Shinji Matou at Your Service

The land that the Matou family purchased in Mount Enzou was not just a single plot for a secondary residence; there was another one.

It was located on a hill adjacent to Ryuudou Temple, in what seemed like an unremarkable place.

Nominally, it was bought in 2000 as part of a venture into scientific ecological farming. In reality, after digging a few reservoirs and building some simple houses and fences, the land was left untouched—until today.

A group of people, unrelated to the ordinary world, arrived on this forgotten land under the cover of night. Only now was the true purpose of this land revealed.

Although ordinary people couldn't sense it, this land was the second most spiritually active spot in Mount Enzou, only surpassed by Ryuudou Temple. The spiritual leyline activity here was so strong that it ranked among the top in the records held by the Mage's Association's Department of Policies.

At the center of this spiritual land, at the leyline's focal point, several oddly shaped pits stood out. To ordinary eyes, they were nothing more than reservoirs or cultivation ponds. However, to this group of people, they had a completely different significance.

The physical simplicity didn't detract from their mystical importance. From a magical perspective, this was already a fully qualified altar—an altar prepared for the ritual of the Holy Grail War.

Indeed, this wasteland was the very location Shinji had chosen for the descent of the Greater Grail.

After arranging everyone in the observation deck—the simple houses near the pits—he walked alone into the altar.

In his hands, he held a cube-shaped metal box made from special materials. As soon as he placed the box in its designated spot, the surface began to melt. Soon after, the box caught fire.

As the flames subsided, the contents of the box were revealed.

A golden vessel—the so-called Holy Grail of the Holy Grail War.

Once the Lesser Grail, filled with Heroic Spirit souls, was placed on the altar of this spiritual land, the Holy Grail War would automatically enter its final phase.

All the conditions were met, and the sealing magecraft could no longer prevent the Golden Grail from connecting to the spiritual leyline.

The massive magical energy gathered in the Grail caused waves of heat to radiate throughout the surrounding area. Even the lesser Grail was quickly consumed by the flames.

The golden Holy Grail, now exposed to the outside world, scorched the floor and silk curtains, unleashing a fiery whirlwind that swirled through the empty altar. By that time, Shinji had already exited.

On the rapidly burning stage, the golden vessel appeared to be lifted by an invisible hand, floating in the air. Under the gaze of everyone present, the long-awaited ritual of the Holy Grail Descent, dreamed of by the Three Founding Families, had finally begun.

The priest presiding over the ceremony was none other than the most outstanding member of the Three Founding Families, Matou Shinji.

Hundreds of glowing runes lit up, constructing a long pathway that began beside the priest Shinji and extended to the feet of the shrine maiden.

The pure white shrine maiden, the true master of the Greater Grail, was Justeaze Lizrich von Einzbern, the Maiden of Winter from the Einzbern family.

She wore a pure white ceremonial dress made of gold.

There was no need for surprise. This attire had already transcended into the realm of magic. Common sense was no longer applied, and contradictions achieved perfect harmony, creating an aura of solemnity and sanctity.

On the front of the shrine maiden's dress, seven hollow spaces were inlaid, corresponding to the seven Servants, six of which had already been filled.

Shinji smiled at Justeaze, extending his hand toward her from afar.

Justeaze also smiled slightly and, accompanied by the maids dressed in pure white, walked toward the altar.

As she entered the altar, the Einzbern maids lined up neatly, as if bidding her farewell or perhaps welcoming her.

A short distance away from the line of maids, the clan leader Acht suddenly broke free from Irisviel and Illyasviel's support, falling to his knees, tears streaming down his face.

Among the family members, only he had witnessed a similar scene two hundred years ago. Now, seeing it again, he couldn't help but feel overwhelmed with emotion.

Neither Shinji nor Justeaze paid any attention to Acht's emotional outburst, their focus solely on each other.

To this day, they had waited ten long years, enduring countless hardships, near-death experiences, and brushes with separation, finally arriving at this moment.

However, now was not the time to relax, as the last, most crucial step had yet to be completed. Only after this would they have truly succeeded.

"Let's begin," Shinji said.

"Alright," Justeaze responded.

The bond between the two was so deep that they no longer needed many words. A single glance or expression was enough to convey their thoughts to one another.

Shinji sat cross-legged at the edge of the altar, still and silent.

Justeaze spread her arms wide, and the six Heroic Spirit souls that were filled began to light up one by one.

Then, "it" appeared.

The rift connecting the Greater Grail to the mortal world was once synonymous with miracles.

Over the past sixty years, the Greater Grail had continuously absorbed magical energy from the spiritual leyline, and now, with the addition of six Heroic Spirit souls, it had become a vortex of immense magical power.

This magical energy, which should have been colorless, had been tainted by Acht's mistake, turning the once-colorless energy into a malevolent black—the symbol of destruction, like a black sun.

Sensing this overwhelmingly ominous aura, everyone's expressions changed.

"So this is the Holy Grail?"

Waver's face was tense.

"Yes," Kiritsugu Emiya clenched his fists, and Irisviel clung tightly to her husband's arm.

"Is this the thing we've been chasing?"

Luvia's expression was extremely grim, and Rin felt dizzy, nearly collapsing to the ground. Ten years ago, she had been too young to understand what it was, but now she understood.

"Father..."

"No, we can't let that thing appear. Saber, destroy it!"

At this critical moment, Lorelei, ever decisive, took charge. Handling things that could cause grave consequences was the responsibility of the Mage's Association, after all.

"No."

Before Altera could respond, Sakura, along with Medusa, stepped in front of them.

"Why? Give me a reason," Lorelei asked, her face emotionless.

"Two reasons. First, my brother said that the contents of the Grail are the same as a Servant's Saint Graph. If a Servant's body even touches it slightly, they will be contaminated or even disintegrated."

"And the second?"

"My brother and Justeaze-sensei have always wanted to purify the Grail. Last time, they failed due to insufficient preparation. This time, they've made every necessary arrangement."

"How prepared are they?"

"They've been preparing for ten years! Everything my brother has done has been for this day. I won't let anyone destroy my brother's dream! No matter who it is."

At that moment, the magical power and determination radiating from Sakura could not be ignored.

Many had assumed she was just a sapling sheltered under Shinji's protective wings, but they didn't know that this sapling had already grown into a strong tree, capable of shielding her brother from the storm.

Even when faced with the highest-ranking opponents—the Queen of the Clock Tower and the King of the Huns—she would not back down.

In terms of her devotion to her brother, she would not lose to anyone.