69 [69] I'm Not Him

"Optimizing the externalized magic circuit to replace your entire spine..."

"...When you first proposed this crazy idea, Rein, I was truly taken aback."

With fair fingertips, she twirled a classic Marlboro cigarette.

A wisp of smoke floated, undulating in the moonlight.

The woman with red hair stood at the top of the tower, the cool night breeze gently brushing her forehead.

Her short hair was tied into a neat ponytail behind her head, dressed in a simple white blouse. Her tangerine-colored eyelids drooped slightly as she looked down at the bustling city below her feet.

Norwich.

Belonging to the urban center of the Modern Magecraft Department.

Each academic discipline at the Clock Tower had its own urban center. Eleven cities surrounded the central Clock Tower main city like satellites.

Each urban center also boasted a tower modeled after a grand clock tower, the tallest structure in the city.

In other words.

This was the... pinnacle of this world, overlooking the entire city.

"To be able to rent out the entire clock tower as a magical workshop, how rich must you be..."

Touko Aozaki tilted her gaze slightly, looking at the black-haired youth beside her.

The woman gazed at him with amber eyes, licking her lips, her expression somewhat ambiguous.

As a puppeteer, Touko Aozaki didn't place much value on assets and belonged to the kind of wealthy individuals who spend money as soon as they get it.

However, she enjoyed being around people who could earn money.

This guy in front of her.

He looked decent and could earn money.

But... she liked him anyway.

Listening to the other's question.

Reinhard recalled setting up his private fund.

But it was just investing in some companies based on his past life's experience, and he couldn't quite remember those fluctuating numbers now.

"It should barely be enough to help the professor pay off his debts..."

"Tsk... That stubborn Waver, refusing free lunch? If it were me, I'd already be clinging to my disciple's thigh and begging for favors, never refusing to take advantage."

"Anyway, just pay me double my overtime fee. Two days ago at this time, I was clearly sunbathing in Hawaii."

"So hardworking..."

Reinhard smiled as he said...

"Then I'll pay you double."

"You..."

Amidst the bustling evening breeze, Touko Aozaki exhaled a puff of smoke.

"Have you considered, Rein, that replacing your entire spine with an externalized magic circuit isn't just a reversible surgical procedure?"

"Moreover... even I can't guarantee a hundred percent success rate for the surgery. You could end up paralyzed, or partially paralyzed."

"No, I should say, I have confidence in my skills, but the crucial factor lies in whether your body can withstand it. That's the most important thing, you know, rejection reactions are fatal."

"Tsk... As the Grand Puppeteer, you're surprised by this kind of small matter? "

Reinhard shook his head with a smile.

"I thought you would have been immune to body modifications like this, Miss Aozaki."

"Besides, didn't we already experiment with it before?"

Saying so.

Reinhard gently lifted his hair at the back of his head.

From this angle, one could see a section of his cervical spine, emitting a faint, penetrating light from his fair skin.

"Thanks to your help, I replaced this section of cervical nerves half a year ago, and it's still working well."

That's right.

Half a year ago, Reinhard commissioned Touko Aozaki to replace a section of his cervical spine nerves for experimenting with his newly developed mystic code.

This way, a specially made magic circuit replaced the nerve function, not only speeding up his thinking speed but also greatly enhancing the efficiency of his body's magical energy circulation, leading to a significant improvement in various aspects of his senses and making him more sensitive to magical energy.

This result significantly boosted his confidence.

"Because it's a puppet, I can mess with it however I want, but now it's your body... it's even crazier than me, Rein."

This lunatic.

Touko Aozaki glanced at Reinhard with disdain.

Suddenly, she exhaled smoke, enveloping the smiling, black-haired youth's face.

Seeing him cough uncomfortably.

The woman with red hair couldn't help but smile.

"That's just a small section, so I can handle it for you. But this time, with your entire spine, can your body handle it?"

"Cough... Cough... Don't worry, I can! Absolutely no problem! And I won't even make you pay insurance..."

Laughing as he coughed out the sharp smoke.

Reinhard waved his hand, dispersing the smoke.

"Tsk... Smoking is bad for your health, and I don't inhale second-hand smoke either."

"Your health concerns me to death."

Touko Aozaki gave him a disdainful look, extinguished the cigarette butt, turned around, and walked towards the magical workshop.

Reinhard followed with a wry smile.

He could understand Touko Aozaki's concern for him.

This woman, known as the Scarred Red... how should he put it, her personality is like a leopard.

In temperament and appearance, she exudes fierceness and intimidation.

But once you understand her personality, you'll find that deep down, she's as soft as a cat.

Even the fiercest cat has a soft belly.

To a certain extent.

Once you understand her personality, it's actually quite pleasant to get along with this Scarred Red.

But... there were some things Reinhard couldn't say.

He was indeed one hundred percent sure, so he called Touko Aozaki over to undergo the next step of spinal nerve reconstruction for himself.

Because, he now possessed the second step of Alvin Pendragon.

This almost completely transformed his physique, bringing about an unprecedented improvement, thanks to the boost from the ultimate life form, and making his previously feeble body unrecognizable from before.

Reinhard closed his eyes.

And then he saw on the system panel that his step rate had increased by 2%.

A surge of power continuously flowed into his body, bringing him a sensation akin to shaking his brain.

Yes, his step rate had increased by 1%.

Why did it increase?

Reinhard didn't hesitate to guess the answer.

Without a doubt, it was because... he shoved that guy Artrum's face into the wall.

This matched Alvin's experience of imposing terror on nobles in the past.

So...

The Clock Tower was truly his treasure trove.

Descending from the top of the tower, Reinhard walked down the stairs step by step, Touko Aozaki pushed open the door in front of her.

In front of her eyes appeared a place that had made her tongue-tied in surprise... the magical workshop.

... With various neatly arranged pipelines, buzzing large-scale computing equipment, fully equipped modification surgical tables, all-weather plant farming systems, and bathtubs filled with cooling liquids...

There was no trace of any runes, scrolls, or familiars... those elements related to mystery.

"Is this really a magical workshop and not the laboratory of some villainous mad scientist?"

It's not mysterious at all...

"Just the decoration style."

Reinhard replied with a smile.

Mad scientist?

He thought Touko Aozaki's description was quite accurate.

Beside the workshop was an obvious lounge area.

A young man was holding a cola, playing chess with a handsome white-haired man.

Despite his careful and ingenious moves, he was clearly outplayed, and the young man looked visibly frustrated.

"Waver, your chess skills are regressing."

The white-haired man said with a smile, gently wiping the blood seeping from his mouth with a handkerchief.

"Working overtime all day, where's the room for chess?"

If it were a video game, he would definitely not lose.

Seeing Touko Aozaki coming down from the tower.

The young man visibly sighed with relief, putting down the black piece he was holding into the chessboard.

"I concede this one to you, Melvin, it seems we need to reschedule."

"Tsk... It's so exciting to be involved in the birth of such epoch-making mystic code."

The white-haired man gently stroked his violin, his face showing a blissful, slightly flushed expression.

"Waver, your disciple is quite interesting, although you're no less interesting yourself."

The young man made no comment, just raised his head, gazing at the red-haired woman descending.

"Miss Aozaki, have you finished smoking at last?"

Not going to smoke.

It was actually to persuade Reinhard.

The smoke was extinguished.

The result was apparent.

"You've taught your disciple well."

Touko Aozaki said grumpily.

"He wants to do it, what can I do?"

"Rein..."

Waver looked at his disciple.

Their eyes met.

Faced with the inquiry of his mentor, Reinhard just smiled faintly.

Everything was clear without saying a word.

"I see..."

"As a mentor..." Waver said softly, "I won't be an obstacle to my disciple. Please proceed."

As soon as the man's words fell.

The atmosphere in the workshop suddenly became solemn and stagnant.

Reinhard loosened his tie, slowly took off his jacket.

With a physique as well-proportioned and sturdy as an ancient Greek statue, his movements instantly caught Touko Aozaki's attention.

Known as the Scarred Red, the woman slowly took off her glasses, and the curve of her lips became correspondingly playful and joyful.

"Ah... what an exquisite physique."

Her fair fingertips slowly traced down his spine.

The slightly hoarse voice of Touko Aozaki, the woman with red hair, lingered along the edges of Reinhard's ears.

"I really want to... turn you into a puppet, Rein."

"That would be my honor."

Reinhard smiled, turning his gaze away.

"Unfortunately, if I were to become your puppet, Miss Aozaki, I wouldn't be able to pay you."

"Tsk..."

There was no choice; after all, he was her benefactor.

With black hair and blue-green eyes, Reinhard lay on the operating table, revealing his pristine back.

Touko Aozaki put on a white coat, delicately disinfecting her hands.

Like manipulating puppet strings, her fingertips extended translucent, nearly invisible threads of light, pulling all the surgical tools into the air.

"You might feel a bit dizzy, let me administer anesthesia first."

"Please make sure... not to use too much anesthesia..."

Reinhard's voice echoed, causing both Waver and Melvin in the room to twitch their mouths.

"Rein, what are you saying..."

Waver's hands trembled as he held onto the blueprints.

No anesthesia?

While blood loss might not be a concern for a magus, enduring such intense pain without fainting seemed impossible.

You want... to tough it out?

"Because I have to immediately reconnect the nerves and magic circuits myself to ensure the best surgical outcome."

Compared to the pain suffered by Alvin.

Having his heart pierced, his will annihilated, every inch of his flesh burned by the Excalibur, every bone crushed and shattered.

But this was just... replacing the spine.

It was almost... not even painful.

Hearing this, the amber eyes of Touko Aozaki radiated an unusual light.

The woman with red hair slowly leaned down.

As if caressing a lover intimately.

Her fair fingertips gently traced Reinhard's pristine back.

Waver and Melvin were moved by the scene.

A thin, blood-red line slowly split open on Reinhard's back.

But he didn't even furrow his brows.

"Heh..."

"Sometimes, you can't help it..." Whispered Touko Aozaki beside Reinhard's ear, "Remember to say it out loud..."

"Okay."

Reinhard even smiled.

Truly... a perfect physique.

The expression on the woman's face, from joy, turned into a somewhat fanatical flush.

Waver deeply furrowed his brows, unable to bear to look and turned his gaze away.

The slightly hoarse voice of Touko Aozaki echoed.

"Please leave, don't disturb me."

"I need to focus on removing the entire spine, I'll call for you when I need you."

After a moment of silence.

Waver hesitantly walked towards the tower.

His white-haired friend followed closely behind.

"Waver, Rein..." Melvin began, originally excited and feeling that he could witness magical miracles.

But at this moment, his expression couldn't help but become solemn and complex.

"...Is it necessary to go to this extent?"

"Tsk..."

The spark of the cigar flashed in the noisy evening breeze outside London.

The invisible substance filled the lungs, the excitement of nicotine numbing the trembling nerves.

The disciple chose not to be anesthetized.

As a mentor, he relied on smoke to anesthetize himself.

He didn't want to think about it.

He didn't want to look.

Waver Velvet exhaled a breath, and the smoke dissipated into the air, looking up at the grey and desolate night sky of London.

Not a single star was visible.

So the pristine moonlight remained as lonely as ever.

"Rein... he's... pushing forward desperately."

Gazing at the moonlight obscured by clouds.

As a mentor, the black-haired man whispered softly.

"I can tell..."

"He's carrying, a burden that we are not aware of."

"Rein, doesn't want to say it..."

"Because perhaps it's a truth, that we, ordinary people, cannot bear, a terrifying truth."

"Terror, that even in this vast clock tower, he can only rely on himself, to bravely forge ahead, bathed in blood."

"He's truly... gentle..."

"Because he's worried, we'll worry about him."

"So, he buries such cruelty deep in his heart."

Waver turned his gaze away, looking at his dear friend, a bitter smile appearing on his face.

"Melvin, actually, someone like me who isn't brave enough, doesn't deserve to be Rein's mentor."

"But, still... I hope..."

"He'll let this old man, his mentor, bear a little more for him."

...

Gently caressing the body, which resembled a work of art.

With meticulous skill, the bones and flesh were delicately cut and torn apart.

Thick red, like blood, slowly spread across the pale back.

On the eve of the surgery.

Touko Aozaki lowered her face, laughing softly beside Rein's ear.

"Do you know, Rein?"

"Two days ago, just before reaching the Clock Tower..."

"Someone invited me for a reunion..."

"They offered a hefty sum to buy your life."

Clearly intending to scare him a little.

However, this guy didn't even furrow his brow.

"About that..." He even had the mood to laugh, "Miss Aozaki, I believe we've discussed our transaction guidelines."

"Tsk... I can't do anything with you..."

"Fine, I'll take their lives, but remember to pay me double for my fee."

"Thank you..."

Because of the piercing pain.

Her voice paused involuntarily.

"Trust."

"You..."

Clearly, it's you... trusting me.

No drumming, no music.

Silent and completely soundproofed within the workshop.

Only the strings, rubbing against flesh, made a sound.

Waver held the blueprint in his hand, pressing his fingertips too hard, causing the paper to indent slightly.

It was a spinal nerve chart drawn by Reinhard using clairvoyance.

Looking at the blurred flesh on his disciple's back.

Waver tried hard to suppress the trembling of his own wrist, accurately pointing out every nerve connection for the puppeteer on the side.

Reinhard's entire spine, along with the attached nerves.

Was being replaced by Touko Aozaki with meticulous skill, inch by inch, with specially made external magic circuits.

Beside him, Melvin hummed a tune, opening the large bag he carried.

A finely crafted violin was pulled out from within.

As a magical tuner, he could not only repair fine damages to magical circuits with the vibrations of stringed instruments, but also activate and enhance magical energy circulation efficiency.

This was Reinhard's final insurance policy.

The white-haired man closed his eyes, gently placing the bow on the strings.

"May the moonlight caress this body, sheltering the wandering souls into their dream shadows..."

The distant and soothing melody of Moonlight Sonata flowed.

Blood splattered.

The splendid and brilliant aura of blood bloomed under the moonlight.

...

The magical workshop was a patchwork of chaos and bloodstains, as if it had witnessed a massacre.

Standing amidst the blood, with not a single strand of clothing, the black-haired youth stood tall. His fair skin shimmered with a strange and eerie glow, the result of the magical imprints etched into his flesh.

"Succeeding... beyond belief..."

Touko Aozaki slumped on the sofa, exhausted despite her status as the Grand Puppeteer, feeling as though she had just run a mental marathon and yearning for immediate sleep.

It was simply astonishing.

She couldn't help but wonder, eager to witness the ultimate outcome of this miracle.

"How could your body flawlessly accommodate the implanted external magic circuit without any rejection?"

"Exactly how did you manage this, Rein..."

Touko Aozaki gazed at Reinhard's physique, her eyes gleaming like a hungry wolf, coveting the pristine flesh before her.

Such flawlessness...

If she were to craft him into a puppet...

He would undoubtedly be the most perfect masterpiece of her puppeteer career.

Why... was there no rejection at all?

"Because... I am constantly pursuing evolution, every second of every day, as the Ultimate Life Form."

"That's my little secret."

Reinhard turned back, smiling without directly answering Touko Aozaki's question, eliciting a sigh and a sharp sound of disbelief from her.

"Tsk."

"Only you... could undergo such a transformation, Rein, because your magic circuit has naturally mutated within your brain."

Touko Aozaki tapped her temple, offering a precise assessment.

"Only with a brain as powerful as yours could you handle manipulating such delicate magical energy flows. Even if an ordinary person completes such a surgery, they would bleed out and die instantly."

"So..."

Reinhard waved his hand, summoning a workshop cleaning robot familiar to slowly remove the bloodstains from the floor.

Clad in a simple white shirt, his black hair draped elegantly, still emitting a faint glow from behind his clothes, giving him a somewhat mysterious aura.

"I will consider simplifying it in the future and then promote the modification process."

"Simplify... how?"

Touko Aozaki sighed.

"After completing your mystic code, what exactly is its effect? I am curious. It must be more than just enhancing your strength, right? If it's just about increasing output, you don't need to replace your nerves altogether."

As Touko Aozaki's words trailed off, even Waver and Melvin, couldn't help but raise their gazes.

Indeed, they were also curious.

Why go to the extent of replacing the entire spine with a mystic code? What was the purpose?

"The effect...?"

Reinhard lowered his eyelids slightly.

Without warning.

The external magic circuit in his body suddenly began operating at full power, filling, sealing, and driving...

A surge of magical energy rushed to his brain.

The nerves.

Buzzing and vibrating as if in resonance.

Reinhard slowly turned his gaze.

The flowing water in the pool seemed to freeze in mid-air, suspended and stagnating.

In an instant.

The world seemed to hit the pause button.

Everything appeared to slow down, almost imperceptibly... almost too slow to move.

At normal speed.

In Touko Aozaki's slightly contracting pupils.

Step by step, Reinhard walked in front of her, smiled at her, took the cigarette from her hand, and extinguished it in the ashtray.

"Smoke less, Miss Aozaki."

As the words fell...

Boom!

An incredibly violent airflow suddenly roared through the magical workshop.

Surgical equipment rattled, cans on the table fell off, and thin sheets of paper were blown into the air.

Waver and Melvin were pushed back by the pressure, the wind almost blinding them.

That was the extreme speed that the naked eye could hardly observe, suddenly stirred up, causing the air in the workshop to flow violently...

The red hair that had been tossed up by the strong wind finally fell down...

Touko Aozaki stared in stunned silence.

In an instant, Reinhard's figure stood beside the surgical table, right in front of her.

Her cigarette...

...Was extinguished.

"This... isn't instantaneous teleportation."

Touko Aozaki murmured in astonishment, raising her gaze.

"Is it... acceleration?"

"No wonder you're the Grand Magus."

Reinhard pulled out a tissue, wiped away the faint blood trickling from the corner of his mouth.

"Yes, that's exactly it. This is a mystic code that combines strength, speed, and precision, accelerating my neural and muscular activities, making time perception seem slower when using this mystic code..."

"I call it Sandevistan."

"Sandevistan?"

As the words fell silent.

The three of them, amidst their astonishment, wore expressions of indescribable confusion.

"...That's a strange name."

Waver furrowed his brows slightly.

"Moreover, this effect, Rein, involuntarily reminds me of..."

"... Emiya Kiritsugu's Time Alter, right?"

Touko Aozaki took over his words.

"That's right..."

As if dredging up a memory, Waver nodded with a grimace...

"That should be... his closely guarded secret."

"It indeed achieves a similar effect."

Touko Aozaki spoke softly...

"However, the principles and approaches are completely different."

"Since it affects not the flow rate of time, but the neural and muscle activities of the wearer, the consumption and load on you are much smaller than Time Alter..."

"...This means that it is superior in performance to Emiya Kiritsugu's magecraft and easier to promote."

In that instant of consciousness.

The three outstanding magus, without reservation, looked at the figure of the black-haired youth in the workshop.

Sandevistan.

This was a mystic code that was superior to Time Alter.

Moreover, its process was completely open, with principles almost transparent, requiring no generational inheritance of magic crest, it was simply a mystic code produced.

In the future, Reinhard would further optimize it.

This meant that, as long as the physical and cerebral strength met the requirements for transplantation, and the problem of rejection was solved... this... could be popularized.

The speed of thought was elevated.

The accommodation of magical energy has been resolved.

This will allow countless originally mediocre magus to possess talents comparable to those of noble descendants.

Realizing this... was such a terrifying revelation.

Waver took a silent drag of his cigarette.

His own magical aptitude...

Suddenly, he saw a glimmer of hope...

This caused even his fingers, holding the cigar, to start trembling.

But then...

"Try to use it as sparingly as possible, Rein..."

Waver spoke softly...

"You know, Emiya Kiritsugu, that man..."

...Hunted down by the Sealing Designations Enforcer.

Waver didn't need to say it, but everyone understood his meaning.

"No..."

Touko Aozaki laughed.

She laughed joyfully, brightly.

"It doesn't matter at all, really."

"Because those old fogeys at the Clock Tower are about to be shaking in their boots."

"Waver, you slowpoke, haven't you realized yet... your disciple is probably unmatched within the entire Clock Tower."

"Not only is he the biggest educational leader today, but he's also incomparable in practical combat, and has even garnered the full support of the Animusphere family."

"With the temptation of magical aptitude enhancement, Neutral Faction, they're bound to sway to your side."

"The tide of this era can't be stopped, so why worry!"

"To dare issue a Sealing Designation against me... I've long been irritated by that bunch of idiots."

The woman known as the Scarred Red pulled out a fresh cigarette from the box, a somewhat fierce smile appearing on her face.

"In the future, the Clock Tower..."

"Will be known as... The Department of Modern Magecraft Theory."

"Don't forget, I'm also fully supporting you, Rein..."

The red-haired woman smiled brilliantly yet menacingly.

"Your name, along with Sandevistan, will definitely resound throughout the Clock Tower... no, will definitely resound throughout... the entire magical world."

"Being favored feels like a surprise, huh." 

Reinhard, with his black hair, coughed lightly twice, facing the gaze of his mentor and benefactor, shrugged his shoulders slightly.

He raised his hand and, with lightning speed, snatched the cigarettes from Waver and Touko Aozaki, tossing them into the trash bin.

"Well, since you're supporting me this much, at least quit smoking first, Miss Aozaki."

"... It's killing you."

...

The evening sun lazily cast its glow over London, creating a pleasant ambiance.

Outside, the lively chirping of birds could be heard through the window grates, while the hustle and bustle of the mundane world subtly seeped indoors.

Waver leaned back against the couch in the lounge, letting out a relaxed sigh.

"This time... I owe you a lot, Rein."

Indeed.

With a disciple like him, what more could one ask for?

Suddenly, the center of the Norwich city fell into an eerie blackout, following the abrupt and mysterious death of Ernest Fargo, head of the Fargo family, a branch of the Animusphere family.

With consecutive days of commissioned tasks, it had been quite challenging.

But, effortlessly, Reinhard had deduced the culprit and swiftly resolved the situation by apprehending the perpetrator.

Was being a detective really that simple?

Continuing down this path, Waver felt he might succumb to the temptation of lounging around and resting on his laurels.

"It was just a piece of cake..." Reinhard replied casually. "After all, I've seen similar plots before."

Following Waver's lead on the commissions, Reinhard noticed a sense of déjà vu, reminiscent of an anime he once watched, allowing him to easily identify the culprits.

"...But, Rein, my main concern is, three months from now, it's the Holy Grail War in Fuyuki."

Due to efforts to quit smoking.

Waver took a sip of his ice-cold cola, attempting to replace nicotine with caffeine, as he scrutinized his prized disciple.

"What are your thoughts? Personally, I suggest you avoid getting involved. The Holy Grail's wish-granting may hold little significance for you, and the uncertainty involved is too great."

"You're right, but..."

Reinhard lowered his gaze to his chest.

The White Dragon scales, once visible beneath his clothing, had now melded into him.

In the center of his chest, a black, flame-encircled orifice had formed.

It seemed to be... a consequence of the Alvin simulation's conclusion.

Perhaps due to the change in his relic, it had now fused with his body, rendering it unextractable.

...Awkward.

"Can't retrieve the relic anymore... to be honest, it doesn't matter."

Waver contemplated for a moment.

"At most, you can compensate the Association monetarily. With your current influence, you may not even need to provide compensation."

Upon hearing this, Reinhard was momentarily stunned.

"Isn't this the relic belonging to the Son of the White Dragon that pierced the Inner Sea of the Planet? Isn't it supposed to be precious?"

"Tsk~ Think about it, Rein. If it were truly a valuable relic, would that old folks in the Association readily hand it over to you?"

Makes sense, indeed.

"You want to say why not use it for something else?"

Waver scoffed and shook his head.

"Heh... Do you think that hasn't been tried before? After all, it's a relic from an astounding legend... So, many Lords at the Clock Tower have attempted to use that scale as a magical material, hoping to communicate with the son of the white dragon's will."

"However, there has never been any response, not even a hint. Therefore, they all deemed the scale to be fake."

"Likewise, they dismissed that legends and folklore as baseless."

Speaking up to this point, Waver couldn't help but feel a sense of melancholy.

"After all, there's no historical record of the Son of the White Dragon. History, rather than being written by the victors, is written by the survivors."

"To survive is to win."

"The name Alvin Pendragon is destined to be buried."

"Because... foresight beyond a decade is genius, beyond a century is monstrous, and beyond a millennium, that's outright abominable."

"Those aristocrats seeking restoration, they're afraid, they're terrified... so, they must erase Alvin Pendragon from history and extol the greatness and purity of King Arthur."

"So, they do identify a relic as fake and give it to me for the Holy Grail War?"

Reinhard sighed with emotion.

But... why did Reinhard feel... not at all surprised?

"If this relic doesn't work, Servants will be summoned based on compatibility with the user. So, they probably don't care if they give you a fake one."

"After all, they won't admit it's fake."

As Waver spoke, even he couldn't help but chuckle, his laughter tinged with irony.

"So... it's fine not to return this relic. And you know the reason I advised against your participation, don't you?"

Reinhard pondered for a moment.

"Is it because of Marisbury's bidding'?"

"Exactly. That old man entering the war, who knows what he's plotting. I have a bad feeling... Marisbury might have a wish he wants to fulfill with the Holy Grail."

"However, since the Holy Grail has been corrupted, any wish granted will only be twisted. No one knows what he intends to do, but it's definitely not good."

"The Department of Astromancy... it is a discipline that has been passed down for thousands of years. I wouldn't be surprised if Marisbury had many relics he could use, so if you head to Fuyuki, you're bound to clash with him."

Reinhard contemplated lightly.

Currently, he did want to participate in the war.

The reason had nothing to do with the Holy Grail... he just wanted to find his wife.

Reinhard was well aware.

If he used himself as a medium to summon a Servant, there was no doubt that two people would respond to him.

Vortigern and Morgan.

His bond with Morgan was deeper, having spent more time together, so the probability was slightly higher.

However... whether Morgan was alive or dead, Reinhard wasn't sure. If she hadn't ascended to the Throne of Heroes, he could at least see his old man.

Incidentally, he could also see Artoria.

He didn't need the Holy Grail.

What he needed was just the bonds of old friends.

"Sorry... Professor, I have a reason I must participate."

"So it seems..."

Seeing his disciple so determined, Waver didn't try to dissuade him further.

"In that case, when the time comes, I'll accompany you."

"You..." Reinhard's expression froze slightly.

"Tsk~ Suprised? After all, the Department of Modern Magecraft is your backing."

Waver reclined lazily on the couch, gazing up at the ceiling.

"Not only me, but Gray, Reines... all the students of the Department of Modern Magecraft will be chartering a flight to Fuyuki. We'll definitely all be there."

Hearing this, Reinhard couldn't help but smile wryly.

"That's really unnecessary..."

"Heh heh... just like me, I can't control you."

Waver pulled out a magical cigar from his pocket, tapped it, lit it, and took a satisfying puff.

"And you also shouldn't... control us."

Silence.

A peaceful silence, named tranquility, enveloped the lounge bathed in sunlight.

For a long time.

"Thank you..." Reinhard said softly, "Professor."

"Hmph..."

Waver exhaled a puff of smoke, which wafted into his disciple's face, causing Reinhard to cough.

Tsk, that trick the woman taught him was quite amusing.

Reinhard, this unparalleled magus genius, also had his weaknesses.

Fine...

Remembering his disciple's advice, one puff was enough.

With that in mind, Waver snuffed out the cigar, which he had only taken a single puff of, in the ashtray luxuriously.

"Rely on us more."

Waver Velvet leaned forward, reaching out to ruffle his disciple's black hair.

"You little brat..."

Seemingly choked by the smoke.

Choked... to the point of tears.

Reinhard raised his hand, wiping his slightly moist eyes.

"I understand..." Reinhard said with a smile, "Professor."

"Tsk, well then, it's settled. The Department of Modern Magecraft's students will all go to Fuyuki together, treating it as a long-overdue group vacation."

Treating the Holy Grail War as a tourist destination...

Truly fitting for Lord El-Melloi II.

It was a rare moment of respite.

The magical discussions between master and disciple continued unabated.

"Your Sandevistan, its significance lies not only in enhancing the user's thought speed but also in magical research. It's even more important than mere combat... perhaps we should start by improving its adaptability..."

"Should we start drafting a syllabus for the newly established course, Fundamentals of Magecraft Engineering? Alright, I'll remember that..."

"The concept of Magecraft Open Source, meaning opening the way to the Root, right? It does have a beautiful implication. Let's decide on the slogan for the new course happily like this..."

The silver-haired girl with the hood pushed open the door to the lounge.

Through the gap in the door.

Gray peeked at the lively discussion between mentor and disciple.

"Senpai..."

Looking at this scene.

The girl gently clenched her palms, a smile of relief appearing on her face.

Until the setting sun descended, twilight approached.

The declining light gradually dimmed, turning into the night sky of London.

Reinhard covered Waver, who had fallen asleep tiredly on the sofa, with his coat.

"The Sleeping Magus... huh?"

With a smile, the black-haired youth murmured to himself.

"It doesn't feel right... The Sleeping Lord El-Melloi II."

Reinhard walked out of the lounge, gently closed the door, and immediately heard a familiar, slightly soft voice.

"Senpai."

He turned his gaze and immediately saw the brown-haired, gently smiling youth in the corridor.

"Caules?"

This brown-haired youth, who served as a Master in the Fate/Apocrypha, was now Reinhard's familiar student in the classroom, especially skilled in electrical magecraft.

"You're discussing with the professor again so late, Senpai. You've worked hard."

Caules Forvedge Yggdmillennia carried a pile of documents, nodded slightly in greeting, and smiled.

"I'll deliver the documents to the professor."

"You've worked hard too."

Rein smiled and nodded.

"Professor has already fallen asleep. Be careful not to wake him up."

"Naturally."

Caules tiptoed and pushed open the door of the lounge, then gently slipped in.

Reinhard slowly walked down the stairs.

"Eating supper with Gray..."

He pondered.

Suddenly, he couldn't help but think of that restaurant repaired by himself, where his classmates often went.

Tsk, it's like entering the plotline of an anime.

The next plot should be... what was it?

It seems like... Mystic Eye Collection Train?

How did his mentor be on the list...

Reinhard's steps suddenly paused.

Heart...

His heart seemed to skip a beat.

The magic circuits throughout his body suddenly activated, surging up...

Time.

Time seemed to slow down...

In the almost stagnant time of all things.

Reinhard pushed open the door of the lounge.

He walked straight ahead.

In the slightly bewildered and stagnant expression of Caules, who was packing up the relic stolen from Waver.

Reinhard grabbed his neck, along with his body, and slammed him to the entire wall.

Bang!

A violent impact resounded through the teaching building, and then a large cloud of smoke spread out.

"Give me the relic back, damn it..."

In the midst of the billowing smoke.

Reinhard grabbed Caules by the neck and pinned him to the ground.

If it were an ordinary person, even a magus, their neck would have been snapped by him directly.

However, the other's expression showed no pain from suffocation, but instead a strange smile on his face.

Of course.

Because this guy doesn't even have a heart, suffocation is nothing to him.

"Doctor Heartless..."

"Indeed, the Sleeping Magus has such keen senses..."

The face of Caules gradually melted like wax, revealing the face of a red-haired man with a faint smile from under his skin.

Doctor Heartless.

The former head of the Department of Modern Magecraft Theory 

"But, it's too late, Reinhard. I already have the relic in my hand."

Bang!

Reinhard's palm exerted force suddenly, and the immense force, enough to crush city walls, burst out.

Ripples spread on the ground like water, and Doctor Heartless' head was directly pressed into the concrete floor.

However...

A small Holy Grail suddenly floated up from the chest of the red-haired man.

Hum.

The small Holy Grail trembled incessantly, and thick, blood-like liquid flowed out from it, dripping onto the relic in Doctor Heartless' hand.

In an instant.

A huge summoning circle formed around Doctor Heartless, and he suddenly condensed into a form.

With his neck pinched, Doctor Heartless smiled and chanted hoarsely from his vocal cords.

"Rejoice!"

Feeling a strong palpitation, Reinhard suddenly released his hand.

Boom!

In the dark night sky, a resounding explosion thundered down!

In the spreading smoke.

Supporting Doctor Heartless, whose neck was almost sunken, the figure of a black-haired woman slowly emerged from the smoke.

Looking at the expressionless black-haired youth in front of her.

A playful expression appeared on the black-haired woman's face.

"Master, aren't you also a genius magus? You seem a bit too arrogant."

"Reinhard, your strength and speed comparable to a Servant..."

Speaking with a hoarse voice due to damaged vocal cords.

Doctor Heartless' face still wore that faint, unsettling smile.

"Too bad... After all, it's too late."

The red-haired man smiled.

"We... will meet again on the Mystic Eye Collection Train."

"Eh..."

The black-haired woman narrowed her heterochromatic eyes slightly...

"Not fighting?"

"No need to linger in battle, this is the main camp of the Department of Modern Magecraft. Hephaestion, take me away."

"Alright..."

Called Hephaestion, the black-haired woman sighed regretfully.

"I kind of wanted to fight this little guy in front of me, he fits my taste..."

She turned around, preparing to leave with Doctor Heartless.

However...

"You're not worthy of being Iskandar's follower..."

The indifferent voice of the black-haired youth sounded from behind.

Suddenly, the black-haired woman turned her head.

"What did you say..."

The smile disappeared from her face.

Her twitching mouth slightly twisted.

In Doctor Heartless' almost frozen smile.

Reinhard's voice sounded so deep in the dark night.

"I said you, Faker... are not worthy of being Iskandar's shadow."

The black-haired youth twisted his neck and smiled.

"You're not even in the army of the king, you have completely betrayed Iskandar's trust."

"What the hell do you know, you bastard!"

"Faker! I should say retreat!"

Doctor Heartless' slightly anxious voice sounded behind Hephaestion.

However... completely unable to stop the enraged woman, she directly picked up a dagger and rushed up.

"That kind of thing, let me twist his head off before we talk about it!"

The smile disappeared from the red-haired man's face.

Doctor Heartless, the former head of the Department of Modern Magecraft Theory, narrowed his eyes and looked at the indifferent black-haired youth.

With just one glance...

Just one glance.

He recognized his servant and even knew her weaknesses well enough to make her react like this...

What an astonishing observation...

The situation... seems to be getting a bit out of control.

"Die! You insect!"

Facing the sharp edge barehanded, even if his physical strength is comparable to a Servant, so what!

The dagger in the hands of the black-haired woman gleamed with a cold light as it sliced directly towards the face of the black-haired youth.

With this strike, I'll tear that foul mouth of yours to shreds first!

However...

Dust and smoke suddenly surged.

Clang!

"Senpai! Are you alright?"

Holding a gigantic scythe taller than herself,

Gray's figure suddenly blocked in front of Reinhard.

"I'm fine, focus..."

"This weapon..."

Looking at the silver-haired girl emerging before him, feeling the vigorous force emanating from the scythe.

Another one, a fellow with strength comparable to Servant?

Where are all these monsters coming from? So many magus who can contend with Servants?

However...

"Unfortunately, having strength alone doesn't make one a warrior!"

The black-haired woman laughed wildly, flames erupting fiercely in her heterochromatic eyes.

Yet, just as she was about to attack them...

Reinhard muttered...

"Sandevistan, Activated."

Accompanied by a piercing scream that shakes the eardrums.

The earth cracks open.

Dust fills the air.

Under the violent force spreading radially, countless rocks and soil scatter.

His hand directly pressing down on the woman's face, still contorted in laughter, pressing down on her nearly petrified expression.

3%...

Reinhard lifts her entire body and smashes her into the ground.

Bang!

Her colorful armor is now covered in dirt, torn and battered.

4%...

He fiercely punches the woman's face.

The majestic force, akin to a meteor strike, suddenly pours down on her face, contorting her delicate features.

Strength surges like a tide.

5%...

Shadows converge wildly.

Reinhard's momentum continues to rise, relentlessly climbing.

His Mana Burst activates, his magic circuits beginning to frantically absorb all the surrounding light due to overload.

To think that she...

Would be pressed to the ground and beaten by a human?!

The intense pain on her face makes Hephaestion let out a mournful scream.

"Get... off me!!"

Hiss... Hiss...

"Senpai!"

Boom!

Flashing purple lightning erupts, the woman's hair moving wildly without wind, her whole body slowly floating up from the crater.

However...

The next moment.

6%...

The raging crimson lightning, like blood-red thunderbolts, suddenly freeze, abruptly halted and interrupted.

When the nerves finally react...

The woman's head, like an apple, is held in Reinhard's hand, then violently, like a piece of rag, thrown out.

In Gray's gaping expression of Gray...

In Doctor Heartless' twitching corner eye...

Bang!

Hephaestion's battered body is suddenly smashed beside the red-haired man, rolling on the ground like a piece of torn paper blown by the wind.

Reinhard felt the gradually surging power within him.

The magical energy inserted into his mind begins to spread out like a rising tide.

Continuously increasing.

Yes, this feeling seems familiar.

"To take my mentor's relic..."

The figure of the black-haired youth slowly walks out from the smoke, his ghostly voice echoing in Hephaestion's ears.

"Give it... back."

"You monster..."

Doctor Heartless' smile can no longer be maintained, in just a few moments, the power of the person in front of him seems to have surged several times.

To press down and beat a Servant into the ground...

Is this... still a human?!

Doctor Heartless's eyes suddenly lights up, wanting to deprive the black-haired youth of his strength using his mystic eyes...

However...

"Guh?!"

Blood suddenly flows from the red-haired man's eyes, as if burned by intense flames, suddenly feeling intense pain.

This is... Magic Resistance?!

"Faker, let's go!"

Doctor Heartless keeps stepping back, a teleporting circle gradually glowing in his heart.

However...

"Never..."

"Never has anyone, made me suffer such a great humiliation..."

"I'll crush you, into dust!!"

Boom!

Thousands of raging purple lightning suddenly descend, coalescing into a majestic chariot before the woman.

The black-haired woman stands on the chariot's frame, suddenly waving the reins, and the skeletal dragon under her suddenly rushes into the sky.

"Hecatic Wheel!!!"

Flashes of lightning fall from the dark clouds, darting around the black-haired woman in armor, blessing her.

With the shimmering flow of thunder.

Boom! The majestic chariot suddenly falls from the sky, violently crashing towards the ground...

"Senpai!!!"

In Gray's horrified cry.

The black-haired youth raises his hand.

"So you have a Noble Phantasm, huh..."

As a lancer, without a spear...

Isn't that like a lion without its fangs? Completely worthless!

So...

"Add!!"

Reinhard roars like a lion.

Suddenly.

The scythe in the silver-haired girl's hand, buzzing and trembling.

In the perplexed and frozen gaze of Gray.

Her scythe suddenly slipped from her grasp, held firmly in the hands of the black-haired youth.

"Huh...? How did I move on my own?!"

A panicked voice echoed from Add.

"Don't... don't grab me! I'll absorb all your magical-"

Add's voice... abruptly halted.

Because.

The original pseudo-personality was suddenly freed liberated.

From the form of the scythe.

Transforming into Holy Lance Rhongomyniad.

"Pseudo-personality suspended..."

"The Round Table Conference begins..."

"Screw you! Get lost! I don't need the acknowledgment of you useless bunch!"

The will of the Son of the White Dragon erupted.

Boom!

The restraints of holy lance shattered inch by inch.

The golden figures that appeared around Reinhard suddenly flickered and dimmed, becoming dark and lifeless.

Only...

The two figures in front of him remained.

Time.

Time seemed to momentarily stagnate.

His consciousness emerged in the center of the Round Table Conference.

That was the will of the Knights of the Round Table, attached to the thirteen restraints of the holy lance, residing in Rhongomyniad.

The translucent figure with golden hair and green eyes stared somewhat blankly at Reinhard.

"You..."

"Enough with the small talk, just leave."

Kay slowly smiled, his figure flickering and wavering before dissipating.

Leaving only the radiant, sacred figure of the King of Knights, staring blankly at the black-haired youth before her.

"Alvin..."

Tears flowed down.

"Alvin is me..."

"But I... I am not him..."

Gazing at the holy and radiant figure before him... Artoria.

Reinhard sighed slowly.

He stepped forward, reaching out his hand.

Across fifteen hundred years of time.

Gently, he wiped away the golden tear that fell on her cheek.

"Long time no see, Artoria."

"I will... find you."

"Yes, I'll be waiting."

Reinhard opened his hand, responding to her embrace.

No sensation.

Only dazzling light.

The figure of the King of Knights.

Slowly dissipated in the embrace, fifteen hundred years later...

At the forefront of the collision of multi-colored lightning.

The black-haired youth, his aura restrained and subdued, slowly raised his ink-black eyes.

"...Half should be enough."

The holy lance in his hand.

In an instant, erupted with a light as bright as midday.

"This is actually..."

"The Holy Lance Rhongomyniad."

Doctor Heartless raised his hand bitterly.

The command seal on the back of his hand emitted a crimson light as red as blood.

"Rhongomyniad!!!"

"Faker... come with me, let's teleport away."

Boom!

An incomparably brilliant lance of light soared into the sky, piercing through the night of London, instantly sweeping away the dark dusk as if it were daylight.

The figures of the black-haired woman and the red-haired man slowly vanished into the light.

Meanwhile on the mist-shrouded peaks.

A woman with bright blue eyes stood before the entrance of the mountain court.

A witch who was thousands of miles away from Britain, gazing at the moonlight in a foreign land.

Suddenly, she raised her gaze, bewildered and dazed.

Her gaze.

Seemed to momentarily traverse the ocean.

Gazing toward... her homeland, nestled in the distant horizon.

"Hu... bby?"