Chapter 1: The Beginning (1)

The Holy Grail War is a contest involving seven mages. Called "Masters", they each summon one heroic spirit to fight in the Holy Grail War, the souls of the heroes summoned are called "Servants", and they can be both past and future heroes, and they fight to possess the greatest artifact called the Holy Grail, which will fulfill any wish of its owner.

Except that after the third Holy Grail War, the Grail itself mysteriously disappeared. Many years later, the Yggdmillennia clan announces that the Holy Grail is in their possession and they intend to leave the Association of Mages. In response, the Association sends fifty mages to retrieve it, but all but one are instantly killed by a black lancer. The remaining mage manages to activate the Grand Grail's back-up system, allowing a total of fourteen servants to be summoned. This marked the beginning of the Great War of the Holy Grail.

...

At night, on the outskirts of the city of Bucharest, stood an abandoned, dilapidated house. There was not a single piece of intact glass, the stairs were cracked, and the floors creaked with the mere breeze. But there was one unusual thing inside this place, and that was some drawing on the floor, very much like a magic circle... as if they had tried to summon the devil himself here.

Suddenly the circle began to fill with blue color and glow brightly, releasing sparks of lightning in different directions, the air vibrated and the sparks flying out of the circle destroyed everything around, the windows finally broke, the wooden floor began to crack and collapse.

It didn't last long, and the terrifying power vanished, leaving behind dust and flames in some parts of the house. The only place untouched was the magic circle, where a tall guy with black hair and eyes of a golden hue was standing. He wore a black tunic with purple accents, black pants, armored boots that reached his hips, and a short black cape with purple edges. In addition to the cape, he wore a metal gauntlet on his left hand, as well as a scabbard that hung from his side.

- So, are you my master... what?" he said, looking around.

There really was no one in the house, and the words he spoke were carried away by a draught somewhere in the distance. The young man stood together, only with his thoughts.

There is no one around, not a living soul. And yet, the magical energy doesn't stop flowing to me.

Also, this summoning circle. If I was summoned without a master, then who drew it here? If you look closely, it was drawn a long time ago, most likely, in the old days a magician lived here. Oh, also...

- Apparently I was drafted without a master *sigh*. And what a derelict and filthy place this is. They could at least have done the ritual in a nicer place.

Again, how is that even possible? If I remember correctly, a servant can be summoned with a suitable catalyst. Otherwise, if you and the master were compatible, but I was summoned without one...

The only option remains, the Grail itself. Only he can summon a servant without a master. So what does he want from me?

- Ha-ha, I was probably summoned here to rest. - With a chuckle, uttered the words into the void.

I'm not lying, there's no such thing... There's a reason why I was called here, and I need to find it. I'll probably have to meet with two factions, I think, and there will be clear why I'm here.

- In the meantime, I should change my clothes. I don't want to walk down the street like a cosplayer.

***

On a road in Bucharest, a young man with black hair and dressed in a sort of cosplay.

- Thank God it's night, or people would misunderstand me.

And where can I find clothes? All the clothing stores are closed, and even if they were open, I have nothing to pay for them. At least they gave me money, since it's not clear how they call for it. Kill and take... interesting idea, but I can...

- Servant? - The boy stopped where he was, and in a barely perceptible whisper said.

I felt a faint tinge of prana. I was in the middle of my body, and I was in the middle of a dream. He didn't seem to be that far away, and his presence was barely perceptible, so he must be an assassin...

Resolved! I want to go and see. Who knew I'd be able to meet someone so quickly.

With a smirk on his face, he started jumping over the building.

***

- Who are you?!

A middle-aged man asked in awe, there were 14 corpses in the room where he was, and in the middle was a little girl with a tattered coat on her as a raincoat.

- We? Our name is Jack," a little girl with white hair and green-yellow eyes and a stitched scar on her face said with a smile.

Looking at all the horror that had occurred in the room, he wanted to run away, but his legs wouldn't move. Terror crept into his heart. All he was afraid of was the little girl in front of him who was covered in the blood of the people she had killed.

I have committed many sins, but I don't want to die here at the hands of this girl.

We must run, we must run fast, why can't my legs move! Come on!

The little girl began to walk slowly toward him. With slow steps she pulled out her knife.

The only thing he was thinking about now was running away, and as fast as he could, but his body wouldn't move.

- Move! - The man was able to move after shouting at the top of his throat, and immediately began to run away.

At the same instant the assassin threw a black scalpel that plunged into his shoulder, the man fell to the floor in a painful scream, and yet clinging to his life crawled toward the exit.

Slowly, the girl walked toward him until she stopped in front of him. Squatting beside him, she smiled at him with her innocent smile, which reflected only pure terror on the face of the man in front of her.

She took her butcher knife and began to cut out his heart. Screams of pain could be heard not only in that room, but throughout the building. Now this man was going through an agony he might not even have dreamed of.

While Jack was carefully carving out the heart, a charming woman with long graygreen hair walked into the room.

- Jack, are you finished? - The woman who had just entered asked.

- Ah, yes, mother, we are finished. - The assassin said with a smile, and after pulling out her heart, she quickly approached her mother.

- Mom, did we do well?

- Yes, Jack you've done well, now it's time for us to go home, dear, you need to go to bed.

With a soft smile she told the assassin. And the lady seemed to be her mother, or rather her master.

- No! Mom, get behind me. - Jack said and pulled her knives back out.

The woman, quickly stood behind the little girl. She could only stare at the door, wondering why the assassin had reacted this way. Is someone here? Jack is a little alarmed, probably another servant here. But, is everything going to be all right, it doesn't look like we're in a favorable environment. The only way out of this room to the outside is the door in front of us, and as luck would have it, the servant showed up just now, I seem to have bad luck...

A young man walked through the door; he was dressed all in black, with a combination of purple colors, and he had a smirk on his face, as if he had found an interesting toy. And yet, his voice seemed to captivate, enveloping you from head to toe.

- Well, who do we have here?