tokiomi was starting to lose his composure.
Tokiomi's greatest reliance was Archer's powerful Noble Phantasm, not only the "Treasure of the King" but also an extraordinary EX-ranked Noble Phantasm that surpassed Saber's "Excalibur." Tokiomi always believed that this power was unique to Archer, which is why he tolerated Archer's capriciousness and served him with the utmost loyalty. However, the latest information revealed that Rider also possessed an EX-ranked Noble Phantasm, just like Archer. This revelation made Tokiomi unable to sit still.
Although Tokiomi didn't think Archer would lose to Rider, the Holy Grail War wasn't a battle between only two Servants. The other Servants also posed considerable threats, such as Saber, who had already demonstrated the power of "Excalibur," and Assassin, who remained elusive and had yet to reveal her trump card.
To minimize uncertainties and secure the final victory, it was natural to consider forming an alliance.
Tokiomi marked Rider as a target for elimination, and he still hadn't found Assassin's hiding place. As for Berserker... Tokiomi had always looked down on Kariya, and Kariya's previous actions had severed any possibility of allying with them. That left only Saber.
Allying with Saber's camp had several advantages:
First, it seemed that Archer had his eyes on Saber, so he wouldn't oppose this proposal.
Secondly, the Einzbern family's homunculi are not adept at scheming and have a relatively good reputation.
Thirdly, as the "Three Families" who constructed the Holy Grail system together, they have closer ties than outsiders.
Fourthly, Saber has already revealed her trump card, and with Archer's strength, dealing with her wouldn't be too difficult.
Of course, this is Tokiomi's perspective. He doesn't know that Emiya Kiritsugu is Saber's true Master, nor does he know about the alternate use of Saber's scabbard. In the end, his plans may not work out as he intends...
Well, even before the end, Tokiomi's plans never got off the ground.
Irisviel, who presented herself as a fragile figure, displayed astonishing aggressiveness during her conversation with Tokiomi. Every word she uttered was sharp and intimidating.
The result of their heated exchange was that the alliance turned into a non-aggression pact until the other Masters were defeated, with two additional conditions.
The first condition was that Tokiomi's side would disclose information about the Rider and Assassin factions.
To this day, Kiritsugu has not obtained any information about these two factions, and the revelation that Assassin exposed Irisviel carrying "Avalon" raised the threat level of the Assassin faction to the highest degree for Kiritsugu.
However, despite having the resources of the landowners and the Church, Tokiomi has no information about the Assassin faction. Neither Irisviel nor the Assassin Master has registered for battle at the Fuyuki Church, and everything about them remains a mystery.
As for the information on the Rider faction, Tokiomi obtained it through Kirei Kotomine and shared it with Irisviel.
The second condition was that Kirei Kotomine must leave Japan, and he must depart immediately the next morning. This man posed too great a threat to Kiritsugu, to the extent that Irisviel had to resort to any means necessary to keep him away from Kiritsugu.
Although Tokiomi found this request somewhat unexpected, he did not find it unacceptable. Kirei Kotomine, as an assistant and student, had already lost half of his value when he lost his Command Seals two years ago. The remaining value, after gathering information on the other Masters, was also minimal. Tokiomi, who followed the elegant and dignified principles of a proper magus, never thought of using his student as a substitute combatant to hunt down other magi. As long as he could obtain favorable conditions by trading the last remaining value, there was no reason not to agree.
Tokiomi's bargaining chip was: within Fuyuki City, Saber is prohibited from using "Excalibur of the Promised Victory," and even outside the city limits, she cannot cause direct or indirect harm to civilian residences. Supervisor, Father Risei died unexpectedly yesterday, and his son, Kirei Kotomine, has taken over the role of supervisor. Driving away from the supervisor would make post-war cleanup difficult, so large-scale destruction must be prevented.
This request was both reasonable and practical. Saber herself did not want to cause widespread destruction, and in the end, Irisviel agreed to Tokiomi's exchange conditions, thus achieving a temporary non-aggression pact.
Upon hearing the subsequent report from Justeaze, Shinji's lips curled into a distinct cold smile and mockery.
Tokiomi's act of allying wasn't wrong in itself; the mistake lay in his failure to consider the opinion of Kirei Kotomine, who was present and one of the conditions. In the middle of it all, Kirei, influenced by Gilgamesh's manipulation and the revelation that he had lost his Servant but was once again bestowed with Command Seals by the Holy Grail, gradually realized his true nature. He didn't want to withdraw from the Holy Grail War at that point. Tokiomi's decision became the catalyst for a complete rupture between master and disciple.
Just a few hours before leaving, during the opportunity to bid farewell to Tokiomi, Kirei seized the chance and stabbed Tokiomi from behind with the magic dagger Tokiomi had just given him, the so-called "Treasured Tool for Masters" that had been planned between the two of them, catching Tokiomi completely off guard. Tokiomi died without ever believing that someone could kill him under the protection of Gilgamesh.
Afterward, Kirei formed a contract with the now Master-less Gilgamesh and became the mastermind behind the two consecutive Holy Grail Wars, orchestrating the tragic events of the Tohsaka family and the Einzbern family.
Nowadays, although Kirei was not granted Command Seals by the Holy Grail, Command Seals can be stolen. In the depiction of the Fifth Holy Grail War, Kirei seized Bazett's Command Seals by cutting off Bazett's arm. As long as Gilgamesh remains interested in Kirei and continues to manipulate him, there is still a great possibility for Kirei to kill Tokiomi and seize his Command Seals, becoming the final participant. Kirei's previous actions also showed signs of heading in that direction.
Shinji had sufficient reason to believe that Tokiomi would meet his end in frustration, just as described in the book. Although he felt a little sorry for Sakura, Shinji had already decided to stand by and do nothing. In his view, it might be good if something happened to Tokiomi. However, the essence of being a proper magus caused Tokiomi to make a series of mistakes that directly and indirectly harmed his wife and two daughters. Shinji didn't want to bother saving a person he disliked, and if Tokiomi didn't die, how would Kariya ever have a chance?
Once Tokiomi died, Kariya could naturally take advantage of the situation and be by Aoi's side, comforting and taking care of her. Then, he could find an opportunity to kill the two culprits, Gilgamesh and Kirei, in front of Aoi. How could Aoi not be moved by that? After Aoi married him, Rin and Sakura would happily become sisters, and as their stepfather, Kariya would love the two daughters even more than Tokiomi did. Everyone would be happy.
With these thoughts in mind, Shinji fell into a deep sleep. He had a dream where Aoi and Kariya held a wedding ceremony, and he argued with Rin about who was the eldest in the family. They nearly got into a fight on the spot, with Sakura holding onto her brother with one hand and her sister with the other, not knowing which side to stand on. The entire Matou family was filled with a joyful atmosphere.
As he woke up from the dream, the sky was already bright, and then...
He received a message from Justeaze.
Kirei Kotomine boarded the 6 a.m. flight to Europe, and Tokiomi watched him leave.
Shinji was stunned for three seconds, then he fell directly from the bed and cursed loudly:
"What the fxxk! Wasn't Tokiomi supposed to die?"
====
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