Section 7: Tactics at Night - After

Stay alert, Master. And stay close to me.

I'm not seein' any more shadow knights, either.

Then follow me. And keep an eye on your surroundings.

...It seems it's responding to you, Master. What's your assessment? Can you handle it?

？！

Don't worry, I've got you covered. As clear as the signal is, it'll be no problem configuring your Mystic Code so it can interface with the Holy Grail.

Magical energy wavelength analyzed. Synchronization complete. Beginning extraction...

？！

What did you just say?

There you are!

？！

Oh my. Well, I guess I wasn't half as sneaky as I thought if you shot right through my talisman.

I can't stand anything that has to do with sorcery, but I'd recognize its stench anywhere. Now show yourself!

You!

？！

Taigong Wang? As in Taigong Wang Lu Shang!?

I remember reading that name in a book I got from a traveling merchant. So, you're China's legendary tactician.

Ahaha, "legendary"? I mean, I am, certainly, but hearing it from someone else still makes me blush.

？！

Wait, Fujimaru. I don't think that's the same Taigong Wang we know at Chaldea.

I'm pretty sure it's another Taigong Wang, one who was summoned separately to this Singularity.

...Am I right?

Oh, more or less. It's a pleasure to make your acquaintance.

So what've you been doing here all this time?

Me? I sensed people fighting in the central castle, so I thought I'd use my Taoist arts to send out a familiar and check it out.

The central castle...? What do you mean?

Oh, you mean you don't know? I see. Then you must have been summoned near the center.

Take a look out that window. Now that you've become this castle's lord, the fog should clear up and let you see.

...Would you mind taking a look, Master?

？！

？！

So this castle was just one of three!

Correct. Incidentally, I'm the lord of the northern castle.

Each castle has a different Servant as its lord, and each castle's throne contains a tear-shaped fragment of the Holy Grail.

Perhaps now you begin to understand this Singularity?

I'm sure you're familiar with a certain ritual in which Servants fight to claim the all-powerful wish granter that is a Holy Grail.

Gh-ghh. Y-you mean

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That's the one. Though in this case, I think it would be better described as a Holy Grail Front!

And in this front, there will be no escape.

This central castle used to be cut off from the other two, as it was the only one without a Servant lord...

...but it seems that's finally been rectified now that you're here.

Now this war can begin in earnest.

For Servants like us, who were famed as kings and tacticians, this is an ideal summoning.

Ideal, hm? Heh. I can't argue with that.

？！

Good question.

An admirable sentiment, but I'm afraid one that will not be practical here.

Servants generally don't materialize without a wish they themselves want granted, after all.

Granted, there are some like myself who prefer to focus on the bigger picture...

...but we tend to be the exception rather than the rule.

Unfortunately, when multiple wishes come into conflict, it becomes very difficult to avoid war.

Even putting my own desires aside, I can't very well demand that my subordinates give up theirs.

(Subordinates?)

(Does this mean the other castle lords have Servant subordinates as well as those shadow knights?)

(If so, this is going to be an even tougher fight than I thought!)

Hmm.

Now that the familiar talisman I was using to relay my magical energy is sporting a brand-new hole through its center, it seems I won't be able to maintain this form for much longer.

On which note, it has been a pleasure to make your acquaintances!

As a fellow lord of a castle, I hope to see you on the battlefield, fighting for the Holy Grail.

？！

I can't believe Taigong Wangor another version of him, at leastended up being our enemy...

...

Come now, cheer up. It wasn't all bad news.

If nothing else, the castle is ours now, which means Master and I are one step closer to our goal.

Not to mention that, thanks to Taigong Wang showing up, we now know exactly what we have to do, whether we like it or not.

？！

I'll explain in more detail later. For the time being, you should rest while I turn this castle into a proper base.

After all, it looks like we're going to be here longer than we thought!

The lords of the three castles are in place. The battle for the three castles is about to begin.

...And yet, none of them will make it all the way to the twilight.