Simulation Begins

After Fujimaru Ritsuka is thrown out of the meeting room by a white-haired girl who seems in charge, Mash soon follows, guiding Ritsuka to her assigned room. Artoria hesitates, then follows Ritsuka. Although the meeting's events seem important, her interest in Ritsuka herself is stronger. Somehow, she feels a vague similarity between herself and this girl, though she can't say exactly why.

Following the two, Artoria listens to their conversation. Ritsuka appears an ordinary human from the surface world—no knowledge of magecraft or miracles, all hidden in a "secret society" unknown to most. Artoria finds it hard to imagine: in her world, magic is despised by many fairies, yet here there are people who use what would be forbidden arts and look down on those who can't use them. It's like Guinevere, a modern person, could not imagine a world where mathematics is a secret known to few, guarded by powerful lineages who scorn those who never learn it, with advanced forbidden disciplines restricted to ancient houses… This realization gives Artoria a sense of kinship with Ritsuka: both are "mundane" in worlds where hidden forces exist. Perhaps Guinevere plays Mash's role?

"Up here, the altitude is high, yet you can't see the blue sky," Mash remarks, gazing at the endless snow. She waves farewell to Ritsuka and hurries off.

"Blue sky? You mean the sky?" Artoria is puzzled: "Why describe the sky as blue?"

Soon Ritsuka catches someone secretly eating strawberry cake in her room, then a sudden crisis: Chaldea is attacked. When Artoria rushes with Ritsuka to the attack site, she sees only ruins and Mash trapped under fallen rocks. Rescue fails, and Ritsuka—having missed the chance to escape because she stayed to help Mash—ends up trapped in the wreckage, facing imminent destruction. To Artoria's surprise, upon learning this, Ritsuka accepts the grim reality calmly. In Artoria's experience, most fairies (or humans) would blame the dying Mash for the disaster, yet Ritsuka instead comforts Mash and, when Mash asks, immediately grips her hand. Artoria murmurs: "They're so kind… It would be cruel for them to die like this."

Then the roof collapses. As Artoria laments these lives lost, a cold, nonhuman voice broadcasts:

"Target: Singularity F. Spiritron transfer: begin."

The scene shifts: a blue light swirls like a vortex before Artoria. Through a tunnel-like passage, she is transported again. When the world reappears, she stands amid a burning city, the acrid stench of smoke thick, distant heat from the fires palpable.

"I can move now?" Artoria gently kicks at a stone; her body does not phase through it, and her expression shifts.

The familiar system interface reappears at the corner of her vision:

[Preliminary storyline guidance complete.]

[After observing surreal scenes as a bystander, you join the stage play itself, becoming one of its actors—and a new intervenor in this world.]

[Simulation task begins.]

[You have accidentally intruded into this strange stage as an otherworlder. Upon entering, under its rules, you gain your own Servant and three Command Seals as proof of Master status.]

[Now, as an external participant in the Holy Grail War, choose your way: join one faction to save or destroy human order, or become a new contender forming a fresh storm. All choice is yours.]

[If the player survives until the singularity is fixed, or successfully acquires the Grail, or remains as the last survivor, the simulation is cleared. If all are wiped out before these conditions, it's failure with severe penalty—act wisely.]

[Current mission hint: to fix the singularity, assist Chaldea's sole Master, Fujimaru Ritsuka, in the tasks ahead.]

This prompt makes Artoria frown in confusion:

"Fujimaru Ritsuka? But… that girl should have already…"

A voice Ritsuka recently heard speaks from behind:

"Um… who are you? How do you know my name?" Artoria turns, seeing Ritsuka there, alert and unharmed.

"But you should have—Watch out!" Artoria suddenly shouts as a crimson meteor streaks across the sky toward Ritsuka. Yet her warning is unnecessary: at that moment, a girl in armor rushes out, shield raised. The massive shield, taller than herself, blocks all incoming meteors. The stray meteors crash into empty ground, gouging crater after crater around them, leaving only the ground beneath them intact.

"Wow, amazing—such dense bombardment, yet you held firm… More importantly, you're both safe! I'm so relieved." Artoria cheers.

"Th-thanks," Mash replies, but another meteor salvo approaches; she warns: "Be careful!" She wants to help block, but meteors target both sides; concerned for Ritsuka, Mash cannot intervene and can only watch another girl threatened.

Artoria's expression stiffens: "Oh no… this density and power of bombardment is beyond what I can handle yet…" She fears her first otherworld venture might end here. Then a familiar figure intercepts in front of her. A sword technique seen countless times in memories appears again: like a windmill, continuous rotating slashes form a tidal wave of strikes, precisely deflecting all meteors.

"Guinevere!" Artoria exclaims in delight.

Guinevere remains focused, repeatedly deflecting meteors. After many accurate parries, he switches to single-handed sword strikes to knock down falling meteors. In his off-hand, he summons a staff, gathering magic at its tip.

"Not only you have ranged methods now, Servant Emiya," he murmurs, returning the starlight-imbued staff.

"Look up: this is the most brilliant technique of the former king."

He raises the staff briefly, channeling starlight into a spear of magic that traverses kilometers to strike the distant sniper position—then he cancels the full "Comet Azel" release. His purpose is achieved: the sniper, after evading, is struck by other attackers and forced to retreat. Confirming the threat repelled, Guinevere turns to Artoria, who beams:

"Yay! Guinevere is amazing! I knew that as long as you're here, there's no problem… But that sword seems familiar…"

Her words are cut off as Guinevere steps forward and embraces her.

"Huh? Wait—others are watching…" Artoria starts, shyly trying to push him away, but he holds her too firmly. Then she notices his body trembling, as if haunted by some terrifying memory or loss.

"Don't ever leave me again, okay?" His voice trembles, and Artoria, feeling warmth and even sensing tears, stops resisting and returns the embrace, patting his back like comforting a child:

"Don't worry—I'm right here, and I will always be here."

After a long embrace, Guinevere reluctantly lets go.

"Then… you truly are… Guinevere after repelling the Beast-level calamity?" Artoria asks, eyes on his sword.

"Um… may I ask something?" Ritsuka's cautious voice comes from one side; Guinevere and Artoria turn to see Ritsuka approaching carefully:

"I know this is important right now… but may I ask a few questions?"