Chapter 49:
Risei Kotomine acted swiftly, and before dawn, he successfully located Caster's secret workshop based on the directions provided by Shinji.
The scene inside was indeed as Shinji had described, resembling a hellish sight.
If an ordinary person had witnessed it, they would likely have vomited. Even Risei, a resolute clergyman, felt a sense of disgust.
But Kirei Kotomine was different. He not only did not feel repulsed but rather found the scene before him strangely alluring, stirring his appetite.
Yes, it was as if his favorite Chinese dish, "Mapo Tofu," was laid out before him. It was Kirei's favorite dish, with its irresistible combination of numbing, spicy, fragrant, and hot flavors, one of the few things that made him truly feel alive.
No, it was even more enticing than Mapo Tofu, evoking an irresistible feeling in Kirei.
It was a sensation he had never experienced since he could remember.
I,
I...
I am drawn to the corpses, to the blood?
Impossible!
The thought arose, only to be immediately denied by Kirei himself.
As an executor, he had killed many people with his own hands, and he had seen countless corpses and blood. He had never experienced such a feeling before.
So, why now?
Kirei looked at the lifeless body that had turned cold and was astonished to find that the uncontrollable desire he had felt just moments ago had vanished as if it had all been an illusion.
"Lord—"
Confused, Kirei chose to pray to his Lord, as he had done countless times before. Naturally, he received no response, and Kirei was not surprised or taken aback. He had grown accustomed to it.
If prayers were effective, he wouldn't have been living like a walking corpse until now.
Prayer was merely a means for him to numb himself. After completing everything, he reported everything he had seen to his father and teacher.
Risei Kotomine was furious.
Tokiomi Tohsaka was furious.
Counting the victims in the workshop, more than 20 people had lost their lives. If it weren't for the timely arrival of the Assassin faction, the death toll would have exceeded 30.
This situation couldn't be resolved with warnings and punishments alone. Caster and his Master had to be eliminated as soon as possible!
Dealing with Servants could only be done by relying on other Servants. And so—
A specially designed magical pulse from the Church spread throughout Fuyuki City. Every Master "heard" this signal.
It was the Church's summons to all the Masters.
One hour later.
A heavy, gloomy atmosphere hung over the congregation of the Church's followers.
Risei Kotomine, as the host, looked at the dense miasma before him and sighed helplessly.
No Masters appeared at the Fuyuki Church. Instead, six familiars gathered here.
Yes, six of them.
Except for Ryuunosuke, Caster's Master, who couldn't see the magical signal, the other Masters sent their "representatives." None of them cared about maintaining a friendly facade with the Church. It also meant that Kenneth, who should have died in the explosion incident, was still alive.
"Originally, I had prepared some small talk, but since no one is here, I'll get straight to the point."
After a brief opening, the old priest continued speaking, facing the empty pews—no "humans" as the audience.
"The Holy Grail War, which grants the wishes of its participants, is now facing a grave crisis. Normally, the Holy Grail only bestows power upon those who pursue it and the Heroic Spirits. However, there is a traitor among them. He and his Heroic Spirit disregard the noble cause of the Holy Grail and use the power granted to them to satisfy their shallow desires."
"It has been confirmed that Caster's Master is the perpetrator behind the recent series of murders and abductions in Fuyuki City. He commits crimes using his Servant but leaves the crime scenes untouched, without attempting to conceal them. I believe I don't need to explain what consequences such a flagrant violation of secrecy rules can bring—you all understand."
Although the familiars showed no reaction, Risei Kotomine could sense that the Masters on the other end of the familiars were undoubtedly shaken. Just like Tokiomi in the morning, it was a normal reaction for magi.
"He and his Servant are no longer just personal enemies for each of you but a common enemy that threatens the summoning of the Holy Grail. In this exceptional situation, I will exercise the authority of the overseer and temporarily alter the rules of the Holy Grail War."
"All Masters must immediately cease their battles and do their utmost to eliminate Caster. Those who eliminate Caster and his Master will be rewarded with additional Command Spells."
As he made the declaration in a serious tone, Risei rolled up his right sleeve, revealing his arm.
Though his muscles had aged, it was still evident that he had strong arms in his youth. From his elbow to his wrist, his arm was covered in tattoo-like patterns—
No, it shouldn't be called a tattoo. Any Master of the Holy Grail War would know what it was at a glance.
"These are the unused Command Spells from Masters who were eliminated in past Holy Grail Wars. For all of you, these markings hold immeasurable value. I can transfer these prepared Command Spells to anyone based on my judgment."
Seeing this evidence, no one doubted the authority of Father Risei as the overseer.
He had kept the unused Command Spells, which belonged to past Masters, under his care. Roughly counting, there were over ten markings.
It is worth mentioning that although these engraved markings on the Masters' bodies possess powerful energy, they are ultimately a form of consumable physical enchantment. Therefore, they can be transplanted or transferred through the use of incantations.
"If one person accomplishes the task, the reward will be given to that individual. However, if it is a collaborative effort involving multiple people, each person contributing will be rewarded. As long as Caster is confirmed to be eliminated, the Holy Grail War will immediately resume."
Risei Kotomine finished speaking and lowered his sleeve, concealing the markings that would drive every Master crazy.
"Now, if anyone has any questions, please speak up—of course, limited to those who can speak."
The six familiars that came here didn't appear to be high-level familiars capable of human speech. Risei Kotomine's intention was clear—to dismiss them.
However, he didn't expect that there would be a familiar who spoke up.
"Cough, mic, mic, testing, testing—"
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