Facing Sakatsuki's relentless questioning, Siegfried forced a faint smile. "I understand. Everything is for the sake of obtaining the Holy Grail, which is why you've devised so many schemes... This is simply how war should be."
"You haven't realized that your reluctance has made your words utterly hollow, Siegfried." Sakatsuki's eyes gleamed with icy light. "It's obvious you're struggling—because in your eyes, I'm nothing but a scheming villain who forced you here through underhanded means, interfering with your promised duel with Karna."
"So you can only deceive yourself to ease your conscience. Deep down, you know there were countless opportunities to kill Karna, yet you convinced yourself not to act."
"Apologies... but I believe there weren't many openings for the Red Lancer in that battle," Siegfried replied.
"Indeed. You think Karna—bereft of his Master, lacking sufficient magical energy, and stripped of his immortality—could hold his own against the Dragon Slayer at his peak, even finding time to unleash his Noble Phantasm right before your eyes. Hmph. Is this the so-called mutual respect between warriors? Or has the legendary Siegfried weakened to the point where he can't even stop such an opponent?"
Siegfried had no rebuttal, and Sakatsuki's words remained sharp and unrelenting.
"As for Karna... hah. Such a noble hero. He trusted you as much as he trusted the spear in his hand. That's why he openly unleashed his Noble Phantasm—he knew you would halt your attack in that moment, willing to defy the contract between Master and Servant for his sake... even at the cost of my wrath."
"...Forgive me." Siegfried's lips pressed into a tight line.
Sakatsuki's words were undeniably true. All Siegfried could offer was this hollow apology. Watching the great hero like this, the cold light in Sakatsuki's eyes faded, like a dying star collapsing inward, leaving behind only an endless, abyssal darkness.
Artoria had been the same. Avicebron had been the same. And now, it was Siegfried's turn. None of this could be blamed on anyone. A Master who defied the natural order would always meet the same fate.
Sakatsuki had long been prepared for this. Yet even so, the Assassin would never abandon the path he had chosen.
"It seems you've come to understand certain truths. In that case, let me offer you some advice." Siegfried had expected brutal punishment—perhaps even being twisted into something else by a Command Spell. But to his surprise, his Master's tone suddenly lightened, as if he had made a decision.
"A Servant must obey their Master's commands—that is the iron law of the Holy Grail War. Yet even so, heroes are different from mere familiars who blindly follow orders. The reason you are called heroes is because of the rare and precious brilliance within you. Perhaps more than the loyalty demanded by war, this is what you should hold onto most."
As he spoke these words, Sakatsuki recalled stories he—or perhaps his original self—had once witnessed.
In the Fourth Holy Grail War, Diarmuid, who had sworn to wield his twin spears for his lord, was still moved by Artoria's nobility and spared the defenseless Kiritsugu Emiya. Even after forming a contract with Sakatsuki to continue his existence, he challenged Artoria to a duel to the death, remaining loyal to his deceased former master Kayneth.
In the original story, Siegfried, who had shown unconditional obedience to his master Gordes, willingly violated their contract to offer his heart to revive the homunculus that had died due to his inaction, saving the newborn who had lived for less than a week.
If Diarmuid were merely a will-less spear, or Siegfried just a silent and merciless sword, these tales wouldn't be so moving, nor would the title of "hero" shine so brightly in memory.
"That is the essence of bearing the name 'hero'—the precious, romantic, and radiant quality that countless people sing praises of. Isn't that more worthy of your adherence and pride than those rigid and stubborn doctrines?"
Siegfried didn't respond. His gaze at Sakatsuki was filled with confusion. These words didn't seem like they should come from a strategist known for his deep cunning, but rather like a soul equally radiant, speaking through the assassin's guise.
—Yet, Sakatsuki's true self didn't emerge. He had merely lent his power to his assassin persona before falling silent again.
"It seems you're still not fully prepared." As the sun set, its orange glow illuminated one side of the young man's face, while the other half was cast in shadow, giving him a contradictory blend of light and darkness. "Time is precious, and I won't wait for you. I hope you'll have an answer that satisfies me by the time I return."
With that, the assassin lifted his black robe and vanished from Siegfried's sight like a hawk beginning its hunt. The silver-haired dragonslayer gazed into the distance, where the low-lying town stretched along the horizon until it merged with the vast twilight.
Dazzling light blurred into a hazy palette before the man's eyes as he stood atop the ancient city wall, quietly observing the unchanging scenery that had endured for centuries, as if time itself had frozen. Strange and surreal images surfaced in his mind—for a long-lived species, the boundaries of time and space were as indistinct as the twilight before him.
"Enjoying the view, Chiron?"
At the familiar voice, the centaur sage turned. For a fleeting moment, he thought he saw a green-haired youth waving and running toward him. The illusion faded, revealing the girl who had ascended the wall in her wheelchair, offering him a serene smile.
"Master..." It took Chiron only a second to shake off his nostalgia, suppressing the surge of emotions beneath his calm demeanor. "Perfect timing. My break is over. We have much to consider regarding the decisive battle tonight."
"Mmm." Fiore, unsuspecting, smiled brightly. "Then I'll rely on you completely, Chiron."
The words felt so familiar, as if someone had once spoken to him with the same sentiment.
Fragments of memory flickered through his mind. Though he knew it was improper, Chiron still paused, then chuckled wryly. "Not at all. I'm merely doing my utmost for victory. Speaking of which, we've reached an agreement with the Red Faction's Father Shirou, correct?"
"Indeed. 'A temporary alliance between Black and Red to completely eliminate the Blue faction'—such a self-enforcing geis scroll was signed," Fiore said. "The Noble Phantasm of Red Assassin, the Hanging Gardens, has altered its course and is now approaching the Black faction's Fortress of Millennia. According to Jeanne d'Arc's spiritual compass, all the Blue faction's Servants are concentrated around Sighișoara."
"So the battlefield has returned to Romania," Chiron mused. "The Holy Grail remains in the hands of the Red faction, and to prevent further losses among the Yggdmillennia bloodline, the Fortress of Millennia absolutely cannot become the final battleground."
"I understand. We've already reached an agreement with Father Amakusa—the battlefield will remain the Hanging Gardens," Fiore replied. "But the question is, how do we lure Sakatsuki and the Blue faction to our stronghold?"
"That's where the Holy Grail comes into play..." Chiron began, but suddenly stopped mid-sentence. He turned his head, gazing intently at a distant point in the vast landscape, his eyes gleaming with an unusual sharpness.
"What is it, Archer?"
"Nothing," Chiron withdrew his gaze and abruptly changed the subject. "I just remembered some traps I set in the forest that need to be dealt with. With your permission, Master, I shall take my leave. You might seek out Rider's Master, Sieg. She should be able to provide the answers you're looking for."
"Ah? Oh..." Fiore nodded, though not entirely comprehending. Before she could say more, Chiron had already leaped off the castle wall and disappeared into the forest without a backward glance.
The light filtered through the leaves, but darkness descended first upon the sage in the woods. Yet Chiron moved like the wind, his centaur's hooves carrying him swiftly through the pitch-black forest, unaffected by the lack of light. Upon closer inspection, one would notice his eyes glowing faintly, and his longbow already in hand—fully armed and ready.
Stopping in a clearing blanketed with fallen leaves, Chiron surveyed his surroundings and called out clearly:
"I've found you. Come out, Sakatsuki!"
No response came. The wind whispered through the trees, and in the prolonged silence, Chiron's nerves relaxed slightly. But in the next instant, a flash of cold light—like a startled swan—grazed his cheek before vanishing behind him without a trace.
"So you've come." Having dodged the ambush, Chiron remained vigilant. He swiftly stepped back, pressing himself against a tree, and activated his Archer-class 'Clairvoyance,' scanning the area like radar.
Then he caught sight of golden arcs of electricity dancing around him, forming an invisible electromagnetic field in all directions. From prismatic spaces, weapons emerged one after another, their cold edges glinting as electromagnetic forces adjusted their trajectories. One by one, their sharpest points aligned toward Chiron's body.
Hidden in the shadows, a young man monitored the scene through a magical screen. A faint smirk curled his lips as he raised his arm. In an instant, a dazzling meteor shower erupted among the trees—swords, spears, axes, halberds, hooks, and forks—every conceivable weapon transformed into 'arrows.' With a terrifying hum, they surged from all directions, cutting through the darkness in rapid streaks, homing in on the unsuspecting sage.
The assassination had begun.