Fuyuki City, Tohsaka Residence.
*KNOCK!* *KNOCK!*
The sound of knocking echoed, and the door slowly opened. Kirei entered.
"Kirei, you're right on time. I thought this thing wouldn't come."
Tokiomi said with pleasant surprise. In his original plan, this Holy Relic—the fossil formed from the world's earliest molting serpent's scales—would not arrive.
After all, in his original plan, this object wouldn't reach their hands until at least a year later.
Now, it seemed due to Counter Force's intervention, this object had arrived early in their hands, allowing them to catch up with this Holy Grail War advanced by one year.
And also enabling them to face the existence even the Counter Force called an Outer-Demon God.
"If we can use it as a medium and successfully summon that Heroic Spirit, I'm certain that both that Demon God and this Holy Grail War will guarantee our victory."
Tokiomi said with great confidence. He couldn't imagine what kind of existence could defeat that Heroic Spirit.
Defeat the King of Heroes.
◆━⊰✧⊱━◆
Fuyuki City, the old couple Makiji's house, where Waver Velvet was staying.
"What's going on? Why did I suddenly steal my teacher's bag, as if my mind suddenly burned up?"
Waver held his head in distress. His thesis wasn't finished yet.
He didn't know what had happened. Today, he suddenly acted like this.
Suddenly, his right hand hurt, and three red Command Spells appeared on it.
The information appearing in his mind also told him what had occurred.
He had been chosen by the Counter Force to participate in the Holy Grail War in Fuyuki City, to summon a Heroic Spirit to fight the Outer-Demon God that might destroy the world.
"Ah? This is a lie, right? Can I really do this?"
Although Waver considered himself a genius, he also carried the arrogance of a genius and the inferiority complex from being constantly looked down upon.
Though he desperately wanted to prove himself, was he truly worthy of a world-saving mission?
He doubted himself slightly.
But even so, he still made a decision and resolved to summon a Heroic Spirit to participate in this Holy Grail War.
◆━⊰✧⊱━◆
Hyatt Hotel, on the same floor rented by Kayneth El-Melloi Archibald.
This Holy Grail War seemed to be advanced by one year, yet it also seemed not advanced.
Perhaps only the Holy Grail War meant to occur a year later had been advanced by one year.
Of course, this could also be due to Counter Force's interference.
"I am Kayneth El-Melloi Archibald who reserved the upper floor of this hotel. I'd like to ask, has the room I reserved been cleared?"
A voice full of arrogance echoed. The front desk clerk lifted his head from his work, and upon seeing the honored guest specifically notified by the boss, he immediately set aside his work.
He stood up and said in an extremely sweet voice.
"It's been cleared, Mr. Archibald. Please follow me. I'll serve you completely."
"Good."
Kayneth gave a slight nod. Even in nodding, his movement was minimal, always maintaining a high viewpoint, giving an arrogant impression.
"In fifteen minutes, I want you to prepare the bathing items for my fiancée. One hour later, I want you to deliver the pre-arranged meal. Is this not a problem?"
As he spoke, the red-haired woman beside him always showed an elegant smile and gently held Kayneth's arm.
Clearly, this woman was the fiancée mentioned by Kayneth—her full name Sola-Ui Nuada-Re Sophia-Ri. She came from the same noble family as Kayneth and was a leading family among the magical nobility.
As a noblewoman, she elegantly held Kayneth's arm. Though the smile on her face looked slightly fake to sharp-eyed observers, to the people present, it perfectly matched the beauty of high society.
◆━⊰✧⊱━◆
"Fill, fill, fill, fill, fill."
"Repeating, it's the fifth, but the time of fullness is the time of abandonment."
The Heroic Spirit Summoning Array drawn with blood began to shine.
"With hate and iron as the origin."
"With the duke of stone and contract as the foundation."
"With the wall to block the descending wind."
"Close the four gates."
"Come from the crown."
"Circulate endlessly at the three-way intersection leading to the kingdom."
"Hereby declared."
"Your body will be my command, your destiny will be my sword."
"Follow the Holy Grail's request, if you wish to follow this intention and reason, then respond!"
"Hereby sworn."
"I am the one who accomplishes all good deeds in the world, I am the one who purges all evil in the world."
"Let your three great incantations, from the wheel of inhibition, the guardian of the balance, fulfill."
At the same time, in different locations, four different Masters recited incantations to summon Heroic Spirits.
Along with the Summoning Array's light slowly fading.
◆━⊰✧⊱━◆
In the basement of the Tohsaka Residence.
A noble golden figure appeared in the Summoning Array.
"King of Heroes, your humble servant greatly desires you to bring the final victory, along with the prize."
Before Gilgamesh, the most ancient King of Heroes, Tokiomi spoke respectfully.
As if he were truly a loyal subordinate to Gilgamesh.
"Annoying mongrel."
Gilgamesh could naturally easily see through Tokiomi's falseness. If the man were slightly more honest, he might grant the Holy Grail as a reward.
"My younger self, don't be so irritable."
"Yes, my younger self."
Suddenly, two voices—one old, one young—echoed in Gilgamesh's mind.
Yes, this was Gilgamesh who had merged three personalities: Kid Gil, Archer Gil, and Caster Gil.
"Silence, both of you!"
If there was someone who couldn't understand themselves from different periods, Gilgamesh was certainly one of them.
Even if the three forms of Gilgamesh shared identical memories, they would never understand or approve of themselves from that period.
◆━⊰✧⊱━◆
In the old couple Makiji's house, within the Summoning Array drawn with chicken blood.
A tall, muscular red figure appeared within the Array.
"Where is the Demon God destroying the world? I can't wait to conquer him."
A voice full of excitement and enthusiasm came from the red figure.
This was Iskandar, the King of Conquerors, who had obtained a Grand Spirit Origin.
Faced with the Counter Force's request, he immediately agreed without a second thought.
Now that he had obtained the Grand Spirit Origin, he could be said to be extremely confident and invincible among Heroic Spirits.
Because after obtaining the Grand Spirit Origin, the Heroic Spirits within Ionioi Hetairoi could also unleash their Noble Phantasms, with costs covered by the Counter Force.
He didn't believe there was any existence in this world that fifty thousand Heroic Spirits couldn't defeat.