"Did that guy also get a Heroic Spirit Summoning Card?" Emiya Kiritsugu muttered, frowning as he observed from the shadows. It seemed he wasn't the only oh this kind of advahe mysterious figure who had just appeared, "Assassin" or rather, the Heroic Spirit Cutss wasn't some age by Aya as Chihiro had suspected. Instead, Kiritsugu had summoned him using a Heroic Spirit Summoning Card obtained from a silver treasure chest during the previous day's quiz.

  However, unlike Chihiro's Chaldea version, the card Kiritsugu had obtained was a "Holy Grail" variant, meaning the summoned Heroic Spirit could o for seven days before returning to the Throne of Heroes. Still, Kiritsugu found it more veo work with his alternate self than with Saber. They shared simir skills and instincts, even if their life experiences differed.

  Meanwhile, over otlefield, the Knight of the ke ushing Gilgamesh back, his relentless assault bringing him closer to overwhelming the "King of Heroes." But just as the tide seemed to turn, a horde of Assassins, each wearing skull masks, swarmed from the darkness, blog his path. Disrupted by the sudden appearance of the numerous masked figures, the Bight let out a furious roar.

  "That's... Assassin?" Irisviel gasped. "But why are there so many of them?"

  "Hahaha, looks like it's even livelier than I expected tonight." Iskandar chuckled before turning to Chihiro. "Hey, boy! Stop hiding your Caster in the shadows. Let him join the fun already!"

  Chihiro responded with a smirk. "Oh? And where's your Master, then? You left him behind?"

  Iskandar didn't seem ed at all. "We 't always stick to pns, we?" He raised his voice, calling out to a nearby overpass, "Hey, little Master! You're not fooling anyone hiding up there!"

  An irritated voice echoed in response. "Really, Rider? What are you doing?!"

  Waver Velvet emerged, looking thhly exasperated. "We were supposed to observe from a distance, but then you charged right in and blew our cover!"

  Iskandar shrugged. "What's the problem? It's more fun this way."

  Grumbling under his breath, Waver hurried over to join his Servant, realizing that with his position exposed, the safest pce was o Iskandar. However, he wasn't alone. Walking alongside him was a tall, slender man with an unmistakable air of authority.

  "El-Melloi II?" Chihiro murmured, reizing the figure. But how could he be here? The real El-Melloi II was supposed to be Waver himself iure, after all. This meant that what they were seeing now had to be a summoned Heroic Spirit.

  Chihiro quickly pieced it together. Given Waver's streak in the quizzes, it wasn't surprising that he might have drawn a Heroic Spirit Summoning Card, just like he himself had.

  Watg from the shadows, Keh's face twisted with jealousy. It seemed everyone had ara advantage , everyo him. Pying alone was starting to feel dangerous; he o step up his game and earn some rewards if he didn't want to be left behind.

  Matou Kariya shared a simir se. His primary target remaiohsaka Tokiomi, but with Kotomine Kirei guarding his rival, his ces were slim. His earlier opportunity to capitalize on Gilgamesh's injury had been thwarted by the ued chaos of the Bight's attack. He then his own hand.

  "Long time no see, Red Hare," the man beside Waver said, his voice ced with a nostalgic warmth. He had produced a feather fan from somewhere and now held it casually in one hand. "I didn't expect the first familiar face I'd enter to be yours."

  Red Hare's eyes narrowed. "Who are you?"

  The man merely chuckled. "It seems you don't reize me in this form, but then, I am not quite the Zhuge Liang you remember." He turo Chihiro with a smile. May I know your name Red hare's Master?

  "Chihiro, Tachibana Chihiro." Chihiro said politely.

  "A fine name, a very fine name indeed," Zhuge Liang replied, nodding approvingly. There was a twinkle in his eye as he looked back at Red Hare. "You seem puzzled, my old friend. I'll expin ter."

  "Mr. Wolong…" Red Hare murmured, still visibly perplexed. This Zhuge Liang was nothing like the brilliant strategist he remembered.

  Before the versation could tinue, Waver spoke up urgently, " we the pleasantries already? Don't you hear that?"

  The faint but unmistakable wail of sirens roag the dock, growing louder with each passing sed. The authorities had finally caught wind of the disturbance.

  Iskandar scratched his head, looking mildly disappointed. "Seems like our fun is cut short for the night," he grumbled. "Didn't eveo do much."

  Waver shot him an annoyed look. "What were you expeg? You rushing in ruined our pn before it even started!"

  The King of querors just ughed it off, summoning his war chariot with a flourish. "We'll see everyone again soon enough. Until then!"

  With a roar, the chariot took off into the night, Waver and Zhuge Liang in tow.

  "Hmph," Keh's voice echoed from the darkness. "I'm withdrawing as well. Lancer, let's go."

  Diarmuid gave a respectful nod to Artoria. "Until ime, King of Knights." He then swiftly departed to follow his Master.