Judging by Kariya Matou's reaction, Kiritsugu Emiya doubted he even understood the implications of participating in the Holy Grail War. If their positions were reversed, Kiritsugu would have immediately used a Command Spell to summon Saber for protection. But Kariya… he seemed utterly unconcerned by Kiritsugu's presence, his guard completely down. A single bullet would end him… The thought flickered through Kiritsugu's mind. He quickly dismissed it. Until Archer was eliminated, Berserker was essential. He didn't know of any other Servant capable of matching Archer.
Besides, Kariya's naiveté made him the perfect ally. Once Archer and Tokiomi Tohsaka were out of the picture, Kiritsugu was confident he could kill Kariya in an instant.
"Don't worry, Kariya. I mean you no harm." To demonstrate his sincerity, Kiritsugu placed his pistol on the ground and raised his hands. He was careful to keep his gloved right hand hidden, concealing the Command Spells on its back.
"Who are you?" Seeing Kiritsugu's gesture, Kariya relaxed slightly and repeated his question.
"I am Kiritsugu Emiya, Irisviel von Einzbern's husband. I've come on her behalf." He saw no reason to reveal his connection to Saber.
"Irisviel's husband?" Kariya glanced at Kiritsugu, then at Saber, who was still fighting Ailin at the port. He took a few steps back, his back hitting the balcony wall. Despite Kiritsugu's seemingly peaceful gesture, Kariya's body tensed. Visible bumps rippled under his skin as Crest Worms wriggled within, ready to unleash their power.
"What do you want?"
"I've come to propose an alliance."
Having made his decision, Kiritsugu suppressed the desire for revenge that had simmered within him since Maiya's death. Until Archer was dealt with, he would maintain this façade. Once Archer was eliminated, he would avenge Maiya.
Berserker was strong, undeniably so. But Saber's performance so far suggested she could hold him off long enough for Kiritsugu to kill Kariya. And without a Master's magical energy, Berserker would be forced to return to the Throne of Heroes.
"An alliance?" Kariya was momentarily stunned, then he understood. The victor of the Holy Grail War could have a wish granted by the Grail. Both Servants and Masters had their own desires. And in a "war," alliances between the weaker parties against a stronger opponent were commonplace.
He shook his head. "I'm sorry, but Berserker and I have no intention of forming an alliance. Leave. Now. Or I will attack. As Irisviel's husband, you should know that an ordinary human like you, even with a gun, is no match for a magus."
Before Zouken's death and Berserker's unexpected healing of Sakura, Kariya had indeed desired the Grail. But now… his wish had already been granted. He hadn't allowed Berserker to heal him because, without the Crest Worms, he wouldn't have the magical energy to sustain Berserker's presence.
While Berserker's performance against Saber and Lancer was impressive, Kariya knew he was only using his swordsmanship. He hadn't tapped into his true power. If he did, Kariya's body wouldn't be able to handle the magical energy drain. Despite their brief time together, Kariya knew that if necessary, he would willingly sacrifice his flesh and blood to the Crest Worms, to provide Berserker with the magical energy he needed. At his full strength, Berserker could defeat any Servant, claim the Grail. With absolute certainty of victory, Kariya saw no need for an alliance, no need to tie his hands, to be wary of betrayal.
Besides, even if he wanted to form an alliance, he would consult Berserker first. He wouldn't agree without his Servant's consent.
"You refuse?" Kariya's rejection surprised Kiritsugu. A sense of unease settled over him. There were only two possible reasons for this refusal: either Kariya considered Saber too weak to be a valuable ally, or he was absolutely confident in Berserker's ability to defeat Archer and claim the Grail, even after witnessing Archer's power.
Kiritsugu hoped it was the former. Otherwise, he'd have to kill Kariya here and now, forcing Berserker's retreat. But then, how would he deal with Archer?
From the Einzberns' intelligence reports, Kiritsugu knew Archer's Master was Tokiomi Tohsaka, the head of the Tohsaka family, one of the three founding families who had created the Greater Grail.
Centuries ago, the Tohsaka family, as the overseers of Fuyuki City, had provided the land and its leylines, allowing the Greater Grail to draw magical energy and connect to the Throne of Heroes. The Einzbern family had used Justeaze Lizrich von Einzbern as a vessel, transforming her into the Greater Grail, a conduit to the Throne of Heroes. The Matou family's founder, now known as Zouken Matou, had inscribed the summoning ritual within the Grail and created the Command Spells, a means to control Servants.
As the overseer of Fuyuki, Tokiomi wouldn't leave the Tohsaka mansion during the Grail War. And after centuries of preparation, the mansion was now a fortress, riddled with traps and defenses. Even Assassin, Hassan-i Sabbah, with his superhuman abilities, had encountered numerous obstacles just entering the Tohsaka grounds. And that was with Tokiomi deliberately disabling some of the traps to showcase Gilgamesh's power. Kiritsugu didn't believe he could infiltrate the Tohsaka mansion and kill Tokiomi. To eliminate him, he would have to defeat Archer.
"Don't be so hasty, Kariya. While your Berserker is strong, you must have realized, from last night's battle, that the strongest Servant in this war is undoubtedly Archer. Our Saber, while seemingly weaker than Berserker, is Artoria Pendragon, the King of Britain. Her Noble Phantasm is A++ rank. A Servant's true strength lies in their Noble Phantasm. If Saber unleashes hers, how will your Berserker cope?"
"A++ rank?" Kariya was inwardly shocked. If not for having seen the EX rank of Berserker's Reality Marble, he might have been intimidated. But now… an A++ rank Noble Phantasm wasn't particularly concerning. Still, he knew that a direct hit from an A++ rank Noble Phantasm could severely injure, even kill, Berserker.
Kiritsugu's heart sank, observing Kariya's reaction. He hadn't flinched at the mention of an A++ rank Noble Phantasm. This implied Berserker also possessed a Noble Phantasm of similar rank.
Despite his growing apprehension, Kiritsugu pressed on. "Kariya, I also witnessed last night's battle between Berserker and Archer. As long as Berserker can hold Archer off, Saber can unleash her Noble Phantasm and defeat him, eliminating Tokiomi."
Kariya had been uninterested in Kiritsugu's proposal. But at the mention of Tokiomi Tohsaka, his heart clenched. He'd almost forgotten… the man who had condemned Sakura to Zouken's torment… he hadn't been punished yet. To have him suffer the humiliation of defeat in the Grail War… that would be a fitting retribution. And if that wasn't enough, Berserker could… let loose a bit during the fight. If Tokiomi were caught in the crossfire… that would be even better.
He didn't refuse outright. "I understand. I will consider your proposal."
While he was now inclined to agree, he still needed to consult Berserker. If his Servant felt an alliance was beneath him, Kariya, though disappointed, wouldn't force him. He wouldn't taint Berserker's honor for his own petty revenge.
Kiritsugu narrowed his eyes. Kariya had been resolute in his refusal until he'd mentioned Tokiomi Tohsaka. There was a connection between them, something Kiritsugu didn't know. He would investigate further. Perhaps this was the key to securing Kariya's cooperation.
…
WHOOSH!!
Ailin swung his Zanpakutō and Artoria dodged sideways.. Suddenly, the slash carved a hundred-meter-long gash in the earth that extended into the sea.
Diarmuid leaned back, the wind from the attack grazed his nose. The shipping container behind him was sliced in two.
Having analyzed their Noble Phantasms, Ailin's understanding of Artoria and Diarmuid's abilities was now comparable to their own. He easily suppressed them with his dual-wielded blades. Each of his slashes was now as powerful as Artoria's "Strike Air." They were completely outmatched.
Both Diarmuid and Artoria had believed their skills, honed by countless battles, were unmatched. Their ascension to the Throne of Heroes, amplified by the legends surrounding them, had further enhanced their abilities. Eye of the Mind, Instinct… these were the manifestations of their refined skills.
But facing Ailin, they finally understood what true mastery of swordsmanship meant. If not for their enhanced abilities, they wouldn't have lasted this long. Even so, they sensed their defeat was imminent.
Still, they felt a sense of fulfillment. To have battled such a skilled swordsman… they hadn't regretted answering the Grail's call.
…
"This is bad, this is bad…" Iskandar, dressed in a red cloak, suddenly stood up on the steel arch of the Fuyuki Bridge.
"What is it, Rider?" Waver Velvet asked, confused.
As a magus, his eyesight was no better than an ordinary human's. And he didn't possess any magecraft to enhance it. He couldn't clearly see the battle at the port. All he could perceive were flashes of light and the occasional shockwave that ripped through the shipping containers, or cleaved the sea itself. The sheer destructive power made him pale. Could even his Servant withstand such attacks? If Rider were defeated… would he be killed?