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MMMS 46
🕑 Added 2025-05-01 01:25:35 +0000 UTCAt 8:30 AM, the whole world was buzzing about the monster attack. An unidentified creature had appeared in Tokyo Bay near Japan's coast and was quickly confronted by US-Japan joint forces.
The monster easily shot down several squadrons of fighter jets and disabled three Aegis destroyers. The Forrestal-class aircraft carrier docked at Yokosuka Port completely lost its fighting ability after fierce attacks and ultimately sank.
After causing all this destruction, the giant monster simply vanished into the morning mist. According to reports, neither the Japanese nor US governments had released any casualty numbers. So far, no group had claimed responsibility.
No one realized that this brief appearance of the great sea demon would trigger a monster craze that would last fifty years. The giant squid and sea anemone would eventually become more iconic movie monsters than the nuclear lizard, gorilla, and tiny lobster—but that's a story for another day.
TV shows were hotly debating where the monster came from.
"This monster is actually an ancient squid that underwent genetic mutation because of nuclear pollution in the ocean! I call on the entire world to stop developing and using nuclear energy, and give Earth a green future. Otherwise, more monsters will definitely appear, and humanity will eventually be destroyed!"
"That's ridiculous. This morning's incident was God's judgment on the United States! The Bible tells us the Lord brought ten plagues upon the arrogant Ramses II. The fact that it didn't completely destroy the US military base must mean He wants America to change its ways."
The screen changed to show thousands of Japanese people in the streets, forming a massive protest. Some shouted "US military out of Japan!" while others held signs saying "Protect Earth's ecology!"
"What nonsense..." Ryuuto said, looking away from the TV with a smile, as if none of this had anything to do with him. The fact that these people could still be running around at all was thanks to Manaka. If she hadn't called him when she did, he might have given in to his hunger and destroyed Tokyo.
Now he was enjoying his belated baby life. Having used up a lot of magical energy, he was lying obediently in his bed at home, being fed by his mom.
"Fu, Fu..." Manaka scooped up a small spoonful of oatmeal, gently blew on it to cool it down, and brought it to his lips. "Here you go, Ryuuto. Open up, ahh..."
…
Around noon, Kirei Kotomine returned to the basement after finishing his morning duties at the Church. To his surprise, he found an unexpected golden visitor in his room. With flame-like golden hair and ruby-red eyes, dressed in a modern leather jacket with fur trim and leather pants, the man transformed Kirei's plain room into something as elegant as a royal court just by sitting there. It was Tokiomi's servant, Gilgamesh, the King of Heroes.
Kirei raised an eyebrow in surprise. "Archer?"
Seeming not to care about Kirei's return, Gilgamesh pulled out a bottle of red wine from the cupboard, opened it, poured some into a glass, and took a graceful sip. "Your collection may be small, but it's much better than Tokiomi's. Quite the rebellious student, aren't you?"
"..." Kirei glanced expressionlessly at the empty wine bottles on the table. Apparently, Archer had helped himself to every bottle of wine in the room and sampled each one.
"What do you want?" When Kirei asked this without emotion, a hint of melancholy flashed in Gilgamesh's red eyes.
"Tokiomi is such a boring man. Since morning, he's been throwing a fit about that disgusting creature. Hmph, what a boring person."
"...That's a normal way for someone to react." Kirei could understand his master's feelings.
That morning, his father had received word from the Church that because a monster had appeared in the capital, the Church might pull out of the Holy Grail War. If the Church withdrew, all of Tokiomi's years of hard work would be wasted—something he couldn't bear to see. But Gilgamesh couldn't care less about any of that. The Golden King, in his foul mood, continued to badmouth his Master (Subordinate).
"Ah, he is seriously boring. Always going on about reaching the Root? So dull. In the end, magecraft, the Root—it's all just worthless garbage. If someone has power but can only hide in the shadows like a rat, what's the point? That's even less valuable than that disgusting creature that showed up in public this morning."
When Kirei heard Gilgamesh rank magi below monsters, he smiled slightly. The King who loved all worldly treasures was a tyrant—essentially a monster who craved attention and display. This made him the complete opposite of magi. They said the Roman Emperor Nero also rejected magi because they "weren't flashy enough!" Tokiomi was an extremely traditional magus, even by modern standards, so it was no wonder he felt helpless when dealing with Gilgamesh.
"You've been rambling to yourself for quite a while now, Great King," a new voice said in the church basement.
"Oh? is there another mongrel barking in here?" Faced with Jack the Ripper, who had concealed his presence before the king and verbally provoked him, Gilgamesh drained his wine glass with a smile.
"See, Kirei, here's a perfect example of a clown—weak, powerless, blind, worthless, someone who spends his entire life not knowing who he really is. Yet he thinks he can understand his past through the Holy Grail. How absolutely disgusting! Although... he does entertain me more than Tokiomi. Consider yourself lucky, Berserker! This King will personally cut you down later."
"...Seriously, Master, this guy is awful," Jack the Ripper said. If he had a physical form right now, he would probably have been sneering. "Let's get out of here quick. Spend too much time around someone like this and it'll rot your brain."
"Be quiet, clown. Just stand there and try to remember what kind of nobody you really are." Gilgamesh turned back to Kirei, his red eyes shining with a captivating light. "But what about you? Kirei, what do you wish for?"
"I..." Kirei fell silent for a long time, and the golden archer smiled.
"Is it really that confusing? Wouldn't it be simpler to just chase after what gives you pleasure?"
Hearing this, Kirei's eyebrow twitched.
...
Meanwhile, in a warehouse somewhere in Fuyuki filled with weapons, Kiritsugu sat alone at his workbench. His mind was still processing the shock of the sea demon's attack on Tokyo Bay. Just thinking that such a monster might appear in the city next made him feel uneasy.
Almost there... If he could get his hands on the Holy Grail, all the evils in this world would be destroyed. Monsters like that would surely stop existing.
Today, he hadn't made his usual check-in with Irisviel and Maiya, nor had he continued with the assassination plan for Kayneth that had been on hold for several days. Something else was troubling the Magus Killer's mind.
On the workbench in front of him were the communicator and scope that Maiya would use tonight. According to her, both devices had stopped working on the same evening a few days ago.
But...
"Actually... there was never any malfunction?"
As Kiritsugu looked at the communicator in his hand, his expression became grave.
