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Shinji was furious and frustrated. He couldn't help but burst into a loud curse, which naturally caught the attention of Scáthach, who lived next door to him.
Instantly transforming into her spiritual form, the Queen of the Shadow Realm leaped from the ground, quickly putting on her clothes. Curiously, she asked, "What's happened? It sounds like it's related to Sakura's biological father."
"Yeah, something unexpected has come up. I'm going to confirm it right away." Shinji hastily put on his coat, neglecting to brush his teeth or wash his face, and rushed outside.
"Do you want me to come with you?"
"No need. Sensei, focus on recovering. I'll be back in an hour at most. By the way, tell Uncle that he doesn't need to make breakfast. I'll bring takeout on the way."
With the final words, Shinji had already rushed to the entrance, leaving Scáthach quite puzzled by his hurried appearance.
"It seems like something significant has indeed happened, but... it doesn't seem to have much to do with the overall situation of the war. What could it be for?" Scáthach couldn't help but praise his keen insight. Although she didn't know what had occurred, his judgment was spot on. The death or survival of Tohsaka Tokiomi didn't have much impact on the course of the Holy Grail War.
The main force of the Holy Grail War was still the Servants. If Tokiomi died, Gilgamesh would simply change Masters. Although Tokiomi had slightly greater combat strength, Shinji had not yet revealed his magecraft to the outside world. Shinji's understanding of him was based on a single encounter and an analysis of Rin's magical characteristics. However, that was only a description in the work, and Rin lost her father at the age of seven, so her magical training and combat skills were half taught by Kirei and half self-taught. It had limited reference value, and Tokiomi's true strength remained a mystery.
The unknown was the greatest variable, and Shinji dared not claim that Tokiomi was easier to deal with than Kirei.
Moreover, Shinji's concern was not the war itself but rather his uncle Kariya's lifelong matter and whether he could transform from having one adorable sister into having two... Ahem, that was just a side note, a side note.
Currently, Justeaze was lurking by Irisviel's side, and the intelligence she obtained would not be wrong. Since Kiritsugu Emiya confirmed that Tokiomi had left, it meant that he had already departed. Moreover, given Kiritsugu's caution and vigilance towards Kirei, he probably anticipated everything, including the destination, the time on the road, and the possibility of turning back.
In this way, the likelihood of Kirei becoming Gilgamesh's new Master was very low. After all, Servants relied on their Masters to maintain their materialization. While they could act independently of their Masters, the farther they were apart, the more difficult it was to supply them with magical energy, unless there was a high-level independent action to compensate. This was also why the vast majority of Masters would not stray too far from their Servants.
However high the skill level, there is a limit. Even if Gilgamesh has an A-rank Independent Action, it cannot compensate for half the distance of the Earth. So, if Tokiomi didn't die and continued to serve as Gilgamesh's Master, and Kirei didn't betray him last night, a normal farewell between them would be the most reasonable answer.
Of course, the current situation has deviated from Shinji's expectations. He couldn't assert that his speculations were correct, so he needed to see it with his own eyes.
He didn't need to go inside the Tohsaka residence and meet Tokiomi in person. Just a few minutes of observation from the outside would be enough.
To prevent the barrier in the house from being deciphered, Tokiomi had a habit of adjusting the barrier's structure every morning. By checking for any signs of changes in the barrier, Shinji could deduce whether Tokiomi was still alive.
After more than ten minutes, Shinji got his answer—Tokiomi was indeed alive. Not only was he alive, but he was also leisurely enjoying himself in the study. It made Shinji want to use "Indra's Vajra" to blast Tokiomi into pieces, but he couldn't. Besides the fact that Gilgamesh might be nearby guarding him, just the act of killing Tokiomi himself would put him at odds with Sakura and Rin, creating an unsolvable dilemma.
Why did Kirei make the wrong judgment? Why didn't he kill Tokiomi? What about Gilgamesh? Wasn't he also extremely dissatisfied with Tokiomi? How could he not take any action?
Shinji, who didn't possess future sight, naturally didn't know about the unknown changes occurring within Kirei. He also didn't know that the timeline had already diverged before his arrival.
Now, he was buying breakfast while contemplating what to do next.
The original plan was straightforward and could be summarized in one sentence: follow the original plot, cause chaos with Kirei and Gilgamesh, wait until things got bad, then come out and reap the benefits.
But now, that wouldn't work. Shinji wasn't like Kirei and wouldn't do something so crazy. The next course of action would likely be similar to before—cautious investigation, gathering information, and then systematically eliminating them one by one. The Saber group and the Rider group should follow the same strategy.
Rider currently posed the highest threat, and since Waver didn't have a workshop, he would likely be the first target. If Shinji remembered correctly, Kiritsugu had already started setting up traps against Waver. However, Rider is cunning and perceptive despite his appearance of being reckless and foolish. If he sensed any danger, it was highly likely that he would take Waver and leave. He had excellent mobility, so it wouldn't be difficult for him.
Next, it would be Kariya's turn. Every Master knew the address of the Matou residence, and there were still several familiars watching over it. Although Scathach had strengthened the defense of the Matou residence with runes, it wasn't foolproof. Saber, Archer, and Rider could break through. Moreover, once an attack on the Matou residence was launched, Scathach's relationship with the Matou family would be exposed, and then Saber and Archer might truly form an alliance.
Thinking up to this point, Shinji's heart skipped a beat.
Not good, things are not going well. We must come up with a solution. Is there any way to make Saber, Archer, and Rider fight each other first? It would be best if it played out like a plot, with Archer defeating Rider first and then injuring Saber. At that moment, Uncle and Berserker can intervene and save Saber, defeating Archer to fulfill their desires. The injured Saber can be dealt with by Sensei. In the end, we will obtain the Holy Grail.
Wait, a plot?
A gleam suddenly appeared in Shinji's eyes, startling the delivery waiter.
I've been foolish. Why did I always see myself as an observer, waiting until the last moment to intervene? I can actively jump in and drive the plot.
In that instant, Shinji felt as if he had opened a new door, and his thinking became clear.
Exactly, no one has predetermined the script. I can completely change the script according to my wishes—since Kotomine Kirei has left, I can take over his role.
Since things are different from what was agreed upon, don't blame me for not playing by the rules. Let me cause a commotion from now on.
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