The night stretched on, shrouding the battlefield in a blanket of uneasy silence. The Red and Black factions were not so easily deterred by Goku's sudden interference, though the repercussions of his actions were undeniable. Every Servant, every Master, had to reconsider their plans.
Sieg stood at the edge of Trifas, gazing out over the ruined battlefield. His body still hummed with energy from the earlier conflict, and though Karna's defeat was a blow to the Red faction, the young man could not shake the feeling that the real battle was yet to come.
Beside him, Jeanne appeared—her silhouette bathed in the moonlight. Her eyes, cold and calculating, betrayed little of the turmoil she felt inside. She had hoped for a simpler conclusion to the war, a swift judgment, but the arrival of Goku had changed everything.
"Ruler." Siegfried turned to her, his voice steady but with a trace of concern. "Do you believe he is truly an ally?"
Jeanne shook her head. "I don't know. The Grail did not summon him. He is… an anomaly. Yet he has no desire for the Grail itself."
Sieg frowned. "Then what is his purpose here? Why disrupt the war if not to claim the Holy Grail?"
"I don't think he knows the answer," Jeanne murmured, her gaze lost in the distance. "His actions speak of a warrior without purpose, without attachment. But for someone to have this much power and still not have a goal… is troubling."
They were interrupted by a soft snap of branches. Jeanne's eyes narrowed. She turned quickly, drawing her sword from its scabbard.
From the shadows, a figure emerged—a tall man with silver hair, cloaked in black robes. His eyes, glowing faintly red, peered from beneath a hood.
"Shirou Kotomine…" Jeanne muttered under her breath, recognizing the man at once.
"Ruler." Shirou's voice rang out softly, but his tone was no less cold. "I see you've kept yourself busy. Quite the display earlier."
Sieg stepped forward, his stance defensive. "What do you want, Kotomine?"
Shirou's lips twisted into a half-smile. "I wanted to see the anomaly for myself. The one who's disrupted our carefully laid plans." He looked at Goku, who had appeared just behind them, as if by sheer force of will.
"Well?" Goku grinned, scratching his head. "You guys still mad at me?"
Shirou studied him closely, his smile fading into a more neutral expression. "You know, I think it's almost fitting. A creature with no understanding of this world yet holding enough power to turn it upside down. A force of nature, running wild."
Jeanne stepped forward, her voice sharp. "Enough, Kotomine. What is your true aim? You came here to observe us, but you have been playing both sides from the shadows. This war isn't something you control."
Shirou met her gaze without flinching. "Not yet. But it will be. I am the Grail's true master. I will shape the course of history, whether the Grail itself sees fit to stop me or not."
Goku tilted his head, clearly confused. "Wait, so you're the bad guy or the good guy? I still don't get this whole 'Grail' thing."
Shirou let out a dry chuckle. "Good and evil are meaningless here. The Grail is power, and power alone decides the outcome of the war." He paused, eyes flicking toward Jeanne. "And you, Ruler, will serve as the key to unlocking it."
Jeanne clenched her sword, but Goku raised a hand, stepping between them. "Hold on a second," he said, his voice calm but firm. "You're talkin' like you've got it all figured out. But you're forgetting one thing, dude…"
Shirou raised an eyebrow, his posture shifting just slightly. "And what might that be?"
Goku grinned wide. "I don't care about the Grail. I care about finding people who can push me to my limits. So if you wanna fight—let's fight. If you just want power for power's sake…" He crossed his arms, looking bored. "That's kinda lame."
The words hung in the air, heavy with a sort of defiance that even Shirou couldn't easily dismiss.
"Interesting…" Shirou muttered, his eyes narrowing as he took in Goku's words. "I was expecting a more… complex answer."
Mordred, who had been watching the exchange from a distance, couldn't help herself. "You're right, Goku! I think this guy does need a fight, and I'm not gonna let you have all the fun!" She brandished Clarent with a smirk, stepping forward. "Let me handle this one. I could use a challenge after that embarrassing defeat earlier."
Goku raised an eyebrow, clearly amused. "Heh. You sure you want to go again?"
Mordred grinned, undeterred. "I've got a score to settle."
Shirou's gaze flickered between them, eyes flashing with an unreadable expression. "Very well," he said quietly. "But this is not the time or place. The true battle will come when the final pieces are in motion. Then, we will see what the Grail truly holds."
Before anyone could respond, Shirou melted back into the shadows, his figure vanishing as swiftly as he had appeared.
The silence that followed felt heavy. Jeanne turned to Goku, her expression unreadable.
"Are you prepared for what's to come?" she asked.
Goku grinned widely. "I'm always ready for a fight!"
Mordred chuckled, twirling her sword. "I guess that's one way to put it."
Jeanne looked at them both, feeling the weight of what was to come. They were no longer mere participants in the war—they were central to its outcome. And the true enemy, the one who sought to control the Grail, was still out there.
The war was just beginning.