It was 1994, a year etched deeply in my memory.


    A fire broke out in Fuyuki City.


    The Fuyuki City Civic Hall, with an investment of more than 8 billion yen, copsed overnight. A destructive ck torrent descended from the sky, pouring down like a waterfall, and engulfing everything in its path.


    And thus, the ughter began.


    At this time, people were enjoying a peaceful sleep. The ck Death mud, sensing their life force, turned into a searing curse and attacked them.


    Homes were burned down, gardens were destroyed. Whether they were sleeping or trying to escape upon waking, everyone was burned to the point that not even bones remained.@@novelbin@@


    The death toll exceeded five hundred, and 134 buildings were destroyed.


    The feast of death turned the night sky into a fiery red, lingering for a long time.


    Amid this unparalleled destruction, the only survivory on the ground, eyes wide open with no light in them, deeply imprinting the horrors before him into his mind.


    Although he was a survivor, he knew that this title would soon be a thing of the past.


    Next, I will be burned by the mes, drowned in ck mud, or suffocated by the thick smoke, right?


    The pain was beyond imagination. Even staying alive was a torment. I even felt that dying might be easier.


    But a dishevelled man found me.


    ...I still remember the expression on his face.


    Tears filled his eyes, genuinely happy from the bottom of his heart to find a living person.


    —Because his expression was so full of joy.


    I thought that I was the one being saved, but it turned out that the person saved wasn''t me, but himself.


    However, that feeling, that emotion, was so real, and it was passed on to me.


    Ah...


    It was decided. I would carry this man''s expectations and live as a survivor, living for those who perished.


    My life is for others, it is to be lived for them.


    The red figure shed in the silvery light, and by now, it was hard to distinguish if it was the memory of a traveller or fragments that hade from distant times.


    Only that obsession was incredibly real, engraved deeply in the young man''s mind.


    If I could, if I could go back to before that disaster—


    I would, absolutely, absolutely... absolutely stop it!


    ***


    Magecraft, which transcendsmon sense, refers to the phenomena where things that can be done undermon sense are achieved in ways that defy it.


    But magecraft does not include "things that humans cannot achieve." The ability to perform such things is called "sorcery."


    In the end, Magecraft is both human wisdom and the world.


    Sorcery is not included; it is a loneliness suspended beyond the heavens.


    The first one began everything.


    The second one acknowledged countless things.


    The third one showed the future.


    The fourth one hid its figure after beginning.


    And the fifth one, which ended, had long lost its meaning.


    The only remaining magecraft in the world, except for the second and fifth, remains like the fruit of Eden, awaiting mankind''s picking.


    The Third Magic—soul materialization—relies on the infinite energy of the ever-moving soul and uses the immortal soul as a temte to create a perfectly matched body.


    It depicts a brand-new possibility for humanity''s future.


    During the dormant time, Sakatsuki gradually absorbed fragments of the Third Magic and finally began to see some of its true nature.


    As long as the soul does not perish, the energy possessed is infinite. The so-called immortal soul is sustained by emotions—emotions be the power, the soul creates miracles, and those who have lost their seven emotions and six desires are unqualified toplete the Third Magic and are mere walking corpses.


    Therefore, as a homunculus, the Saintess of Winter cannot grasp the Third Magic, and even Einzbern, secluded in the snow, could never achieve his long-cherished wish.


    Even with the Holy Grail.


    "...You have a familiar aura."


    The ck sludge swelled up, outlining a delicate figure, leaning down beside the sleeping person to breathe.


    "Empty, nothing, a person who does not belong to this world, one who both hates and loves humanity."


    "If you wish for redemption, fill me."


    And so, the sleeping person awoke from the bizarre dream.


    ***


    <strong>[Consciousness awakening, existence reconstruction in progress.]</strong>


    <strong>[Reconstruction sessful.]</strong>


    <strong>[Estimated activity time: 700 hours.]</strong>


    tinum particles gathered, reshaping the young man''s slender body. He stood in the centre of therge cavern, eyes closed, stretching out his hand to retrieve the clothes from the diamond-shaped space and dress himself before opening his golden eyes.


    The long-lost magical energy filled his body, elerating Sakatsuki''s return to consciousness, and the spiritual veins around him became active, silently announcing the arrival of a certain moment.


    Now, it had been a year.


    The seemingly peaceful Fuyuki City had gathered clouds of change, weing challengers who would risk everything for their wishes.


    "I see... It''s starting."


    The handsome young man said with a smile, a year seeming to not affect him, even his elegant kimono remained as pristine as ever.


    But now, he was ready to face the Holy Grail War.


    Now—it was time to summon the heroic spirits.


    He spread his hands, his fingers moving rhythmically as if connecting two ces outside the circle, flowing out the already sealed molten iron.


    For Sakatsuki, whose element was "Sword," the molten iron, melted from a ritual sword, was the best material for summoning.


    The molten iron traced the patterns of the magic circle on the ground, drawing four corners, then surrounding it with the summoning array, the sequence of which must not be altered.


    Though this was knowledge he had thoroughly mastered in the Einzbern family, Sakatsuki still repeatedly reviewed it to avoid any potential mistakes.


    Taking a deep breath, the young man closed his eyes, as if sensing something, and spoke aloud.


    "Fill, fill, fill, fill, fill!"


    "Repeat five times, but abandon it once filled."


    As the sybles rang out, a switch within Sakatsuki''s body, between the tangible and intangible, was turned on.


    From this moment, Sakatsuki would remove his human part, bing nothing more than aponent for a mysterious mechanism.


    The pain of human consciousness was transmitted, and Sakatsuki despised abandoning his "human" attributes.


    And this pain urred simultaneously in secret corners of different ces.


    ***


    "Made of silver and iron, based on stone and the great contract of the duke, my ancestor''s fix upon the old."


    In the mansion of the Tohsaka family, deep in the mountains, Tokiomi Tohsaka recited aloud while drawing the magic circle.


    Instead of using fresh blood from a living sacrifice, the materials for the magic circle were gems melted into liquid form. Over the years, Tohsaka had collected many gems filled with magical power, and today he used them all for the ceremony, even if it meant umting a huge debt.


    Standing by his master''s side, Kirei Kotomine stared at the holy relic ced on the altar.


    It was said to be the first-ever shedding snake skin fossil in the world.


    Just thinking about the heroic spirit this relic would summon made Kirei feel a sense of fear.


    Now he understood why Tohsaka was so confident—no servant could defeat the heroic spirit chosen by Tohsaka.


    ***


    "Can such a simple ritual work?"


    In the snow-covered city of Winter, Irisveil looked at the modest and almost shabby summoning circle on the ground, somewhat surprised.


    "You may be disappointed, but summoning a servant doesn''t need such an borate ritual."


    Emiya Kiritsugu exined, checking carefully if the mercury-drawn pattern had any irregrities or fading.


    "This is because, in reality, the one summoning the servant isn''t the Magus, but the Holy Grail. As the master, I only need to anchor the summoned servant to this world and provide enough magic to materialize them."


    Seemingly satisfied with the state of the magic circle, the man stood up and looked at the holy relic ced on the altar in the centre.


    It was a golden sword sheath with blue markings, emitting a faint glow that illuminated the inscription on it.


    Emiya Kiritsugu stared at this significant relic, a serious expression shing across his eyes.


    If his guess was correct, this Holy Grail War would be even more troublesome than he had anticipated.


    "It''s starting, Iri."


    He murmured quietly.


    ***


    "Let''s begin, Sakura, stand back."


    In the hidden basement, Kariya Matou drew the magic circle and signalled the purple-haired girl to move away.


    Seeing the worried expression on the girl''s face, Kariya couldn''t help but smile.


    "If Sakatsukies back and sees you like this, he might get quite a shock."


    "Is this the time to say that, Uncle Kariya?"


    Sakura reminded him.


    "To summon a berserk heroic spirit, we must be serious."


    "Mm, you''re right."


    Kariya pped his cheeks, refocused himself, and said.


    "Now, let me see who will respond to my call."


    ***


    In a corner of a Mountain Town, deep in a thicket of trees, dripping blood formed an incredibly precise magic circle, looking almost like a cult ritual site, but the body of a chicken discarded nearby exined where the blood came from.


    "Great, now it''splete."


    The boy who hade from the foreign clock tower wiped the sweat off his face, carrying his passion for magecraft and unwavering will toward his goal as he began chanting a mysterious incantation.


    The boy named "Waver Velvet" aimed to prove to his teacher and to the old clock tower that, even without noble blood, he could achieve great aplishments!


    "—Proim!"


    With his youthful determination and recklessness, Waver began his chant.


    "You who hear my call, my fate is entrusted to your sword!"


    "If you wish to reside within the Holy Grail, ept this will and follow thisw!"


    The sensation of magic surrounding him, an unavoidable chill and pain caused by the cycle of magical circuits inside his body, was something any magus would experience.


    Yet, this pain, in Emiya Kiritsugu''s eyes, was merely a necessary means to an end.


    Now—speak the true thoughts in his heart!


    "I swear here that I will perform all the good deeds in the world, and I will suppress all the evil deeds in the world!"


    Biting his teeth, Kariya''s low growl echoed through the basement.


    "You shall blind your eyes with chaos and serve me!"


    Compared to others, Kariya''s chant had two more lines, and the suffering he endured doubled as well— but this time, it was Kariya''s own choice.


    To defeat that person, he was willing.


    Under Sakura''s worried gaze, Kariya gritted his teeth, full of determination in his voice.


    "You, the one trapped in the prison of madness, I, the one holding the chains!"


    "Now,e, the berserker who will trample that person underfoot!"


    Sakatsuki, fascinated by the allure of magic and the thrilling chant, didn''t realize that a smile of excitement curled at the corner of his mouth.


    "You are bound by the three great words of seven days, arriving from the wheel of self-restraint—Guardian of the bnce!"


    In the coincidental, miraculous shared chant, different figures descended to the world in a dazzling light.


    Some shone goldenly, some were pure and solemn, some were mighty and imposing, and others were surrounded by ck mist.


    And standing before the young man with golden eyes was one who shone like the stars—clear, beautiful, and so very familiar.


    Then—


    A cold question echoed through the forest, the hidden basement, the grand hall, and under the vast void of night.


    "Answer me, are you the master who called me?"