Chapter 24: Aftermath of All Sides

"Is that it? Does this count as a contract?"

"It seems like it," Jounouchi responded with a grin. "Nobody would've expected Servants to form a bond like this, huh?"

In the empty park, Jounouchi and Kyoko Sakura, or Lancer, had finally established their mutual agreement. The effect of **Relay Soul**—normally meant to change the defeat condition in a Duel Monsters match—had now been applied to a Servant.

"Not only has my mana stopped depleting, but it's even started to recover," Kyoko remarked, genuinely surprised at the situation.

"This benefits both of us," Jounouchi added, feeling a weight lift off his shoulders. His life points, which had been steadily decreasing, had now stabilized and were beginning to increase.

"But there's a catch, right?" Kyoko pointed to the Duel Disk on Jounouchi's arm. "If that contraption of yours gets destroyed, or if I die, it's game over for both of us."

"Yeah," Jounouchi agreed with a nod. "It means we're tied to one life now. We'll have to watch each other's backs."

Kyoko didn't dwell on the consequences too much. It was a strange but necessary arrangement. The effect of **Relay Soul** was permanent—meaning that as long as Kyoko stayed alive, Jounouchi wouldn't fade away, even without a Master. Conversely, as long as Jounouchi survived, Kyoko's mana would recover, allowing her to continue fighting.

"Kyoko Sakura, magical girl."

"Jounouchi Katsuya, Duelist."

Both of them stared at each other for a second, and then burst into laughter.

"That's such a weird job title!" they both exclaimed in unison.

"Pfft!" Kyoko snorted, trying to hold back her laughter.

"Well, since things have come to this, let's work together from now on, Sakura," Jounouchi said with a smile. (t/n: Now there is two sakura lol)

"Just call me Kyoko," she replied casually.

"No, that's too weird. I know a classmate with the same name," Jounouchi teased.

"Really?" Kyoko raised an eyebrow.

"Just call me Jounouchi," he said, still smiling.

"Got it," Kyoko responded, a sense of camaraderie forming between them.

Their connection wasn't based on strategic calculations or ulterior motives—it was simply two people thrown into a chaotic war, supporting each other. Some might even say that Lancer and Caster had formed an alliance of their own. Whether they would eventually face the difficult decision of who would get to make their wish on the Dragon Balls was a question for later. For now, they had found each other in the midst of the chaos, and that was enough.

---

Meanwhile, back at the Tohsaka residence, Kotomine Kirei staggered in, clutching his wounded side.

"It seems the king is rather upset," Kenshin, still holding the **Kusanagi Sword**, observed.

"Summoning him back without permission… knowing Gilgamesh's temperament, of course he would be displeased," Kirei replied with a faint smirk. "My dear teacher never learns, does he? He's completely out of touch with human nature."

Kirei's smirk widened as he reflected on Tohsaka Tokiomi's actions. The once loyal and obedient Kirei now viewed his teacher as nothing more than a fool—a source of endless amusement. He marveled at how someone like Tokiomi could be so oblivious to the dynamics of Servants and Masters.

A Servant wasn't just a mere familiar; they had their own thoughts, ideals, and desires. Forcing them to bend to a Master's will, especially someone as prideful as Gilgamesh, was bound to backfire. The only reason Gilgamesh hadn't obliterated Tokiomi on the spot was likely due to the hero king's own sense of restraint. But if history had taught anything, it was that kings did not tolerate insolence from their subjects for long.

"The best course of action right now is to avoid stirring any further trouble," Kirei murmured. Gilgamesh's anger was a storm best avoided. In the upcoming battles, Kirei still needed the hero king's power to secure victory.

"Assassin," Kirei called, turning to Kenshin, "I have a task for you. It's essential, and it could prove valuable later."

Handing over a map marked with specific locations, Kirei issued his orders.

---

"Master… they're dead? Both Irisviel and Maiya?" Saber's eyes widened in shock as she took in the grim news.

She couldn't believe it. She had left with the hope of saving Irisviel, but now she had returned to hear that both Irisviel and Maiya were gone.

". . ."

Still wrapped in bandages, Emiya Kiritsugu remained silent, his expression unreadable. He had experienced a crushing defeat, and now, aside from Saber, he had no one left.

"And you're still going to continue fighting for your ideals?" Saber asked, her voice filled with both disbelief and frustration.

"Of course."

"Do you really have no personal desires of your own?"

Saber couldn't understand it. How could this man remain so unshaken after losing both his wife and his trusted companion?

"If I give up now, then Irisviel and Maiya's sacrifices will have been in vain," Kiritsugu replied quietly, lighting a cigarette as he spoke. He understood what Saber was implying—that if the Dragon Balls truly could grant any wish, it might be possible to bring back the dead. He could wish for Irisviel and Maiya's return.

But doing so would mean abandoning his dream of world peace. The grand vision of a world free from conflict and suffering, where no one would have to make the same painful choices he had made, was a dream that could only be achieved through the power of a miracle like the Dragon Balls.

And yet… the thought of choosing between his ideal and the people he loved weighed heavily on him.

"Would that really make you happy?" Saber asked quietly. "Would it make Irisviel happy? Would it make Illya happy?"

Kiritsugu said nothing, but his silence spoke volumes. The man who had always chosen the greater good, who had sacrificed the few for the many, was now torn.

"Don't say any more," Kiritsugu muttered, the cigarette in his hand trembling slightly. Memories of his daughter Illya's smile flashed through his mind, and for the first time in a long while, Kiritsugu felt himself wavering.

"I'll wait for your answer," Saber said softly. "Whatever decision you make, I will fight to make it a reality."

Having let go of her own obsessions, Saber had now fully embraced her role as Kiritsugu's Servant. She would fight for his wish, whatever that might ultimately be.

---

Back at the battlefield, where destruction and chaos had reigned, several notable deaths had occurred. The war had claimed its first major casualties:

- Sola-Ui Nuada-Re Sophia-Ri, deceased.

- Kayneth Archibald El-Melloi, deceased.

- Maiya Hisau, deceased.

- Irisviel von Einzbern, deceased.

The true nature of the Holy Grail War was beginning to reveal itself: a brutal contest where only the strongest would survive, and the sacrifices along the way would only continue to mount.