"What did you say...?" Kirei Kotomine froze, momentarily convinced he'd misheard. Berserker's Master was Tohsaka's own daughter?
His shock was understandable. Tokiomi Tohsaka's daughters were barely more than children. The eldest, Rin, was only seven. The youngest, Sakura, who had been sent to the Matou family, was only six.
No matter how he analyzed the situation, the idea that a six-year-old was providing the massive magical energy required to sustain a rule-breaking powerhouse like Berserker was preposterous. Even for the Tohsaka lineage, a child of that age shouldn't have the foundation or the knowledge to participate in a Holy Grail War.
"Unbelievable?" Gilgamesh noted, thoroughly enjoying Kirei's reaction. "And yet, it is the truth. He sent his second daughter to the Matous, did he not?"
"Matou... Sakura," Kirei murmured, the name echoing in his mind. He hadn't expected to hear such explosive news from the King of Heroes. His mentor's own child was the mysterious wildcard. The irony was almost overwhelming. He could only imagine the expression on Tokiomi's face when he finally discovered the truth. It would be a masterpiece.
Kirei quickly checked his impulse to laugh. "Why tell me this?" he asked, regaining his composure. Sharing such critical intelligence so casually felt... irregular.
"It makes no difference whether you tell him or not," Gilgamesh said, leaning back and taking a sip of wine. "One thing is certain: no matter what petty tricks you mongrels use, none of you are a match for Berserker. Only I have the right to slay him."
Kirei remained silent. He knew better than to doubt the King's assessment of power. "Understood."
As he left the room, Kirei contacted Assassin. He was already beginning to recalibrate his plans. This new information changed everything.
"Mn. If he is to be my opponent, he will at least satisfy my status," Gilgamesh whispered to the ceiling.
Ea, the Sword of Rupture—the blade capable of severing the world itself. Gilgamesh had assumed he would have no need for it in this conflict, but the situation had evolved. An 'Unknown Savior' was a worthy catalyst for its release. Through the insight of Sha Naqba Imuru, the fog was finally clearing. To be a hero who had saved a world... that was a status that commanded respect even from the King of Heroes.
Kirei's earlier 'tribute' of concentrated mana would allow Gilgamesh to operate at full capacity. The pieces were finally in place.
"The finale approaches!" Gilgamesh declared, splashing the remains of his wine across the map. The red liquid stained the parchment, obscuring the battlefield. "Mongrels, give me a performance I won't forget!"
...
"Lancer is still missing from our scans," Waver reported, scanning the ground from their position in the sky. "Did she manage to mask her presence completely?"
Lelouch looked at the youth standing beside him on the Knightmare's shoulder. "You've grown remarkably calm."
"Don't make a big deal of it! I'm still terrified," Waver admitted. Even though the Knightmare was stable, the sheer altitude made his legs weak. Yet, he refused to retreat into the cockpit. He wanted to see the world from this height. "But... it really is beautiful."
The city under the night sky was a tapestry of lights, a view that was impossible for an ordinary magus to witness. Lelouch, however, wasn't focused on the beauty. He was assessing the urban layout. Most of the city was too densely populated for his usual 'floor-flipping' tactics. Relying on raw Knightmare power alone might be insufficient against the city's other legends.
Beep! Beep!! A sharp tone pulled Waver from his thoughts. He scrambled to pull the communication device from his pocket. "Hello? Emiya? I see. Got it."
He hung up and turned to Lelouch. "Saber and her Master think they've found Lancer's hideout."
Lelouch remained motionless. "Let them handle it. We have another destination."
"Wait, we aren't going?" Waver asked, confused. He couldn't imagine anything more pressing than the hunt for Lancer.
Lelouch began walking toward the cockpit. "That direction... Rider?" Waver realized they weren't heading for the shopping district. They were heading directly for the Church.
...
"Kiritsugu?"
"Don't be in such a hurry," Kiritsugu said, stopping Saber before she could step out. They were waiting at a corner near the suspected hideout.
"Are we waiting for Rider's team?"
Kiritsugu leaned against the wall, his face looking more hollow and haggard than usual. "We don't need to lead the charge. Let Assassin or Rider take the first strike. I have a feeling something isn't right here. I need to observe."
His hand moved habitually toward his pocket, then stopped. "You haven't smoked lately," Saber noted.
"I'm quitting," Kiritsugu replied simply.
"I see..." Saber felt a small sense of relief. The man she followed seemed to finally be making a change. She turned back to the objective, ready for whatever came next. "Do you think you can succeed, Saber?" Kiritsugu asked.
"With you as my Master? You've always lived this way, haven't you? If anyone can succeed, it's you."