Eve of the Prelude, Boy and Youth

Tonight, Fuyuki City seemed unusually peaceful.

There were no unexpected gas explosions, no reports of leaking gas pipes, and no safety hazards surfacing. The citizens couldn't help but secretly wonder if the authorities had finally started doing their jobs properly instead of just occupying their positions. If that were the case, it would be a good thing for ordinary people like them.

On the outskirts of the new city, in a private room at a restaurant.

Kariya watched the boy in front of him devour his meal like a whirlwind, having already eaten three servings. A ridiculous thought suddenly crossed Kariya's mind: Could this kid just be trying to get a free meal and planning to ditch him once he was done?

"I feel like Mr. Kariya is thinking something rude."

Shiki's voice suddenly rang out, startling Kariya. How sensitive was this boy? It was no wonder he could sense the probing gaze of the Servant Assassin.

Kariya quickly pushed those wild thoughts to the back of his mind.

"Well, now that we've finished eating, shouldn't we talk about the important stuff, Hōraisan Shiki?"

They had already exchanged names on the way to the restaurant. To gain trust, revealing one's name was the first step, and now it was time to move on to the second.

Shiki wiped his mouth, let out a satisfied burp, and felt much better with his ravenous hunger appeased by the meal. He smiled and immediately revealed his first trump card.

His dark right eye instantly changed, and with a flash of multicolored light, a peculiar eye with a green base and red, concentric ring-like patterns expanding outwards appeared before Kariya.

"Mr. Kariya, you should know what this is."

Witnessing the strange transformation of the eye up close and feeling the mysterious aura emanating from it, Kariya gasped and slowly nodded, "A Magic Eye. Shiki, this eye of yours is the highest-grade Rainbow Magic Eye."

Although Kariya had left his family long ago and abandoned the pursuit of Magecraft, aiming to live as an ordinary person, the education he received as a child and the knowledge he acquired wouldn't simply disappear from his memory.

He naturally understood Magic Eyes. Ordinary Magic Eyes were one thing, but a Rainbow-grade, highest-level Magic Eye was a mystical existence that even Grand Magecraft could hardly replicate, almost on par with a Heroic Spirit, and even superior in terms of mystery.

In this world, there were very few beings possessing a Magic Eye of this caliber. Almost all of them were designated for sealing by the Mage's Association.

Shiki revealing his Magic Eye made Kariya's heart stir. "Could it be that Shiki, you rely on the power of your Magic Eye..."

"That's right. Relying on the power of my Magic Eye, I can alleviate Mr. Kariya's current physical condition. However, I first need to examine your physical state to determine the specific treatment method." Shiki didn't elaborate on the specific abilities of his Magic Eye; some secrets were best kept hidden.

Kariya understood this.

The two hadn't fully established trust yet, just as he wouldn't easily reveal some of his own secrets.

As for letting Shiki examine his body, he wasn't worried. The spiritualized Servant by his side was constantly guarding him, ensuring his personal safety.

"Then let's begin."

Seeing Kariya's straightforwardness, Shiki smiled and said, "Don't worry, Mr. Kariya. If you sense any malicious intent, you can have your Servant take action at any time. With the Servant's immense power, I would have no means of resisting."

With his Magic Eye activated, Shiki clearly saw the dark Heroic Spirit beside Kariya.

Even without the aid of his Magic Eye, the powerful presence of the Heroic Spirit could be easily perceived by him.

Heroic Spirits, as the top-tier power in this Holy Grail War, were also one of the important forces Shiki yearned to obtain, and a crucial key to reaching his dream.

Kariya gave the boy a deep look and remained silent, merely tacitly approving the boy's actions.

"Then we'll begin. Please don't move unnecessarily, Mr. Kariya."

"Understood."

Shiki was no stranger to examining bodies. For a time, he had studied some healing ninjutsu. Although those ninjutsu couldn't be used in this world, his understanding of human anatomy and related experience wouldn't disappear with the change of worlds.

Ten minutes later, Shiki's expression turned grave. He lowered his head and unconsciously tapped the table, lost in thought for a long time. Then, he looked at Kariya, whose expression remained calm, and said, "The situation is very dire, Mr. Kariya. Your life is likely no longer under your own control. The Insects within you are the true masters."

"Continue," Kariya's expression remained unchanged. He was already well aware of his condition. The fact that Shiki could perceive it was enough to prove that the other party's abilities were trustworthy.

"To break free from this control, there is no other way but to eliminate the one pulling the strings from behind the scenes."

Kariya's expression turned cold, and his voice, though calm, carried a chilling undertone. "In other words, you can't alleviate my condition either? Then I suggest you leave. Getting involved in this matter rashly will bring you no benefit."

Shiki quickly raised his hand to signal Kariya not to rush, and said with a smile, "While I can't eliminate the Insects within you, I can indeed alleviate your condition, though the effect may not last long, perhaps only a few hours."

"That's too short a time; it won't be of much help to me."

"It's indeed not long, but if it's just for doing certain specific things, this amount of time is sufficient."

Shiki looked at Kariya seriously and asked, "Mr. Kariya, have you ever thought about truly breaking free from your restraints, gaining freedom, and no longer being controlled by the Insects?"

The words "freedom" and "control" echoed repeatedly in Kariya's mind.

How could he not want to be free? It was only due to the circumstances that he had no choice but to accept the modifications to his body, all for the sake of gaining power, even if that power wasn't entirely under his control.

But to save Sakura, he couldn't give up this sliver of hope.

Now, this boy named Shiki presented another possibility, and a flicker of light flashed in Kariya's eyes.

"Shiki, you mean..."

"Kill the person behind it all."

An hour later, at the entrance of the Matou Old House in Miyamachi, across the river from the new city.

Kariya still found it hard to believe that he had made such a decision so easily. If the action failed, both he and Sakura would face an even more tragic fate.

Such thoughts made Kariya tremble slightly, his heart in constant turmoil.

He began to doubt if his decision was too hasty, if he should have followed his original plan of winning the Holy Grail War in exchange for Sakura's freedom.

The two ideas clashed fiercely in his mind, causing his expression to shift unpredictably.

"Mr. Kariya, do you really think your current physical condition will allow you to be the last one standing in the Holy Grail War?"

Shiki, playing with a gas mask in his hand right beside him, naturally noticed the change in Kariya's expression and instantly guessed his inner turmoil.

This wouldn't do. He had to encourage the other party and solidify his resolve. If Kariya changed his mind, everything Shiki had done so far would be in vain.

"Mr. Kariya, you must have also felt it. While Crest Worms can enhance magical power, they are also a death sentence. Combined with the immense magical power required to control a Servant, a single battle between Heroic Spirits could likely take half your life. To achieve ultimate victory, you'll need to endure several more battles. I truly don't believe you can last until the end in your current state and win the Holy Grail."

The truth struck like a heavy hammer, shattering all unrealistic hopes.

"Mr. Kariya, it's time to open your eyes, abandon those hopeless fantasies, and bravely face reality."

"Yes, Shiki, you're right. I shouldn't harbor such unrealistic fantasies."

Kariya knew his physical condition all too well. By controlling the mad Servant Berserker, not only would his mind be gradually affected, but his body would also be unable to bear the strain, eventually being consumed by madness.

He had no chance of winning the subsequent battles.

Moreover, Zouken Matou, who controlled him, would never agree to his requests. He would only watch from the sidelines, taking pleasure in seeing Kariya struggle like a clown, desperately trying to achieve an impossible wish.

That guy was a heartless, scummy Magus, an old monster who had long lost his soul.

"Then, let's go! I'll risk my life to make Zouken die!"

"Mr. Kariya, you must remember not to let your guard down, never give the enemy any opening."

"I understand. I'll proceed as planned."

Seeing Kariya's resolve, Shiki secretly breathed a sigh of relief.

As long as Kariya's belief was firm, things would be much easier.

In this battle, his conviction was paramount. As long as he could persist in fighting with the old monster Zouken Matou for control of the Servant, preventing Berserker from becoming an asset to the enemy, Shiki was fully confident he could quickly deal with an old monster who had long lost his humanity and his physical body.

"Then let's begin."

The two pushed open the door of the Matou Old House. Inside the dim interior, it was as if a monster's giant maw was swallowing them whole.

This was the battlefield.