Tohsaka Tokiomi, the fifth head of the Tohsaka Family, manager of the ley lines in Fuyuki City, and the Master of Archer Gilgamesh in the Fourth Holy Grail War; he was also the person most likely to obtain the Holy Grail if his plans had gone smoothly.
However, all of this went down the drain tonight.
His Servant—Archer—had just been killed, and the command spells serving as their contract had just vanished; everything he had meticulously prepared turned into a pipe dream at this moment.
If one were to point blame, it all came down to the True Ancestor before him!
"True Ancestor, didn't you say you weren't interested in the Holy Grail War?"
Akatsuki frowned; she seemed to have indeed said that, but circumstances had changed.
"The situation has changed. I've accepted a commission and must intervene in this Holy Grail War."
So said the True Ancestor who had rescued his daughter from the clutches of the Matou Family; in a sense, Akatsuki was Matou Sakura's savior, making it difficult for Tohsaka Tokiomi to say much.
"Besides, the greater grail has already been corrupted; it wouldn't be of much use even if you obtained it."
Akatsuki nonchalantly dropped a topic that left Tohsaka Tokiomi in shock.
"The greater grail is corrupted?! How is that possible!"
Akatsuki sighed and repeated what she had told Waver; after hearing it, Tohsaka Tokiomi fell into solemn thought for a moment.
"Is there no possibility of purification?"
"Even if there were, I wouldn't do it. She has decided to head toward a different future, and I have agreed; therefore, your opinions are no longer important."
"The reason I came here was to confirm one thing: those who agree shall live, and those who oppose shall die!"
Silence. Tohsaka Tokiomi's eyes were downcast as he seemed to weigh his chances of victory in a battle against Akatsuki; at this point, he was no longer a Master in any sense of the word.
After a long time, Tohsaka Tokiomi slumped into his seat as if all the air had been let out of him. He gave a self-deprecating laugh; if even the king of heroes had been easily suppressed by Akatsuki, what could he, a mere Magician, do?
"How do you plan to deal with the corrupted greater grail in Fuyuki City?"
As the manager of Fuyuki City's ley lines, Tohsaka Tokiomi had to know how Akatsuki intended to handle the corrupted greater grail; if she planned to disregard the 'concealment of the mystical,' he certainly wouldn't agree.
"You don't need to worry about that. I've already secured the support of a future Lord of the Clock Tower."
"Is that so? Then I wish you luck."
"Sakura... how is she?"
Akatsuki paused for a moment, then turned to look at Tohsaka Tokiomi. "Don't worry, Sakura is doing very well now."
In the hallway of the Tohsaka residence, Akatsuki encountered a late-arriving Kirei Kotomine.
"True Ancestor?"
"Hello, Master of Assassin."
Kirei Kotomine frowned slightly. "Did you kill Archer?"
Akatsuki crossed her arms and looked at him calmly. "Yes and no. But more importantly, Kirei—if you don't want to die, you'd better give up on that thing inside the greater grail as soon as possible."
Kirei Kotomine's eyes flickered; he felt Akatsuki was speaking with hidden meaning, but he didn't know exactly what she was referring to. However, that feeling of being seen through made him very uncomfortable.
"I don't know what you're talking about."
"In fact, you found the answer long ago, but your education doesn't permit you to accept it. Kirei, deriving pleasure from the suffering of others isn't an unpardonable sin; what matters is the method. As long as you don't take it too far, no one will say anything."
Kirei Kotomine clenched his fists, but when he turned back, he found that Akatsuki had already disappeared.
Kirei Kotomine stood there for a long time, turning Akatsuki's words over in his mind. Since she knew about his inner turmoil, she likely wasn't just speaking nonsense.
"Don't take it too far..."
Kirei Kotomine pondered the meaning of those words.
On the other side, Akatsuki, who had been busy all night, finally returned to her base. Looking at the sleeping Matou Sakura, Akatsuki smiled.
The feeling of witnessing her own little girl gradually becoming unable to leave her side and completely relying on her was truly not bad.
Pleasure! It was truly pleasurable!
Akatsuki gently stroked Matou Sakura's hair; Sakura seemed to be dreaming of something and unconsciously snuggled closer to Akatsuki.
Early the next morning.
"Big sister, are you going out today too?"
"Yes, I have an appointment to discuss important matters today. Sakura, do you want to come along?"
"Can I?"
Akatsuki smiled, picked up Matou Sakura, and headed toward a certain hotel in Fuyuki City. After arriving, Akatsuki led Matou Sakura into the reserved room.
The room was already packed with people.
Kiritsugu Emiya, Tohsaka Tokiomi, Waver, Kirei Kotomine, Irisviel, Maiya Hisau, Rider, Saber, and a group of Assassins.
Everyone remaining in the Fourth Holy Grail War was gathered in one room; theoretically, such a situation should be impossible, yet Akatsuki had single-handedly brought this scene about.
Of course, those who didn't come had been killed by Akatsuki.
"Sakura!"
Tohsaka Tokiomi immediately spotted Matou Sakura sitting on Akatsuki's arm; however, after seeing Tohsaka Tokiomi, a hint of surprise flashed in Sakura's eyes, but she didn't respond to him, only clinging tightly to Akatsuki.
Ignoring Tohsaka Tokiomi, Akatsuki walked straight into the middle of the group, and a throne of unknown material gradually appeared out of thin air in their midst.
Akatsuki sat upon the throne, her gaze sweeping across everyone present.
"Does anyone object to my proposal?"
The room was deathly silent; no one spoke.
Everyone present had more or less learned from Akatsuki that the greater grail was corrupted; under such circumstances, continuing the Holy Grail War was clearly unwise.
After a long time, Tohsaka Tokiomi spoke: "Is there really no other way? If the greater grail is corrupted, it just needs to be purified. Why destroy the Holy Grail War itself?"
"I have the same question as Tohsaka Tokiomi. After all, that is an omnipotent wish-granting machine..."
While handing some snacks from the table to Matou Sakura, Akatsuki said: "I can tell you all clearly that even using the greater grail to reach the Root would be futile, as you would most likely be erased immediately. After all, that has basically been the fate of everyone who has reached the Root."
Furthermore, Kiritsugu Emiya, as I've said before, the Holy Grail cannot grant your wish. Conflict is human nature; as long as there are people, there will be conflict. If your wish were granted, the possibilities for humanity's future would be reduced to zero. Humans without desire and humans full of desire will both ultimately head toward extinction.
"How do you plan to destroy the Holy Grail War?"
Saber asked.
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