This brief encounter didn't allow Bazett to see through Kirei Kotomine's true nature.
Perhaps Kirei was simply too skilled at hiding it.
And so, Bazett was deceived.
Afterward, the two crossed paths three more times due to work, forming a private bond and assisting each other behind their organizations' backs.
In truth, Kirei didn't need the help—he simply wanted to complete his tasks more efficiently.
During this time, Bazett grew to admire Kirei's resilience, gradually developing feelings for him.
She had fallen for the wrong person.
It was precisely because of this connection that Kirei recommended Bazett for this Holy Grail War.
And Bazett, eager to please, came running.
When Kirei said he had a favor to ask, Bazett didn't think twice.
On the contrary, she was thrilled, as Kirei had never asked her for anything before. She saw it as a sign of deeper trust.
She happily invited Kirei into her room—and was promptly ambushed.
Bazett was a "Master of the Multi-Reverse Punch" capable of facing Servants head-on. Had she been even slightly wary of Kirei, he would never have succeeded in his sneak attack.
After the ambush, Kirei severed her left wrist, where her Command Spells were etched, stealing them.
Yet he didn't kill her, leaving her to fend for herself.
Due to the Command Spells, Cú Chulainn had no choice but to obey Kirei, becoming his Servant.
But Bazett, left to die, didn't perish. On the brink of death, her desperate wish to "not die" was answered by Angra Mainyu, and she formed a contract with it.
She became active in the "Four Days of Dream and Reality," endlessly repeating the Holy Grail War in four-day cycles.
Later, even after learning the truth, Bazett's despair toward the real world led her to reject ending the infinite four-day loop, preferring to live in a false reality.
In the end, however, she was persuaded to muster the courage to face the future and terminate the cycle.
In the real world, Bazett lay in a coma for six months until she was discovered and saved by Kirei's daughter, Caren Hortensia, eventually awakening.
A fitting cycle of karma.
Harmed by the father, saved by the daughter—a closed loop of fate.
After searching Kirei's memories, Morpheus confirmed that Kirei had no other Servants besides Cú Chulainn.
The King of Heroes, Gilgamesh, was absent.
In the previous Holy Grail War, Gilgamesh had exited the stage after the battle, never lingering.
Understanding this, Morpheus flicked his finger, unleashing a slashing spell that cleaved Kirei's body in two, eliminating the scheming priest on the spot.
Morpheus had come to deal with the All the World's Evil within the Holy Grail, and he wasn't here to waste time.
Once he confirmed Kirei was a participant in the Holy Grail War, he struck decisively.
With Kirei dead, Cú Chulainn, who was patrolling outside, immediately sensed his Master's demise. Out of curiosity, he rushed back as quickly as possible.
Morpheus and his group hadn't left yet, mainly because Scáthach, upon learning that Kirei's Servant was her disciple, decided to stay and meet her beloved student.
So Morpheus lingered.
Boom!
The doors of the Holy Church were kicked open, and Cú Chulainn strode in, staff in hand. His eyes first fell on Kirei's bisected corpse.
Then he turned, his gaze locking onto Morpheus.
"Hey, hey, hey, you've got to be kidding me."
When Cú Chulainn saw the Servant standing beside Morpheus, his eyes widened involuntarily. "Why the hell is you here, old hag?"
He genuinely hadn't expected to see his mentor, Scáthach, in the Holy Grail War.
Was the Holy Grail War really this high-caliber, summoning even her? Wasn't that a bit too absurd?
This was the Queen of the Land of Shadows, a bona fide god-slayer.
Scáthach's brow twitched at his words, and without hesitation, she summoned her magic spear.
"After all these years, you still disappoint me, Cú Chulainn."
"Now, as your mentor, I need to teach you what it means to respect your teacher."
"Master."
Morpheus nodded slightly and snapped his fingers.
Domain Expansion: Radiant Arena.
In an instant, the Holy Church was replaced by a massive arena.
Scáthach gave a faint smile and thrust her spear at Cú Chulainn without hesitation.
Cú Chulainn instinctively stepped back, swinging his staff to block her attack.
"Old hag, are you seriously trying to kill me?"
"Your Master's already dead. As your mentor, I might as well send you back to the Throne of Heroes."
"You crazy hag! Don't think I'm scared of you!"
"Then show me how much you've grown."
Scáthach brandished her spear like a tempest, as if intent on riddling Cú Chulainn's body with holes.
Cú Chulainn could tell she was serious this time.
He didn't even know where to begin complaining.
What kind of mentor tries to kill their disciple on sight?
Oh, right—his mentor. Never mind, then.
After all, she was a certified lunatic.
The worst part was that he wasn't summoned as a Lancer this time but as a Caster. Unable to fully utilize his strength, he was thoroughly overwhelmed by Scáthach.
"You're disappointing me more and more," Scáthach said, her face etched with disapproval.
While healing his wounds, Cú Chulainn retorted, "Old hag, you should be glad I'm a Caster this time. If I were a Lancer, I'd give you a run for your money."
Whether he could actually beat Scáthach was beside the point—his pride wouldn't let him back down.
Morpheus, hearing this, said, "That's easily fixed. I'll help you."
He approached Kirei's corpse and transferred the Command Spells from Kirei's body to himself, becoming Cú Chulainn's Master.
"By the power of my Command Spell, transform into a Lancer."
With the Command Spell's aid, Cú Chulainn's class was forcibly shifted from Caster to Lancer.
"???"
Command Spells could do that? Since when?
Morpheus smiled faintly. Of course, a Command Spell alone couldn't achieve this—it was his own power, merely channeled through the Command Spell.
But even as a Lancer, Cú Chulainn might not be a match for Scáthach.
Morpheus activated another Command Spell. "By the power of my Command Spell, become a rational Berserker, Cú Chulainn."
"???"
***
Hi everyone, I hope you're all doing well. I just wanted to let you know that right now I'm working on a really good and promising fate fanfic. If you're interested in reading it, feel free to give it a try:
[Fate/Max Level Returner]
Synopsis:
What if you took your max-level account and replayed the entire story from the beginning?
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