---o---
The screen of light continued.
[The battle between Saber and Lancer had begun.
In the span of a single breath, the glint of a spear and the shadow of a sword clashed, followed by a deafening clang of metal.
With incredibly fierce attacks and angles honed to the extreme, the two heralded the start of a battle between heroes.
The ground beneath their feet either shattered directly or was split open, the once-smooth concrete instantly becoming a cratered mess.
Even the air, unable to bear the strain, screamed as it was compressed and displaced.
Waves of pressure rolled and billowed, and the earth was thoroughly ravaged as a thunderous roar kicked up a violent gale.
In less than five seconds, the crowd of viewers was left stunned.
They couldn't see anything clearly. In just a few flashes, the two had already exchanged dozens of blows. Only in the brief moments when their bodies paused from the impact of their collisions could the resulting shockwaves be seen, a dazzling and overwhelming sight.
At this moment, countless jaws had dropped. It was too fast, too powerful. The constant shower of metallic sparks from the impacts and the flashes of light from their clashing weapons assaulted the world's eyes like a form of light pollution.]
Such a battle was too intense, leaving the viewers, especially the ordinary people who had never encountered supernatural forces, utterly shocked.
For a moment, they seemed to have forgotten who the protagonist of this video was supposed to be.
Just as the fight between Saber and Lancer reached a fever pitch, the video on the screen suddenly switched again.
This inevitably disappointed the viewers. Although the fey maiden named Elysia was indeed beautiful, they were more invested in the outcome of Saber and Lancer's battle.
However, to their surprise, the video feed moved to a shadowed area on the other side of the port.
And waiting there was not the protagonist, Elysia, but a man in a black trench coat. In his hands was something that even characters from slice-of-life series would be all too familiar with—a sniper rifle.
Instantly, this scene, so completely out of place with the Holy Grail War and the extraordinary battle between Saber and Lancer, left everyone stunned.
Hachiman Hikigaya: "Hey, hey, hey, am I seeing things? The thing in that guy's hands... is that a sniper rifle? Is he planning to kill those two supernatural beings with that?"
L: "Judging from the battle scene just now, killing them with conventional firearms would be next to impossible."
Utaha Kasumigaoka: "That's not necessarily true. Haven't you ever heard the saying 'glass cannon'? The times have changed, old man."
Kayneth: "Hmph. To use modern firearms in a magus's ritual... Emiya Kiritsugu... the existence of such a man in this world is nothing but a stain on magecraft."
With the appearance of Emiya Kiritsugu, the comment section became active again. After all, a man lurking in the shadows like an assassin, no matter how you looked at it, was no ordinary person.
Perhaps he really could kill those two with a sniper rifle.
[The man in the shadows, Emiya Kiritsugu, was heard glancing at the battle between the two Servants before speaking into his communicator to Maiya Hisau: "It's started. Looks like they won't be settling this anytime soon. Maiya, find a good sniping position, locate Lancer's Master, and then find a chance to kill him."
Emiya Kiritsugu had never been one for honorable conduct. Compared to the knightly duel between Saber and Lancer, he was far more inclined to achieve victory through such methods.
After giving his instructions to Maiya, Kiritsugu also found a sniping angle, attempting to locate Lancer's Master. However, just as his scope swept past his wife, Irisviel, who was standing behind Saber...
He suddenly noticed an unknown figure hiding behind her, her gaze fixed on the battlefield.
Who on earth would appear here at this time of night? A trace of doubt rose in Kiritsugu's heart.
The moment he saw the figure, Kiritsugu dismissed the possibility of her being a participating Master. He had collected data on all the other Masters before the war, and this person was not among them. Was she a civilian who had accidentally stumbled in, or... a Servant??
Kiritsugu wondered. However... at that very moment, the young woman in his scope suddenly turned her head, faced him and his sniper rifle, and offered a gentle smile.
Not good!
He had been discovered. The young woman before him was definitely no ordinary person.
Irisviel was in danger. In that split second, Kiritsugu confirmed the dangerous nature of the strange young woman.
He rose with the utmost speed and immediately distanced himself from the battlefield. As for firing the gun, against someone who could spot him instantly and meet his gaze with such confidence, shooting would be the worst possible choice.
Furthermore, Lancer's Master was lurking somewhere, watching. Once he fired, the consequences would be unimaginable.]
Schicksal Overseer: "A clever choice. Compared to killing a Servant with unpredictable, god-like abilities, killing the Master is a much simpler method."
World's Number One Cutie: "Grandpa? What are you talking about? What 'killing the Master,' what 'Servant'? Don't tell me you understand what this screen is about? An assassin suddenly appearing during a fight between two people, don't you find that strange?"
Schicksal Overseer: "My dear granddaughter, haven't you noticed yet? Among these viewers, there are people from that world. If you don't know, you can just ask them..."
The comment section didn't just exist for complaining; it could also be used for communication. There were plenty of people from that world willing to share information.
Otto's words were a wake-up call for most people across the myriad worlds. Indeed, they knew very little about Saber, Lancer, or the "Master" Kiritsugu had mentioned. Thus, many began asking the viewers from the Type-Moon world for information about the setting.
L: "A war fought between seven Servants, centered around a Holy Grail? An omnipotent wish-granting device... to think such a thing exists."
Conan: "Another completely unscientific event. But at this point, I suppose I should be used to it."
Ai Haibara: "They are partitions of bygone existences summoned from history, legend, and mythology... In other words, those two are heroes from different eras?"
Eriri Spencer Sawamura: "Is no one going to ask when Elysia appeared behind Irisviel?"
Utaha Kasumigaoka: "Ditching his wife and running away alone... this Emiya Kiritsugu doesn't seem like a good person at first glance."
The comments continued to scroll across the screen. Emiya Kiritsugu remained silent.
Irisviel herself was the Holy Grail, and with the presence of Saber's scabbard, it was impossible for any real danger to befall her. As for himself, Emiya Kiritsugu was supposed to remain hidden in the shadows. He just hadn't expected to be spotted by that young woman in an instant.
He made that decisive choice for his own safety and for the continuation of the Holy Grail War.
But there was no need to post such an explanation in the comments, nor was there a need to explain anything, because Irisviel would understand his intentions.
Still... abandoning his wife? Perhaps Emiya Kiritsugu truly was just such a shameless existence. The more Irisviel understood him, the more he suffered.