Chapter 274 - Gather all the Masters

After a night of consecutive fights to the death, a white light beam gradually appeared in the eastern sky. At this moment, Kirei was using the magic communicator to establish communication with the Tohsaka mansion in the Miyama district. He and his father, Kotomine Risei, were preparing to call an emergency strategy meeting.

"Huh? Is Caster really dead?"

Tokiomi's surprise and disbelief were revealed in his tone. Kirei and Assassin's efforts had paid off for him, though these were unexpected.

"Our opponent was about the Heroic Spirit of a mage. Despite being an Assassin, it did not fail to be difficult for him to enter his workshop unnoticed. However, while guarding the Servant, he came into contact with the same person who killed Lancer. The fight between the two sides almost revealed Assassin's presence, just as it almost ended his life."

Kirei gave his report to Tohsaka about what happened in Caster's workshop.

"The same person who killed Lancer..."

Tokiomi thought of that boy in the armor who had killed Lancer. He wasn't a Servant, but he had skills comparable to these. His sword seemed to be a Mystic Code of the highest level, being able to split Lancer's body in half.

Like Kiritsugu, Tokiomi had encountered a variable that was too unexpected.

This person who was not interested in the Grail, but was killing Servants all the same... was a danger.

"Drako, or so he introduced himself in front of everyone, did not use his sword to kill Caster. Instead, he used a bow and a strange ability. Both weapons are unmistakable, and everyone with knowledge of the Throne of Heroes can recognize these two weapons."

Kirei's words were followed by Tokiomi's silence.

"Assassin recognized them. Both the bow and the skill are Noble Phantasm of high grade."

Able to clearly sense Tokiomi's rising fury, Kirei hurriedly continued before he managed to reply.

"The bow is known how Agni Gandiva, Arjuna's bow. On the other hand, the skill he used was Phoebus Catastrophe, Atalanta's Noble Phantasm. Both are powerful Noble Phantasm, and although I don't know how he owns these, you have to be careful. Especially with that sword."

"What's wrong with that sword? Even if it's powerful, it's still inferior to Gilgamesh's secret weapon. That sword shouldn't even be on the level of Saber's Excalibur."

Tokiomi calmed down a bit thinking about Ea, Gilgamesh's Ex-ranked Noble Phantasm.

"I wouldn't be so sure. Assassin suspects that Drako's sword is on Ea's level."

"Impossible!"

"You wouldn't say that if you knew the identity of that sword. Assassin suspects that it is the sword described in the Norse texts, the one that will bring destruction."

Tokiomi's eyes grew as wide as possible, and his pupils dilated to the max. Kirei could imagine Tohsaka's face of disbelief.

"Are you talking about..."

"Yes. The Sword of the Sun, Laevatein."

Tokiomi breathed furiously.

Heaven's Feel was a crucial event for the Tohsaka family, the method they had chosen to reach the Root. And now, an outside agent like Drako was defiling the ritual created with the sweat and blood of their ancestors.

Fortunately, the Church had acted quickly upon learning of Drako's attack on Caster, and they had managed to manipulate the information in the public eye. But it was obvious that this person did not care about keeping the magical world a secret.

Heaven's Feel must be kept secret. This is a solemn rule for everyone involved in this. Someone who would attract so much attention to this place would not be welcome.

And furthermore, any mage is responsible for protecting that noble creed. Whoever it was, no one would expose magic to the common people. Everyone researched their magic clandestinely; those who failed to protect this secret would be left dead without delay by the Association. As long as something was related to the secrecy of magic, the Wizards' Association was firm and consummate in handling it. That is why this matter has always made the blood of magicians run cold.

"About this Drako, did you get any detailed information, reports, or anything like that?"

"No. Though we have something about his Servant. From his peculiar armor and attitude towards Servant Saber, I think he might be one of the knights who served King Arthur."

"A knight of the round table?"

Tokiomi asked Kirei for confirmation.

"That's right."

Tokiomi fell into deep thought.

This person, Drako, was not a Master. At least he was not an official Master appointed by the Holy Grail. That being the case, what was his motive for hunting Servants like this?

Did he want to feel the adrenaline rush of fighting strong opponents?

That seemed the only almost logical option Tokiomi could find.

Maybe he wanted to destroy the Holy Grail?

No, why would anyone want to destroy it?

Tokiomi held his hands to his head. The intrusion of this variable was driving him mad.

"You can't let this matter continue to run free, can you? Tokiomi-kun."

With a displeased look Father Risei interjected.

"Drako's actions have clearly obstructed the progress of Heaven's Feel. This is against the rules."

"Of course. As one whose previous job was to protect the secret of magic, I will not let them off the hook."

For generations, the Tohsaka family has always been the keeper of the secret in the Fuyuki area. Managing the lines of this land and monitoring any abnormal occurrences here - this is the responsibility entrusted to them by the Magicians' Association. This is also the reason why the Tohsaka, as one of the 'three founding families', offered this place under their care as the stage for Heaven's Feel.

As a Master whose goal is to acquire the Holy Grail and also as the guardian of this land, Tokiomi really must stop Drako's actions.

"But the problem is, in order to fight a Servant, we must rely on a Servant. And, either way, my Assassin cannot carry out any actions."

Kirei's remarks made perfect sense. Assassin's purpose was specifically to fulfill clandestine plans, and how could he allow himself to appear again so quickly?

Father Risei contemplated this for a moment in silence. He suggested to Tokiomi:

"It is within my jurisdiction as overseer to alter the rules slightly. How about we put aside the fight for the Holy Grail first? We gather all the other Masters to go against Drako, how about it?"

"Huh? So... What do you have in mind, Father?"

"I can provide some help for future battles to whoever manages to eradicate the intruder. To have the result of having Heaven's Feel completely derailed just by the frenzy of a person outside the ritual... I doubt the other Masters would want it to happen."

"...Oh, I see. Changing the objective of this game to a hunt. Is that right?"

Even if these two people are ridiculously strong, they wouldn't be able to take on the rest of the Servants by themselves.

"But wouldn't the condition of rewarding some benefit to the one who defeats Drako... turn against us? Wouldn't it eventually prevent us from obtaining the Holy Grail?"

Smiling, Father Risei replied:

"Of course, it is not good for someone else to acquire the benefits. But the only one who could deal the final blow to Caster, cornered by the dogs, would be Archer."

"... I see. That's obvious."

As long as Kirei's Assassin is present, it will be too easy to accurately fix Archer's timing to retribute the final shot. Although the rules were altered now, the Tohsaka group's battle tactics and skills remained unchanged.

"Then prepare to gather all the Masters."