Chapter 157: His Name

"Ugh, this is such a headache... Archer. What's going on now?"

"My dear Master, if the enemy truly possesses Caster, I should have sensed it earlier. This only happened because they acted recklessly without concealing their presence," Red Archer replied helplessly.

But Rin Tohsaka was already irritated. "Three Servants?! That's decisive firepower! There are only seven Servants in the entire Holy Grail War, and he alone commands one-and-a-half of them. Isn't this ridiculous? Why hasn't the Greater Grail intervened?"

As soon as she finished speaking, Rin realized how absurd her words sounded. The Greater Grail was an inanimate object; it wouldn't punish anyone exploiting its loopholes. Even her ancestors likely hadn't foreseen that the Grail's manifestation required the deaths of Servants, leaving only one Master-Servant pair standing at the end. While multiple magi could survive the war, only one Servant would remain.

If the opponent had multiple Servants, how would the Grail be distributed? It wasn't like splitting a cookie—only one wish could be granted. Who would decide whose wish took precedence?

Who could have anticipated someone exploiting these rules?

Until now, Rin had envisioned the Holy Grail War as a solo endeavor, perhaps forming alliances along the way. The idea of one person controlling multiple Servants had never crossed her mind. Not only would such a feat strain mana reserves, but it would also make the individual a prime target for others.

When faced with a leading competitor, the natural response was for weaker parties to unite against them.

Yet this young magus seemed entirely unconcerned about such consequences.

"Master, it's confirmed—it *is* Caster."

"Ahhh! This is the worst possible news! So frustrating... everything is completely different from what I expected!" Rin groaned, clutching her head in frustration. All traces of her usual composed demeanor vanished.

She felt her plans unraveling. Initially, she had anticipated a two-on-two confrontation, but now it had become two versus three. Could they possibly win under such conditions? She could already picture the scenario: the opponent's two Servants tying down their Archer and Saber while the third launched an assault against her and Shirou. Add to that an unknown magus lurking in the shadows.

"Should we proceed? Master," Red Archer suggested. "However, I recommend letting Saber and me go ahead while you stay hidden with him."

In battles involving Servants, Masters were incredibly vulnerable—a liability rather than an asset. Killing a Master was often far easier than defeating a Servant outright.

Rin reluctantly agreed. If things turned dire, she could always use Command Spells to ensure her Servant's safe retreat. Right now, ensuring Sakura Matou's safety was paramount.

The Matou family had already fallen, and according to the young magus, Zouken Matou was dead. With Sakura's whereabouts uncertain, concern gnawed at her.

But then...

"Senpai, Miss Tohsaka... are you here looking for me?"

From the forest near the edge of the "Temple," a familiar voice called out. Both Rin and Shirou turned to see Sakura Matou stepping cautiously onto a makeshift path, her school uniform pristine and her skirt clutched nervously in her hands. Behind her stood Rider, her violet-haired Servant.

So the claim that Rider belonged to Sakura was true after all.

Rin blinked in surprise. She hadn't expected the young man to tell the truth. If his statements about Rider were accurate, perhaps other claims carried more weight as well. Had he genuinely intended not to fight them?

"Sakura, are you alright?"

"I'm fine, Senpai. In fact, I've never felt this relaxed."

Sakura spoke softly, recalling the moment Medea extracted the worms from her heart and crushed one with a curse. It symbolized the end of living under Zouken Matou's shadow. For the first time, she felt truly free.

"Sakura, you seem different."

"Do you think this change is good or bad, Senpai?"

"It's good."

Shirou noticed a newfound vitality in the girl before him. Despite her past suffering, she radiated a sense of liberation.

Rin clenched her fists tightly, lowering her gaze before clearing her throat. "Cough... Sakura, regarding that young magus, might there be room for negotiation?"

"Yes, Sakura. If you're safe, what about Shinji? Is he alright?" Shirou asked immediately, his thoughts turning to his friend Shinji Matou. Though he disliked Shinji's behavior, he cared deeply about his survival.

Sakura's eyes dimmed momentarily before regaining their warmth. "Senpai, Shinji isn't in any immediate danger. He's currently asleep under Mr. Li's care. According to Mr. Li, he plans to release Shinji once the Holy Grail War concludes."

"Why would he do that?"

Shirou recalled the basic premise of the Holy Grail War: every participant with a Servant was technically an enemy. Yet the young man let Sakura go freely while keeping Shinji captive?

"Sakura, earlier I handed over control of Rider to my brother. Only after Mr. Li interacted with Shinji did I regain command over Rider," Sakura explained.

Her implication was clear: Shinji Matou wasn't innocent. At some point, he had actively participated in the Holy Grail War.

"Could Shinji really participate in the Holy Grail War? Does he possess the talent required of a magus?"

Rin couldn't forget why Sakura had been adopted into the Matou family in the first place—their bloodline lacked sufficient magical aptitude, threatening the continuity of their craft.

"With Grandfather's assistance, Shinji entered this Holy Grail War. Miss Tohsaka, if you'd like, we can discuss further up above." 

Before descending, Sakura had briefly conversed with the young magus, outlining boundaries and requirements before parting ways. However, she believed direct communication would yield better results.

"Cherry, did you form an alliance with him?"

"Yes. Moreover, even if I fought alongside you, it wouldn't matter. Two Servants against three isn't something he fears. This is Caster's territory, and I've personally witnessed his combat prowess match Rider's evenly."

Sakura relayed the message faithfully.

Rin frowned deeply, growing increasingly uneasy. It felt as though the young man knew everything—and if Sakura's observations held true, his strength rivaled Rider's.

Their position offered no advantage.

"Fine, let's return for today. We'll take this opportunity to educate a certain novice about proper conduct. Oh, by the way, what's his name again? Mr. Li? Is he Chinese?"

"Yes, he hails from there. His name is Li Mo."