Aozaki Aoko Case File

Credits: Y. B. A.

As the battle intensified and reached a fever pitch, Tohsaka Tokiomi found himself increasingly on the defensive.

Although Tokiomi was the overseer of Fuyuki's spiritual leyline, his method of supplying magical energy to Archer involved directly extracting it from his limited mana reserves.

While he still had a good number of gemstones to restore his energy, the process of having his mana drained was far from pleasant.

In stark contrast, Kayneth was gradually adapting to Tokiomi's combat rhythm. He grew more confident and invigorated as the fight went on, largely because the source of Lancer's magical energy supply wasn't Kayneth's own body but a mana furnace located in his workshop.

Even though Kayneth held the upper hand on the battlefield, he wasn't particularly pleased. As the master of three mana furnaces, Kayneth had already sensed that one of them had been severed, signaling that his foolish student had failed.

This result didn't surprise Kayneth. After all, Waver's opponent was none other than Miss Blue herself. It would have been shocking if he had won.

But what if—just what if—Waver and the King of Conquerors had somehow managed to defeat her?

Even someone as rational as Kayneth couldn't help but harbor a tiny flicker of hope, only to see it extinguished.

Still, he wasn't worried that Miss Blue would kill Waver. Kayneth had thoroughly analyzed her and concluded that she was one of the rare normal people within the world of magecraft.

Such a description might be an insult to ordinary magi, but for a Magician, it was a form of praise.

To be normal in the world of magecraft was, in fact, a privilege.

Magi were often forced to abandon their humanity, constrained by the myriad conditions imposed upon them. Magicians, on the other hand, were the completed forms of magi, having reached the other side and attained liberation. They had the luxury of retaining their humanity—a privilege unique to their status.

Though he didn't like to admit it, deep down, Kayneth envied Aoko Aozaki. As a Lord of the Clock Tower, he too had someone he loved deeply. For the sake of his fiancée, Kayneth had preserved a part of his humanity—a rare and extravagant trait for a magus to maintain.

Thus, he was confident that as long as Waver didn't do anything utterly foolish, Miss Blue wouldn't kill him.

As for Tohsaka Tokiomi standing before him… If Kayneth could hold out for a little longer, he was certain of victory. After all, Tokiomi was just a backwater magus.

...

After learning that his assistant had failed in her ambush and been killed, Emiya Kiritsugu momentarily froze in shock.

His mind wandered back to that hellish battlefield where he had saved Maiya Hisau and given her that name.

From that moment on, Maiya had carried out his every command with precision and absolute loyalty. She was, without a doubt, the most reliable tool in Kiritsugu's arsenal.

And yet, such a person had died meaninglessly because of one of his gambles.

Kiritsugu couldn't even identify what kind of feelings he had for Maiya. Was she family? A lover? Or merely a tool?

He felt as though another piece of his already broken heart had been hollowed out. Yet, as with every previous loss he had endured, this pain and emptiness didn't interfere with the mission he had to complete.

Kiritsugu's hand, gripping his firearm, remained steady without the slightest tremor.

Patiently, he observed the four combatants through his scope. The two Servants had nearly leveled the entire area, reducing trees, buildings, and the surrounding landscape to rubble.

But the airborne Servants weren't Kiritsugu's targets. His crosshairs were fixed on the two magi engaged in a fierce battle on the ground.

Kiritsugu was rapidly assessing the situation, analyzing their movements and waiting for an opening.

So far, neither Kayneth nor Tokiomi had revealed a clear vulnerability. Both were cautious and composed, leaving no opportunity for Kiritsugu to deliver a decisive strike. Whether he used his Hydra poison bullets or his Origin Bullets, he needed the perfect moment to act.

If either magus showed a lapse—whether they were gaining the upper hand or falling behind—Kiritsugu would not hesitate to strike. His actions had nothing to do with the Geis contract he had signed with Tokiomi.

Kiritsugu possessed a unique magecraft that allowed him to temporarily sever and transfer the binding effects of a geis contract. Currently, his wife, Irisviel, was bearing the burden of his geis. As long as Irisviel remained alive, the contract would remain intact, preventing Tokiomi from growing suspicious.

...

"Master, do you permit me to use my second Noble Phantasm?" After clashing with Gilgamesh in another exchange of light beams, Karna landed beside Kayneth and asked, "With my current output, I fear I cannot defeat that King of Heroes."

Kayneth hesitated. He was well aware of Lancer Karna's overwhelming power, especially his second Noble Phantasm. Its properties were perfectly suited to counter Gilgamesh, whose divine nature made him particularly vulnerable to it.

However, the Noble Phantasm came with a significant drawback. To fully unleash his anti-divine spear, Karna would have to sacrifice his invincible golden armor.

Without the Golden Armor, Karna would be severely weakened. Even if he managed to defeat Gilgamesh, how would they deal with Caster and Saber afterward?

The situation was becoming so dire that Kayneth couldn't afford to hesitate any longer. To make matters worse, Tokiomi had just received an elixir from Gilgamesh's treasury. After drinking it, Tokiomi's fatigue and mana reserves were fully restored—an unexpected twist that Kayneth hadn't anticipated.

"Is a war of attrition no longer an option…?" Kayneth murmured before regaining his resolve. He made his decision. "Lancer, I permit you to use that Noble Phantasm. By my Command Seal, secure victory for me!"

As Kayneth spoke, one of the marks on his hand disappeared, and Karna's aura surged, surpassing even Gilgamesh's.

"!"

Gilgamesh's eyes widened, a crazed smile spreading across his face. "Tokiomi!"

"As you command, my king!" Understanding that Kayneth was going all-in, Tokiomi immediately raised his hand and used a Command Seal of his own. "By my Command Seal, I order you, King Gilgamesh, to claim victory!"

"Know the mercy of the King of Gods. Indra, open your eyes. This single strike is extinction itself!"

Karna soared into the air as his golden armor began to peel away, leaving behind scars on his body. Yet his aura only grew stronger, blazing like a human sun.

Behind him, a fiery solar emblem materialized, its radiance growing ever brighter. In mere moments, the emblem transformed into a massive fireball, a miniature sun that burned with blinding intensity. Its energy flooded into Karna's spear.

"Burn it all! Vasavi Shakti!!"