I, Ritsuka, the Siscon Grand Hero

There's likely no connection to lolis, that much is certain. She didn't actually know what it was related to, she just had a hunch.

The red-haired little girl carried an aura comparable to a top predator, far above her own level. Perhaps that was what stimulated 'Alcides' within the Crystal Dice.

Pinching the Crystal Dice between her index finger and thumb, Ritsuka narrowed her beautiful eyes.

14%, which earned her two things.

A bow and an ability. It seemed she had reached a limit, allowing her to acquire the power held by the existence known as Alcides.

However, due to the low stats, the skill was somewhat useless, and her insufficient strength meant she couldn't even draw the bow.

Bravery (E): A skill that nullifies mental interference such as confusion and bewilderment, and enhances combat abilities.

Because the level was too low, the effect wouldn't be very good, obviously.

It's better than nothing. Standing in the pavilion, waiting for the snow and rain to subside, Ritsuka began to wonder if she could raise the Synchronization Value with 'Alcides' to its maximum if she had the chance to stare at that little girl for a long time.

Even though she might be seen as a pervert...

The sleet gradually slowed. Ritsuka casually pulled the hood of her jacket over her head and dashed out of the abandoned park.

Calculating the time, it was almost time for Miyu to get out of school. They had agreed to buy books together today and review for the upcoming exam.

Even though she skipped afternoon classes, Ritsuka wasn't worried at all. As long as it wasn't Taiga's class, the teachers generally didn't pay much attention to the students, and the absence of one person wouldn't even be noticed.

Running back, Ritsuka first went back to the already empty classroom to retrieve her belongings, then climbed over the wall to the adjacent building.

The elementary school had clearly also let out. With her backpack on, Ritsuka took out her trusty Little Blue Umbrella and opened it.

"Big sis?"

A voice called out from behind her. As more umbrellas opened, her vision became obstructed, but Miyu still spotted Ritsuka immediately. The Pocky and biscuit sticks printed on the Little Blue Umbrella were quite eye-catching.

This was the umbrella the convenience store owner had given Ritsuka when she bought a whole box of Pocky.

"Miyu, thanks for waiting."

Ritsuka playfully flicked Miyu's nose with her fingers, giggling.

Miyu walked a few steps and came under the Little Blue Umbrella, looking up at Ritsuka. "It wasn't too long. I just got out too."

The Little Blue Umbrella enveloped her little sister. The two chatted as they walked towards the bookstore.

"Big sis, I met another strange person today."

"They looked like a foreigner, about my age, with twin tails, and they immediately called me 'big sis'..."

Miyu began to complain about the strange encounter. Being called "big sis" by a girl her own age was indeed an odd occurrence.

Moreover, the foreigner's appearance reminded Ritsuka of the two little girls she had seen that afternoon.

A name suddenly flashed through Ritsuka's mind. "Erika..."

"Hm?"

Miyu tilted her head, looking curiously at Ritsuka, who was murmuring softly. She had just heard a name.

Ritsuka simply reached out and patted Miyu's head, saying nothing.

The two walked together for the first time in a while, a tall girl and a small girl strolling along the street. The other person who was usually with them was nowhere to be seen. Miyu subconsciously asked—

"Where's Sakura-nee?"

"Little Sakura? She took leave to look for Shinji, who also skipped class. That guy is probably holed up in some arcade right now."

Sniffing, Ritsuka grumbled about Shinji in front of Miyu, further diminishing Miyu's good impression of him, turning him from a classmate of her sister's into a mere passerby.

Turning the corner, the two took a different direction from the main flow of people. Only a few scattered figures dotted the street.

Before buying books, they had to stop by the convenience store. They needed to restock snacks at home.

The number of Pocky was down to just one stick left in the box in her pocket.

At the end of the street, Ritsuka, who had stopped in front of the convenience store, paused slightly. Suddenly, her eyes widened. She caught sight of someone out of the corner of her eye and immediately looked up. That kelp-like hair was incredibly eye-catching.

"...Shinji?"

It was too far away; she could only see Shinji's mouth moving, seemingly saying something, but she couldn't hear it clearly.

There were four people over there, all of whom she had seen before: the two little girls she met at the abandoned park earlier, Matou Shinji, and Julian Enzō...

Suddenly, Julian looked up, directly at her.

At the end of the street, a Magecraft designed to distract others was in effect. Four people stood there, with the two little girls positioned behind Julian.

Julian Enzō.

Facing Julian was Matou Shinji, who had been missing since morning. Shinji was currently staring grimly at a card in his hand.

"Lord Julian, what is this?"

"Class Cards. These two are your Matou family's tickets to this Holy Grail War."

A chilling smile spread across Shinji's lips.

Assassin and Archer.

The Holy Grail War is a vast ritualistic arena, a ceremony created by the Tohsaka, Matou, and Enzō families to pursue the Chalice of Miracles.

With the Tohsaka family destroyed and the Matou family in decline, Enzō can be said to have indirectly controlled everything.

Only this one family remains...

Class Cards are Magecraft Noble Phantasms capable of containing the power of a Servant of a specific Class, commonly known as Class Cards. In essence, they are Servant Cards that can connect to the power of Servants on the Throne of Heroes.

Servants are degraded forms of Heroic Spirits that have been differentiated.

Heroic Spirits are those recorded in historical legends, heroes whose great deeds, after their death, became legends and objects of worship, thus transforming them into beings.

Not only official histories and myths, but sometimes even some ghost stories can form Heroic Spirits, as long as there is enough faith.

Therefore, the existence of Class Cards can be said to be quite miraculous. To wield the power of legends with a human body, and to achieve such results with mere substitution Magecraft, makes one wonder if there is some other reason behind it.

But none of this matters, at least not to him, Matou Shinji.

Whether it was his grandfather's prejudice against talent, leaving all the family's Magecraft inheritance to Sakura, or other humiliations, with this, he could reclaim everything he had lost!

"Lord Julian, since you have produced the Class Card, does that mean the Holy Grail's existence is in place?"

"..."

Without the Holy Grail, the war revolving around it could not begin.

Julian narrowed his eyes, stepping across the Magecraft barrier to look at a convenience store by the side of the street, his fingers clenching tightly.

Ritsuka, carrying a box of snacks, and Miyu beside her, their figures fell into Julian's sight, and then their eyes suddenly met.

"Erika, is that it?"

The blonde little girl peeked out from behind Julian, her large blue eyes reflecting Miyu's figure.

"Although its nature has vanished, the container's slot remains."

A strange magical power flashed in her eyes, and at that moment, the Magecraft barrier shattered with a roar, causing the unpleasant aura that Ritsuka felt to surge once more. Her demonic eyes stared intently at the two.

From a considerable distance, Ritsuka stepped in front of Miyu, a completely instinctive action.

It was something incomprehensible, unimaginable, like a deity that existed only in myth, capable of stripping one's will with a mere glance.

Immense authority enveloped Ritsuka, and the palm of her hand began to glow faintly.

The Synchronization Value for 'Alcides' began to increase again, and this time, the progress was extremely rapid!

"Julian..."

As the figure drew closer, Ritsuka gripped their weapon tightly. The girl named Erika had lost all her imposing aura.

The next moment, Julian raised his head, his cold gaze meeting Ritsuka's. "So many coincidences. It turns out the Divine Child was by my side all along, I just didn't realize it."

"Am I a thief? Then what are you, bandits?"

In his memory, the small figure that even Kiritsugu couldn't defeat head-on, his immense power almost shattering the earth. And the girl with the strange Magecraft who wanted to take Miyu's twintails... the outcome seemed obvious now—

Those two were connected to Julian!

"Erase all the oddities that devoured this town. The miracles that exist in this world, I've been searching for them."

"—And for the thief who took it away!"

The sense of crisis in Ritsuka's heart surged instantly. The light on their right hand flared, and a dagger was thrown upwards, used as a projectile directly at Julian.

Magic condensed into an electric flash, a black short sword, one half of the husband and wife swords Gan Jiang Mo Ye, was projected by Ritsuka.

The dagger was aimed at Julian's chest. Ritsuka deliberately angled it slightly, so that if it hit, it would only injure him, not kill him. But the moment the attack was launched, a tremendous force that shook the ground surged forth.

The small, red-haired girl instantly appeared before Julian, raising her hand and easily catching the dagger.

A bloodthirsty, vicious smile appeared in Ritsuka's eyes. "What?"

Both swords were unleashed, and in the next instant, they completely fell apart. The little girl easily snapped the projected weapon.

Even though it was projected, it was something called a Noble Phantasm, and it had been shattered!

"You won't hurt Lord Julian!!"