It looked like that hint really did exist.
"Next, there may be an extremely powerful mental impact. Shirou, remember to prepare yourself."
As Aoko spoke, a huge, ornate Magic Circle spread out from beneath her feet.
Shirou took a deep breath. "Yes, I understand."
"Good~ Then here we go—Retrograde Operation 1989, set off! Shirou!"
Amid the boiling blue gale that surged into the sky, Shirou's consciousness was swallowed by white light.
Endless bands of light surrounded Shirou.
He seemed to hear the crisp sound of a bell ringing in the distance.
But soon, Shirou's skin could no longer sense heat or cold. Temperature and sound seemed to vanish—
Stars streaked past Shirou at incredible speed.
The time reversal limited to an individual had been established.
A few seconds later, the planet's gravity caught Shirou once more.
When he opened his eyes, he found himself in a forest.
Looking up toward the mountaintop, Shirou saw a familiar mansion.
"Good. The coordinates are correct."
This was a hill in Misaki City, Japan, on the Third Planet of the Solar System.
Shirou pulled a pocket watch from his pocket. It was the Magic Crest Aoko had given him.
Its effect was nothing special. The moment its cover was opened, the clockwork would automatically calibrate itself to the local time. It was a small device the Fifth Magician had made during her travels around the world for the convenience of telling the time.
"Good. The coordinates here are correct too."
Now, all he had to do was quietly wait for his meeting with Aoko and the others—
Shirou recalled a conversation from a certain planning meeting.
◇
Aoko: "Stop! This is the biggest problem."
Shirou: "What?"
Aoko: "Shirou, when you jump back to 1989, how are you planning to explain the current situation to