[You have arrived as a Caster.]
[Before you stands Irisviel, looking quite curious about her summoned Servant. Behind her is an old man with gray hair, full of dissatisfaction.]
"A Caster... I didn't expect that..."
The crystal chandelier hanging from the ceiling swayed gently in the night breeze.
In the hall of Castle Einzbern, the weak beauty in a pure white dress studied the man before her with curious eyes—her beautiful gaze as clear as rubies in a lake.
Although he was the one she'd summoned, she'd never heard of such a Heroic Spirit, and even her great-grandfather behind her was dissatisfied.
But it was true—in a brutal game like the Holy Grail War, a Servant's combat power greatly determined the final victory. The man before her didn't look like a Servant who could survive to the end.
Clearly, the sacred relic 'Killing Stone' was used, which should have summoned a wrathful Nine-Tailed Fox... Was this young man a kitsune too?
"Maybe... Does he have any strengths?"
The silver-haired beauty stepped forward to observe her Servant, who was condensing his spiritual body. Clearly, he sensed her presence too.
He looked at her now.
"A Servant whose name I've never heard of winning the final victory... That's hard. Too hard."
The gray-haired old man slowly approached, exuding a ghostly, mysterious aura.
He was Jubstacheit von Einzbern, the eighth head of the Einzbern family and Irisviel's creator.
This old man had lived since the establishment of the Fuyuki Grail system, seeking the omnipotent wish-granting machine for his own long-held dream.
Seeing the Servant Irisviel summoned, Jubstacheit felt the sky collapse.
Looking at this Caster, the old man's serious face grew even more helpless, and he sighed.
"Did something go wrong with the summoning link?"
"I was fully prepared..."
Irisviel blinked her bright red eyes, scanning him up and down.
"I always felt he was special, but he really doesn't look like a Servant..."
Even she was curious—could the man before her really participate in the brutal Holy Grail War?
Hearing their whispers, the now-calm Izaya couldn't help but look at the two several times. He glanced at the old man behind, then at Irisviel again.
Perhaps due to her artificial nature, the woman before him was beautiful and striking. Compared to Koyanskaya's allure, this silver-haired beauty seemed more delicate between her brows, her plump, rosy lips slightly pursed, adding a faint sense of fragility.
Of course, the dress was quite conservative, but its tight, elegant cut highlighted her graceful figure, and the skirt's slit, paired with white stockings, revealed a forbidden allure.
Truly, an intense flavor...
But as he recalled, as the 'Lesser Grail' holding the Servants' souls, Manaka would eventually target her.
Meeting Manaka in the Holy Grail War...
Recalling Manaka's almost appearance when she left not long ago, Izaya felt a bit melancholic.
"Why do you keep looking at me...?"
Irisviel gazed back, a little uncomfortable.
"Perhaps he's confirming if you're his Master..."
Jubstacheit said in a stern, scolding tone.
"Irisviel, it's the eve of the Holy Grail War. Many Masters will summon their Servants tonight. I'll use a magical barrier to reinforce the castle. Pass my plan to Caster."
With that, he turned and left the hall.
[Jubstacheit was very dissatisfied with the Servant summoned at Einzbern Castle this time. After all, you left no trace in history, and no one knows you witnessed the Tunguska explosion or the birth of the Beast of Cherishment.]
[Of course, you don't care. Since Manaka's addition, the Holy Grail War's nature has changed, and your priority now is to understand the current situation.]
Whether it's Manaka or Koyanskaya preparing to participate, this timeline is clearly different from the 'original' he knew.
His first task: identify all the Masters participating in this Holy Grail War.
["Master, shall we talk elsewhere?"]
When you say this to Irisviel, she nods without hesitation and takes you to a bedroom on the castle's second floor.
In a lavishly decorated bedroom, Izaya lounges in a chair, listening as Irisviel talks about Fuyuki's factions.
That is, the Makiri, Einzbern, and Tohsaka families...
So, are the Masters of these three families unchanged for certain? With Manaka, and Kayneth included, five Masters are already known. The other two were originally Waver and Father Risei's son... But maybe the timeline changed. Also, do the Masters' Servants change as well?
"By the way, did you join the Holy Grail War alone?"
Izaya asked, deep in thought.
In the 1994 Fourth Holy Grail War, Irisviel's great-grandfather Jubstacheit was the Einzbern castle's supreme authority. He was also the one who decided to hire Kiritsugu Emiya as Master.
But until now, he hadn't seen the Magus Killer.
Irisviel tilted her head.
"He hasn't arrived yet?"
Izaya shook his head.
"So, aside from you and your grandfather, are there any other outsiders in the castle?"
"No, anyway, it's the eve of the Holy Grail War, so we should be careful."
After Irisviel finished, she looked at the black-haired man with a somewhat complicated expression.
In the last three Holy Grail Wars, the Einzberns had hired powerful outside magi to summon strong Servants, but all had failed. Thus, this time, Jubstacheit's original plan was to summon Tamamo-no-Mae, the soul of Amaterasu, to fortify the castle as a high-level temple—a domain of absolute defense and offense.
But even Jubstacheit hadn't expected the one to answer the summoning would be a mysterious Servant.
"So Jubstacheit's strategy is for you to hide in the castle and defend passively?"
Izaya pondered, then continued,
"But if someone knows about the 'Lesser Grail', you might be in danger."
Irisviel looked up at the black-haired man in disbelief, her rosy lips parting slightly in surprise.
Few in Fuyuki knew the secret of the Lesser Grail. How did he?
"Could it be... Clairvoyance?"
Izaya smiled.
It's not Clairvoyance. I simply stood at a higher latitude and read the 'script' in advance... After all, I know your future, even if you don't sit through it yourself.
As if struck deep in her heart, Irisviel's smile faded.
This Grail had always existed as a 'Lesser Grail', gradually fading as the number of Servants decreased, until it became the Greater Grail... Such was Irisviel's fate.
To Jubstacheit, she was more a tool for his long-cherished wish.
"Would you like to go outside for a walk?"
Izaya suddenly asked.
Irisviel was briefly stunned, but her crimson eyes soon lit up.
[Born as a 'tool', Irisviel resembled a human closely and even had human emotions, but she had never left the castle, like a caged bird.]
[She was excited at your invitation, but ultimately declined out of 'consideration for the bigger picture'.]
[You simply smiled, shook your head, and said—]
["This isn't just a stroll—it's reconnaissance before the war begins. Don't worry, I'll protect you. Let's go."]
[Without giving her a chance to refuse, you led her out of the castle, compressing the seeds of fantasy with resentment and leaving the forest.]
[You walked the wintry streets of Fuyuki in 1994. Goose feathers and snow fell between the dark velvet curtains, the cold wind harsh, but nothing could dim Irisviel's bright gaze.]
[She had never left the castle, but now, after summoning a Servant and about to enter a brutal war, she saw the outside world with you.]
[Yet, from the moment you left the castle, many factions became aware of your presence.]
[But so what?]
[After facing Outer Gods and the siege of your own crown, you now had absolute confidence in your power.]
[What's more, you possess a Noble Phantasm condensed to the utmost.]
Strolling through the port town's streets, Izaya's eyes fixed on his personal interface—
[Izaya]
Current stats: [Empathy: B]
[Eyes of Calamity: Rainbow]
[Celestial Frontline: A+]
[Original Calamity: EX]
[Devotion: A]
[Noble Phantasm: Cradle of the Distant Beast (EX)]
[Type: Boundary Treasure]
[The user expands a Reality Marble that recreates the scorched earth after the Tunguska explosion, summoning the extinction scene and calling upon all things of the land to aid in battle.]
[Now... an ancient existence also resides here.]
...The stat panel was average, but the skill panel was superb. In the Moon's system, stats weren't the core—Noble Phantasms and skills determined the victor.
And this Noble Phantasm was Izaya's greatest weapon.
As he admired his panel, Izaya suddenly noticed something.
Wait... Tiamat is still sleeping in my unique magecraft. What if I deploy my Noble Phantasm to awaken her... Would that help?
...
Tohsaka Mansion
A refined man in a red suit sat quietly in the basement, receiving news from the church.
"Irisviel... The Einzberns really sent her as the Master."
Having received the information from his disciple, Kotomine Kirei, Tohsaka Tokiomi frowned deeply.
"But... why did the old man send her out alone?"
Although the Einzberns were one of Fuyuki's Three Families, their Homunculus wasn't particularly strong, and Irisviel would be left alone just before the war... This wasn't Jubstacheit's style. Was it a trap? Or did he have another goal?
Either way, he had to keep watch...
Ending his call, Tokiomi opened the secret door from the basement and entered the corridor—only to be shocked by the sight of a man in golden armor standing at the window in the dimly lit courtyard. There was no light in the hall, snow flew outside, but the lonely, noble, and arrogant stance of the King of Hero was unmistakable.
He gazed in a specific direction out the window, a hint of interest in his crimson eyes.
"So... on the eve of the Holy Grail War, he dares to go shopping openly with his Master? Am I being too generous, or is he simply too confident?"
Soon, the low and magnetic voice of the King of Hero echoed through the hall.
He was clearly aware that a Servant had appeared in Fuyuki tonight.
Tokiomi's eyes flickered as he calmly spoke,
"King, it's still the eve of the Grail War. There's no need to act so soon..."
Before he finished, those red eyes gazed at Tokiomi impishly, as if to say—do you dare command a king?
Feeling the immense pressure, Tokiomi quickly bowed.
"I wouldn't dare. Just offering reasonable advice..."
"Then there's no need for words. Since the enemy dares to walk the streets as a warm-up for the Holy Grail War, I, the King, shall begin this great game tonight."
Tokiomi's expression changed as he unconsciously looked up.
"King—"
But Gilgamesh paid no heed. He turned, transformed into golden particles, and quietly vanished from the hall.
Staring at where the King of Hero had left, Tokiomi's face was grim.
He'd always known the King of Heroes wouldn't obey, but he'd never expected him to be this uncontrollable.
Gilgamesh's strength was undeniable, but if he appeared so flamboyantly on the streets, revealing his identity... That wouldn't be good for them.
Still, if he tried to stop him, it would only provoke dissatisfaction.
The only way to rein him in would be to use a Command Seal—something Tokiomi didn't want to do before the war began.
He gently traced the Command Seals on his hand, frowning deeply.
"Now this is trouble..."
...
[You walk through the snowy streets of Fuyuki, your Master by your side.]
[She's never left the old castle, so she's curious about everything.]
[The winter night's streets are deserted, shops already closed for the day.]
[To you, the scene is somewhat 'abandoned', but to Irisviel, it's an unprecedented 'grand spectacle'—enough to make her happy and excited.]
"Caster, look!"
She suddenly stopped, her breath turning to mist in the frigid air.
The silver-haired beauty pointed to the window of a closed pastry shop, her face brimming with longing to explore the world.
Inside, cakes of all shapes and sizes were displayed—common enough, but to Irisviel, they seemed masterpieces of art.
"Those shapes... What are they made of? They look delicious."
Izaya looked at the beauty beneath the dark night. Her silver hair spilled carelessly, crystal eyes shone with curiosity for the world.
Snowflakes gently fell onto her skirt, dampening it slightly. Her white skin beneath the sacred dress felt warm and gentle—fresher even than the snow.
On that quiet, snowy night, in empty streets, even the flickering streetlights couldn't hide her excited, beautiful eyes.
[It was the first night, but Irisviel, trapped so long in the castle, hadn't learned to fear the outside world. She encountered a fantasy race from ancient books, saw the 'outside world' she'd only heard about. In this short time, she seemed to forget the Holy Grail War, her own identity, and that you were her Servant.]
[But such a beautiful moment could not last. It was already the eve of the Grail War—not everyone was as relaxed as you, enjoying a 'rendezvous'.]
Shing!
In the dim light, a brilliant golden flash suddenly split the air!
It wasn't ordinary magecraft, but a Golden Arrow of immense power, flying at Izaya too fast for the naked eye to follow.
Izaya's body reacted faster than his mind.
—Celestial Frontline, engage!
Boom!
Inky-black resentment exploded from his body, almost alive. It wasn't his usual magecraft, but the 'power of resentment' from the scorched earth of Tunguska!
It rapidly condensed in the air, forming a 'Wall of Resentment' that whirled around him.
The golden arrow struck the dark barrier fiercely!
Surprisingly, there was no violent explosion. Instead, the wall of resentment swallowed the golden light like a beastly fissure.
Irisviel tensed, a flash of panic on her beautiful face, and turned around.
Izaya also turned to look up. His gaze pierced the drifting snow, suddenly fixing on the far end of the street.
On top of a lamppost swaying in the wind and snow, a figure had appeared.
He was as dazzling as a god from myth—clad in golden armor that shone even in the snowy night, every line radiating divine light.
His wild, tousled blond hair fluttered in the wind and snow. He crossed his arms with pride, standing nonchalantly atop the lamppost, looking down arrogantly at the world.
"I thought a Servant walking openly the night before the Grail War would be a worthy opponent... But I didn't expect you to simply use anti-flow magecraft?"
His voice, full of arrogance and disdain, echoed through the snowy street.
Irisviel looked ahead, trembling at the pressure in his red eyes, unconsciously clutching her skirt.
"Caster, be careful... I can feel this Servant is extremely powerful! Incredibly powerful!"
Though not adept in battle, Irisviel's Homunculus body had advanced magical circuits and perception. Gilgamesh, simply by standing there, released an aura no ordinary Servant could compare to.
Izaya gazed upward for a long time, murmuring,
"King of Heroes, Gilgamesh? I didn't expect you to come to my door so soon—couldn't bear the loneliness?"
He knew Archer's identity in the Fourth War, but was still surprised to see the true King of the Golden Treasury.
As Irisviel had sensed, Gilgamesh was the only 'exceptional' Servant in this war.
Gilgamesh raised his eyebrows with interest.
"Oh? You really know this King's identity?"
Izaya smiled ambiguously.
"Collector of all prototypes in the world... Only you, the King, possess the treasury of treasures."
Gilgamesh narrowed his eyes, cold light flickering in their red depths.
"Since you guessed, how dare you look upon this King... mongrel!"
Behind him, countless golden portals opened. Gilgamesh unleashed his treasury, countless golden Noble Phantasms raining down, illuminating the night.
Almost simultaneously, several Masters hiding in the shadows sensed the commotion.
…
In a certain building, Manaka had just summoned her own Servant. Sensing something, she looked out at a certain street, a dangerous, charming smile appearing on her face.
"A Servant... Just his magical energy must equal the sum of six ordinary ones, no?"
Her beautiful eyes flashed with a hint of darkness.
…
The Assassin, already crouched in the shadows, was trembling with fear.
Until recently, she had followed Caster on her Master's orders, gathering information... but she never expected to see gods fight.
Knowing Archer was an 'ally', even Assassin was shocked by the sheer number of Noble Phantasms Gilgamesh unleashed.
This Caster had no luck. Maybe he'd gone out for information, but didn't expect a 'nontraditional' Servant to come knocking...
Watching Gilgamesh unleash attack after attack, then looking again at Caster, the Assassin felt even more discomfort.
In the Grail War, Caster should have had the advantage in a long-range magecraft battle. But this King of Hero was no ordinary opponent—and she already knew how it would end.
Just as she predicted, no matter how skilled Caster's magecraft, he would be worn down in a battle of attrition against a Servant who could endlessly unleash Noble Phantasms.
"From the start, you tried to passively defend against some unknown grudge... It seems I overestimated you, Caster."
Standing atop the lamppost, Gilgamesh's tone was full of scorn and mockery.
He thought a Servant daring to appear openly the night before the war would have something to surprise him—but this trip had been disappointing.
"Then, be gone with your Master, mongrel."
With that, Gilgamesh turned, lifting his hand indifferently as golden portals behind him flared.
Within the golden light, countless treasures appeared, all aimed at Izaya.
"Caster—!!"
Irisviel cried out in alarm, clenching her fist, ready to activate a Command Spell at any moment.
But Izaya only gave her a reassuring look.
"Don't worry, Master."
Let the King have some fun, since he wants to play.
A wind blew from the frozen earth.
Gilgamesh, catching a whiff of something strange, paused.
The air carried a faint 'scorched earth' smell.
"Ah..."
Gilgamesh turned back, suddenly eyeing Caster with new interest.
"A Reality Marble... So you've finally thought of something to amuse this King."
A Reality Marble usually reflected the user's inner world, transforming the surroundings into a completely different landscape.
He wondered what kind of world this mongrel's mind would produce.
Ignoring Gilgamesh's mockery, Izaya slowly looked up, new worlds reflected in his dark eyes.
"Since you want to see... then I'll show you, King of Heroes."
"I'll show you the 'world' of my heart!"
Cradle of the Distant Beast—unfold!
In an instant, the world changed.
When Gilgamesh came to his senses, he found himself standing on a vast plain.
A brilliant Milky Way stretched across the sky like a long, silent belt.
Beneath his feet was the completely scorched earth of Tunguska, with flickering lights of souls in every crack.
"So, the resentment you used just now was for this?"
"But here and now, the outside world is irrelevant to this King's judgment."
Almost in disappointment, Gilgamesh sighed and effortlessly raised his treasury.
Ten thousand arrows flew.
"Aaaaah—!"
But the next moment, a siren-like, sorrowful song echoed across the barren land.
It sounded as if it came from the dawn of creation, awakening a 'fear' from deep within Gilgamesh's memory—he suddenly froze, unable to move.
A cold wind swept the frozen ground, and the impending battle fell into a strange silence, as if someone had pressed the 'pause button.'
Gilgamesh slowly looked up, regarding Caster suspiciously.
Just now—that voice... What was it?
Were there other beings on this frozen earth?
Countless thoughts flashed by. He looked past the black-haired man's shoulder.
Thump... Thump... Thump...
It was as if the whole world was shaking with a monster's heartbeat, even his own blood boiling.
For the first time, Gilgamesh's fingertips trembled.
...Fear?
He looked down at his fingers, disbelief filling his red eyes.
The oldest Hero King, possessor of prototypes of all treasures... Was he feeling fear in another Servant's Reality Marble?
Impossible!
...How could this be?!
He kept hinting to himself, but his heartbeat only quickened, until at last it soared skyward.
Gilgamesh slowly looked up, as if seeing something that even the heroic King would find shocking.
His crimson eyes widened in awe.
At some point, a colossal presence had quietly appeared behind Caster—an existence that could not be described by 'enormous.'
It was the perfect, divine embodiment of the primal Mother Goddess.
Twin gigantic black horns grew from either side of her head, like two inverted crescents reaching the clouds above.
Her eyes were peacefully closed, her face expressionless—pure, ultimate tranquility.
After returning to this cradle full of 'children', her motherhood, suppressed for millennia, was finally soothed and fulfilled.
"That..."
Realizing something, Gilgamesh's voice trembled,
"...'Mother'?!"