Black stared at the Overseer of the Holy Grail War in sheer fascination.
If it wasn’t for the Ad Infinitum using all its processing power, Black and Kai’s combined, to contain Angra Mainyu’s Will, Kirei Kotomine would have gone nuts by now.
Kirei had died in the last Holy Grail War, a fact none other than a Contestant like him knew for now.
When Saber destroyed the corrupted Grail using her Noble Phantasm ten years ago, the Black Mud — the materialized form of all Curses — had oozed out from the Holy Grail.
Along with Gilgamesh, who had been an Archer-Class Servant of Kirei then, the priest himself had also drowned in that Black Mud.
Gilgamesh had gained a real body as a result, without losing his Servant status.
On the other hand, through the shared bond between Gilgamesh and Kirei as Servant and Master, the latter had resurrected.
Kirei’s flesh had regenerated, and a part of the Black Mud, containing Angra Mainyu’s Will, became a black heart within him.
For Black, who was the potential incarnation Vessel for All the World’s Evil, Kirei felt like a lighthouse standing in the middle of an ocean.
It didn’t matter to him if Kirei found out about his status as Master and Homunculus.
As long as the Overseer didn’t learn of him being a Contestant, it wouldn’t affect Black’s plans.
And, luckily, Kirei would never learn that because... Black wasn’t a Contestant, to begin with.
"I am Black Von Einzbern," Black smiled, looking around at the church’s dim atmosphere. "I am participating in the Holy Grail War from Einzbern’s side."
Kirei had gone quiet.
Not because he had failed to sense which Servants this Black had summoned, but because he had.
"You have broken the Holy Grail War’s rules," Kirei said, his voice chilling the souls. "One Master can only summon one Servant."
Black ignored Kirei and kept looking around.
Then, slowly, his gaze came down and landed on the ground.
Ever since the last Holy Grail War, which had ended up in burning a good part of Fuyuki City, Kirei had been collecting children who had become orphans in that incident.
Kirei was more than capable of supplying enough Mana to Gilgamesh.
But more was always better. Not to mention, with his plans of controlling Lancer from the start of this War, he would have needed a good source of Mana for two Servants. Tʜe source of this ᴄontent ɪs NoveI-Fire.ɴet
Now, all those orphans were lying in the basement of this church, neither alive nor dead.
"Quite a collection you’ve got there," Black said, looking up, smiling.
Kirei’s heart skipped a beat.
That smile. That smirk. It was like the white-haired man was screaming — Are you fucking kidding me with these double standards?!
Impossible... Kirei thought, trying not to show any emotion and silently calling Gilgamesh using a Command Seal. Does he know me having Lancer? No... That can’t be. And...
"What do you mean? What collection?" Kirei asked.
Black’s brows rose. "Haha... Paintings, of course."
Behind his back, Kirei’s fingers balled into fists. He knows! HE KNOWS! Lancer!!
I am here, Lancer said mentally.
Can you sense Berserker or Caster? Kirei asked.
How lowly do you think of me?! Huh! Lancer scoffed. I can sense a Servant. It’s powerful... but... Not as powerful as me.
It must be Caster, Kirei said, finding her even more dangerous. Get ready. When I...
"It’s not polite to ignore a guest," Black said, taking a seat, "and begin having a conversation with someone else. We need not be enemies, Mr. Kirei."
Kirei stared at Black, took a deep breath, and smiled. "You still broke the rules."
Black shook his head. He lifted his right hand and showed the Command Seals to the Overseer.
"It’s not breaking the rule if the Grail deems it official," he said. "When I met Caster, she didn’t have a Master. The Grail allowed her to become my Servant. When you truly think about it, I was just lucky."
"Where’s the previous master of Berserker?" Kirei asked. "You cannot act against a Master or Servant before the Holy Grail War officially begins. Yet, you..."
"First," Black lifted his finger, "I was not a Master when Berserker’s Master gave her position to me."
Kirei’s eyes narrowed. She’s still alive?!
Black lifted his second finger. "Speaking of breaking rules, Caster tells me that Lancer attacked her after she lost her Master. If there’s someone who must be held accountable for breaking rules, shouldn’t it be him?"
This man... Kirei realized with a heaviness settling in his heart. This man is dangerous.
"Who said Lancer’s Master is a man?" Kirei asked, not falling for the insidious trick. "Do you have proof?"
The corners of Black’s lips lifted knowingly.
"No, I don’t have any proof," he said. "And, I am not looking for proofs."
What does that mean? Kirei asked himself.
We need not be enemies, he remembered what Black had told him.
Is he looking for a partnership? Kirei’s pupils dilated. No matter how I look at it, it feels like a giant trap.
"What do you want?" Kirei asked. "If Einzberns..."
"I want your help in dispatching someone," Black said. "Zouken Matou."
Kirei’s eyes narrowed instantly, his face losing all expression. "Have you gone..."
This time, the ever-present smile on Black’s face vanished. "I need you to do this for me, Priest," he said. "Or..."
"Or?" Kirei asked, the hilts of Black Keys appearing in his hands behind his back.
"Come on, now," Black said. "We don’t want people to know about Gilgamesh..."
A spear blurred across the space like a hypersonic missile, obliterating Black’s head and everything in that direction.
Leaving behind a giant hole in the Church’s right wall, the Noble Phantasm-like weapon disappeared.
Steps rang in the silence as blood spurted out from Black’s neck.
"Who gave you permission," Gilgamesh asked, walking in, wearing a jacket and pants, "to utter our name so casually, you Mongrel?"
Kirei frowned as the beheaded body slid down where it was seated.
"Thank you," he said, looking at Gilgamesh. "I..."
"RUN!" Lancer appeared out of nowhere and grabbed Kirei.
In the next moment, with a deafening BOOM, the entire church exploded, the blast reaching hundreds of feet underground.
A giant mushroom-shaped cloud of fire rose where the Church had been standing.
Pale-faced and carried by Lancer, Kirei appeared in the distance, Gilgamesh already standing there.
Then, right in front of their eyes, the fire began taking the shape of a devilish face.
"Two days." It said, tongues of fire becoming words. "Think it over... Overseer."
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