The Fortress of Millenia...
Vlad eyed Arjuna standing before him, his brow furrowing as he asked, "Did you find any sign of Eternal King in Zam City?"
Arjuna shook his head. "Nothing. There were no traces, not even a hint of a Servant's presence."
Vlad then turned his gaze toward Avicebron, who stood next to Arjuna.
Avicebron helplessly nodded, equally baffled. "He's right, there was no sign of a Servant."
Vlad's frown deepened. According to his calculations, it seemed impossible for Berserker and Eternal King to have moved a group of homunculi so quickly. They should've been in Zam City. Yet, nothing.
He had no reason to doubt Arjuna or Avicebron. Aside from the fact that neither had a motive to lie, Avicebron's obsession with A-11072 made it unlikely he'd cover for Eternal King or anyone else.
"So, they must have gone to Brad City," Vlad pondered.
The sun had already reached its peak in the new day's sky.
The sound of wings flapping broke the silence; Astolfo was returning on his griffon. Dismissing the creature back to its spiritual form, he headed toward the court to report on his situation.
His search in Brad City turned up empty as well; not a sign of Eternal King, Berserker, or homunculi.
Vlad's unease escalated.
"Is it possible that Eternal King has some sort of Noble Phantasm for quick escapes?" Vlad mused from his throne.
Arjuna nodded. "Could be..."
Vlad glanced at him. "Archer, you and the Red Lancer—Karna, was it?—you've had more than a few run-ins with this king, right?"
Arjuna nodded. "Karna and I were summoned into a battlefield by a Heroic Spirit summoning once. We both served under Eternal King during that war."
"I see. That explains why you'd call a truce with your mortal enemy just because that king showed up," Vlad noted, stroking his chin thoughtfully.
Goredolf, Arjuna's Master, looked from Danic to Arjuna. "Archer, why the hell didn't you share this crucial intel with our King sooner?"
Arjuna met Goredolf's gaze and answered flatly, "Didn't see the need, Master."
Goredolf's face twisted into an expression of confusion.
Arjuna had answered the summons, which meant he must have a wish for the Holy Grail to grant. If that's the case, his first move should be to help the Black Faction win the faction war. So why withhold information?
Vlad scrutinized Arjuna, his tone more understanding than accusing. "You've already obtained what you came for, haven't you?"
"Yes," Arjuna replied, his stoic expression giving way to a grin. "Now that he's shown up, my wish is fulfilled. Eternal King and the Holy Grail don't matter to me. All I want is a fair fight with him, win or lose, life or death!"
"I thought so," Vlad sighed. "Fine, I'll let you and your archenemy have your duel. But don't mess anything up. If you do, I'm stepping in. Remember, you're on my domain."
"Understood, King of Romania," Arjuna acknowledged.
Just then, Astolfo looked around the court, puzzled. "Hey, where's Saber?"
"Arthur took the land route to Brad City while you flew. Naturally, she'd be slower. She'll return when the time is right," Vlad explained.
"Ah, got it," Astolfo said, nodding but still feeling a twinge of confusion.
He hadn't waited for Saber in Brad City, assuming she'd already returned. Turns out, she was still searching.
"Now is not the time to worry about that. The real question is—where has Eternal King run off to?"
Vlad rose from his throne and walked to the window, staring at the clear sky and the peculiar black ring that had merged with it. When he was first summoned by Darnic, he had found the ring strange but brushed it off as some modern anomaly.
He shot another glance at the black ring before turning back to Arjuna. "Archer, you've fought alongside Eternal King. Do you have any insights into his capabilities?"
"I can't say I know the king that well, but there's one thing I'm pretty certain about," Arjuna said, his face tightening.
"Go on," Vlad urged.
"That man can push any Servant beyond their limits."
Vlad frowned. "A skill to push beyond one's limits, you say? Does he have any Noble Phantasms that allow for teleportation?"
Arjuna shook his head. "Can't say for sure. But when he led me and Karna, he didn't show any sign of that kind of skill."
"That just makes things even weirder," Vlad muttered. "Where could he be, then?"
Meanwhile, in the castle corridors, the non-defected homunculi were busy at work, dutifully fulfilling the roles they were created for, their eyes dull and vacant.
...
On the outskirt of Valcea...
Shirou was having lunch with the homunculi.
Nestled by a small lake on the outskirts of the city, the homunculi had constructed a makeshift village. It had a rustic, old-world charm.
Now that housing was sorted, the next hurdle was getting the homunculi officially registered.
But in Romania, a country grappling with economic instability and lawlessness, that kind of thing could be arranged—for the right price, of course.
However, now wasn't the time for paperwork, especially in Valcea. The Yggdmillennia Clan wielded considerable influence in Romania, and making arrangements for registration now could easily attract their attention.
Today, the homunculi were different—livelier. The bread they were eating seemed to spark something in their previously dull and vacant eyes.
They gathered around Spartacus, hanging on his every word as he mesmerized them with his stories.
Mash sat alone on a rock, staring at the black ring in the sky while nervously fidgeting with the mechanical bracelet on her wrist. Her face was etched with worry.
Shirou offered her a piece of bread, saying, "Here, have some."
"Ah!"
Startled, Mash clutched her chest, feeling her heart race. After a moment, she accepted the bread, saying, "Thank you, Mr. Fujimaru."
As she spoke, she subtly pulled her sleeve down to conceal the bracelet.
Shirou took a seat next to Mash and, catching her subtle gesture, said, "Worrying won't fix a busted gadget."
Mash hesitated, then asked, "You noticed?"
"How could I not? It was pretty hard to miss," he answered, smiling.
"Ah..." Mash's face flushed, her words catching in her throat.
Watching her fumble, he sighed internally.
This girl, she's a bit too clumsy, isn't she?
"Hey, I have a question for you, Mash."
Shirou turned to her, his eyes meeting hers, "Is there a girl named 'Fujimaru Ritsuka' at Chaldea?"
"Eh? Huh? Huh?" Mash stared at him, her eyes widening. "How do you know about senpai?"
Could he be a Heroic Spirit summoned by senpai?
The thought crossed her mind, and it seemed increasingly likely.
Otherwise, how would this Servant know about Chaldea, let alone her?
Yet, she couldn't recall senpai ever summoning a Heroic Spirit named Fujimaru.
So Mash pondered, her mind racing.
But she shrugged off the problem of Shirou's surname. After all, Chaldea had several Heroic Spirits who looked alike—like Nero and King Arthur. Having the same last name seemed like a minor detail.
"I see..." Shirou murmured, his smile tinged with sadness.
Earlier, he had gleaned quite a bit of information from Mash.
And that information led him to a startling conclusion.
That is—
This Mash might just be from his own world.
So, did that mean everything he had done was meaningless?
Chaldea still came into existence, and his sister, Fujimaru Ritsuka, ended up being its last Master...
So despite different paths, the end result was the same?
Mash glanced at him, her eyes tinged with curiosity. She noticed that his expression had turned somewhat sad after she'd mentioned Ritsuka.
"So, were you summoned by Ritsuka at some point?" she asked.
"Summoned? Oh, right! I was. That's how I know so much about Chaldea. And I still have a clear memory of Master's orange hair," he confirmed with a nod.
"Ah, that explains it. I was wondering," Mash said, her smile returning and her guard dropping significantly.
But what she hadn't expected was...
Even now, even here, she could still feel the fruit of senpai's kindness.
Mash's eyes dimmed slightly.
Shirou had successfully deceived Mash into trusting him, yet he couldn't shake some lingering doubts. He glanced at her and asked, "Mash, did anything notable happen in your world in the year 2003?"
"2003?" Mash responded without hesitation. "Certainly. Though I didn't see it myself, it's said that in 2003 the world was shrouded in black fog. Strange phenomena occurred globally, but they vanished along with the fog after just one day. Oh, and Chaldea was founded at the end of 2003, thanks to strong support from United Nations."
"I see..."
Shirou gave a smile.
But all the wishful thinking in his heart vanished.
So, that was the answer.
Everything he had done had been for nothing.
Chaldea had been founded as destiny dictated, and his sister had become its Master.
Everything had unfolded according to the plot, it was just that the process... was slightly different, that's all.
"By the way, how is my former Master doing? I was her servant quite some time ago, so I'm curious about her current status," Shirou added, maintaining his smile.
"Senpai? She's incredible! Absolutely incredible! You might not be aware, Mr. Fujimaru, but senpai is practically the queen of our Chaldea! She single-handedly resolved the first, second, eighth, thirteenth, and seventeenth Singularities. She's formed contracts with numerous Heroic Spirits and is even known as the queen of Heroic Spirits!" Mash's voice grew enthusiastic as she spoke, almost as if she were discussing her own idol.
"Oh? So my Master has become that amazing?" He asked with a smile.
"Yes, yes," Mash nodded, her face glowing with excitement. "Senpai is truly extraordinary. She was one of the original members of Chaldea, joining when she was just six years old to train as an exceptional Master..."
Mash was about to go on when he abruptly interrupted her, "Wait, wait a minute. You said she was six years old?"
"Eh?" Mash looked puzzled. "Didn't Senpai mention this? She joined Chaldea in 2004, right when it was first established."
"Why?" The question escaped from his lips.
"Um... it seems that Senpai's brother, sister, and best friend all perished in the black fog incident of 2003," Mash said, lowering her gaze. "I don't know the full story, but Senpai is genuinely remarkable and admirable."
He was silent for a moment.
Mash raised her head and looked at him with a puzzled expression, "Mr. Fujimaru, you didn't know about this?"
"No, she didn't tell me..."
"I see," she nodded, her delicate face taking on an expression of understanding.
"By the way, when you were summoned into this world, what was the year in your world?" He asked.
"2016. Why?" Mash's gaze was filled with curiosity.
"How...how could this be?" Shirou was stunned.
To him, it felt as if he'd been taken away in the blink of an eye.
But how could 13 years have already passed?
And what concerned him the most was...
Sakura hadn't gone back?
The Great War of 2003.
Shirou had thought it was the final cataclysmic event his world would face.
Crimson Moon had been defeated by Arcueid, and he, along with the Heroic Spirits, had vanquished the invader. The Holy Grail had been used, effectively putting an end to any future Holy Grail Wars.
Most importantly, King Solomon's "Human Order Correction" had been destroyed over three millennia ago, preventing the birth of Goetia and the ensuing Human Order Incineration. His world seemed to be on a trajectory toward peace.
What he hadn't anticipated was that Chaldea would still come into existence in his world—just not in the way he'd expected. It wasn't Marisbury winning the Holy Grail War and pouring funds into it; it was direct, substantial backing from the United Nations.
Even more perplexing was the fact that these Singularities were apparently different from the original ones. According to Mash, the term "Singularity" had now been associated with something called "Connection Points"—a term he'd never heard before.
As for the details, he was still in the dark.
But one thing was for certain...
Even if he went back now, things would be irreversibly different, wouldn't they?
He had left his world in 2003, and now, by the timeline of that same world, it was already 2016...
Does this mean he has been missing for a whole thirteen years?
He'd sworn to Artoria that he'd be back within a year, at most!
A wave of unbearable guilt washed over him.
He prided himself on keeping promises, and yet, here he was, breaking another promise!
But what shook him the most was...
His little sister joined Chaldea at the tender age of six?
Became a Master there?
And what's more...
Sakura hasn't come back since 2003?
What the hell is happening?
What has happened in the thirteen years since he left his world?
At this moment, the urgency to return to his own world consumed Shirou.
Trapped as he was in the Romanian Holy Grail War, his movements limited to the confines of Romania, how could he leave? Especially when his main body was still lost in some dimensional limbo.
"Mr. Fujimaru? Mr. Fujimaru?" Mashu stretched out her palm and waved it in front of him.
He snapped back to reality and apologized, "Sorry, Mash, I was zoning out."
"Don't worry about it. If anything, I'm the one who overstepped," Mash dismissed quickly with a wave of her hand.
Casting a quick glance beyond Mash, then focusing back on her, he asked, "By the way, did you come here alone? Is this connection point actually not that dangerous?"
"It's not that simple," Mash replied, shaking her head. "I'm a Demi-Servant, you see. I have my own combat abilities, so there's no need to form a contract with a Heroic Spirit."
"Really? Still, you might want to be careful. Weren't you kidnapped and nearly burned at the stake before we met?" He remarked, a smile on his face.
"Ah, well, that... um...," Mash hesitated, her cheeks turning a shade of crimson, clearly embarrassed.
There was no denying it; getting captured and nearly burned at the stake was a low point, to say the least.
"Listen, I'm still pretty confused about this whole 'Connection Point' thing, but it sounds pretty dangerous. Lucky for you, there's a Servant here without a Master, looking to form a contract. Interested?"
"Really? A Servant without a Master? Where?" Mash's eyes lit up at the prospect.
The benefits of partnering with a Servant were clear. At the very least, it would boost her safety in this world and keep her from having to fight herself.
Shirou pointed to himself and smiled, "As it turns out, I could use a Master. How about it?"
"Absolutely!"
Mash nodded without hesitation.
What's the downside of partnering with a willing Servant?
No matter what kind of Servant it was, if it was a Servant, it had to be powerful. At least she'd have some sort of safety net until she met up with her team again.
"I'll do my best to keep you safe here," Shirou cautioned, "but just to set expectations—my abilities aren't all that impressive. So, you'd better manage your expectations."
"No, no, not at all. I'm grateful you're willing to sign a contract with me, Mr. Fujimaru," Mash waved her hand. "And you know, Senpai always says, 'There are no bad Servants, just bad Masters.'"
Shirou paused, "She's grown enough to say something like that, huh."
"Yes," Mash nodded, patting her chest confidently. "And don't worry, Mr. Fujimaru. I have a lot of confidence in my mana pool. A Servant's parameters go up with the Master's magical energy, you know!"
"That's good to hear; I'm precisely the kind of Servant who needs a lot of mana," he smiled.
"In that case, I'm sure I can keep you satisfied. Mr. Fujimaru," Mash said, smiling in return. Then, using a spell from Chaldea, she established a contract with Shirou.
The truth was, his decision to become Mash's Servant wasn't random. This Mash was from his own world, and she seemed to have a connection with his sister—Fujimaru Ritsuka. Most importantly, this "Connection Point" issue was something his world's Chaldea was dealing with, and it obviously had implications for his world's existence.
With stakes like that, there was no way he could sit this one out.