Chapter 2: A Shocking Revelation at the Start

While "Golden King" and "Red Devil" continued to argue furiously in the chat, Chihiro was busy familiarizing himself with the system's functions.

The Type-Moon Communication System was essentially a question-and-answer system, albeit one with some unique twists.

Fortunately, as the host of this system, Chihiro had some special privileges, most notably, any reward he earned would be doubled. That advantage would certainly come in handy.

Golden King: "You insolent fool, state your name. I will ensure you understand the price of insulting me."

Red Devil: "Why should I be the one to give my name first? If you're so great, why don't you start?"

Chihiro couldn't help but smirk. The Q&A session was about to begin, and yet these two were still at each other's throats. He had already deduced who "Red Devil" was, it was clearly Tohsaka Rin. The fiery temper was unmistakable.

As for "Golden King," there was no doubt it was Gilgamesh. Their clash wasn't surprising; Rin's strong-willed nature would naturally conflict with the arrogance of the so-called King of Heroes.

Chihiro found it amusing that these two seemed to be at odds from the start. If he recalled correctly, in the future, Ishtar would fuse with Rin to become a pseudo-Servant. Maybe that explained their natural incompatibility, they were like fire and oil.

It made sense for this to be the Rin from this world, especially since she had just mentioned getting her father to teach Gilgamesh a lesson. Chihiro couldn't help but wonder what would happen if Tohsaka Tokiomi found out his daughter was the one arguing with Gilgamesh.

The thought was entertaining, to say the least.

***

Elsewhere in Fuyuki City, Tohsaka Tokiomi, the head of the prestigious Tohsaka family, suddenly felt an inexplicable chill. He glanced around, seeing nothing out of the ordinary.

"Strange..." he muttered.

At that moment, his young daughter Rin came stomping down the stairs, her small face twisted in frustration.

"Rin, have you forgotten the proper behavior expected of a Tohsaka?" Tokiomi's voice was calm but carried an air of reprimand. However, his mind was still focused on the strange virtual screen that had appeared before him.

He found it odd; just earlier, Rin had been sulking after her younger sister, Sakura, had been sent away, so why was she suddenly so agitated?

Then, he noticed it, a similar floating screen hovering in front of Rin.

(Group members can see each other's screens.)

"Rin, what's going on?" Tokiomi asked, his expression growing stern.

"Father, you're in the group too!" Rin rushed over, clutching her father's leg as she looked up at him with wide, pleading eyes. "Please, say something! That guy named 'Golden King' is so annoying!"

"Ah... I see," Tokiomi replied, still a bit perplexed. It took him a moment to fully process that the voice he had heard in the chat earlier was indeed his daughter's. And if Rin was part of this bizarre group, then what about Sakura...?

Could she be "Tragic Sakura," the one who hadn't spoken a word yet? The name alone was troubling, as if it foretold some ill fate.

Before he could think further, the screen in front of them began to play a video.

***

[The scene depicted a dark, grimy basement. An elderly, emaciated man stood on a high platform, his sunken eyes glinting with a sickly enthusiasm. His face was flushed with excitement, a sight that was nothing short of revolting.]

[Beside him, a middle-aged man clenched his fists, his eyes bloodshot with barely suppressed rage.]

[The camera panned downward, revealing a large, pit-like area crawling with grotesque, writhing worms.]

[Amidst the sea of insects lay a small girl with purple hair, her vacant eyes staring into the void. Her body was covered in the foul creatures, her pale skin exposed to the elements.]

[The elderly man's voice was calm, almost gentle, as if presenting an artwork: "She could still cry and scream for the first three days. But since the fourth day, she hasn't even made a sound. I put her in the worm pit this morning. I'm curious to see how long she can last. The Tohsaka girl is proving to be a surprisingly resilient specimen."]

[The middle-aged man trembled as his gaze remained fixed on the child. "You… monster!"]

[He made no move to attack, knowing he was no match for the ancient magus standing before him.]

["What will it take for you to let her go?" he shouted desperately.]

["Oh, it's simple," the old man replied with a twisted grin. "Retrieve the Holy Grail for me."]

["So, you want me to participate in the Holy Grail War," the man said, his voice barely containing his fury. "But I don't have any magical circuits."]

["That can be arranged," the old man said, his tone laced with sinister delight. "You know the price."]

["The Crest Worm, is it?" The man's expression was one of resignation. "So you've been waiting for this moment all along."]

[The old man's grin widened. "Indeed. Now then, let's begin the procedure."]

***

The screen faded out, leaving behind a question.

[This is a multiple-choice question: Who is ultimately responsible for this tragedy?]

[A: Matou Zouken; B: Matou Kariya; C: Matou Shinji; D: Tohsaka Tokiomi.]

[You have five minutes to submit an answer. Failing to answer within the time limit will be considered forfeiting.]

***

The moment the screen went blank, Tohsaka Tokiomi slammed his palm onto the nearby table, his expression twisted in anger and disbelief.

He recognized the people in that video without question. That child… that was Sakura, his daughter.

Little Rin, still reeling from what she had just seen, was rendered speechless. Her normally bright eyes were now filled with tears that threatened to spill over at any moment.

Rebellious Spirit: "Sakura! Damn it, Tohsaka Tokiomi, do you even know what you've done!?"

The angry message in the group chat came from "Rebellious Spirit"—Matou Kariya.

Kariya had left the Matou family years ago, unable to tolerate the sinister practices of Matou Zouken. Yet now, he was faced with undeniable proof that Sakura, the sweet little girl he had once adored, had been subjected to the very horrors he had hoped to escape.

Kariya's heart sank, guilt and rage swirling inside him. If only he had been there, if only he hadn't left, he could have stopped this from happening. There was no time to lose, he needed to return to Fuyuki.

Meanwhile, Tokiomi was too shocked to pay attention to the messages in the group. His mind raced as he considered what he had just seen.

"Sakura… no, this cannot be happening."

Rin was the first to snap out of her daze. "I have to go to the Matou estate! I need to save Sakura!" she cried, her small voice trembling with determination.

"Rin, wait!" Tohsaka Aoi, her mother, appeared in the doorway, quickly grabbing hold of Rin's arm.

"Mother, Sakura is in danger! We have to rescue her right now!" Rin pleaded, struggling to break free.

Aoi shook her head gently, misunderstanding Rin's urgency. "I know you miss your sister, Rin, but this was done for Sakura's own future. You have to understand—"

"No, you don't understand!" Rin's desperation only grew as she struggled to find the words to explain the horror she had witnessed.