In Fuyuki City, Japan, a remote far eastern region, there was a magical warfare ritual initiated by the three prestigious Magus families: Tohsaka, Makiri, and Einzbern—the Holy Grail War!
Although called a war, it was actually only seven people. However, calling a number so small that it couldn't even be considered a Japanese gang fight a "war" seemed ridiculous. What if it were Maguss who understood legendary magic?
Of course, because the mystery of magic in the world has now diminished and become magecraft, but unlike those tricks that only deceive human sight, although Maguss are still not adept at overly powerful destructive spells—at least not comparable to modern powerful firearms and rockets—they are still a superior existence to ordinary people!
Maguss are merely commanders; to wage war, an army is needed. At this point, legendary heroic spirits must be summoned as subordinates through mysterious spells.
Heroic spirits are beings whose personalities have ascended to spirits, heroes who were active in human history, whose consciousness is brought into the Throne of Heroes outside the timeline after death. These are heroic spirits. Not only truly existing ones, but also those from fictional myths and legends widely transmitted as heroes can become heroic spirits; these are fictional heroic spirits.
Heroic spirits are controlled by alaya, one of the world's two counter forces. They originally only appeared when humanity was in crisis, to eliminate all sources of crisis. Of course, most of the time, the creators of humanity's doomsday crises are often humans themselves.
Therefore, it is quite normal for heroic spirits to slaughter humans and destroy cities. Their power comes from their legends; the higher their renown, the stronger their power. This power is often condensed in their weapons, known as noble phantasms.
There are anti-personnel noble phantasms that can kill with a single blow, anti-army noble phantasms that can destroy a powerful army with a single strike, anti-fortress noble phantasms that can obliterate a city with one blow, and even anti-world noble phantasms that can cleave the world.
Summoning such beings, even if only seven, would bring destruction no less than a real war.
The reason Heroic Spirits respond to a Magus's summons is because they too had regrets in life, and there is one thing that can make up for their regrets: the Holy Grail!
An omnipotent wish-granting machine that can fulfill any desire. Seven Maguss, together with seven Heroic Spirits, engage in a brutal struggle, and only the last one standing can claim the Holy Grail and fulfill their wish.
This is the Holy Grail War! It has been held three times, but never successfully. It occurs once every sixty years, and two hundred years have passed since the last one.
As if guided by fate, five Masters, scattered across the world, thousands of miles apart, prepared:
Tohsaka Rin, the eldest daughter who defected from the Tohsaka Family, situated within the misaki leyline's dragon source.
Tohsaka Tokiomi, the current head of the Tohsaka Family, in the magical workshop beneath the Tohsaka Family residence.
Kiritsugu Emiya, the Magus Killer who married into the Einzbern Family nine years ago, in the eternal frozen soil of the City of Snow in Germany.
Waver Velvet, a Clock Tower student who stole his mentor's relic and traveled across the ocean to Japan, participating in the Holy Grail War solely to prove himself.
Kenneth El-Melloi Archisorte, a First-Rank Lecturer in the Clock Tower's Spiritual Evocation Department, the ninth head of the Archisorte Family, and a child prodigy since childhood, whose relic was stolen by his student.
Under the same moonlight, the same magic summoning circle was drawn with stone carvings, mercury, blood, and gem solutions! Finger bones, a scabbard, a corner of a cloak, a sealed red spear, and ancient snakeskin fossils were placed in the center of the circle within the same timeframe!
The father and daughter, thousands of miles apart, simultaneously chanted: "Its base is silver and iron, its foundation is stone and the Archduke of Contracts.
Its ancestor is my first teacher, Schweinorg.
The wind descends, separated by walls.
The gates open in all directions, yet all are closed.
From the keter, it cycles repeatedly on the three-way path to the kingdom..."
This was the Tohsaka Family's unique Heroic Spirit summoning prefix. Afterward, everyone simultaneously chanted:
"Fill, fill, fill, fill, fill.
Round and round, the next is five.
However, the moment of fullness is the moment of discard."
The body, ravaged by the air currents, had now forgotten its human functions and become a component of a mystical ritual, completely transforming into a circuit connecting spirit and matter.
Ignoring the pain that made one want to scream from this crushing force, they concentrated on chanting the spell.
"Declare your body to be under my command, and my destiny to be upon your sword."
With each verse chanted, the light from the magic circle accelerated its growth. The surging magic power ravaged and defiled the five individuals. But even Waver Velvet, the weakest among the five, stood firm and continued chanting without hesitation.
"By the call of the Holy Grail, if you are willing to obey this will and this reason, then respond."
The chanting and the magic power flowing within the Magic Circuits summoned the Heroic Spirit existing in the Throne of Heroes, engaging in a dialogue with the supreme being inscribed in myths and legends.
"Here I swear,
I am the one who accomplishes all good in the world.
I am the one who spreads all evil in the world."
At this point, Rin's chant diverged from the others, unfolding into two short verses unique to her:
"However, you shall be blinded by the chaos, a prisoner confined within the cage of madness, and I am the one who controls its chains."
This was an additional chant for madness. It confirmed that the Servant Rin summoned would more or less fall into madness.
Then came the final verse.
The pain from the chaotic Magic Circuits and the fear of the circuits running wild constantly tormented all summoners. Nevertheless, they had to declare it, in order to firmly grasp the highest mystery in their own hands.
"You are the seven heavens clad in the three great Command Spells, coming from the Wheel of Inhibition, the Guardian of the Scales."
As the words were declared, a fierce wind arose! Amidst the dazzling brilliance of the supreme mystery.
From the complex and intricately woven magic circle, a dazzling light erupted, instantly soaring upwards, targeting the Throne of Heroes beneath the counter force! Myths and legends from ancient times to the present!
From that side, to this side, whirlwinds and lightning wrapped around the legendary phantom.
Originally human, yet having transcended the human realm. Elevated to the rank of spirits by inhuman divine power. The gathering place of those extraordinary primates... The throne where divine power was suppressed, before the Heroic Spirits woven from countless dreams, the door opened... "Boom!!!"
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