Chapter 1: The Holy Grail War? No! The Dragon Ball War

Chapter 1: The Holy Grail War? No! The Dragon Ball War

In the endless white space, a man was fiddling with several "marbles" in his hand.

"It's a little quiet, isn't it?"

"I've decided to randomly pick some lucky ones and grant their wishes."

He balanced the beautiful "marbles" in his hand and glanced around idly.

The man's identity? It didn't matter, for he had long since forgotten how much time had passed. The only thing he could remember was the last time someone referred to him:

God.

But that was so long ago, he could no longer remember when it happened.

"Hmm, just granting them wishes directly would be too dull."

"Oh, let's hold a special war."

He muttered to himself, seemingly having seen something amusing.

As the thought formed, seven orange orbs appeared in his hand, each containing a different number of stars.

"Let's start on Earth."

The location and era had already been chosen, and now, the "God" began selecting participants.

At that moment, he felt two distinct presences trying to communicate with him.

Gaia and Alaya.

"You two want to participate?"

"Hmm, I don't mind, but don't choose anyone who will mess up the whole game."

"Although I understand your desire to recreate beings from other worlds and manufacture new Heroic Spirits, it doesn't matter to me."

The "God" understood their request and agreed. After all, the stage would be set on their territory, so showing some respect was only reasonable.

When in a good mood, he could be quite agreeable.

"Well then... let the Dimensional Dragon Ball War begin."

"This is a war where wishes will truly be granted."

The seven orange orbs shrank in his hand, then transformed into beams of light that scattered across different locations.

---

"Proclamation------"

In the dead of night in Fuyuki City, a secret ritual was being conducted.

The Holy Grail War.

It was said that the omnipotent Grail could grant any wish, even opening the way to the "Root." In this war, seven participants, known as Masters, commanded Heroic Spirits called Servants. The final victor would be granted the right to make a wish.

Tonight was the moment for these chosen Masters to summon their Servants. Each believed they were destined to win.

The red marks that appeared on their hands symbolized their role as Masters.

Boom!!

Cough, cough...

Waver Velvet, a student from the Clock Tower, had gotten himself involved in the war due to some special circumstances.

The dissipating smoke revealed a shadowy figure, and Waver breathed a sigh of relief.

'The summoning was successful.'

'Now, which Heroic Spirit did I summon?'

While Waver didn't know who had responded to his call, summoning a Servant in this unique Holy Grail War meant that he at least had a chance.

His hand tightly gripped the orange orb in his pocket, and nervousness washed over him.

But when he saw the figure standing before him, he was left stunned.

The man's presence was cold and regal. His handsome face, dark hair, and deep purple eyes exuded a chilling aura. Clad in a magnificent white royal outfit, his extraordinary status was obvious. Though his frame seemed slender, the atmosphere he commanded was overwhelming.

"Are you my Master?" the man asked, glancing at Waver.

"Y-Yes!" Waver responded, his voice trembling with nervousness.

"Is this Japan?" the man asked, turning to look at the cityscape visible from the platform.

"Eh?"

Waver was momentarily confused. Although Servants were heroes from history and possessed knowledge, recognizing their surroundings this quickly was unexpected.

"Never mind. Allow me to introduce myself properly. After all, we'll be partners in this war, and distrust would only complicate things."

"My class is Rider."

"My name is... Lelouch vi Britannia."

---

"Kirei, have you completed the summoning?"

"Yes, teacher."

In a dark mansion, Tohsaka Tokiomi, one of Fuyuki City's landowners, looked at his apprentice with anticipation.

"My Servant's class is Assassin," Kirei said without hesitation.

"An unconventional Assassin?"

"No problem. If used correctly, they can give us a significant advantage."

Tokiomi shifted his gaze to the man leaning against the doorframe. His deathly still demeanor was intriguing. The man had long reddish-brown hair tied in a ponytail, with a cross-shaped scar on his left cheek and cold, piercing eyes. Dressed like a ronin from ancient times, he carried a katana at his waist.

"He's an exceptionally skilled swordsman. If we were to duel directly, I'd likely be dead in an instant."

Kirei glanced at his Servant, remembering the chaos caused during the summoning. Even his father had been shocked by the man's terrifying killing intent, nearly reacting with violence, only to almost be cut down in a single strike.

Assassin's speed was awe-inspiring.

He was Battousai, the legendary Himura Kenshin.

Kirei's curiosity about his Servant's origins made him eager to delve into classical records and historical texts to learn more.

"Don't underestimate yourself."

"Servants are extraordinarily powerful heroes."

"Masters can't be expected to match them," Tokiomi said with a refined smile, sipping his wine.

"And your Servant, teacher?"

"No need to worry. As expected, I succeeded."

When asked about his own situation, Tokiomi's expression brightened as he responded enthusiastically.

The Servant he summoned was Archer. Being one of the three great knights, Tokiomi was elated.

After all, he had summoned the most famous king in history:

Gilgamesh!

His strength and status were unquestionable.

'Even with the changes in this Holy Grail War, I still hold the advantage.'

---

"Kill him, Berserker!"

The heartless command came from a young girl with violet hair, her gaze cold and unfeeling as she looked at the old man before her.

The black-armored Berserker charged forward.

"Do you think you can kill me so easily?" the old man sneered, leaning on his cane. Though Servants were strong, his own magical prowess was nothing to scoff at.

A swarm of insects shot forward, but they were incinerated by a mysterious light the old man had never seen before.

"Of all people, it had to be you."

Sensing something strange, the old man glanced outside at the approaching sound but chose to ignore it.

In an instant, Berserker crushed his physical body, but Matou Zouken remained unfazed.

"These tiny orbs... once all seven are gathered, any wish can be granted."

"This time, I will claim them."

Greed bubbled up from deep within his heart. Though he hadn't intended to interfere in this Holy Grail War, the new developments intrigued him, and he couldn't resist getting involved.

Especially after Kariya wasn't chosen as a Master, and instead, Sakura was. This came as a great surprise to him.

Logically, this should have been impossible, yet it happened, and Zouken had to deal with it. The fallout from the Holy Grail War would be severe otherwise.

Compared to Kariya, Sakura was far more capable.

Originally, Zouken had thought to transform the girl he had adopted from the Tohsaka family, but she was always mysteriously protected by a strange light.

Now, with the summoning of her Servant, Zouken's suspicions were confirmed.

Her prayers for help had been answered by something... or someone.

"Hmm?"

Zouken attempted to leave through his familiar, the "crest worm," but an overwhelming surge of magical power stopped him. He knew something was wrong.

His instincts screamed at him to escape.

Boom!!

A surge of black light exploded from beneath the ground, blowing away the ceiling of the basement.

The remaining insects were consumed by the magical energy, leaving only two figures.

One was the cold and emotionless Matou Sakura. The other was a warrior clad in black armor, surrounded by dark energy. He held an ominous greatsword, and his face was obscured by a helmet.

"Berserker."

"It seems things won't go as easily as I expected."

Zouken identified the warrior's class instantly and suppressed his fear.

Though the Servant's appearance was menacing, Zouken wasn't easily intimidated.

But in the next moment, his expression changed.

The warrior charged toward him with frightening speed, leaving Zouken no chance to struggle.

"Stop!"

Before he could react, the Servant had grabbed his life source—the crest worm that housed his essence.

'How did he find it...?'

'My magic is flawless! How did he see through it so easily?'

Zouken felt death approaching and tried to speak, but the Servant mercilessly crushed the crest worm, killing him instantly.

"Ahhhh!!!"

As Matou Sakura let out a breath of relief, the man who had tormented her for so long was reduced to ashes.

"The Holy Grail War..."

An orange orb rolled down from above, and Sakura picked it up with trembling hands. The orb contained four stars, and its beauty was captivating.

The knowledge that had been implanted in her mind told her just how dangerous the situation was.

'But it's okay.'

'Because Berserker is here.'

In her moment of despair, the one who answered her cry for help wasn't her father, Tokiomi, nor her mother, Aoi. It wasn't Uncle Kariya or her sister, Rin.

It was the one called the Warrior of Light—Berserker!

He was the strongest!

Sakura believed this with all her

 heart.

---

Ptui ptui ptui!!

"What the hell is this?! So disgusting! This guy's just like Marik!"

Inside a filthy room, a blond-haired young man spat in disgust. He had been invited to participate in a battle where any wish could be granted, but now he found himself in this mess.

His partner had turned out to be a deranged killer.

"Good thing something happened to him, or I'd be stuck with this psycho."

Whether it was bad luck for the killer or good luck for Jonouchi, his Master had slipped and fatally hit his head on a wall.

Seeing this, Jonouchi grimaced as he picked up the dropped "Dragon Ball," a bit worried.

"My class is... Caster?"

"A magic user? But I don't even know any magic! And with my Master dead, what do I do now? Am I going to get eliminated immediately?"

After a brief moment of frustration, Jonouchi cleaned up the mess and sighed.

"Wait, I've got an idea."

Clapping his hands, a mechanical device appeared from his left arm.

"As I thought, the Duel Disk and my deck are still here!"

"Let's see what cards I can use for this fight..."

"I really don't want to get knocked out before the war even starts!!"

---

"Are you my Master?" a soft voice asked.

Emiya Kiritsugu stared blankly at the girl in holy armor standing before him.

Was this girl the famed King Arthur?

Or... had he summoned someone else by mistake?

While he had successfully summoned a Saber-class Servant, he hadn't expected this.

Without saying much, Kiritsugu left the situation to his wife, Irisviel.

"Do I need to collect seven of them?" Kiritsugu muttered, touching the Command Spells on his hand. As he considered the upcoming war, he frowned.

He pulled out an orange orb, marked with a single star. Its glow stood out under the moonlight.

Could this small thing truly grant wishes?

---

"Kayneth, why are you so insistent on coming?"

"You said this was just some simple countryside contest. Why bother?"

Sola-Ui was irritated with Kayneth as they prepared to depart. Despite her repeated warnings, he insisted on coming, and it was starting to get on her nerves. She regretted telling him about the modified Holy Grail War.

Masters were now required to collect items called "Dragon Balls." Once all seven were gathered, any wish could be granted.

Regardless of whether this was true, since she had been chosen, she had to investigate. There was no reason for her to back down.

Unfortunately, Kayneth had grown restless upon learning about the situation and insisted on joining her.

"Sola, I'm only here to help you."

"Even though Lancer is a Heroic Spirit, she's still just a little girl with an unclear background."

"A magical girl? Ridiculous."

Kayneth explained himself. He hadn't been chosen as a Master, but his fiancée had, which made him uneasy. He couldn't just let her go without supervision.

With his help, things would undoubtedly go smoother.

After all, while Sola had summoned one of the three great knights, Lancer didn't exactly inspire confidence.

"Tch," Sola clicked her tongue in frustration.

The girl, dressed casually in a green jacket and jeans, with long red hair tied in a black ribbon, leaned against the wall. Hearing Kayneth's words, she scowled.

"Hmph, don't insult Lancer like that. If you don't trust her, don't get in the way."

Sola was equally annoyed. She had finally earned her chance to participate, and now an "outsider" was butting in, constantly giving unsolicited advice like, "Your card isn't strong enough" or "You should do it this way."

No one liked someone who tried to take charge before the battle even began.

"Fine, have it your way."

Kayneth coughed awkwardly, noticing his fiancée's displeasure. He backed off, choosing not to push further.

---

With all seven Servants summoned, the stage for the Holy Grail... no, the Dragon Ball War was set to unfold.

---