D' Ultimate Lich King

Arthas understood Aoi's unspoken intentions, but offered no clear answer. At this point, assuring her he wouldn't kill Tokiomi Tohsaka would be meaningless.

He could only guarantee non-interference as long as Tokiomi Tohsaka posed no threat. If Tokiomi Tohsaka intended to harm or kill him, Arthas wouldn't be held responsible for any resulting actions.

Flandre had already returned Illya to the Einzbern annex. Walking alone through the night in Fuyuki, Arthas took a deep breath of the frigid air.

He had no specific destination, simply wandering aimlessly.

The first Servant had been eliminated, a bounty Servant, whose defeat yielded a Command Seal; however, this wasn't a positive development in Arthas's eyes.

His impulsive actions had likely made him and Flandre prime targets.

"Everyone will probably realize Flandre is the true Berserker,"

He rubbed his temples; tonight's actions had been rash, but Arthas had no regrets. The Caster's continued existence posed a significant threat to innocent people and children.

However, with a fourth Command Seal, he would undoubtedly become a major target.

Looking at the mark on his hand, Arthas offered a wry, helpless smile.

While the Command Seals sounded powerful, Arthas was skeptical of their true effectiveness, and he wouldn't issue any coercive commands to Flandre.

Regardless, Flandre was a sweet girl, around the same age as Illya and Sakura.

Although her true identity was a vampire, one who had lived for an unknown number of years, Arthas could sense her innocent, childlike nature.

Flandre was, at her core, just a child afraid of loneliness.

Unconsciously, he had wandered far from the Einzbern annex. Arthas touched his head, shaking it with a self-deprecating chuckle; he decided to return; Illya would be worried if he continued wandering.

"Hmm, when did you follow?" He paused, casually glancing behind him, speaking softly to the empty street.

"Wasn't I told to protect Illya's safety?"

Seeing Flandre had followed him, Arthas frowned slightly, chiding her gently.

Embarrassed, she lowered her head, fiddling with her fingers.

"Forget it, nothing should happen at this hour. Let's walk, Flandre." Seeing the girl's apologetic demeanor, Arthas shook his head with a wry smile, looked up at the night sky, and continued walking.

Flandre said nothing, following silently behind him.

...

In the darkness, several Assassins moved silently, hurrying to report their findings to Kotomine Kirei.

"Was Tohsaka Tokiomi's daughter rescued? The Berserker has withdrawn?"

Upon hearing his Servant's report, Kotomine Kirei was taken aback.

The Berserker hunt had been orchestrated specifically for Tohsaka Tokiomi, intending to provide a legitimate reason to bestow a Command Seal upon him; unexpectedly, someone had preempted them.

Kotomine Kirei sat back, massaging his temples, staring at the intelligence reports before him.

"Wait… if your report is accurate, that Berserker wasn't a true Berserker."

Considering his assassins' account, Kotomine Kirei stroked his chin thoughtfully.

The assumption had been that since the girl, Flandre, was believed to be the Caster, the remaining Servant must be the Berserker.

Everyone had fallen into a predictable pattern of thought, overlooking a crucial detail: Flandre might have concealed her true class; she could be the true Berserker.

"What should we do, Master? Please give your orders,"

The Assassin inquired. After a moment's reflection, Kotomine Kirei responded calmly.

"The original plan remains unchanged. Intensify surveillance of the Caster… no, the Berserker's Master."

Kotomine Kirei's statement caused the Assassin to pause, momentarily confused.

Hadn't the Berserker and their Master already been dealt with?

"We've been deceived. That girl is the true Berserker; the Caster was the one eliminated."

"I understand, Master. We will intensify our surveillance of the true Berserker and her Master."

The Assassin, having received their instructions, retreated silently into the darkness.

While they had outwardly complied, the Assassins privately questioned the effectiveness of this surveillance in the context of the Holy Grail War.

Since yesterday, Master Kirei's orders had included peculiar stipulations, demanding that the Assassins monitoring the five opposing Masters also meticulously observe and report on the Masters' private lives, interests, hobbies, appearances, etc.

Consequently, the surveillance density of the Assassins currently dispersed throughout Fuyuki City had to be significantly increased.

Undoubtedly, Hassan were lurking in the shadows of this night, eavesdropping on the Masters' intentions.

In any case, orders were orders; while troublesome, it wasn't overly difficult, so there was no room for dissent.

The Assassin continued their pursuit of Arthas under the cover of night.

"I initially thought only Kiritsugu Emiya would pique my interest in this Holy Grail War, but now… there's you…"

After the Assassin's departure, Kotomine Kirei, staring at Arthas's photograph, murmured to himself in the quiet room.

"What is it that you truly desire from the Holy Grail… and will I be able to find the answer in you?"

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