The Holy Grail War is a battle among magus for the legendary, omnipotent wish-granting device—the Holy Grail. The method of claiming the Grail involves the summoning of Heroic Spirits through the Holy Grail system, allowing beings from the Throne of Heroes to descend into the world as Servants.
Seven magus command their respective Servants in battle, and the ultimate victor will obtain the Holy Grail.
Now, after sixty years, the Holy Grail War is once again about to begin!
Tohsaka Residence.
"Sakura, hurry up!"
Dragging a small suitcase behind her, Rin called out to her younger sister to keep up. Though Sakura had been adopted into the Matou family, she had never actually moved in with them and had remained at home.
Having already begun her formal education in magecraft, Rin wasn't sure if this arrangement was unusual, but since Tokiomi had never objected, she was happy to accept it.
"I'm coming, I'm coming!"
As lively as ever, Tohsaka Sakura—or rather, Matou Sakura—carried a suitcase almost identical to Rin's, running toward her sister with all her might.
Tap, tap.
The crisp sound of footsteps echoed through the house. As the Tohsaka sisters busied themselves with their luggage, a young man with a cold expression slowly descended the stairs, his gaze passing over the two sisters and the gentle-looking woman beside them.
A long, pale green dress accentuated her graceful demeanor, making her look like a noble lady sheltered within the depths of her home.
"Would you like some help, Mrs. Aoi?"
"Kirei, you'll be fighting alongside my father, won't you?"
After helping her sister, Rin fixed her gaze on Kirei and asked, "If that's the case, will you promise to protect my father and ensure his safety until the end?"
"Kirei?"
Sakura, still holding her suitcase, also looked up at the tall figure of Kotomine Kirei, adding, "You have to protect my father!"
Staring at the two sisters, Kirei's expression remained unchanged as he shook his head.
"If this war were simple enough for me to make such a promise, there would be no need for you and Mrs. Aoi to seek refuge."
By now, most of the Masters had already been revealed.
The Three Founding Families had each sent representatives to participate, and even the Clock Tower, the headquarters of the Mage's Association, had dispatched a Lord to join the war. The difficulty of this battle was such that Kirei could not make reckless assurances.
"Hmph! If anything happens to my father, I won't forgive you!"
Rin turned her head away, and beside her, Sakura stuck out her tongue at Kirei and added, "Yeah! I won't forgive you either!"
Kirei, seemingly accustomed to such reactions, had just opened his mouth to speak when Aoi stepped forward and gently said, "Please, Kirei, help him fulfill his long-cherished wish."
After seeing off the Tohsaka sisters and Aoi, Kotomine Kirei returned upstairs. In his study, Tokiomi sat alone, staring intently at an object on his desk. Sensing Kirei's presence, he spoke:
"You've arrived just in time. The Holy Relic we've been preparing has finally been delivered."
Tokiomi gestured toward the item before him.
"Look at this—fossilized remnants of the First Serpent's Shed Skin. If we use this as a catalyst, the Heroic Spirit we summon will guarantee our victory."
Summoning a Servant requires a complex magical ritual.
The compatibility between the summoner and the Heroic Spirit—both mentally and physically—is crucial, but the most important factor is a relic that holds a deep connection to the chosen Heroic Spirit.
...
And it wasn't just the Tohsaka family making preparations for the upcoming summoning. Far away in a foreign land, the Einzbern family was also readying themselves for this Holy Grail War.
Years ago, they had recruited a Magus Killer, and now, their homunculus vessel for the Lesser Grail, Irisviel von Einzbern, was fully prepared.
"I never thought we'd find the legendary scabbard of the Holy Sword..."
The thin-faced man, known as the Magus Killer, Emiya Kiritsugu, gazed at the golden scabbard before him. Gold and blue intertwined, forming the crest of a knight.
Hundreds of years had passed, yet time had left no trace upon the scabbard. It remained unweathered, untouched by the ages.
Beside him, Irisviel von Einzbern, elegantly dressed in a luxurious gown, chuckled softly.
"It's a Conceptual Weapon. It's only natural that it can resist the erosion of time for a thousand years. Merely equipping it allows the user to heal their wounds and halt the aging process. Of course, this all depends on whether its original wielder supplies it with mana."
To win the Holy Grail War, summoning the most powerful Servant possible was crucial. This made the choice of relic the most important factor.
The type of relic a Master could obtain directly determined the upper limit of the Servant they could summon.
...
In Fuyuki City—within a certain residence.
To prove his theories and talents, Waver Velvet had stolen a relic from his mentor, Kayneth, and had arrived in Fuyuki. Using suggestion magecraft, he had managed to secure lodging in a local household.
The tattered red cloak in his possession was a testament to the glory of a once absolute conqueror who had ruled over vast lands across Eurasia.
...
Matou Residence.
Due to Alaric's interference, Matou Zouken lost his chosen successor. However, he soon welcomed home a prodigal son.
To prevent Sakura from truly being absorbed into the Matoul lineage and being destroyed by her father's experiments, the self-sacrificing Matou Kariya chose to become a Master and fight for his family.
...
While all these events unfolded, Alaric, who had been avoiding contact with others, stood alone within a vast underground cavern.
Even now, the Command Spells signifying his status as a Master had yet to appear on his body, as if the Holy Grail had never chosen him.
"Holy Grail..."
Yet, Alaric felt no disappointment. After years of study, he had finally reached the final key to his plans.
"As expected, it's best to leave this to the professionals."
Alaric had no intention of interfering with the Matou family's participation. To ensure he could summon Caster, he needed the Matou to summon Berserker first.
The signs of a serial killer had already been detected—
"Just a little more time. Just a little more."
He had to wait until the Tohsakas finished their summoning before taking the final Caster slot.
Among all the Servants, Caster was the only one useful to Alaric. The others were meaningless.
His excitement had long since faded into calm. With an indifferent expression, Alaric stepped into the shadows, disappearing from sight.
...
As night fell, the moment of summoning arrived.
The clock struck the celestial wheel, heralding the fated hour.
A cycle of time would begin anew.
Tohsaka Residence.
Having long since prepared the summoning ritual, Tohsaka Tokiomi placed the relic on the altar. As mana surged forth, he began chanting the incantation he had rehearsed countless times:
"Fill, fill, fill, fill, fill!"
"Silver and iron. The Archduke of Contracts binds the foundation."
"I beseech thee, my ancestor, my teacher—Zelretch!"
Somewhere in a Forest.
Having completed his ritual, Waver Velvet had already begun his incantation:
"Let the turbulent winds be blocked by four walls. Close the four gates. From the crown, release—let the path to the kingdom be forged!"
"Your body is under my command, and my fate rests upon your sword!"
Einzbern.
Kiritsugu Emiya's cold voice rang out:
"In response to the summons of the Holy Grail, if you would abide by this reason, then heed my call.
Here and now, I swear upon it.
I am the one who shall accomplish all the good in this world,
I am the one who shall spread all the evil in this world."
Matou.
Even as his body was on the verge of collapse, the one chanting incantations persisted:
"Let your eyes be clouded, your soul be consumed by madness. A prisoner trapped within the cage of frenzy. I am the one who holds the chains—" (Mad Enhancement Incantation)
"You are one of the seven, bound by the three great words.
Come forth from the Wheel of Restraint, O Guardian of the Scales—!"*
In different places, with different methods, yet all striving toward the same goal, these individuals completed the miracle known as Heroic Spirit Summoning!
A dazzling radiance burst forth before them, and the brilliant light of Ether constructed the spiritual foundation of the summoned beings, allowing the legendary Heroic Spirits to manifest in the world as Servants.
Tohsaka Family Basement.
As the ether light dissipated, a golden king appeared at the center of the ritual.
Responding to the threads of fate from an ancient era, the symbol of antiquity brought forth this golden ruler.
Clad in golden armor, with radiant golden hair standing proudly, he exuded an unparalleled arrogance. The young tyrant-like king surveyed the two men before him with a cold gaze.
"We have won—"
Tokiomi could barely contain his excitement. The moment he saw that the summoning had succeeded, he understood—victory was already within his grasp.
Somewhere in a Forest.
The moonlight bathed the silent forest in an air of mystery.
Having parted ways with Alaric years ago, no longer the naïve fifteen-year-old he once was, the nineteen-year-old Waver Velvet saw it—
An ancient king appeared at the center of the ritual.
Beneath his crimson cloak was an imposing physique, exuding an overwhelming presence.
Einzbern.
From distant ages, the King of Knights stood upon the Hill of Camlann, a king who had yet to truly perish, a ruler striving to fulfill an unattainable dream and atone for past sins—
The moonlight illuminated a young girl's face; her resolute expression complemented the blue armor and dress she wore.
The King of Knights spoke solemnly, her voice echoing through the chapel:
"Tell me—are you my Master?"
...
That was the second day after the Heroic Spirit Summoning had concluded.
As the Masters who had yet to arrive in Fuyuki City began their journeys, elsewhere in the city—
A family had been taken hostage.
A murderer had broken into their home, and before they could even react, they had all been captured, bound like criminals.
The killer, whose name they did not know, used someone's blood and followed an ancient magical text he had found, beginning to construct an unknown summoning ritual.
"Fill, fill, fill, fill, fill…"
Obscure incantations were whispered into the air.
The television, left on in the background, was broadcasting news about a certain serial killer.
Seeing this, Ryūnosuke Uryū smiled without a hint of concern. He merely turned his head towards the boy, who was tightly bound, and asked:
"Do you believe that demons exist, little one?"
Of course, the boy could not respond.
Yet, Ryūnosuke continued speaking to himself:
"The news and magazines always call me a demon. But if real demons do exist, wouldn't it be disrespectful to call me one?
That thought bothers me, you know."
Tap, tap.
Ryūnosuke walked up to the boy and squatted down abruptly, making the already terrified child tremble even more.
With a dramatic tone, Ryūnosuke smirked:
"Hello, I am Ryūnosuke Uryū, the demon. Can I introduce myself like that?"
As he spoke, he pulled a yellowed book from his pocket and continued:
"So, I found this thing—an old book from my family's storage. Looks like my ancestor studied how to summon demons or something."
Flipping through the book, Ryūnosuke sighed with exaggerated exasperation:
"That means I have no choice but to test whether demons exist, right?
If a demon shows up, it'd be pretty dumb if I just sat down and chatted with it unprepared.
So, if the demon does appear, would you mind letting it kill you?"
Ryūnosuke grinned.
His wicked smile made the boy's fear intensify.
And then—
"Huh? What's this—"
A sudden stinging pain erupted on the back of Ryūnosuke's hand. Scarlet markings surfaced along his skin.
Not only that—behind him, the summoning circle, which had remained dormant, began to glow.
Something was coming.
Although Ryūnosuke lacked the magical circuits necessary for proper summoning, the sheer compatibility between him and the responding entity was so high that the ritual could still succeed.
In just a few seconds, the summoning would be completed.
A Heroic Spirit was about to descend from the Throne, granted this brief second life.
That was how it should have been.
But in the very moment, the summoning circle reacted—
Tap, tap.
A shadow moved forward, unnoticed by anyone.
A blade no longer than three feet flashed.
Yet, in those gem-like eyes, it was an absolute killing edge.
A cold glint of steel tore through the darkness—
And illuminated the eyes of the captive family.
Scarlet blood bloomed like flowers.
Splatter!
The serial killer, unable to react, could only stare dumbfounded as his severed arm flew through the air.
A limb that had been with him his entire life was gone in an instant.
Not even a nerve signal of pain had reached his brain yet.
Instead, a single thought surfaced in Ryūnosuke's mind:
"How... beautiful—"
He didn't even realize where the severed limb had come from.
Even a killer like him, one who had taken so many lives, could only admire the sheer beauty of that deadly strike.
But unfortunately, no one would ever hear his thoughts.
It was merely the last echo of a dying man.
The blade did not stop.
Before the summoning could complete, it struck down—
The final Servant's summoning was utterly destroyed!
Not even a physical form had been allowed to manifest!
The sword swung again.
The killer's body was bisected before he could even die from blood loss.
His erupting blood mist evaporated instantly, leaving not a single trace behind.
Thud.
Without sparing a glance at the dying murderer, Alaric casually caught the severed arm.
The Command Seals were visible on the back of the hand.
Then, after freeing the captive family, Alaric turned and left—without hesitation.
Upon obtaining the final crucial item, Alaric rushed to Ryūdō Temple at the fastest speed and began his Heroic Spirit summoning ritual!
Ryūnosuke Uryū's summoning had not yet been completed. Before the Command Seals appeared and the Heroic Spirit was fully summoned, there was still room for Alaric to intervene.
Having long been clear about the class of Heroic Spirit he required, Alaric had been concerned about whether he could summon one. However, with a mindset of giving it a try, he carefully planned this action.
To ensure he could summon a Caster, Alaric had to wait until the last moment before taking action.
According to his understanding, the Holy Relics collected by Tokiomi Tohsaka and the others would inevitably summon specific classes of Servants, leaving only Ryūnosuke Uryū as a possible summoner of Caster.
Thus, waiting was necessary.
However, Alaric wasn't planning to wait until Ryūnosuke successfully summoned a Caster and then attempted to seize it.
What he needed was to conduct his summoning ritual. Only a Servant that met his requirements could be summoned by him.
Tap. Tap.
Alaric slowly approached the pre-prepared summoning circle.
Raising his hand, he summoned the Holy Lance Rhongomyniad. The moment the cold spear landed in his palm, it began to radiate a dark magical glow.
However, the fluctuations of magical energy were completely blocked by the surrounding barriers, preventing any external detection.
Casually tossing aside the severed arm that had lost its Command Seals, Alaric examined the crimson markings on the back of his hand. The Command Seals were proof of a Master's qualification. By seizing Ryūnosuke Uryū's Command Seals, this summoning would now be conducted by Alaric himself!
"With this king-bestowed spear, the spear of regicide, the anchor of the stars—"
Alaric reversed his grip and plunged Rhongomyniad into the ground. The pitch-black aurora began spreading across the floor.
In an instant, the energy flowed into the summoning ritual.
A summoning ritual merely serves as a medium; true Heroic Spirit summoning is carried out by the Holy Grail system, meaning it doesn't consume many resources from the summoner.
The real cost comes after the Servant materializes, in the magical energy required to sustain their existence.
However, Alaric had no intention of using his magical energy to support the Servant's upkeep. If possible, he even wanted Caster to provide him with magical energy instead.
"In witness of the god of origins, in witness of the mistress of the sky, let my great deeds be sung—"
Fixing his gaze on the summoning circle, Alaric took a deep breath. His surging magical energy began to flow with his words:
"Come forth from the beyond, let the Last Knight of the Round Table make his declaration here!"
His connection to this Heroic Spirit would manifest in this moment.
Alaric did not use any Holy Relics but relied solely on his affinity to summon.
"Fill. Fill. Fill. Fill. Fill.
Silver and iron.
The Grand Duke of contracts bound to the foundation.
A swirling wind acts as a barrier against the four walls.
Close the gates in all directions,
From the crown, unleash, and wander at the kingdom's crossroads.
Your body shall be under my command,
My fate shall rest upon your blade.
Respond to the call of the Holy Grail.
If you accept this will, then answer my summons.
Here and now, I make my vow.
I am the one who embodies all the virtues of this world,
I am the one who upholds all evils of this world.
You, clad in the three great words of power over seven heavens,
Come forth from the circle of restraint, O guardian of the scales—!"
The moment the fervent incantation concluded—
A surge of intensely familiar magical energy erupted, and a certain existence immediately responded to Alaric's summons. Pure ether began forming a corporeal body.
The flow of magic shook the atmosphere, sending roaring gales sweeping in all directions.
As the light of ether faded, the figure reflected in Alaric's eyes was—