Fate/Magus Path

31 Master Plan

Fuyuki Church.

As time passed and the night deepened, moonlight cascaded from the sky, illuminating the beautiful building and giving it an ethereal glow.

The cross on the rooftop shimmered slightly, transforming into a beacon of magical energy that summoned the Masters participating in the Holy Grail War.

"This should be the place, right?"

Standing outside, Artoria lifted her gaze, examining the church.

"Go inside, Saber. If you need any assistance, I'll support you from a distance."

At that moment, Kiritsugu's voice came through her earpiece.

After everything that had happened the previous night, he was now even more cautious about showing himself.

Despite the priest's assurances, as a skilled magus-killer, he trusted no one lightly.

The invitation to gather all the Masters in one place might have been explained to him in advance by that priest, but there was no guarantee that everything Amakusa had said was true.

If this was a trap, the consequences would be unimaginable. After all, this was the church, the territory of those priests, and entering it blindly was too dangerous.

The church was a stronghold for the priests, just as a magical workshop was for a magus. Once inside, they would be at a severe disadvantage. If Amakusa Shirou had set up any traps in advance, the outcome would be disastrous.

To go there in person was akin to gambling his life on Amakusa Shirou's honesty.

Kiritsugu didn't trust Amakusa. While his plan and ambitions seemed grand, Kiritsugu wasn't willing to take that risk.

His honed instincts from years of walking on the edge warned him that Amakusa Shirou Tokisada was extremely dangerous, no matter how one looked at it. Until he could fully see through Amakusa's true intentions and confirm whether this grand plan was genuinely feasible, Kiritsugu wouldn't place his trust in him. Nor would he allow Irisviel to be put at risk.

After much thought, Kiritsugu decided to let Artoria enter with surveillance equipment alone, while he would remain on the other end, giving instructions via communication devices. Artoria had no objections to this.

"Kiritsugu, they've arrived."

Artoria turned her head toward the distant treetops, where a powerful magical presence was approaching, with no attempt to conceal it.

"The magical energy is strong, and they're not hiding it. It should be Rider. It seems the other Masters will arrive soon."

"Rider, huh... I understand, Saber. Since this is the church, there's no need to engage in direct conflict with them. Enter the church first, and follow my instructions from here on out."

"Understood."

The conversation ended, and without hesitation, Artoria turned and entered the church.

Just as she mentioned, in the night sky, the Gordius Wheel rumbled through the air, accompanied by the sound of thunder as it rapidly approached.

"Ah! Ah! Rider, you idiot! You idiot! At least listen to me a little! Don't fly so fast! I'm getting motion sickness! Motion sickness!"

"Hahahaha! This is the best speed for racing a chariot through the sky. Hold on tight, we're about to land."

From the sky came hearty laughter and a high-pitched scream tinged with tears.

Amid the sound of Waver's pride being crushed beneath the wheels of Gordius, the chariot made a perfect landing.