Ryuya: "Alright, a reward it is. I'll reward you properly tonight."
Picking up the watch-like artifacts Merlin brought back, Ryuya examined them, confirming they were merely devices for detecting magical energy fluctuations and functioning as long-distance communicators.
"Hmm, these things are fine. Alaya hasn't tampered with them."
As the saying goes, it's not the thief you fear, but the thief's constant attention.
Ryuya had no intention of wearing these so-called watches and having Alaya watch his daily life like some private film.
Ishtar: "Huh? These watches..."
While everyone was talking, most of the watches Merlin had brought back instantly vanished.
Not completely gone, but a large portion disappeared, leaving just enough for everyone present in the castle to have one.
Merlin: "Huh? Huh? Where did the treasures I snagged go?"
Crimson Moon: "Isn't it obvious? Alaya's doing, of course."
Female Gil: "It doesn't matter. They were just useless trinkets anyway, meaningless."
"But..." Crossing her arms and watching the watches disappear, a flicker of killing intent passed through the oldest King's crimson eyes, "But... even if they are useless, to dare take something right from under my nose... this world's Counter Force has quite the nerve."
In Uruk, a world ruled by humanity that integrated myriad races, the principle was the freedom of life itself. Uruk, ruled by Female Gil, revered Ryuya, the Sun-Crowned King, effectively rejecting Alaya, the Counter Force, and negating its very possibility.
Annoyed that her 'possessions' were taken so brazenly, Alaya had clearly earned a mark in Female Gil's book.
Artoria: "So, what should we do now? Participate in this Holy Grail War?"
Looking at the remaining watches in the box, Artoria picked one up for a closer look. The curious King of Knights was indifferent to the other implications.
Ryuya: "Participating or not is fine. Ultimately, I just need to find the path to the Root this time."
As a Star God who had mastered multiple concepts, Ryuya was no longer the man from his last visit to Snowfield City.
He could now forcibly assimilate the Root for his own use. After all, the Root of the Snowfield City World was, frankly speaking, just the ultimate expression of the entire Earth.
While magi considered the Root mysterious, great, and omnipotent, if it truly were so, individuals like Ryougi Shiki and Sajyou Manaka, who were connected to it, would likely be invincible.
But everything has its limits. Recalling the Root he saw last time, Ryuya was certain the so-called Root was probably just the culmination of the nine planets in the solar system. True omniscience and omnipotence did not exist.
With his current power, once he found the path to the Root, he could devour it and transform it into his own concept.
The path to the Root was also simple: win this Holy Grail War and find the path after Alaya revealed itself.
Because Ryuya could now sense that Alaya had seemingly sealed off all paths to the Root. The Counter Force appeared intent on using this Holy Grail War to expel him from this world.
Faced with the current situation, Ryuya wasn't anxious. His plan was first to find all his lovers and daughters in Snowfield City and spend more time with them.
As for the Holy Grail War and the Root... he had other plans.
Irisviel: "It doesn't matter if we participate or not?"
Muttering to herself, a thought seemed to strike Irisviel, her eyes lighting up. "Everyone, do you remember our last competition?"
Female Gil: "How could this king forget that contest?"
She clearly remembered her culinary failure, one of the oldest King's rare defeats.
Merlin: "I remember, I remember! We even agreed to continue the competition next time we met!"
Artoria: "I certainly haven't forgotten."
Morgan: "The last competition? Irisviel, you can't possibly mean to..."
Irisviel: "Yes, exactly what you're thinking, Morgan."
Having reverted to the innocent and lively princess she once was after Ryuya's return, with her inner trickster reawakened, Irisviel continued, "We never finished the last competition anyway. Now, with this watch-regulated Holy Grail War, why don't we use this Holy Grail to decide who the ultimate winner is!"
Gilgamesh: "Using this Holy Grail to decide the victor? An interesting proposal."
Merlin: "So the watches can be used like that? Then I definitely can't miss out!"
Morgan: "Mordred, my daughter, you will assist your mother, won't you?"
Wearing a rather peculiar smile, Morgan looked at Mordred and asked.
Mordred: "...I... I understand, Mother."
Faced with this seemingly veiled version of Morgan, even the usually taciturn Mordred felt a bit intimidated.
Irisviel: "Sola, Sola, will you help me?"
In this Holy Grail War, Irisviel's Servant was Artoria, while Sola's Servant was Female Gil. This meant the previous alliance from the last war had effectively dissolved for many, as the primary teams were now based on Master-Servant pairs.
Looking at her close friend of twenty years, Irisviel asked expectantly.
Sola: "Huh? I can participate too?"
Surprised that she also had a chance to join this contest, beneath Sola's feigned calm exterior was an excited heart. Her years of 'curving the ball to score' to build a good relationship with Irisviel were finally paying off.
'Was I about to achieve an overtaking maneuver?'
"Of course! We're good sisters, aren't we!"
Grinning as she held Sola's hand, Irisviel blinked.
"Then I have no objections. Moreover, I have another companion. Perhaps she could become a Master too."
Nodding, an image surfaced in Sola's mind.
'If it was that girl, I'm confident she would also join this contest.'
'With that girl's help, I would have tremendous confidence in winning this competition.'
As for Rin and Sakura...
"Mom Irisviel, can we also join this competition... Mph!"
Before Sakura, who considered herself part of Irisviel's faction, could finish her sentence, her body stiffened. She found herself somehow standing next to Crimson Moon.
The Moon King, now wearing a watch she had scorned moments before, simply looked at Sakura quietly and said softly, "Sakura, what's this... are you betraying your teacher?"
Her golden eyes flickering incessantly, Crimson Moon's interest was clearly piqued by the mention of a contest. Though she didn't voice it, her actions spoke volumes.
The Moon King, leading the Star God Maid, officially enters the fray!