The magicians colluded with each other and organized a self-defense group calling itself the "Association" to compete with the threat of the Holy Church. Now the two sides have reached an agreement and achieved temporary peace. Despite this, the priests of the Holy Church and
It is unlikely that magicians would gather together for a discussion. According to his father Rimasa, although the Tohsaka family is a family of magicians, they have had a deep connection with the church since very early on.
Looking at the three traces of stripes appearing on the back of his right hand, Kirei thought of what happened last night. After discussing with his father, Risei took his son to Toriya early in the morning and introduced him to this
Young magician.
After that, just after greeting Tokiomi, he explained to Kirei the secret discussion about the "Holy Grail War" just now. The meaning of the pattern that appeared on Kirei's hand...that is, when the fourth Holy Grail is about to arrive three years later.
, Kirei also has the right to compete for the "Wish Machine" that creates miracles.
There is no objection to letting himself fight. In the Holy Church, Kirei's duty is actually to directly eliminate heretics on the ground, which means that he has experienced hundreds of battles.
It is his job to fight magi to the death. But the paradox of the problem is the Holy Grail battle between magicians. Why was Kirei, a priest, selected as a "magician" to participate in this battle?
"The essence of the Holy Grail battle is to send Servants to fight. Therefore, in order to defeat others, a summoner must have a certain degree of magic training... Originally, the seven Masters selected by the Holy Grail for Servants must all be magicians. People like you have no connection with magic.
It is really a strange thing for anyone with any relationship to be noticed by the Holy Grail so early."
"Is there any order in selecting candidates for the Holy Grail?"
Tokiomi nodded to Kirei's question that he didn't seem to fully understand.
"The 'three founding families' mentioned earlier - the Matou family, the Einzbern family and the Tohsaka family's magicians have priority in being granted command spells. In other words..."
Tokiomi raised his right hand, showing the three patterns carved on the back of his hand.
"As the current head of the Tohsaka family, I will participate in the next battle."
So, even though this man guided Kirei so kindly and patiently, does he plan to have a sword fight with him in the near future?
Although he didn’t quite understand these words, Kirei decided to continue asking questions step by step.
"What did you mean by Servant just now? Summoning a heroic spirit to make it a shikigami means..."
"It's not easy to believe, but it's true. This can also be said to be the jaw-dropping aspect of the Holy Grail."
"The strong men and great men who have left their names in history and legends, these people who have become eternal memories in the world, will break away from the category of humans after their death and be promoted to elves, so they are called 'heroic spirits'. That and magic
There is an essential difference between the demons, ghosts and the like that masters usually control. They can be said to be equivalent to existences of gods. Even if someone can borrow part of their power for their own use through summoning, they should be regarded as shikigami.
To use it in the real world is indeed something that is unimaginable."
"It is the power of the Holy Grail that can make the impossible possible. Think about it this way, it is such a powerful treasure. After all, summoning Servants is only a small part of the power of the Holy Grail."
Saying this, Tokiomi took out a deep breath and shook his head as if he felt incredible.
"From the modern century to the beginning of the ancient chaos, all heroic spirits can be summoned. The seven heroic spirits are subordinate to the seven Masters, and while defending their own Masters, they drive out the opponents... Heroes of all eras and countries.
They all resurrected in modern times and fought each other for the Holy Grail. That was Fuyuki's Holy Grail War."
"...How could such an incredible thing happen? In a place where tens of thousands of residents live?"
"All magicians try their best to hide their whereabouts. This is a common belief. In modern times where science is believed as the only universal principle, this is the attitude that should be taken as a matter of course. In this way, the Holy Church will never
The existence of the magician is made public."
Speaking of heroic spirits, just one person has the huge power to cause disaster. As a tool for human wars to fight against each other, seven heroic spirits called "Servants" will appear... This is simply the same as using large-scale killing weapons.
Modern Warfare makes no difference.
"... Of course, the duel is conducted in secret. This is a self-evident rule. In order to thoroughly implement this, special personnel must be assigned to supervise."
Kirei's father, Father Risei, who had remained silent, interrupted here.
"This is the fourth Holy Grail War that happens every sixty years. Japan has started to be civilized since the second war. Even though it is a remote place in the far east, it is impossible to completely cover up the big war.
Large-scale sabotage activities.
Therefore, from the beginning of the Third Holy Grail War, our Holy Church will send people to supervise.
Minimize the harm caused by the Holy Grail War, hide those existences, and make the magicians abide by the rules that have been set in advance."
"Does it mean that the church will act as the referee in the battle between magicians?"
"It is precisely because it is a fight between magicians. If you are a member of the Magic Association, you will always be involved in factional disputes, and you will not be able to make a fair judgment. Therefore, the people of the Association will rely on outside authority.
Moreover, this treasure that started everything has been named the Holy Grail, and our Holy Church cannot sit idly by. This is because we cannot ignore the possibility that it has inherited the true blood crystal of the Son of God."
Both Kirei and Risei, father and son, belong to the Eighth Secret Society—the department responsible for managing and recycling holy relics in the Holy Church.
The secret treasure called the "Holy Grail" in various folklore and mythology is largely the same holy object as the Holy Grail in church teachings.
"For this reason, when the Third Holy Grail War broke out during the chaos of the World War, I was still young and took on the important task of ruling. In the next Holy Grail War, I will continue to go to Fuyuki.
Oversee your battle."
Hearing his father's words, Kirei couldn't help but tilt his head and think.
"Please wait a moment. Doesn't it mean that the person selected from the Holy Church to assume the position of overseer must be a fair candidate?
Isn't there a problem with someone who is related to him participating in the Holy Grail War..."
"About this point, it can be said to be the blind spot of this rule."
Seeing his usually stoic father showing a rare smile, Kirei felt that he couldn't figure it out.
"Kotomine, please don't deliberately make your son confused. Let's get to the point quickly."
Tokiomi Tosaka urged the old priest to continue speaking with meaningful words.
"Well, that's it - Kirei, what we have talked about so far has only been about the 'appearance' of the Holy Grail. There is another reason why I, you and Tohsaka-sama are gathered together today."
"……you are right?"
"Actually, the Holy Grail that appeared in Fuyuki was not the holy relic of the 'God's Miko'. We found the conclusive evidence a long time ago. In the end, what was fought for in the Holy Grail War in Fuyuki City was just Taoyuan Township.
It’s just a replica of the Cauldron of Omnipotence. It’s just a treasure that magicians need. It’s a fake that has no connection or anything to do with our church.”
It is indeed possible. If not, how could the Church of the Holy Church be willing to only serve as a "supervisor"? If it is related to the Holy Grail of the "Holy Relic", the Church will definitely not hesitate to break the truce agreement.
The Holy Grail must be snatched from the magician's hand.
"If the original purpose of the Holy Grail War is to serve only as a means to reach the 'Vortex of the Source', it has nothing to do with our church, and we have nothing to do with it. Because the magicians' desire for the 'Source' is not in harmony with them either.
Our teachings are in conflict.
——But, having said that, if left unchecked, the power of the Fuyuki Holy Grail is too powerful. In any case, it is an omnipotent machine that can realize any wish. If it falls into the hands of some extremists, I don’t know what will happen.
Disaster."
"Then, if we exclude him as a heretic——"
"That's also very difficult. The magi's obsession with this Holy Grail is unusual. If you interrogate it from the front, it will definitely conflict with the Magic Association. In that case, the sacrifice will be too great. As a second best option, if possible,
, it would be best if we entrust Fuyuki's Holy Grail to the person we want to entrust it to."
"……I see."
Kirei also gradually understood the true purpose of this meeting. However, the reason for the relationship between his father and the magician Tokiomi Tohsaka was still unclear.
"The Tosaka family has been implementing the same doctrine as ours since a long time ago, when the faith of the motherland was suppressed. As for Tokiomi-kun himself, his character can be guaranteed, and he clearly stipulated the purpose of the Holy Grail."
Tokiomi Tosaka nodded and continued what the priest said.
"To reach the 'roots'. We, the Tosaka family, have only this one wish. But - unfortunately, the Einzbern and Matou families, who have the same ambition as us, have gradually lost their original roots in the process of passing down the generations.
I have completely forgotten my original ambition. It’s better not to say anything about the four Masters recruited from outside. It’s easy to imagine what kind of shallow desires you have in chasing the Holy Grail.”
In other words, the only person recognized by the Holy Church as qualified to possess the Holy Grail is Tosaka Tokiomi.
Kirei finally understood the role he had to assume.
"Then I just need to help Tosaka Tokiomi-sama achieve victory and participate in the next Holy Grail War, right?"
"That's it."
At this time, I finally saw a smile on Tohsaka Tokiomi's lips.
"Of course, on the surface, you and I must pretend to be enemies competing for the Holy Grail. But in fact, we fight together and work together to expel and annihilate the remaining five Masters. In order to obtain a more certain victory."
Listening to Tokiomi's words, Father Risei nodded solemnly. The Holy Church Church acted as a neutral judge, which has become a farce. The Church also got involved in the Holy Grail War out of its own considerations.
Even so, Kirei has no reason to deny it. If the church's intention is clear, as an agent, he just needs to carry it out faithfully.
"Kirei-kun, you will transfer from the Holy Church to the Magic Association through dispatch and become my disciple."
Tokiomi Tosaka continued to speak in an impartial tone.
"You said - change of ownership, right?"
"The official document has been issued, Kirei."
After Father Risei said this, he handed over an official document. It was jointly signed by the Holy Church and the Magic Association, and contained a notification document received by Kotomine Kirei. Seeing how efficient they were at work, Kirei was beyond surprised.
I was a little stunned by the extent. It had only been two days, but things had already progressed to this level rapidly.
In the final analysis, there was no room for Kirei's personal will to intervene until the end. But there was no need to be angry about this kind of thing. Kirei had no intention of his own in the first place.
"For the time being, you have to practice magic day and night at your home in Japan. The next Holy Grail War will be three years later. Until then, you must become a magician who can control Servants and participate in battles as a Master.
"
"But... doesn't it matter? If I openly become your disciple, won't others suspect that we are secretly cooperating in future struggles?"
Tokiomi smiled coldly and shook his head.
"You still don't understand magicians. It's commonplace in our world for magicians and apprentices to kill each other due to conflicts of interest."
"Oh I got it."
Although Kirei didn't think he knew the magician, he still had a certain understanding of the general personality of a person like the magician.
After all, he is an agent of the church who has fought head-on battles with "heretic" magicians several times. He has personally dealt with more than ten or twenty people.
"So, do you have any other questions?"
Tokiomi finally asked, and Kirei asked about the origin.
"There is only one - what criteria does the Holy Grail use to select its Master?"
Tokiomi didn't seem to expect that he would ask this question. The magician frowned and answered after a while.
"The Holy Grail... of course gives priority to the Master who truly needs it. Among them, the top ones are the 'Founding Three Families' that I just mentioned, including Tohsaka."
"So all Masters have a reason to desire the Holy Grail?"
"That's not always the case. To reproduce the Holy Grail, seven Masters are needed. If there are not seven Masters in the current magic world, people who would not have been chosen as the main candidates may be awarded the Command Seal. It seems that this happened in the past.
Example—ah, that’s it.”
When Tokiomi answered like this, he seemed to suddenly understand Kirei's doubts.
"Kirei-kun, you seem to be still confused about being chosen, right?"