׉?ׁB!בCטttu׉׉ 7cassandra://BFmmPuRav2viPCnovxnlZsDzajOP7pVKAmvW1iZPIYQ,`ND׉ 7cassandra://yW0Nabc1oFH6RCzXWx9cB9R-8KCaJjhxyevTWfxoL40b`0׉ 7cassandra://ijB10afA09-4mZ9ert-3jxujbnyMU4Z4MvYpT0PEmHA!`+׉ 7cassandra://0ONHLou1ylAAe88P2-ZJoohb530oX5-PTWjXxpbJuRU(͠>_I |w׷yטtu׈׈E_I |w׷]׉ElThe Weight t of the Is the Weigh f ht of my y Sword Life S d f The Th he Fifth Holy Grail Wa y War fe rd 1. ׉ 7cassandra://ijB10afA09-4mZ9ert-3jxujbnyMU4Z4MvYpT0PEmHA!`+_I |w׷^_I |w׷]בCטtu׉׉ 7cassandra://slo74PivdFpZNbKpb2YphZm_rDnsIJt6WKXzabcVV9M`ND׉ 7cassandra://LykyDNlvfkPIVMF04Io0uYLKXOv2i80G9BXlHih6D3Afa`0׉ 7cassandra://IYJL5zDlCfvQFcKN4h0w3JASc-JPldktwTbHQx8_zb0%8`+׉ 7cassandra://N6WcHiz6FhVYBnfVQrFX4T2HI8_KV1lB6kHXJHC5QtE^͠>_I |w׷|טttu׉׉ 7cassandra://Q55ndtEiD9P1QO3Zq6S-VuChOmTyNYC5NwK5GkF1sGs`ND׉ 7cassandra://xO3M3OwkNkKA-uEpq2ODMVaitzcL3pyg6EtD0_hRXykn`0׉ 7cassandra://de4xI0qLlxaCQZnZg6xbu6mCA0iFeMq_y5GUGesy8dg&0`+׉ 7cassandra://Lypq1buG7ILF6ufv1h_Tpgvrp_la3s0Zfiu1lzb8sN0-̺͠>_I |w׷}׉E׉ 7cassandra://IYJL5zDlCfvQFcKN4h0w3JASc-JPldktwTbHQx8_zb0%8`+_I |w׷_׉EhTable of Contents Ta Prologue. . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 1-2 Day One . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 3-6 Day Two . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 7-14 Day Three . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 15-22 ׉ 7cassandra://de4xI0qLlxaCQZnZg6xbu6mCA0iFeMq_y5GUGesy8dg&0`+_I |w׷`_I |w׷_בCטtu׉׉ 7cassandra://rBPBDeKfY4qG1kj4MTapEqHuWHvxw90CW1tsB03Yq50]`ND׉ 7cassandra://O5nIsm2wD1mAnWVdaTlck7VdLpRBQMgS6n-Qn2LQniMx`0׉ 7cassandra://7HV5YKdvvfuj0wzMTeGLfIDftdXii5o9j7QoQZV83v4&*`+׉ 7cassandra://XuDjqGFtltkV1T6HQsf-4C37I0Os3FS7LPGcDtJ0ldA6̞͠>_I |w׷טttu׉׉ 7cassandra://EAVQa65tLmiUDC8HeG3MEOHmy5qmAz7L262ugduhAlsl`ND׉ 7cassandra://Te7FN9nlYCHMkl0sEfWXpOkTe8C9U8zUdXtLBxVnUU0[`0׉ 7cassandra://bjW1WIbMt6kfPrSz5mbvxs96FjX8DaYoSFC93Zafz3s e`+׉ 7cassandra://Cq6jcDqbX1kvhVoq2qcEIumI3mZewyy5EEwWgMABV0Q̀l ͠>_I |w׷׉E Prologueg She asks in a voice that lights up the darkness.“ I have come forth in response to your summons, From this time forward, my sword shall be with you and your fate shall be with me. Now, our contract is fi nally complete.” It was a thrust like lightning, A spearhead was thrust to pierce my heart. Trying to dodge it would be useless. Being lightning, it’s invisible to the human eye. Clang, a beautiful sound. No, the sound before me is heavier than steel. The armor she is wearing is not beautiful at all and as unrefi ned as the cold night. The sound wasn’t beautiful at all. It was actually the sound of steel. It’s just that the knight is beautiful enough to turn it into a charming sound like a bell. Yes, the contract has been completed. When she chose me as her Master…I’m sure I swore to help her too. The moonlight still lights up the darkness. As if following the knight’s example, the shed again falls silent. Time has stopped. The scene lasts less than a second. But…I’m sure I’ll remember this scene vividly even when I’ve gone to hell. The face slightly turned. The quiet green eyes. The instant becomes an eternity. The blue outfi t symbolizing her sways in the wind. A faint blue light fi lters in. The golden hair shines in the moonlight. 1. ׉ 7cassandra://7HV5YKdvvfuj0wzMTeGLfIDftdXii5o9j7QoQZV83v4&*`+_I |w׷a׉E2. ׉ 7cassandra://bjW1WIbMt6kfPrSz5mbvxs96FjX8DaYoSFC93Zafz3s e`+_I |w׷b_I |w׷aבCטtu׉׉ 7cassandra://QPT1kbneNEL-_xAonnEHEcGjtRXjraD2n640-IduNz4`ND׉ 7cassandra://afMiAV2VG-b_V2onC4GYa5pHwvDN26787e2DAljtZsQ͠V`0׉ 7cassandra://iPrtvm99QWvIWUJQszSV0vE3_uXjkmYsvU2YnzUF7Ng*`+׉ 7cassandra://P9019ug3bX3omyT7DDHTJ9KYa7P-J00Zi8QvEAzEkY8Ͳ̈͠>_I |w׷טttu׉׉ 7cassandra://FaRd-hULd0-50ZsSYyLq4tdjfqmtB8s70bcBZnNZxtI$`ND׉ 7cassandra://5udLoA2T256H7f5hsLqmIwlEjNrNVIH29VMIPnJZ0ukv`0׉ 7cassandra://pPar8iQDRsmEj5NYbULUY5fw8miom-TqVeymzmwF9O4#4`+׉ 7cassandra://W052jLfI-_FSu1TnZSMR8mfDmThMmEIIKUu2FrWQCGo D6͠>_I |w׷׉E qDay Oney This is a story from ten years ago. …I’m watching someone I know very well. A tall man with a deep-featured face, who to my knowledge has never told a joke, is patting my head. No, that’s not quite right, to be more accurate, he’s grabbing my head and swishing it. I guess that’s only to be expected. After all, that’s the fi rst time he’s ever patted my head. “I’ll have to get going now, you know what to do right?”I answer the deep voice with a polite “yes”.The man patting my head nods once, lets go, and stands up. .…So, that was it. If I’d known then that it was our fi nal moment together, I would have made him laugh with my best jokes. I had practiced telling jokes a lot, in hope that I could bring a smile to his grave face. I guess you could say I was depressed that I wouldn’t ever be able to tell him any of them to him. As all that I have thought of has gone to waste at that moment. “Put the Association in your debt by the time you mature. I’ll let you decide what to do after that. You should be able to take care of yourself at least.” Even though he said such things, I guess he was still worried. He told me about the heirloom jewels, the jewels inherited from the master, and how to manage the basement. As he was telling me all the things I didn’t yet know, I realized even as a child. That most likely… He wouldn’t be coming back. ...A war had started. Not a war between countries, but a war between people. But the only ones at war were seven people. In a situation like this, the word, “war”, should be unsuitable, but here is a different story, as the ones in confl ict are magi. The seven magi, each from different factions had started to compete for unknown reasons. The man standing before me was one of them. He too was in a position to kill or be killed. He must have known more keenly than I did that his time was near. “Rin, the Holy Grain will appear eventually, It is our duty as the Tohsaka family to win it. If you want to become a proper magus, there is no avoiding it.” Once more, he patted my head, and left. That was the end. That was the last time I saw the man, who entered the Holy Grail war as a master and died. The man who was my teacher as well as my father. I see him off politely. I knew I was on the verge of crying, but I shed no tears. I loved him. He was a great father and a great magus. In the whole world, I don’t think anyone had a better character than his. He taught me as a teacher and loved me as a father. That’s why I decided…To choose my path according to what he left me. In the end, he left me those words as a magus and not as a father. It’s only natural for a student to follow the words of their teacher. I, Rin Tohsaka, have matured. That’s only natural. The event I have never forgotten about, the event I have been planning for since the start of my young life is about to start.” 3. ׉ 7cassandra://iPrtvm99QWvIWUJQszSV0vE3_uXjkmYsvU2YnzUF7Ng*`+_I |w׷c׉E4. ׉ 7cassandra://pPar8iQDRsmEj5NYbULUY5fw8miom-TqVeymzmwF9O4#4`+_I |w׷d_I |w׷cבCטtu׉׉ 7cassandra://OZWXnaYnQF43_behhSE1aIzKfg7UFvcRYKCWrqJlpOgε`ND׉ 7cassandra://cb_KUk7kIx0WZFWEjL7eLRXi9ktcG0bX4bBgp1ea2xQͬ`0׉ 7cassandra://tsYddchEBUQfp9-ODZ6OfFntGI-PeNeuS115NHU2nE8. `+׉ 7cassandra://uDMpy_jHv9TXjdv-tMLDGxaIe1vGjqkTM30mwQIL4E4zn͠>_I |w׷טttu׉׉ 7cassandra://9PUyQ6YRxB99myEOSsIfc_Fa9GWOYEOv6zq7xmihsCcV`ND׉ 7cassandra://E7W1qkSoIxroUIcE6QrblwVEoFhycdiNQ_I4XOkZLvUͳ*`0׉ 7cassandra://774xSsrZ075SVS8zI_Xc8WpeSV3DidSy9m1uV4lF2RA.`+׉ 7cassandra://HBsfMDNAe0NgGN3vRNqpWrqKClPTv6ulkLqqA8PEZXw͠>_I |w׷׉E “...hm?” Something is ringing.“… Shut up. Stop it.”The sound doesn’t stop. It rings loudly as if I’m an enemy. I guess that’s only to be expected. After all, that’s the fi rst time he’s ever patted my head.“…What? Come on, I was up late last night, so…”It should let me sleep in a bit longer. No, it has to let me sleep in. I was deciphering my father’s will until early this morning, and I’ve used up too much magical energy. In other words, my mind and body are dead tired. “Ah, geez you’re really stubborn.” The alarm clock doesn’t speak my language. So why does the ringing sound like it’s telling me “You’re going to be late”? “…Late… Being late is bad…” Though that depends on the situation. I’m a good student, but maybe I can get to school at the last moment just for the day at hand.“… Set it thirty minutes early…?” I look at the alarm clock drowsily. The clock is pointing exactly at seven. I usually get up at six thirty, so the spare thirty minutes have already been used up.… This is unusual as Fuyuki is not as cold as other areas during the winter, though for whatever reason, today was just as cold as any other city. I could even see my breath this morning. On top of this, there was noone else in the house to warm it up. “Heater, heater…”Turning on the heater, I head to the bathroom. At times like this, living on your own is inconvenient. I wash my face at the sink. I brush my long hair and get ready. With the only advantage being that it washes away your drowsiness completely. I tie my ribbon, put on my school uniform, and I’m all ready. All I have left to do is eat breakfast and head out. Looking at the clock, it’s only a bit past seven, and I’m a bit disappointed. “Man, I guess I don’t have to run after all.” Then again, I would never consider doing anything as clumsy as that. It has been impacted into me since birth, that it is the custom of the Tohsaka family to act with composure and elegance at all times. Taking a custom like this that seriously indeed must mean that my family comes from a high-class background indeed. Hell, owning this western, styled mansion is obvious proof of that. On top of it, the Tohsakas consist of a bloodline of sorcerer’s able to utilize Magic. “…Well, it’s not something I can brag about.” Actually, I can’t speak openly about it at all. Oh, by the way. I, Tohsaka Rin, am a magus. Who on earth can I brag to? Magic is just what it sounds like… magic. I don’t care if you get ideas like abracadabra or whatever. You can just think of us as people who do strange things by casting spells. We’re basically heretics who hide ourselves from the world. We’re barred from standing out and even if we weren’t, we would rather be at home studying. Miracles that can never be achieved, regardless of time or effort… those we call sorcery. Those things that are mysterious, but achievable with time and effort… those we call magic. 5. ׉ 7cassandra://tsYddchEBUQfp9-ODZ6OfFntGI-PeNeuS115NHU2nE8. `+_I |w׷e׉E >Well, to be honest, the modern world doesn’t recognize the existence of magi. As we believe, control, and learn things that are immeasurable, our existence is incompatible with the modern world. Going to a normal school and becoming a normal adult will bring you far more happiness than studying magic. Human technology is great. In the past few hundred years, it has been leading the way ahead of magic. Still, magic has its good points. Just as there are things possible only through science,there are also things possible only through magic. It was the master of the Tohsaka family who said that if science is moving toward the future, magic is moving toward the past. Something about the past and the future ending up at the same place, everything always running toward the zero point. Finishing breakfast, I grab my bag and get ready to go to school when I realize, “oh yeah, I should bring that.” T The pendant. We, the magi of Tohsaka, are skilled at the transformation of power. We put our magical energy into jewels whenever we have free time. To put it simply, the jewels are bullets and we are the gun. The only other thing I can say I received from my father is the Magic Crest of the Tohsaka family engraved on my left arm. In essence, this is the proof of the successor, “…It hasn’t started yet, but I guess it doesn’t hurt to be careful.” I put the pendant, which can now be said to be my father’s memento, into my pocket. “This is the last resort. Pretty much anything is possible with the magical energy contained in this.” It’s seven thirty. I should get going or I’ll be late for school. This thing is a hundred years old after all. It’s by far the greatest jewel in the house.” No, that’s an understatement. It’s much stronger than that. I found this after decoding Father’s will last night. It contains the equivalent of ten years of my magical energy. There was said to be an heirloom, and this might well be it. “SchlieBung Verfahren Drei.” I weave those words with magical energy, being a magus, I cannot afford to leave my guard down when leaving the house..... even though there has never been a stray animal, wandering child, a robbery, or even a hello from a neighbor as a matter of fact. “…Well, I don’t really care. But not even a stray cat? What’s up with that?” After school had ended, I headed straight home, It’s not like I don’t have any business with student council or even the archery club, but I simply haven’t had enough free time for them the past few days. Once I leave campus, the student known as Rin Tohsaka is no longer a regular Japanese teenager. The rest of the day is not devoted to my studies as a student but as a practicing magus of the Tohsaka family. Back at the house, I am greeted by the light of an answering machine. “Just as I thought, it’s you Kirei.” 6. ׉ 7cassandra://774xSsrZ075SVS8zI_Xc8WpeSV3DidSy9m1uV4lF2RA.`+_I |w׷f_I |w׷eבCטtu׉׉ 7cassandra://5m87qUnoPqUj91PPz3k7K4hDM5MbYE4dGMnILCk_BRkn`ND׉ 7cassandra://An2DI4_-4-bAVR84KyF6bL0_F8UA4DH29KzdiJlMna0ͩL`0׉ 7cassandra://4s3cv7JrZ70fvsSCNrw-7EcHyCeRiF96mkIcHZ-0IOg+T`+׉ 7cassandra://b8YrIuWlXVKyc9BMmz3zskrlufl3TfmkMSIxUMKNpLg͢|͠>_I |w׷טttu׉׉ 7cassandra://1sjZrpI2sGvrYrvWBVZrIm9pfr21p5rEJ5mhGo7eP40n`ND׉ 7cassandra://lDtZ9lTLl_qszu-fg1jEgEURTMUrkDug-YHM7Tku_fkZ`0׉ 7cassandra://_dXxIXwajJOg3hZAUGri7eNc5LhkWtXrMNEGSZZ54do:`+׉ 7cassandra://Et3iXdBarrRYIhhI3nrRmRNwyCCFaRSLskYP0-0StJUA2.͠>_I |w׷׉E Day Two y “It’s me. I’m sure you know, but tomorrow is the deadline, Rin. It’s a problem for me if you take it easy. There are only two remaining seats. I must ensure all the Masters are arranged quickly.” This priest shows no mercy as he gets right to the point. “If you wish to abandon your right to become a Master, contact me today. It takes some time to dispatch a substitute magus.” Liar. Someone like you would be able to arrange a substitute in no time. “You already show signs of the Command Spell. Quickly, summon your Servant and open the Command Spell. Unless, of course, you’re not planning to be a part of this Holy Grail War. If you value your life, you should run to the church quickly.” The message ends there.…His words are concise. He’s telling me that if I am to fi ght, I should get ready by today and if I’m not going to fi ght, I’m an eyesore and should just retire quickly.“…Heh, you don’t have to tell me that.” Well, it can’t be helped. My preparations are ready. I have fi nally fi nished decoding my fathers will, prepping me for the event. The requirement to enter the Holy Grail War. That is to summon a familiar called a Servant, and to form a contract with it. No matter how great a magus a person is, one is not considered a Master until he has a Servant under him. Servants are beings very different from normal familiars. The methods of summoning and controlling them are different as well. A magus planning to enter the Holy Grail War usually prepares a catalyst to summon a Servant, but… “…Really, I wish Father could have left me something with a connection to Saber.” I don’t have anything with any connection”. The town’s sacred ground is under our jurisdiction. As the daughter of the Tohsaka family which has protected this town through the generations, I will not lose to magi from elsewhere. But that said… I guess you can’t go to sea without a compass. Or perhaps I should say things are completely unplanned? I’ve always preferred ‘up shit creek without a paddle.’ “Anyway…Servants are attracted to symbols. If you want to summon a Servant, you need an object that has a connection to that Servant.” “In other words, a sword, armor, talisman, bone of that Servant, or something like that… something valuable beyond belief.… I was hoping there’d be something like that in Father’s will, but… No, this is a great trump card too. But still…” The pendant I found last night in the basement is one of the best Artifacts in its class. It’s great in its own way, but it won’t help me to summon my servant. “…Huh! It’s fi ne. I can do it without help from that sort of thing. After all, there can’t exist any Masters capable of handling Saber other than myself.”All right, I’ve decided. I don’t want to make Kirei complain any more by postponing it any longer, and it’s not like me to wait until the last second. It’ll come down to just trying it. I’ll face the summoning tonight with full power and obtain Saber by force…! Late night. The clock strikes two. This is the best time frame for my magical energy. Since this is my fi rst and my last chance, I cannot afford any mistakes. If I do, I am not allowed to participate. 7. ׉ 7cassandra://4s3cv7JrZ70fvsSCNrw-7EcHyCeRiF96mkIcHZ-0IOg+T`+_I |w׷g׉E8. ׉ 7cassandra://_dXxIXwajJOg3hZAUGri7eNc5LhkWtXrMNEGSZZ54do:`+_I |w׷h_I |w׷gבCטtu׉׉ 7cassandra://ihR0w9olksJD6hOta1JzYP95LRnbZuawhF6V6aHqplg`ND׉ 7cassandra://BCcbZUl53pbl9J72g2_Eft89TzNuQ7cd2ty-5pDvEws͈`0׉ 7cassandra://jaMVFieAEgLdB0uqFJ8vqF1v-UglmhMfcE2P19elDWk(`+׉ 7cassandra://rXMTwrXvZk49_hWejPyrHE6GWZFQXNw2O2ELPl-NTe8xn͠>_I |w׷טttu׉׉ 7cassandra://m4okGjEJuL7rvzyk7gm4OacU8I-Ug9W2GWVXQFyZ-9Q^$`ND׉ 7cassandra://Yp1LU7193nEts1YPWd978qSs1ExCDeklPQwaivO-ko0͞B`0׉ 7cassandra://EucZ5GAb597RqnXqoNt3q6j2HoDKY4Sa6yei82yFxUE-`+׉ 7cassandra://SuM800zYkzlQpsP5pV6I1oDxZEO7CXD3TE6-E3YiKnk͠>_I |w׷נ_I |w׷̹K9ׁHhttp://two.Thׁ ׁ Ј׉ELat te night. nig g gh ate night. ght. The clock strikes two.This is the best timeframe for my magical energy. Since this is my fi rst and my last chance, I cannot afford any mistakes. “Withdrawal within elimination, engrave four areas and surround with the summoning circle… right.” I engrave the circle onto the fl oor of the basement. You don’t need a large-scale summoning to summon a Servant. Servants are called forth by the Holy Grail. As the Master’s priority is to keep the Servant in this world and to supply them with enough magical energy to substantiate, the Holy Grail takes care of the summoning. “Bare and silver and iron. Stone for foundation and the Grand Duke of contracts. All for my great master Shveinorg the ancestor. A wall for the descending winds. The four gates shall close and come out the crown. Let the three-forked road to the kingdom’s known cycle.” Still, I continue with the greatest concentration. I draw the magic circle, normally written in blood, with my melted jewels.…I’m using half the jewels I’ve saved up, so I can’t fail for fi nancial reasons too. “Enclose. Enclose. Enclose. Enclose. Enclose. Five times for each repetition. Just destroy the enclosed time.” I fl ip the formless switch inside me. I feel a sensation as if the contents of my body are being exchanged. The usual nerves invert into circuits transmitting magical energy. From this point, Tohsaka Rin is not human. I shall become a part of the tool to attain mystic power. I am melting from my fi ngertips. No, I am being fi lled from my fi ngers. The mana I am taking in is so concentrated that the original senses of my body are being repainted. So, being fi lled is the same as being destroyed. The power that fi lls me is pure magical energy from the air. 9. ׉ 7cassandra://jaMVFieAEgLdB0uqFJ8vqF1v-UglmhMfcE2P19elDWk(`+_I |w׷i׉E“Anfang.” It is absorbed by my body, which has become a circuit, and transformed into a different form of magical energy. The body of a magus is nothing more than a circuit. A circuit to connect the spiritual and the real. We call the result of this, the many mystic occurrences it has made real, legitimate magic. …My body is burning hot. An illusion of myself growing horns. An illusion of wings growing out of my back. An illusion of scales forming on my hands. A sensation of being in water.…I start to sweat. Swords are driven into my body. One after the other, countless in number. This is the pain caused by my human body rejecting itself as the Magic Circuit. No matter how great a magus you are, a human is human. This pain will result as long a person uses magic with a human body. But I dared not to loosen my circulation. At the end of this pain, on the verge of elimination, lies the place of“connection”…A pain running through my left arm. The Magic Crest starts up on its own to help me, and as a result, violates my nerves even more. The harvested mana in my blood. If that is burning iron, then the Magic Crest itself is like a nerve made of thorns. It runs through my body like a centipede with fangs. I lose myself within that pain. And at the same time, I feel that I have reached my goal. My overly sensitive hearing keeps recognizing the sound of the clock in the living room. Ten more seconds until two in the morning. The power within me is perfect. Let’s start this lengthy process. I shall take you on a step-by-step process on the proper way to summon a servant. I take the mana I’ve absorbed and turn it into “fi xed” magical energy. And now… I have only to empty out the mana within me to move the engine called the summoning circle… My vision closes. The fi fth element, said to be unconceivable by human eyes, is lying there before me. As a natural response, in fear of the body being broken by it, my vision shuts itself down, along with my other functions. Breathing is slowed, heart palpitations lowering in level... I can physically feel the stored mana in my body leaving me as I think the summoning chant. Finally, I draw up one last breath and start the chant. 1. 10. ׉ 7cassandra://EucZ5GAb597RqnXqoNt3q6j2HoDKY4Sa6yei82yFxUE-`+_I |w׷j_I |w׷iבCטtu׉׉ 7cassandra://3XUJO1fOB5b5rbfq3O_UCruTVxyruIEGK2jLoqURLJY`ND׉ 7cassandra://anYILFV4rUEN_AatGyuGVOOZUsqNYAuEGqx7dELlj6Ý;`0׉ 7cassandra://eTrBy7PawzzWeHBGvArZq_56M_OKO4Sversu8yA5zmY.O`+׉ 7cassandra://2FV4JEUIGWEwRKy5IJHW5QogBYTf2emPznw5Vkii304b͠>_I |w׷טttu׉׉ 7cassandra://J3_U0lj3laVK36a6EvEVHBnCXo9gMeWK4Ae89gwWUHk`ND׉ 7cassandra://QVae5g1w4z2Q9wFVPBJ9Eif0dmyZKv-ZNDWIX_Zzeok̀H`0׉ 7cassandra://9eKzDVm5M-zrt4J42L2Rcc4bUTXuUuBXF7C4t8OJ4io-`+׉ 7cassandra://96fkJMKgAuz7cOKqVVvZPfVyoHisXu2p6dG0olKamBwLr͠>_I |w׷׉E11. ׉ 7cassandra://eTrBy7PawzzWeHBGvArZq_56M_OKO4Sversu8yA5zmY.O`+_I |w׷k׉E12. ׉ 7cassandra://9eKzDVm5M-zrt4J42L2Rcc4bUTXuUuBXF7C4t8OJ4io-`+_I |w׷l_I |w׷kבCטtu׉׉ 7cassandra://NuUmz4P7AXFBYqHcMixCtMBCW9Pkhhc00LWJPe9sorQf`ND׉ 7cassandra://t6ZX8OCZaG7snwNlqZ0eBhMW9_HEbFV7Xp4E6Yw224o͌x`0׉ 7cassandra://JVRMCTfesNufbXee3f3QkFeKBhkW9RQKZNxBwXijEsc&m`+׉ 7cassandra://gVitJjOk-67VH5wbJr-FcS6_xMSpEZTkjfjSpo5hUKc=u^͠>_I |w׷טttu׉׉ 7cassandra://UXmOxeyB6f2dP5DJcxEcExgLkCArppl1Pa2Qysy9Ya0t`ND׉ 7cassandra://VeX_UBVmZ6enBhLPEm3tBBtP-rddyNPh6EbNloI-V0My`0׉ 7cassandra://FqPPcAQ7usekAxA_w20oIoGxiTO_OXDvxkhm5gFPuTs'`+׉ 7cassandra://iXDtJrFNrzVkLHQbcGF1d_7Ujx2GfaBN28bFBKtmqEE*͠>_I |w׷נ_I |w׷̵u9ׁHhttp://crooked.Thׁ ׁ Ј׉ENothing. Nothing is nothing, There is no change I’ve raged out that much ether and nothing hasformed. and, on top of that, I hear an explosion in the living room. “…The door’s broken!?” The living room door is crooked.There’s no point in turning the handle. The door doesn’t open, even as I push and pull it. “…Geez, you’re in my way…!” With a crash, I kick through the door into the “former” living room. The living room is in a big mess. It’s full of rubble that must have fallen from the ceiling, and there’s one man sitting on it cockily. Without a doubt, that is the cause of this mess. Though not exactly the one that I expected to summon initially. It is said that the Holy Grail can grant any wish. Only one has the right to possess it. The Holy Grail can only grant one wish for one person. But seven magi are needed to summon the Holy Grail in this land. One miracle, seven collaborators. …Well, the point is, it was only a matter of time before the fi ght over the Holy Grail. A ritual that, although changed from last time, has remained all this time. There are two proofs that one is a Master. Summoning a Servant and making it obey, and obtaining the three Command Spells that can order the Servant. The fi rst goes without saying. Yesterday… no, a few hours ago to be exact…I summoned an Archer to be my Servant instead. I must protect to the end this Command Spell that binds the Servant. For a Master, this is probably the most important. This mark with concentrated magical energy is an instantaneous thing, not an eternal one. It is consumed by use, and as the appearance suggests, it has one use for each strike. A master who loses all three of their Command Spells will be unable to control their Servant and faces death. …So. The Command Spell must be guarded as closely as one’s life. It hurts my head to think that I’ve used one right at the start, but it wasn’t completely meaningless, so I’ll call it good. I’m fortunate to have been able to chain him using one Command Spell. Only one magus, paired with one servant each, will obtain the Holy Grail. This is the tradition upheld over the past 200 years. And so, each of them treated the other six, once allies, now as enemies. 13. ׉ 7cassandra://JVRMCTfesNufbXee3f3QkFeKBhkW9RQKZNxBwXijEsc&m`+_I |w׷m׉E14. ׉ 7cassandra://FqPPcAQ7usekAxA_w20oIoGxiTO_OXDvxkhm5gFPuTs'`+_I |w׷n_I |w׷mבCטtu׉׉ 7cassandra://hrbgBnwTFfMmNZ3NSwtcJMH31yd0ze0HziOpRW6imw8[`ND׉ 7cassandra://DJOeM-T6YsIUXWmTvKeEeUJQxRRv1Yf_qqAcZsyqMaI͢t`0׉ 7cassandra://zDp5N9RfbwID6zC1iihCxuyvKXTzGVODxs5-7gh-q7M*`+׉ 7cassandra://KmX3RhNxCX4-F8u0TtPnKetA2bcnSo0_06GZf205xyI͝2͠>_I |w׷טttu׉׉ 7cassandra://WlPL-xH2bkv4CAUADrJc4Pw9ccRfOm3ppLa0fTOYQ2A@F`ND׉ 7cassandra://G3FX9_d8RPt96pol-9b5sou7dZHv8qZxxxijtpphuvYb`0׉ 7cassandra://T0fijdsqgRg97RuSiFb_2g3FFTzwhP8HK_RnvW1LgXs$F`+׉ 7cassandra://YN5FNAoezjwfC6fMLKRO8dVmZmFz-gbH_9E4jPFh1rM_k.͠>_I |w׷׉E Day Three The day ends Students leave the classroom and the building gets darker by the second. An indication that the sun is going to set soon. When the red sun sets and night falls, there should be noone around at the school. “Let’s begin, Archer. First, we need to check out the boundary fi eld. Once we fi gure out what kind of boundary fi eld it is, we’ll decide whether to eliminate it or leave it.” I address my invisible partner, I sense him nodding. Infi nite different effects are possible within a boundary fi eld. There are all sorts of boundary fi eld, from ones that conceal the area from people’s eyes, to ones that limit the use of magic within them. The most aggressive of all are those that |oppress life forms within them. But something like this won’t affect me. After all, a boundary fi eld is something targeted not at me, but at the place I am in. Such an indirect magical energy intervention has no effect on magi, who have magical energy throughout their bodies. I don’t know what kind of person set it, but his intention is not to defeat a Master. It’s hard to believe, but his target is everyone in this school. Unbelievable... A seven-stroke mark is openly drawn on the rooftop. This purplish-red character only visible to magi is something I have never seen before,“…Dammit. This isn’t something I can handle.” He didn’t think, but the boundary fi eld is bound with amazing skill. This boundary fi eld can be reactivated just by having the caster put more magical energy into it again. Archer says nothing.…He’s been quiet ever since we came out onto the rooftop, probably because he too recognizes the power of this boundary fi eld. Once activated, it can “dissolve” all the people within. This is a soul-eater. It is a Bloodfort that dissolves people within it and claims the souls that seep out. Since ancient times, souls have been hard to handle. Even though they’re believed to exist and are necessary for magic, only one magus has ever understood the soul. Souls are only “things to be investigated”, to magi So if there’s a reason, it must be… Suddenly, as if to stop the erasure of the bounded fi eld, a voice echoes over. I quickly stand up and turn around, on top of a water tower only meters away, a man is crouching on top, staring at me. Deep ultramarine that melts into the night. “Archer. Are you Servants… this kind of creature?” I ask coldly. “…It is as you suspect. I told you we are basically spirits. Therefore, our meals consist of souls and mental constituents. As you subsist on meat, we subsist on souls and minds. Our basic abilities do not change from such nourishment, but we do become tougher. In other words, our magical energy capacity increases.” “That annoys me. Don’t ever mention it again, Archer.” For some reason, Archer sounds happy as he confi dently answers, “I feel the same way. I do not intend to do so either.” I approach the mark engraved on the ground and extend my left arm. 15. ׉ 7cassandra://zDp5N9RfbwID6zC1iihCxuyvKXTzGVODxs5-7gh-q7M*`+_I |w׷o׉E16. ׉ 7cassandra://T0fijdsqgRg97RuSiFb_2g3FFTzwhP8HK_RnvW1LgXs$F`+_I |w׷p_I |w׷oבCטtu׉׉ 7cassandra://hOiP2EffFdJxeFWVMvIEeDTgsrcxxPnC_Oi2B_BZkVsQ`ND׉ 7cassandra://98zooH7pOVEf9f3icD9B10O8liXVdAu5kZNObqk3MDYͤ`0׉ 7cassandra://rEQAwUl1JadiIbjkrKoApCDAjZzYJakH6Mq3j-bX8SU/`+׉ 7cassandra://gB3DeQMvFqTfr5wR12M7Zb2S-dafkikRRxrIMSUDDvY3:.͠>_I |w׷טttu׉׉ 7cassandra://sIPFimuW7PImFvoJevkpaIyWt1fIrNjXeRfTkK6Plwk[`ND׉ 7cassandra://J7kcW7UhTyUvnptOC6aTre9gntG6n2u7P8m2Eref9tM͟`0׉ 7cassandra://pn7E7EpkPbIC4SX3iJDPnZrVDPWC75qM-Yvr1RAHbhg.``+׉ 7cassandra://oOtvPel_XECrvPnZRsNUYK9cJwu5F0ADw27SfXkbHds9W̜͠>_I |w׷נ_I |w׷`q`9ׁHhttp://thrust.Arׁ ׁ Ј׉EH s G s d His Grin is Wild. s Grin is Wild Wild A bestial smell carries on the wind.… The man in blue looks at me like an old friend, even in this intense situation. Out of nowhere... “Is this your doing?”, I ask of the fi gure. “No. Petty tricks are the magi’s job. We only fi ght as commanded to. Isn’t that right, you over there?” Casual, but his voice is fi lled with murderous intent. This guy can see Archer…! “As I thought, a Servant…!” “That’s right. Since you can tell, I can consider you as my enemy, right?” I freeze A normal, light tone of voice. And it’s colder than anything I’ve ever heard, scary enough to make me vomit… I couldn’t tell how to move, or what the best action could be.” …Wow. That’s pretty good. You grasp the important points. Man, I messed up. I shouldn’t have called out to you just for fun.”The man raises his arm Now holds a red weapon, two meters long. I jump over to the side of the fence without thinking as if trying to smash it. A whirlwind brushes past my hair. Barely made it. He rushed me in an eye-blink and mercilessly slashed at the space I just occupied. “Hah, you’ve got some good legs, young lady…!” The blue whirlwind pursues me The fence is behind me. To my sides… I won’t make it! I run my magic circuits and assemble magic in gesture. Adjusting the gravity around me, my body, now light as a feather, I leaped off the rooftop. “Vox, gott es Atlas! Archer, take care of the landing…! I let Archer take the impact and start to run as soon as my feet touch the ground. First, I have to change the location. We have to go somewhere we can move around freely. “Man, those are really good legs. It’ll be a waste to kill you here.”…Meaningless against a Servant. At the moment I step back, Archer steps in front, taking form. A cloudy night. In Archer’s hand is a shortsword that refl ects the weak moonlight. 17. 1. ׉ 7cassandra://rEQAwUl1JadiIbjkrKoApCDAjZzYJakH6Mq3j-bX8SU/`+_I |w׷q׉E“Wow.” The man crooks his mouth. “…That’s good. That’s the way to go. I don’t mind those who are quick on the uptake.” A large whirlwind.…That’s the weapon swung at me on the rooftop… the blood red crimson lance that tried to mercilessly slaughter me. “Servant… Lancer” “That’s right. And your Servant could be Saber”, …Or maybe not...So who the hell are you anyway?” There’s no sign of his casual demeanor from before. In response to Lancer, fi lled to the brim of murderous intent, Archer remains silent. …The distance between the two is about fi ve meters. The weapon in Lancer’s hand is about two meters. For that man with the bestial smell, I the remaining three meters are meaningless. “…Heh. You’re not the type to engage in oneon-one combat. So you must be Archer.” He doesn’t respond to the sneering voice either. Confronting each other, strangely, are red and blue. The two counterfeit colored knights are already watching for the other’s clinching blow. “…All right. I don’t like it, but now we’ve met, we’ll just have to fi ght. Come on, take out your bow, Archer. I have some manners, so I’ll at least wait for that.” Archer does not respond. There’s nothing to say to an enemy he must defeat. That steel back of his seems to declare so. “Archer.” I talk to his back. “I won’t help you. Show me your powers here.” I hear a faint, “Heh” and see a grin on his face as if to answer me, and the red knight dashes. Shortsword in hand, the red bullet launches. What meets him is a blue spear-thrust.If the dashing Archer is a raging wind, the responding spear head is a divine wind. The sword is swung, a swing to defl ect the thrust.Archer parries the thrust of the high speed lance with his shortsword. The one in red stops. The enemy dodged Archer’s rush. He doesn’t even let him get within two meters. For a long spear, distance is always preferred. As Lancer has a weapon almost two meters long, he only needs to attack when the enemy comes into his range. Thrusting at an approaching enemy is easier than ousting. His temper a burning fi re. Lancer closes in with each blow, with no thought of stopping in the future. 18. ׉ 7cassandra://pn7E7EpkPbIC4SX3iJDPnZrVDPWC75qM-Yvr1RAHbhg.``+_I |w׷r_I |w׷qבCטtu׉׉ 7cassandra://McAjroKRJ0fNzYAKdmKbWIkXO7O4W7zzeyDwBKkHPM8-`ND׉ 7cassandra://XnWo9IG-3EYFpOUJRepecsLwNflmuLDOgcalo4v3694͐`0׉ 7cassandra://i7Gc-ErEUtf1gp_435EuoujBJaRV2-nOtt30LnZMuMY&O`+׉ 7cassandra://3r8DRXt8SUL7yx_8D2JY-_SkPwTk59JykvddD04rRW8l͠>_I |w׷טttu׉׉ 7cassandra://y3rqFZ_LoekkTnKTdBIRIMXJk8NG4foE63Fp6VqxLsk`ND׉ 7cassandra://yrWLsG1Wp_nJvjzm86jaMiGs2Oxyip4CoLB6aa5mb2A͌`0׉ 7cassandra://KlpNp9cqf9zTTGLU2WxqgXZPICLocpUL_h8p5qyDJl4$q`+׉ 7cassandra://S0GtFBEwAomAHpAt7g4CQ7XXwJjQWhZuykgWPvbqsGYZ̒͠9_I |w׷׉E ]A long weapon, is suicidal lose to an enemy. The spearman’s tactic is to use their long range to defeat the enemy and win the battle. So, as Lancer is just advancing unchecked, he doesn’t have a chance of winning. “No way.” But that’s just by the book. Lancer’s lance shows no vulnerabilities as it strikes for the throat, shoulders, forehead, and heart. Thrusts so fast even the afterimages are blurred. As each strike of his lance repels, rebuffs, and pushes back Archer, any one of his thrusts could be called a fi nal blow. But even as a bowman, Archer is a Servant. No ordinary attack can be a fi nal blow…! Having repelled the lance aimed at his forehead, Archer closes in with speed superior to Lancer’s. A partial retreat does not allow escape, and an attempt to counterattack will only result in a slashed stomach. But simply going forward will end up in a smashed rib from the long shaft of the lance. Archer and Lancer are similarly built. On top of that, it’s hard for Archer with no heavy armor to step into range of a lance swung like a whirlwind. But, thrusts are a different story. A fast one certain to strike you is certainly scary. But as long as the attack targets a point, there are many ways to avoid it once you see it. As Archer did just then, hitting the shaft of the approaching lance to redirect. “Huh!?” The one in red stops. A nightmare like time is reversing. The thrust is faster than the previous ones…! Archer tries to parry the blow, but he gets taken aback along with both of his weapons. It seems that we were the ones that underestimated him. For that Servant for Lancer’s weapon, there are no general rules about lances. For that Servant for Lancer’s weapon, there are no general rules about lances. Who could ever parry continuous attacks without even space to breathe? Archer manages to retreat a bit and parries. And as a result, the distance between them opens a little. That distance. Lancer uses it as a runway to launch a powerful attack. godlike, ten blows already past. The heavy rains pour with yet more force, intending to put archer to death. The raging, continuous attacks are godlike, ten blows already past. The heavy rains pour with yet more force, intending to put archer to death. …It’s not fast, just skill. It thrusts like a waterfall, with no change in speed. Archer is now almost completely helpless. 19. ׉ 7cassandra://i7Gc-ErEUtf1gp_435EuoujBJaRV2-nOtt30LnZMuMY&O`+_I |w׷s׉EWhat can Archer do as he’s now on the defensive? With such a short sword, he can only parry the lance. He has no way to close in on Lancer, and he continues to retreat. A vacuum of steel unfolds. Support… I have to back Archer up, but my throat won’t respond. My magic has poor aim. Unless Archer gets far away from Lancer, I will hit him with my magic as well. Such an opening would only increase Lancer’s advantage.…And besides. Frankly, I’m captivated. This is a battle between Servants. This is the Holy Grail War itself, where we use heroic spirits. The absolute, highest rank of familiar, whom we would never otherwise obtain outside of situations like these. There is no effective way of parrying a lance with a sword. A strong rebuff only results in a stronger counterattack, and a weak rebuff does not create any visible openings. The important aspect of the battle between a sword and a lance lies in defeating the enemy when he is at the wrong range. There’s no hesitation in Lancer. His movement to push Archer back stops. He must intend to end the match in an instant. The stares of the fi rmly placed Lancer and the swordless Archer clash. In that instant, the lance is thrust with a fl ash of light, forehead, neck, and heart, three shots launched, any one of them a fatal blow. But. The fl ash too fast to see is repelled by a shining blade…! In Archer’s hand is the shortsword again. A sword like before, a Chinese sword like a hatchet. But the biggest difference is that there were now two. Archer defends with a burning spirit. His hawk-like eyes say that he will not retreat anymore no, that he will only advance from now on. The clashing of weapons sounding like an orchestrated musical piece. Two steels clanging against each other. The sparking clashes increase in rhythm without pause. The battle of the two is like a vacuum. It sucks in the air around them, and it seems like anything that approached them would be cut apart. In reality, it only lasts an instant. But for me, simply looking on, it seems to take an infi nitely long time. Lancer tries not to let Archer near him, while Archer advances towards him, using his swords as a shield. 20. ׉ 7cassandra://KlpNp9cqf9zTTGLU2WxqgXZPICLocpUL_h8p5qyDJl4$q`+_I |w׷t_I |w׷sבCטtu׉׉ 7cassandra://XCq1PHE8mv2S4f0-aOU7WASPfw72t5nopO-9TmztgUc`ND׉ 7cassandra://ZKvxUf099D8TNggdcIaXl5eHmTxQLcCJM1YttPrrj-U͞{`0׉ 7cassandra://-WO6ZU5QP8ss24fasd-2dkQ3F_JljhsmZ-UerhDyQCU)x`+׉ 7cassandra://obWWP4HXiWqD9Ipih03K_WB4xatTnUIpwJp5pdxEtJo͔͠>_I |w׷טttu׉׉ 7cassandra://1L1uLjqYb8ZDwCp_w1RzsO7npXx8rQ8Ns9_p58aXXroY`ND׉ 7cassandra://PIPwGpTwtk--QyRzgV6UPVaaU9sbQ4NN0qEi0d-V-xYoE`0׉ 7cassandra://5wplosXnOrYveZjsTnC6Z62TNOi9aemf0iDxKV6NUx8 `+׉ 7cassandra://KtcfHNiJETtOi9Ke9dkVphFs-E9GfEyLTu2D5dpiMFE[,͠>_I |w׷נ_I |w׷ M?9ׁHhttp://down.Atׁ ׁ Ј׉E Over a hundred blows have been thrown, and Archer loses a sword every time a weapon is thrust. But it’s only for a moment as Archer has a sword in his hand in the next instant, forcing Lancer back a little each time. Lancer fi nally admits his carelessness. That even though he doesn’t know who is before him, he will be the loser if he dismisses him as a mere bowman. Those weapons are never disposable. The swords that Archer brought out must be excellent, but they cannot be his Noble Phantasm. He is the Servant Archer. So the Noble Phantasm he conceals must be a bow. “What’s wrong, Lancer? It’s not like you to just stand there and watch. Where’s the energy you had just now?” “…You’re talking crap, you cheater.” Lancer’s irritation is understandable. Even though Lancer fought as a spearman, Archer fended him off as a swordsman. Archer hasn’t shown anyof his abilities yet. “…All right then, I’ll ask you. What kind “What kind of hero are you? I’ve never heard of a bowman using two swords in my lifetime.” Lancer jeers at Archer. “On the other hand, it’s easy to tell who you are. It’s said that only the fastest heroes are chosen as the lancer, but you surpass even that. There aren’t three lancers in this world at your level. And on top of that, there’s only one with such agility.” “Oh. Well said, Archer.” At that instant. His vast murderous intent makes me forget to breathe. This is different from before. A stance free from contempt. The spearhead is lowered as if to strike the ground, and only his stare pierces Archer “In that case, you shall face my fi nishing blow.” “I won’t stop you. You’re an enemy I will have to defeat sooner or later.” Lancer’s body sinks down.At the same time. A chill like thorns fi lls the schoolyard. He’ll be beaten. I don’t know what kind of Noble Phantasm that is, but Archer will be beaten by this. It’s implausible since this is the fi rst time I’ve felt such an intuition, but there’s no doubt about it. My quest for the grail will soon be at its end. Archer will die when that lance is thrust. It is determined. Literally, Lancer’s lance is the embodiment of inescapable death And yet. Even though I know what’s going to happen, Because if I move even a fi nger, that will trigger the attack. So if anything can stop this battle and subsequently, Archers defeat... it would have to be.... “Who’s there!?” It would have to be the chance appearance of a stranger that I, no, we had all overlooked the entire time. The ghastly air coming from Lancer disappears as he follows the sudden sound of fl eeing footsteps. …That fi gure is defi nitely wearing our school uniform. Lancer stops his attack in order to go after the noise. “A student…!? Someone was still here!?” “It seems so. He did save our lives, though.” ”Lancer went after that guy. He saw us, so he probably went to eliminate him.......................................” 21. ׉ 7cassandra://-WO6ZU5QP8ss24fasd-2dkQ3F_JljhsmZ-UerhDyQCU)x`+_I |w׷u׉E1. 22. ׉ 7cassandra://5wplosXnOrYveZjsTnC6Z62TNOi9aemf0iDxKV6NUx8 `+_I |w׷v_I |w׷uבCטtu׉׉ 7cassandra://p3NUN5aUGoAek-aFDckBzynGFqsELEDZgiCRMllUTdk,`ND׉ 7cassandra://DDWHElU_vdHSl2ofFh7VHp64urHZvFHAYCDwCUx03FkR`0׉ 7cassandra://u6pjt5d8qLjg2eo-eKvFUmuUNXq4DZxFbaR2Oy_-tpA>`+׉ 7cassandra://-e41ux11Huy0vyTA9tdhXpXKfp69ztRSOZS7G2XHY-82`͠>_I |w׷׉ETo e b ed ׉ 7cassandra://u6pjt5d8qLjg2eo-eKvFUmuUNXq4DZxFbaR2Oy_-tpA>`+_I |w׷w׈E_I |w׷x_I |w׷w,Mmorris-Book Pages 2019 2_I(QBv