Fate: Holy Grail

[3rd POV]

If a Servant were to quietly betray their Master, the consequences would be catastrophic, possibly even resulting in death. 

After receiving word from Kirei, Tohsaka kindly reminded him of this danger.

Tokiomi was certain that if the Assassin discovered that Kirei had abandoned the goal of winning the Holy Grail, the Servant would certainly find a way to betray him.

Unless, of course, this Servant had never wanted to win and had willingly accepted being nothing more than a stepping stone for another. 

However, that was nearly impossible.

Masters naturally regarded Servants as familiars—powerful but inherently difficult to control. 

According to Tokiomi's plan, Assassin would be the bait to lure other Servants into the open.

He wanted Assassin to appear openly in the light of day, as only then would the other Servants kill each other without hesitation. 

However, he also didn't want to have a bad relationship with Assassin.

They tested Assassin cautiously but couldn't find a single flaw in the assassin's behavior. Assassin showed no reaction to anything Kirei Kotomine said.

There were no expressions, desires, or even a gesture of loyalty toward Kirei and filled with a deep worry.

At this time, Tokiomi hadn't summoned his own Servant. He pretended to be a helpful mentor because he was sure the Assassin couldn't see the Command Seals hidden under his gloves. 

He acted angry at seeing his student using taboo.

When the next night fell, Tokiomi used a Command Seal to summon his Servant—Gilgamesh, the King of Heroes, the most ancient legend.

Gilgamesh, bathed in golden light and surveying the world with tremendous hubris, convinced Tokiomi that he now possessed the ultimate trump card.

Assassin's value was reduced to its lowest point and Tokiomi regarded him, bound to exist in darkness, as nothing more than a disposable tool.

He decided that the Assassin no longer needed to serve him directly; instead, he decided to maximize the role of this Assassin.

...

The surface world might still shimmer with neon lights, but Tokiomi could already feel the depression through Fuyuki City.

There was news from the Church that the last Servant, Caster, had been summoned. 

However… none of the Servants had revealed themselves and remained hidden in the shadows.

Whether it was the Einzbern family, who had summoned the Saber-class Servant skilled in direct combat, or the Kayneth family, who had summoned Lancer, all of them did not show up for fear of the Assassin's existence.

Thus, Tokiomi immediately instructed Kirei to send out Assassin to provoke the other Servants into revealing themselves and lure out their Noble Phantasms.

Assassin gripped a cruciform sword tightly in his hand but not a Noble Phantasm. 

It was simply a regular sword borrowed from his Master, Kirei Kotomine. 

Assassin had been summoned without any weapons, and this was the sword he borrowed.

"Assassin, if your Noble Phantasm cannot be used if you can't see the other Servants, right?" 

Kirei asked.

"Yes."

"Throughout the history of the Holy Grail War, Assassins have almost always been the weakest class, but… due to their unique nature, they have become the class most feared by all Masters." 

Kirei asked, "You understand this, don't you?"

"Yes."

He continued, "Due to past experiences, no other Servants will reveal themselves before the Assassin class exits. In that case, your Noble Phantasm will become useless." 

He stared at Assassin. 

"I command you to go out now and challenge the other Servants."

"I am an assassin."

 Assassin replied simply, politely refusing Kirei Kotomine's order.

Since Tokiomi had made his decision as an accomplice, Kirei should not hesitate. 

Assassin's resistance was also no longer important. Slowly, he raised his arm, and the Command Seal on the back of his hand began to glow with a faint red light.

"I command you in the name of the Command Seal, Assassin, tonight, challenge all the other Servants!" 

Kirei's Command Seal glowed with a faint stroke, and magical energy began to bind Assassin, compelling him to move against his will. 

Assassin couldn't resist the force of the Command Seal, and his magical power was only ranked D and was involuntarily propelled toward the outskirts of the forest.

The sword's hilt was surrounded by a black mist that resembled a flying sword in the dark forest.

Tokiomi Tohsaka had considered everything carefully, squeezing every bit of value from Assassin.

Not far from the coast, Assassin was quietly waiting in the forest.

This area was far from the noisy city, and its terrain was complex, making it ideal for Assassin to use his agility while keeping his mysterious presence from being exposed. 

Kirei chose this location for Assassin.

After listening to the distant sound of the waves, Assassin nervously gripped the sword. 

He knew that other Servants would be able to see him without his concealed presence. During this Holy Grail War, the servants were mostly proud and righteous.

They would undoubtedly reveal themselves in response to such a provocation.

"Am I about to die?" 

He lifted his head and saw a figure stepping down the quiet forest path—someone small but with a firm, purposeful stride.

"Servant—Saber! I accept your challenge."

A graceful, confident female voice echoed as Saber in armour, twirled her sword and fixed her gaze on Assassin. 

It was like she were a sharp knight's blade, aiming to pierce through everything about Assassin.

"To think that there would still be a brave soul bold enough to issue a challenge. In that case, I shall not retreat either." 

Saber swung her holy sword, concealed by the Wind King's barrier.

"Servant, Assassin." 

The simple words brought a brief moment of shock to Saber.

"As an assassin, you dare to challenge all the Servants. Should I admire your bravery or mock your ignorance?"

Assassin appeared in the light, and the other's actions required immense courage. He had abandoned his strongest area of expertise and chosen to confront other classes head-on.

However, Saber felt as though she could see the disdain in Assassin's eyes toward the other Servants.

An assassin, a killer, daring to expose himself… Is he implying that the Servants of this war are useless? 

This is nothing less than a provocation to the three knights!

"He's Assassin?" 

A clear female voice came from the shadows of the forest, and Irisviel stepped out from behind the bushes. She was a homunculus created by the Einsbern family and also the Holy Grail vessel.

"Irisviel! Didn't I tell you to stay hidden?" 

Saber frowned.

"Since Assassin has already revealed himself, there's no need for me to hide, right?" 

Irisviel voiced her thoughts. "After all, with you, Saber, I'm sure my safety is guaranteed."

"Mm... I will ensure your safety. This is the vow of a knight!" 

Saber said with a serious expression, her face faintly flushed.

Assassin stood motionless, scanning the two beautiful figures in front of him silently. He was somewhat afraid, but the Command Seal's binding kept him from fleeing.

There was no choice but to face them head-on, and he was up against Saber, a master of close combat with a blade.

"I'm going to attack, Assassin." 

Saber gripped her sword, assuming a battle stance, seemingly ready to charge at him the next moment.

Saber had already observed Assassin's weapon and was just an ordinary knight's sword. 

If the two weapons clashed, the most likely outcome would be Assassin's sword being effortlessly severed by Saber's Noble Phantasm.

In the dimly lit basement of the cabin, Kirei saw Saber through Assassin's eyes. As a Master in the Holy Grail War, he had been granted the ability by the Holy Grail to see through the attributes of Servants. 

Saber's attributes were nearly all at A rank, making her undoubtedly a top-tier Servant.

In contrast, Assassin's attributes were mediocre, and his Noble Phantasm was unremarkable. There was almost no chance of winning against such a Servant. 

"Assassin… let your death awaken the fighting spirit of all the Masters." 

Kirei muttered, then closed his eyes and prayed quietly.

"Assassin is as good as dead."

To be continue...