My Fates Codex in Type-Moon

Iskandar (Rider)

Character Information: A renowned military commander and statesman in ancient world history. He inherited the throne at the age of twenty, unified all of Greece, then marched eastward and forged one of the greatest empires in human history, profoundly influencing the course of mankind. His dream was to see the Oceanus. Because of this unwavering dream, even after death, his warriors' wills faithfully continued to guard Iskandar.

Hidden Information: Insufficient conditions

Recording Conditions (3/4):

1. Gain the King of Conquerors' recognition

2. Defeat/Kill Iskandar

3. Defeat the Noble Phantasm "Army of the King" without using an Anti-World Noble Phantasm

Waver Velvet (Youth)

Character Information: Originally a young student at the Clock Tower, Waver had been brimming with confidence in his youth. He submitted a thesis criticizing bloodline theory to Kayneth, the leading advocate of aristocracy, only to be publicly humiliated. To prove himself, he stole Kayneth's Holy Relic, secretly came to Fuyuki City, and participated in the Fourth Holy Grail War.

Hidden Information:

Recording Conditions (0/1)

"Big brother, was that red-haired uncle really the legendary Alexander the Great?"

The silver-green motorcycle had already left the forest behind. It was slowing down now, traveling along sparsely lit streets. Miyu sat sideways on the seat and looked up, as though she could still see that chariot glittering with lightning amid the stars.

Sakutsuki rode before her, the cool night wind brushing against him. At her words, he smiled. "What is it? Doesn't he seem like one?"

"Mm..." Having dismissed her Mystic Code, Miyu was wearing what looked like an elementary school uniform. Her cheeks reddened slightly as she shook her head. "I just think... it's strange."

"Is that so?" The young man's laughter drifted through the wind. "Those glittering stars of history, their once-unrelated paths converging in this tiny city. They spoke through the clash of blades, sang of their lives amid wine and feasts, and wholeheartedly spent their brief second lives... And we, tiny humans bathing beneath the starlight, can stand beside them and fight them... It really is a strange feeling."

"The night is still young, Miyu." On this quiet night before the storm, the war's most unusual Master spoke of his wish to his equally unusual Servant—his younger sister.

"Carry anticipation and joy in your heart, and enjoy this dreamlike journey with me."

"Mm." After answering softly, Miyu turned around and wrapped her arms around Sakutsuki's waist, feeling the reassuring warmth of his presence.

Was it Zhuang Zhou dreaming of a butterfly, or a butterfly remembering Zhuang Zhou?

Which was real, and which was false? Was it so, or was it not?

Even though her memories of the past were a blur, the girl still clearly knew who she wanted to protect.

"Look, Miyu." Her brother's call pulled her back from her daze.

Following the direction of Sakutsuki's finger, Miyu suddenly widened her eyes and let out a small gasp.

"Wow..."

The Kawasaki continued forward. The buildings on both sides of the road had vanished, and the damp sea breeze gently brushed against their faces.

They were crossing Fuyuki Bridge. The bridge, spanning the entire Mion River, stood not far from the river mouth. Looking outward from it, one could take in the magnificent sight of water and sky merging into one.

And beneath the bridge, the Mion River shimmered with dreamlike radiance under the brilliant starry sky.

"If it were daytime, this place would have a completely different charm." The young man tilted his head slightly, looking at his bright-eyed sister, and smiled in satisfaction. "If we have time tomorrow, we'll go farther out. I'll take you to see the real sea."

From beginning to end, Sakutsuki had not forgotten the final wish of the man who had given everything for his sister before his consciousness faded away.

He had said he wanted Miyu to see the sea, so Sakutsuki would take her to see it.

Even if this war was filled with cruelty and bloodshed, even if Miyu had lost her memories of the past and was herself an anomaly summoned by Sakutsuki.

For the rest of the journey, the siblings did not speak again. The gentle rumble of the Kawasaki's engine carried them across Fuyuki Bridge, until they finally stopped in front of a Chinese-style residence.

"Get off, Miyu." Holding his sister's hand, Sakutsuki snapped his fingers. The silver-green motorcycle dissolved inch by inch, turning into the most basic particles of magical energy and merging into the Leyline.

"Where is this, big brother?" Miyu curiously examined the gate, whose style differed greatly from the surrounding buildings. After dismissing her magical girl transformation, her presence was nearly indistinguishable from that of an ordinary person. "Is this our home?"

"Home... Well, I suppose it is?" Sakutsuki thought for a moment and did not deny it. "But there are other people living here. Aside from an uncle, there's also a little girl I rescued. Miyu, you should be ready to make a friend."

"Huh?" Miyu froze, then quickly became flustered. "B-But, I..."

Before Miyu could react, Sakutsuki stepped forward. After symbolically knocking on the door, he directly unlocked the magical lock and pushed the door open.

What greeted him was an incredibly enthusiastic slash!

Clang! His twin blades shot forth and collided with a kitchen knife wreathed in black mist. Both shattered. Sakutsuki raised an eyebrow at the knight in bizarre black armor before him. Rather than retreating, he advanced. The shattered Gan Jiang and Mo Ye reformed, becoming savage feathered swords with scales that opened and closed as they crossed through the air and slashed down at the black knight.

Boom! The shockwave from their clash shook the narrow entryway. The massive yin-yang swords howled as they struck the knight, only to be stopped by the knight's gauntlets, which clenched hard around them.

Sensing control of his weapons gradually falling into the other side's hands, Sakutsuki stepped forward, released his swords without hesitation, and paid no attention to the twin blades falling into his enemy's grasp. He drove his shoulder into the knight's abdomen with tremendous force.

Amid the tremor of armor, the black knight staggered several heavy steps back. Without even a grunt, he twisted at the waist and swung both swords at Sakutsuki's neck and chest!

"Stop it, Berserker!"

The man's shout came belatedly. Hearing his Master's voice, the black knight's blazing eyes flared with scarlet light, but he obediently lowered his hands in the end. Gan Jiang and Mo Ye, now marked with crimson patterns, clattered to the ground and dissolved into magical energy.

"Big brother!" Only then did Miyu come back to her senses. She hurried behind Sakutsuki and tightly gripped the hem of his clothes.

She had never imagined that her brother was not only so skilled in magecraft, but could even trade blows with a Servant and suppress him for a time!

Sakutsuki patted Miyu's head, then looked past the black knight at the two figures behind him, one large and one small.

Kariya Matou, his expression complicated and three marks on his left hand, and Sakura Matou, hiding timidly behind him.

After a year apart, the two grown men reunited in the entryway, each with the girl they wished to protect.

And their first words upon reuniting were...

"Yo, isn't this Kariya? It's only been a few days, and you already look this pathetic?"

"Get lost!"

Four upturned eaves, carved beams, painted rafters, and bright red Chinese lanterns made Miyu stare in wonder.

But she soon withdrew her gaze and looked at the timid purple-haired little girl standing behind her. Remembering what Sakutsuki had told her, she extended her hand to Sakura Matou.

"Hello, my name is Miyu..."

At the table in the main hall, the two men withdrew their gazes at the same time. They looked at one another, then at each other's hands.

Three crimson patterns of different designs were etched there. The dark red marks resembled dried blood and possessed a peculiar beauty.

Before a Servant was summoned, they were called Command Seals. After a Servant descended, they became Command Spells, possessing the power to forcibly command Servants.

"Kariya Matou, Master of Servant Berserker."

"Sakutsuki, Master of Servant Caster."

Out in public, such introductions would surely make others think they had a case of chuunibyou. Yet neither man was joking. With complete seriousness, they introduced themselves to the friend destined to become their enemy.

"Servant Berserker. I didn't expect you to take this path after all, Kariya." Sakutsuki sighed.

Berserker was a relatively unusual class among the seven classes of the Holy Grail War. This class granted the Servant the class skill Mad Enhancement at the cost of stripping away their reason, trading it for the highest base parameters among the seven classes. Judging from a Servant's stats alone, calling it the strongest would not be an exaggeration.

The two extra lines Kariya had added to his chant were meant to grant the Servant the skill Mad Enhancement and fulfill the conditions for summoning Berserker.

In the original story, Zouken had incited the already miserable Kariya to summon Berserker in order to torment him further, because Berserker placed the greatest burden on its Master among the seven classes.

But Zouken was dead now. No one would urge Kariya to summon Berserker. Yet in order to defeat Tokiomi, along with certain thoughts he could not voice aloud, Kariya had still made the same choice as before.

"Even after a year of training, my ability as a magus is still far inferior to Tokiomi's. A Master's ability affects a Servant's base capabilities. Since I can't match Tokiomi as a Master, I can only make up for it through my Servant."

Kariya's voice was resolute, filled with unshakable determination. He took out an agate-like insect specimen and crushed it in his hand.

Dense magical energy flowed into his body, replenishing Kariya's depletion.

The notebook Sakutsuki had given Kariya contained not only water-element magecraft, but also the insect magecraft Zouken Matou excelled at most.

The insect specimen Kariya crushed had been prepared beforehand. It had only one effect: replenishing a magus's depleted magical energy. Clearly, he intended to solve Berserker's excessive consumption in this way.

"Most insect magecraft is disgusting, but crushing these bugs actually feels pretty good. It's a great stress reliever." Kariya chuckled, apparently in a good mood as he made the joke.

"Is it worth it?" Sakutsuki sighed. "As you are now, you could raise Sakura until she grows up. You didn't need to join this war."

For Kariya, that would have been the best choice.

But the man raised a hand, signaling Sakutsuki not to say any more.

"Do you know that Tokiomi Tohsaka and Aoi visited the Matou Estate two months ago?" Kariya looked at Sakutsuki, fire burning in his eyes. "That man still kept up his damned elegance. Because of the adoption, he even deliberately prevented Aoi and Rin from getting close to Sakura."

In Tokiomi's view, since Sakura had become a child of the Matou family, she had been completely severed from the Tohsaka family. She should not let old familial bonds affect her path of magical training—but to Kariya, who was still a normal person at heart, Tokiomi Tohsaka's actions were undoubtedly heartless. That attitude had hurt the young Sakura and Rin, and nearly made Aoi cry on the spot.

"Back then, I knew I didn't have the ability to protect Aoi properly, so I chose to run away. Aoi eventually chose Tokiomi because of my incompetence. I don't blame that bastard for that." Kariya clenched his fists. "The reason I joined the Holy Grail War is to make that bastard Tokiomi understand that if he still treats magecraft as everything in his life, then I'll beat some sense into him. To hell with elegance!"

"Tsk, tsk... You really are an idiot." Sakutsuki lifted his teacup and took a light sip, not allowing Kariya to see the admiration in his eyes. His words, however, remained merciless. "The ultimate backup guy."

"Hey! Do you want to form an alliance or not?" Kariya slapped the table in embarrassment and anger. "Didn't you come here to turn this place into a Magic Workshop, you little bastard?"

In past Holy Grail Wars, the Caster pair would use magecraft to protect their base from surprise attacks by other Servants. Sakutsuki clearly had the same idea. Kariya Matou was an old acquaintance with goals that did not conflict with his, making an alliance a good choice.

What was more, Sakutsuki's goal was the Holy Grail, while Kariya Matou only wanted to teach Tokiomi Tohsaka a lesson. Their wishes did not conflict.

But...

"Explain what happened to Sakura Matou first." Sakutsuki tapped the table and asked, "Why have her hair and eyes turned purple?"

Indeed, aside from their progress in magecraft over the past year, the greatest change in Kariya and Sakura had been Sakura Matou's appearance.

The black hair and blue eyes she had inherited from the Tohsaka family had both become a dreamlike purple—just like the colors she had in the original story after suffering humiliation and being forcibly altered through Magic Modification.

If Sakutsuki had not sensed that Sakura's condition and emotions were normal, he would have drawn his blade and started cutting long ago.

"I was confused at first too." Kariya did not hide anything. "On the day Sakura became an apprentice magus, her hair gradually began to change color. Later, following the business card you gave me, I invited that Adjuster named Melvin. According to him, it was an effect caused by practicing magecraft."

"The effects of Imaginary Numbers Magic..." Sakutsuki fell into thought, pale blue screens reflected in his golden eyes.

Recording conditions met. Reward pending.

Sakura Matou (Childhood)

Character Information: One of the miraculous "Gems" born into the Tohsaka family. She possesses the exceedingly rare Imaginary Numbers attribute. To develop her magical talent, her father adopted her into the Matou family. Right now, she is merely a child unable to face her cruel fate through willpower, one who does not yet understand the meaning of life.

Hidden Information: B:85... What are you thinking? Though she is your lover on a certain World Line, she is only a child now!

Recording Conditions (1/2):

1. Gain Sakura Matou's recognition. (Completed)

2*. Teach Sakura Matou Imaginary Numbers Magic. (Completed)

"So that's what the hidden condition was." Sakutsuki muttered.

The reward for completing the first condition had been a slight increase in magical energy. Then what about this hidden condition? The reward had to be even more generous, right?

Recording Condition 2 met. Obtained reward: "Imaginary Numbers Magic Usage Permission"!

It was as though enlightenment had been poured directly into his mind. Sakutsuki suddenly sensed the hidden Imaginary Numbers Magic and could wield it however he wished.

As a magecraft based on an imaginary element, Imaginary Numbers Magic was extraordinarily difficult to learn. But once mastered, its power was universally acknowledged.

With the reward in hand, Sakutsuki did not use it immediately. Instead, he clapped his hands hard and called out, "It's getting late, girls. Time for bed!"

"Okay~~"

After washing up, the lights in the house went out, and silence quickly descended over the rooms.

Sakutsuki lay in bed, gazing at the moonlight in the sky. His eyes gleamed gold as he connected to the Fates Codex and made a decision he would regret for a long time afterward:

"Come on, let me see what Imaginary Numbers Magic actually looks like..."

Imaginary Numbers Magic was magecraft based on an imaginary element. In magecraft, it was defined as "something that may exist, but cannot be materialized." It was the opposite of the attribute Nothing. In other words, Imaginary Numbers Magic was magecraft of possibility.

And in Sakutsuki's view, the most useful ability within Imaginary Numbers Magic should be this.

"Imaginary Numbers Pocket."

As he recited a short chant, invisible particles swept through the void, revealing the emptiness within through a torn opening.

Sakutsuki stared at the space no one else could see. He casually tossed the water cup beside him inside, then waved his hand. Imaginary particles flowed past, sealing the Imaginary Numbers Pocket as though drawing a zipper shut.

Then Sakutsuki's fingertips glimmered faintly.