Chapter 3

Over the past year, Matou Shinji had been preparing for today's summoning, seeking the result he now obtained.

Possession summoning allowed a Servant to be called upon by possessing a human body. The dominant consciousness was usually held by the Servant, though exceptions existed. One such case was Zhuge Kongming, who willingly relinquished control to El-Melloi II due to foreseeing the need to work overtime.

Possession summoning was a common practice in spiritual magic, but in theory, it was impossible to elevate it to the level of summoning a Servant. However, it wasn't the Master who summoned the Servant, but the Holy Grail system itself. The Master merely had to provide the minimum required mana for the Servant's spiritual presence, giving Matou Shinji an opportunity to exploit.

Matou Shinji tampered with the summoning circle, connecting it to his Mage Eye. The summoned Servant wouldn't appear directly; their spiritual body would be absorbed by the Mage Eye, engaging in negotiation within Matou Shinji's spiritual world, the world between doors.

This was one of the reasons why Matou Shinji insisted on summoning Paracelsus von Hohenheim. He understood this Servant to a certain extent, not just in terms of his abilities, but also his personality, attitude towards the Holy Grail War, and magi in general.

Paracelsus von Hohenheim was not fond of battle, a typical scholar-type magus with a humane and sensitive nature. Not participating in combat himself was an ideal choice for him.

From his previous words, Matou Shinji speculated that Paracelsus von Hohenheim might even retain memories of another Holy Grail War.

Yet, the essence of possessing Paracelsus von Hohenheim differed from possessing other Servants. Paracelsus von Hohenheim was a modern magus himself. Through possession, Matou Shinji gained access to all of his abilities, including his magical knowledge of exploring the Root. This was the ultimate treasure Matou Shinji yearned for.

As the ritual concluded, the radiance in the underground chamber faded, and the mist of magical transformation dissipated. The summoned Servant was not visible on the summoning circle.

"Huh?"

Matou Zouken looked at the center of the summoning circle in bewilderment. He tapped the ground with his staff and sneered indifferently, "As expected, a failure."

Matou Zouken didn't hear Matou Shinji's response. He gazed at Matou Shinji, puzzled. Just as he was about to speak up, his insect-like pupils trembled violently. He questioned sharply, "Shinji!? What have you done?"

Replacing his eyes, these insects were a unique kind capable of perceiving spectra invisible to human eyes and having a keen sensitivity to magical energy.

Now, Matou Zouken saw strong spiritual fluctuations from Matou Shinji's body, a sign of a Servant's presence.

Matou Shinji extended his hand silently. Without chanting, moisture in the air gathered to form three ice spears, piercing through Matou Zouken's frail, hunchbacked body. He was pinned to the wall by the ice spears.

"Gurgle~"

Hanging in a sorry state on the wall, Matou Zouken stared at Matou Shinji in shock and uncertainty. The lumps of flesh under his aged visage wriggled as the insects that replaced his bodily organs reacted in fear. He yelled in anger, "Shinji! Have you gone mad?"

"I'm perfectly sane, and you've probably realized it by now – the summoning ritual was a success." Matou Shinji turned calmly and met Matou Zouken's gaze. The Silver Mage Eye in his left eye was shimmering with fractured light.

"Shinji, are you... planning to betray the Matou family like Kariya did? No, you had this plan from the beginning!"

Matou Shinji shook his head, lamenting, "Grandfather, Matou Zouken, or perhaps I should call you Marjorie Zolgen. Can't you remember the original intent behind founding the Matou family with that name? Who truly betrayed the Matou family?"

"You... What do you know?"

Matou Shinji coldly scrutinized the old man's repulsive body. "Zouken, you've forgotten the original intent of the Matou family and even your own creation of the Holy Grail War. You're now nothing more than a parasite that consumes the lives of others, resorting to any means to achieve immortality."

Feeling a disdainful gaze from Matou Shinji, Matou Zouken seemed to be stung in a sensitive spot. He burst into curses, "You brat! Who taught you magic? Do you plan to repay kindness with enmity?"

Matou Shinji remained unmoved. "I'm grateful to you for that. You've lost any value in continuing to exist. In exchange, I will fulfill the Matou family's convictions."

"Thinking of killing me? Just with you?" Matou Zouken sneered. Insects emerged from his pierced body, and simultaneously, the entire basement reverberated with an odd sound. The insects' cries were sharper and more intense than a year ago, like waves of a tide.

The sound of the insects had a strong effect of mental suggestion. Any ordinary person in this basement would undoubtedly be terrified to the point of unconsciousness, if not death.

Matou Shinji, now united with his Servant, was immune to the influence of low-level magic.

"Rustle, rustle, rustle~"

Matou Shinji glanced around, observing the swarming tide of insects surging from the dark corners of the basement. There were no fewer than a hundred types, and he recognized blade-winged insects, fire-resistant insects, earth-eating insects, mana-storing insects, and more, totaling over twenty species.

"Disgusting." Matou Shinji muttered in repulsion.

Casually erecting defensive barriers, he disregarded the surging insect tide. The Silver Mage Eye remained focused on Matou Zouken, and within its fractured silver, his gaze was like a faintly glowing gem in the darkness of the underground chamber.

The Mage Eye perceived Matou Zouken's body, deciphered his manipulation of insects through magical energy, and detected minute magical fluctuations tracing a particular path.

Matou Zouken's body was entirely composed of insects. No matter how many times he was killed, he would find a replacement body.

Matou Shinji's goal was to locate the insect that contained the fused soul of Matou Zouken. It was akin to a wicker casket of a wraith. By killing that particular insect, Matou Zouken would finally meet his end.

The Mage Eye's keen ability perceived the exceedingly faint magical fluctuations. Without the possession summoning before, Matou Shinji wouldn't have been capable of this.

The limitations of the Mage Eye's power and the magical energy Matou Shinji possessed previously were insufficient to support the Eye's full activation.

After possession summoning, Paracelsus von Hohenheim's abilities as a Servant completed the missing parts of the Mage Eye. Now, Matou Shinji's abilities were on par with those of his Servant, Paracelsus von Hohenheim.

Being a possession summoning, Matou Shinji was both the Master and the Servant, sparing him the need to supply mana to maintain the Servant's physical presence.

For a Servant to kill a magus was as simple as crushing an insect, especially a Caster-class Servant, inherently adept at countering magi.

====

A surging tide of insects approached, but it was stopped by a transparent red barrier within half a meter of Matou Shinji.

Inside the Mage Eye, fractured lights shimmered as Matou Shinji saw the flow of magical energy, using Matou Zouken's body as a starting point to traverse space and find the end of the path.

"Here!"

Matou Shinji's Mage Eye focused, and according to its perception of the final flow of magical energy, he directly initiated spatial teleportation based on the coordinates.

Swoosh!

Space before Matou Shinji distorted, and out of thin air appeared a small creature, the size of a thumb, resembling a tadpole with a long tail. It was held firmly in another dimension.

This creature was originally cultivated by Matou Zouken to parasitize Sakura Matou's heart.

"What... What! Impossible!"

On the basement wall, the swarming insects gathered to form the head of an old man, emitting panicked cries.

The old man's trump card had been completely overturned by Matou Shinji, leaving him unable to maintain his composure.

"Wait! Shinji, wait! Wait! Just wait! I can give you anything you want. All the secret arts of the Matou family, that brat from the Tohsaka family, everything! I just want the glory of the Matou family. Wait, wait for me!" The filthy, ugly old man panicked and shouted, insects falling from his head. His extreme fear prevented him from concentrating on controlling the swarm.

Facing death, Matou Zouken displayed an even stronger will to survive, abandoning all dignity and begging for mercy. This had always been his way of acting.

The longer he lived, the deeper his obsession, the more he feared death.

The wriggling swarm of insects disgusted Matou Shinji to his core. He sighed lightly, "Zouken, do you have any last words?"

"Stop talking nonsense, I'm your grandfather! Are you going to personally kill your own relative?"

"For five hundred years, you haven't left anything for the Matou family. Do you know how many times you've changed bodies? Do you still possess the bloodline of the Matou family?"

Matou Zouken screamed desperately, "All this was for the sake of realizing the wishes of the Matou family, to glorify the Matou family!"

The insect tide attacked Matou Shinji even more aggressively. Several specialized magical blade-winged insects pierced through the barrier with their wings.

"Perhaps it was before, but now the Matou family is merely your pawn for achieving immortality."

"Wait! Don't kill me, Shinji. For the sake of both bearing the name of Matou, spare me."

"Marjorie Zolgen, don't struggle anymore. You look terrible. For five hundred years, day after day, year after year, you've been striving for that state. Aren't you tired? It's time to let your decayed soul rest."

"You..."

Crack~

Matou Shinji clenched his right hand, exerting a powerful force on the alternate dimension, crushing the insect that carried Matou Zouken's soul.

In an instant, the basement fell silent. The uncontrollable insects suddenly rioted. Even without Matou Shinji's intervention, they began to attack each other. Matou Shinji waved his hand, releasing a chill that froze the basement, and magical energy extinguished all the insects inside.

After killing Matou Zouken, Matou Shinji's emotions were complex. As a mage, Matou Zouken wasn't exactly evil, and his attitude toward family was decent. Pursuing longevity itself wasn't wrong.

If there were any reasons to kill Matou Zouken, it would probably be his methods and his revolting insect manipulation. Additionally, Matou Zouken hadn't yet tormented Kariya and the events of the Fifth Holy Grail War.

Leaving the basement, Matou Shinji stretched lazily, brushing away the accumulated haze from the past two years in this world. He cheered, "Oh well, I guess I did something good."

"Brother?" Sakura Matou stood at the entrance of the basement, watching Matou Shinji's exuberant shouts. Although she didn't understand what he was yelling about, she had never seen Matou Shinji in such high spirits.

"Were you waiting here the whole time?" Matou Shinji grinned and playfully pinched Sakura Matou's soft little face. It was worth killing Matou Zouken to protect her.

"Yes."

"Don't worry, the summoning was successful. No one will force you to go to the basement from now on."

Sakura Matou didn't quite grasp the meaning behind Matou Shinji's words, but seeing his radiant smile, she couldn't help but feel happy too. "Okay."

"Sakura, is there something you want to do today?"

"I don't have anything particular in mind."

"Anything is fine."

"Well, then, let's go to the restaurant we went to last time."

Matou Shinji chuckled, teasing, "Another hamburger? You little glutton. If you can't finish it this time, I won't help you."

Throughout the past year, he often took her out and ended up eating hamburgers.

Sakura Matou looked nervous and anxious, clutching the hem of her clothes, she asked in a soft voice, "Is that not okay?"

"Let's go now."

"Brother, now...?"

"Yeah, today is a good day to celebrate."

"What is there to celebrate about?"

"Many things."

"Like what?" Sakura Matou tilted her head in confusion.

Matou Shinji joked, "Like Tohsaka sending you over, allowing me to have such a cute little sister."

Sakura Matou smiled with a shallow grin, her eyes almost forming crescent moons.

...

Late at night, as Sakura Matou went to sleep, Matou Shinji remained busy preparing for the Holy Grail War. He used the magical materials stored by the Matou family to create various useful items.

Caster was the weakest class in the Holy Grail War, except for Assassin. Other classes had various means to counter Caster, especially the Knight classes, which had advanced anti-magic abilities and were immune to most of Caster's magical attacks.

The advantage of the Caster class lay in territory construction and item creation. In the Fifth Holy Grail War, Medea, the Caster-class Servant, used magical items to defeat Saber.

Matou Shinji gazed at the Command Seals on the back of his hand, using the Master's privilege to examine his attributes.

Strength: D

Endurance: E

Agility: C

Magic: A

Luck: B

Noble Phantasm: A+

Class Skills:

Territory Construction: A

As a mage, creating a magic workshop advantageous to oneself. With an A-rank skill, he could construct a temple even more advanced than a magic workshop.

Item Construction: EX

Capable of creating magical items infused with magical energy. As a legendary alchemist, he had acquired an EX-rank skill. He could craft the Philosopher's Stone, a special crystal, artificial spirits corresponding to the five major elements, and even artificial humans possessing heightened judgment and shared thinking ability.

Using ley lines connected to his territory, he could also mass-produce gemstones used in gem magic.

Personal Skills:

High-Speed Chanting: A

The ability to accelerate magic incantations. The chant for Grand Magic could be completed in a single movement. In his case, he added the combination of Gem Magic (Philosopher's Stone), making it even more efficient.

Elemental Spirits: A+

The ability to manipulate artificial spirits corresponding to the five major elements. These magical beings were made using high-density crystallization based on their respective elemental attributes.

Philosopher's Stone: A-A+

Manipulating his own highly refined magical energy crystal, or in other words, photon crystals.

These attributes and skills were basically Matou Shinji's current abilities, with perhaps the only difference being the variation in Noble Phantasms.

Von Hohenheim Paracelsus's Noble Phantasm was the "Elemental Sword of the Elemental Summoner," the prototype of the Azoth Dagger that Rin Tohsaka later gave to Kirei Kotomine. Its blade was crafted from a super-dense Philosopher's Stone, and its attack mode was similar to Excalibur's light cannon. It was essentially a spiritual computing machine.

Due to the anomaly caused by the possession summoning, the concept of the Noble Phantasm "Elemental Sword of the Elemental Summoner" merged into Matou Shinji's right eye, compensating for the loss of his Mage Eye.

====

Night fell, and Matou Shinji stood in the center of Fuyuki City's bridge over the river. The water surged, surrounded by a layer of transparent mist. Above, the Fuyuki City bridge bustled with flowing traffic.

The Holy Grail War had not yet officially begun, and the Holy Grail system buried beneath Fuyuki City had not started its operations.

Previously, Matou Shinji had always wondered why pedestrians disappeared whenever a Servant was summoned to fight. Using his magical senses, he had discovered that Fuyuki City's underground had already been arranged with mental suggestion barriers. During the night, whenever a battle occurred involving a Servant, nearby crowds would quickly be driven away.

Matou Shinji threw a refined Philosopher's Stone into the river and chanted in German, "Shape of water, be of use to me."

The calm river surface rippled and gradually formed a whirlpool. A transparent water elemental spirit emerged, lacking a fixed shape and shining with faint spiritual light.

Elemental spirits were artificial life forms created based on natural elemental attributes through high-density elemental construction. Different elements had different qualities and abilities and could be used as familiars.

"Although the Holy Grail War hasn't officially started yet, six of the seven Servants have already been summoned. The remaining one should be of the Berserker class, which Matou Kariya was supposed to summon."

"I've summoned Caster myself, and the last Master, Uryuu Ryuunosuke, should summon a Berserker-class Servant. However, given his magical aptitude, he won't be able to control a Berserker-class Servant."

"But... before considering these issues, finding Uryuu Ryuunosuke is the priority."

A day had passed since Matou Shinji's summoning. Tonight should be the time for the last Servant to appear, and two days later, the Holy Grail War would officially commence.

During this time, Matou Shinji had quite a few things to do.

Orange hair, a young man, possibly wearing a purple coat...

"Go, find Uryuu Ryuunosuke," Matou Shinji handed over relevant information about Uryuu Ryuunosuke to the water elemental spirit and ordered. Time was running short, and Matou Shinji wasn't sure whether this move would yield results.

The water elemental spirit disappeared into the river's surface. It could freely move within the city's water pipes to gather information.

Matou Shinji looked up at the sky, somewhat disappointed. "If only it were raining. A humid environment would enhance the water elemental spirit's search capabilities, and covering the entire city's territory wouldn't be a problem."

Back on the shore, Matou Shinji surveyed his surroundings and chanted rapidly, "Wind, gather here."

The air converged and formed an unstable, transparent form before Matou Shinji, then burst apart with a resounding explosion. Countless breezes permeated the surrounding buildings.

Matou Shinji's magical eye emitted a glint.

As he suspected.

Matou Shinji's silver magical eye scanned the corners of the building shadows on the shore, and he spoke aloud, "Come out, Assassin."

The fractured lights flowed, and even the slightest magical energy fluctuations couldn't escape the insight of the magical eye.

After a long silence, Matou Shinji continued, "Since you've already been discovered, are you still shamelessly hiding there? This doesn't seem like the behavior of an Assassin. Do I need to take action to bring you out?"

The shadows writhed, and Assassin emerged, wearing a black skin-tight suit and a pale skull mask, his voice tinged with disbelief as he inquired, "Are you Caster? How can you detect me?"

"This entire city is filled with your phantasmal bodies. While your presence is quite faint, as long as you're a Servant, you'll be detected by the wind perception I've created using magic."

This statement was half true and half false. Detecting Assassin was mostly due to the Silver Eye – the Elemental Magic Eye.

Caster realized his phantasmal bodies had gone unnoticed; the situation had become tricky.

Assassin's heart sank as he examined the seemingly harmless little boy before him, his senses on high alert.

"I'm just saying hello. It shouldn't expose your information." Matou Shinji chuckled casually, and his magical eye continued to observe Assassin, extracting more information about the Servant's spiritual form.

There was a significant difference in the spiritual composition of Servants of different classes. Heroic Spirits didn't possess classes; Servants were given classes by the Holy Grail system as molds.

"Caster, it seems you possess means to counter me. In that case, I'll have to eliminate you first," Assassin stated firmly, revealing a black dagger in his right hand, and with swift and agile movements, he lunged toward Matou Shinji.

"Swish! Swish! Swish!"

The sound of breaking air echoed as three daggers turned into arrows, aimed at Matou Shinji's head.

Matou Shinji remained calm and composed. His Elemental Magic Eye had already foreseen Assassin's actions. Since Servants were spiritual entities, the Elemental Magic Eye could easily perceive their operating patterns and predict their actions by observing the flow of magical energy within Assassin's body.

"Ding! Ding! Ding!"

The three daggers were repelled by an invisible shield not even half a meter from Matou Shinji. Intense sparks illuminated a humanoid spiritual entity standing protectively in front of him.

"It's another one of Caster's tricks."

Assassin, alert, evaluated the situation. His actions, while bizarre for an entity without substance, were likely not automatic defense mechanisms.

Assassin didn't throw the daggers to kill; rather, it seemed he was measuring the spiritual entity's actions, preparing for a true lethal move. As he closed the gap with Matou Shinji, his fangs bared, he swung the dagger from an eerie angle, bypassing the invisible spiritual entity's defensive barrier, aiming straight for Matou Shinji's crown.

Boom!

A gust of wind erupted, and Assassin, on high alert, halted his attack, jumping back just in time. He evaded a fatal strike from the invisible spiritual entity's attack, which couldn't be seen by the eye.

Why is this damned Caster so short in stature!

Assassin gritted his teeth in frustration. If Matou Shinji were even a bit taller, the dagger just now would have pierced his crown.

The difference in strength was far too apparent. Assassin ceased his futile attacks, his voice heavy as he asked, "Caster, is that your Noble Phantasm?"

Matou Shinji shrugged, his response meaningful, "Who knows? Maybe it is, maybe it isn't. It has a name for now: Stand-In."

"Stand-In?" Assassin pondered the unfamiliar term. Mage were known to create all sorts of bizarre objects, so nothing was too surprising.

===

Nighttime on the bridge of Fuyuki City, Matou Shinji stood at the center of the river on the Matou Bridge. The river waters surged, surrounded by a layer of transparent mist. Above was the bustling Fuyuki City Bridge with its flowing traffic.

The Holy Grail War had not officially begun yet, and the Holy Grail system buried beneath Fuyuki City had not been activated.

"Of course, the concept of 'stand' is Matou Shinji's nonsense. The true nature of the invisible humanoid spirit is the elemental spirit of emptiness. Matou Shinji created this semi-automated artificial spirit using all of the Matou family's savings, which, in a sense, isn't much different from a 'stand'.

Here, Matou Shinji can't help but complain about how genuinely poor the Matou family is. Matou Zouken's accumulations over five centuries aren't enough to create a few high-quality philosopher's stones.

Matou Shinji somewhat understands why Tohsaka Rin would be greedy for money in the future. Without money, one doesn't have the qualifications to call themselves a mage.

Karen (Kotomine Kirei's daughter) was right – money! In this world, money is everything!

Originally, in alchemy, 'empty elements' referred to ethereal elements, and their properties were quite difficult to describe. In the modern magecraft world, 'ether' is another name for the source of great magical power. The nature of the emptiness elements manipulated by Matou Shinji leans toward the True Ether of the Age of Gods, mixed with the modern magecraft concept of ether.

Overall, empty elements are a kind of speculative element, a pseudo-material. Their properties cannot be determined.

The relationship between Matou Shinji and the elemental spirit of emptiness is akin to that of a pilot and a Gundam. The actions of the elemental spirit of emptiness are all commanded by Matou Shinji.

"Assassin, thank you for providing me with test data. Unfortunately, your abilities as a testing instrument are inadequate. Farewell, and I look forward to meeting you with greater strength next time." Matou Shinji bowed respectfully.

The present Assassin is just one of the eighty-eight personalities of Hassan of the Hundred Faces. Though it's uncertain how many personality entities Hassan has split into, the current Assassin's strength is simply too weak.

"You mean I'm just a test subject for your magic!" Assassin cursed resentfully, brandishing the black dagger and charging at Matou Shinji.

"Assassin, do you know what 'ora ora ora ora ora ora' means?"

Ding! Ding! Ding! Ding! Ding! Ding!

Flames scattered before Matou Shinji as Assassin, like a ballet dancer, elegantly maneuvered but couldn't breach the transparent barrier.

"Darn!"

"Darn!"

"Die! Wretched mage!"

Clang!

Confronting the black shadow was a streak of blue light that knocked the black dagger out of Assassin's hand and shattered the right hand holding the knife with its overwhelming force.

"Impossible! This reaction, this speed... is he truly Caster?" Assassin briefly faltered in astonishment. The eyes behind the skull mask caught sight of the flash of blue – a fist.

Boosted by magic, enhancing the combat abilities of the elemental spirit of emptiness.

Next, Assassin saw a storm, a tempest composed of innumerable fists, hurtling towards him.

"Guah!" Assassin only managed to emit a single cry of agony.

Bang! Bang! Bang! Bang! Bang! Bang! Bang! Bang!

In an instant, the skull mask on Assassin, his neck, chest, arms, and belly were all shattered by the relentless barrage of fists, and his body turned into black smoke, dispersing and disappearing.

"If only I encountered other Servants." Matou Shinji sighed with a hint of regret.

Controlled by Matou Shinji, the elemental spirit of emptiness went through many worlds. In terms of combat experience, he wasn't inferior to other Servants. But controlling the 'stand' in battle was a first for him.

The strength of the elemental spirit of emptiness depends on Matou Shinji's magical output rate. When operating at full power, its panel attributes surpass those of the regular three Knights classes and can freely change.

For instance, facing powerful Servants, Matou Shinji could specialize the elemental spirit of emptiness in agility, targeting the Servants' weaknesses.

······

Above the Fuyuki City Bridge, another Assassin holding a sketch board gazed upon the scene. Solemnly murmuring, "Though a mere projection, he was defeated by Caster with overwhelming power. Just who is he?"

"Unable to find Caster's Master nearby. Although paying with a projection for this information is costly, it's sufficient to gather information on the Matou family's Servants before the Holy Grail War officially begins."

Assassin ceased his actions, and on a white canvas emerged a depiction of Matou Shinji's visage. Beside it, text recorded the account of the battle.

Then, he rose, dissipating into black smoke.

At the Tohsaka mansion, the young priest Kotomine Kirei came to the Tohsaka basement with a stack of documents.

The basement was dim and cluttered, with only a few candles providing meager illumination. It was filled with precious items and materials used for performing magecraft.

The head of the Tohsaka family, Tohsaka Tokiomi, donning a burgundy suit, sat at his desk reviewing reports. Upon hearing footsteps behind him, he calmly remarked, "What is it, Kirei? The time until the Holy Grail War officially begins isn't far off. I believe I've instructed that we should minimize our interactions during this period."

"Teacher, there's been a special development. Assassin has collected information on the Matou family's Servants."

"Oh?"

Kotomine Kirei handed the information documents to Tohsaka Tokiomi. The topmost item was a sketch of Matou Shinji.

"This is!" Tohsaka Tokiomi exclaimed in surprise.

"What's the matter?"

Tohsaka Tokiomi's expression turned vexed. "Is that person from the Matou family truly serious? Sending a child to participate in the Holy Grail War is an insult to the Grail!"

Huh?

Kotomine Kirei shook his head. "Teacher, according to Assassin's report, the person depicted in the portrait is not the Master, but the Servant."

"Impossible!" Tohsaka Tokiomi asserted firmly.

Kotomine Kirei understood his teacher's character well. Such a decisive conclusion had to have a basis. He asked, "Teacher, do you know something?"

"The boy depicted in the portrait is Matou Shinji, the eldest son of the head of the Matou family. I saw him a year ago when I gave my second daughter to the Matou family. For some reason, he left a deep impression on me. My memory cannot be wrong."

"I see." Kotomine Kirei nodded. "Teacher, should I summon Assassin?"

Tohsaka Tokiomi shook his head. "No need. That King's aloofness goes beyond my expectations. If he were to find out that a rat has entered the Tohsaka house, it would be quite difficult to appease his anger."

Tohsaka Tokiomi continued to peruse the documents, attempting to reconstruct the events described in the reports. The more he read, the more he felt a headache coming on. He waved his hand, saying, "Kirei, you can go back for now. I'll handle this matter."

"Understood." After bowing respectfully, Kotomine Kirei departed, a faint smile unconsciously forming on his lips. For some unknown reason, a child participating in the brutal Holy Grail War was quite intriguing, wasn't it?

Tohsaka Tokiomi stared at the report in his hand, his brow furrowed and unmoving. "If Assassin's report is accurate, then the Matou family has used some extraordinary means."

====

"After taking down Assassin's personality clone, Matou Shinji continued to stroll around Fuyuki City, while the wind elemental spirit lifted his body and slowly flew through the sky.

Silver pupils gleaming.

Matou Shinji controlled the Elemental Magic Eye from the sky, overlooking the entire city, discerning the flow of underground spiritual veins. Countless threads of light converged into light veins that flowed underground. This was the enormous magical power source that would make any magus green with envy—the planet's life force.

"The Tohsaka family truly lives up to its lineage as mage-warlords. They've hidden the Mana Vortices well." Matou Shinji mused silently within.

The Tohsaka family provided the land support for the Holy Grail War. Basically, the majority of the spiritual veins in Fuyuki City were under the control of the Tohsaka family.

Matou Shinji was currently using the Magic Eye to search for the Mana Vortices (gemstone boundaries) used to suppress the spiritual veins. However, he had to do so discreetly.

Spiritual veins were the lifeline of magus noble families. Seizing them would undoubtedly raise suspicions. Due to the significance of the spiritual veins, the Tohsaka family would surely send Archer to eliminate any intruders.

Matou Shinji didn't possess the means to deal with that Archer.

"Using Noble Phantasms and similar attack methods can be managed to some extent. The troublesome aspect is the golden armor that Archer wears. It's not just any armor—it offers resistance against A-ranked magical energy and physical attacks. And then there's the Gate of Babylon. It's like playing a game with invincibility and one-hit-kill cheats. If he takes out 'Unlimited Blade Works' (Star of Al-Sabbah), then there's truly nothing I can do."

Matou Shinji descended from the night sky onto the rooftop of a building. A large amount of water vapor emerged from the building's pipes, converging into a luminous liquid sphere that clung to Matou Shinji's feet. Flowing within the city's underground pipes, the water elemental spirit transmitted looping information. Despite three hours of exhaustive searching, there was no trace of Uryuu Ryuunosuke.

"Trying to locate an inconspicuous man in a city with a million people is indeed quite unrealistic."

"Continuing the search would just waste magical energy. I'll wait at Fuyuki City's airport. Once I sense a Servant's presence, I'll report."

"Gurgle~ Gurgle~ Gurgle~"

Following the command, the water elemental spirit swiftly retreated into the building's pipes.

"I'll rest here tonight. The Holy Grail War has already begun. If I stay at the Matou house, I'll inevitably be attacked. And not just by other Servants—Emiya Kiritsugu might send over a truck rigged with explosives just to spite me."

As Matou Shinji knew, that Mage Killer had once considered driving a truck rigged with explosives into the Tohsaka residence.

In that scenario, Matou Shinji could ensure his own safety, but Matou Sakura might not be so fortunate.

Matou Shinji surveyed his surroundings and found shelter under an eave. He used his finger to draw in the air, gathering magical energy into runes that merged with the void, forming a makeshift magical barrier.

Matou Shinji sat down in place, closed his eyes, and rested. Due to his quasi-Servant constitution, his magical energy recovery rate was exceptionally high. He also reflected on the actions he had already planned.

The Fourth Holy Grail War was destined to have no victor. Regardless of which Master won, they would obtain a cursed device capable of annihilating all of humanity.

This world's evil was akin to a bullet aimed at humanity. The Holy Grail War was the process of pulling the trigger.

The corrupted Holy Grail would grant the victor's wish in a twisted form laden with absolute evil. If the victor wished to become the world's richest person, then the Holy Grail would fulfill that wish by killing all humans richer than the victor.

Clearly, that wasn't the outcome Matou Shinji sought.

Matou Shinji abandoned the idea of achieving results in the Fourth Holy Grail War. Instead, he regarded it as a process, focusing on purifying the corrupted Holy Grail. His gaze, like Matou Zouken's, was set on the Fifth Holy Grail War.

Achieving this goal was extremely difficult. When five Servants died, the Holy Grail system would activate. Therefore, Matou Shinji had to carefully control the order in which the Servants exited the stage.

The biggest enemy in the Fourth Holy Grail War was undoubtedly the one who claimed to possess the power to end the Holy Grail War overnight—the most unpredictable factor in the Holy Grail War—Archer, King of Heroes, Gilgamesh.

Even as a transmigrant, Matou Shinji didn't believe he could match up against the creator's legitimate son.

In conventional combat, perhaps he could manage a skirmish, but if Archer got serious and brought out Enuma Elish, what could Matou Shinji do besides waiting to die?

Not to mention the incident where Emiya Shirou severed Gilgamesh's right arm with a dual-wielded 'Caliburn'—back then, Gilgamesh hadn't donned the invincible golden armor that even Saber's repeated slashes couldn't penetrate.

...

Noon, Fuyuki City Airport. A private jet descended gracefully onto the runway, gliding into the parking area.

The cabin door opened, and a small cargo vehicle with stairs specially designed for airplanes approached, aligning with the cabin door. Two foreign women descended the stairs one after the other.

Leading the way was a woman with silver hair, her beautiful face bearing an air of utmost grace and precision, devoid of any imperfections. Her skin was like fine cream, her hair like white snow. Her ruby-like eyes held a childlike playfulness and curiosity, juxtaposed against her elegant maturity, creating a striking contrast.

The silver-haired woman wore a white leather suit, accentuating her mature figure. Paired with high boots, her body's lines were even more pronounced. She seemed like the embodiment of the ideal female image that men dreamed of—an almost unreal perfection.

Following her was a golden-haired woman exuding a commanding aura in a black suit. She had a petite frame, her golden hair tied in a neat ponytail. A cowlick stood atop her head. Her facial features were well-proportioned and charming, and her aquamarine eyes resembled tranquil lakes, reflecting the image before her like a mirror.

As a gentle breeze brushed past, it ruffled the smooth silver hair. The silver-haired woman gazed over the expansive airport, speaking to herself with an intrigued tone, "This is the country where the Holy Grail War will take place."

She turned around with a smiling expression and inquired playfully to the golden-haired girl, "What do you think, Sasber?"

Saber turned her gaze towards the distant city, her head tilted in thought, "There's nothing particularly noteworthy. It's much calmer than I had imagined."

"Wouldn't flying in the sky as a Heroic Spirit be something to marvel at?"

"When summoned as a Servant, modern knowledge is bestowed upon us. If necessary, I can also operate this contraption known as an airplane."

Silver-haired woman exclaimed in surprise, her mouth slightly agape, "You can fly a plane?"

Saber nodded confidently, "My Riding skill isn't limited to mythical and magical beasts. It can be applied to vehicles with a concept of transportation. Once I hold the reins, intuition takes care of the rest."

"Intuition, huh..." The silver-haired woman chuckled involuntarily, revealing a childish side. The coexistence of grace and maturity with innocence in her was contradictory, yet harmonious.

Saber appeared puzzled, "Irisviel, did I say something strange?"

The silver-haired woman smiled while shaking her head, "No."

"But every time you wear that smile, there's always deeper meaning behind it."

"That's not always the case."

Driving an airplane by intuition.

For a Servant, achieving such a feat was hardly remarkable, but it seemed peculiar to modern eyes.

The two of them descended the stairs, followed by a group of maids carrying luggage.

Just as they were about to leave, Saber suddenly turned, facing the cargo vehicle with the stairs. She positioned herself between the silver-haired woman and the vehicle, her tone stern, "Step back, Irisviel."

Saber's right hand surged with a tempestuous wind, forming an invisible sword.

"Saber?" Irisviel looked puzzled.

Saber remained vigilant, her voice resolute, "This magical energy fluctuation is unmistakable—it's an enemy Servant! They're hidden inside that vehicle!"

====

"Click~"

The cargo truck's door opened, and a middle-aged man emerged from the driver's seat. His movements were somewhat peculiar, his expression stiff, and his eyes lacked any vitality.

He was a puppet controlled remotely by Matou Shinji using a water elemental spirit. A cautious approach was always wise for a first encounter.

Irisviel held her hands together, gazing at the man before her in confusion. "Saber, what's going on? He's neither a Master nor a Servant, yet there's magical energy resonating within him."

Saber remained on high alert, her storm-wrapped sword aimed at the man descending. "Our presence has been revealed. Manipulating human magic, our enemy must be Caster."

The middle-aged man's mouth opened, and a sound like boiling water came out. He spoke unexpectedly, "Homunculus from the Einzbern family and the Servant, King of Knights."

Saber tightened her grip on her sword, her voice resolute. "Who are you? How do you know my true identity? Answer me!"

For Servants, exposing their true names was akin to revealing their strengths, weaknesses, and combat style to others.

The man's face remained stiff as he answered, "Saber, do you intend to fight me here? This is an airport, broad daylight. Killing this human puppet would only put you at a disadvantage."

"You despicable person, you were the first to make a move. If you have an ounce of knightly honor, come out and face me in an honorable duel."

"Don't misunderstand. First, I'm a magus, not a hero. Second, I didn't approach you for a battle. Homunculus of the Einzbern family, I'm waiting for you at the Shallow Warehouse Hotel near the airport. My name is Matou Shinji. Please contact the Mage Killer. We have many things to discuss."

With that, the middle-aged man's body collapsed.

The Einzbern family's homunculus maid examined him and calmly reported, "This person was merely under magical control. His body is unharmed."

Irisviel sought Saber's opinion, "Saber, should we go?"

"Saber, you're the Master. The decision is yours. It's likely a trap, and his mention of the Mage Killer is intriguing. Do you know him, Irisviel?"

"No, I've never heard this name before. The man earlier identified himself as Matou Shinji, probably the Matou family's Master. He seems to know quite a bit about us. If he wanted to ambush us, he probably wouldn't reveal himself so openly."

Saber exuded confidence, "Don't worry, Irisviel. I am your Knight. I will ensure your safety until the end of the Holy Grail War."

Irisviel smiled gently, "Saber, having such a reliable Servant like you is wonderful."

Saber blushed slightly at Irisviel's praise.

...

In the hotel's private restaurant, Matou Shinji pondered while eating.

Mage Killer Emiya Kiritsugu, a partner claiming righteousness, was a man who seemed mundane and somewhat edgy in the eyes of others.

Matou Shinji admired his decisiveness and acknowledged that his actions were consistent with the title of a just partner.

Killing a few to save many – that was Emiya Kiritsugu's method of upholding justice, maintaining a balance between relief and sacrifice.

The more one tried to save people, the more they needed to kill.

Emiya Kiritsugu had joined the Holy Grail War to find a miracle that could truly save humanity from breaking under the weight of curses.

No matter what kind of person he was, Matou Shinji was well aware that the tainted Holy Grail was not what he sought. The Holy Grail was an existence diametrically opposed to a just partner.

In this regard, at least in their goals, Matou Shinji and Emiya Kiritsugu were aligned.

And so, Matou Shinji had approached the Einzbern family, seeking to collaborate with Emiya Kiritsugu in destroying the corrupted Holy Grail.

"Mmm..."

Finishing off a large piece of beef on his plate, Matou Shinji signaled the waiter for more food while deep in thought.

"I'd like a creamy salad, a medium-rare Kobe beef steak, a large glass of chilled cola, and the English dessert set, please. Thank you."

The waiter jotted down Matou Shinji's order, his eyes strange as he looked at the numerous empty plates on the table. It was hard to imagine that all that food had been consumed by such a small boy.

"Yes, please wait a moment." The waiter bowed and left.

Matou Shinji was a quasi-Servant. While he couldn't become an ethereal being like a true Servant, one advantage he had was the ability to replenish his magical energy through food.

For about half an hour, he continued eating intermittently. The waiter approached him and informed him that a visitor had arrived.

Saber and Irisviel entered the private restaurant one after the other. Saber's eyes scanned every corner of the restaurant, searching for traces of magic. Once she confirmed the absence of magical barriers or traps, her attention shifted to the only person in the restaurant: Matou Shinji.

"A child?" Irisviel's eyes expressed surprise and bewilderment.

Saber reminded with words, "No, a Servant. Irisviel, use the Master's authority."

"Indeed a Servant... but something still feels off."

Saber stepped forward, her voice projecting loudly toward Matou Shinji. "Answer me. Were you controlling that human puppet? If you seek cooperation, why not present your Master?"

Matou Shinji swallowed his food and, with an air of casualness, replied, "I am the Master."

Silver pupils gleamed, his Elemental Magic Eye saw through the homunculus' body. He had to praise the Einzbern family's homunculus technology. From external appearance to internal structure, there was not a single flaw. The quality and quantity of magic circuits inside surpassed humans by a landslide.

Saber's disbelief was audible, "A Command Spell!?"

Irisviel explained calmly, "Saber, that's a genuine Command Spell, proof of a Master."

"Saber, and a Master are one and the same? How absurd."

Irisviel's lack of surprise in this matter indicated, "It's not strange if it's the Holy Grail War. He probably used magic similar to the Calling Ritual, but that alone wouldn't be enough. The most crucial aspect of this kind of possession summoning is the will of the one summoned. It's something even a Command Spell can't alter."

A Command Spell could force a Servant to perform specific actions, but it couldn't interfere with their thoughts.

====

Empty restaurant, Irisviel's ruby-like eyes gazed at Matou Shinji, her voice gentle and clear as she inquired, "May I ask if you are the Master or the Servant of the Matou family?"

She was asking whether the consciousness in control was the actual person or the Servant. The answer to this question was crucial for the upcoming discussion.

"I am the Master."

"In that case, why did you summon us here? Since you are the Master of the Matou family, you should be aware of the relationship between the Matou family and the Einzbern family."

In the Holy Grail War, the three main families were the Tohsaka family, which was somewhat of an outsider, and the Einzbern and Matou families, which were bitter enemies, responsible for constructing the core of the Holy Grail system.

Matou Shinji's words carried deeper meaning as he responded, "There are many things to discuss, such as the other summoned Servants, and the truth behind this Holy Grail War."

"The truth behind the Holy Grail War?" Irisviel looked puzzled.

Matou Shinji nodded knowingly, "Yes, knowing the truth behind the Holy Grail War, the Mage Killer is surely willing to cooperate with me."

Irisviel's expression showed confusion as she asked, "That..."

"Please, go ahead."

"When we were at the airport earlier, I was curious. Who is this Mage Killer you mentioned?"

At this point, did the Einzberns still intend to hide the fact that they had hired a Mage Killer?

Matou Shinji chuckled, "You're asking who it is? It's none other than the Einzbern family's hired Master, Emiya Kiritsugu. I know he's operating separately from you."

Irisviel tilted her head, thinking, and asked with doubt, "The hired Master from the Einzbern family? I'm sorry, I've never heard that name before, and the Einzbern family's Master is me."

"???"

Matou Shinji's face stiffened, then he saw Irisviel put down her sleeve, revealing the crimson Command Seals, proof of her identity.

Is this real?

No, the magical energy fluctuations of the Command Seals were genuine.

No righteous partner!?

Oh no!

"Smack!"

Matou Shinji slapped his forehead in exasperation, caught off guard by the situation.

This isn't "Fate/Zero," it's "Fate/Grand Order"!?

As far as Matou Shinji knew, in "Fate/Zero," there indeed existed a timeline where Emiya Kiritsugu didn't participate. In that timeline, if Chaldea didn't intervene, the ultimate victor would be Saber.

This sudden change tangled Matou Shinji's thoughts into a messy knot. The plans he had laid out over the past year were overturned in this moment.

"Why would this happen? The Einzbern family has managed to complete the ultimate Homunculus technology ten years ahead of schedule. No wonder the quantity and quality of their Magic Circuits are so exceptional." Matou Shinji muttered in frustration. These words were also meant for Irisviel and her companions to hear.

The ultimate Homunculus technology, which was supposed to be completed in ten years, would have created Illya. If Illya didn't win the Fifth Holy Grail War, the Einzbern factory dedicated to Homunculus creation would have been shut down. The Einzbern family's technology wouldn't be able to produce a stronger Homunculus.

Completing this technology ten years early and creating the strongest Homunculus Master. At this point, the Einzberns didn't need to hire an outsider like Emiya Kiritsugu to fulfill their desires.

In the world without Emiya Kiritsugu, to work with the Einzberns, a different approach was necessary.

"What exactly do you want to say, Matou's Master?" Irisviel's clenched her hands, questioning.

Matou Shinji waved his hand, sighing, "Don't worry, I'm not your enemy. By the way, would you like to sit down and have something to eat? We can discuss while we dine."

Irisviel and Saber exchanged glances. At this proximity, Saber was confident she could strike down Matou Shinji the moment he attempted any magic.

Irisviel nodded, "We'll accept your offer."

Both of them took their seats. Matou Shinji was still sorting out his thoughts. Without Emiya Kiritsugu present, this invitation had lost its original significance.

Ignoring more complex factors, what Matou Shinji wanted to know most was whether Chaldea, the organization safeguarding the Human Order, would appear in this Holy Grail War.

It should be tonight. According to the normal storyline, Saber and Lancer would engage in battle tonight. Otherwise, there was a ninety percent certainty that Chaldea would participate in this Holy Grail War.

Until that was confirmed, he shouldn't reveal too much.

Irisviel quickly adapted or lacked suspicion, enjoying the food with evident delight.

Saber couldn't resist the temptation of the food either. Even though she wasn't eating rapidly, in a matter of moments, she had cleared a substantial portion of her plate. Truly fitting of the title of the King of Knights.

Observing Irisviel's childlike and charming demeanor, Matou Shinji couldn't help but ask, "Forgive me if this is impolite, but how old is the Einzbern's Homunculus this year?"

Irisviel hesitated, seriously considering her response, "Age has no practical meaning for us Homunculi."

Matou Shinji knew the answer. Irisviel had mature psychological age but was probably only around nine years old in actual age. This mature demeanor often juxtaposed with childlike curiosity.

"Never mind, let's get back to business."

Matou Shinji admitted, "The situation is far different from what I expected. I'm sorry I can't provide you with more information. However, since this conversation has taken place, let's give each other a reason to cooperate."

"The Servant summoned by the Tohsaka family is Archer. His true identity is the protagonist of the ancient human epic 'Gilgamesh,' the mightiest Servant."

Irisviel gasped in surprise, "Are you saying the Tohsaka family's Master summoned the King of Heroes..."

"Much more than that. While Assassin's Master, Kotomine Kirei, seems to have parted ways with Tohsaka Tokiomi, he's secretly gathering information and assisting Tohsaka Tokiomi in secretly securing victory in this Holy Grail War. Kotomine Kirei's father, Kotomine Risei, is the overseer of this Holy Grail War and has a close relationship with the Tohsaka family. He's sure to continue supporting them in this Holy Grail War."

Pausing for a moment, Matou Shinji continued, "The only fortunate thing is that the King of Heroes, summoned as the Archer class with high-level Independent Action skill, cannot be summoned at the beck and call of Tohsaka Tokiomi. He's the oldest and most aloof king."

Irisviel held her hands together in contemplation, softly saying, "The existence of a Servant Killer alone is enough reason for us to join forces. But why do you know so much about this Holy Grail War? You mentioned some cryptic things earlier, as if you knew the entire development from the start. While you might not be able to reveal all the truth, at least give us a reason to believe you."

The resolute determination in her crimson eyes and her serious expression conveyed her unwavering determination to get answers.

Matou Shinji was quite troubled by this but helplessly said, "Right now, the only thing I can tell you is that I witnessed the Fourth Holy Grail War from its beginning to its end. As for the truth of the Holy Grail War, I'll decide after tonight."

====

Leaving the hotel, Saber and Irisviel boarded a black car and departed.

Inside the car, Irisviel gazed at the lively scene on the street and softly asked, "Saber, how much credibility do you think Caster's words hold?"

"Credibility? I'd say about 5 out of 10."

Surprise appeared on Irisviel's face, "Your answer is even lower than I expected."

Saber chuckled gently, "I was once a ruler of a nation. I've encountered many individuals like Caster. I can confirm one thing: he's intelligent. His considerations, desires for benefits, and chosen path might align with ours, but his ultimate goal will always be his maximum gain. Considering his words based on that outcome, his credibility remains consistent. It's not about how much we can trust what he says; it's about keeping half our trust when dealing with someone like him."

Impressed, Irisviel praised, "Truly befitting of the greatest King of Britain."

The atmosphere turned heavy, and Saber's azure eyes stared at the pedestrians outside the window. Her tone complex, she shook her head, "Irisviel, for me, that's not exactly praise. I am a king who didn't understand the hearts of people, and in the end, I couldn't save my own country."

"Do you regret it?"

Saber smiled wryly, "No, when I pulled Caliburn, I already saw my fate. It was a tragic ending. Despite that, I've never regretted it. What I can't forgive is my failure to save Britain in the end."

"Mm..."

Irisviel moved closer to Saber, putting her hand gently on Saber's shoulder, "You're so tense."

"Irisviel?" Saber's lovely face was full of confusion.

Irisviel squeezed Saber's shoulder gently and smiled warmly, "Truly a distinguished knight. Is it because you still have a physical body that your shoulders are so stiff?"

"Huh?" Saber still didn't quite grasp Irisviel's intention, but she could feel the care emanating from her.

Irisviel leaned against Saber's shoulder, as if wanting to embrace her, and comforted her gently, "Saber, I can't fathom the weight of responsibility and the past you bear. That must be the reason you responded to the Holy Grail's summons. I am a puppet without desires, but if possible, from now on, please share your wishes with me. Even a tiny fraction would suffice. I want to share the burden of those sorrowful memories with you."

Saber closed her eyes, seemingly recalling pleasant memories. Her smile became natural yet tinged with a hint of bitterness, "Long ago, someone said something similar to me. Back then, I didn't respond to her hopes. Looking back, the fate I embraced may be punishment for being a king who didn't understand people's hearts."

Irisviel softly inquired, "What would you choose now, Saber?"

Saber shook her head, "I don't know. That's why the wish I seek is to return to the moment when I pulled Caliburn. Reflecting on that time, if I had chosen a different ending, would my loyal knights and my country have a better fate? If destruction is inevitable, I hope to face it with tranquility."

After a brief silence, Irisviel instructed the driver, "Please stop the car."

The black car pulled over to the side of the road.

"Irisviel?"

"Let's get out and take a stroll."

"That's too risky. Even during the day, we can't rule out the possibility of an enemy attack."

"As the once and future King Arthur, you've probably never had the chance to enjoy life like this. The same goes for me. I was created for the Holy Grail War, spending my life within the castle. I've never seen the outside world before. This lively and peaceful scenery is the first I've witnessed."

Before Saber could object, Irisviel had already stepped out of the car and opened the door on Saber's side, extending her hand with a smile, "Come on, my guardian knight."

"Irisviel..."

Irisviel pouted, looking a bit annoyed, "What's wrong? If you don't come, I'll get angry. I'm going to appreciate the scenery of this city on my own. Humph~ Humph. You might end up neglecting your duty as a guardian knight."

Saber chuckled, "No, wherever Irisviel goes, I will follow. I'm just thinking that I rarely see Irisviel displaying such a strong attitude."

Saber removed her black glove, placing her right hand on Irisviel's hand as she was pulled out of the car.

They exchanged a smile.

...

It's quite troublesome.

Very troublesome.

Separated from Irisviel and the others, Matou Shinji lay on the bed in the hotel, closing his eyes in contemplation.

If this world was a singularity from "FGO," then Matou Shinji's true enemy would change from Archer to the organization, Chaldea, which preserves the continuity of human history.

Chaldea's purpose was to dismantle the Holy Grail War, not allowing any remnants that could threaten human history to persist. On the surface, their goal was similar to Matou Shinji's, but considering their position coming from a different world, it was akin to the two Servants cooperating to eliminate the other Servants in the Holy Grail War and inevitably ending up in mutual combat.

Considering Chaldea's strength, there was no possibility of cooperation from the beginning. If Matou Shinji helped them dismantle the Holy Grail, he would be left to deal with them alone.

"Could this distorted outcome be the result of the influence of restraining forces?"

Matou Shinji mumbled to himself. Regardless of the restraining force from Alaya or Gaia, they both wouldn't allow the emergence of anything that could threaten their existence. And the Holy Grail would possess the power to destroy the world.

The Holy Grail War had never concluded with a result due to the intervention of restraining forces. Matou Shinji refused to believe otherwise.

In a world without Emiya Kiritsugu, considering that Artoria Pendragon had a chance to win, Alaya might have dispatched the Heroic Spirit EMIYA to assassinate Irisviel, preventing the Lesser Grail from being corrupted.

This could also infer how malevolent and twisted the restraining forces were.

"No matter what, the outcome will be revealed tonight."

====

Night, the cold wind blew fiercely.

Matou Shinji floated above the city, overlooking a large part of it. Taking advantage of the cover of the night, he also used magical camouflage to conceal his Servant's presence. Matou Shinji believed that aside from Caster-class Servants skilled in searching for magic, no one could detect his existence.

In this Holy Grail War, Matou Shinji was his own Caster.

"Still no sign of a Servant's presence. Besides the group from Chaldea, why hasn't Lancer appeared?" An unclear shadow cast over Matou Shinji's mind as he monitored for the majority of the night, yielding no results.

In any world line, on the night the Holy Grail War officially began, Lancer should be provoking and searching for opponents everywhere.

Matou Shinji looked down at the warehouse near the Winter Bridge. The lights remained on, but it was empty. This place was meant to be where the Servants clashed for the first time in the Fourth Holy Grail War.

"What's going on? Brush guy, why aren't you showing up?" Matou Shinji murmured to himself. The night wind blew by, and Matou Shinji extended his right hand while softly chanting, "Wind, explore the earth."

A gentle breeze converged and sprinkled down from the sky to the area below the warehouse. This magical breeze did not have exploration capabilities on its own, but it carried magical energy to the area below, forming a magical domain. Anything related to magical energy within this domain would reveal its traces, similar to the functioning of an ultrasonic detector.

Silver eyes flickered. No trace of a Servant's presence could be found inside the warehouse.

As for Saber, who was being monitored by a water elemental spirit, there were no reports of abnormalities, indicating that nothing had occurred on that end.

"The calmer things are, the more unsettling it becomes. What direction is this Holy Grail War taking?"

Continuing the search for over ten minutes, a premonition suddenly arose within Matou Shinji's mind as he hovered in the sky. A bone-chilling cold overcame his consciousness, as if his head was being oppressed, a feeling he had experienced many times before—a primitive aversion to death.

"What!?"

Discovered!?

Matou Shinji's initial thought was that it couldn't be true. There shouldn't be any Servant in this Holy Grail War capable of detecting him.

With this thought in mind, Matou Shinji's body reacted instinctively. The magic circuits within his eyes emitted a bright light, and at the center of his pupils, a rune appeared, rapidly activating the magical energy within him. With a horizontal sweep of his right hand, a sturdy defensive barrier unfolded.

"Bang!"

The world trembled as magical energy surged within Matou Shinji's magic circuits. The shallow purple barrier that had been hastily deployed clashed against a crimson spear.

"What?!"

Has he been discovered!?

Matou Shinji couldn't believe it. This Holy Grail War should not have any Servant capable of sensing his presence.

As he thought this, Matou Shinji's body reacted instinctively. With his magic eyes emitting a bright light, a rune appeared in the center of his pupils. He quickly activated the magical energy within him and erected a sturdy defense.

"Bang!"

The world trembled as the magical energy surged within Matou Shinji's magic circuits. The shallow purple barrier clashed against the crimson spear that had been thrown at him, igniting intense sparks. The spear's tip pointed directly at Matou Shinji's heart.

Lancer!

"Zap, zap, zap~"

The spear trembled, and its tip struck the barrier, creating intense sparks. The tip of the spear was aimed directly at Matou Shinji's heart.

"Gáe Bolg (Spear of Impaling Barbed Death)!"

The curse intertwined with the spear, a curse that was part of the spear itself. The spear pierced the barrier, and the cursed magical energy quickly infiltrated every corner of the barrier, dismantling its magical properties.

Matou Shinji recognized this kind of cursed spear. Gáe Bolg, a legendary weapon said to impale an enemy's body and then release dozens of barbs, completely destroying the victim's body.

Could it be that the Lancer summoned in this Holy Grail War wasn't Brush Guy (Cu Chulainn), but Scáthach?

Not having time to dwell on this question, confronting a cursed spear head-on was extremely unwise. Fending off the spear's impact for a moment, Matou Shinji still had time to cast other spells. He unleashed a magical barrier beneath his feet.

Spatial Shift.

Matou Shinji's body disappeared from its original location in an instant and reappeared above the Winter Bridge in Fuyuki City.

"Bang!"

The crimson spear instantly pierced the magical barrier, causing the barrier to disintegrate into countless fragments of light, resembling a burst of fireworks.

After piercing the barrier, the crimson spear defied the laws of physics, changing its trajectory several times in mid-air before pointing toward the ground—or more accurately, returning to its master's hand.

Matou Shinji's Elemental Mystic Eyes tracked the spear's path and focused on the beach near the side of the Winter Bridge. The master of the spear had left no trace of her presence.

A woman walked gracefully. The spear fell into her hand.

Due to the distance, Matou Shinji couldn't clearly see her features, but he could discern that she was dressed in a black, tight-fitting outfit with metal accessories reflecting the moonlight. Her purple-red hair flowed in the wind, shrouded by a black veil.

The most conspicuous detail was the pair of spears she held in her hands.

"No way! Is there even something like this?"

Matou Shinji's face turned ashen, feeling a sudden pain and convulsion in his stomach.

Two spears, but the difference between the Twin-Spear Old Lady and Twin-Spear Brush Guy was like night and day! This Holy Grail War had already taken one casualty—Irisviel as Saber's Master—and now there was a third participant?

Tonight, Chaldea didn't come, and instead, a Servant more troublesome than Chaldea had appeared. Moreover, this Servant was inviting a confrontation with Matou Shinji.

Matou Shinji jumped down from the Winter Bridge, landing not far from Lancer. With a stern expression, he questioned, "Are you Lancer?"

Lancer appraised Matou Shinji. Approval glimmered in her crimson eyes as she replied, "Didn't my greeting just now prove my identity? You were able to block the spear I threw, showing your considerable strength. Your young appearance makes it difficult for me to strike."

The spear she had thrown earlier wasn't meant to kill but merely to greet him. Matou Shinji found it hard to defend against.

Matou Shinji said resolutely, "Are you truly a Servant? The Holy Grail shouldn't be able to summon you."

Lancer squinted her crimson eyes, intrigued. She asked, "Surprising. Do you know my identity?"

Matou Shinji pointed at the spear in her hand and nodded affirmatively, "There are only two masters of that spear in this world. Since you're not Cu Chulainn's loyal hound, there's no other answer."

Lancer was Scáthach, the Queen of the Land of Shadows and Cu Chulainn's mentor. It shouldn't be possible for her to be summoned through a conventional Holy Grail War, as she hadn't died, and she wasn't even a Heroic Spirit to begin with.

By the way, Matou Shinji recognized her not because of the spear but because it's hard to forget someone dressed like that.

Lancer, as a proud queen bestowing a reward upon a subject, nodded and said, "I see. To deduce the curse embedded in this spear from just one blow, you possess considerable wisdom. Very well, as recognition of that, I'll tell you the reason. Indeed, the Holy Grail cannot summon me, but I have chosen to participate on my own. Of course, this vessel was prepared by the Holy Grail."

The vessel referred to the spiritual core, the fundamental aspect that influences a Servant's strength. Heroic Spirits don't have a concept of strength; they are essentially data poured into a vessel. The vessel's size determines the amount of strength a Heroic Spirit can manifest.

Scáthach possesses a Divine Spirit-level spiritual core, making it difficult for her to be summoned as a Servant, unless she willingly reduces her power or possesses someone to be summoned.

====

The sea breeze brushed against their faces, lifting Lancer's long hair and the light veil.

The magic spear hummed softly, its tip emitting a faint crimson glow, shrouded in an aura of solemnity.

Matou Shinji used the power granted by the Holy Grail to view Lancer's ability values, but it was as if there was frosted glass between them—nothing was visible. She likely used ancient runes to conceal her information.

Even though Lancer's class allowed her to be summoned, she still possessed knowledge of the primordial Norse runes.

"Not modern runes, but ancient ones—secrets of the cosmos discovered by Odin, the supreme deity of the Norse. They are miracles equivalent to primordial magecraft, no wonder she can track her own presence."

As a Lancer-class Heroic Spirit, Scáthach's strength was at the TOP tier. She was on par with Saber and Rider, rivaling Archer when serious.

Considering compatibility, if Lancer and Archer fought, the winner would likely be Lancer.

Lancer spoke casually, "What's wrong, Caster? Don't hold back. Feel free to make a move. You managed to block the spear earlier; you must be a renowned mage. I enjoy a fair and honorable fight. Since you're a mage, I'll give you a chance to cast spells."

Her voice was cold, filled with the thirst for battle.

Provoked by her, Matou Shinji had no intention of fleeing with his tail between his legs. Compatibility wasn't an issue. Since he fell onto the beach, he had already secretly constructed a magical barrier to ward off curses. He attached it to the fist of the water elemental spirit, transforming it into a weapon capable of countering the magic spear.

Silver eyes sparkled like a greedy abyss as they consumed the magical energy within Matou Shinji's body. The Elemental Mystic Eyes turned into a high-speed computing device, comprehending Lancer's spiritual essence.

Cheating with the Holy Grail's granted power, Matou Shinji examined the composition of Lancer's spirit, the circulation of magic, the contents of her alchemical vessel...

Feeling Matou Shinji's intense gaze, Lancer snorted, "Interesting eyes. Since you don't plan to attack, I'll take the initiative to begin this war."

The vivid red spear twirled, and the moment it was thrown, Lancer's body vanished in sync. Both of them almost simultaneously appeared before Matou Shinji.

So fast!

The magic spear thrust, its cursed aura transforming into blood-red gusts, tearing through the air along with invisible magic, eroding everything.

Silver eyes reflected this crimson streak, like a comet streaking through the galaxy. The Elemental Mystic Eyes ran at full throttle, freezing Matou Shinji's view of the world. His face was flushed abnormally, a sign of his mind working overtime.

The water elemental spirit manifested out of thin air, its right hand enveloped in a purple halo, catching the thrown magic spear. It used the spear as a weapon, striking the blood-red whirlwind.

"Boom!"

The power of the curse scattered like red fireworks. Before the curse could erode his body, the water elemental spirit let go of the spear.

Blocking Scáthach's dual spear thrusts, the water elemental spirit seized the momentary opportunity for close combat. Within the Elemental Mystic Eyes, magic power formed a loop, and a magic circle appeared in Matou Shinji's pupils. Magic flowed underground, activating alchemy.

"Zap, zap, zap~"

The earth beneath Lancer's feet turned into stone, anchoring her legs. Countless stone spears emerged around her.

Nowhere to escape, neither in the sky nor on the ground.

"Shadow Burial!"

Lancer's clear command resonated. Swinging her magic spear shattered the stone spears emerging from the ground. The overflowing curse thwarted the water elemental spirit's attack, allowing her a moment to catch her breath. She moved back in a zigzag pattern.

Lancer, being the Queen of the Land of Shadows, was a warrior of the divine realm. Her melee skills among the Servants were unrivaled, standing as an absolute monarch. After blocking the thrust, she transitioned to a defensive stance.

Bang! Bang! Bang! Bang! Bang! Bang!

The pale purple fist clashed against the red magic spear. It was like two storms colliding, fierce winds and heavy rain never stopping, thunder crackling. The ground beneath Lancer's feet crumbled.

"Maximum magical power output!"

Matou Shinji extended his right hand, his arm lit up with hundreds of luminous traces, magical energy surging forth.

The water elemental spirit's strength and agility both increased to A rank.

Seizing the short moment when the water elemental spirit suppressed Lancer in close combat, the Elemental Mystic Eyes formed an internal magic loop, a magic circle appearing in Matou Shinji's pupils. Magic power flowed into the ground, activating alchemy.

"Zap, zap, zap~"

The ground beneath Lancer's feet transformed into stone, fixing her legs in place. Countless stone spears shot out from the earth.

Nowhere to escape—neither in the sky nor on the ground.

"Shadow Burial!"

Lancer's calm voice resounded. She swung her magic spear, destroying the stone spears emerging from the ground. The overflowing curse repelled the water elemental spirit's attack, granting her a brief respite. With her movements, she retreated in a zigzag pattern.

Matou Shinji shrugged and smiled, praising, "Indeed, the Queen of Shadows."

"Even though I've been cautious of you to a certain degree, looking at you now, I've underestimated you, Caster. Not only do you possess formidable offensive capabilities, but you're also skilled in magic and combat," Lancer pulled out the stone spear embedded in her thigh, chuckling with an appreciative tone. She showed no sign of irritation despite her injury.

Naturally.

Matou Shinji inwardly sighed. The Queen of Shadows, Scáthach, was a complete battle maniac, driven by a thirst for combat and a yearning for death. The stronger her opponent, the more excited she became.

Pulling out the stone spear, her leg wound healed automatically, and her damaged tight-fitting attire restored itself.

Support from the Master? No, Matou Shinji's Mystic Eyes didn't detect external magical energy flowing into her body. It must be a capability inherent to her current form.

"An undying curse. Participating in the Holy Grail War with such an ability... you're taking advantage of people. Isn't there a limit?" Matou Shinji felt a headache.

Lancer didn't seem pleased or proud about it either. "I'd like to get rid of this ability too. I joined this Holy Grail War to find someone who can kill me. Battles where you can't see the victor make the blood boil, don't they?"

An undying curse, a world-level curse, a punishment for slaying gods in the Land of Shadows. No matter what, she couldn't be killed—even causal weapons would be ineffective against her.

Matou Shinji shrugged, "Unfortunately, with my current abilities, I can't kill you. I'm not sure if the other Servants in this Holy Grail War can kill you either, but I know someone who can undoubtedly kill you. How about I tell you his name? Will you withdraw from this Holy Grail War?"

Lancer's calm red eyes rippled, "Are you serious?"

"He's a suitable opponent for you, and he possesses the power to kill you."

"Do you say this because you know the curse I carry? Very well, I am a queen, and I won't break a promise once given. Since I've participated in this war, I'll fulfill the duties expected of a Servant."