Fate: Question And Answer System of Traversing Heroic Spirits

"Come out."

Tokiomi smiled softly, and in response, Darius III materialized from spirit form beside him.

[Name: Darius III; Class: Berserker; Gender: Male; Alignment: Lawful, Balanced.]

[Strength: A; Endurance: A+; Agility: B; Mana: E; Luck: D; Noble Phantasm: A.]

[Class Skill: Madness Enhancement B.]

[Personal Skills: Golden Rule B, Battle Continuation A, Glory of the Achaemenids A+.]

[Noble Phantasm: Athanaton Ten Thousand (Rank A+ Anti-Army, range 1-99 meters, Maximum Target: 500 People).]

This summoning was Tokiomi's way of demonstrating sincerity to Chihiro.

Chihiro immediately understood. No wonder Tohsaka Tokiomi had turned on Gilgamesh earlier; it appeared he had already found a new ally.

Chihiro couldn't deny that he was intrigued by the offer. With Gilgamesh out of the way, the only formidable opponents left would be Iskandar and the First Emperor.

Iskandar was the lesser concern. As long as they didn't give him an opportunity to unleash Ionioi Hetairoi, he could be managed.

The First Emperor, however, was an entirely different story.

If the Emperor's army were mobilized, Chihiro's followers wouldn't stand a chance against such a massive force. While Zhang Jiao could summon Yellow Turban warriors, doing so consumed significant mana. Even if Chihiro exhausted himself, it would be impossible to summon an army to rival the Emperor's forces.

But with Darius III on their side, things might shift.

Though Darius III wasn't among the top powerhouses, his Noble Phantasm, Athanaton Ten Thousand, allowed him to summon an undead army of ten thousand. Such a force could potentially counter the Emperor's army.

Seeing Chihiro's contemplation, Tokiomi let out a sigh of relief. Forming this alliance hadn't been his first choice, but he felt cornered. Right now, the strongest faction was the alliance between Waver and Kayneth. If he approached them, they might look down on him, and besides, Darius III would go berserk at the sight of Iskandar, making peaceful coexistence impossible.

Emiya Kiritsugu was too cunning to be trustworthy. An alliance with him would likely end with Tokiomi being double-crossed. As for Matou Kariya, he was too fixated on his own family grievances to be a reliable partner.

That left Chihiro as the only viable option. Plus, Chihiro had a good relationship with his daughters, Rin and Sakura, which added a layer of trust.

"Alright, I'll agree to your proposal," Chihiro said after a moment's thought.

The more allies, the better.

"In that case, let's formalize it with this contract." Tokiomi produced a self-enforced magical contract he'd prepared earlier and placed it on the table.

Chihiro looked it over without much concern. By this stage of the war, trust was essentially meaningless among the participants, so he had come to expect these formalities.

After confirming there were no hidden clauses, Chihiro signed his name. The contract stipulated that he and Tokiomi, along with their Servants, would not attack each other until all other Masters were eliminated or the Holy Grail War concluded.

"As a token of sincerity, let me show you a familiar face," Chihiro said, signaling to Hassan of the Hundred Faces, who had been hidden in spirit form until then.

When Hassan materialized, Tokiomi visibly flinched, his immediate reaction one of alarm. "You—!"

"Relax." Chihiro waved a hand dismissively. "She's my Servant now."

"What?" Tokiomi was taken aback. He blurted out, "Did you kill Kirei?"

Chihiro rolled his eyes. This master-disciple pair had indeed reached a peculiar point of strained loyalty.

"No," Chihiro replied, "but after finding his 'true calling,' Kirei lost interest in the Holy Grail War and released his Servant."

Tokiomi was dumbfounded. "What exactly did you tell him to make him walk away from it all?"

He couldn't imagine Chihiro lying about something like this, there was no need to.

"Nothing much, really," Chihiro said with a smile. "I just helped him find a different goal. You won't be seeing that particular side of him from the video anymore."

"Is that so…?" Tokiomi sighed, his expression conflicted. The revelation left him introspective. Even though Kotomine wouldn't betray him in the same way as in the video, their relationship and by extension, his relationship with Kotomine Risei—would never fully return to its former state.

Seeing Tokiomi's thoughtful look, Chihiro took his leave, satisfied that their alliance had been secured. Rin and Sakura immediately stood to see him off.

Just as he reached the door, Chihiro remembered Rin's bronze treasure chest from the Q&A group. She had never mentioned what she'd received from it. Curious, he decided to ask.

The mention of the chest visibly darkened Rin's expression. As it turned out, she had opened a bag of rare gems from the Age of Gods, only for Tokiomi to confiscate them, saying he would "keep them safe" until she was older.

Chihiro laughed out loud. Tokiomi's behavior was not unlike a parent taking away a child's New Year's money with promises to "save it for later."

---

The evening descended, and with it, the fifth night of the Holy Grail War began.

At Kayneth's residence, Waver, Kayneth, and the others gathered, their expressions a mix of emotions. Earlier, Chihiro had reached out to Waver, revealing Emiya Kiritsugu's current location.

With Kayneth standing nearby, he overheard the entire conversation. Unsurprisingly, he immediately expressed his intention to confront Kiritsugu. Sola-ui and Diarmuid were quick to support him, but Waver appeared hesitant.

Their alliance with Chihiro had ended, and Waver doubted Chihiro would offer such information purely out of goodwill.

"You're right to be cautious," Iskandar said, puffing on his cigar. "This is a classic setup—'the mantis stalks the cicada, unaware of the oriole behind.' Chihiro wants to sit back and reap the rewards after we clash with the Saber team."

Waver nodded, understanding the strategy but feeling conflicted. Kayneth and his team, however, were too riled up to listen. The events in the day's video had left them seething.

"Humph. It's an obvious ploy," Iskandar remarked, exhaling a cloud of smoke. "But it seems we've underestimated Chihiro." He may very well be our strongest competitor in this Holy Grail War."

"So what's the plan?" Waver asked, looking at Iskandar for guidance.

"It's simple. We follow Kayneth's lead and handle the Saber team first," Iskandar replied with a smile. "If Chihiro wants to play the fisherman, he'll have to wait until the snipe and clam have worn each other out."

An hour later, Waver and his allies left the building, marching in formation toward the Emiya residence.

Heroic Spirit Kiritsugu, who had been watching from a distance, immediately reported back to Kiritsugu.

"They're moving."

Emiya Kiritsugu swiftly began preparing his arsenal. Irisviel, watching him with concern, asked, "What's the plan, Kiritsugu?"

"We're out of places to run. This time, we stand and fight," Kiritsugu replied, his face steely as he loaded his weapons.

"That's rich, coming from you," Artoria commented, her tone cold and laced with bitterness. The day's revelations had left her furious with Kiritsugu, and it showed in her every word.

"Follow my lead," Kiritsugu replied flatly, ignoring her barbs. He quickly laid out his plan. As a seasoned mercenary, he had crafted a strategy within minutes, preparing for the imminent battle.

---

Meanwhile, Waver's group was halfway to the Emiya residence when a sudden, roaring engine signaled someone blocking their path.

It was Artoria, astride a sleek silver motorcycle, clad in a fitted racing suit.

"Iskandar, do you dare to challenge me?" she called out, her voice steady. But this wasn't a challenge for a duel—it was a race.

"Hahaha! Why not?" Iskandar laughed, revving up as he donned a leather jacket and mounted a motorcycle he'd bought with Waver's money.

"Then, let's go," Artoria declared, kicking off and speeding ahead.

Iskandar quickly followed, and the two launched into an intense race down the darkened streets.

Much to Iskandar's surprise, Artoria's motorcycle was not only fast but incredibly stable. Combined with her expert riding skills, she maintained a significant lead.

As he struggled to keep up, Iskandar couldn't help but wonder where she'd acquired such an impressive machine. He would certainly ask her about it later.

Unbeknownst to him, Artoria's motorcycle wasn't something she had purchased. It was a magical gift she'd received from the bronze treasure chest she opened earlier that day.

Magic Item – Twin-Wheeled Steed.

This item was effectively a custom Noble Phantasm, and its design closely resembled the motorcycle that Irisviel would later gift Artoria in the original timeline.

However, this version of the Twin-Wheeled Steed was equipped with a unique enhancement—it had a special attack bonus specifically effective against Riders. In the hands of Artoria, though, it simply functioned as an exceptionally powerful mount with unparalleled speed and stability.

***

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