[Ruri Gokou (Level 7, Stage 1): Eriri, have you returned?]
[Eriri (Level 8, Stage 9): Mm, I just got back. Planning to go shopping with Shizuka later.]
[Ruri Gokou (Level 7, Stage 1): Shizuka? Who's that?]
Since it had been almost half a year since Eriri live-streamed the events of Highschool of the Dead, Ruri didn't immediately recall who Shizuka was.
Yesterday, Arifureta and the others hadn't specifically mentioned in the chat group that Shizuka had come to Saekano world. After all, different people came through the World Gates every day; if they reported every single one, it would never end.
[Arifureta (Level 7, Stage 2 / Group Leader): Ruri, it's Shizuka from Highschool of the Dead World.]
[Eriri (Level 8, Stage 9): That's right.]
[Ruri Gokou (Level 7, Stage 1): Ohhh, it's her.]
[Ruri Gokou (Level 7, Stage 1): Well, with such few appearances, it's normal not to remember right away!]
[Chika Fujiwara (Level 7, Stage 1): Ah, yes yes yes.]
[Ruri Gokou (Level 7, Stage 1): ???]
[Ruri Gokou (Level 7, Stage 1): I hope you apply the same attitude to your life.]
[Chika Fujiwara (Level 7, Stage 1): Well, actually, I didn't remember either.]
Watching Ruri and Chika bicker as usual, Eriri couldn't help but show a gentle smile.
A few minutes quickly passed, and those who had finished preparing to go out, like Saeko, also gathered in the living room.
They all got into the car driven by Aoi Kujo and headed for the liveliest district in Tokyo.
Because of the existence of Sword Art Online, the number of people active outside had decreased significantly, and many physical stores had also closed.
Although Tokyo had been affected too, the bustling scenes in the most prosperous areas hadn't diminished much.
Soon, the car stopped in a parking lot, and Eriri and the others got out one after another.
Following Eriri closely, Aoi Kujo also accompanied them, dressed in her maid outfit.
Although Saekano world was much more technologically advanced compared to Highschool of the Dead World, it was still a modern world, so Shizuka wasn't as amazed as those from traditional fantasy worlds like Loli or Esdeath.
Instead, something else astonished her.
Pointing at a nearby stall, Shizuka exclaimed, "Eriri-chan, everyone here is amazing! Are they all using superpowers?"
Eriri shifted her gaze over and quickly spotted a barbecue stall. The middle-aged owner was standing in front of the grill, moving skewers of roasted meat to customers' tables using telekinesis.
At an unused grill, a young woman around twenty was using fire abilities from her right hand to ignite the charcoal.
Nearby, there were other visible signs of superpower use.
"Yes, they're really using superpowers," Eriri said with a smile.
"Amazing!"
Scenes like this astonished Shizuka, but for Eriri and the others, it had long become everyday life.
Those people's superpowers weren't strong; they were basically useless in actual combat.
For example, the barbecue stall owner's telekinesis could only lift a few kilograms at most, and his control was slow. Even if he tried to use it to wield a small knife in a fight, enemies could easily dodge his attacks.
The woman's flame ability was similar—just a small ball of fire, hardly capable of significant damage, and likely to extinguish before even reaching an enemy.
But even these minor abilities brought considerable convenience to daily life.
As a natural airhead, Shizuka Marikawa only marveled at the power of superpowers for a moment before returning to normal, quickly shifting her attention to other things.
Just like that, as they wandered around, time passed quickly, and it was already past three in the afternoon.
During this period, they had lunch at a distinctive family restaurant. As for Eriri's schoolmates like Ailette, they had to handle their own lunch.
When Eriri and the others returned to the villa, another half hour had passed.
This few hours of casual strolling left Shizuka very satisfied, not only experiencing the entertainment activities of a different world but also buying very beautiful dresses.
This made her reluctant to leave, and she immediately decided to live in this world. She could always return to visit Minami later.
...
Time passed quickly. In the blink of an eye, another week had gone by.
During this week, Eriri had not visited any other worlds.
Her daily routine consisted of attending school during the day and spending the afternoons playing with group members and their relatives who visited the Saekano world, living a very leisurely life.
Meanwhile, in the group chat, the new round of designated invitation rights had been won by Erina.
Thus, Alice Nakiri became the 41st member of the chat group.
However, this peaceful daily life was about to take a temporary break.
This time, Eriri would once again travel to the Fate/Zero world, a place she had visited multiple times before.
The Fourth Holy Grail War was about to begin.
...
"Fill, Fill, Fill, Fill, Fill.
Repeat every five times.
Simply, shatter once filled.
-I announce.
Your self is under me, my fate(doom) is in your sword.
In accordance with the approach of the Holy Grail,
The ancestor is a stone wall that crowns the foundation.
if you abide by this feeling, this reason, then answer.
Here is my oath."
Fate/Zero World, Tohsaka Residence.
In a dimly lit basement, a glowing red summoning circle occupied most of the floor. The faint light from a few lamps affixed to the walls only barely illuminated the surroundings.
Dressed in a red suit with a solemn expression, Tokiomi Tohsaka stood in front of the summoning circle. Beside him, Risei Kotomine and Kirei Kotomine watched the scene intently without any change in their expressions.
The summoning chant just recited had come from Tokiomi Tohsaka's mouth, though the chant wasn't complete yet, and soon, his voice continued to echo through the basement.
"I hereby declare.
Your body shall serve under me.
My fate shall be your sword.
Submit to the beckoning of the Holy Grail If you will submit to this will and this reason…Then answer!
An oath shall be sworn here!
I shall attain all virtues of all of Heaven.
I shall have dominion over all evils of all of Hell!
From the Seventh Heaven, attended to by three greet words of power,
Come forth from the ring of restraints, Protector of the Holy Balance! "
As soon as the summoning chant concluded, a tall and imposing figure clad in golden armor appeared amid a puff of white smoke above the summoning circle.
Seeing this magnificent figure, a confident smile immediately curled on Tokiomi Tohsaka's lips.
"Victory is ours, Kirei," Tokiomi said, a hint of excitement in his voice. "This war is already won!"
At the same time, elsewhere, Waver Velvet, Kayneth El-Melloi Archibald, and Ryuunosuke Uryuu each completed their own Servant summons.
As for Kirei Kotomine, he had summoned his Servant earlier.
The final two participants of the Holy Grail War, Irisviel von Einzbern and Sakura Matou, had yet to summon their Servants.
At this moment, Eriri, Sakura Tohsaka, Irisviel, and Illya were gathered inside the chapel of the Einzbern Castle.
Before Irisviel, a dark red summoning magic circle was drawn on the floor. In front of the summoning circle stood an altar, upon which rested a golden and blue sheath.
Although Eriri could have simply pulled Artoria's true spirit directly from the Throne of Heroes—completely skipping the summoning ritual—she let Irisviel proceed with the traditional ceremony, since she wanted to experience it for herself. It wasn't anything particularly troublesome, so Eriri allowed it.
As Irisviel finished chanting the summoning incantation, a burst of white smoke erupted from the summoning circle. A figure clad in armor appeared—Artoria Pendragon, King of Knights, summoned in the Saber class.
Her eyes, closed until that moment, slowly opened to reveal clear green irises. She gazed at Irisviel standing before her and softly asked:
"I ask you—are you my Master?"
...
In a district of Fuyuki City, Rin Tohsaka was hurrying toward her destination.
Because she had kept her true power hidden—power already far beyond that of a Heroic Spirit—Rin and her mother Aoi had been sent away from Fuyuki by Tokiomi Tohsaka, just as in the original story.
Rin knew about Eriri's arrival, of course. After all, she was the one who informed Eriri that the Fourth Holy Grail War was about to begin.
However, Rin had not gone to the Einzbern Castle to meet up with Eriri right away.
After settling her mother in a safe place, she returned to Fuyuki alone, with a single goal: to personally eliminate the sadistic serial killer Ryuunosuke Uryuu.
She had seen the memories from the chat group—the original timeline where she and many of her classmates were targeted by that lunatic. If she didn't intervene, her classmates wouldn't escape his clutches this time.
In Rin's mind, Ryuunosuke had to die. No one could save him.
By now, she had completely locked onto his location. As she approached, he had just completed the summoning of his Servant, Caster.
He was holding a young boy, even younger than Rin herself.
Rin wasn't a saint or some heroic savior—but she wouldn't just stand by and let a child be murdered, either.
Unfortunately, she'd arrived slightly too late. The boy's family had already been killed by Ryuunosuke and used as materials to draw the summoning circle.
Meanwhile, in a small detached house less than ten kilometers from Rin, Caster—Gilles de Rais—extended his claw-like hands toward the boy.
"There, there. Don't be scared, little one," Caster said gently, his face twisted into a friendly smile. He began undoing the boy's bindings.
From behind him, Ryuunosuke pursed his lips and furrowed his brow slightly, visibly displeased.
But he didn't say anything—he simply watched as Caster finished untying the boy and guided him on how to escape the room.
The child, touched by Caster's unexpected kindness, stopped trembling in fear. He followed the directions and managed to open the door and step out into the sunlight.
The sudden brightness made him instinctively shut his eyes.
But when he saw the pairs of shoes at the entrance, memories of his family being murdered right in front of him overwhelmed him once more.
Tears streamed down his face again.
Outside the house, Rin Tohsaka finally crossed the nearly ten-kilometer distance and arrived at the scene of Ryuunosuke Uryuu's crimes.
Just as Caster was summoning his sea-demon tentacles, ready to ensnare the boy, Rin burst through the door and shattered the tentacles with a single punch.
Fortunately, her months of training had improved her control, and this strike didn't cause massive destruction—but the walls inside the house were still visibly damaged.
That level of collateral damage was unavoidable. Unlike Eriri, Rin couldn't yet exert perfect control over her power.
"Who's there?"
The sudden attack startled both Caster and Ryuunosuke, though neither of them showed any signs of fear.
The young boy, however—just rescued by Rin—was completely terrified by her destructive entrance. He collapsed onto the ground, trembling in fear as he stared at her.
But Rin didn't have time to comfort the child. She stepped past him, arriving at the damaged doorway she had just blasted open.
With her left hand on her hip and her right hand raised confidently, she pointed toward the two men inside.
"Hmph! You two evil villains—today, I, Rin Tohsaka, will be your judge and executioner!"
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