Chapter 73: The Lancer Team Shares a Common Enemy

[Ding! Kayneth's answer was incorrect, 1 Saint Quartz has been deducted.]

Kayneth: "Huh? My guess was wrong?"

Chihiro: "Kayneth, you're still giving Emiya Kiritsugu too much credit."

Kayneth: "What do you mean by that?"

Emiya Kiritsugu: "It was Hisau Maiya who killed them."

[Ding! Congratulations to Emiya Kiritsugu for answering this question correctly and obtaining 3 Saint Quartz.]

Kayneth: "???"

Waver: "Hisau Maiya? Who is that?"

Chihiro: "You forgot already? She was the woman who kidnapped Sola-ui at the beginning."

Waver: "Oh, right. Emiya Kiritsugu's accomplice."

Chihiro: "Though 'accomplice' might not quite capture the depth of it."

Emiya Kiritsugu: "..."

Irisviel: "..."

Irisviel: "Chihiro-san, please don't start rumors like that."

Chihiro: "Haha, just kidding."

[The video continues.]

["The contract takes effect now."]

[Kayneth, still trembling, looked up at Emiya Kiritsugu, his voice barely a whisper.]

[This proud magus who once stood at the top of his field now seemed reduced to a broken shell, powerless and defeated.]

["Yes, I won't harm you."]

[Emiya Kiritsugu's voice was low, almost as if he were speaking to himself rather than to Kayneth.]

["Bang!"]

[A gunshot rang out, and blood splattered as bullets tore through both Kayneth and Sola-ui.]

[It was Hisau Maiya, firing from the rooftop of the building opposite, precise and merciless.]

[Kayneth crumpled to the ground, his eyes wide with shock and pain, while Sola-ui lay motionless, her lifeless body slipping from his arms.]

[Kayneth, barely conscious, extended a shaking hand toward her, but his strength was fading fast.]

[Emiya Kiritsugu looked down at the broken magus, murmuring coldly, "It's not me breaking the contract."]

[It was clear to everyone watching that Maiya hadn't acted of her own accord. This was Kiritsugu's plan from the start, using Maiya as his agent to sidestep the promise he'd made.]

[Kayneth's lips moved as he tried to speak, his voice a strangled whisper of grief and rage.]

["Kill me... just end it."]

[Kayneth clung to Emiya Kiritsugu's pant leg, begging, his dignity entirely stripped away.]

[In a last, pitiable show of mercy, Artoria stepped forward and ended Kayneth's suffering with a swift, clean strike. She granted the fallen lord a shred of dignity in his final moments, unwilling to let Kiritsugu's cruelty linger any longer.]

[The video ends.]

Kayneth: "Emiya Kiritsugu! You are... a despicable, heartless...!"

Kayneth was beyond furious, hurling curses in the group chat in a way none of them had ever seen before. His composed image shattered as he vented his unrestrained fury.

The rest of the group watched in silence, both startled and sympathetic. Even Waver, who had clashed with Kayneth numerous times, felt a pang of pity for his former teacher.

Waver: "Teacher..."

Sola-ui and Diarmuid stood by Kayneth's side, their faces reflecting the same seething rage. For Diarmuid, who had pledged himself to his Master's honor, this betrayal was unforgivable. And for Sola-ui, the reminder of her brutal end only deepened her bitterness toward Kiritsugu.

What had once been a feud between Kayneth and Kiritsugu had now turned into a united front. The entire Lancer team was bound by their shared hatred, resolved to seek vengeance for the suffering they had endured at Kiritsugu's hands.

Seeing the replay of the events, Sola-ui glanced at Kayneth with a slightly different expression. Before, her feelings toward him had been lukewarm at best, a sense of duty rather than affection, as their engagement was more political alliance than romance. But now, after seeing his grief and helplessness, something softened in her heart.

---

Gilgamesh: "Hahaha! What a delightful spectacle!"

Iskandar: "King of Heroes, now is hardly the time to revel in someone else's misery."

Gilgamesh: "Ah, but I find this very amusing. Watching mortals cling to their fleeting pride, only to see it shattered so easily."

Tohsaka Rin: "You and Emiya Kiritsugu really deserve each other."

Artoria: "Kiritsugu, I trusted Irisviel's faith in you, and I wanted to believe you had some higher purpose. But... I was wrong."

Artoria: "I see now that you're no better than the monsters you claim to be fighting."

Emiya Kiritsugu: "If you think killing a Master is cruel, then you're even more naive than I thought, Saber."

Artoria: "Enough! The Servant had already withdrawn. You went back on your word and ordered his Master's execution. Do you feel no shame?"

Emiya Kiritsugu: "A Servant can be re-contracted. Leaving an enemy Master alive only creates unnecessary risk. This isn't about honor—it's about survival."

Diarmuid: "Spoken like a coward who fears true battle."

Artoria: "Your words make a mockery of every knightly vow."

Emiya Kiritsugu: "And your 'chivalry' is little more than a fairy tale."

Chihiro: "Alright, alright, everyone. Can we save this argument for another time? This back-and-forth is clogging the chat."

Artoria: "..."

Emiya Kiritsugu: "..."

They had become so engrossed in their argument that they hadn't realized they were airing their grievances publicly.

Zhang Jiao smirked. "What do you make of this, Chihiro? Kiritsugu's methods, I mean."

Chihiro sighed. "Honestly, it's a hard thing to judge. Kiritsugu was making sure to eliminate future threats, no question about that."

"Imagine if Kayneth had been allowed to survive and use his resources against Kiritsugu later on. Pragmatically, it makes sense. But still... it leaves a bad taste."

Sigurd, standing beside Chihiro, nodded. "It seems like a life driven by fear of retribution more than honor. Practical, yes, but... hollow."

Zhang Jiao chuckled. "You're learning well, Chihiro. Sometimes there is no clean answer."

Good and evil often defied clear definitions. Was it really wrong to prioritize survival over the ideals of nobility and honor? The conversation left them all pondering their own perspectives on morality.

[The first question ended. The second question is about to begin.]

[This question is also a multiple-choice question. Please watch the following video and choose the answer based on the prompt.]

[The video begins.]

[In the shadows of an empty room, Kotomine Kirei was seen packing his belongings.]

[Moments earlier, Tohsaka Tokiomi had ordered him to withdraw from the Holy Grail War, instructing him to return to his duties as an observer.]

Tohsaka Tokiomi: "Is this video related to Kirei? I don't recall this part of our arrangement."

Kotomine Risei: "What could be happening to my son...?"

Chihiro smiled wryly, thinking to himself. "You'll find out soon enough."

["Are you still hesitating?"]

[A golden figure appeared, addressing Kirei with a tone of amusement.]

["Don't be so unsure of yourself, Kirei."]

[Gilgamesh's voice held a hint of condescension, as though chiding a child.]

["The Holy Grail is still calling to you. Admit it, you want to continue."]

[Kirei stopped packing and stood still, his face expressionless, yet his eyes darkened with a hidden conflict.]

["I've lived my life searching for purpose," Kirei said, his voice low, as though confessing a long-buried truth. "I've endured all manner of suffering, yet I've found no meaning in anything I do."]

["And now, just when the answer I've long sought is within reach..."]

[Gilgamesh smirked, reclining elegantly on the sofa. "Is that hesitation I hear? How disappointing, Kirei."]

[Kirei's expression hardened. "I fear that once I find the answer, I will no longer be the same."]

[ "Ring Ring Ring..." ]

[ At this moment, Kirei received a call. ]

[ "Did you receive some interesting information?" ]

[ Gilgamesh suddenly appeared beside Kirei, his posture close, giving off a strange impression. ]

Iskandar: "It seems these two have an unusual relationship."

Waver: "Compared to Tohsaka Tokiomi, this guy looks more like Gilgamesh's Master."

Tohsaka Tokiomi: ".…"

He hadn't realized that Gilgamesh and Kotomine Kirei had grown so close.

Emiya Kiritsugu: "This man is extremely dangerous."

Kayneth: "Hmph, do you really have the right to call others dangerous?"

[ "I've found Einzbern's current base." ]

[ Kirei hung up the phone, his tone calm. ]

[ Gilgamesh reclined back on the sofa, a smug expression on his face. "What? Didn't you plan on seeing this through from the very beginning?" ]

[ "I did hesitate for a moment and thought of quitting," Kirei replied, raising his arm to reveal his Command Seals – the mark left by his late father, Kotomine Risei. "But as you said, I don't have any choice but to see this to the end." ]

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