"Just like this?"
"Consider the contract established."
"I'm afraid no one expected such a connection to form between Servants."
In the deserted park, Jonouchi and Kyoko Sakura finally achieved the ideal state.
Soul Relay. It was supposed to be a card used in Duel Monsters to change the Duelist's defeat condition. But now, Jonouchi utilized it on the "Servant" Kyoko Sakura.
"Not only has the magical energy stopped dissipating, but there is even room for recovery."
Able to faintly feel the magical energy no longer decaying, Kyoko Sakura was very surprised.
"This is good for both of us."
"At least we won't be troubled by self-destruction later, and we even have spare energy to store magical energy to continue fighting."
Finally solving the necessary problem, Jonouchi was also much more relaxed. His continuously dropping Life Points also stagnated and then began to increase.
"But isn't there a price?"
"If your machine is destroyed or I die..."
Looking at the machine on Jonouchi's arm, Kyoko Sakura then spoke.
"So the two of us actually count as one life."
"To continue, we can only look after each other."
Not tangling over what would happen later, Jonouchi was frank. The effect of Soul Relay was "permanent."
That is to say, as long as Kyoko Sakura didn't die, Jonouchi wouldn't "exit" even if his magical energy was exhausted without a Master. Conversely, Kyoko Sakura was the same. As long as Jonouchi was still alive, she wouldn't be troubled by the distress of having no Master and could maintain magical energy recovery to fight in a "Masterless" state.
It could only be said that both sides achieved each other.
"Kyoko Sakura, Magical Girl."
"Jonouchi Katsuya, Duelist."
"What kind of strange profession is that!"
"What kind of strange profession is that!!"
"Pfft!"
Exchanging titles, both couldn't help but laugh.
"Since it has come to this, please take care of me from now on, Sakura."
"Just call me Kyoko."
"No, that's the same as a classmate I know; it's a bit strange."
"Is that so?"
"Just call me Jonouchi."
"Oh."
Communicating very familiarly, there were completely no petty thoughts of adults between the two. To describe it in others' words, it was Lancer and Caster forming an alliance on their own, right? As for who the wish would belong to if the two really made it to the end of this war, they didn't mind right now.
Talk about it when that time comes! Looking at each other, both had this attitude and meaning in their hearts. Perhaps this was the so-called "fate." Meeting at the right time, right place, and making the right choice.
...
"Ugh!" Just returning to the Tohsaka mansion, clutching his injured part, Kirei Kotomine saw the mess inside.
"That King seems angry."
Standing aside, still holding the divine "Kusanagi-no-Tsurugi," Kenshin judged the situation inside.
"Summoning him back without permission, given Gilgamesh's personality, he must be full of displeasure."
"My teacher really doesn't learn his lesson..."
"He doesn't understand the ways of the world at all."
Talking about this point, Kirei Kotomine raised the corners of his mouth slightly. Compared to the him in the past who had no desires and only acted as a "good baby," Tokiomi Tohsaka, as a teacher, was simply a "clown" in his eyes now, constantly enabling him to comprehend new "jokes" and joy.
To be honest, he hadn't thought about how there could be such a handling attitude. Servants were not ordinary familiars; others also had their own thoughts and philosophies. Going against the Servant with the Master's ideas, it was obvious who would suffer, right?
Not saying to follow the other party, but at least maintain surface harmony. Only when Master and Servant were of one mind could it be possible to win in the cruel struggle.
And on the stage where that King was enjoying himself, to interrupt and stop him without permission... Gilgamesh, known as the "King of Heroes," not turning Tokiomi Tohsaka into a sieve on the spot was already considered the King's mercy.
In history, wasn't it obvious what happened to those subjects who made the Emperor or King unhappy? Command Spells? That wasn't omnipotent either...
"Don't touch bad luck at this time."
When a superior was furious, it was best to avoid them. So Kirei Kotomine didn't intend to contact Tokiomi Tohsaka at this time. If he aroused the dissatisfaction of that King, the loss would outweigh the gain.
For the subsequent war, he and Assassin still had to rely on the power of this King to settle it.
"Assassin, I have a task for you next."
"Be sure to complete it; maybe we can use it later."
Taking a map out of the drawer and handing it to Kenshin, Kirei Kotomine spoke.
"Mn?" Taking the map, Kenshin saw the text marked on it. "This is..."
...
"Maiya and Irisviel died?" Just meeting with Kiritsugu Emiya, Saber heard the worst news.
Pupils trembling.JPG! She couldn't figure out how this trip out turned into such a "total loss." It was one thing not to save Iri, but Maiya was also lost.
"..." Bandaged up, Kiritsugu Emiya remained silent, finding it hard to say anything. This time was a big defeat for him. Now, except for the Servant, he really had nothing.
"Then do you continue to fight next, or is it for the previous ideal?" Looking at the lonely man in front of her, Saber knew his heart actually felt bad.
"Of course..."
"Do you have no personal selfish desire at all?" Saber found it hard to imagine Kiritsugu Emiya being able to persist like this. The death of his wife and assistant still wouldn't shake him?
"If I give up here, then Iri and Maiya's sacrifice will be in vain."
Answering rarely, Kiritsugu lit the cigarette dangling from his lips. How could he not understand the metaphor in Saber's words? If the Dragon Balls could really grant wishes, then bringing the dead back to life wasn't impossible.
In that case, both the dead Iri and Maiya could return. But the price was that the grand wish of "World Peace" he envisioned couldn't be realized. That was undoubtedly a wish that could only be realized through a "miracle."
A long-cherished wish absolutely impossible to complete by an individual alone. In front of personal happiness, Kiritsugu would choose the happiness of the whole world. An ideal land without war, without harm, without dispute.
Pursuing the greater self, sacrificing the lesser self... This was Kiritsugu Emiya's wish.
"Will you be satisfied like this?"
"Will you be happy like this?"
"Will Illya be happy like this too?"
Asked by Saber like this, what greeted her was silence. She could see that this man wasn't as tough as he said.
"Don't say it..."
"Don't continue."
"Saber."
Recalling his daughter Illya's smiling face, Kiritsugu wavered after all. He himself knew very well that he, who could always make the choice of "keeping the big and abandoning the small" in the past, still couldn't completely cut it off.
"I will wait for your answer."
"No matter what the end is, I will swing my sword to grant your wish."
Saber, who was already "liberated," no longer had the previous obsession over the Grail. The only thing remaining was the goal of fulfilling the wish for her Master. As a Servant summoned...