[Time Wrap] was without a doubt a ridiculously powerful gadget—so powerful it ignored cause and effect, even the flow of time itself.
But the future wasn't fixed. By what logic did [Time Wrap] even determine the "future state" of the objects it showed?
Shirou Muramasa had adapted to his new body surprisingly fast. What he saw, heard, smelled—even his entire perception of the world—was completely different from when he was six years old. Yet instinctively, he adjusted.
This body was leagues beyond that of an ordinary person—its physical capabilities rivaled, maybe even surpassed, those of a world-class athlete.
You really are worthy of being my partner of justice!
Shirou could feel a strange, potent energy flowing through him.
"Could this be… magical energy? If I'm right, I was born with twenty-seven magic circuits—about the same as an average modern mage," he guessed.
Unfortunately, raw potential didn't come with an instruction manual. He had the circuits, yes, but no formal magic training. Right now, he didn't even know how to start using them.
In magecraft, magic circuits are like artificial nerves woven into the body, the measure of a mage's potential. Their primary role is to convert life force into magical energy, and the more circuits you have, the more efficiently you can do it.
Twenty-seven circuits weren't rare, nor exceptional—but most magi came from families that had refined their bloodlines over centuries. In that light, Shirou's talent as a "first-generation" magus was already remarkable.
He still remembered the principle of magecraft: it was rooted in self-hypnosis—the application of willpower to rewrite reality.
Doraemon peered up at him. "Shirou, how do you feel? Anything wrong?"
"It's fine. I feel good, actually. Let's get out of here—I have a lot of things I want to test."
Opening the window, Shirou looked out into the quiet, unlit neighborhood. He was on the third floor. He had a hunch he could jump and land without injury…
"That's too dangerous," Doraemon said, grabbing his clothes. He rummaged through his four-dimensional pocket and pulled out one of his most iconic gadgets—the Bamboo-Copter.
Shirou placed it on his head and, almost instinctively, understood how to control it. His body lifted smoothly into the air, hovering outside the window.
It shouldn't have been possible, but it worked—perfectly stable, in complete defiance of physics.
"This feels amazing!"
With no one around to spot them at night, Shirou let himself enjoy it. Doraemon followed at a leisurely pace, smiling contentedly. After all, he was designed as a caretaking robot.
Then Shirou's right hand twitched. A tingling heat—almost burning, almost freezing—spread across the back of his hand. He raised it, revealing a bright red mark: three sword-like strokes forming an inverted triangle.
A Command Spell.
Unexpected, but it made sense. The Fourth Holy Grail War didn't have many participants—even someone like Ryuunosuke Uryuu, from a decaying mage family, had been chosen. In comparison, Shirou's qualifications were unquestionable.
Landing in an empty lot, Shirou examined the mark.
Doraemon landed beside him, frowning. "Shirou, what's that? A tattoo? You're still a kid—you shouldn't hurt your body like that!"
Shirou shook his head. "Doraemon, remember the Holy Grail War I told you about?"
Doraemon's eyes widened. "Ah! That's the Command Spell you mentioned?!"
He started running in circles, flailing. "What do we do?! This is bad! I don't want to get dragged into something that dangerous!"
Shirou grabbed him. "Relax. We've still got about a year before the war starts—plenty of time to prepare."
That much, at least, the system had told him.
Still, he couldn't help but smirk. Compared to the Holy Grail War, Doraemon was far more dangerous. His gadgets could cause more chaos than most Servants—especially when he panicked.
Case in point: the time he pulled out an Earth-Destroying Bomb just to deal with a mouse. And before that, he'd given Nobita a tank-busting Overlord Gun, Nobita's mom a Thermal Melting Gun, and still decided it wasn't enough.
Even Demon King Goetia wasn't that reckless.
Squeak. Squeak. Squeak.
The Command Spell's sting intensified. Magical energy surged out of Shirou uncontrollably, forming a silver summoning circle before him.
"What the—?!" Was the Holy Grail War starting early? Why was he summoning a Servant now?
The light from the circle grew blinding, draining more than half his magical energy. At the final stage, a dazzling flare burst out—
—and a slender figure stepped forth.
Information flooded Shirou's mind—the Grail's explanation of the war and his summoned Servant. It was simpler than the system's briefing.
So the system's been plagiarizing this whole time, huh?
The system then "filled in the gaps":
Servant: Berserker – Miyamoto Musashi
Height/Weight: 167 cm / 46.5 kg
Alignment: Chaotic Good
Origin: Lostbelt Japan
Strength: A | Agility: B+ | Endurance: B+ | Mana: C | Luck: B | Noble Phantasm: B
Class Skills:
Mad Enhancement (EX): Pursues the ultimate in swordsmanship, aiming for the realm of Emptiness by seeking its opposite—Infinity.
Magic Resistance (C): Low, due to Berserker class.
Divinity (D): Blessed by a Bodhisattva during her wanderings.
Personal Skills:
Fifth Force (A+): Adapts sword style to match the enemy and situation. Against worthy foes, resets stance to "zero" for the ultimate strike.
Heaven's Eye (A): Focuses infinite possibilities into one determined outcome.
No-Space (False) (B): Near the ability to strike from the infinite realm, though not yet mastered.
Noble Phantasms:
Six Paths, Five Rings – Kuligara Celestial Phenomenon (A): Uses the concept of space and the unlearned "Zero Sword" to sever even fate, karma, and curses.
Demon-Breaking Sword (EX): A secret strike said to have been used only once—so devastating no witness survived to tell the tale.