The Master

Rin Tohsaka stormed out, still cursing Yu Feng under her breath.

"Idiot, complete idiot, blockhead! How can anyone be that dense? It's infuriating!"

"Who managed to get our young lady so worked up? You weren't even this mad when you hit Shinji yesterday."

Ayako Mitsuzuri's voice came from behind Rin, dripping with teasing.

Hearing the voice behind her, Rin quickly cleared her throat, composed herself, and turned around.

"Ahem, what? You must have misheard me. I didn't say anything just now."

Ayako smirked at Rin, who was putting on a serious face. "Oh? Is that so?"

Rin forced herself to stay calm. "What else? You definitely misheard. Why would I ever say something like that?"

Ayako pressed on. "Ah-ha, caught you. What kind of thing?"

Rin's expression stiffened, and she snapped in embarrassment, "Do you want to die? I said it was nothing, so stop asking!"

Ayako kept pushing.

"Let me guess who made you so mad... It's Yu-kun, isn't it?"

Rin immediately denied it. "Huh? No way! Absolutely not! How could he make me angry? You're overthinking it, completely overthinking it!"

Ayako's face lit up with realization. "I see. If it's Yu-kun, it makes sense you'd be like this. You probably wanted him to do or say something specific, right?"

Rin stared at Ayako in surprise. "How did you... No, no, no! You're wrong, all wrong! Ugh, forget it!"

Rin quickly fled the scene.

Ayako watched her go, a sly grin spreading across her face.

"Hmm~ She lasted a bit less than usual this time."

Meanwhile, in the classroom, the atmosphere between Yu Feng and Shirou Emiya had fallen into dead silence.

Shirou stood there for ages without speaking, as if unsure how to answer Yu Feng's question.

Yu Feng, seeming to have grown impatient, said, "Shirou, why don't you think it over for a few days before answering me?"

Shirou walked out of the classroom with a contemplative look, still mulling over the question. Yu Feng smirked. "Well, Shirou, how will you walk the path of a 'Hero of Justice' from here on out?"

"Yu-kun, you made Rin angry again, didn't you?"

Just then, Ayako walked over. Yu Feng shrugged and took a bite of his bento before replying, "Rin's angry? Don't worry, she'll cool off soon. It's normal."

Ayako sighed and rubbed her forehead. "You did that on purpose again, didn't you? I swear, your personality is worse than Shinji's sometimes."

Yu Feng countered, "What's so bad about my personality? I'm just treating her. Tsundere is a disease—it needs treatment, or else she might end up like some blonde loser."

"Oh, honestly. You're great at everything, but you always have an excuse for this. I don't even know what to say."

Yu Feng chuckled lightly. "It's fine. I know my limits. Consider it payback for Rin."

"Fine, fine. I can't meddle in you two lovebirds' affairs anymore. Do whatever you want!"

Once Ayako left, Yu Feng's expression turned serious.

"The Holy Grail War..."

He had a pretty good idea why Shinji Matou had told him to meet on the rooftop after school—it was probably about the Holy Grail War.

But this Holy Grail War was already pointless. What use was a Greater Holy Grail that had long been tainted by the Black Mud?

Ever since All the World's Evils entered the Holy Grail and corrupted it, the Grail could no longer grant all wishes. Though, in a sense, it could still grant them—but the tainted Grail had twisted the method of granting wishes into destruction and calamity. What good were wishes fulfilled that way?

Still, maybe he could use the Holy Grail to accomplish something. A glint of sharp light flashed in Yu Feng's eyes.

Another day came to an end as the sun slowly set and night fell.

Yu Feng arrived at the rooftop, where Shinji Matou had already been waiting for a while.

"Shinji, what did you call me here for? Don't tell me you've gotten cocky and want to settle old scores?"

"No, I actually have something serious to tell you."

"Rin must have mentioned it, right?"

Shinji looked at Yu Feng seriously.

Seeing Shinji's earnest expression, Yu Feng dropped the jokes and nodded.

"You mean the Holy Grail War? Of course I know. It's coming soon, isn't it?"

Shinji nodded grimly. "The Holy Grail War, which should have happened fifty years from now, has been moved up by fifty years for some reason. It's been less than a decade since the Fourth War. And Sakura has been chosen as a Master."

As Shinji spoke, Yu Feng could clearly hear the resentment in his tone, but he didn't pay it much mind. After all, Shinji had no talent for Magecraft—there was no changing that unless some kind of sorcery was involved.

"Yeah, I know. The Three Founding Families are participating in this Holy Grail War, right? That leaves four other participants unknown." Yu Feng said flatly.

Shinji suddenly stepped closer, anger in his voice. "Don't act so indifferent! You know the world of magi! That's why I came to talk to you! Sakura was chosen as a Master!"

Yu Feng remained calm. "I know. But I'm sure Sakura will be fine. Not only will Rin protect her, but take a closer look."

He extended his right hand, revealing three vivid red Command Spells etched there.

Shinji Matou stared at the scene in disbelief, unable to accept it was real. "These... are Command Spells?!"

Then, as if resigned, Shinji looked at Yu Feng. "You bastard, you went down this path without a word. Well then... I'll leave Sakura to you."

Yu Feng nodded without a word.

Shinji leaned against the rooftop railing, watching the sun slowly set in the distance. "Man, I never thought you'd be chosen. That means you've got Magecraft talent, right?"

Yu Feng leaned back against the railing beside Shinji, gazing at the darkening sky. "Yeah, I didn't expect to be chosen either. And I have a feeling this Holy Grail War will be different from all the others—because I'm in it."

Shinji snorted at that. "Big talk. But with you around, I do feel a lot better. When the Holy Grail War starts, I'll try to see if I can get control of a Servant. Since I can't walk the path of Magecraft, I might as well be a real man for three seconds, right? That's what you told me, isn't it?"

Yu Feng couldn't help but laugh. "How long ago was that? And you still remember it. Alright, I'm heading off."

Yu Feng clapped his hands and left the rooftop. Before leaving, he glanced back at Shinji. "Maybe in another world, you'd have Magecraft talent too."

Shinji, with his back to Yu Feng, paused for a long moment after hearing those words before finally saying, "Maybe?"

It sounded like a question, but also like an affirmation. Who knows?

Yu Feng shook his head, leaving Shinji alone on the rooftop.