Chapter Thirty-Nine: The Alliance’s Victory

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My name is Lin Hao.
What in the world is an "Alliance Victory"?
140:45:11
Thump—Clap—
In a corner of Shinto, Fuyuki City, sits the Fuyuki Church, the public front for the clandestine organization known as the Holy Church.
To those ignorant of magecraft or other supernatural powers, this is merely a small chapel built to accommodate the increasing and complex needs of Fuyuki’s citizens. It is staffed only by an old priest and a few nuns, providing standard services such as prayer, confession, worship, and wedding officiation.
However, those who possess magical energy can feel that, following a loud explosion, magical fluctuations began to radiate from the sky above the church. The waves spread throughout the entire city, much like a stone dropped into a calm lake, with ripples expanding until they reached the banks.
This was a magical firework, a tool authorized only for the supervisor of this Holy Grail War. Aside from its large, lingering range designed to ensure it is noticed, it has no other practical use. Its launch signifies that the supervisor has an important announcement for all participants.
While the rules dictate that all participants should cease hostilities and travel to the supervisor’s location to hear the news, no Master would arrive in person unless there were absolutely no secrets left between them. Otherwise, a Master’s identity, the location of their hideout, and even their Servant’s class and true name could be deduced by a participant with strong analytical skills.
With Kirei Kotomine secretly collaborating with Tokiomi Tohsaka, it is entirely possible they could use this opportunity to force someone out of the war. However, given that none of the participants in this Holy Grail War are fools, only familiars with no intelligence-gathering value will likely show up.
Thinking this, Kirei Kotomine began to dismantle the spent magical firework launcher.
138:34:11
"It seems you are all well aware of the current situation, so I will forgo the pleasantries and get straight to the point," Kirei Kotomine said, looking at the three "familiars" inside the church. "You have now formed an alliance through cooperation, kinship, or mentor-disciple relationships—"
Judging by appearance alone, the Masters of the Einzbern family hold the supervisor in the highest regard. As if to show off their alchemical prowess, the familiar they sent was a silver-white woman capable of reacting appropriately to his words, even though she had taken the form of a giant eagle before flying in through the window.
"As you know, the goal of this war is for one of the seven Masters and their Servants to emerge victorious and achieve a wish—"
Kayneth from the Clock Tower and his disciple are as dismissive of the Church as ever. They also seem paranoid, likely due to being ambushed and driven from their workshop. The familiar they sent was a misty "evil spirit," which was constantly being purified and shrinking due to the holy power contained within the church; it clearly had no concerns about being tracked upon its return.
"Reflecting the current status of the alliances and certain unexpected circumstances, I, as the supervisor, am announcing a rule adjustment: The groups consisting of the Tohsaka mentor and disciple, the Einzbern family, and Kayneth of the Clock Tower and his disciple will be treated as independent entities, or rather, factions—"
Tokiomi’s old friend is perhaps getting a bit carried away. Since his faction has already been discovered by others, he made no effort to hide the fact that he sent an Assassin to participate in this meeting, causing the familiars of the other two sides to constantly steal glances at him.
"—once the other two factions have completely withdrawn, the remaining faction will automatically obtain the Holy Grail without the need to determine a final survivor. This is an 'Alliance Victory,'" Kirei Kotomine finally announced. "If anyone has any objections regarding this rule change, please speak up."
The familiars naturally had no objections. The silver-white woman transformed back into a giant eagle and soared away, the evil spirit vanished on the spot, and the Assassin retreated into the shadows with a cackle.
Kirei Kotomine remained silent for a long moment before shaking his head and leaving the chapel.
138:22:32
"Hmph, 'Alliance Victory'? There is no doubt he detected Luna’s anomaly through the Spirit Vessel tray. Damn old man."

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In the mountains south of Fuyuki, there stands a western-style mansion abandoned by its owner for unknown reasons. While not as exquisite or luxurious as the Hyatt Hotel, it possesses a certain grandeur. Kayneth’s makeshift "floating fortress" could not remain in the air for long, so he eventually landed it nearby and integrated it into a new magical workshop.
Sola-Ui was initially interested in the new base, but after discovering that it was actually a retreat Kayneth had prepared long ago, she threw another tantrum.
After Kayneth and his disciple listened to Kirei Kotomine’s notification regarding the rule change via a crystal ball in the mansion’s grand living room, they immediately turned their gaze toward Luna, even though Sola-Ui did not voice her thoughts.
"[Hmm? Is something the matter with me?]"
Sitting there was a long-haired girl wearing strange, school-swimsuit-like skirt armor, with an extraordinarily exquisite face and an inexplicably noble aura. If not for her silver-white body emitting a faint glow like a sculpture, such a bold outfit might have made Waver blush.
During the previous skirmish at the Hyatt, the Berserker, driving his Chariot of the Heavens, had grabbed Luna’s arm. Perhaps Tokiomi Tohsaka considered the Volumen Hydrargyrum to be a weapon and ordered him to try to seize it, but the result was that the black Berserker was repelled by a magical shockwave, almost being knocked off the chariot by the divine bulls. This gave Kayneth and his team the chance to escape in the floating fortress.
Since then, Luna’s appearance had been fluctuating strangely, with a constant, uncontrollable tendency to revert to her previous spherical shape. However, due to her obsession with vanity, she never gave up her human form, eventually settling into this appearance when the floating fortress touched down.
Moreover, in the eyes of the two Masters, Kayneth and Waver—
Strength: C, Endurance: A, Agility: D, Mana: B, Luck: C, Noble Phantasm: A.
She had undoubtedly become a Servant, and as for who her Master was, it was obviously...
"No, it’s nothing, Luna." Sola-Ui raised her hand to turn off the image from the crystal ball. "You just need to unleash your new power and blow away anyone who dares to provoke us."
"[As you command, my Queen.]" The girl, not understanding the deeper meaning, nodded in response.
138:21:11
"Caster’s shielding for Saber Alter has failed."
In the Einzbern castle’s conference room, Lin Hao, sitting in a wheelchair, stared with an unpleasant expression at Kiritsugu Emiya, who had gathered everyone to analyze the Holy Church’s notification.
"Xiao Hao, Caster, she..." Irisviel asked, her face filled with worry.
"I don’t even know when she started proactively shielding the Spirit Vessel’s reaction for Alter. That supervisor probably thought the one by your side was a bodyguard, not a Saber," the girl said, having never spoken so much to Kiritsugu before, likely because she was truly furious. "Now, because of your mistake, Caster had to transfer Ms. Maiya’s injuries. Due to the leakage of magical energy, she can no longer suppress Saber’s own signature."
Facing words that, while not shouted, dripped with irritation in every syllable, none of them—Alter, the direct cause; Lily, the indirect cause; or even Maiya, the direct beneficiary—could respond.
"So, can Caster still fight?" Kiritsugu uttered the cold words, making even Irisviel’s eyes widen.
"Heh, of course she can. After all, she is—" The girl glanced at Irisviel, who looked like she was about to cry, and softened her tone. "It’s just that she needs to rest for a while. And even if she recovers, there’s no point in shielding Saber’s signature again."
"Then, set up the defenses and prepare to counter an attack from Tokiomi Tohsaka’s faction," Kiritsugu closed his eyes and said suddenly.
"Eh? Why?" Saber Lily asked, surprised. "Shouldn't the current situation be one of mutual restraint?"
"Because of you," Saber Alter replied. "That golden guy proposed to you twice, didn't he?"

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"Uh—" Lily turned to look at the ornate chandelier on the ceiling.
"Though I hate to admit it, you and I are ultimately the same person," Alter continued. "I am also quite confident in my own charm."
"Pfft." Lin Hao, who had been keeping a straight face, couldn't help but laugh out loud.
"Honestly, Xiao Hao, you’re too serious. It doesn't suit such a cute face at all," Irisviel said, taking advantage of the relaxed atmosphere to pull the girl into her arms. While kneading her cheeks, she quietly asked, "Is—is Caster really okay?"
"Actually, it's fine. Since the magic circuits are all on the surface of her skin, at most it’s just a bit itchy..." Lin Hao wore a mischievous expression. "I just wanted to take the opportunity to be fierce with Caster’s Master... Mmph... Let me go—"
137:22:22
"Hahahaha! So that form has a corresponding opposite existence!"
Tokiomi Tohsaka and his disciples were studying the footage of Kiritsugu Emiya’s intrusion, critiquing his responses while planning how to deal with that strange acceleration magecraft should they face it in the future.
But this relaxed atmosphere was shattered by a burst of ecstatic, murderous laughter as Saber Alter appeared in the recorded footage, summoned by a Command Spell.
"Tohsaka! I command you to set out immediately to attack the Einzbern faction! Leave the two Sabers to me!"
The King of Heroes, clad in golden armor, appeared before Tokiomi Tohsaka amidst a surging vortex of magical energy, issuing an order that brooked no refusal.
"This, my King, we have just defeated Kayneth’s faction, we need to regroup..."
"You dare defy me!?"
The moment Tokiomi Tohsaka showed the slightest sign of opposition, he was met with a vicious glare from Gilgamesh, who looked as if he might devour him.
"M-my King, your subject only meant that it is currently broad daylight. If you were to strike now, I fear those commoners in Fuyuki who are unworthy of beholding your glory would see you. That would be far too inelegant..."
Tohsaka tried his best to buy some time to prepare, becoming so incoherent he didn't even know what he was saying.
"Hmph, then I shall give you half a day to prepare. Once night falls, even if you dare not follow me, I shall act alone."
"Yes... your subject obeys..."
Leaving his teacher behind to face the King of Heroes, Ryunosuke Uryu retreated far away with Kirei Kotomine. Watching from a distance until Gilgamesh disappeared in a fit of laughter as a spirit, he sighed.
"Wow, so that’s the 'Chuunibyou' King."
Although Ryunosuke’s muttering was nonsensical, Kirei Kotomine understood the judgment his senior had made.