1989, Fuyuki City.
Matou Zouken, head of one of the two greatest Magus families in this city—the Matou family—was in an exceptionally good mood today.
In this city, every sixty years, a magical ritual unknown to ordinary people would be held.
Seven pairs of Masters and Servants would fight each other, with the losers as offerings, until finally the Holy Grail was summoned.
Of course, since this ritual was established by Magi, what was summoned was certainly not the Holy Relic of the Son of God.
Yet its function was in no way inferior to legend. Though it was called the Holy Grail, it was also a wish-granting machine capable of fulfilling any desire.
Judging by the timeline, the Fourth Holy Grail War seemed to be approaching soon.
Perhaps less than a year before its official start.
However, for this Fourth Holy Grail War, Zouken had already given up hope.
The Matou family—or rather, the Zolgen family—had entered Fuyuki City as outsiders.
But Magecraft was deeply tied to the living environment. After hundreds of years of evolution, a phenomenon of incompatibility had finally emerged in this generation.
The family's Magic Crest was regressing.
Yet this was a natural situation.
After all, originally, no one could have predicted that over these hundreds of years, the Holy Grail ritual had never truly been completed.
Taking so long, even the Magus bloodline was nearly extinct.
Even in the generation after Zouken's son, their Magic Circuits were blocked from birth, making them unable to become Magi.
Therefore, in this Fourth Holy Grail War, the Matou family could not field a new pawn and thus could not participate naturally.
However, unexpectedly, the Tohsaka family—also a Magus family and one of the three founding families of the Holy Grail ritual—had a promising junior.
Both of Tohsaka Tokiomi's daughters were Magi of exceptional talent, but the Tohsaka family's Magic Crest could only be inherited by one person.
Thus, to avoid wasting his daughter's talent and coinciding with the Matou family's bloodline extinction, Tokiomi adopted one of his daughters, Tohsaka Sakura, to Zouken.
No, she should now be called Matou Sakura.
"The Einzbern lineage has promising juniors. At least their bloodline thrives generation after generation."
"But sometimes being too extraordinary isn't a good thing. Do you agree, Sakura?"
The old man with a strange, distorted appearance looked down at the little girl beside him from head to toe, satisfaction in his eyes.
Due to the rules of this world, mystery attracts mystery. And Sakura, possessing such extraordinary talent, would never escape the fate of mystery.
However, Sakura, still just a little girl, certainly didn't understand this.
She could only follow behind Zouken in fear. After all, she had been abandoned by her parents.
"Hehe~ don't be afraid, Sakura. From today, you are my granddaughter. I'm sure you'll like your new name, Matou Sakura. It sounds much better than Tohsaka Sakura."
"However, before that, I think we need to perform a small ritual."
Zouken smiled strangely and pulled Sakura deeper into the Matou Manor.
Hearing this, Sakura's small body couldn't help but tremble. She instinctively shrank back, but due to her nature, combined with the strong anxiety and fear in her heart, she forcibly stopped her movement and bowed her head in place.
Yet how could Zouken care about Sakura's thoughts? Under his firm grip, which even hurt Sakura.
In the end, Sakura still walked down this path.
Only, Zouken's rough manner made Sakura feel even more uncomfortable.
"G-Grandfather, where are we going?"
"We've arrived, Sakura. Don't be afraid."
Zouken comforted her in a tone that was extremely creepy. Though it wouldn't help much, it would only make Sakura even more frightened.
After seeing the scene below the stairs, the girl's eyes widened. Fear couldn't stop pouring out.
Though not explicitly explained, as long as they saw the scene below, anyone could predict what would happen next.
It was thousands of insects.
A pond filled with insects—various distorted, crawling, writhing insects—so repulsive that no human could accept it, either physically or psychologically.
Disgusting?
It had long surpassed the simple definition of disgusting.
"Now then, Sakura, step down."
"Eh?"
Hearing Zouken's command, Sakura froze for a moment. Perhaps due to panic, or perhaps due to Zouken's slight movement.
Sakura made a small movement to turn around and accidentally slipped and fell.
Below was a swarm of terrifying insects.
Just as Sakura was about to hit the ground, a golden figure suddenly appeared.
He confusedly caught the falling little girl.
Sakura lifted her head, looked at the person holding her, and tightly gripped his collar, refusing to let go.
"B-Big brother, can you not drop me?"
Sakura gently bit her lip, terrified that even this last hope would leave her.
Afraid she would become useless and be dropped into the swarm of Crest Worms.
"Don't worry, I won't drop you."
"So, where was I sent to this time?"
Aslan was also slightly confused, holding the little girl he had just caught, gently patting her back to calm her.
"Eh? What disgusting filth is this!"
Even Aslan felt extremely nauseated by the writhing, crawling, distorted Crest Worms, resembling some formless creatures.
He gently stomped his foot. Sacred flames rose from Aslan's side.
In an instant, all the insects and disgusting filth around him—existences that made people physically uncomfortable—were completely burned away.
"Old man insect?"
The disgusting Crest, the frightened little girl, and the old man holding a cane, emanating an aura that made one want to vomit.
Though Aslan wasn't a Moon Cell otaku, he realized which world he had come to.
"What business do you have with my granddaughter, sir?"
Zouken looked at Aslan and unconsciously stepped back several paces.
That earlier fire—even just seeing it—made him feel his soul burning.
Every insect in his body reminded him to flee immediately, as if as long as Aslan turned his gaze toward him,
They would be completely incinerated.
"Isn't it natural for a Servant to protect their Master?"
Aslan calmed Sakura while casually setting up a Barrier.