Fate: Hero of Justice Takeover

"For such butchers who fight for so-called glory and honour, I only want to keep my distance."

"If you think my methods are despicable, if you accuse me of being ruthless, then go ahead and curse me. Justice cannot save this world—I have no interest in justice!"

"The battlefield is hell! Even so-called chivalry and justice cannot escape conflict. As long as humanity refuses to repent, treating conflict as the ultimate evil, the scenes of hell will repeat themselves over and over in this world!"

After watching the scene of Sakatsuki's conversation with Kiritsugu, Saber's ahoge twitched slightly as she fell into deep thought.

To be honest, after seeing Kiritsugu's disdainful expression and intense demeanour, she no longer felt anger toward her Master.

Instead, she felt profound pity.

Yes, her Master might be a man worthy of sympathy. Perhaps it wasn't the world that needed saving, but himself.

That twisted way of existence, discarding both past and future, living in the present like some inorganic instrument, judging the present... that was no way for a human to live.

"If you hate evil so much that you become evil, in the end, all that remains is evil. The anger and hatred born from evil will surely ignite new flames of war."

Saber couldn't help but murmur.

"Kiritsugu Emiya, I do not know what betrayals you suffered or why you despair. But your anger, your lamentations, are undoubtedly those of someone who once sought justice... The true you from the past must have wanted to become a 'Hero of Justice.' You must have believed in and yearned for a hero who could save the world more than anyone else..."

No one would cast a hateful glare at her for seeing through them, for Kiritsugu had already walked away, leaving behind only the eternal breeze that had blown for thousands of years.

And the young man who stood there, smiling, hiding part of the truth.

"You must understand now, Artoria."

Sakatsuki said leisurely.

"Your way of handling things and Kiritsugu's are fundamentally different. Your paths are destined to clash."

"That is indeed the case... but."

Saber looked up, her saintly blue eyes piercing, as if seeing through Sakatsuki's very soul.

"You deliberately showed me this. What is it that you want?"

"Form an alliance with me, Saber."

The young man responded without hesitation, holding a lightning-shaped, multicoloured dagger in his hand.

"You must have guessed it by now—I possess the means to break the contract between Master and Servant. How about it? Will you join my side?"

"Don't doubt me. I will naturally ensure the safety of Irisviel and even Kiritsugu, and assist you in obtaining the Holy Grail."

Meeting Saber's probing gaze head-on, Sakatsuki's expression was sincere, though he silently added in his heart.

'Of course, after obtaining the Holy Grail, discovering its true nature... well, that's none of my business.'

Faced with Sakatsuki's proposal, Artoria fell silent.

To be fair, it was an incredibly tempting offer.

Her current Master was cold toward her, and his methods were something she despised. Moreover, he had now openly expressed his disdain for chivalry... To be honest, the fact that she hadn't cut him down yet was a testament to Artoria's patience.

A wise bird chooses its perch. If she joined Sakatsuki's side, not only would their combined strength crush the other Masters, but she would also be free to act as she pleased in the Holy Grail War. The difference between the two sides was clear.

But before that, she wanted to ask one question.

"Sakatsuki, tell me, what is your wish for participating in the Holy Grail War?"

"My wish?"

Sakatsuki blinked, then smiled.

"My wish is simple—to survive. That's all."

For someone whose lifespan was nearing its end, wishing for the Holy Grail to grant him continued life—this was a reasonable explanation.

However, Artoria shook her head.

"No, that is not your true desire."

The girl knight stared intently at the young man, making this assertion.

"Perhaps even you are unaware, but your true goal is not this."

Saber left.

After promising not to reveal the secret of 'Rule Breaker,' Saber thanked Sakatsuki once more before departing.

Sakatsuki remained standing in place, still pondering Saber's words.

My true goal...

What meaning is there for someone about to die, someone who has no choice but to stake their hope for life on the Holy Grail?

Blind to his own flaws, Sakatsuki sighed in frustration and turned to leave.

Tonight's operation had been a complete failure.

He had neither succeeded in recruiting Lancer nor persuaded Saber. It seemed that the three knight-class Servants were not so easily obtained. Though he had laid a few pieces on the board, it was unclear whether they would influence the overall situation.

But...

The white-haired youth paused, looking up at the bright moon, his golden eyes reflecting its light.

Why did he feel no great sense of loss?

***

On the rooftop of a residential building elsewhere, Kiritsugu found Maiya Hisau, who had already finished packing.

Though she had been severely injured in her battle with Kirei Kotomine, after receiving transplanted ribs from an artificial life form, Maiya was still "usable."

It had been a long time since she had assassinated Sola-Ui, but Maiya asked no questions. For her, accepting Kiritsugu's orders and acting on them was her entire existence.

Kiritsugu calmly looked her over, confirming that there were no abnormalities, then turned and walked away without a word.

He needed to think carefully about how to deal with the dangerous individual known as Sakatsuki.

Fortunately, this foray into the war was not entirely fruitless. At the very least, he had confirmed the complete withdrawal of the Lancer faction and... the existence of certain dangerous tools.

Even if he couldn't eliminate the threat himself, he could still rely on external forces, just as Sakatsuki had done to him...

The woman behind him followed closely, carrying a gun case.

Not a word was spoken—this was the deep mutual understanding between the two.

This wasn't a game world, so Kiritsugu didn't notice the "IQ-1" prompt that appeared above Maiya.

After confirming that the two had left, a figure in azure robes, holding a sapphire staff, emerged from the shadows.

A delicate face, a calm expression, and a slightly revealing magical girl outfit...

It was Caster, Miyu, who had not been with Sakatsuki from the beginning.

"Sapphire, they didn't notice, right?"

"It seems we made it in time."

The spirit within the sapphire staff replied.

With this confirmation, Miyu relaxed slightly, finally letting out a sigh of relief.

Hypnotic Waves.

A mysterious function loaded onto Sapphire, emitting powerful hypnotic waves that could alter the memories and perceptions of those around her.

Though a skill that, if misused, could potentially destroy a nation, since she, unlike Ruby, would not recklessly misuse it, you could rest assured in this regard.

Additionally, perhaps because it placed a burden on the brain, the IQ of those affected by the hypnosis would decrease by 1.

Even Sakatsuki hadn't expected that this seemingly comical ability could actually be used.

"Let's go, let's find Onii-chan."

With her mission successfully completed, Miyu stepped onto a magical platform and ran in the direction of Sakatsuki.

***

Hey readers!

Want to read ahead? 📖 Join my Patreon for early access to 30+ advance chapters! Your support helps me write more and bring the story to you faster.

🔹patreon.com/aarvan🔹

Thanks for being awesome! ❤️