[101] The First Battle

After hearing EMIYA's word, Emiya Kiritsugu pondered.

This situation wasn't too difficult to explain.

There were two possibilities. One, the world where EMIYA grew up and the current world were completely different parallel universes, diverging significantly at some point.

The second possibility was that the Mage's Association's plan had succeeded. They had indeed completed the Holy Grail and achieved the continuation of the Greater Grail's magical energy.

However, none of these mattered to him at the moment.

What was important now was the Holy Grail War before him and escaping with Illyasviel and Irisviel.

That's all...

...

BOOM! 

"What—? What's happening?"

Jubstacheit von Einzbern stood up and shouted upon hearing the explosions outside.

"Jubstacheit-sama! Something's not right." An Homunculus rushed in and said, "Kiritsugu-sama, he escaped with Lady Irisviel and Lady Illyasviel!"

"What?"

"They commanded Heroic Spirits to escape directly from here!"

"Jubstacheit-sama, there's a message left by Kiritsugu-sama."

"Bring it here." Jubstacheit von Einzbern remained silent for a while and said, "It's too late to stop them now, and besides, the Einzberns were never skilled in combat. Otherwise, they wouldn't have brought in outsiders in the first place.

If it were just Emiya Kiritsugu alone, there was still a possibility of keeping them, at least keeping Illyasviel!

But... with a Heroic Spirit, it was impossible.

Even the weakest Heroic Spirit was like that. Trying to stop them was futile at best... all he could do was ensure his own safety.

[Jubstacheit von Einzbern... this Holy Grail War might be the last one, and even if you were to obtain the Holy Grail as planned, you wouldn't be able to fulfill the Third Magic. Just in case, I've decided to leave. You can check the books I've left behind if you believe.] 

Emiya Kiritsugu had successfully escaped. He had avoided paying too much attention to the outside world during this time, even blocking the Clock Tower's messages, achieving the current result.

Emiya Kiritsugu's escape was undoubtedly a success.

...

Tohsaka Tokiomi sat in his basement...

Now, there was only him left in the Tohsaka household.

Of course, there was his Servant, a Lancer-class Heroic Spirit named Karna.

Tokiomi felt quite lucky this time. In his view, Karna was a Heroic Spirit of an extraordinary level, not inferior to King Arthur, and much easier to control, unlike King Arthur who tended to act on her own and didn't obey orders.

Karna may be less talkative, but he was extremely obedient, as confirmed in the past.

As for his family...

Although reluctant, he had no choice but to send his daughter to the Edelfelt family for protection. He had also completely detached his Magic Crest and transplanted it to Rin. On the other hand, the Edelfelt agreed to transplant a branch to her.

A branch meant transplanting a tiny part of the Magic Crest from the main family's magus. This way, while the Magic Crest of the main family would suffer some damage, it could be repaired with a tuning magus's work, taking a few months to a year to recover.

However, this meant that Sakura had become a branch of the Edelfelt family. Although she didn't get the Magic Circuits of the Matou family that she had hoped for, which had been developed for over a century, and had to start building her own Magic Circuits from scratch, at least she was safe now.

He had no more worries, and even if he were to die in this Holy Grail War, he had no complaints.

"Master..." Karna appeared and said.

"Ah... I sense it too." Tokiomi nodded. He felt the presence of another Heroic Spirit, one that seemed determined to destroy everything.

"Let's see if anyone is coming to confront us. I know we have a visitor."

"Yes, Master." With that, Karna disappeared, without saying where he was going.

But... as time passed...

One hour, two hours... three hours...

Time had already passed into the early hours of the morning, but still, no one had shown up to fight.

"Really, are they all a bunch of cowards?" Tohsaka Tokiomi sighed and said, "Lancer."

"I'm here."

"Well... then, go and confront them, but be sure not to reveal your Noble Phantasm and true name. Just test the waters for now; it's not yet time to use your full strength."

"Understood." With that, Karna's spiritual form rushed towards the battlefield.

...

"Really, are they all a bunch of cowards?" Kayneth, who had been standing for three hours, looked at Altera, who was standing not far away, and expressed his dissatisfaction.

Though he didn't know what this Heroic Spirit's wish was.

But that didn't matter anymore, as long as she obeyed.

First, he had to draw out one Heroic Spirit to assess her abilities before making a judgment.

After all, they had two Servants on their side!

This Altera aside, King Iskandar was undoubtedly a top-tier Heroic Spirit.

Now, all that was left was the one in front of them.

At that moment, Altera made her move.

She took a few steps forward, and her rainbow-like sword appeared in her hand.

"...Ah... when will this dream end?" Altera sighed slightly and tightened her grip on the sword.

She could sense it—

In front of her, accompanied by flames, another Heroic Spirit appeared!

Finally, someone had appeared!

Kayneth smiled slightly.

"So, this is the battlefield you've chosen." Karna said, looking around the forest. "Indeed, here we won't have to worry about any interruptions. So, it seems you are Saber, right?"

"I am the embodiment of destruction... Saber-class, a machine for battle and slaughter."

"I see, it seems you don't have much to say. In that case, let's begin." Karna said, charging towards Altera.

He swung the sword in his hand towards Altera—

"Ah? A sword? No... a whip?" Even though there was a sword in his hand, at that moment, Altera wielded it like a whip. Karna, who hadn't anticipated this, immediately stepped back and readjusted his stance.

"I see, it looks like the way of fighting needs a slight change." Saying that, Karna's body began to burn with magical energy, like flames!

The first battle of the Holy Grail War had begun.

---

If you're interested in reading more, feel free to visit my patreon which already contains 20 chapters: 

https://www.patreon.com/XElenea