After school, Shinji Matou bid farewell to Kallen and Shirou Kotomine and began wandering alone and lonely through Fuyuki City.
When passing by the entrance of a small bar, Shinji Matou stopped, took out his wallet from his pocket, carefully counted the bills inside, sighed, and silently turned away from the bar's door.
Night fell. Shinji Matou, carrying a few bottles of cheap sake he had managed to procure with difficulty, came alone to the seaside.
Looking at the endless sea before him, Shinji Matou took a bottle of sake from the bag, twisted off the cap, tilted his head back, and drank half the bottle in one go.
"Ha!"
Shinji Matou, who had let out a sigh laced with alcohol, recalled the strange expression and subsequent persuasion from his good friend Shirou Kotomine after he had brought up the Holy Grail War on the rooftop during the day. Unable to help himself, he picked up the bottle again and finished the rest in one gulp.
"Shirou, what should I do? What can I do? I just want to escape this family!"
At the Matou Residence at this time, the drunken Tsuruno Matou was sound asleep in a woman's arms when a sudden pain in his hand—a bug was biting Tsuruno Matou's hand—made him involuntarily open his eyes.
"Ah!"
As Tsuruno Matou screamed, the woman beside him also woke up. Seeing the old man covered in pustules and oozing pus before her, the woman couldn't help but scream as well.
Zouken Matou looked at the screaming woman, revealed a gloomy smile, and over a dozen bugs flew from his sleeve. The room instantly fell silent.
Tsuruno Matou widened his eyes, covering his mouth to prevent himself from making a sound, and watched helplessly as the woman who had just been lying with him was dragged by over a dozen bugs to Zouken Matou's side. Then, a sea of bugs surged, leaving only a pool of blood and a few tattered pieces of clothing on the floor.
As the woman was absorbed by Zouken Matou, the pustules on Zouken Matou's skin disappeared.
"Tsuruno, is what I asked for prepared?"
Tsuruno Matou covered his mouth and nodded frantically, simultaneously looking towards a cabinet by the bed.
"Very good, Tsuruno. This old man won't disturb you any further. Rest. Hehehe!"
After Zouken Matou left the room, Tsuruno Matou collapsed weakly on the bed. Unable to help himself, he turned to look at a photo on the bedside table, remembering his wife, who had similarly been devoured by Zouken Matou before his eyes years ago.
"After Reiko, it was Shinji. Is it my turn now? Kariya, I envy you!"
Late at night, Shinji Matou staggered back home. Reeking of alcohol, he went straight to his room, then, without even changing his clothes, casually fell onto the bed, covered himself with the blanket, and fell asleep.
Suddenly, Shinji Matou on the bed sat straight up. His eyes showed not a trace of drunkenness.
"Hehehe. Shinji, you actually want to leave this family. That truly saddens this grandfather of yours."
Having said this, Shinji Matou left the room and entered the basement. Looking at Kiritsugu Emiya, who was already waiting there, he asked,
"Emiya? Did you bring it?"
Kiritsugu Emiya frowned, looking at Zouken Matou who had taken over this young boy's body, then took avalon from his own body and handed it to Zouken Matou.
Shinji Matou took avalon and placed it within his own body. Then, he walked to a cabinet on the side of the basement, took out a withered arm bearing command spells from it.
"Emiya, does this arm look familiar? Hehehe."
"Zouken, you talk too much. Hurry up and begin!"
"Fine."
Shinji Matou took the arm and walked to a vat filled with black mud. Then, he immersed the end bearing the command spells into the black mud, continuously chanting incantations.
As Shinji Matou chanted, the black mud was slowly absorbed by the command spells on the arm until it disappeared.
Shinji Matou picked up the arm, nodded in satisfaction at the command spells which had now turned dark red, then peeled the command spells off the arm and transferred them to his own hand.
"With this, one of the trump cards is obtained. Emiya, what you want is in the cabinet in Tsuruno's room. Go take it. Soon, all our wishes will be fulfilled. Hehehe!"
Tohsaka Residence, Sakura's room.
Sakura and Fujino were hiding sneakily in a corner of the room.
"Fujino, is this really okay?"
"Don't worry, Sakura. Are we wrong to help our master?"
"But, didn't sister say we shouldn't get involved in the Holy Grail War?"
"We're not summoning a Servant. We're just having you form a contract with me, letting me assume a Servant form, just in case!"
"Well... alright then!"
"Then it's settled! Tomorrow night at the back mountain."
Fuyuki City Church.
Kirei Kotomine frowned, looking at his adopted son.
"Shirou, have you truly decided to participate in this Holy Grail War?"
"Father, yes. I don't want the tragedy of ten years ago to repeat itself. So I beg you, allow me to participate, and I also ask you to tell me the method to summon a Servant."
Kirei Kotomine stroked his chin.
'With Rin here, Shirou is bound to fail. If I wait until Shirou is in dire straits, then go save him... Bliss!'
A gleam flashed in Kirei Kotomine's eyes. Eagerly, he began explaining the rules of the Holy Grail War to Shirou Kotomine.
Beside them, Kallen, holding her forehead with a headache, looked at her father. Kallen understood that this father of hers had 'broken' again.
Tohsaka Annex.
According to information from the monitoring equipment at the seal, the seal would break at most within a week, indicating that the Holy Grail War would unfold within this week.
Rin also had no choice but to begin implementing her own plan. After contacting Alice and Aoko as agreed, Rin brought Touko to the Tohsaka Annex to find Waver and Gray.
"Waver, the Holy Grail War will begin again within this week. How are your preparations?"
Waver, holding a cigar in his mouth, slowly nodded at Rin. 'My King, are we finally about to meet again!'
"Regarding Gray, her assistance in my research is basically complete. Now, there are two choices for Gray. One, I will grant Gray a blank spirit origin, allowing her to also possess a Servant state. Two, extract Gray's blood to help us summon the King of Knights. The choice is yours, Waver."
"Rin, remember your promise not to let Gray be harmed. So I choose option two."
"As expected. Then, Da Vinci, please."
"OK! Leave it to me."
Having said that, Da Vinci took Gray and left the hall, heading towards the research lab to extract the blood.
At this moment, Rin turned to look at Touko.
"Touko, have you really decided not to summon a Servant?"
Touko looked at Rin and nodded.
"Rin, I don't need a Servant. Acting together with Alice and Aoko will be more convenient."
"Touko, your reason for not wanting a Servant can't be that simple, right? Forget it, suit yourself!"
Touko looked at the indifferent Rin and revealed a smile.
'You really haven't changed at all, Rin. But Servants are meaningless to me now. When the time comes, prepare to be shocked, Rin!'
Germany, the snowflake-filled Einzbern Castle.
Illya, accompanied by two homunculus maids, slowly walked out of the main gate of Einzbern Castle.
"Sella, Leysritt, this time we will definitely make Kiritsugu realize his mistake!"
"Yes, young lady. You will surely make Kiritsugu pay the price for betraying you." x2
"No, I just want Kiritsugu to know he was wrong. Right, Berserker?"
"Roar!"
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