Fighting, bleeding, death—none of these fazed Kirei Kotomine. After all, as an executor of the Holy Church, hunting down heretics was part of his duty. Bloodshed was nothing unusual. However, what puzzled Kirei was why he had been chosen for this Holy Grail War in the first place. Why him—a man of the Church?
He had been under Tokiomi Tohsaka's tutelage for a long time, and he still recalled his father's words.
"We must put an end to the Holy Grail War," Risei Kotomine had told him earnestly.
"Kirei, do you understand why you were made a Master?"
Kirei's mind returned to the present. "To assist you in obtaining the Grail… to bring an end to this battle."
"Exactly." Tokiomi nodded, satisfied. Over time, Tokiomi had thoroughly conditioned Kirei to believe in his cause—otherwise, he wouldn't have been so devoted.
"The Holy Grail has witnessed the Tohsaka family's dedication!"
At this point, Tokiomi's expression shifted.
"Recently, my daughter accidentally summoned a Heroic Spirit, which means that my family now commands three Servants! This war must end in a Tohsaka victory!"
His voice dripped with arrogance.
And, frankly, that arrogance suited Tokiomi Tohsaka perfectly.
As a magus, Tokiomi was indeed exceptional. His talent was evident in the fact that he was able to summon Gilgamesh. When Gilgamesh was under Tokiomi's command, his stats were B-B-B-A-A, but later, when he became Kirei's Servant, they dropped to B-C-C-A-A. That difference spoke volumes.
So, in a way, Tokiomi was right.
Clap, clap.
Arthur couldn't help but applaud. "Damn, the brainwashing here is top-tier! If it weren't for Gilgamesh's absurd power, things might have gone very differently."
At the sound of his voice, Tokiomi turned.
"Your Majesty," he greeted Arthur with a respectful nod.
Arthur smirked. "Tokiomi, looks like you're well-prepared. But where's your Servant?"
In response, Tokiomi pulled out a small ornate box. "Honored King, this is my catalyst. With this, I am certain I will summon a mighty Heroic Spirit."
Arthur took a glance at the contents. "Snake skin?"
"Precisely. You are quite knowledgeable."
Arthur nodded, though his thoughts were elsewhere. Gilgamesh is about to show up. I should prepare as well.
"System, I remember I have two rewards to claim. Let's do it now."
A turntable materialized in Arthur's mind, displaying six options:
1. Clairvoyance: EX (Owner: Solomon)
2. High-Speed Incantation: C (Owner: Solomon)
3. Mana Burst: C (Owner: Merlin)
4. Wisdom of the Haunted Realm: A+ (Owner: Scáthach)
5. Defiant Gaze: B (Owner: Lü Bu)
6. Instinct (True): A (Owner: Fergus mac Róich)
Arthur's eyes gleamed with excitement. Each skill was a game-changer! (Except for Defiant Gaze—yeah, no thanks.)
Clasping his hands together, Arthur prayed to every deity that might be listening. Alright, gods of the heavens, RNGesus, Lady Luck—please, let me get something good!
The wheel began spinning. Arthur focused entirely on it, tuning out Tokiomi and Kirei's conversation in the background.
After what felt like an eternity, the wheel finally stopped.
Ding! Congratulations, Host has obtained the skill: Mana Burst (C).
Arthur blinked. "What? Just a C-rank?!"
A pang of disappointment hit him, but he quickly shook it off. "Wait, hold on. This isn't bad at all. Merlin's Mana Burst is seriously useful. This should help compensate for my lack of magical reserves."
Although he was familiar with Merlin's abilities, having the skill himself made things different.
"Alright, system, I still have one more reward. Use it now."
Ding! Congratulations! Host's Magic attribute has increased by one rank. Current rank: D → C.
Arthur let out a deep breath. "Wow, the system really doesn't like my low magic stat, huh? Today is just a full-on magic boost day!"
Though he had been hoping for a more OP skill, this was still a solid gain. Without sufficient magical energy, he wouldn't even be able to use big moves without exhausting himself.
"But now… at least I can use them properly."
It wasn't the flashiest power-up, but it was practical. And in a war like this, practicality mattered.
--------
Arthur was deep in thought about his current magic power when, all of a sudden, a black shadow appeared behind Kirei Kotomine.
"Haha! Damn guy, you don't take us seriously at all." The shadow sneered with disdain. It was none other than Assassin—Hassan of the Hundred Faces.
Without hesitation, Assassin lunged toward Arthur at breakneck speed, appearing as nothing more than a blur.
"Trash hero, die!!!" Hassan grinned wickedly as a dagger materialized in his hand, already aimed for Arthur's throat.
"Stop!" Tokiomi and Kirei reacted immediately, but Hassan had no intention of stopping.
At the last possible moment, Arthur shifted his body slightly to the side, effortlessly dodging the attack.
Intuition.
This exclusive skill of King Arthur allowed him to evade danger instinctively, as if he could see the future.
For a brief moment, silence filled the air.
Then, Arthur suddenly appeared beside Hassan, and in a flash of golden light, a sword materialized in his hand.
The Golden Sword of Victory—Caliburn.
An invisible force spread from Arthur, enveloping the entire space around him. It was not the destructive force of Excalibur, but something far more absolute. It was the authority of a King.
"Submit."
Arthur's voice resonated through the battlefield like a divine command.
Hassan's body froze. His movements—no, his very will—was crushed under an overwhelming pressure.
"You, kneel."
As if the weight of a mountain had fallen upon him, Hassan dropped to his knees, his body trembling.
Arthur placed the edge of his sword against the assassin's neck.
"Hmph, I consider myself a reasonable man," Arthur mused, "but I don't tolerate those who try to kill me."
Without another word, he swung his sword. Blood splattered.
"King, no—!" Tokiomi started, but before he could finish, Hassan's body dissipated into golden particles, fading into the night.
"King! Why did you kill him? He was one of ours!" Tokiomi demanded, his expression a mix of shock and frustration.
Arthur, completely unbothered, responded coldly, "Those who defy their king are unforgivable."
"This isn't about acting strong. A king must never show mercy to traitors."
Tokiomi opened his mouth to argue but hesitated.
"Besides," Arthur continued, "that Hassan was just a weakling. Probably one of the lesser faces."
Kirei Kotomine, now processing the situation, nodded. "My Assassin is Hassan of the Hundred Faces. He has at least 100 identities, meaning..."
Arthur smirked. "If there are 88 known identities, there are probably 88 clones. Killing one is me being generous."
Tokiomi, realizing the insignificant loss, sighed. "My king is merciful."
Arthur turned to leave. "By the way, if you plan on summoning Gilgamesh, be careful."
Tokiomi frowned. "Gilgamesh… the Golden King?"
Arthur didn't bother explaining. He simply walked away, his golden sword vanishing into thin air.
Kirei Kotomine watched him disappear, then turned to his mentor. "Teacher, this Heroic Spirit is strong... but he doesn't seem very obedient."
Tokiomi exhaled. "That's just how a king is. But after a month of observation, I've realized one thing—as long as you don't provoke him, everything's fine."
Kirei was silent for a moment before muttering, "But… he doesn't seem to obey his Master. He has his own ambitions."
Tokiomi didn't answer. Instead, he simply watched Arthur's back fade into the distance, lost in thought.
---
Later That Night
Kirei Kotomine stood alone under the night sky, letting the ocean breeze ruffle his coat.
His mind was filled with images of Arthur—his presence, his confidence, his sheer authority. He was powerful, self-assured, and yet… strangely gentle toward those he cared about.
"Men like that," Kirei muttered to himself, "never hesitate. They know their purpose from the start and fight for it without doubt. Such people… are never lost."
For a moment, Kirei stared at the command seals on his hand, his fingers clenching into a fist.
"So then… what about me?"
"What is my goal? What is my dream?"
A question with no answer—yet.
------
Need More Chapters?
Give this fic more Power stones!!!!!
Every 250 Stones = 1 Bonus Chapter