I, Kenneth, am going to get to the root of the problem today.

Page 38

At this moment, Kenneth finally understood why King Ha had appeared. As the one who executed Hassan, King Ha would appear when Hassan went astray. Clearly, King Ha had come for the cursed bowl. Combining this with the news recently, Kenneth became even more certain of his guess. As for why King Ha would come to look at him, Kenneth really dared not try to guess what the old man was thinking.

"You are unusual, yet you are able to hold fast to your original heart, understand your destiny, and have no tendency to fall into depravity. All your actions and beliefs are for survival. Although you are stubborn and do not understand, you still have some merit."

Although Kenneth couldn't fathom the thoughts of the old riddle master King Ha, he understood that King Ha hadn't called him a fool, and most importantly, King Ha hadn't rung the bell or said to him, "Hand over your head!"

Relieved, Kenneth swallowed hard, his lips and teeth dry, and looked at King Ha standing in the shadows, asking the question that had been bothering him.

"You did not come for me, so why have you come to see me?"

A blue flame ignited in his eyes, and a heavy pressure enveloped Kenneth. Facing King Ha's aura, and guessing that the other party had no intention of striking him with a sword, Kenneth fearlessly met King Ha's gaze.

“Even ants struggle to survive, so too does the crown of creation. Your path ahead may be bleak, but it is not without hope. What I abhor is sloth, depravity, and decay! As the crown of creation, you have not yet been summoned by destiny, nor have you strayed from the right path. Why then is the evening bell tolling?”

Now Kenneth finally understood what King Hassan meant. Although he was the guardian of humanity, King Hassan would also judge the value of other people's heads. Even though Kenneth was causing trouble, everything he did was for survival.

Kenneth never denied his human identity. In King Harry's judgment, although he was despicable, his actions were understandable. Moreover, in the original story, Kenneth had a glimmer of hope: as long as he wasn't expelled from the human race by King Harry, he could still keep his head.

"I understand now, thank you for clearing things up. As a human being, I am very... cough cough, I am very proud!!"

The blue flames in his eyes dissipated, the frozen air began to flow again, and with one hand gripping the hilt of his sword, King Ha stood before Kenneth in a dark shadow.

What is your heart? What are your actions?

At this moment, Kenneth realized that King Ha was confirming his convictions. When he strayed from the path, what awaited Kenneth might be the evening bell that echoed through the valley.

"My heart and actions are as clear as a mirror; everything I do is for survival!"

To paraphrase a famous saying from his previous life, Kenneth also revealed his true feelings. At first, Kenneth also wanted to talk about justice, but when he thought about the malice the world showed towards those who were on the side of justice, Kenneth still sincerely expressed his original intention.

"The mandate of heaven has been established, you are the chief primate, your heart is not disturbed, we will not see you!"

An invisible contract enveloped Kenneth, his sword-wielding arm raised high, the rusty greatsword flashing past him with eerie ghostly flames. Just then, the tightly closed door opened, and Morgan led Artoria, her head bowed, into the room.

Chapter Ninety-Eight: Iskandar's Departure

Rewinding to a few minutes earlier, Morgan returned to Ryudou Temple with an extremely agitated Artoria. The spell on the Lesser Grail was activated, and Assassin's Spirit Origin was confirmed to have returned. Not sensing Karna's presence, Morgan subconsciously attributed everything to Kenneth's arrangement and immediately took Artoria to Kenneth's workshop.

Pushing open the workshop door, what greeted him was the sight of Kenneth being cut in half at the waist by a giant sword. Morgan's pupils constricted abruptly. Having already placed all his bets on Kenneth, Morgan activated the magic workshop with a wave of his hand. The next second, layers of crimson chains wrapped around King Hassan, who had just retrieved his greatsword, and locked him in place.

Immediately after Morgan's reminder, the viscous air began to swirl, and the Wind King's hammer suddenly slammed down on the unmoved King Ha. Faced with this overwhelming attack, King Ha, who stood still, merely flicked his black robe, and the chains, wind blades, and hammer all shattered.

“Morgan, I’m fine. This… uh… this gentleman means no harm. Please stop.”

The workshop beneath their feet was fully activated, and the earth veins of Mount Yuanzang continuously poured magical power into the small room. Under the approaching materialization of the magical power, Kenneth's voice rang out. Morgan shifted his gaze slightly and found incredulous that Kenneth, who should have been cut in two, was standing up perfectly intact. Looking at the center of the room, the burly figure from before had disappeared without a trace, leaving no trace of his presence in the air.

"Your past has been severed; the time of rebirth begins today."

"You...he...what exactly is going on?!"

Unlike Morgan and Artoria, who were looking at each other blankly, Kenneth, who had actually taken a blow from King Hassan, clearly understood King Hassan's meaning. That blow severed Kenneth's past, which should have died. King Hassan had given him a chance, a chance to seek a glimmer of hope. Similarly, once he deviated from the path, what awaited Kenneth was King Hassan's final bell.

"It's nothing. He was just an old man passing by. He meant us no harm. By the way, the Cursed Bowl should have been removed by now, right? Has the Lesser Grail reacted? What's the current situation?"

"I've already checked, and there's nothing wrong with it."

As a witch with high emotional intelligence, Morgan sensed that Kenneth was unwilling to continue the previous topic. Having already regarded Kenneth as a partner, Morgan would not delve into it further. Kenneth had too many secrets, and as long as their goals were aligned, Morgan would cooperate with Kenneth without reservation.

"I see. How many more can it hold? If I'm not mistaken, that Conqueror King is about to leave the stage."

Seemingly confirming Kenneth's guess, a figure appeared in the crystal ball on an empty bridge. The familiar scene returned. Iskandar, looking at his frail Master, asked the question that would affect Waver's entire life.

"Weber Velvet, would you be willing to become my subject?"

Faced with this man who had always been a source of enlightenment for him, Weber, who regarded him as a guiding light, made a vow that he would fulfill for the rest of his life.

"You are the only king in my heart, please continue to guide me in the right direction."

With eyes like copper bells, Iskandar looked at his tearful, diminutive Master and burst into hearty laughter. Grabbing Waver by the collar, Iskandar gave the young mage who had sworn allegiance to him his first and last command as king.

"It is my duty as king to pave the way for my subjects, to witness the king's dream, and to pass it on! This is your duty as a subject!"

Setting down Waver, who was in a daze, Iskandar, riding the Divine Wheel, left Waver behind him with his unyielding figure amidst a burst of lightning.

Faced with Iskandar's charge, Gilgamesh, who stood still, closed his eyes. Under the golden light, the Noble Phantasm that rushed towards him completely engulfed Iskandar, who was speeding through the air.

Amidst the clanking of chains, the conquering iron hooves were restrained. Looking at the man before him who continued relentlessly despite being pierced by various Noble Phantasms, Gilgamesh's Ea completely shattered the man's spirit origin.

"I will always accept your challenge, Conqueror King."

As the sword Ea was drawn, thick blood dripped down. The conquering iron hooves were only a foot away from their target. Gilgamesh withdrew the Noble Phantasm that had enveloped the bridge, and a rare seriousness appeared in his eyes.

"This world, to the very end of time and space, is my courtyard. Therefore, I assure you, this world will never bore you."

"Is that so? Is the surging emotion in my heart the sound of the endless ocean's waves...?"

A wisp of golden light soared into the sky. The conquering king halted his conquest at this moment. Gilgamesh, holding the sword Ea, stood expressionless before Waver amidst the crisp clinking of his armor.

"Kid, are you Rider's Master?"

"No, I am his subject..."

Under Gilgamesh's relentless questioning, Waver answered Gilgamesh's murderous questions perfectly, in accordance with the way of a subject. Looking down at Waver, Gilgamesh noticed Waver's appearance, which was filled with hatred yet chose to live because of the king's command. Gilgamesh, who had not yet been drenched in black mud, also understood Waver's determination.

"Your loyalty is commendable; do not waver in your resolve at this moment."

As the golden light dissipated, Gilgamesh, in a good mood, left the bridge. Looking at Waver, who was kneeling on the ground in agitation, Kenneth silently turned off the crystal ball used for projection.

"It's over, Conqueror King, this is the fifth one. How much longer can the Lesser Grail last?"

"One, at most one. That disgusting thing has reached the critical point; it only needs a ripple to overflow."

As Kenneth pondered Morgan's analysis, he arrived at the basement where the Lesser Grail was stored amidst hurried footsteps. The golden Grail gleamed, but the sin that filled it filled Kenneth with instinctive disgust.

A rainbow of colors shone in his eyes, and through those eyes that were so clear and distinct from evil, Kenneth keenly caught a glimpse of a twisted soul amidst the surging malice.

"You've been labeled a pitiful villain. Although your life story is quite heartbreaking, it's wrong of you to cause trouble even after death."

Firmly committed to his goal of survival, Kenneth mocked Angolan Manuel, who was still being nurtured in the Holy Grail, and walked out of the basement under Morgan's watchful gaze.

"Come on, tell me about your ritual to purify the Holy Grail. Although I'm quite confident, I have no intention of swimming in a pile of black mud."

Lost in thought, Morgan led Kenneth to the cave beneath Mount Enzou. Instead of leaving with Morgan, Artoria, witnessing the bond between Iskandar and Waver, was once again lost in confusion.

"Is this the proper relationship between a subject and a king? Was what I did truly right?"

In less than a week, Artoria's mindset was impacted by various factors. Faced with emotions far beyond her comprehension, Artoria was caught in a painful dilemma.

Chapter Ninety-Nine: Weber Exits

Gazing at the twisted creature that was now writhing on the rock face, even though he was prepared, Kenneth felt a chill run down his spine from the malice that had been building up for sixty years.

"As expected, time was still too short."

In just over a week, with Morgan's full analysis, the basic structure of the Greater Grail has become clear, and Morgan has also developed a countermeasure against the malice within it. However, magic is magic after all. Even if it is only a part of the remnants, the tenacity of the evil in this world is far beyond Morgan's imagination. Even with the magic inherited from the fairies, Morgan can only limit the malice, and its corruption of humanity still exists at a dangerous level.

"It's good enough. All my preparations weren't in vain. It's a pity we couldn't take back Avalon, otherwise my chances of winning would have been even higher."

Without a second thought, Kenneth gave the dense array of eyeballs on the rock wall the middle finger and headed towards the exit of the great cavern without looking back. Kiritsugu Emiya had run away with Avalon. Faced with this fact, Kenneth felt nothing but a sense of awe that the other party was the main character on this set.

Fortunately, Kiritsugu Emiya is no longer a threat. Having lost his Servant, his arm, and been hit by his own Origin Bullet, even if he has resistance to Origin Bullets, the deterioration of his magic circuits is unavoidable. Even if he survives under the protection of Avalon, without his Magic Crest, Kenneth is far less wary of Kiritsugu Emiya than before.

“Morgan, find that bug. Giving it to Avalon is a waste.”

Even now, despite many changes, the general direction of the Holy Grail War remains firmly in Kenneth's hands. Nodding to indicate that he understood, he walked beside Kenneth and activated the spell he had been preparing for a long time. The twisted malice was gradually purified under the magic originating from the fairy of the Age of Gods, and the writhing flesh hanging on the rock wall emitted a roar that shattered eardrums.

‘Boom——’

The door stone closed with a dull thud, and shadows once again enveloped the cave. Kenneth exhaled and turned to look at Morgan behind him.

"Take me to the bridge. I am a teacher after all. It's time to go and see that good-for-nothing disciple (tool)."

Returning to a few minutes earlier, facing Gilgamesh's trial, Waver demonstrated the duty of a subject through his awakened understanding of the way of a subject. Comparing the cunning Tokiomi Tohsaka with Waver before him, Gilgamesh, despite his chuunibyou (delusional) tendencies, still maintained the way of a king and acknowledged Iskandar's chosen subject. With the pride of a king, he praised Waver and then left the bridge with his own arrogance.

At the nearby port, Karna, who had been secretly observing Gilgamesh and had noticed that Gilgamesh had no intention of attacking Waver, appeared before Waver, who was kneeling and sobbing, shortly after Gilgamesh left.

"As a subject, your loyalty is beyond question. War is inseparable from separation. Carry the beliefs that have been passed on to you and live bravely."

Large tears fell as Waver looked at Karna standing before him. At this moment, having found his direction in life, Waver gazed firmly at the golden Servant.

“I mean no harm. My Master wishes to see you. Please wait a moment before that.”

As Karna finished speaking, Kenneth's figure solidified from an illusion in the ethereal blue light. His body tensed instinctively, and as he recalled the king's teachings, Waver, who had grown a great step forward, overcame his physical instincts and turned his eyes, now burning with passion, toward Kenneth who was slowly approaching.

"Weber Velvet, you've finally grown up, you fool. It seems that the Conqueror King has had quite an influence on you."

"Kenneth...Teacher! I have lost this war. Can you give me some time? I want to follow in his footsteps. I haven't fulfilled the King's last wish. After I have spread the King's glory, I will return to the Clock Tower to apologize to you, Teacher!!"

The expected curses did not occur. Opening his eyes, he saw a bank card appear before Webber, supported by the Moon Spirit Essence Liquid, while Kenneth, accompanied by Karna, was already walking towards the bridgehead.

“Mr. Kenneth, this is…”

"Fool, do you plan to travel the world on two legs?! One year, at most one year. I want to see you in the office after one year."

At that moment, after being enlightened by Iskadar, Webber, who thought he had finally seen through Kenneth, wiped away the tears in his eyes. Under the alternating blows of the stick and the carrot, the tool man gave in.

"Teacher Kenneth, I won't keep you waiting long. One year! I will definitely be standing in front of you in one year!!"

Webber's roar echoed behind him. Adhering to the principle that a real man never looks back at an explosion, Kenneth suppressed his laughter. He was completely captivated by this tool. He wondered what Webber would think if he knew that Kenneth had exploited two-thirds of his journey. Shaking his head, Kenneth cleared his mind of the chaos. He understood that from this moment on, the real war had begun.

"Karna, how about it? Are you confident about that golden Noble Phantasm?"

"For you, Master, I will definitely defeat him."

Without hesitation, Karna answered Kenneth's question the moment his voice faded, his unwavering conviction demonstrating that the golden servant remained true to the promise made on the day they first met.

"I see. Then I'll leave it to you. I'll have Morgan and Saber assist you. The final battle is about to begin."

The Moon Spirit Essence returned to his hand. Looking back, Webber was no longer on the bridge. So far, Kenneth had done everything he could to the best of his ability. His sins were about to overflow, and the destiny that would determine the existence of Kenneth was about to be revealed.

"Come on, Karna, it's almost dawn. Walk with me."

Without uttering a word, Karna, sensing Kenneth's complex emotions, voluntarily dispelled his spirit form and stood beside Kenneth, demonstrating his vow to Kenneth through his actions.

Meanwhile, at the Tohsaka residence, Rin Tohsaka, who had already awakened, stared blankly at the corpse wrapped in a body bag. Seeing Rin Tohsaka, who, under his influence, poured all her hatred onto Kiritsugu Emiya, Kirei Kotomine felt a surge of pleasure, like a volcano about to erupt.

"Kiri, my father..."

"The teacher passed away peacefully, without suffering too much pain. Rin, from today onwards you are the head of the Tohsaka family. In the basement room, there is the will the teacher made before the Holy Grail War, which contains his expectations for you. Take a look."

The ancestral teachings echoed in her mind. She raised her head, controlling her tears, and Rin Tohsaka, who already considered herself the sixth head of the Tohsaka family, tried her best to follow Tokiomi Tohsaka's teachings.

"Kiri, I'll leave my father in your care for now."

With her mother missing and her father killed in action, the successive blows plunged Rin Tohsaka into an abyss of pain. Recalling the one-armed man who exuded a cold aura, Rin's body trembled uncontrollably. As Kirei Kotomine watched Rin leave, a look of satisfaction welled up on his face. Looking at the corpse that still hadn't closed its eyes, Kirei felt as if his spirit had been elevated.

Chapter 100 The Curtain Is About to Rise

As dawn breaks, the once silent Fuyuki comes alive with the sounds of daily life amidst the early-rising commuters. Kenneth and Karna, who do not use magic, stand out conspicuously among the passersby as they weave through the bustling crowd.

After reminiscing about his past life's 9-to-5 schedule, Kenneth rushed back to Ryudong Temple as the sun rose. The shrine that once housed the stone statues had been emptied, and the Holy Grail, bathed in golden light, sat quietly on a red cloth covered with tassels. Beyond the busy Morgan, Kenneth looked at the evil hidden beneath the false light.

"The evil of this time is a remnant of the incomplete Third Law. It still has some magical properties. Although it can reverse the Servant's Spirit Origin, it can still give the Servant a physical body."

"There's no need. I don't want Lily to be tainted by that kind of thing."

The circuits throughout the room lit up, and with the tremor of Mount Enzo beneath their feet, the connection between the Lesser Grail and the Greater Grail was severed. Apart from the sin churning within the Lesser Grail, the Greater Grail no longer had the power to affect the Lesser Grail.

The connection was interrupted, and the black mud in the Lesser Grail surged up as if boiling. Through the demonic eye that peers into souls, the surging evil was dissolved at an extremely slow pace under Morgan's spell.

"It's like looking in a mirror. The reversed Servant should be a completely different existence from the original. In my opinion, at least in terms of personality, it fits this speculation."

"Oh."

Kenneth's words immediately caught Morgan's attention. Looking at the churning black mud, Morgan's eyes gleamed with interest.

“There’s no extra Artoria for you to mess with right now. Fighting the Holy Grail War once was already tough enough, and I don’t want to fight you again. By the way, the ritual you set up in Wales, although it failed, still produced a similar individual. If you’re interested, you can go and take a look after the Holy Grail War. It should satisfy your needs.”

"Is that so? Then it seems I should go back and check beforehand. You really are an interesting person, with a real talent for being a witch."

"Hahaha, I didn't expect you to joke around, Morgan. What witch? Call me a witch♂ man, that's more like it. From now on, it's a one-off deal, I'll have to rely on you again."

Morgan lifted the corners of her mouth beneath the veil, looking at Kenneth's smiling face, and revealed her right hand hidden under the veil.

"Although I have achieved my goal, in view of the pleasure you have given me, I will accompany you to the end. Master, it is a pleasure to cooperate with you."

"Is that so? Then let's make a big scene, Morgan."

Grasping Morgan's right hand, the witch and the male demon reached a consensus on their next plan. Withdrawing their hands, they didn't disturb Morgan, who was busy at work. They pulled over Aozaki Aoko's rocking chair, and Kenneth enjoyed a rare moment of leisure in the Holy Grail War. Footsteps sounded, and shadows enveloped Kenneth. He opened his eyes and saw Karna standing calmly beside him, holding a parasol.

Looking into the distance, Morgan, who resembled a sorceress, was squatting in the temple chanting incantations that Kenneth couldn't understand; Artoria, dressed in casual clothes, was helping the immobile Irisviel adjust to the body that had been airdropped into her body. When Kenneth met Irisviel's empty eyes, a trace of pity appeared in his eyes.

"Pitiful, pathetic. I wonder if you would break down if you saw what that madman did in the original story. Just thinking about that wicked expression is quite amusing."