Chapter 76. The entire social network is talking, superstar Yukino!
Early the next morning.
The alarm rang, sunlight pierced through the clouds and shone into the bedroom, Yukinoshita Yukino awoke from her slumber.
After experiencing the tragic and lonely life of Servant Yukino, though fragmented and full of broken, vividly painted memories, one could roughly see the tragedy named Yukinoshita Yukino.
So pitiful.
So hateful.
So admirable.
So regrettable.
"I absolutely will not become you."
She murmured, her gaze somewhat complicated.
So what if she established an immortal legend?
So what if she entered the Throne of Heroes?
Her whole life was still like a tea table where everything was casually placed, piled with tragedy.
Signing a contract with the Counter Force, ideals rotted into duty, leaving behind only overflowing regret.
Suddenly.
"Reng reng reng reng~"
The phone beside the pillow vibrated, the ringtone echoed.
Yukino glanced at it, swiped the screen and saw a call from [Mother]. After a brief hesitation, she pressed the button to answer.
"Mother, is something the matter…?"
Very quickly, a cold voice came from the other end, instructing her to return to the old house this Sunday.
She was slightly taken aback, then nodded in agreement. After that, they chatted about small everyday things, but regarding anything related to Celestial Curtain, her mother did not mention a word.
About ten minutes passed.
After finishing the conversation, the two of them fell silent for a long time. Finally, her mother coldly said:
"That's all then."
Although her tone remained cold, she could clearly feel a change in attitude—it no longer carried the commanding tone of the past.
In the past, her mother never cared about her thoughts at all.
"..."
Yukinoshita Yukino stared blankly at the phone, clearly feeling that her once-familiar life was gradually falling apart.
Not long after, her father also called. His voice was warm and affectionate, talking about many family matters, showing concern for her. In the end, he casually asked a question.
"A few days ago, you met someone named Raku Sou in the park, right? Do you have a way to contact him?"
Yukino felt like a block of ice had been poured over her, instantly waking up, her tone turning cold: "No, he just gave me a fortune reading."
Compared to her enthusiastic father, perhaps her strong mother was the one who truly loved her more.
The other end fell silent for a moment, then joyfully chatted a little longer before hanging up.
"This matter is probably over now, right?"
Yukino murmured.
Reng reng reng reng~
She remained silent and picked up the phone again.
"Yukinoshita-san, have you considered becoming the brand ambassador for our company?"
A strange man's voice rang out, humble and slightly pleading.
The corner of her mouth twitched, and she decisively hung up.
...
The morning passed in a flash. Yukinoshita Yukino had received a total of twenty-seven calls.
Even elementary school classmates called her.
There were also advertising companies, entertainment companies asking if she planned to debut. On a global scale, her fame might have instantly reached the top tier, to the point that everyone knew her.
Compared to her, even major Hollywood stars became dim and distant.
She quietly entered the bathroom, splashed cold water on her face.
Looking at the cold expression in the mirror, clearly nothing had changed, yet everything felt different.
Not long after, when she arrived at school, she felt it even more clearly.
"Hey hey, isn't that Yukinoshita Yukino?"
"Unbelievable, I get to attend the same school as such a celebrity."
"So cool, the woman who made friends with King Arthur."
Many students and teachers were secretly looking at her, whispering and buzzing.
Countless eyes were fixed on her, filled with jealousy, envy, and admiration.
As if the moment Yukino stepped onto campus, everything else dimmed—she became the center of all attention.
"Yahallo~, Yukinoshita-san, good morning!"
Entering the classroom, the adorable girl with twin buns – Yuigahama Yui – smiled and greeted her proactively.
"Hello."
Yukino quietly nodded. Amid the whispers of everyone, she sat down at her seat.
Everything has changed...
The enthusiasm of her classmates made her feel a little unaccustomed.
She picked up a textbook, intending to immerse herself in the world of books, but it was difficult to concentrate. She was quickly drawn in by the sound of conversations and silently perked up her ears to listen.
"Why didn't I ever realize Yukinoshita-san is this beautiful...?"
"tsk, dude, don't say stuff like that—where were you when she was being isolated, huh?"
"...I had no choice, what, you wanted me to go talk to her and get isolated too?"
"Speaking of which, did you guys see the trending topics online recently?"
"What topic?"
"The one about 'what is Raku Sou's hidden trump card'?"
"...Oh, that one! Now that you mention it, I'm interested."
The moment the Fifth Holy Grail War—majestic and vast—was mentioned, the group of boys immediately became excited.
Who doesn't enjoy talking about battle power?
"I strongly suspect that trump card has something to do with the Gem Magecraft inherited by the Shinomiya family. It might even be a thousand-year-old divine relic, but using it would overload the body and cause collapse, so Raku Sou doesn't dare use it."
"That makes sense, but I feel like it could also involve the Mystic Eyes of Death Perception, the eyes that can kill even gods—maybe it holds some deeper mystery."
"You guys are all talking crap—it's definitely related to his identity in the 'Three Great Clans'!"
"As the current head of the Shinomiya household, one of the clans that founded the Holy Grail War, maybe he can activate the leyline beneath Fuyuki City and unleash an all-out, suicidal strike!"
"...That's even more absurd than the last thing, alright fine!"
"Recently, another keyword's popped up in those battle analysis threads—it's called [Three European Radiants], referring to the three strongest Servants in this Holy Grail War."
"Who are they?"
"Big Boy – Heracles, Doggo Bro – Cú Chulainn, Ahoge King – Artoria..."
"I've got no issue with the first two, but Artoria seems a bit weak, no?"
"No problem—as long as the Knight King can unleash her Noble Phantasm Excalibur, she can one-shot the other Servants. If Raku Sou can supply mana to Yukino, firing Excalibur twice a day wouldn't be a problem."
"But Ahoge King got NTR'd by Medea already..."
Screech~
Yukino clenched her fists tightly, frowning.
Do they not know how to talk properly?
What do they mean "got NTR'd"? It sounds like she's wearing a green hat or something.
"Right!!"
Suddenly, the otaku Zaimokuza Yoshiteru got excited, slamming his hand on the desk, "Guys, think about it—if Yukinoshita-san, Uncle Kogoro, and scumbag Aki Tomoya all exist in real life… then doesn't that mean Raku Sou might be real too?"
"Probably, yeah?"
Someone scratched their head.
Since most of the Masters exist in real life, Raku Sou must also exist in reality.
It's just that there's no information about him for now.
"That topic you mentioned—someone's already posted about it online a while ago. Now it's turning into a flame war..."
"Damn, how did it even become a flame war?"
"Well, some netizens guessed that Raku Sou in real life is also a super powerful magus."
"Then another group of netizens couldn't take it, pulled out all sorts of arguments and analyses—the two sides started fighting like the sky was falling, the air was electric."
"How far has it gone now?"
"Let me check... holy shit, Raku Sou in real life just got doxxed, there's a video going viral on Toktok—it already has twenty million likes, and the shares outnumber the likes, the comment section is exploding."
"What's the content? Show me, quick!"
The classroom suddenly grew rowdy, with lots of curious students crowding over.
And then...
Utter silence.
Everyone froze, their eyes shocked as they watched the scene in the video.
In a park, a young man around his early twenties, with a gentle breeze-like smile, handsome facial features, tall and slender figure, wearing an all-white outfit.
The sleeves and collar were embroidered with fine golden thread in the shape of a phoenix spreading its wings to fly.
He wore long fingerless black gloves that extended to his forearms, and from both shoulders hung two scripture-covered silk ribbons.
Extremely refined. He looked noble, mystical, mysterious, and dazzling.
Truly a bit otherworldly.
Quite a few tourists surrounded him. An idol girl tentatively asked:
"Master, I'm this year..."
"Fifteen years and four months."
"My occupation is..."
"Idol trainee."
"Training period?"
"Two and a half years."
The girl stared in astonishment, her eyes filled with wonder, and even the surrounding fortune tellers were stunned.
At this point, the video wasn't even 1/10th complete.
After that, under the stunned gazes of the classmates, the familiar Yukinoshita-san also appeared in the video. Haruno's attitude changed from suspicion to complete belief in under two minutes, and Yukino even received a ruby amulet necklace as a gift.
Truly magical!
The video ended there.
In the classroom, the students looked at each other in stunned silence, all finding it hard to believe.
A beautiful appearance, tall figure, luxurious clothing, and an aura completely overflowing with a mysterious air.
Not only handsome, but he could also predict people's fate.
"If this guy isn't a magus, then who would believe it?"
One student murmured.
Yukino couldn't help but let out a soft chuckle — of course he's the most special person.
...
Time passed.
Very soon, it was time to leave school.
Yukino slung her schoolbag on her shoulder, softly humming a tune as she walked alone down the narrow path.
Although many classmates wanted to walk home with her, Yukino gently turned them all down.
Useless friendships like this were better left behind. If one day she did something insane and inhumane within the Celestial Curtain, these so-called friends trying to get close would immediately abandon her.
Thinking it over carefully…
Her past life and thoughts were nothing more than the troubles of adolescence.
But now…
This was the beginning of maturity.
Suddenly, something by the roadside caught her attention, and Yukino glanced over in surprise.
"Hiken: Tsubame Gaeshi!"
A sharp-eyed elementary school student swung a tree branch in his hand, slashing toward a straw dummy.
Yukinoshita Yukino propped her chin on her thumb, looking thoughtful.
Is this kid practicing skills from Celestial Curtain?
The girl shook her head with a smile — learning magecraft couldn't possibly be that simple. Yukino continued walking forward, but after a few steps, she suddenly stopped, looked around, and quietly…
"Trace On!"
However, as expected, no blue lightning appeared.
Trace On
Trac…
T…..
Yukino lightly coughed, pretending nothing had happened. Her face slightly reddened as she quickly walked out the school gate.
Seriously… it must be because she had experienced the life of Servant Yukino, and now she had chuunibyou to the point of doing something that embarrassing.
Good thing no one recorded that moment, or it really would have been social death!
Forget it.
Let's head to the shopping mall first.
The new Panda plushie model should be on the shelves by now.
Perfect!
The girl brushed away her messy thoughts, the corners of her lips lifting into a faint smile.
Not long after, she arrived at the bustling shopping mall.
Just as she was excitedly getting ready to sweep the merchandise stands…
"Look! It's Yukinoshita Yukino!"
In the crowd, someone suddenly shouted out in excitement.
Countless eyes turned to her all at once, making Yukino's back go cold.
Yamete yo~…
She groaned inwardly and instinctively put strength into her legs, taking off like a bullet.
A wave of chaos followed. The mob chasing after her looked like crazed zombies, their blazing eyes seeming ready to devour her alive, refusing to let her go.
"Yukino, I love you!"
"Yukinoshita-san, please give me your autograph!"
"I'm begging you, just let me licker you once!"
"Yukinoshita-sama, please step on me!!!"
The deafening roar shook the heavens, a crowd of rabid fans tearing apart all order.
It took a long time for Yukinoshita Yukino to finally shake off the crowd. She panted heavily, sweat soaking her like morning dew.
"So annoying… if I knew, I would've worn a mask…"
She murmured in frustration.
Who knows if the new Panda plushie model is still in stock now…
Suddenly, a figure brushed past her. Yukino didn't pay much attention, only glancing up — and instantly widened her beautiful eyes in shock, frozen in place.
On the stranger's wrist were three glowing red Command Spells.
Without thinking, she immediately gave chase, which also made the other person realize something and silently picked up speed to flee.
Because she had already exhausted much of her stamina earlier, Yukino couldn't catch up.
She could only watch regretfully as the figure disappeared into the distance.
...
"Knock knock knock~"
The sound of knocking echoed through the Yukinoshita residence.
Haruno raised an eyebrow and walked over to open the door, immediately stunned.
In front of her stood a young girl with long, silky black hair, wearing high boots, a gleaming katana strapped at her waist, and a naturally smiling face as she waved casually.
"Hello~ Yukinoshita-san, let's get acquainted, shall we?"
"I'm Isayama Yomi, special envoy of the Supernatural Disaster Countermeasures Bureau, Chiba Branch."
"…Isayama-san, was it? Please, come in."
Haruno quickly recovered, smiling as she gestured for her to enter.
Immediately after, the two exchanged a knowing smile, a subtle sense of mutual understanding passing between them.
...
In front of Mouri Detective Agency.
"The current situation is a mess. Who knows who'll be the last one standing."
Passersby whispered among themselves, speculating on the outcome of the Holy Grail War.
A young man sighed: "Anyway, Team Saber and Archer are done for. All their Servants have been eliminated — what's the point of competing anymore?"
His friend quickly asked in confusion.
"Huh? Isn't uncle Mouri still around? He's pretty close with Lancer bro, right?"
The other sneered: "Three Masters but only one Servant left, and that lecherous old man doesn't exactly inspire confidence. He's probably next to get eliminated."
"You brat! Who are you calling lecherous, huh? Get lost!!"
The office door burst open with a loud slam as Mouri Kogoro stormed out, furiously yelling and chasing the kids away.
Slander!
This was blatant slander against the great detective Mouri!
Aside from admiring beautiful women, I – Mouri Kogoro – am practically a saint, got it!?
"Dad…" Mouri Ran silently held her forehead, recalling the greasy smile and nearly drooling tongue her father always had whenever he saw a female celebrity, and couldn't help but sigh.
...
Fumizuki High School.
"Hideyoshi, why the hell are you suddenly studying so hard!!"
Amid the noisy crowd, Sakamoto Yuuji was crying tears like rain, furiously shaking Hideyoshi's shoulders.
You promised we'd be dumb losers together — why are you suddenly putting in effort? You planning to ditch the bros and crawl out of the pit alone!?
Betraying your brothers is a sin the heavens won't forgive!
"Ahem…"
"I just flipped through the history books on the Sengoku period… I wanted to understand Kojirou-san better, that's all."
Hideyoshi looked a little embarrassed, 'she' let out a soft cough, her face red like a tomato.
Instantly, everyone around fell silent.
Damn it…
Why is Hideyoshi so damn cute!?
I'm fucking gay now!
...
["What do you think about the 'Purge King' becoming a NEET loser in this parallel world?"]
In a dimly lit bedroom, Natsuki Subaru glared at a post on some forum, seething with anger.
He felt like his dignity and honor had been gravely insulted.
So what if I'm a NEET loser?
Did I sleep with your wife or something?
Looking at the comments below the post, most of which were logical analyses siding with the Purge King and mocking Subaru, he clenched his teeth and pounded the keyboard furiously.
"Thanks for the invite. I'm currently in Chiba City, and I have a friend who happened to know Natsuki Subaru — a long-time best friend. From what I know, Subaru is a passionate, optimistic, and kind-hearted young man."
"Though Subaru's abilities in this world might be lacking, he still has many strengths and is adored by countless girls…"
What followed was a string of seemingly objective comments full of god-tier praise, lofty and flowery words.
However—
A reply soon appeared under Subaru's post.
"Obvious alt account. Confirmed that this is Natsuki Subaru posting about himself."
"...Motherfucker!!"
The corner of the boy's mouth twitched.
Damn it, I can't even refute that.
But he stubbornly kept typing, trying to salvage the situation: "Thanks for the invite. I'm just a passerby, not flattering anyone. Subaru-kun is truly a child with wonderful qualities…"
...
The atmosphere on this side of the Masters was quite cheerful, while the rest of the Masters… weren't so lucky.