Before Roy stood a striking young girl, her posture proud and commanding, her eyes blazing with sharp determination.
She looked no more than fifteen, a black scarf wrapped around her neck, and a pale-blue haori draped over her shoulders. Her golden hair shimmered like grains of sunlit sand, while her gray-green eyes fixed on Roy with unwavering focus.
From the waist up, she was the very image of a flawless swordswoman.
But when Roy's gaze shifted downward, he noticed that the hem of her undergarment was surprisingly short—barely reaching her thighs. Her legs were clad in fitted thigh-high boots fused seamlessly into shoes, revealing the snow-white stretch of her absolute territory. The design of her footwear resembled carved wooden geta, leaving her delicate toes—smooth and jade-like—barely visible through the gaps.
A swordswoman, indeed.
"Huh? H-Huh?!"
The blonde Saber stepped out of the summoning circle, her ahoge—a stubborn strand of hair atop her head—whipping about in frantic confusion.
"Wait, hold on! The Holy Grail War hasn't even started yet, right? Why am I here already? And this world—what's going on?! It looks like the literal end of days! I've only been dead for a little over a hundred years—how could everything have fallen apart like this?!"
It seemed the Greater Grail had already filled her mind with common knowledge of the present era.
"Calm yourself, Saber."
Roy interrupted her flustered rambling, raising his hand to reveal the glowing red Command Seals etched into his skin.
"As you can see, I'm your Master. I summoned you ahead of schedule."
"…I see."
The girl's expression sharpened the moment she recognized the proof of contract. Her lovely face grew solemn with purpose.
"Very well then. I, Okita Sōji, acknowledge you as my Master. Though… Master, your mana is incredible! I feel stronger right now than I ever have before!"
Okita's face lit up with joy as she flexed her slender arms, her girlish features glowing with satisfaction.
As a Servant, she could sense the mana channel linking her to her Master. The prana surging into her body wasn't only pure—it was colossal in scale. She didn't know what level modern magi had reached, but one thing was certain: her Master's magical aptitude far surpassed ordinary standards.
Thanks to that ocean of power, she was in peak condition—better than ever before. She felt her stats across the board had been enhanced dramatically.
Roy lowered his hand without comment, unmoved by her praise.
"Master, where exactly are we?"
Only after soaking in her superb condition did Okita glance around. Her cheerful face faltered as she took in the ominous cavern, shadows thick with menace.
"Why did you summon me in a place like this? Wait—Master, you're wearing a mask? Don't tell me you're hiding some dark secret? Very well, then! Allow me to lift your burdens and protect you!"
"Your spirit is commendable," Roy replied, unmoved, "but there's no need to fight. Not now."
"…I see. Understood!"
Okita puffed her cheeks slightly, muttering to herself. Her Master seemed rather cold, didn't he?
Still, she wasn't the type to sulk. Even though her request to fight was denied, her energy remained as bright as ever. With a spring in her step, she followed Roy back the way he had come.
They left the vast subterranean hollow and returned to the mist-choked tunnels.
Okita frowned the moment she faced the cursed fog that blotted out all sight. Her usual bright smile wavered, and she let out a frustrated groan.
"These curses… they seem designed to target Servants directly…"
"That's true enough. You should spiritonize."
"…Forgive me, Master."
With an apologetic bow, Okita dissolved into motes of light, her corporeal form dispersing into prana. Only her spirit remained, tethered to him invisibly.
"After all that bravado, leaving you to face this mist alone… how embarrassing."
"This level of miasma poses no threat."
Roy strode forward, calm and unshaken. The whispering curses gnawing at the mind rolled off him like waves against stone.
"…Unbelievable. Even in spirit form, this fog unsettles me a little. Yet you walk through it untouched? Such willpower deserves admiration. Ah, it seems I've drawn quite the Master this time!"
Her voice rang warmly within his mind, brimming with cheer.
The truth was stark: this curse mist was devastating to the psyche. A single crack in one's resolve could allow it to seep in, warping the mind with endless temptation and guilt.
Even Okita, a Heroic Spirit with unwavering discipline, admitted to wavering. But Roy—Roy ignored it completely, unaffected.
His willpower was beyond extraordinary.
…Or perhaps, she realized, her Master was either a genius or a madman.
Okita accepted that truth silently.
Just as they emerged from the cavern, Roy stopped abruptly.
"So much for slipping away quietly… looks like we won't be leaving so easily."
Outside, a figure waited in the dark.
A pair of sharp eyes locked onto the cavern entrance, narrowing as Roy's black-clad silhouette appeared. In an instant, her gaze sharpened like a drawn blade.
She was a woman dressed as a man—short, rose-red hair neatly styled, and a crimson suit that accentuated her tall, slender frame. Her posture was rigid, her back straight as an unbending pine, and her hawk-like eyes radiated the predatory intensity of a seasoned warrior.
She was striking, exuding dignity and strength, yet the small beauty mark beneath her eye lent a subtle hint of allure.
"The wards shouldn't have detected me," Roy said calmly.
"They didn't," the woman replied coolly. "What gave you away was the abnormal surge of mana from the Greater Grail."
She slid the metal case off her back and pulled on a pair of black leather gloves, her expression hardening.
"I admit, I'm impressed. To slip past thirteen wards unnoticed and break into the underground hollow… who are you?"
"I had assumed a little activity in the hollow wouldn't be noticed. But yes, I understand now. Forced summoning does cause quite a stir."
Roy nodded, as if the explanation satisfied him. Though he had scouted Mount Enzō before, this had been his first time performing an actual summoning here.
"Answer me!"
The woman spread her stance, raising her fists into a combat guard, her voice rising with authority.
"The Greater Grail holds the fate of the world in balance. No one is allowed to meddle with it. Surrender peacefully. If you come with me, the Tōsaka Mayor and the Mage's Association will give you a chance to atone. It's for your own good."
"I refuse."
Roy didn't even hesitate.
"I know you—Bazett, a Sealing Designation Enforcer. But that title means nothing in this age. So you've taken it upon yourself to guard the Greater Grail? You're strong, but not strong enough to make me yield."
"…Then there's no helping it."
Bazett's voice dropped to an icy register.
"In that case, I'll force you to submit."
At her words, glowing runes ignited across her arms and legs. Her body shot forward like an arrow loosed from a bow, a blur of lethal force hurtling toward Roy.
"My compatibility with her is terrible."
Roy stepped back, his voice calm but edged.
"Saber, she's yours."