In a clearing in the forest not far from the Twin Mansion, a continuous series of metallic clashes echoed. Each strike carried a fierce wind pressure. Both the swinging of weapons and the speed of movement surpassed what the human eye could perceive, but the two opposing sides clearly weren't using their full strength, keeping the aftermath to the smallest possible area. In fact, one of them, a purely pitch-black figure, seemed to be moving with ease.
Finally, after a long period of sparring, the figures separated and stood opposite each other. Lancelot's telepathic message reached Rin's mind:
"I never thought that a warrior like Master could be born in the modern era. Whether it's strength, agility, or martial arts, you are not far from a Heroic Spirit, and even surpass some relatively weaker Heroic Spirits. Lancelot no longer has any objection to your proposal to fight alongside me."
Rin accepted her Berserker's praise completely. Given Rin's pride and confidence in her own strength, such praise was well-deserved.
With such strength, there was no need for modesty. Accepting appropriate compliments from others was also a form of mutual respect; constant humility was a sign of insecurity.
All preparations for the official opening of the Holy Grail War had been completed. Starting today, Jalter would remain at the Twin Mansion, poised as a hidden blade, while Rin would take Lancelot and participate in this Holy Grail War as the Berserker team.
The normal format of the Holy Grail War should be for the Master to stand in the back, providing magical energy and magical assistance, with the two Servants engaging in a death match to determine the victor. Battles between Servants were originally something ordinary Maguss could not intervene in.
However, Rin certainly wouldn't be content with that. The Holy Grail War was undoubtedly her greatest longing and expectation for this world. Letting her stand aside and watch Berserker fight was out of the question. The opportunity to fight against the spirits of heroes from ancient times was extremely rare, even in this mysterious Nasuverse. Missing this Fourth Holy Grail War would mean waiting another ten years for the Fifth Holy Grail War.
Lancelot, of course, could not agree with Rin's seemingly childish decision. Rin, who always believed that strength was the right to speak, directly drew Avenger and fought Lancelot in the open space not far from the mansion.
Rin, of course, could not defeat Lancelot. Whether in speed, strength, or martial arts skill, Lancelot undoubtedly overwhelmed Rin. But Rin's goal was only to prove to Lancelot that she possessed the strength to contend with a Heroic Spirit.
Ultimately, Lancelot recognized Rin's strength. He recognized that she was not a princess to be protected behind him, but a comrade-in-arms to face life and death together and fight alongside him.
Rin smiled at Lancelot in satisfaction and contacted Jalter, who was in the mansion, through their contract:
"Jalter, I'm going out with Berserker now. You wait quietly at home for us. I'll summon you anytime in an emergency, so don't worry. If you need anything, just tell me, and I'll have it delivered to your door."
"Okay, go ahead, go ahead," Jalter, wearing only a T-shirt, lying on the sofa watching TV and eating peach crisps, replied. "Remember to order dinner for me. If I don't see dinner before 7 PM, I'll be too hungry to move."
" | | | | | |... "
Rin quickly shook her head, dispelling the black lines on her forehead, and replied, "Understood." Then, she turned to Lancelot beside her and said,
"Let's go, Berserker. I'll go wander around this battlefield in Fuyuki City. Maybe something interesting will happen."
"Ugh…"
The dark knight transformed into an invisible spiritual body, and Rin, accompanied by Lancelot, headed towards Fuyuki City.
Rin wasn't at all worried about being detected by Servants from other teams. Although Servants sense others of their kind, even in spiritual form, only Assassins with "Presence Concealment" can evade such detection.
However, Lancelot was an exception. Despite being a Berserker, he possessed the noble phantasm "For Someone Else's Glory," which stemmed from his deeds of concealing his identity. This allowed Lancelot not only to perfectly hide his presence but also to obscure his ability parameters, image, and appearance. When actively used, he could even transform into the likeness of others.
With this noble phantasm alone, Lancelot could completely act as an Assassin!
Stepping onto the familiar streets, Rin was in a pleasant mood, looking around with interest, admiring the scenery of her somewhat unfamiliar hometown.
This was the first time Rin had seriously observed Fuyuki City since arriving in this world. When she first came, Rin was just a two-year-old child. Afterward, she focused entirely on magic and improving her strength, with no time or desire for leisure. She was forced to leave in a hurry at the age of five and only now, at seven, was able to return. After completing all pre-war preparations, she finally had a free afternoon before the Holy Grail War began to properly see the sights of her hometown in this life.
Fuyuki City is a small coastal town in the Far East of Japan, named for its supposedly long winters. In reality, its climate is mild, and it is rarely hit by severe cold. Digging two random springs might even reveal hot springs.
The Weiyuan River, which runs through the entire city, divides it into two parts with distinctly different architectural styles. The east side is Shinto (New City), a highly modernized new city with everything. The west side is Miyama Town, an old city consisting mostly of residential areas. The two banks are connected by the Weiyuan River Bridge.
Rin was currently in the Twin Mansion (Ghost Mansion) in Miyama Town on the east side. She was now taking a taxi towards Shinto (New City).
Although Fuyuki City is a small town, its coastal location and port have led to significant economic prosperity, and the Shinto (New City) district boasts a thriving modern infrastructure.
It was two in the afternoon, definitely not a time for Holy Grail War combat. Whether it was the Fourth Holy Grail War or the Fifth Holy Grail War, one could easily observe that almost all battles took place at night. Regardless, maintaining the secrecy of magic was a consensus and rule among all those in the hidden world, even for Kiritsugu Emiya, who simply used magic as a tool.
Rin walked leisurely through this modern new urban area, browsing street shops, tasting snacks, exploring bustling malls, and selecting goods and clothes. Unconsciously, she seemed to genuinely enjoy her free life like an ordinary girl.
She continued to relax until five in the afternoon. Rin sat in an elegantly decorated cafe, finding a single window seat. With one hand propped on her forehead, she quietly stirred the Blue Mountain coffee that the waitress had just brought, recalling the first battle of the Holy Grail War, which was set to officially begin a few hours later in the original work/canon.
Except for Caster, who would be summoned that evening, all participating Heroic Spirits would gather for a grand meeting. This was one of only two times in the original work/canon where six Heroic Spirits converged simultaneously.
Of course, Rin couldn't guarantee that everything would still follow the original work/canon's plot. Given that Irisviel and Saber arrived in Fuyuki City a day earlier than in the original work/canon, the so-called plot could only be referenced, not rigidly adhered to. Coupled with the frequent major events yesterday, who knew if the Masters would revise their battle plans.
However, even if the future might present situations beyond her control, Rin remained calm and unperturbed, considering the Holy Grail War with composure, without any unease or panic.
This was the confidence that strength brought. Rin firmly believed that her strength was sufficient to handle all unknown changes and situations, so there was no need to worry about an unknown future. Rin did not consider herself invincible, but she believed there was no enemy she could not overcome.
Even the King of Heroes, Gilgamesh, was no exception!
After meticulously arranging her plans, a confident smile appeared on Rin's lips.
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