Fate: Hero of Justice Takeover

A man saves lives indiscriminately. Similarly, when he kills, he does so without distinguishing between good and evil.

But when he realizes this, it is already too late.

Placing equal value on all lives also means not loving anyone.

If he had realized this unbreakable rule earlier, perhaps there was a chance for redemption.

Had he frozen his young heart sooner, allowed it to wither, and become a soulless measuring machine, perhaps he could have lived a life detached, coldly choosing the living from the dead without any remorse.

But that man was not such a person.

***

The strange weather phenomenon over Einzbern was like a forceful invitation, welcoming the uninvited guest, Sakatsuki, into the thousand-year-old Winter Castle.

Surrounded by countless artificial humans holding weapons, all bearing similar features, Sakatsuki was led toward the Einzbern family chapel—the most magnificent yet also darkest place in this snow-bound winter fortress.

This was not a place to praise God's grace or soothe the soul. In a magus's castle, the so-called prayer hall was simply the venue for conducting magical rituals.

Thus, the stained-glass windows Sakatsuki passed by displayed not images of saints, but the long history of Einzbern's long pursuit of the Holy Grail.

Even among the founding three families, the Einzbern family had spent the longest time pursuing the Holy Grail.

But now, those magicians who once gathered to pursue the Third Magic had either left the castle or ended their own lives, leaving only the artificial beings they created in this snow-covered castle.

These artificial humans, with their mechanical nature, inherited the magicians' goal to, reproduce the Third Magic and continued to operate the Einzbern workshop. From that moment on, all the artificial humans created by Einzbern were modelled after Justeaze Lizrich von Einzbern, with silver hair and red eyes.

Two hundred years ago, the artificial humans finally gave up on independent exploration and began collaborating with external families like the Tohsaka and Matou.

However, in the subsequent Holy Grail Wars, Einzbern's family never won, always falling short due to their master's inferior combat abilities. As a result, nine years ago, they were forced to recruit a skilled magus from the outside world.

Interestingly, Emiya Kiritsugu was the trump card that the Einzbern family prepared by abandoning their pure bloodline.

As Sakatsuki walked along the corridor, his gaze unintentionally lingered on a newer stained-glass window.

It depicted the Einzbern family's Winter Saintess, Justeaze Lizrich von Einzbern, with two magicians on either side of her reaching up to a chalice in the sky. A careful look at the composition of the image revealed just how much Einzbern had once despised the Tohsaka and Matou families—only to now depend on their assistance, which brought great shame to the Einzbern.

Sakatsuki walked through the corridor, his presence starkly contrasting with the solemn atmosphere, as though one of the two parties would inevitably lead to the other's downfall.

The old magus who ruled over this frozen castle was already waiting for his arrival at the altar.

The old man's name was Jubstacheit von Einzbern. After inheriting the title of the eighth-generation head of the family, he went by the alias Acht. He had prolonged his life several times, living for nearly two centuries. Even after the exploration of the Holy Grail turned into the Holy Grail Wars, he continued to rule the Einzbern family.

Upon facing the master of the castle, Sakatsuki casually glanced at him, but his gaze quickly shifted to the couple standing next to him, not leaving them again.

The man was dressed in a long coat, with neat black hair and a tall, slender build. His eyes appeared dull, but a burning flame of obsession could be seen upon closer inspection.

The woman wore a platinum-coloured coat, with silver hair flowing smoothly and ruby-red eyes gleaming warmly. She looked like a snow princess from a fairy tale, as beautiful as Sakatsuki had seen through the screen.

Emiya Kiritsugu and Irisviel von Einzbern are representing the Einzbern family in this Holy Grail War.

At the same time, they were also...

"Then, a magus who invaded Einzbern's territory and cast powerful magic in our Winter Castle, since you haven't harmed Irisviel von Einzbern, I will allow you to speak of your intentions."

The old magician's arrogant words made Sakatsuki turn his attention back to him.

Acht, the Einzbern family head, stroked his long white beard, resembling an icy waterfall. His piercing eyes shot through Saktsuki with an intense, unrelenting pressure, making one feel repulsed.

And that feeling of repulsion was clearly conveyed into Acht's mind.

"Iri."

Kiritsugu's eyes subtly changed, and he quietly pulled his wife behind him, shielding her.

Only those who have seen mountains of corpses or experienced the hardship of time can sense the shift in the atmosphere. Sakatsuki, just standing there, was enough to make Kiritsugu and Acht feel as if they were on the verge of being crushed, with even the old magus trembling.

This was not a display of brute violence from Sakatsuki, but once exposed to his cold golden gaze, people could not help but realize how fragile and powerless they were.

Before, a figure who was not a heroic spirit but seemed like one, any human would feel their life force as weak as a moth in front of Sakatsuki.

"Then allow me to make my request, Einzbern."

The youth stood at the door, azure light gathering in his palm.

"I came here for your artificial human-making technique, the data on the Lesser Holy Grail, this Holy Grail War relic, a cute little loli..."

He paused for a moment, and under Acht's incredulous gaze, Sakatsuki made his final demand.

"...and the Third Magic."

"Kill him!"

As if touched by a trigger, the white-haired old man gave the order without hesitation. He struck his staff heavily on the ground, and countless magic circles rose from the floor, surrounding the entire chapel.

As the doors opened, countless artificial humans armed with axes and spears rushed in, attacking the lone Sakatsuki.

"Run! This man is dangerous!"

Emiya Kiritsugu, having been a mercenary for a long time, was the first to retreat, grabbing his wife and moving toward the door.

"But, Kiritsugu, I can fight..."

Irisviel hesitated, unwilling to leave her husband to face danger alone.

Yet that hesitation cost her the last opportunity.

"Trace on!"

Swords, axes, spears, and halberds.

At the moment when the blade flew toward them, Irisviel only had time to push her husband away before being mercilessly struck by the blades.

"Iri!"

Kiritsugu's pupils contracted.

There was no blood, no scream—countless sword blades, gleaming with the cold light of steel, embedded in the ground like tiny graves.

A piece of white cloth was lifted by the blast, vanishing into the dark chapel like melting snowflakes.

His heart ached, and the familiar taste of rust filled his mouth. Emiya Kiritsugu's eyes went hollow as he drew two pistols from the inside of his coat.

"Time Alter, Triple Accel!"

The guise of a good husband was torn away.

Seven years later, the former magus killer had once again found his unyielding target, beginning his hunt!