"Ahhhhhhhhhh!!!"
Tokiomi Tohsaka let out a scream reminiscent of a violated woman—an instinctual howl of agony.
A dagger had pierced his back, and although he instinctively wanted to retaliate, the sharp pain rendered him momentarily immobile.
The Tohsaka family specialized in gemstone-based magic, utilizing high-quality gems to unleash magical effects. However, because Tokiomi hadn't considered Kariya Matou—a Master without a Servant—a threat, he carried only a minimal number of gemstones on him, just the gemstone ring he always wore.
Even so, using the gemstone for a counterattack was impossible, as Kariya was directly behind him. Just as it's difficult for a normal person to scratch their own back, Tokiomi couldn't strike the enemy clinging to his rear with gemstone magic.
At this moment, Tokiomi suddenly realized why he had dared to turn his back on Kariya—he had trusted Kotomine Kirei to intervene in case of any mishap.
But now, with Kariya's dagger buried in his back, where was Kotomine Kirei!?
"Kirei! What are you doing!? Stop this guy right now!!"
Abandoning all pretense of elegance, Tokiomi screamed like a thug in a street brawl who had been caught off guard and pleaded with Kirei in a shrill voice.
"Kill this guy! Now!!!"
Kirei watched the scene unfold, his eyes gleaming with curiosity. Though typically uninterested in anything, seeing Tokiomi writhe from a backstab stirred a strange sensation within him.
It was excitement—he felt thrilled by the suffering of someone he knew well.
"Yes, Teacher. I'll stop him now."
Kirei reached for the hilt of his Black Keys. With a surge of magical energy, several blades extended, forming swords. Yet his movements were agonizingly slow, more like a senior citizen taking a morning stroll than an enforcer of the Holy Church.
Clearly, Kirei's actions contradicted his words.
He even spoke soothingly to Tokiomi:
"But rest assured, Kariya Matou's blade missed your heart. You won't die so quickly."
This simple statement echoed in the quiet reception room, audible not only to Tokiomi but also to Kariya.
Upon hearing this, Kariya froze momentarily, then, as if receiving divine enlightenment, pushed the dagger further into Tokiomi's back with all his strength.
The blade, which had initially missed Tokiomi's heart, now carved a curved path through his back and pierced it with precision.
"Kirei, you ba—"
Unable to hold back, Tokiomi cursed. It was only at this moment that he realized the truth.
Kirei had not failed to stop Kariya—he had never intended to stop him!
Did this mean Kirei was colluding with Kariya? But why? What value could this worthless man have to Kirei? Or was this the will of his old friend, Father Risei Kotomine, the overseer of this Holy Grail War?
There had been no signs of any connection between Kariya and Risei, though.
With countless questions swirling in his mind, Tokiomi collapsed to the floor, his wide eyes filled with disbelief.
His body twitched a few times, as though attempting to resist, but ultimately went still. Despite his prestigious magical lineage, he was still a mere mortal—he couldn't survive a pierced heart.
"It's... it's done!"
Kariya, leaning over Tokiomi's lifeless body, wore an expression of ecstatic joy. He turned to Kirei to thank him—for his reminder about the dagger's placement had led to this success. Yet, as he turned, a chilling sensation suddenly enveloped his chest.
Several Black Keys pierced through his body with surgical precision.
One blade went straight through his heart.
"I'm not like you. I know where to strike."
Seeing Kariya's terrified and confused expression, Kirei couldn't help but smile—a rare sight. Even his own father had once remarked that his expressions were too somber.
But today, watching Tokiomi's death and Kariya's betrayal-like shock, he couldn't suppress his laughter.
He thought about how, mere hours ago, Tokiomi had summoned the powerful Gilgamesh and prepared to dominate the Holy Grail War, only to be assassinated by the very man he had scorned.
What a delightful turn of events.
Retracting the Black Keys, Kirei gazed at the intertwined corpses of Tokiomi and Kariya. His expression slowly returned to its usual calm.
Now that Tokiomi was dead, his Command Seals and Servant couldn't go to waste.
Gilgamesh's ownership would now fall to him.
...
The massacre at the Tohsaka household went unnoticed for the time being. By morning, it was certain someone would discover the tragedy.
On just the first day of the Holy Grail War, two families of the Three Founding Houses had been eliminated.
When Kiritsugu Emiya, summoned by the Einzberns, arrived in Fuyuki City and learned of these developments, his reaction would surely be priceless.
Meanwhile, Zuke, who had indirectly orchestrated these events, was unaware of Tokiomi's swift demise. If he had known, he might have remarked to Tokiomi: "Your wife and children, I shall care for them. Rest easy."
Though such words would likely have only deepened Tokiomi's distress.
At that moment, Zuke was staking out the streets with Sakura Matou.
Having just escorted Rin Tohsaka earlier and now accompanying Sakura, Kariya Matou would undoubtedly grind his teeth to dust if he knew.
"Big brother, who are we waiting for?" Sakura, sitting comfortably in Zuke's arms, asked curiously.
She didn't mind sitting with him on the street late at night; in fact, she rather enjoyed the warmth of his embrace. She wished this moment could last longer.
But Zuke didn't seem like someone who would idly sit on a street corner at night, so she was puzzled as to why he had brought her here.
"We're waiting for someone who can take you to the Clock Tower for training," Zuke said calmly.
"Look, isn't that them?"
They were waiting outside Fuyuki City's largest bookstore, and Zuke knew full well that a student from the Clock Tower—Waver Velvet—would arrive here late at night after summoning his Servant.
Of course, Waver didn't want to come. He would be dragged here against his will by his Servant, the Rider-class Iskandar.
That was why Zuke had chosen to wait here for their arrival. His patience had paid off, and although the wait had been long, he could already hear it now.
The sound of galloping animals grew closer.
To be continued…
Hoi Ningen, the FBI is after you after going through your search history. Hand over your Power Stones to me so I can bribe them for you winks.
Advance 50 Chapters(60 for 1 day, though) are up on my Patreon!
pat reon.com/AlphaSenatus