In Britain, the Noble Phantasm: Divine Key

“It’s impossible for you to do this alone.” Yanan smiled slightly, a sly glint in his eyes. “But what if I were to join you?”

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When Anahn returned to the church, he found the atmosphere inside to be rather strange.

Kenneth, Webber, and Rider stood on one side, while a young man in a priest's robe and the Berserker, exuding a berserk and bloodthirsty aura, stood on the other. The atmosphere between the two sides was visibly tense, giving the impression that they could start fighting at any moment.

“Mr. Kenneth, you were the last person my father saw before he died. For both the sake of morality and reason, you should assist us in the investigation and find out the truth about my father’s death as soon as possible.” Kirei Kotomine said expressionlessly. Even though his father’s body was lying right in front of him, he did not wail or cry. It gave the impression that this man was suppressing his grief and pretending to be strong.

"Investigation? You seem to want to throw me into the Burial Mine's basement and torture me." Kenneth's lips curled into a cold smile. "I told you, your father was killed by the Assassins, it has nothing to do with me, if you don't believe me—"

He arrogantly raised his chin and pointed at Anan, who was walking towards them:

"Why don't we discuss this with my Servant?"

Chapter Thirty: On the Eve of the Decisive Battle

As Kirei Kotomine walked towards them, his expression remained unchanged, though his pupils contracted slightly. Waver, on the other hand, appeared to breathe a sigh of relief.

Kirei Kotomine was silent for a moment, then turned to Kenneth: "Attacking the Overseer is a clear violation of the rules of the Holy Grail War. Lancer's Master, if you continue to resist and even intend to violently resist, then according to the rules, I have the right to summon the other Masters to punish you."

Before Kenneth could speak, Anan laughed and said, "Actually, I'm quite curious about how you plan to gather the other Masters to attack us. Or do you think they're all a bunch of hot-blooded righteous comrades who can be easily swayed by just a few words from you?"

Kirei Kotomine's expression became slightly more serious, and his gaze unconsciously drifted to Kirei Kotomine's right hand on the ground, or more precisely, to the series of Command Seals on his right hand.

Those were Command Seals that were never used during the Holy Grail War and were collected by the Church. These Command Seals are protected by special sacred words, and no one can transfer them without the permission of the person or knowledge of the secret sacred words.

The sacred word is the greatest secret, and even Kotomine Kirei, his biological son, has not been revealed to him in the slightest.

Without the Command Seals, his biggest bargaining chip, he simply couldn't command the other Masters.

Noticing Kirei Kotomine's expression, Anaun, though her face remained unchanged, secretly breathed a sigh of relief.

In fact, what he just said was a test, his purpose being to find out if Kirei Kotomine knew about that string of secret sacred words.

When he examined Kotomine Risei's body earlier, he did not find that the other party had laid out a secret signal as in the original work. However, he was not sure whether this was because the events were too sudden and the old priest did not have time to make a secret signal, or whether he had already told the Holy Word to others in advance, so there was no need to make a secret signal.

However, judging from Kirei Kotomine's expression, it was clear that Risei Kotomine had not told him the secret of the sacred word.

In this way, no one except Anahn knew the truth about that sacred text.

Before Kirei Kotomine could speak again, Anahn tossed something to him.

Kirei Kotomine instinctively took it and discovered it was a brass bullet stained with dark red blood.

"My Master has made it very clear: your father was killed by Assassins. This is the evidence. If you don't believe me, you can go to any hospital for an autopsy report; the results will be completely consistent," Yanan said calmly. "I don't think you would believe that my Master would use such a low-level tool as a gun, would you?"

This is of course impossible. Kirei Kotomine knows all too well how proud magicians are, as can be seen from his master, Tokiomi Tohsaka.

As the Clock Tower Monarch, who is even more esteemed than his master, it is even less likely that he would use a weapon like a gun. Such a practice, which goes against the path of demonic cultivation, would probably be no different from heresy that desecrates the path of demonic cultivation in their eyes.

“Exactly, how could Professor Kenneth possibly use a gun?” Webber muttered from the side. No one present knew better than him how persistent Kenneth was in his pursuit of magic.

Kenneth stood with his hands behind his back and his chin slightly raised, clearly not interested in arguing about such a matter.

Kirei Kotomine stared silently at the brass bullet in his hand.

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On a scenic hill on the outskirts of Fuyuki City sits an elegant and unique villa, which is the residence of the Tohsaka family.

Since the Tohsaka residence in Fukayama-cho was completely destroyed, Tohsaka Tokiomi established this place as his new base.

As the spiritual vein managers of Fuyuki City, Tokiomi Tohsaka and his predecessors used their excellent business acumen to actively convert key spiritual vein sites under their names into commercial land. This earned them exceptionally high rents, making them one of the most prestigious families in Japan. For the Tohsaka family, acquiring luxury mansions and villas was as commonplace as eating and drinking.

Inside the reception room, Tokiomi Tohsaka, dressed in a burgundy suit, sat elegantly in a leather chair. Although he was the only one living in the villa at the moment, the entire room was spotless and kept very clean. Even in such an unfavorable situation, he could still maintain such composure. Kirei Kotomine wondered whether this was the man's true nature or if he was truly confident.

Tokiomi Tohsaka held a glass of red wine, gazing at the brass bullet on the table. His lake-like blue eyes, like unfathomable abysses, revealed an indescribable depth.

"So, it was indeed Assassin who killed Father Risei, is that right?"

"Based on the intelligence we've gathered so far, that's indeed the case. However, no one knows what Assassin's true purpose is." After a pause, Kirei Kotomine continued, "I've already issued a warrant for the other Masters to attack Assassin in my capacity as acting overseer, but..."

"It just didn't have much effect, right?" Tokiomi Tohsaka took a sip of red wine with an elegant gesture. "Needless to say, the master and apprentice at the Clock Tower wouldn't get involved in something that doesn't bring them any benefit."

"Teacher, you are wise." Kirei Kotomine lowered his head slightly.

"Kirei, I understand your desire to avenge your father, and to be honest, I'm also very angry about it," Tokiomi Tohsaka sighed softly, though his eyes showed no emotion. "But now we face an even stronger enemy. I hope you can carry on your father's legacy and continue to help the Tohsaka family achieve its long-cherished goal. Do you understand?"

Kirei Kotomine lowered his head even further: "Yes, teacher."

"I assure you, after the war ends, I will personally bring down the Assassin and his Master to atone for your father's sins—on the honor of the Tohsaka family." Because honor was at stake, Tohsaka Tokiomi's tone and eyes revealed obvious solemnity.

"Thank you very much, teacher." Kirei Kotomine bowed slightly, but his expressionless face made it impossible to discern his true thoughts.

"Speaking of which, Kirei," Tokiomi Tohsaka asked casually, swirling the red wine in his glass, "Father Risho really didn't tell you how to transfer those Command Seals?"

“I’m sorry, teacher. I have carefully examined my father’s belongings, but I haven’t found any clues,” Kirei Kotomine said.

"Is that so?" Tokiomi Tohsaka was silent for a moment, then nodded slightly. "Alright, Kirei, you should go back and rest. The final battle is about to begin, and I hope you are fully prepared before then."

"Yes, teacher." Kirei Kotomine bowed again, then turned and walked out of the reception room.

Shortly after Kirei Kotomine left, a dazzling aura descended accompanied by a golden light, and Gilgamesh's figure emerged from it. However, compared to his imposing appearance in the warehouse district, the King of Heroes' aura now seemed somewhat weak.

"You actually want me to cooperate with such a mad dog? Shi Chen, are you serious?"

Even in his injured state, Gilgamesh's aura remained undiminished. His crimson eyes exuded a dragon-like pressure as he stared intently at Tokiomi Tohsaka.

“No, Your Majesty, this is not cooperation, but simply assistance.” Tokiomi Tohsaka stood up, bowed deeply to Gilgamesh, and then raised his head with a sincere smile. “It’s like a hunting dog. No matter how good the dog is, it is just a tool. Only the hunter holding the gun is the real protagonist.”

Gilgamesh stared at Tokiomi Tohsaka for a long time, a pleased smile appearing on his face: "I really didn't expect it, Tokiomi. It turns out you're such an interesting fellow. It seems I underestimated you before."

"To receive your kind praise is an immense honor for me." Tokiomi Tohsaka bowed respectfully, placing his hand on his chest and lowering his head slightly. Yet, his unfathomable eyes held an indescribable depth, as if—

Something inhuman is about to break free from it.

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Church of the Holy Church.

Kirei Kotomine looked at the old man lying in the coffin, gently tapping his heart with his hand, his eyes revealing obvious confusion.

He couldn't understand why his father died before his eyes, yet he felt no sadness, not even a tear.

As a son, shouldn't it be natural to weep bitterly and even feel furious when watching his beloved father being murdered? But why, no matter how he questioned himself, did he only feel emptiness?

No matter how much I tap on my heart, I can't get an answer. Is it because something is missing here?

Is it because there is something missing that something else needs to fill it? Is that the reason the Holy Grail chose him?

But what exactly is he missing?

Looking up at the murals on the church ceiling, the man couldn't help but fall into a deeper state of confusion.

However, since it's an all-powerful wish-granting machine, it should be able to help him find the answer to this question.

Staring at the bright red Command Seals on the back of his hand for a long time, Kirei Kotomine stood up and silently walked out of the church.

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Fuyuki City Hotel.

Yanan stood by the glass window, holding a steaming cup of black tea, silently gazing at the dark night outside.

Suddenly, a strange magical energy surged over him. He turned his head and cast his gaze toward the distant Yuanzang Mountain, a slight smile curving his lips.

"Ha, so they've finally arrived?"

The teacup was gently placed on the table beside it, and wisps of white steam rose slowly into the empty room.

Chapter Thirty-One: The Final Battle Begins!

Thick, dark clouds hung in the sky, like endless ink painted heavily across the heavens, devoid of even the faintest starlight. A deep twilight enveloped the earth, and the long streets were silent and secluded, revealing an indescribable heaviness and oppression.

Yanan strolled along the mountain path, at the end of which stood the gate of Ryudong Temple. The heavy gate stood silently there, like the gaping maw of an invisible beast, ready to devour everything.

Anan stepped through the mountain gate without changing his expression. In the spacious courtyard, his tall figure stood quietly, like a black giant god.

"I knew you would come." Cú Chulainn slowly opened his eyes, as if a slumbering dragon had awakened from its dream. A powerful aura instantly spread out, and his crimson eyes revealed a mad killing intent.

"Since you've all been so kind in inviting me, it would be incredibly impolite of me not to come," Yanan said with a nonchalant smile, his hands in his pockets.

"Heh, from the first time I saw you, I knew that a battle between us was inevitable." Berserker picked up the crimson magic spear stuck in the ground beside him, and a wanton and evil smile slowly curled up at the corner of his mouth.

“Although I don’t mean to look down on you, you alone are no match for me.” Yanan looked around. “Call the others out. Tonight is the final battle anyway, there’s no point in hiding now.”

"Since you're so eager to die, then I, the King, will grant your wish." An extremely arrogant voice came from above. A radiant ship made of gold and emeralds pierced through the clouds and descended to the mountaintop. The brilliant light banished the darkness. The golden king sat on the ship, his dragon-like red eyes revealing a dangerous killing intent.

"It seems you're quite resentful about your defeat to me last time, Gilgamesh." Yanan looked up at the heavenly throne from Hindu mythology, silently considering the possibility of snatching it and giving it to Mordred as a toy.

"To actually make me feel this long-lost pressure, I must admit, as an enemy, you are indeed a good target, Arthur." Gilgamesh's lips slowly curled into a sinister smile. "So, prepare yourself, this time, I will use all my strength as 'repayment' for your disrespect of the throne."

"Is that so? I just hope that this time, you won't run away like you did last time." Ignoring Gilgamesh's furious eyes, Anan turned his gaze to the shadows in the corner. "Since you're already here, show yourself. I don't think you're planning to ambush me when I'm not looking."

After a moment of silence, accompanied by the crisp sound of armor plates clashing, a petite girl covered in black and red armor emerged from the shadows. Her pale gold eyes were like ice that had never melted for a thousand years, and her whole body exuded an aura that kept strangers at bay.

“If I could, I wouldn’t mind doing so,” Saber replied emotionlessly.

"Heh, I knew you'd say that, but sorry, I won't give you that chance." Yanan's tone was calm. "You guys aren't the only ones who will bring in outside help."

Rumble, rumble, rumble—!!!

A deafening roar of thunder ripped through the silence of the night, accompanied by flashes of silver lightning and unrestrained laughter echoing in everyone's ears:

"Haha! How could I, the Conqueror King Iskandar, be absent at a time like this!"

A divine bull, treading on thunder, pulled an ancient chariot down from the void. A towering, red-haired giant stood atop the chariot like a landmark, his imposing presence drawing the attention of all the other Servants present.

“Three against one is too unfair. If the battle loses its suspense, wouldn’t it be too boring?” Rdier’s lips curled into a simple smile. “In that case, I think you wouldn’t mind if I, the king, lent a hand to Lancer.”

"It seems there are more ignorant fools in this world than I imagined." Gilgamesh's eyes narrowed into a dangerous arc, and a mocking smile appeared on his lips. "I always prioritize my actions. I originally planned to take care of Lancer first and then deal with you, but since you're here, I might as well take care of you all at once."

Golden ripples spread across the sky, their brilliant light banishing the deep night. Countless legendary warriors emerged from the ripples, pouring down at supersonic speeds, like a golden raging torrent.

In an instant, the decorations on Yanan's body switched to azure silver armor. With a wave of his hand, the same number of black voids emerged from behind him, and a torrent of gleaming gold knight lances poured out, colliding with the golden waves.