Kaboom!
"!"
"T-that... that was..."
Observing the terrifying explosion through his familiar, Waver stammered, unable to form a complete sentence.
It was the first time he had witnessed someone so utterly insane.
Even knowing he would die, the man had shown no fear or hesitation. Instead, he had executed the order with the fanatical zeal of a religious devotee.
Rider's magecraft... the efficacy was truly terrifying.
Swallowing hard, Waver turned to look at Risei Kotomine beside him. Far from showing any grief, the old man wore an expression of relief, even pride.
"He successfully completed the mission entrusted to him by His Majesty..."
Just as Waver had suspected, Risei wasn't merely unbothered; he was actually smiling.
"Ah, he served me loyally."
"The execution was flawless."
The corners of his mouth curving up unconsciously, Lelouch felt an urge to laugh aloud.
This sensation of holding the entire board in his hand... it reminded him of his time as "Zero" commanding the Black Knights.
"Tokiomi Tohsaka shouldn't know about this yet."
"However, even if he did, it wouldn't change anything."
"This war... has already entered its final sprint."
This splendid situation was something Lelouch hadn't initially anticipated.
Originally, he had only counted on Kirei Kotomine to cause some trouble for Kiritsugu Emiya—ideally injuring him to create an opening.
When Assassin lost to Saber, Lelouch had thought that part of the plan had failed.
He hadn't expected Kirei to deliver such a massive surprise at the very end.
Hiding a bomb on his own body, triggering it only at close range after death...
Two factions wiped out in a mutually assured destruction.
In one fell swoop, Lelouch had lost the headache of dealing with Saber.
Using the power of "Geass" to manipulate the Kotomine father and son had yielded an overwhelming advantage.
It was truly delightful!
"Now, we wait."
"Wait for the prey to take the bait."
"Yes!"
Bowing deeply, Risei Kotomine retreated from the room.
"Waver, remember to have your familiar retrieve the Dragon Ball from Kiritsugu Emiya's body."
"Eh?"
"Rider, aren't we leaving?"
Glancing at Lelouch, who had settled comfortably back onto the bed, Waver put away his fearful expression and asked in confusion.
"There is no need. We simply need to rest here until Archer and Berserker decide the victor between them."
Knowing Waver was full of questions, Lelouch offered a brief explanation.
"Huh?"
Hearing this, Waver became even more bewildered.
Why was Rider so certain that Archer and Berserker would fight each other first?
"Whether Berserker wants to or not, Archer will definitely go find him once he has recovered."
"After all, the nuisances have already been swept away."
The plan had already formed a closed loop in his mind; Lelouch only needed to wait quietly.
"But aren't we still here? Archer might come to attack us first."
Unable to keep up with Lelouch's line of thinking, Waver couldn't understand why Rider made such a judgment.
"He won't."
"That Oldest King... Gilgamesh."
"He looks down on me."
Recalling the other party's arrogant attitude and expression, Lelouch wasn't worried in the slightest.
"As long as I don't actively hinder him, he will treat me as nothing more than trash to be cleaned up at his leisure."
"It sounds a bit shameful, but that is the reality."
"Precisely because he believes he can kill me effortlessly, he won't prioritize me. Instead, he will actively seek out Berserker to settle their previous score."
Spreading his hands, Lelouch put on an indifferent, relaxed appearance.
His relieved expression made Waver think he had given up, but his tone suggested otherwise.
"You can't possibly be hoping they'll kill each other too, right?"
Waver guessed hesitantly. Surely such good fortune couldn't happen a second time?
"It doesn't matter. We only need to hope Archer wins."
"?!"
"Eeehhh?!"
Looking at Lelouch's leisurely expression, Waver took a few seconds to process this before crying out in shock.
"That's not entirely correct. Whether he wins isn't the key; what matters is that he forces Berserker to retreat."
Correcting his phrasing slightly, Lelouch picked up the tea from the side table.
"Retreat... Could it be!"
Hearing this, Waver suddenly recalled the critical intelligence they had received from Kirei Kotomine earlier.
Berserker's Master is only six years old...
Logically, it should be impossible for her to support a Servant's consumption.
All this time, Berserker must have been burning his own magical energy to act.
"In other words, you didn't cut off the leyline supplying Archer earlier because you wanted him to pin down Berserker, who lacks staying power?"
Suddenly realizing the strategy, Waver had an epiphany.
"That Noble Phantasm Archer used before... he will definitely use it against Berserker as well."
"However, it's useless to say more now."
"We still have to wait for them to fight and see the result."
Looking up at the ceiling, Lelouch wasn't entirely optimistic.
Although victory seemed close at hand, this final step was like a chasm.
The duel between Berserker and Archer would determine whether he won or lost.
As for plotting against Berserker's Master... that might be a bit difficult.
...
"Is that so? Kirei is dead..."
Tokiomi Tohsaka received the contact from Risei Kotomine, his mood incredibly subtle.
A disciple dying should have been a heartbreaking event.
But upon learning that Kiritsugu Emiya had also died, he breathed a sigh of relief instead.
At least Kirei hadn't died in vain.
"Then, where are the Dragon Balls belonging to Kiritsugu Emiya and Kirei?"
Tokiomi hadn't forgotten the crucial items.
Lancer and Caster's Dragon Balls were already being kept in custody by the Church.
"We found Kiritsugu Emiya's Dragon Ball, but Kirei's was not discovered?"
"How is that possible?"
"Could there be a mistake? Perhaps Kiritsugu Emiya hid it?"
"No, that is indeed Kiritsugu Emiya's Dragon Ball, as it only has one star."
"Kirei's had two stars."
This piece of news alerted Tokiomi that something was wrong.
How could such an important item disappear? Was it hidden?
But even so, Kirei should have informed his father, Risei, and his teacher, Tokiomi, beforehand.
The thought that Kirei might have been hiding something from him made Tokiomi's heart sink.
"Right, leave the Dragon Ball aside for now."
"I have a very critical piece of intelligence to tell you."
Risei Kotomine's words snapped Tokiomi back to reality. He waited quietly for the follow-up.
What important intelligence could there be at this stage?
Could it be related to Berserker's Master?
If that were the case, it might actually be—
"Berserker's Master... appears to be the daughter you sent to the Matou family."
When Risei revealed that news, Tokiomi froze completely.
His mouth hung slightly open, his pupils dilating. A rare look of pure shock appeared on the adult man's face.
It was perhaps the first time he had lost his composure so thoroughly.
This news was far heavier than hearing of his disciple Kirei's death just moments ago.
"Could... could there be a mistake?"
Asking the same question again, Tokiomi's voice trembled slightly.
The daughter sent to the Matou family... that would be "Sakura".
But why would she be a Master?!
What on earth was going on with this world?