I, Rin Tohsaka, Begin My Journey Through the Type-Moon Universe-Before Departure! / I, Rin Tohsaka, Have Arrived in Mifune City Today-Aozaki Touko

The setting sun lazily shone down on Rin. Her ponytail, sticking out from beneath her helmet, swayed in the breeze. Passersby along the street were used to seeing the little girl riding her motorcycle and smiled at her. A few who did not understand what was going on watched the scene curiously.

Looking at the peaceful and tranquil Fuyuki City now, no one unaware of the truth would ever imagine that three years ago, a disaster had nearly destroyed the entire city. Human forgetfulness was just that remarkable.

Rin rode her little motorcycle through the streets and alleys, soon arriving at the elementary school Sakura attended.

Ignoring the uncle reading a newspaper at the entrance, Rin skillfully drove her motorcycle straight into the campus.

The uncle lowered his newspaper, shook his head helplessly, and called out at Rin's retreating back.

"Hey, Rin! Be careful riding around on campus!"

With her back to him, Rin let go of one handlebar and raised a hand in a wave.

"Don't worry, Uncle!"

Rin soon arrived at the Kyudo Club. She casually pulled out her key, hooked a finger through the key ring, spun it as she walked, and headed inside.

Sakura, sweaty from archery practice, had just stepped out of the shower room. Tilting her head to one side, she dried her smooth black hair with a towel while preparing to return to the changing room and change back into her school uniform.

"Big Sister? You're here."

"Mm, Sakura!"

Looking at Sakura, fresh from her shower, her fair skin flushed pink, Rin hugged her at once, buried her face in Sakura's hair, and took a deep breath.

"Mm, Sakura, you still smell so nice."

Caught off guard by Rin's sudden attack, Sakura shyly pushed her away.

"Big Sister, stop it. It would be bad if someone came out and saw us."

"Tch, what's there to be afraid of? If anyone dares to talk, I'll beat them up."

In the girls' changing room, Sakura finished changing. With one hand carrying her schoolbag and the other holding Rin, she walked out of the room.

Just then, Shirou and Shinji, who had also just finished showering, arrived while chatting and laughing together.

The smiling Shirou and Shinji suddenly stiffened, their gazes darting away as they did not dare look at Rin.

Seeing their expressions, Rin said gloomily, "Hey, you two. Why do you look like you've seen a ghost when you see me?"

Shirou hurriedly waved his hands in fright.

"No, absolutely not! Rin, how could we dare? Right, Shinji?"

"Right, Rin. How could we dare?"

"Hmph. Forget it. Sakura, let's go."

Shirou and Shinji watched Rin and Sakura leave, then patted their chests in relief at having survived. Looking at Rin's back, they muttered in unison.

"You violent woman. Who wouldn't be scared of you? One wrong move and you'll beat them black and blue."

Outside the Kyudo Club, Rin easily swung herself onto her motorcycle and inserted the key. She put on her helmet, took Sakura's schoolbag, and placed it on the footboard. Sakura then gracefully adjusted her skirt, sat sideways on the back seat, and wrapped her arms around Rin's waist.

On the road at dusk, Sakura hugged Rin's waist, pressed her face against Rin's back, and watched the ponytail fluttering before her eyes as she spoke.

"Big Sister, now that you've dropped out, are you really not planning to attend school anymore?"

"Mm. It's too boring, and it wastes too much time. Anyway, I'll definitely—and can only—be a Magus in the future. What about you, Sakura? Why not drop out too? No need to wait for winter break. Tomorrow, I can take you to Misaki City and find that witch I've always told you about to become her apprentice."

"Well, Big Sister, I still want to go to school."

"It's fine, Sakura. If you want to go to school, then go. We can leave after your winter break begins in a few days. And if you don't want to, that's fine too. Your big sister will protect you from now on."

"Mm, Big Sister."

Sakura pressed herself against Rin's back. Listening to her sister's reassuring words and feeling her warmth, a faint blush appeared on her little face. Big Sister, it's so wonderful to have you.

As the motorcycle entered the Tohsaka Estate, Rin had Sakura go inside first while she pushed the motorcycle into the garage.

Tokiomi Tohsaka, who was sitting in the living room watching television, turned to the two girls entering and said with a smile, "You're back. Come take a look."

Pointing at the television, Tokiomi spoke to Rin and Sakura. A cooking program was playing, and the food on screen certainly looked appetizing.

Tokiomi continued, "Well? Your father just learned this from television. How about I show off tonight and make something extra for dinner?"

Looking at Tokiomi, Rin shuddered in disgust. At some point, Tokiomi had suddenly become obsessed with cooking. Yet without any talent for it, everything he made was practically "chemical raw material" capable of poisoning people to death.

Looking at the excited Tokiomi, Rin sarcastically replied helplessly.

"No need, Dad. We'll just eat what Mom makes. You should enjoy your own cooking. Your daughter doesn't want to die young."

Tokiomi was dealt a heavy blow by his sharp-tongued daughter. He slumped dejectedly onto the sofa and muttered to himself.

"My cooking is murder cuisine... My daughter hates it..."

Sakura covered her mouth with a smile. Watching the familiar scene of her sister's sharp tongue and her father's dejection, which had gradually become part of the family's daily routine, she thought back on the past and looked at Rin with gratitude. Sure enough, because of Big Sister, our family keeps moving in a better direction.

Rin keenly sensed Sakura's gaze. She turned around and looked at Sakura strangely.

"Sakura? Why are you looking at me like that? It feels weird."

Sure enough, Big Sister is still the same, Sakura thought as she said, "It's nothing, Big Sister. I just feel like you're especially cute today."

Hearing Sakura's praise, Rin proudly cupped her own cheeks.

"Ah, Sakura, wh-why would you suddenly say that? What do you mean, cute? How could I be cute..."

Then she ran out of the living room in embarrassment.

"I Am the Heavenly Daos' Lackey"

I was a ninth-grade student. I had received a good education, and I would never bow and scrape to anyone else or become a lackey reeking of foul stench!

Li Sijin, kneeling before the Heavenly Daos, said exactly that.

At night, Rin lay in bed. The bright moonlight shone upon her, making her look like an elf who had wandered into the human world.

Lying in bed, Rin raised her hand and stared blankly at the three Command Spells left behind by the last Holy Grail War. Yet her mind was replaying tonight's dinner.

Tohsaka Estate, dinnertime.

The entire Tohsaka family sat around the round dining table, enjoying dinner. Suddenly, Tokiomi Tohsaka set down his wineglass and asked Rin.

"Rin, are you really planning to take Sakura to study under that witch during summer vacation? And do you really not need me to accompany you?"

"Mm, there's no need, Dad. I'll just take Kirei with me. It'll be fine with Kirei there. Besides, Dad, the Fairy Tale Spell I 'developed' is still far too different from true Fairy Tale Magecraft. Even Sakura's Imaginary Number Attribute can't solve that problem. There just happens to be a reclusive Fairy Tale Witch in Misaki City, Japan. Isn't this the best opportunity?"

"Rin, have you considered that, given your current price on the Black Market, once those Magi discover you, I'm afraid..."

At that, Rin shuddered in revulsion. That was right—Rin Tohsaka was currently the highest-priced Magus in the world. Although the Fuyuki City incident had been concealed by many parties, leaving ordinary people completely unaware, at least half of Japan's Magi had sensed the magical energy that erupted during the final battle that day. No matter how they tried to hide it, certain details of the Holy Grail War had been exposed. Faced with the temptation of a universal wish-granting machine, imitation Holy Grail rituals had begun appearing all over the world.

After returning to London, Kotomine Kirei publicly announced that he was giving up his title as a prodigy and began proclaiming that the true prodigy was Rin Tohsaka, whom he had met in Japan. As one of the heirs of the Three Great Families of the Holy Grail War, and after Kirei publicly acknowledged that Rin's talent far surpassed his own, Rin's price in the Black Market of the magecraft world rose ever higher. Magus families wishing to obtain Rin and use her as a mother to breed a next generation with extraordinary magical talent even offered a sky-high reward of one billion dollars on the Black Market for her capture alive.

Of course, Kirei's purpose was merely to let everyone know that the El-Melloi family not only had him, a universally acknowledged genius of exceptional talent, but also maintained a good relationship with Rin Tohsaka, who far surpassed him. To that end, Kirei somehow found the Jewel Old Man and had him publicly issue a warning to the magecraft world: "Anyone who takes action against the Tohsaka family will be my enemy."

When this news, along with a letter of apology from Kirei and a Jewel Sword bestowed by the Jewel Old Man, arrived at the Tohsaka Estate, Rin Tohsaka nearly collapsed. Rin had apparently been thoroughly screwed over by Kirei this time, but since she owed him a favor, she could only swallow her anger.

"It's fine. This time, I plan to hire a Grand Magus before setting out to study under the witch. And Kirei will be coming with us too. By the time those 'mercenaries' receive the news, Sakura and I will have at least an Executor, a Grand Magus, and a Fairy Tale Witch around us. I don't believe anyone would dare make a move against that lineup unless they aren't human or are a Magician."

Only then did Tokiomi nod in relief, looking at his eldest daughter with satisfaction.

"Rin, since you already have a plan, I won't ask further. But be careful in all things, understand?"

Rin raised a thumb, flashed her neat white teeth, and smiled.

"Don't worry, Father."

Rin emerged from her memories, lowered her hand, and opened the System Panel, which she had not used in a long time.

Compared with three years ago, the system now had an additional Noble Phantasm Crafting exchange function, allowing her to learn methods for making certain magical Noble Phantasms.

According to the system log, Rin had gained two additional exchange records and one saved exchange opportunity compared to before the Holy Grail War.

When the Holy Grail War ended, Rin had suddenly obtained three exchange opportunities. She had spent two of them to exchange for the crafting methods of the "Tlahuizcalpantecuhtli Spear" used by Etzali from the A Certain Magical Index world, as well as the Shorthand Codex Noble Phantasm.

After several years of effort, Rin had modified the "Tlahuizcalpantecuhtli Spear," originally modeled after the worship of the Aztec War God, into the "Spear of Venus," modeled after the worship of Ishtar from Mesopotamian Mythology.

Rin, whose strength had increased greatly compared to before, now had her own troubles. While Magic Index spells were, in some respects, more destructive and effective than modern Type-Moon magecraft, the differences between the mythologies, histories, and other aspects of the two worlds meant that although most spells could be used after modification, they possessed almost no "Mystery" in Type-Moon. Most were equivalent to ordinary modern magecraft. As a result, when facing opponents able to use ancient magecraft or possessing greater "Mystery," Rin would naturally be at a disadvantage.

Therefore, this journey to study under a master was not only Sakura's apprenticeship journey. Rin also hoped to use it to interact with other Magi and find a solution to the problem of a spell's "Mystery" level.

Unable to sleep the more she thought about it, Rin threw off her blanket, revealing her body clad in thin pajamas. Barefoot, she stepped onto the soft carpet and walked to the desk in her room.

Opening the drawer, she ignored the Holy Grail and Jewel Sword inside, casually took out a Soul Fragment of the Winter Saintess, and began studying it again under the moonlight.

Early the next morning, the weather was clear. The sun hung high in the sky, illuminating the peaceful and tranquil Fuyuki City.

Knock, knock, knock. Several urgent knocks woke Rin Tohsaka from her sleep.

Then Aoi Tohsaka's voice came from outside the door.

"Little Rin, wake up. If you don't get up soon, Sakura will be late."

Sitting groggily in bed and rubbing her messy long hair, Rin suddenly jolted awake. She turned to glance at the digital clock on her desk, then called anxiously through the door.

"I'm getting up right away, Mom! Oh, Mom, could you please come in and help me comb my hair?"

Aoi Tohsaka, who had been about to turn and leave, heard Rin call out. She shook her head helplessly, turned around, and opened the door. The moment she entered, she saw a large pile of magecraft-related draft papers scattered messily across Rin's desk.

"Little Rin, were you studying magecraft late again last night? Sigh, I've told you so many times not to study magecraft at night, but you never listen to Mommy. Mommy is so sad."

Rin rubbed her messy hair and looked helplessly at Aoi Tohsaka, whose face was full of theatrical sorrow.

After hurriedly washing up and getting dressed, Rin rushed to the dining room. Looking at her family already eating, she scratched her head sheepishly, pulled out a chair, and sat down.

"Good morning, Dad, Mom, Sakura."

Looking at her rushed sister, Sakura said helplessly, "Good morning, Big Sister. Did you stay up late studying magecraft again last night?"

"Cough, cough. Sakura, I only stayed up a little later than usual last night. It wasn't that late..."

Let me recommend a big shot's book!

"I Become a Hero, Streaming Across All Worlds"

I, Xie Wukai, definitely did not cheat!

To save the world, the mentally unstable Xie Wukai became a streamer. His content was how to become a hero—and openly cheating with viewer donations.

Demonic transformation, nano-biological armor, planet-destroying cannons... Wait, planet-destroying cannons?

After touching the truth of the multiverse, Xie Wukai finally embarked on his own path to becoming a hero.

Kanfushi City Shinkansen Station.

As the Shinkansen arrived, Rin led Sakura off the train by the hand. Rin carefully kept Sakura at her side, gripping her hand tightly as she discreetly activated Reinforcement Magic to part the surging crowd. At the same time, she turned back and called to Kirei Kotomine, who was carrying their luggage behind them.

"Kirei, keep up."

By noon, after Rin, Sakura, and Kirei Kotomine had casually found a restaurant and finished lunch, they were walking through the streets of Kanfushi City.

"Kirei, you can actually eat Mapo Tofu that spicy?"

Kirei Kotomine, carrying the luggage behind Rin and Sakura, looked at Rin's back in confusion.

"Rin, is there a problem? It has always been my favorite food. Though the flavor here is mediocre. When we return to Fuyuki City, I'll take you to Hongzhou Yansui Hall Taishan. That restaurant's Mapo Tofu is the most authentic."

Rin speechlessly shot Kirei Kotomine a sidelong glance, then stopped and looked at an unfinished building by the roadside.

"We're here. Kirei, I'll leave the guard duty to you later. This person is a little hard to deal with."