Chapter 126

The seemingly energetic orange-haired young boy, "Roche Frain."

And walking ahead of him, wearing a strange golden mask and dressed in blue and black striped clothing, was the middle-aged man, "Avicebron."

Roche was Avicebron's Master.

Floating in front of them both was the Q&A group's interface.

Gordes: "I thought this was a hallucination of mine, but it seems it isn't."

Celenike: "Well? Have you figured out what this thing is?"

Darnic: "No idea. Caster, what do you think?"

Avicebron: "This doesn't look like a product of magecraft."

Celenike: "No kidding. This thing looks like a product of technology no matter how you look at it."

Gordes: "Will it have any impact on our plans?"

Darnic: "I don't know. Let's just wait and see for now."

[Ding! The first question is about to begin!]

The start of the quiz successfully captured the attention of the Yggdmillennia clan.

[This question is a three-part buzzer-style multiple-choice question. Group members, please Matsuwanko Matsuwanko Take note.]

[Please watch the following video. There will be three consecutive questions asked during the video, each with three options. All group members may buzz in to answer.]

[Each question has a 5-minute time limit. A correct answer grants 3 Saint Quartz; an incorrect answer deducts 1 Saint Quartz.]

[If no one answers correctly within 5 minutes, or if there are two consecutive wrong answers, that question will be voided.]

[The video begins now. Please pay close attention.]

["The Holy Grail War: a battle fought by seven mages, each leading a summoned Heroic Spirit, to compete for ownership of the Holy Grail."]

The narration began, and scenes from the Fourth Holy Grail War flashed across the screen.

Gilgamesh's Gate of Babylon, Iskandar's Army of the King, Artoria's Excalibur, and so on.

["This is the history that should have occurred, but what if a deviation were to happen within it?"]

["Just like a butterfly flapping its wings a few extra times, only to cause a tornado two weeks later."]

["On the eve of the Second World War, the Third Holy Grail War was held in Fuyuki City. Due to an accident during the battle, the Lesser Grail shattered, causing the Holy Grail War to end ambiguously."]

["However, a deviation occurred."]

["The Greater Grail system, hidden within Mount Mount Yuancang, was discovered by a Jewel Jewel Mage who supported the Nazis and was transferred using military force."]

["The three founding families—the Einzberns, the Tohsakas, and the Matous—fought desperately to stop this conspiracy, but they failed because they were extremely weakened from having just experienced a Holy Grail War."]

["The Greater Grail, constructed with all the effort of the three families, was seized."]

The screen flashed scenes of Darnic leading troops to fight against Acht, the old worm, and a young man who looked very similar to Tokiomi Tohsaka.

Tokiomi Tohsaka: "Father, I never expected to see this."

Kayneth: "Hey, the Greater Grail was actually stolen by the Nazis? This deviation is too huge."

Waver: "It's not just that. I'm afraid the three founding families are gone too."

Emiya Kiritsugu: "Truly, the world is ever-changing."

They had never seen Darnic's face, so they didn't know that the Nazi Jewel Jewel Mage in the video was Darnic.

As for the Apocrypha world, Darnic's affairs were no longer a secret, and it didn't cause any waves.

["This battle was not recorded in any documents, left no visual materials, and does not even exist in human memory. Only the military and the mages retain memories of this tragic war."]

["So, could the Nazis, who took the Greater Grail for themselves, rule the world?"]

["No, that future never arrived."]

["On the way to Germany, the Greater Grail mysteriously vanished."]

["Whether it was forcibly seized by the Imperial Army or attacked by the Soviet forces, no one knows."]

["Regardless, the Greater Grail, which should have become the symbol of the Third Reich and achieved world unification, simply disappeared."]

["Along with it, that Nazi Jewel Jewel Mage also vanished."]

["Time flashes forward to the year 2004."]

Kirei Kotomine's father: "2004? Has your world already reached that time?"

Emiya Emiya Shirou Kotomine: "Yes. What time is it on your Reverse Reverse Reverse Reverse Side?"

Kirei Kotomine's father: "It is only 1995 here."

Emiya Emiya Shirou Kotomine: "9 years ago? It seems the time between the two worlds is not synchronized either."

["About ten years ago from now, the Fourth Holy Grail War should have been held. For unknown reasons, this Holy Grail War was postponed by ten years."]

["Now, sub-species Holy Grail Wars are being held all over the world. However, most of them are small-scale, summoning at most five Heroic Spirits; even if the ritual is established, it cannot realize an omnipotent wish."]

["Realizing all wishes is merely a simple bug zapper; the mutual slaughter between Servants is, in essence, completely meaningless."]

["Only because it is too excellent in form, this part has been kept secret."]

Scenes flashed by, including the battle between Waver and Iskandar against Kayneth.

Kayneth: "..."

Waver: "..."

(Shishigou Kairi)

[Clock Tower. A burly man walks by, causing the passing students to show expressions of terror.]

[This man has three scars on his face. Even wearing a black jacket, one can see the solid muscles underneath. Coupled with his fierce countenance and large black sunglasses, he looks just like a mob boss.]

Zhang Jiao: "This person!"

He recognizes that this is the very man from the necromancy mystic code.

Shishigou Kairi: "This person is me. Do you know me?"

Zhang Jiao: "No, I don't."

Rin Tohsaka: "Good grief, are you really a magus?"

Tokiomi Tohsaka: "Looking only at his appearance, it’s truly hard to tell."

It’s no wonder they say this; Shishigou Kairi looks even more like a mercenary than Emiya Kiritsugu.

Tokiomi Tohsaka: "Apologies, that is not what we meant."

Shishigou Kairi: "I hear that often. I’m used to it."

[Subsequently, Shishigou bumps into a blonde youth at a corner and asks him for the location of the office of the Department of Summoning's vice-head, "Rock Belfeban".]

[This youth is not afraid of Shishigou's appearance like others; instead, he enthusiastically leads him there.]

Waver: "Is that Flat..."

Iskandar: "What, do you know him?"

Waver: "You will know him in the future."

["Oh my, the necromancer has finally arrived."]

[After entering the office, a white-haired old man wearing round glasses greets Shishigou with a smile.]

[This old man is naturally Rock Belfeban.]

["Why did you call me here?"]

[Shishigou ignores Rock's pleasantries and gets straight to the point.]

[Rock: "Do you know about the Holy Grail War in Fuyuki City?"]

[Shishigou: "Of course I know, but hasn't that system already collapsed?"]

["That's right, during the Third Holy Grail War..."]

[Rock then recounts what happened during the Third Holy Grail War.]

[Shishigou: "So, what exactly do you want me to do?"]

["Don't be so impatient, the main topic comes next."]

[Rock says solemnly: "Three months ago, the Greater Grail was finally discovered."]

["Rather than discovered, it would be more accurate to say that the person who hid it announced it themselves."]

[As he speaks, Rock takes out Dǎníkè's file and hands it to Shishigou.]

Kayneth: "Dǎníkè?! So that NC magus was you."

Dǎníkè: "That's right."

Tokiomi Tohsaka: "You actually stole the Greater Grail that my family has guarded for generations!"

Dǎníkè: "The victor is king; this is a truth that has remained unchanged since ancient times."