Chapter 22: The Plot Begins – Young Master from the Magus Lineage, Servants Summoned!

Chapter 22: The Plot Begins – Young Master from the Magus Lineage, Servants Summoned!

"Up ahead!"

"So hyped～(￣▽￣～)(～￣▽￣)～."

"The Holy Grail War is finally starting?"

"We'll get to see Kojirou use Tsubame Gaeshi—so exciting!"

"Everyone saw the Celestial Curtain in the sky, right?"

"Celestial Curtain seems to be syncing with the Observer Net, it's broadcasting Fate/staynight?"

"Observer Net lets us send comments, but Celestial Curtain doesn't."

"Has anyone tried the physical sensation mode yet?"

"Shut up, the plot's about to start, stop talking already!"

Countless comments surged in like a tidal wave.

...

Celestial Curtain.

Sawamura Eriri dazedly looked at the sky ahead, where streams of comments flew by like shooting stars.

Based on what she saw, she gradually came to understand the current situation.

Is this also one of the perks of physical sensation mode?

Not only could her soul separate from her body, but she could also see live comments from viewers all over the world.

This is seriously amazing!

Eriri walked through the school gate, as two cheerful students ran past in front of her, full of youthful energy.

"Hey, can you guys see me?"

She took a deep breath and cautiously called out while moving ahead, attempting to block their path to see if they could detect her.

However—they walked right past her, laughing and chatting, as if she wasn't there.

So she really is a spirit now…

The girl thought to herself, planning to blend into the wave of people heading into Homurahara Academy.

"Zzz—"

A static-like buzzing sound echoed, causing her and the nearby "souls" to freeze on the spot.

The surrounding space once again collapsed and twisted. The radiant, multi-colored world shattered into countless lines, which then recombined after the chaos to form an entirely new scene…

It was an elegant, classical-style mansion. Not only was it spacious, but even the flooring exuded a sense of luxurious opulence. Under the dim glow of the twilight, the grandeur of a noble bloodline became even more apparent.

Elegant wall paintings adorned the walls, and nearby, trees were heavy with fruit.

However, perhaps due to the overly solemn atmosphere, a sense of fading nobility also lingered.

"Wh-what's going on…?"

Someone couldn't help but speak up, confused about why they had been brought to this place.

A gentle, clear female voice suddenly rang out.

"This is a scene transition—"

"A technique commonly used by movie directors."

"Shifting from one setting to another quickly."

Futaba Rio calmly pushed her glasses and stepped out from behind the curtain in a white lab coat.

"Naruhodo."

Everyone had a moment of realization, and their gazes toward her carried a hint of admiration.

"This is getting pretty exciting..."

A hunched-over boy muttered as he scanned the area, constantly gathering information.

Right after that, as a robotic female voice from a landline echoed throughout the mansion, under everyone's attentive gaze, the Fate/staynight storyline officially began!

[A youthful figure appears in the mansion, carrying a black leather bag.]

[He appears to be the owner of this estate.]

[Wearing a loose-sleeved white cloak, with handsome features and a cold expression, long hair falling on both sides of his face, exuding noble elegance.]

[Noticing the voicemail message from the landline, he pauses thoughtfully, then presses the button with a finger.]

The very moment the young man's face appeared, many people on-site gasped in shock.

"Raku-sensei?"

"Raku-sama?"

"Raku-kun?"

"Raku-san?"

Seeing that familiar face, Yukinoshita Yukino, Higurashi Kagome, and others exclaimed in turn, eyes wide in astonishment.

Unbelievable!

Their savior in the real world was also a powerful figure in this parallel world!

At the same time, the landline phone continued to emit its mechanical voice.

["Message at 3:21 AM on January 21st."]

["It's me."]

[A cold female voice echoed throughout the mansion.]

["Although I think you already understand, Raku Sou, tomorrow is the deadline."]

["If you keep loafing around like this, I'll be quite troubled too."]

["The other five Servant groups have already descended, only the slots for Archer and Saber remain."]

["This is also the best opportunity — as one of the top three classes, even if you summon a Servant from the Archer class, your odds of winning would increase significantly."]

["Hurry and summon your Servant, activate the Command Spell."]

["Of course... if you don't want to participate in the Holy Grail War, that's a different matter."]

["Beep—. (Message ends)"]

["...So wordy. Of course I know that."]

[Raku Sou lightly frowned, then turned around and walked away.]

[On his wrist, a blood-red Command Spell tattoo surfaced, radiating an eerie beauty.]

[The viewpoint gradually descended—into a dark underground basement.]

["Rustle~."]

[Countless aged books fell from a stone table, and he pushed aside a box.]

[Under the moonlight, a mysterious magic circle was revealed on the ground.]

[The young man in the white cloak appeared solemn, circling the magic array to observe it, mumbling softly.]

["Preparation complete."]

["Time confirmed."]

["Frequency stable."]

["At 2 AM, my mana will peak... even without a catalyst, I will summon a Servant of the Saber class!"]

[His eyes resolute, he took a deep breath, amber pupils gleaming under the moonlight.]

…

"Raku-san is so cool!"

Higurashi Kagome excitedly clenched her fists and raised them high.

"So freaking cool!"

Someone chimed in, and even Yukino and the others slightly nodded in agreement.

The surrounding "souls" also expressed their admiration in unison.

Although they didn't know the boy before them, his intense presence stirred them nonetheless.

However...

The viewpoint shifted again.

On the grand city clock outside, the glowing time read —— 01:00 AM.

In that very instant, everyone watching the Celestial Curtain around the world fell silent.

…

[In that moment, a soft BGM began playing, filled with a divine aura.]

[The young man's expression was calm as he extended his hand forward, letting drops of mercury infused with mana fall and seep into the mystical magic circle.]

[Mana transformed into floating blue lights, like fireflies in the night.]

[Raku Sou's lips moved slightly as he solemnly chanted an incomprehensible incantation.]

["For elements silver and iron,"]

["Foundation stone and archduke of pacts,"]

["And for my Great Master Schweinorg."]

["Come forth from the Crown."]

["and follow the Forked Road leading to the Kingdom."]

[A blinding green light erupted from the ground, forming an eight-pointed star magic array.]

[The air was silent, heavy, with only the chilling chant echoing in the room.]

[The mercury in his hand continued to drip, becoming the fuel for the ritual.]

["Fill, Fill, Fill, Fill, Fill..."]

["Repeat Five times but when each is filled destroy it."]

[Suddenly, the magic array burst into a golden-orange light, bathing the entire basement in a warm crimson glow!]

[Mysterious, divine, solemn, vast...]

Was it about to succeed?

Across the globe, countless people widened their eyes, holding their breath in anticipation.