Ichigo then stared at Archer for one long moment with a frown and a twitching eyebrow, along with Renji's and Rukia's eyes stretched open and their jaws dropped in amazement, Shunsei's was one with a thoughtful expression, Toshiro raised his brow in utter shock, Kisuke's was one of interest and wonderment. Mayuri held a wide grin twisted with anticipation, excitement, and morbid curiosity.
"So…" Ichigo began to say while rubbing his temples in an attempt to understand what he just heard. "Let me run by this again so I can get this straight…" He then took in and let out perhaps one of the deepest breaths he ever took. "You…are a future version of Shirou Emyia…who became a counter guardian by making a deal with the will of humanity itself…and you have been training with Shirou...so that he can synchronize with you and reach your level of strength?"
Archer then frowned and huffed. "I know it is rather convoluted but that is the truth"
Renji then growled in agitation. "More like incomprehensible, I mean seriously, I could buy into the fact if you were like his ancestor or something…but his future self come on!"
Mayuri then huffed. "Oh it's not that unbelievable" he waved off. "After all the throne of heroes is a realm that exists outside of space and time itself, so naturally it is possible to not only summon heroic spirits from the past but also those of the future, as long there is a catalyst associated with them" He then let out a chuckle. "Though I do admit that such a circumstance is quite improbable…"
Archer then humm in acknowledgment. "But not impossible…" He then looked over to the other side of the living room. "Isn't that right Shirou?"
Emyia and Rin looked at each other and gave looks of understanding. "…yeah" he confirmed. "I sort of had my suspicions. Given that we use the same type of magecraft and fighting style...but then it clicked when I saw you carrying the same pendant as Rin"
The older man nodded. "The same one that you carried for your entire life as a keepsake when she first saved your life when you were fatally wounded by Lancer... a unique one of a pendent and thus it would be impossible for two of them to exit…unless one of them came from a different timeline"
Ichigo then gave a deadpan expression. "I mean…I get that, but… that's pretty far-reaching to come to that conclusion"
Rin then shrugged. "Maybe...but I can tell if that pendent he had was holding was a replica or not...but upon looking at it thoroughly enough I knew it was the real deal" She then folded her arms. "And considering how closely attached he was to it would make sense for it to act as a conduit to summon him" Rin then looked over to Archer. "Still that doesn't explain why hide your identity from me or Shirou"
Archer then lowered his head and avoided his master's gaze. "Let's just say I had my...personal reasons... and I rather avoid overcomplicating matters..."
Renji then rolled his eyes and snorted. "Well I can't argue with that"
The heroic spirit then looked over to the rest of the group. "However if I were to go for my mission as not as a servant...but as a counter guardian then it is the destruction of the grail" He then focused his gaze. "For despite what you all were lead to believe the grail may have started as a wish-granting wish and a gateway to the swirl of the root...but as of now it has become nothing more than an abhorrent that can bring only destruction"
Most of the group winded their eyes as Archer continued. "Due to it being filled by all the world evil"
Toshiro then looked at Archer seriously. "So you're saying that the grail has been corrupted?"
Archer hummed in confirmation. "Yes...and has been since the last holy war and responsible for causing the great fire of Fukuyki to begin with"
Saber then winded her eyes in shock and then lowered her head in shame.
Rukia then noticed Saber's troubled expression but decided to focus on the topic at hand. "And that fire was caused by someone attempting to wish on the corrupted grail?"
Archer then let out a dry chuckle. "Attempt would imply it was an unintentional if fatal mistake...but no" his tone lowered. "The man wished for the great fire to happen to see as much pain and suffering as possible" his face hardened into a sneer. "And tried to do it again in my timeline because even that wasn't enough for him" He looked up to Rin and Shirou. "Who is none other than the priest and moderator of this war...Kirei Kotomine"
The magi expressed shock which Ichigo then gasped in anger
"Are you Serious!?" He shouted out. "Isn't he the one we were supposed to go to end this war peacefully!?"
Rin then frowns. "I knew that he was a despicable man...but I had no idea he was an absolute monster"
Shirou then let off a deep breath and frowned. " "Likewise..."
Shunsei then tilted his straw hat. "Hmm...sort of reminds me of a particularly nasty collage I occasionally run into" He then glances towards Archer. "And given that was his wish in that last war. I can assume that he was a master back then and even now huh?"
Archer nodded. "He is...though unlike most masters he isn't limited by just one servant but two"
The rest listen on perplexed. "His second being Lancer who he used to test out the other servents...while his first was a Servent he used in the last war..."
Saber then frowns in distaste. " Gilgamesh..."
Rin then looked over to her servant. "And the reason he was able to maintain Giligmesh's power for so long while the grail was gathering mana?"
Archer then hesitated a bit but sighed. "By using the orphan survivors of the great fire as batteries for mana and storying their bodies below the church"
Ichigo, Renji, Rukia, Uryu, and Toshiro, gasped and winded their faces, in utter disgust and outrage, Orihime, covered her mouth in horror. While Others, Like Shunsei, Kisuke, and Byakuya frown bitterly.
Then the head of the Kuchiki clan stood up. "Then our current mission is clear" he declared. While addressing everyone. "There is no room for doubt that the grail is a threat that needs to be destroyed immediately to prevent it from causing any more harm to the world of the living" his eyes then flashed with cold furry. "And this Kirei will pay dearly for his crimes" He then looked over to magi and servants. "Do you plan to join us?"
Renji is then sweet-dropped. "Uh captain...don't you think that is a bit overkill, I mean this is still just two servants and one psycho priest"
Byakuya closed his eyes. "I rather not take any chances Abari...especially since we have no idea what happened to Caster and for all, we know she could have decided to join them"
Archer spoke. "Never mind that since Gilgamesh has a noble phantasm that only I can counter...along with a weapon that far ellipses even Excaliburin power" Saber then winded her eyes a bit on hearing that. "I suggest you Shinigami take all the help that is offered to you," he said smugly. While Renji frowns irritably at the servent.
"Fine..." he spat in annoyance.
Shirou and Rin stood up.
"You can count me in too" Shirou declared. "Since I need to call him out for causing the death of so many people"
"And I," Rin said. "If only to give Kotomine to chance to surrender with dignity once he sees how outnumbered he is"
Saber remains firm. "And so will I"
Ichigo then smiled at both Rin's, Shirou's, and Arturia's resolve and then looked over to Illyasveil who had a sombered face while staring off.
"Hey..." the orange-haired teen spoke and the young Ginzburg snapped out of her daze and looked over to him. "Are you okay?"
Illyasveil then remained quiet for a moment and then smiled. "I'll be fine" she responded evenly. "Just a little overwhelmed with all the revelations and all" She then looked away from Ichigo. "It's just that...after we all confront Kotomine...we still have to destroy the greater grail before it manifests"
Ichigo then smirked. "Well obviously" he spat dryly and then rubbed Illyasveil's head which made her blush. "But will address that when we get to it alright?" Ichigo said reassuringly with a smile and the young magus returned it.
"You bet..."
"Alright now!" Shunsei spoke up while clapping both of his hands.
"Since everything has been taken care of, I suggest that we all take a good night's rest and prepare ourselves for tomorrow, what with all the non-stop fighting this night" He then yawns. "Because I sure need it"
Toshiro nodded. "I should also make preparations and inform the captain commander about everything" He then looked over to Archer. "Especially your past alternate knowledge"
Archer then narrowed his eyes on the captain and let out an irritated breath. "Alright," The heroic spirit grumbled and followed the captain to another room.
Orhime then smiled. "Well since we know about one of the Servants" she perked up. "How about we get to know more about Saber?
Ichigo and Saber looked at each other held an awkward pause and realized that tonight would be far from restful.
Later on in another room, Archer found himself in a larger living room that had a huge TV, that seemed to be made out of purple-like organic material.
While on the screen appeared the captain-commander himself.
Genryūsai Shigekuni Yamamoto.
While he looked like an old wizen man. Archer could tell he carried himself with extreme discipline, authority, and pride and not someone to be trifle with. Then after half an hour of relying on everything he knew about the commander including his past life and the corruption of the Holy Grail. The Elder Shinigami lowered his head in thought.
"So..." Yamamoto spoke in a stern voice. "The fifth holy grail war in your timeline went off without the gotei 13 discovering it and destroying the corrupted grail?"
Archer then let out a sigh. "Pretty much..."
"I see..." The commander replied. "You may leave..."
Archer then quickly exited the room and decided to take on Shunsei's offer to get some shut-eye...if only to mentally prepare himself for what would come tomorrow.
Toshiro then looked over to Yamamoto. "Do you think he is telling the truth, sir?"
The Commander looked upward. "His story is plausible and aligns with what we currently know about the holy grail wars..." He then opens his red eyes. "However considering that in his timeline the fifth holy grail war occurred without the Gotei 13's intervention..." He then furrowed his brow. "It is clear now that some of the masters and servants at that time were responsible in eliminating not only the squadron station there...but also in covering up their deaths"
Toshiro then knitted his brow. "I figured as much since just killing the shinigami would still alert us in that timeline" His eyes then became focused. "Which means that Kirei would likely have other masters that aid him"
"And it wouldn't be too far fetch to assume that he and that menos Shunsei fought against have also aligned themselves with each other" Yamamoto deduced.
Toshiro then looked over the captain commander. "Do you believe we have enough forces to crush Kirei and his likely allies?"
The commander huffed. "Ordinarily sending so many captain-level individuals to take down so few an enemy would spread our forces too thin, However given the danger the grail poses to the human world. Such actions are necessary to prevent its usage and eventually ensure its destruction"
Yamamoto then let out a deep breath. "And Hopefully finally bring an end to these vile Holy wars once and for all"
Meanwhile in a dark bedroom within Matou Manor where Sakura was waiting in bed
Rider appeared before her.
Sakura then looked over to the Servent. "Are you sure you want to do this...Medusa?"
The anti-heroic spirit bowed her. "I have experienced near death at the hands of just one of those Captains...even at my full power and going all out" She then looked over to Sakura. "To better serve your cause I need greater strength, the strength that only you can provide...master"
Sakura then looked over to Medusa. "You have always been kind to me Medusa I will always cherish that" Her face then softened. "Which is why I am hesitant to transform you into something that you despised...even if you ask me"
The servant then smiled. "It is because of your kindness towards me that I insist that you blacken me Sakura... to better protect you...and to carry out your will..."
Sakura then let out a deep breath. "Very well..." her violet eyes turned red, her matching hair dyed white, and her outfit replaced with a fully covered black dress. "I just hope you don't regret this," she said, raising her hand, and dark tentacles rose from her shadow.
"For you..." Medusa spoke with resolve. "Never..."
And so with a heavy heart, Sakura mentally commanded the dark tentacles to wrap themselves around the heroic spirit.
And soon her form began to blacken...