Walking in the Question and Answer System of Heroic Spirits

"End all this, and go inherit the glory."

[Video ends.]

Afu: "Hey! What does this mean?"

Weber: "It probably means that there's more to this Holy Grail War than meets the eye."

Rin Tohsaka: "Wait a minute, isn't that purple-haired girl who appeared at the end the same demi-Servant who appeared in last year's quiz?"

Waver: "Now that you mention it, it's true. I think her name is Mash."

Rin Tohsaka: "Could it be that this world and that parallel Fourth War world are the same?"

Weber: "How is that possible! The experiences in both worlds are completely different!"

Kenneth: "That's right. The Fourth Holy Grail War took place in Fuyuki, while the Holy Grail War took place in Tulipas. The location of the Greater Grail is different in both cases."

Conqueror King: "Could it be a parallel universe counterpart?"

Kenneth: "I'm afraid that's the only possibility."

Waver: "...No, when Mashu appeared, the device on her back seemed to be something else entirely."

Rin Tohsaka: "The video was so fast, I thought it was just a globe."

Kenneth: "I've never seen anything like that at the Magic Association."

Waver: "Um, I mean, if Mash in both videos is the same person, then what if she—"

Kenneth: "You mean she has the ability to travel between worlds?"

Tokiomi Tohsaka: "Impossible. Only a Jewel Mage who has mastered the Second Law can travel to parallel worlds. Are you saying she has mastered the Second Law?!"

Weber: "Perhaps it's not the Second Law, but some kind of magic device."

Kenneth: "How could that be—"

Weber: "Yeah, if it's those guys, it might actually be possible."

Rin Tohsaka: "What are you talking about?"

Weber: "It's the Atlas Institute that I mentioned in yesterday's video!"

Chapter 321 The Boy Who Escaped from the Maze

Although I hate to admit it, this is the most reasonable guess.

However, no matter how much they speculate, they can't confirm it; the video raises too many questions.

Besides Mash, why has the Holy Grail War started again?

The video's opening suggests that this isn't the development of a parallel world, but rather a continuation of the Holy Grail War.

But the Holy Grail has already been taken to the other side of the world, so how could the Holy Grail War possibly start again, especially since the participants haven't changed?

This question remains unanswered, and the video itself doesn't offer an answer; it has already ended.

Of course, the later members who joined the group didn't know who Mashu was, so Waver and the others had to explain it to them properly.

Rin Tohsaka: "This last video has a trailer feel to it."

Weber: "I'd say it's a trailer."

Ilya: "They've even learned to keep people in suspense."

Lion's Robbery: "Is this the video for the next quiz?"

Weber: "It should be, the last time the answer was the same."

[The first question is finished. Now we begin the second question.]

[This is a multi-question quiz with multiple rounds of answering. Questions will be asked intermittently during the video, with each question having a 3-minute time limit. All group members can participate in the quiz.]

[A correct answer earns 3 Saint Quartz; a wrong answer deducts 1 Saint Quartz. If no one answers correctly within the time limit, the answer is void.]

[Please watch the video carefully now.]

Weber: "Are they here—?"

Kenneth: "Let's see what Hartrace is up to."

[Video begins.]

A boy slowly opened his eyes; he found himself in a narrow, dark alley.

The boy was clearly very weak; he tried to stand up several times, but each time he collapsed back down.

Helpless, the boy could only rest on the spot and try to recover his magic power.

After an unknown amount of time, a light drizzle fell on the boy's head, bringing him back to his senses.

Why is there a sky?

The boy blurted out this sentence out of the blue, and it took him a while to realize what he meant.

[I've escaped, I've fled that labyrinth—no, it should be that world has floated up and risen to a distant land.]

The next moment, the boy seemed to realize something, and dragged his broken body to the ground, as if he wanted to leave immediately.

"You want to hide, is that it?"

A voice rang out, sending chills down his spine.

A strange-looking man with skin like a marble slab and red hair appeared at the alley entrance.

It was Hartles.

Rin Tohsaka: "They're making their appearance right from the start?"

Wife: "But Hartres in the video looks rather young."

Rin Tohsaka: "Is this a flashback arc?"

Shiki Jie Li: "This boy said he escaped from the maze—"

Ilya: "A maze?"

Weber: "The surrounding scenery is London, right? So the maze he mentioned wouldn't be—"

Kenneth: "Shut up!"

King of Conquerors: "Can't I tell you? It's another secret of your Magic Association."

Mordred: "Tch, even if it's a secret, it'll probably all be exposed soon."

Shiki Jie Li: "Yes, Lord El-Melloi, don't hold onto that kind of wishful thinking. It's not a big secret anyway."

Kenneth: "..."

As if by instinct, the boy immediately pulled out a small knife, and, having exhausted his newly recovered strength and magic, stabbed his opponent.

Unfortunately, it didn't even pierce the opponent's clothes.

"Unfortunately, that can't kill me. Don't let my appearance fool you, I'm the head of the Department of Modern Magic."

Hartles looked down at the other person and said with a smile, "You're a survivor, aren't you? And you didn't take the proper route, did you?"

The boy wore a bitter smile; his entire body was paralyzed, and he could no longer utter a sound.

[It's clearly the other party's doing.]

"This doesn't really count as reasoning; your clothes are too out of place in modern times."

Hartres chuckled, "One more thing, I sensed fluctuations in the magical energy connected to the labyrinth. The appearance of the fissure is quite unique."

He then released the restraints, allowing the boy to speak.

"Aren't you going to... arrest me?"

"I did consider doing that."

Hartles looked puzzled, as if to say—he didn't understand his own actions either.

"Why...?"

【“Follow me.”】

Hartres turned and left, and the boy had no choice but to follow.

He couldn't resist, and he didn't want to resist. He was so tired; he really didn't have the strength left.

Hartress led the boy onto the street, where a sign read "SoHo".

They are currently in Soho, London.

Looking at the bustling city around him, the boy seemed like a country bumpkin visiting the city, his eyes filled with amazement and curiosity, as well as a deep sadness.

Hartles: "Does it feel new and exciting?"

[Boy: "No...that's right. Although I've seen the video...because underground there's no...such a clear and easy-to-understand night. Although I can manipulate the light levels to improve sleep and work efficiency...that's all."]

Hartles: "You seem to have been underground for a long time."

[The boy said, "No, I didn't go underground; I was born over there."]

【"oh!"】

Hartres exclaimed in surprise, "I've spoken with several survivors, but this is the first time I've encountered someone born in the maze. I see. That explains my reaction just now?"