The First Night
"It's been a long time since I last streamed. This is the perfect chance to stream the first night of the Holy Grail War!"
Sera and the others walked through Two-Dimensional City at night.
Sera had decided to start a stream for the first time in a while, and none of the others minded.
However, Sera had turned off viewing access within Dual-Phase Paradise, so only people outside it could watch.
After all, he didn't want to be ambushed. Sera slacked off whenever he could.
At her own strong insistence, Sparkle had become the stream's host.
Beep beep!
[Feather of the Eclipsed Moon], whom you follow, has started streaming.
Stream: [As everyone knows, the Holy Grail War is conducted in secret!]
"Goo... mornin', evwyone~"
Sera had given Sparkle access to the stream, and she was now leaning close to the screen to greet the viewers.
[?]
[Who are you?]
[Where's Lord Angel! We want Angel!]
Countless comments flew across the screen, but every last one questioned why Sera wasn't the one streaming.
"Ehehe~"
Sparkle couldn't help laughing.
"All right, all right, what's the rush?"
"Ta-da!"
Sparkle pointed the camera at the group, then showed only herself again.
"See? Little Angel is right over there. As for me-I'm tonight's host~"
Sparkle held up the stream with her left hand and gestured at the people behind her with her right.
"Who am I?"
Sparkle glanced at the comments and pretended to think, pressing a finger of her right hand against her lips.
"I don't know either~"
"Ha, just kidding~ Let me introduce myself. I'm Sparkle, a Masked Fool from The World's Beginning Tavern~
"Why The World's Beginning instead of World's End?"
"Good question!"
Sparkle's eyes narrowed with her smile.
"Huh?!"
Sparkle's face turned red.
"What do you mean, are those two dots on the host's face her eyes? They're moles! Beauty marks, got it?!"
Sparkle had just been about to formally introduce the new Tavern to the galaxy when she saw a comment that made her blush.
"Never mind. The great Lady Sparkle won't hold it against you."
Sparkle started again on what she had long wanted to say.
"Has everyone only heard of the World's End Tavern?
"Haha, that's a thing of the past!
"We Masked Fools belong to Little Angel now~"
Sparkle spoke with her hands on her hips, looking rather pleased with herself.
"Little Angel couldn't stand those people who liked hell jokes, so he built a new Tavern. Only people who have truly stepped onto the path of Elation and people Little Angel approves of can join~
"Remember, we're The World's Beginning Tavern!
"The end of the old world, the beginning of a new one~"
"All right, back to the main topic!
"Have you heard of a wish-granting ritual on a distant planet? Seven Masters summon Heroic Spirits from the past to fight until only one remains, and the final victor receives an omnipotent wish-granting machine-the Holy Grail.
"That's the Holy Grail War~"
Sparkle spread her arms and cheered.
"Our Little Angel obtained the Holy Grail and started this ritual in Dual-Phase Paradise.
"By the way, we have five Masters and five Servants on our side~"
As Sparkle spoke, she held her phone where the stream couldn't see it and typed furiously.
After receiving Sera's permission, Sparkle's smile grew even brighter.
"Let me, Sparkle, introduce our five Masters and Servants to you!
"First!
"We have-"
Sparkle surveyed the people behind her and finally settled on Busitu.
"First up is our great detective Busitu. Come on, say hello~"
"Hi." Busitu forced a smile onto his stiff face.
"And his Servant, Archer, a Galaxy Ranger who's still alive-Boothill."
"Hello, you fudging adorable little Wubbaboos."
Boothill played along and greeted them too.
"Second-the sweet, soft dump truck, an ordinary high school student, Feiying."
"Hi, everyone in the stream!"
Feiying greeted them excitedly.
"I'm so happy to be on White Kitty's stream!"
"Her Servant is Assassin, a lady assassin."
"Just call me Sakura."
"Third, the Astral Express's future navigator, Sister Himeko~"
"Hello, everyone~" Himeko greeted them naturally.
"And her Servant! Rider, the Astral Express's navigator-Stargazer Wojian!"
Wojian said nothing and merely nodded.
"Now for the heavy hitters!
"Ms. Herta, #83 of the Genius Society, and her Servant, Lancer-Ms. Herta from another timeline!"
"Be honored that you get to see my true body."
"Last but not least, our grand finale-Little Angel and his Servant, Saber: our great Herrscher of Finality, god of Earth, the strongest person in Honkai, the fishy kitty who dominated the Sea of Tranquility, Seraphis's older sister, Miss Kiana!"
"There isn't room for that many people here."
Listening to Sparkle's introduction, Kiana was so embarrassed that she wanted to shoot her.
"She's the one who called herself my sister."
Sera said quietly.
"Hmm?" Kiana instantly switched to her battle face and stared at Sera.
"But she does count as my older sister."
Sera backed down.
She was an alternate self and a future colleague. There was nothing wrong with calling her his sister.
"As everyone knows, the Holy Grail War takes place at night."
Sparkle raised her right index finger.
"And right now, it's the first night of the Holy Grail War.
"I wonder if the remaining two Masters will be enemies?
"Let's wait and see~"
With Sparkle streaming, Sera and his group arrived at a dock.
Sera first planted a psychological suggestion nearby to prevent anyone uninvolved from wandering in.
Then he went to the very center of the dock and released the Holy Grail. If nothing unexpected happened, the remaining two groups would sense the Holy Grail and be drawn here.
The result was just as Sera had expected. He looked into the distance, sensing that someone had endured the psychological suggestion he had laid down.
Although it was a psychological suggestion, its essence came from Sera's simulation of the Herrscher of Sentience's authority. It was far inferior to the original authority, but it wasn't something an ordinary person could withstand through sheer strength of will.
So...
"Come out."
Sera raised his hand, and a spear appeared. He pointed it at the shadows.
"Skulking and hiding like that, can I take it that you're planning to ambush us?
"Friend or foe? Choose."
As Sera initiated the confrontation, everyone except Sparkle, who was commentating on the stream, pointed their weapons at the shadows as well.
"Hey, you took Kevin's line!"
Kiana muttered.
"Don't you think it suits this situation?"
"True enough. Oh well, Kevin won't hold it against you."
"Don't get worked up, don't get worked up. Put your weapons down. I'm not an enemy."
A figure raised both hands and walked over from the distance.