Aozaki Aoko Case File

Emiya Kiritsugu immediately rushed back to the Einzbern Castle upon receiving the news.

After receiving the alliance letter from his wife, Emiya Kiritsugu fell into deep thought.

As the Master of the Einzbern family, Kiritsugu found himself in a very delicate situation. With the Einzberns secretly allied with the Aozaki sisters, and now the Tohsaka family extending an olive branch to him, he faced a complex dilemma.

If he accepted the alliance with the Tohsakas, it would, in a sense, constitute a betrayal of the Aozaki sisters. Although Kiritsugu had no intention of handing the final victory to that magician, he didn't think it was the right time to turn his back on them now.

On the other hand, if he rejected the alliance, Tohsaka Tokiomi and Archer might identify the Einzberns—whose Servant's identity was still concealed—as their primary enemy. This would be a dangerous situation for Kiritsugu, who currently couldn't use Semiramis' combat capabilities. He also doubted the Aozaki sisters would come to his rescue.

Thus, the only option was to play both sides. Kiritsugu made his decision: he would accept Tohsaka Tokiomi's proposal for an alliance, but he would hide this fact as much as possible to avoid the Aozaki sisters finding out.

Since the Fuyuki Church, as the overseer, had already issued a bounty on Berserker and their Master, Kiritsugu felt he didn't need to worry about himself and Semiramis becoming the center of attention until that unknown Master was eliminated. For the time being, he could breathe easily.

...

"It's done," Aozaki Touko said, wiping nonexistent sweat from her forehead with her arm. "Next, we just need to transfer Angra Mainyu's soul into this vessel, and the purification of the Greater Grail will be complete."

Lying on the operating table before them was a body without distinguishing features.

In other words, it was a special vessel—neither male nor female, devoid of any discernible appearance, yet considered human in the context of mysticism. This vessel was specifically designed by Touko based on the Lesser Grail's principles to serve as a container for imprisoning a Servant's soul.

Once Angra Mainyu was placed into this vessel, he would no longer have any chance to return to the Greater Grail, regardless of whether it was activated. He would be forced to watch the victor use the Grail to fulfill their wish.

"Ahahaha, absolutely flawless, Touko-chan," Aozaki Aoko said with a satisfied nod. She then ruffled Touko's proud, triumphant hair into a mess. "So, can we move on to the next step?"

"What incredible technology!" Marisbury Animusphere exclaimed as he inspected the vessel. "As expected of Aozaki Touko, the holder of the title of Grand Puppeteer. I believe your skills will have tremendous applications—perhaps even in Chaldea."

"All right, stop wasting time," Aoko urged. "The sooner we purify the Greater Grail, the sooner we eliminate the possibility of unforeseen incidents."

At Aoko's words, King Solomon, who stood beside the Greater Grail, looked toward Marisbury. After receiving his Master's approval, Solomon raised his hands, adorned with the Ten Rings.

The ten rings shone simultaneously. As the King of Magecraft, Solomon wielded absolute control over all forms of magecraft when he possessed the Ten Rings.

Although the core of the Greater Grail was the Third Magic, its augmentation circuits, designed by Justeaze Lizrich von Einzbern, still fell within the domain of magecraft. And as long as it involved magecraft, it was within Solomon's control.

Under Solomon's actions, the previously stable Greater Grail—filled with black mud and dense magical fluid—began to boil violently. Something within it seemed to be struggling, trying to resist Solomon's interference.

But all resistance was futile before the King of Magecraft. The authority of the Ten Rings firmly suppressed the soul-containing mechanisms of the Greater Grail, gradually cornering Angra Mainyu.

Following a sound that was unclear whether it was crying or the wailing of a suffering human, a torrent of black mud erupted from the hole at the top of the Greater Grail.

Touko immediately activated the pre-prepared secret ritual for soul transference, capturing Angra Mainyu's soul hidden within the black mud and sealing it into the vessel.

The previously lifeless vessel suddenly opened its eyes after receiving the transferred soul. Its eyes darted around frantically, trying to discern its surroundings.

But Touko's creation was Angra Mainyu's new prison. No matter how much he struggled or raged, he could not move a single muscle within his body.

Aoko waved her hand, moving the vessel from the operating table into a specially designed rectangular container, which was then locked securely. (It resembled a coffin.)

With Angra Mainyu, the core, removed, the hole above the Greater Grail began to tremble unstably.

At first, the hole expanded violently, resembling a black hole from science fiction, swallowing the tower-like structure beneath it. Then, it rapidly contracted, becoming a smaller spherical object than the original hole.

Gradually, the black mud flowing on the surface of the sphere solidified, cracked, and fell away, revealing a pure white, flawless sphere radiating a faint glow. It gave the impression that something was gestating within it.

"So this is the original form of the Greater Grail," Aoko remarked with awe. "I have to say, the three founding families of Fuyuki were either blind or foolish. How could none of them notice such a drastic change in the Greater Grail?"

"Hmph, it seems the curse of the Rheingold just got stronger," Touko quipped as she observed the Greater Grail. "Justeaze Lizrich von Einzbern bears undeniable responsibility for this."

"Truly a creation of the Third Magic," Marisbury commented. "I imagine most magi would fall for it the moment they laid eyes on it."

"Aren't you the one who looks completely uninterested in the Greater Grail?" Aoko silently observed Marisbury in her mind. Ever since arriving at the Holy Grail War, this man had been single-mindedly focused on making money, showing no interest whatsoever in the Third Magic or anything related. In a way, that made him quite a dedicated person.

While Aoko and her group admired the Greater Grail, a large bird descended from the outer edge of the void and landed on Aoko's shoulder, quietly reporting something to her.

"…What?" Aoko said in mild surprise. "The enemy has approached Mount Enzou?"

Hearing this, Artoria, who had been silently standing guard, immediately gripped the hilt of her sword, her vigilance rising.

"What's going on?" Marisbury asked calmly. "Do you need our assistance?"

"An unexpected enemy," Aoko murmured thoughtfully as she looked at Solomon. "Are your Demon Pillars still intact?"