I, Ritsuka, Siscon Grand Hero

Both Synchronization Values saw a significant increase, and my own strength underwent a qualitative change, yet it was still far from enough.

Ritsuka clenched her fists. Neither the bloodthirsty red-haired loli trailing Julian nor the hidden entity carelessly throwing weapons around were opponents she could handle right now.

"Wait."

Kirei Kotomine called out to Ritsuka, who was about to leave. He lowered his gaze slightly and slowly spoke, "Don't be impulsive. You don't even know what Enzō truly is yet, do you?"

"Acquire information, analyze clues, understand the objective, and finally, make a choice."

Under Ritsuka's gaze, Kirei Kotomine turned sideways, his eyes distant.

He spread his arms as if embracing something, his expression becoming somewhat enraptured. Then, he looked at Emiya Ritsuka with a hint of mockery.

"Your adoptive father, Kiritsugu Emiya, chose to believe. He believed in the choice you would make... If things continue like this, you'll likely disappoint him greatly."

"You know Kiritsugu?"

That one sentence hit the crucial point, the aspect Ritsuka couldn't possibly ignore. Kirei Kotomine was an extraordinary man; he understood deeply what Ritsuka cared about.

Fingers and thumb pinching the cross around his neck, the priest of Fuyuki spoke with a cold expression, "I am the priest who abolishes or manages the occult here. But now, we are in an era of [Cold Tranquility] where even faith has vanished."

"The world is bound to meet its end, but even so, many are still searching for a way to save it."

Understood. Ritsuka was now truly beginning to comprehend this world, and she also knew that among the people Kirei Kotomine spoke of was someone she cared about immensely.

Kiritsugu Emiya.

"Let's sit down and talk. Not just about the secrets of this world, but about yourself as well; you might need my help."

Kirei Kotomine took out a paper ball and tossed it to Ritsuka, who caught it instinctively.

Opening the paper ball, she found a magic formula of no great difficulty. Its effect made Ritsuka's heart tighten, and she fell silent for a moment.

This item would be very helpful in suppressing the intense pain within her.

Section 30: Chapter 29 - Choice: The World or My Sister?

Ritsuka sat on a pew in the church, her right hand gently pressing her left arm as she listened to the information Kirei Kotomine was providing.

Having shed his ramen chef attire, Kirei Kotomine seemed to be fulfilling his role as a shepherd guiding his flock after a long time. He was very serious, explaining everything Ritsuka needed to know about Enzō and the Holy Grail War, leaving no detail out.

"Enzō, as a magecraft family that has persisted for over a thousand years, though their magecraft specialty is merely 'Replacement Magic,' a useless art, their capabilities are quite outstanding."

"As long as they are within a magecraft workshop they've constructed, they can wield Replacement Magic with effects that transcend normal laws."

Kirei Kotomine tapped on an imaginary blackboard, giving Ritsuka some remedial lessons in basic magecraft as he went.

Ritsuka listened intently to the information about Enzō, and while doing so, she used the magic formula Kirei Kotomine had given her, inscribing it on her body to test its effects.

The intense pain was alleviated. Primarily, her mental state became less sensitive to this severe pain under the influence of the magic. This met Ritsuka's expectations, as any ability that severely impacted her would have caused her to collapse from pain just walking.

She didn't believe her willpower could be stronger than that of the mythical Chiron.

"Enzō's wisdom and characteristics have remained unchanged for millennia, which is astonishing."

At this point, a smile spread across Kirei Kotomine's face.

In Ritsuka's eyes, his smile held no genuine surprise, but rather a mocking tone. Clearly, he knew of some embarrassing secret within the Enzō family.

However, after a moment's hesitation, Kirei Kotomine decided not to reveal that secret and continued explaining the information related to Enzō.

"Julian Enzō, who was your former classmate, Ichiyoshi Julian, is the current head of the Enzō family."

"Throughout their thousand years of existence, they have relentlessly pursued a single goal. Do you know what it is?"

Kirei Kotomine offered Ritsuka a bottle of water. Ritsuka quickly thanked him and accepted it.

Then, to Ritsuka's astonished expression, Kirei Kotomine curled his lips and laughed with delight, "It is a grand, yet incredibly childish, and admirable wish—"

"As Kiritsugu Emiya's adopted daughter, you should understand... the continuation of human history. Enzō pursues the salvation of humanity, which is destined for ruin!"

Ritsuka stared blankly at Kirei Kotomine, who wore a 'strange smile,' his 'delighted' voice echoing in her ears.

"—That is also Kiritsugu Emiya's justice."

The impact of the immense information left Ritsuka speechless. Kirei Kotomine's words felt like sharp blades striking her chest.

In a sense, after she abandoned Kiritsugu's justice, it was Julian Enzō who had inherited it...

"Unable to create valuable items from scratch, they can only produce fakes through replacement, which is why the Enzō family has always been mocked as the [Counterfeiter]."

Replacing Servants who possess Heroic Spirit powers onto humans through something called a Class Card—in a sense, isn't that also a type of fake?

Ritsuka clenched her fist, faint light seeping from between her fingers.

But she wasn't in any position to comment on the Enzō family in that regard. She herself was likely a fake, using the power of a Servant. Moreover, one of her main abilities, Projection Magic, was also a highly skilled technique for creating fakes.

The kind that could perfectly replicate a Noble Phantasm!

"Continue. Starting about two hundred years ago, Enzō suddenly began to pursue miracles in the world, attempting to save humanity from its inevitable extinction."

"Therefore, they need a miracle that surpasses humanity—the Holy Grail!"

A miracle. Something Kiritsugu Emiya had been searching for with Ritsuka for five long years.

Sakutsuki Miyu was their ultimate prize, but Ritsuka's existence led Kiritsugu to ultimately give up, choosing to entrust everything to her, letting her make the decision.

From the very beginning, she possessed what might have been the world's only miracle, yet she never once considered using it, because it was her sister, not some so-called Cauldron of All Wishes.

The Holy Grail is said to originate from a Christian relic, but in Ritsuka's opinion, the Holy Grail Kirei Kotomine spoke of was likely not the same thing as Christ's.

"The Holy Grail War, a grand magecraft ritual established to seize the power of this miracle. Enzō, along with two magecraft families, jointly created this ritual, though one has already perished and the other is all but defunct," Kirei Kotomine narrowed his eyes. "A container sufficient to become a Holy Grail, a system required for summoning Heroic Spirits, and land with vast ley lines. Each family provided one."

"Using rare Noble Phantasms or flesh as a medium, inscribing the power of a Heroic Spirit, thereby becoming a being similar to a Heroic Spirit."

"It has been held four times and failed each time. The fourth time resulted in the worst outcome, with countless darkness engulfing the town."

Kirei Kotomine's words evoked memories for Ritsuka, memories of when she first met Miyu.

That darkness was born from the Holy Grail War, a product created by Julian. The Tsukishiro family's magical defenses were consequently destroyed, and she and Kiritsugu obtained the vessel of the miracle... Miyu.

It was also because of that darkness that her adoptive father, Kiritsugu Emiya, experienced a rapid decline in his physical functions, ultimately leading to his death.

Ritsuka fell into thought, her expression growing somber. Kirei Kotomine, who had been watching her intently, suddenly burst into laughter. "Oh, right, just a side note. The massive fire that engulfed Shinto ten years ago was also a result of the Holy Grail War. Your father was a participant in that one."

"Kiritsugu? So that's how it is... Kiritsugu was there because he participated in the Holy Grail War."

A sudden emptiness bloomed in her heart. It turned out everything about her was connected to the Holy Grail War—everything had been taken by the Holy Grail War.

Damn it.

Ritsuka clenched her fist, lowering her head so her hair obscured her eyes.

She didn't have many thoughts about Kiritsugu participating in the Holy Grail War; it just felt natural.

After all, the Holy Grail was a miracle. For Kiritsugu, who had always pursued miracles to save humanity, his participation was understandable.

"Thus, after four Holy Grail Wars, the rare survivor, Julian Enzō, took it upon himself to carry the banner of the Holy Grail War. He has now successfully gathered the ley lines, the Heroic Spirit system, and the miraculous object. This is for all of humanity."

"Are you prepared to bear the consequences that will lead to the death of all humanity?"

Sacrificing a few to ensure humanity's survival. This was the kind of justice Kiritsugu would have chosen if faced with it: 'sacrifice the few to save the many.'

Ritsuka gripped the Crystal Dice. Kirei Kotomine couldn't see it; he could only see the astonishing magical power surging from Ritsuka, a vast amount of mana, like that of ten thousand people, pressing down on the priest of Fuyuki, pinning him in place with overwhelming force.

She had suddenly found a way to use the Crystal Dice.

Under extreme conviction, the ultimate secret of burning one's existence to completely replace the inner self.

Kirei Kotomine's lips curved upwards as he watched Ritsuka, enveloped in a dense magical power mixed with chaotic black within a crimson hue. A large bow and a long piece of cloth appeared beside her.

The cloth was wrapped around her neck, the great bow slung over her shoulder, and Ritsuka's eyes turned a murky gold.

"Kiritsugu... Father gave me the choice. This is a choice only I can make. I promised him... I would protect Miyu."

Her own existence would surely collapse, wouldn't it?

After all, she was replacing her own inner self. The synchronization value for Alcides on the Crystal Dice's display was rapidly increasing, heading towards 100%!

The intense pain in her body instantly worsened, the agony of self-destruction mingling with the sharp pain of immortality. The magecraft's effect became peculiar, so Ritsuka simply increased her magical output, completely suppressing her pain.

"Hoo~ Thank you for your help, Father. If I get the chance, I'll definitely come back to repay your kindness," Ritsuka said with a bright smile, her beautiful eyes holding a hint of emptiness. "Looking at your apron, you must be a ramen chef who likes spicy food. I'm quite skilled at cooking. I'll treat you to a meal sometime."

Turning, Ritsuka walked out of the church, the oppressive aura around her beginning to recede, her gaze hardening.

She was going to participate in the Holy Grail War!

As Ritsuka walked away, Kirei Kotomine approached the church entrance and watched her depart. Suddenly, as if remembering something, he called out loudly:

"Right, remember this: using that technique too much has side effects. It can cause hallucinations."

Ritsuka waved her hand and disappeared into the distance.

Chapter 31: A Suddenly Silent World

From that day on, Ritsuka's entire world quietly underwent a drastic change. Everything became unfamiliar and silent.

Julian, the Student Council President of Hoshigahara, never reappeared at school after that day. After all, both the miracle itself and the person who stole it had been found.

There was no longer any need to waste time blending in with ordinary people...

Taking a long leave of absence from Taiga, Ritsuka began to wander through Fuyuki City, searching for Enzō's location.

Kirei Kotomine had said they were always in this city, merely hiding their family's castle (magecraft workshop) through Replacement Magic.

Standing atop a skyscraper under construction in Shinto, Ritsuka narrowed her eyes, her murky golden gaze filled with deathly stillness.

Clairvoyance.

Although Alcides did not explicitly possess this ability, Ritsuka could see everything within a 20-kilometer radius. Her eyesight was incredibly sharp; she could even discern the details on snowflakes falling from the sky.

Ritsuka gently exhaled, her breath forming white mist. The 'Divine Beast's Fur' around her neck fluttered wildly in the cold wind.

"Miyu..."

She couldn't find her. Even though she had adjusted her own state and could utilize most of the Demigod's power as an Avenger-class Servant, she had spent nearly a month without finding any trace of Miyu.

Enzō had vanished from Fuyuki City as if he had evaporated into thin air.

Kirei Kotomine must have known more, but that damned sadist wasn't saying anything.

Watching her flail around like a headless fly, he must have been thoroughly enjoying himself hidden in some corner.

She recalled the occasional taste of Mapo Tofu ramen, that burning sensation within her. It was more stimulating than burning herself with the Crystal Dice, truly unforgettable.

Ritsuka felt that Kirei Kotomine must have a screw loose; he was a complete psycho.

Brushing the snow from her hair, Ritsuka leaped from her vantage point and landed smoothly in a secluded alley, pulling her hat down over her head.

Father, sister, friends—everyone and everything around her was gone…

Enzō had taken everything from her, turning the entire world back into the initial gray, just like the place she'd been in since birth in her previous life, a place she couldn't forget even in death. It was like a hellish room.

—[White Room]

Unfortunately, she was always a defective product, no matter what.

"...Senpai?"

Huh.

Ritsuka stopped in her tracks as a familiar voice sounded nearby. Looking up from her lowered gaze, she glanced to her side.

A strand of purple entered her vision. A girl, smiling with delight, held out her umbrella over Ritsuka's head, shielding her from the heavy snow falling from the sky.

Her slightly eerie dark golden eyes met Sakura's gem-like purple ones. Ritsuka was a little surprised. "Sakura, what are you doing here?"

"Because, Senpai, you haven't been to school in a long time, so I came to see you."

Sakura's cheeks flushed slightly, her shy expression incredibly adorable.

Hesitating for a moment, Ritsuka sighed, took out her key, and opened the door. She then turned back slightly.

"...Come in first."