Yusei left. He had only told Risei that he wanted to contact all the Masters to arrange a meeting. Whether they complied or not, Yusei wasn't worried.
They might not know about the Ruler Class, but the Servant, Hassans did. They knew what this class was for.
For instance, the ability to reward Command Spells to others was something Risei hadn't anticipated. He didn't expect that besides himself, there was another Servant who could also reward other Masters with Command Spells.
If the Ruler were to favor one particular faction, the resulting damage could be immense.
As a loyal partner to Tohsaka Tokiomi, Risei naturally wouldn't allow such a thing to happen. So, there were only two ways to handle the situation.
First, follow Yusei's suggestion: first gather everyone for a meeting to see what the Ruler intended to do.
Second, kill the Ruler. Once dead, there would naturally be no risk of favoring others. With the King of Heroes as their ultimate trump card, this should be achievable.
However, Risei couldn't make decisions for Tokiomi. He was also still unclear about the specifics of the Ruler Class, so he had Kirei inform Tokiomi and see what Tokiomi decided.
He himself returned to the church's residence to prepare familiars to notify the Masters of the various factions.
Tohsaka Residence.
In Tokiomi's underground magical workshop, Tokiomi silently digested the news brought by Kirei.
'An eighth Servant had appeared in this Holy Grail War? But this wasn't without precedent. In the previous Holy Grail War, the Einzbern Family had illegally summoned Avenger.'
'So, could this so-called [Ruler] be a Servant illegally summoned by one of the factions, pretending to be an adjudicator to lure them all in and eliminate them in one fell swoop?'
Tokiomi believed he held the strongest Servant, but his long-cherished wish made him extremely cautious, afraid that even the slightest mistake could lead to failure.
Nearby, golden particles of light appeared, materializing into a golden figure. His arrogant crimson eyes, slit like a snake's, swept over the pondering Tokiomi, revealing a trace of dissatisfaction.
If Tokiomi's reason for not wanting to go was that such a gathering of mongrels was unworthy of the King of Heroes' presence, that would be one thing.
But Tokiomi's expression made it clear to Gilgamesh what he was really thinking.
'Fear of failure. Timidity. A truly detestable expression.'
Still, he was a newly acknowledged retainer, so Gilgamesh showed some leniency.
"Tokiomi."
A calm voice came from the sofa nearby. Gilgamesh sat with his legs crossed imperiously, his arms resting on the sofa's back.
"King of Heroes!"
Tokiomi was startled. He had been so lost in thought he hadn't noticed Gilgamesh materializing.
He quickly bowed to Gilgamesh. Although a Master bowing to his Servant might seem like a reversal of roles, Tokiomi didn't mind.
As long as it led to victory, such trivial matters of dignity were unimportant.
"What are your instructions, King of Heroes?"
"Tomorrow, you shall attend in my stead. If this gathering of mongrels proves uninteresting, there is no need to inform me. If it holds some small amusement, then I may deign to observe."
"This... As you command."
Tokiomi, who had initially planned not to go, could only nod in resignation upon hearing Gilgamesh's words.
This was one point of dissatisfaction Tokiomi had with Gilgamesh. He believed the King of Heroes was far too ostentatious.
In his own plan, they should go covertly, first sending a familiar to observe the situation tomorrow night before deciding whether to show themselves.
If an opportunity arose to eliminate another Master, he would have Gilgamesh prioritize attacking the Masters directly.
With the strongest card in hand, how could those fragile magi possibly resist?
Unfortunately, this perfect plan was rendered impossible by Gilgamesh's personality.
Tokiomi felt it was a great pity.
Similar situations unfolded among the other Masters in Fuyuki City as they received notifications from the Holy Church.
Almost universally, they were puzzled about what this [Ruler] was and what its intentions might be.
However, upon learning that the Ruler had the authority to grant Command Spells to Masters, they all became very interested.
In a Holy Grail War, having just three Command Spells was so limiting.
Command Spells were not only a shackle for Servants but also a treasure that could enhance combat power.
A Command Spell could even summon a Servant instantly across space, not to mention their uses in restoring magical energy, recovering condition, and so on.
If I have four Command Spells and you have three, that gives me the advantage.
Therefore, no faction was uninterested in Command Spells.
That very night, they all made their decisions.
However, there were a few factions the Holy Church had not yet managed to notify.
…
The next day.
Fuyuki City International Airport. Two figures disembarked from a plane.
One was a golden-haired woman wearing a black suit, appearing very efficient and professional. Her serious face was remarkably pure and cute, especially her emerald green eyes, clear like lake water, making people want to gaze at them longer.
The other had very fair skin and long silver hair, looking to be in her twenties, a mature woman with a perfect, almost sculpted face, like an exquisite doll, very beautiful.
The two were none other than Artoria Pendragon and Irisviel von Einzbern.
This pair of beauties attracted attention wherever they went. As soon as they stepped off the plane, a luxury car pulled up in front of them, discouraging many potential suitors.
Undoubtedly, they appeared to be a wealthy lady and her female bodyguard. Few wanted to invite trouble by approaching.
However, a young man slowly walked up to the front of the luxury car, blocking the two ladies' path.
Artoria, almost instantly, sensed that the other party was a Servant. She stepped forward, placing herself in front of Irisviel, and watched the young man in the baseball cap warily.
Seeing Artoria's reaction, Yusei couldn't help but smile slightly and slowly removed his hat.
"We meet again, King Arthur."
"..."
Artoria was taken aback. Only when he removed his hat could she see his face clearly. It was the Servant who had spoken to her not long ago on the Camlann Hill.
"You... you really are the Ruler?"
"Of course, the genuine article. Otherwise, how would I know that both you and I would be participating in this Holy Grail War?"
Yusei smiled, telling his lie.