[Hassan, Foyer, Tohsaka Mansion]
The summoning beckoned. The nameless one, a mere imitation, answered. The wraith, that which moved unseen and unknown in life and death, the indecipherable killer in life and the cryptic wraith in death. An enigma, no, more an oddity, within the system of the grail.

Hassan I Sabbah had been summoned. More Specifically, the third old man of the mountain. The blinding light that shone throughout the room rapidly faded and contracted into itself, as if being sucked into an abyss from a centripetal force at the center of the circle. Assassin now stood, cloaked in billowing wreaths of pitch black cloaking that concealed his body except for his face, which was obfuscated by an ominous mask in the caricature of a human skull. A hateful, crimson red gleam shone from the small slit at the right eye of the mask, focusing on the master who had summoned Assassin.

A raspy but chillingly deep voice snaked through the foyer when Hassan spoke, as if heralding misfortune itself. A voice lacking the resonance of a hero, but infused with the unknown.
"Servant Assassin has heeded your call."
A succinct introduction, without a hint of understanding or emotion. A mechanical reply promising necessary subservience, but hinting that nothing more would be given.

[Kaname Housen, Basement/Worm Pit, Matou Household]

It took a bit of time, but after several birds, a few precise angle measurements, and some pushing back of collapsed worm piles, Kaname finally finished throwing together his little summoning array.

But did he really have to do this? He was only participating because he was told to, after all. There was still a chance to back down and not risk his life. But he'd learned his lesson already.

And that meant he had to say the words.

"Silver and iron to the origin.
Gem and the archduke of pacts to the foundation.
Let the descending winds become a wall.
Let the gates in four directions close, rising above the crown, and let the three-forked road leading to the kingdom rotate.

Shut (fill). Shut (fill). Shut (fill). Shut (fill). Shut (fill).
Five perfections for each repetition.
And now, let the filled sigils be annihilated in my stead!

—Set.
Let thy body rest under my dominion, let my fate (doom) rest in thy blade.
If thou submittest to the call of the Holy Grail and if thou wilt obey this will and reason, then answer my summoning!

—I make my oath here.
I am the person who is to become the virtue of all Heaven.
I am that person who is covered with the evil of all Hades.

Thou seven heavens, clad in a trinity of words,
come past thy restraining rings,
O keeper of the balance—!”

His hand was thrust out, back of the palm burning as his bruise became a three-part Seal. Light and wind coursed around the summoning circle, illuminating the basement and sending crusty worm skins everywhere.

And at the apex, the room went white.

[Rei Yasuhiro, Backyard, Ryuudou Temple]

This woman questioned his views on religion. He couldn't help but frown as he shook his head. "Despite what my heritage may say about me, I do not subscribe to any sort of belief system when it comes to a higher power. I am what they call an 'agnostic,' as I believe the term goes- one who doesn't particularly care for the deities of the world."

Rei knew the woman may find this irritating to hear, so he decided to try to end his explanation on a positive note.

"However, I do not hold my beliefs against others. I think that whatever you believe in, so long as it makes you a better person, is worth believing in."

There was one thing that he could believe in absolutely from his experiences- himself, and what he was capable of.

"Allow me to show you the strength of my own convictions."

And with that-

"The alighted wind becomes a wall. The gates in the four directions close, coming from the crown, the three-forked road that leads to the kingdom circulate.
Shut. Shut. Shut. Shut. Shut.
Repeat every five times.
Simply, shatter once filled.
――――I announce.
Your self is under me, my fate is in your sword.
In accordance with the approach of the Holy Grail, if you abide by this feeling, this reason, then answer.
Here is my oath. I am the one who becomes all the good of the world of the dead, I am the one who lays out all the evil of the world of the dead.
You, seven heavens clad in three words of power, arrive from the ring of deterrence, O keeper of the balance ―――!"

[ Christelle Proulx. Backyard, Ryuudouji Temple]

He was Agnostic?

Well, he was still a filthy heathen, and it was her job to make sure heathens stopped being heathens. . .

Alright, time for a mental coin flip. Heads, She kills him for being a heathen, and tails, she just tries to show him how Jesus is his lord and personal savior. She just wanted to make sure he was saved. Was that so hard?

Tails.

Well, normal missionary work couldn't be that hard, right? She might have never actually been on an missionary trip, but how hard could it be? The bible is more than enough to teach everyone the beauty of the Lord. The book was perfectly consistent, and it had no flaws in it. It was truly the ultimate book.

" Alright, but make sure you summon a good Servant. I don't really feel like carrying around dead weight, especially when I have my own. However, if you're that strong of a magus, you'll be able to summon an amazing Servant, right? "

Of course, power had nothing to do for that. In theory, the strongest magus could summon the most insignificant legend out there.

Either way, she was more interested in her own Servant anyway.

A cute, small little girl dressed in all black. No matter who she was, she is sure to be an interesting Heroic Spirit.

[Dalton Attwater, Foyer, Tohsaka Mansion]

As the light faded and the figure in front of him came into view, Dalton slowly nodded. "Assassin, eh? Yeah, yeah I can see that working. It's how I've preferred to operate in the past. Quick strikes, stay hidden until absolutely necessary. Anyway, name's Dalton. Dalton Attwater, and I suppose I'll be your Master for now." Holding out his hand, Dalton continued. "Now, I'm not too keen to go out and get myself killed just yet. I'd like to take a few days to do recon, learn of our enemies and their abilities before we move to strike. I have a goal here, but you might not like it. I'm not trying to win this war, though that would probably be the easiest way for me to make sure my objective is taken care of."

"I'm here to make sure this war goes off without causing a fuss. Keep things quiet. We may have to stick our necks out to cover up other Masters' activities once or twice, but it's no good to anybody if this thing gets found out. It's not the easiest goal, but I have a job to do. A lot is riding on this for me. I need to survive this thing. I have a duty to the Mages' Association and my family to get back safe, and get back without blowing this whole thing. I'll need your help for that. Can I count on you to help me?" He knew what he was asking was quite a lot given the circumstances, and it was quite an unusual introduction, but he hoped that would be enough to ensure that he had Assassin's loyalty.

[Hassan, Foyer, Tohsaka Mansion]
Assassin stared coldly at the man in front of him, who was his master based on the command seals and diction. Assassin ignored the extended hand and said not a word, simply listening with a terse silence, stating intently at Dalton ' s face with the same masked skeletal visage that held no emotion. Assassin heard everything his master had to say and waited until he was finished speaking, analyzing everything about his master from physical frame to clothing choice to facial expressions. By the way his master carried himself in standing posture and speaking tone, Assassin could infer that he prided himself in his abilities and held a certain degree of idealism. All of that was fine and comprised to form a strong willed individual, but when said individual did not even have a desire to obtain the wish that Hassan desired, then things were not quite acceptable.

"Of course Master, your servant Assassin is under your command. It would be a shame to have your family lose you." said assassin with a monotonous, shadowy tone imbued with a slight rasp to accentuate the soft, yet distinct tone of the voice. Assassin's tone became slightly lighter am when he mentioned Dalton ' s family, as if he were smiling beneath his unchanging mask.

Assassin would obey for now and aid his master to scout out threats and assess the general lay of the war. If his master kept on amiably, then all would be fine. Assassin was a tolerant being, and a pragmatist. He would not let personal feelings take way in this war, and as such he would never harm his master. But if his master was not of use, then Assassin would have no inhibitions of breaking his mind and forcing him as a mere mana battery.

[Rayneth, Interior of the Einzbern Mansion, Einzbern Mansion]

It was time. The procedure was not a complex one. The grail was empowered to the point which summoning "a vessel" was of no consequence. The leylines powered the "object" as if nurturing a child, provided that child was a swirl with mana. This meant that to a "proper magus" such as Rayneth, this sort of "ritual" was one without consequences. As naturally as breathing or thinking, the ritual would not affect Rayneth in the slightest of ways. The grail takes care of "providing the vessel", where as a Master's job would be to simply "maintain the vessel". It was akin to being trusted with an object to win a battle. After all, Servants were mere tools to the magus.

Rayneth looked at the command seals upon her hand.

...These marks.

They were the same sort of marks that the former family heir had once obtained. Though Rayneth was but a wee lass during the time of the former holy grail, she understood what these marks meant. They meant she was selected for this tournament of sorts, if one can call it that. It was then Rayneth knew what she had to do. She had to stop all the servants who were coming through. She's here to ohohoh for me and you.

A calling.

A purpose.

One might say these were marks of an "honorable duels" between "honorable magi", but she knew this to be false. After all, Kayneth :Fastwheels" El-Mellon Archibald-sama [may his soul rest in piece ;-;] had lost to armatures. There was no way that a magus of his caliber would take even a scratch within a Holy Grail War. After all, he was one of the best mages who allied themselves with clocktower. There had to be a "catch" for such a "superstar" to lose to plebeians.

Of course, at the same time, Rayneth was simply there to "pubstomp" other inferior mages with her superior stature and practiiton of magecraft. That'll teach them.

And so, it began

The alighted wind becomes a wall. The gates in the four directions close, coming from the crown, the three-forked road that leads to the kingdom circulate.

Fill. Fill. Fill. Fill. Fill!

Repeat every five times.

Simply, shatter once filled.

――――I announce.

Your self is under me, my fate is in your sword.

In accordance with the resort of the Grail, if you abide by this feeling, this reason, then answer.

Here is my oath. I am the one who becomes all the good of the world of the dead, I am the one who lays out all the evil of the world of the dead.

You, seven heavens clad in three words of power, arrive from the ring of deterrence, O keeper of the balance ―――！

A dazzle of light shines brightly at the "summoning circle", blinding her momentarily.

Who would she summon!?

Will Cu ever not molest maids!?

Will Waver realize that Rayneth took Mercury-tan!?

Find out next time on the next exciting episode of Fate/Soap Opera!

[ Caster, Backyard, Ryuudouji Temple]

"Oh, I see where your priorities are regarding conversations with others, Master. I suppose I'll need to make sure it doesn't happen again."

The speed of a servant isn't to be underestimated. A normal human cannot even comprehend their speed for a single moment. Of course- Magi are no exception. No matter how good a magus they are, they're certainly still "human". There are certain limits to what a normal body can and cannot do, no matter the level of magical potential it has, at least for modern magi. Of course, Skuld was not held to such limits.

She was a servant.

A simple single action spell threw up a "shadow" of magical energy, obscuring everything behind it in a black haze. It was naturally between Skuld and Rei, as to make sure he couldn't see anything go on.Before his chant was even started, the attack, under the cover of this magical energy began. Dashing forward at a speed that anyone within humanity couldn't even comprehend, Skuld began an all out attack on Christelle.

Unfortunately, there was no way to take her clothing off without destroying it.

So she just settled for groping her and inspecting most of her body through her habit. "Most" meaning all of her body.

"Don't worry master, I'm just making sure your body is pure enough to serve the Church.

It'll be all over soon.

I promise."

[Archer, Backyard, Ryuudoji Temple]

A blinding flash emanated from the summoning circle, signifying the successful performance of the ritual. The incantation had been recited, and thus the Grail had created a container for the existence known as a 'Heroic Spirit', anchored to the world of the living by the 'Master'. However, which Heroic Spirit was called forth to serve was assuredly not a matter of any so-called superior strength on the Master's part.

Perhaps then it was some kind of cosmic joke, that the 'strength of convictions' of the chanting magus who believed only in his own power would not call upon a great hero of old, but rather a 'hero' with not even 200 years to his name.

The light from Rei's summoning circle faded, revealing that which he had summoned. A flaxen-haired young man, perhaps even younger than Rei himself, stood before the newly christened Master, twin revolvers hanging on his hips and clad in a garb evocative of a time not long past. A time of sheriffs and outlaws, of cattle drives and train robberies, of frontier towns under desert sun

—And of showdowns at high noon.

"Hola amigo, you wouldn't happen to be my Master, would ya?"

[Shiulang He, Da Woods, Southern end of water body running through the big bridge]
Shiulang trudged through foliage and greenery with a solid and constant pace. His walking movements were precise and controlled, without a single wasted movement. An almost inhuman precision that not many would realize when first observing Shiulang. The scene around Shiulang was the very picture of peace. Songbirds lulled out their soothing melodies, and a gentle, cool and pervasive breeze lightly caressed the landscape, swaying verdant growths ever so slightly. Mild sunlight streamed in through the little crevices created by the patchwork ceiling of thickly interwined tree branches, while cool shadows projected from the bulky trunks provided a cool and comforting temperature. The earth was soft, the dirt compact but unresistant. Fauna ran amid flora, chattering their forest language while providing to the picturesque environment of natural harmony. No human voices littered this silent respite of mother earth, and the natural stillness felt as if no human had set foot in this patch of forest in years.

A lovely little plot of nature Shiulang was within indeed, it was almost as if it were in an entirely different world form the bustling city life of Fuyuki. Among such natural beauty, Shiulang found irony in that he was here to prepare for a violent blood bath. Shiulang wandered aimlessly, simply strolling around until he found a reasonable scene to set up camp so to say. Within ten minutes, Shiulang found the perfect location: A deep impression, almost like a pit, sinking fifteen feet below ground in a sharp slope. Possibly created by an earthquake many hundreds of years ago, it was an oddity amid the relatively flat surface of the forest. It was placed deep within the forest in near proximity to the water body that flowed beside it, but still covered by peering eyes through thick undergrowth and tree patterns that provided a visual obscuring wall. Shiulang peered down the sloping pit, seeing a little flat plain at the bottom, overgrown with thick grass and plant life.

It was a secluded spot fit for both the summoning of his servant and for meditation. Shiulang unstrapped the elongated approximately two meter briefcase from his back and placed it horizontally on his arms. His right arm had a formidably packed but mobile suit case hooked on, with his left having an equivalent counterpart, and with all this paraphernalia, Shiulang jumped into the pit. He landed heavily onto the ground, but the noise was muffled by the soft earth and forest greenery. Shiulang carefully placed his long, rectangular briefcase propped up on the wall of earth that stood to his back, and opened his suitcase. Inside was nothing but a huge sleeping bag that had been packed in impossibly tight into the suitcase. Shiulang pulled out the sleeping bag and gently stretched it out on the ground. The sleeping bag had an overstuffed compartment at it's front, which Shiulang unzipped. A tarp oozed out of its expended confines, as well as the beginnings of four stretches of rope.

-10 min later-
Shiulang admired his handiwork. The tarp was held in place at four ends by makeshift hook supports created from the ropes and four iron hooks. On top of this tarp Shiulang laid down his sleeping bag, with it's many contents spilled out beside it in a neat pile. Almost eighty percent of the pile was an assortment of cheap foods that only needed heat and water to eat, a camping burner and kettle, a small pot, and some utensils. The right suitcase was opened, revealing various documents and papers neatly lamented - the profiles of all the known masters with all the information Shiulang was able to get. The left suitcase contained a blackened sword hilt crumbling with age, surrounded by various tools to shape basic familiars and such.

It was time to camp out the Holy Grail War.

[Dalton Attwater, Foyer, Tohsaka Mansion]

Assassin's response was...unnerving at best. The large, hidden figure spoke as little as possible, and he only restated his original greeting, briefly agreeing that his loss would be unfortunate for his family. Not the talkative type, clearly. That....yeah, that was pretty creepy. Still, there didn't seem to be any open hostility to his decisions regarding the war and how they should approach it. Slowly withdrawing his offered hand, Dalton cleared his throat and began to think.

"Well, I suppose the first order of business should be to fortify our position. Normally I'd stick with scouting out the enemies, but for tonight, I'd like to take the defensive. Tomorrow we can begin operations. I want to get up a boundary field or two around here, so nobody sneaks in while I'm asleep or something." Calmly giving his direction to Assassin, he shook his head and sighed. "But before that, I'd like to know your identity, skills, and Noble Phantasm. I'm personally a fan of powerful attacks, and I use a sword in combat, along with earth and fire-based magecraft. I'm also very skilled at reinforcement and alteration magic, so I should be able to match most Masters we'll be meeting in combat. "

[ Christelle Proulx, Backyard, Ryuudouji Temple]

" Well, I'd rather just talk to you, but It is always important to address those who haven't seen the light of Christ. I could make you some tea in a minut - "

Huh, it appeared that her Servant just vanished from thin air. There also a black haze separating her from the filthy heathen summoning his Servant, but Christelle couldn't identify where it was coming from. She didn't do any magic, Raymond didn't have magic like that, and he was in the middle of chanting for his Servant. It could always be her Servant, but she wasn't even aroun -

Oh, her Servant just appeared in front of her. Wow, she must be really off of her game if she didn't notice her own Servant running towards her. However, she felt like something was touching her, and she wasn't feeling as Christian as she usually did.

Huh, it appears that her Servant was touching her in her no no spots.

Once Christelle finally realized what her Servant was doing, a deep shade of red appeared across her face. While, she didn't really need to remain celibate, as she wasn't exactly nun, she surely didn't have this in mind. This was an incredibly lewd act, almost on the same tier as hand holding.

If the Lord caught her holding hands, he would surely smite her, and all of her lewd actions. Hopefully, he wasn't looking at her at this moment, even if he always watching everyone at all times.

" O-of course my b-body is p-pure enough for the C-church! I-I am a K-knight C-captain! I'm sure somebody w-would have noticed if I w-wasn't fit to work for the C-church! And Is t-this anyway to treat your M-master! I've k-killed more abominations in my 25 y-years than m-most people ever h-had! "

Saying she was flustered was beyond an understatement. She can honestly say that she has never been touched like this before. If anything, she has always tried to avoid these situations. Sadly, it was impossible to avoid this one as her Servant was far beyond her.

. . .

Wait, what happens if someone summons a rapist as a Servant? What if a beautiful lady summoned Laius? Maybe this was common place? Throughout history, many people have been perverts and incredibly lewd.

[Ruler/???, Verde Tea Shop, Shinto]

At this time, six of the seven Servants of the Holy Grail had been summoned. As such, while one had yet to be bound to this world, the Fifth Holy Grail War could be said to have "started" at the current point in time. In accordance with this principle, the existence meant to oversee this war would have to begin his duty shortly.

-So then, why was he currently drinking tea opposite a small-statured girl?

"All but the Berserker have been summoned."

"Ha, looks like someone's lagging behind then, eh Ru-kun? Anyone break any rules yet?"

"...some more than others, but as they aimed to do so in a spot away from prying eyes, I will excuse their rashness for this instance."

Knowing this information was his right as Ruler. Unlike a certain false priest, the names of all Servants of this war were known to him, as were the means by which they were summoned.

"Always quick to forgive, that's our Ru-kun! Saints gonna saint, after all!"

Letting out a slight giggle, the girl sitting across from Ruler kicked her legs back and forth childishly, before reaching over to add some sugar to her tea.

"Kyaa, sweet things are the best~!" She hummed to herself.

Ruler in turn grew quiet, looking down at his own tea and stirring it briefly. A cloud of pale white steam rose from the so-called black tea, flowing into the air before fading away.

"Hm? Aw, Ru-kun, are you still mopey about what happened? What is it? Is it what happened out in the East Field a couple days back? Oh, oh, or is it that church guy's deal? It's the church guy's deal, isn't it?"

"It is a combination of things, though I'll admit the activities that the false supervisor chooses to partake in are not looked upon favorably by me." Ruler replied blandly, sipping at his tea.

Rolling her eyes with another giggle, the girl stretched in a cat-like fashion before replying. "Well as long as it's not 'cause of me, I'm happy! After all, if the Ru-kun who I went to all the trouble of catching up to speed on this war's circumstances didn't want me around anymore...I-I just might break down." She remarked, going into an obviously feigned teary tone towards the end of her sentence. "But anyway, if that junk bugs you so much, just attend to it yourself. Don't get why you're always so calm instead of letting everything burn to the bloody ground."

"...It is not my place to intervene on the false supervisor's affairs."

"'Look how uptight I am about the ruuuuuuruuuuus'." The girl commented in an attempt at mimicking Ruler's voice. "Rulah, you're really kinda boring sometimes, y'know? I'd better not miss the super dramatic moment where you become a total edgelord chuuni and go all 'so be it, you have forced my hand' and whatever, cause I want to record it so I can show it to you afterwards. It'll be hilarious, I promise! But anyway, if you're so 'neutral', just tell me what you want done and I can maybe help out~"

"-I am not going to ask you to raze a Church to the ground for me."

"...Fine, but I'm so going to record when you go chuuni."

---

[Tea Shop Employee, Verde Tea Shop, Shinto]

That one ossan and that little girl were here again.

Over the past few days, they'd come here quite a lot, and this particular employee had noticed that. She was somewhat curious about that, given that they certainly didn't appear to be related, and a little girl spending so much time with a man of the other's age was slightly worrying. If only she could hear what they were talking about, perhaps she'd have a better understanding. Maybe he was watching her while her parents were out of town? Or maybe she was adopted? Or perhaps...

-Was what she was witnessing before her an even more corrupt version of enjo kosai? One that specifically targeted girls between the strike zone of seven and thirteen?

Was the man some sort of lolicon? The worker briefly worried about her own daughter's safety, if individuals like this were walking around so brazenly, even invading the sanctity of her workplace.

No, no, she couldn't jump to conclusions like that. That was horribly rude.

However, it didn't change the fact that from now on, she'd be keeping a closer eye on her daughter.

---

[???, ???, ???]

It was a mistake.

From the fundament of Its existence outwards, It was a mistake.

And that is why it was here.

The Holy Grail War is a backwater ritual that promises a "wish."

A wish, it sounds so fanciful, so wondrous, doesn't it?

After all, if that omnipotent cup filled by 'God' can grant any wish, what human wouldn't traverse heaven and hell to find it?

That's the premise that lures magi and Heroic Spirits alike in, but it's all meaningless.

From the very first step you take, the Holy Grail War is a sham. Magi 'prepare' for it, but that's utterly nonsensical. Preparing for an absurdity of this nature...it makes you even less than incompetent.

So, from the premise taken by everyone else, what should be counted as a sham is counted as legitimate, the ephemeral is made material.

This war is a farce, an impossible dream that vanishes when you reach out to grab it.

Of course It knew this. It could be said to know this more than the Servant who was designated to oversee this war, and the girl who considered this war a mere source of entertainment.

Hilariously, incomprehensibly weak. Compared to any of the forces that existed outside of this meager town, whether it be the fragmented group that kept a certain "mystery" out of the world, or the forces of the world that protected itself and Man, the height of this ritual was nothing.

It didn't matter in the slightest. Regardless of what would happen, it wouldn't matter.

And that is why It wanted to change that.

A flash of gold cut through the black.

If they were ants, emboldened by their capacity to lift a weight ten times their own, then they would not realize that they were trying to move a mountain. As such, It would have to lend them a hand.

It was time to return the first part, before long.

[Elena Lupei, Fuyuki Central Park, Shinto]

---

...

There's a moment of silence, necessary in order for Elena to properly comprehend the situation. Throughout its entirety, she stares into the red-hued eyes of her newly summoned Servant without the slightest hint of a reaction. The same smile from before was still plastered on her face, giving her the image of somebody who had just won a game by bluffing magnificently. She understands, of course, that the hand now tenderly gripping her body was that of her partner. Yo, he says...

"I take it that you're my Lancer-class Servant?" She asks, taking in the red spear resting over his shoulder out of the corner of her vision. Her hands go back down to her side, and she gives the Servant in blue a slanted look of interest.

"Good to see you."

She returns his greeting just a little more formally than his own, but with the same unmistakably casual tone. Nobody had ever touched her there before, not in recent memory at least, and in any other circumstance she would have likely been beyond annoyed. It was balanced out, perhaps, by the fact that her heart was now beating quickly at the thought of what she had just accomplished. Sure, the Grail had done most of the work, but she had just summoned a legendary hero to serve as her familiar. A young magus couldn't do something like that without getting at least a little excited, not if they had any heart left that is. So, instead of reprimanding her Servant, Elena simply extends her own hand in the well-known expression of a handshake-

"I am Elena Lupei, the Magus who used the power of the Grail to call you here. I'd rather get these formalities out of the way quickly, we'll have plenty of time to chat once we get out of the open. So tell me, Servant Lancer..."

"Will you join me in winning this war?"

[Rei Yasuhiro, Backyard, Ryuudoji Temple]

Using Master's Clairvoyance on the other Servant as well as looking over his own Servant's parameters, he couldn't help but crack a smile. This was going to be quite fun, a worthy partner to help him win the War.

"Si, compadre, I'm your Master," he replied, using horrible sounding Spainish.

A cowboy who could kill you in an instant, looking like an innocent little boy all the while.

A Holy Knight Captain who looked like a little girl but would probably get drunk on Christ's blood before the evening was over.

Some weird girl who kinda looked like a witch.

And him, the scion of a noble magus family.

This was going to be fantastic.

[Musashi, Einzbern Mansion Interior, Einzbern Mansion]

Before Rayneth stood the greatest of men. A burly man, who with one look you could tell that he was the epitome of masculinity-

Wait, is he like 4'6"? What? THIS was Musashi, the greatest swordsman?

The Saber class Servant looked over Rayneth and scowled. "Man, are you my Master? Yeesh, another princess I gotta protect, what a drag..."

He folded his arms across his chest and sighed. Surely, his parameters as a Servant were nothing to laugh at, and his Noble Phantasms were top notch. He even received an additional bonus to his signature Personal Skill thanks to being summoned within the culture sphere of his legend. But... still...

This kid was kind of a brat.

[Cu Chulainn, Fuyuki Central Park, Shinto]

"A woman who gets straight to the point? I like those sorts of people," Lancer simply told the woman before him. Of course, one might say that Lancer was a pretty "straight forward" sort of individual to begin with; someone who did not care to tell lies to others and hated those who would consider betraying himself. The sort of man who would not use deception at a primary tool to fight against a threat. He cared not for those sorts of "petty games" of the like.

"So you must be my Master then? Did not expect one of the "help" to be a magus, but the world might be full of surprises, eh?"

Lancer stared intently at his Master's face, as if a dog trying to burrow the image within his mind so that he would not forget. Lancer was not the sort of individual to make such movements of "betrayal". If summoned as a Servant, as long as one respects his claims as a Servant and his beliefs, Lancer would uphold his "end of the bargain" and present his Master with the Holy Grail.

"Elena Lupei, eh? Although I have many names, I suppose the one that I am most famous for would be "Cu Chulainn, Blue Spearman of the Wind". Nice to meet ya', Master. As long as you let me fight other Heroes, I would not disagree with following your orders."

---

[Rayneth, Mansion Interior, Einzbern Mansion]

"This is the Servant I summoned? What a joke!" Rayneth simply said. The "boy" before her was no taller than herself, and that might be saying something. How could this be someone of "great heroic stature. Rayneth was sure she would summon a powerful Servant like Heracles or someone western, however, judging solely by the other's weapon and appearance, he seemed to be someone from the oriental sphere.

"I guess I will just roll with it. I am your Master, Rayneth El Melloi Archisorte, What Heroic spirit and class are you?"

[Medusa, Basement/Worm Pit, Matou Household]

A flash of blinding light emitted from the summoning circle. The summoning was a success! An ominous white smoke filled the room, making it impossible to make out anything more than the simple form of the servant. The servant stood there silently; she did not make a single move.

When the smoke had settled, the servant was revealed. She was a skinny woman with long, purple hair, clad in black and purple, but her eyes were covered. She started to slowly walk towards her master. She walked slowly and silently.

She stood in front of her master, staring at him silently. It seemed as if she was taking in the situation, analyzing the person who stood before her.

Suddenly, she bowed humbly. "I am at your service, master."

[Ruler/???/???, Center Building, Shinto]

"You got here quickly, Shi-chan~!"

Three beings stood atop the tallest building in Fuyuki City. Though this zone was not as suitable for Ruler from a poetic view, it was suitable from a practical one. Nonetheless, it was not him but the other two present who were locked in conversation.

"...as you requested, I have brought it to verify my continued possession."

"Thanks~!"

These two were engaged in the simple poring over of an item. These two were the girl who considered herself the audience for the Grail War, and the existence who knew the truth of the farce better than any other.

The third being, though...

"-You've deceived me, Pan. For what purpose have you gathered that? More to the point, how? What have you kept outside of my view?"

Ruler's voice cut through the air, his eyes shifting from the white-haired girl before him to the item in her hands. In response though, the girl only giggled.

"I'm just starting Act 2, is all. Don't worry Ru-kun. Just remember, you might be the Conductor, but I'm the Composer of this song."

This statement is accurate, and yet it is disgustingly arrogant. For this girl, saying such a sentence to a Servant who is not bound to her will is a death sentence, and yet she is unperturbed by the situation.

"...very well then. Begin your second act. But should your actions run against my duty..."

"Don't worry, Ru-kun. I'll be a good girl. Now then, I went to all the trouble of making sure you'd have bonus ones, so if you'd be so kind as to initiate the next part of the plan, that'd be great! Oh, Shi-chan, I'll leave the presentation itself to you, I have other stuff to do~"

---

[Ruler/"Shi-chan", Fuyuki Central Park, Shinto]

Prior to other considerations, one was necessary for this stage. What purpose is a play if the actors have no motivation?

Truly, method actors such as these Masters must follow certain premises. As such, it was only logical that something would appear to ensure that result.

After the girl had left, the other two gathered in this place. A single Master and Servant pair was already present, but the remaining factors needed to be taken into consideration.

Though he was loath to do so, Ruler would go along with the plans of the girl. After all, his role was already etched out, and so this was necessary.

"By the authority of this Command Seal, all summoned Servants shall appear at this location."

"By the authority of this Command Seal, no Servant is permitted to engage in combat or otherwise use any form of antagonistic or unwanted interference upon another existence during this gathering."

"By the authority of this Command Seal, no Servant shall leave this gathering until Servant Ruler has pronounced it as ending."

Each Master that had summoned their Servant would find their partner vanishing from existence before their eyes, though any competent Master would know the means by which to understand the situation. When the six Servants had gathered, Ruler spoke.

"Hello, and welcome. I am Servant Ruler, moderator of this war."

"I welcome you all to the Holy Grail War. Put simply, you have been called to this location at the request of the individual who is taking the role of the Three Great Families for this war, in order to make you aware of an opportunity available to all of you, as well as some mandated actions for your continued eligibility in this Grail War. It is in that individual's interest for the War to come to a close before the usual fourteen-day mark, and as such-"

"-Ah, I'll take it from here, Ruler." The male beside him interjected with a coy grin, before looking to the gathering of Servants before him. "Take a look around, heroes; this is your opposition. Now then, here's a chance for you to get into my boss's good graces. We've made a nice stage for you to fight in, and once the sun starts setting we're going to open up a little tournament, Servants and Masters who show up get to duke it out to the death. Winner will get a prize we've prepared just for you, which may or may not help you in the war depending on how competent you are. It starts and ends tonight. If that sounds appealing to you, speak up now. I'll send those of you who are signed up the details later, location and what the prize is and stuff, but Ruler here probably wants to say some more stuff before we end this little thing. But before that, who wants to sign up for our little duel to the death?"

[Shiulang He, Da Woods, Southern end of water body running through the big bridge]

After gathering some of the local wildlife to prepare the summoning ritual, Shiulang created the summoning circle, referencing his notes to make sure he got it right. It was nearly time to start the War. As he painted the ground with the blood, he wondered what Servant he'd summon exactly. He'd find out soon enough, and that much was fine for him.

[Hassan, Fuyuki Central Park, Shinto]

While he'd been listening to his Master speaking about how they'd start the War, Assassin suddenly found himself in a vastly different area. Around him were six other Servants, but one was clearly different from the others. He had Command Seals, and called himself Ruler- he was not one of the seven classes of Servant. He also claimed to be the moderator for the war. If that was true, that meant that one Servant had yet to appear. Assassin couldn't quite tell what class each Servant was at first glance, but he'd likely be able to with some careful observation. His class would be blatantly obvious.

The talk of a tournament made him wary: there was no possible way he could fight six Servants at once in a melee and not be obliterated. No, he would sit this out. But until they were dismissed, he was bound by Command Seal to stay there.

[Cu Chulainn, Center Building, Shinto]

"A tournyment, you say?" The servant in the blue jumpsuit(?) stated to the pair which seemed to "control" the grail in a sense; the individual known as "Ruler", a servant created as a "fail safe" to ensure a war would remain within a homeostatic position. Such an individual was offering a "contest" for "obtaining favor". This means that the individuals who had decided to participate within this fight were those who would simply have an advantage, either within fights or a conceptual advantage in relevance to those who would not compete. However, the cost was one's life.

Despite this, Lancer considered this to be an advantageous situation. A fight like this would simply allow for this fight to end sooner. Cu Chulainn did not believe there was another Servant who could match him, and if there was, this was the reason he wished to fight this war. He wished to fight against those who called themselves "heroes" as Cu believed himself to be the strongest, never losing in life, and believing such to continue into his "reborn" life.

Cu looked towards his surroundings. He could not believe that any of these heroes would be able to fight against his prowess in battle.

"I'd like to sign up for this little "battle" of yours."

Yes