Fate: Holy Grail

[3rd POV]

A lonely forest lay beneath the thick, dark clouds. 

A shabby wooden cabin stood at the end of the narrow stone path through the forest.

The room was dark, with only the chilly, lonely moonlight filtering through the rusted iron window, casting faint rays into the room.

The evening breeze gently brushed, carrying a cold, biting air, but the ruined cabin was no match for the invasion of the cold wind. 

However, the young man standing inside stood tall, his back straight. 

There was no one around him, yet he endured this solitude and silence in the deep, eerie darkness.

He was dressed only in a black priest's robe and had a golden cross around his neck. His short, sharp hair and determined eyes gave him a sharp, professional look. Yet deep within his heart, there was a trace of confusion that couldn't be seen.

The cold wind, pale moonlight, rusted windows, and the soft sound of running water from the forest outside, the young man named Kirei Kotomine spoke.

"I announce—"

The cross on his chest and the simple black robe clearly identified him as a priest who served the Lord. Yet, at this moment, he was chanting incantations.

The incantation was long... very long...

On the other hand, Kirei Kotomine said every word perfectly, maintaining intense focus at every moment. As he chanted the spell, his vitality began to slowly drain away...

"Entwine the Three Great Spirits of Words of Seven Days."

Before Kirei Kotomine, a magic circle was used to summon a Heroic Spirit. The circle was drawn with interwoven red lines and imbued with magical energy. 

After Kirei Kotomine began chanting, it started to shine with a red glow.

He began to perform at high capacity as the ritual started, constantly draining his life force and converting it into magic with his heart pounding violently, like a racing clock.

"...From the Wheel of Inhibition present realm it is, Guardian of the Scales!"

Kirei's back was wet with sweat, and his final made it hard for him to breathe. 

It felt like all his energy had been drained, and his once sharp, hawk-like gaze became suddenly weary and exhausted.

A faint green mist rose before the magic circle used to summon the Heroic Spirit. 

Suddenly, a bone-chilling cold burst forth from the magic circle!

At this moment, Kirei Kotomine sensed the establishment of the contract using the Command Spell on the back of his hand.

The cold seemed to devour the last remnants of moonlight, and above the magic circle, a small black hole seemed to appear. 

Then, the black hole began to spread, like a faint mist that grew wider and wider until it finally merged into a vaguely human shape.

This was a strange Servant formed by black mist, resembling a ghost at first glance, but there was no lower half of the body visible.

Kirei Kotomine was the first Master of the Holy Grail War, and also the first summoner. His incantation had long since been altered under the guidance of Tokiomi Tohsaka, using the incantation as a medium to summon 'Hassan.' 

This was, theoretically, the only Assassin that could be summoned in Fuyuki City.

Silence...

The pale, cold moonlight filtered through the rusted iron window, and Kirei could clearly feel the Servant's scrutinizing gaze.

However, the Servant did not ask Kirei about his intentions, nor did he speak a word. 

It simply stared at him coldly, even though it had no eyes.

However, the sensation of being watched made Kirei know that the Servant's gaze was fixed upon him.

Kirei had always been the agent of the Master, the perfect guardian of the faith. He would do so with all his effort even when studying sinful techniques.

It was his first time facing an ancient hero, and he still forced himself to suppress the beating of his heart.

The Servant was not an ordinary magical tool, and it had its own will, one far more powerful than any magician could ever hope to match. 

In order to establish a better partnership in the future, Kirei decided to make a strong impression on the Assassin.

Now, the atmosphere in the entire room had become cold due to the Assassin's presence, and Kirei even began to think that he was facing a death god who had walked out from the depths of hell.

To be honest, as an agent, Kirei had faced vengeful spirits and magicians more than once, but he had never felt this kind of fear in his heart. 

It was as though this person truly walked out from the afterlife as if they had truly died once.

The Assassin did not inquire about Kirei's intentions, nor did it speak a word. It seemed as if it was testing its Master, seeing whether he was worthy of commanding it.

But at this moment, the Holy Grail ritual was about to begin, and Kirei didn't have much time to waste. 

After successfully summoning his Servant, Kirei knew he needed to contact Tokiomi Tohsaka immediately. He could not afford to waste any more time here.

"Welcome to the present world, Assassin." 

Kirei Kotomine urgently asked, "As a Servant who has answered the call of a Master, shouldn't you also tell me your name?"

"My name?" 

An unclear voice came from the black mist, cold and piercing. It felt like falling into an icy cave, causing Kirei to shiver involuntarily.

Assassin hesitated for a moment before finally speaking, "I ask you, are you my Master?"

He had finally spoken the words Kirei Kotomine had been eagerly awaiting.

"Yes." 

Kirei raised his hand to reveal the Command Seal on the back of his hand and added: "As your Master, I need to know your name." 

He explained further, "Only with a mutual understanding can we go far in the Holy Grail War."

"An assassin doesn't need a name," 

Assassin answered Kirei's words as if it were a matter of course. 

"Any assassin with a name is unqualified."

Kirei never considered it confusing but instead thought seriously about his words.

Indeed, if the name of an assassin were known to the world, could they still be called an assassin? 

The answer was no.

'In other words... this is a qualified assassin!' 

Kirei's heart stirred.

"I see." 

Kirei acknowledged Assassin's answer, "Assassin... an assassin indeed wouldn't easily reveal their name."

"Heroic Spirits are born from legends, and no matter how they are summoned, they must have some sort of legend, history, or myth. At the very least, there should be a small story." 

Kirei continued to inquire.

"I have no legend, nor do I have a name..." 

Assassin said. 

"I am just an assassin, nothing more... From the beginning, I have had no name. If necessary, please refer to me by my class, 'Assassin.'"

The muffled voice was somewhat hoarse, and Kirei could hear a hint of helplessness in Assassin's words. 

He deeply sympathized with this. As the Executor, he had seen countless comrades who were resolute in their will.

They spent their youth maintaining their master's honor, only to sacrifice themselves for the safety of humanity in the end, perhaps even without having their names known to the world. 

Kirei would only sometimes take the time to mourn his fallen comrades.

"I understand, Assassin."

At this moment, Kirei moved past the heavy topic, but he was drawn to Assassin's attribute...

Strength: D

Endurance: E

Agility: A+

Mana: D

Luck: D

What a low set of abilities.

There's no sign of any combat power at all!

"I won't ask for your true name for now. Tell me about your Noble Phantasm," 

Kirei Kotomine said. 

He understood that the Assassin class wasn't designed for direct confrontation and that it was normal for the attribute values to be low. 

He wanted to see if Assassin had a powerful Noble Phantasm.

Assassin was silent momentarily before speaking: "I can disguise myself as any Heroic Spirit. As long as I've seen them once, no one will be able to tell the difference from their appearance." 

This Noble Phantasm was highly compatible with the Assassin class, but in the context of the Holy Grail War ritual, this Noble Phantasm seemed rather weak.

The Servant and their Master share a contract through the Command Seals. This means a Noble Phantasm cannot disguise itself as a Servant belonging to a certain Master. 

Its only use is to disguise itself as another Master's Servant, causing conflict.

However, given Assassin's low attribute values, it's likely that even causing conflict would be impossible.

According to his father's wishes, Kirei would assist Tokiomi Tohsaka in securing the final victory in the Holy Grail War. 

However, Assassin's combat abilities seemed far below expectations, but he didn't feel much dissatisfaction. 

After all, all the arrangements were made by Tokiomi and he was merely an assistant.

'It seems Assassin can only be used to gather intelligence or assassinate other Masters participating in the Holy Grail War.'' 

Kirei Kotomine thought silently.

The moonlight was bleak, and in that moment, Assassin's figure seemed to embody the night itself. 

Kirei's eyes felt somewhat tired, and he could barely see Assassin's shape under the new moon.

There was only a mist in front of his eyes, and he couldn't even find any features for his eyes to focus on...

"I'm going to take you to meet my sensei," 

Kirei explained, "He is the one who led me into the path of magic. He's elegant, noble, and from a renowned prestigious family of the Clock Tower. Perhaps he will also participate in this Holy Grail War...?" 

Although he disdained magic, Kirei still pretended to like a magician.

According to Tokiomi's request, the target of the deception was not only the other Masters and Servants. 

Kirei had to make sure that Assassin was on board before he could tell him the whole plan.

To be continued...