[With the fake Caster team's exit from the stage, it was a cause for great celebration. Although their departure was somewhat abrupt, after a scene that resembled a nuclear explosion, no one would believe the fake Caster could have possibly survived.
And now, the light screen projection shifted its focus to the Saber and Lancer teams.
After the Fuyuki skyscraper where Kayneth had been staying was bombed by Emiya Kiritsugu, Kayneth developed an unprecedented rage towards the man.
In Kayneth's view, a person like Emiya Kiritsugu, who defiled magecraft, was the most unforgivable kind of existence.
For this reason, he chose to go directly with Lancer to challenge Emiya Kiritsugu.
During his preliminary investigation, he had already heard about the Einzbern territory near Fuyuki. Since it was a magus's domain, it would be protected by corresponding Bounded Fields, making it a difficult place for others to fight advantageously.
Be that as it may, who was Kayneth? He was a Lord of the Clock Tower, a genius magus of great renown. He was completely different from a half-baked practitioner like Waver, who relied entirely on theory with no practical ability. Kayneth was a magus who had become a Lord through his own power. As long as Kayneth didn't die, he even had the potential to one day glimpse the Root and achieve True Magic.
Even though Emiya Kiritsugu was known as the most formidable Magus Killer, he had likely never encountered a magus of Kayneth's caliber in his entire life. From a pure magecraft perspective, ten Emiya Kiritsugus would be no match for Kayneth.
Even fighting in the enemy's territory, Kayneth remained confident he could achieve victory. This was his confidence in his own mastery of magecraft.
Just like that, the swaggering Kayneth stepped into the Einzbern family's domain.
What Kayneth didn't know, however, was that the Emiya Kiritsugu he was about to face was the Magus Killer—the strongest Magus Killer—who would absolutely not play by the rules and engage in a one-on-one magus duel.
If necessary, Kiritsugu would abandon the Einzbern territory without a moment's hesitation to see Kayneth to his grave.]
---o---
Kiana Kaslana: "Wow, this Kayneth guy has some mysterious confidence~~~"
Raiden Mei: "Well, he is a genius magus. He probably hasn't suffered many setbacks in his entire life."
Otto Apocalypse: "The Root, True Magic... does the light screen projection truly hold Kayneth in such high esteem? According to the intelligence I've gathered, no magus to date has been able to achieve such a feat."
Conan Edogawa: "Mr. Overseer, you really do like to gather intelligence everywhere. We've been spending half our time just trying to understand the difference between magecraft and True Magic."
Otto Apocalypse: "Hahahaha~~~ I am simply filled with curiosity for all things unknown. The more something pertains to a world's most fundamental power, the more one can't help but seek its true essence."
Gilgamesh: "Hmph. Uninteresting. Just a common magus. Even with decent talent, it doesn't change their detestable nature."
The comments about Kayneth in the barrage were varied. After all, his initial impression wasn't very good. And Kayneth was clever enough not to say much in the comments himself.
Therefore, even those who wanted to find fault with him had no reason to speak up.
What he hadn't expected, however, was that the light screen would give him such a high evaluation. The Root... that was the lifelong pursuit of all magi. Did he truly have a chance of glimpsing its secrets?
But the condition was if he didn't die. Why was that? Did the light screen think he was going to die in this Holy Grail War?
How could that be possible? A magical ritual held in a place like this, a veritable countryside, posed no... threat...
In theory, that was correct, but... this Holy Grail War was extraordinary in every way. The power of Servants as familiars had already exceeded his imagination.
And it wasn't just the Servants. The Lord of Astromancy, Marisbury, went without saying. That old worm, Zouken, who had lived for who knows how many years, likely had magecraft skills on par with his own. And then there was that Elysia. How could one small city like Fuyuki gather so many absurd characters?
Thinking of this, Kayneth's brow furrowed in worry. Perhaps... I shouldn't participate in this Holy Grail War after all. It's not like I desperately need this on my resume. It would be better to renounce my right to participate and run away now.
Kayneth was still young and had already become a renowned magus. He had no desire to die an early death for the sake of a mere magical ritual.
---o---
[On the light screen, to prevent Emiya Kiritsugu from once again abandoning martial virtue and attacking him with modern weapons, Kayneth immediately deployed his trump card.
He smiled condescendingly, placing a flask he had been carrying under his arm on the ground. The moment it left his hand, the bottom of the flask sank heavily into the earth. This flask, carried with a weight-reduction spell, actually weighed nearly one hundred and forty kilograms.
"Fervor, mei sanguis." (Boil, my blood.)
As he chanted the incantation, the contents of the flask oozed out from its mouth. The liquid, which radiated a metallic, mirror-like sheen, was a large quantity of mercury. Approximately ten liters of it flowed out of the flask like an autonomous, primordial organism, trembling as it formed a perfect sphere.
A single glance was enough to identify it—this was the very thing that had appeared before, the thing that had protected Kayneth when the Fuyuki Hyatt was bombed: Volumen Hydrargyrum, the ultimate heirloom treasure of the Archibald family.
The scene cut to the interior of the old castle, showing the main entrance. A brilliant flash of cutting light, like the glint of a blade, sliced through the main doors and the surrounding walls. This was followed by an impact that blasted the severed sections of the door and walls inward.
Kayneth walked in. His Volumen Hydrargyrum floated beside him as a sphere, entering the mansion with him.
Then, Kayneth spoke in his trademark grating, duck-like voice, "The ninth head of the Archibald family, Kayneth El-Melloi Archibald, has come to call! O magus of the Einzbern family, for the Holy Grail that we both seek, let us wager our lives and honor, and fight a fair duel!"
His hands were clasped behind his back, his posture proud and proper. He announced his name and lineage, a confident smile on his face, his demeanor elegant and calm.
As expected of someone from a noble lineage, Kayneth's self-introduction was exceptionally aristocratic. To appear in such an open and honorable manner after witnessing the dark scenes and Kiritsugu's underhanded tactics from before... it had to be said, Kayneth was the magus who acted most like a magus in this Holy Grail War.
However, Kayneth's declaration received no response. The entire hall was silent, an awkward atmosphere pervading the air.
Kayneth probably realized that waiting for a response was pointless, so he strode forward, preparing to investigate. Just as he reached the center of the hall, the four vases placed in the corners of the room suddenly exploded with a tremendous roar.
But what flew out of the explosions were not porcelain fragments, but countless metal beads. These metal beads shot towards Kayneth like bullets.
This scene made countless viewers gasp. They could only sigh that this was truly something Emiya Kiritsugu would do. The other guy was in the middle of a formal declaration of war, and you pull a stunt like this.
After the smoke cleared—though he had been ambushed, Kayneth was completely unharmed. The moment the attack occurred, the Volumen Hydrargyrum had automatically expanded, shielding Kayneth completely. All the beads had been blocked.
Kayneth was thoroughly enraged by these low-handed tactics. The smile vanished from his face as he said in a heavy voice, "Relying on traps... has the Einzbern family fallen to such a degree?"
"Very well. In that case, this is no longer a duel, but a subjugation!"
With those words, Kayneth, filled with fury, advanced deeper into the old castle with his Volumen Hydrargyrum.]