Did the Heroic Spirit I conquered become a reality?

It's just a malicious, tentative "guess".

Aozaki Aoko narrowed her eyes. Her eyes, which always held a hint of amusement, were now scrutinizing the black-haired boy before her like the most precise instruments.

He was dressed in an ordinary white sweater and casual pants, exuding a "modern" vibe. His handsome face, which always carried a gentle air, and his dark eyes, which appeared particularly calm and deep in the morning light, gave him a kind of gentle and harmless temperament, like a boy next door.

After staring at him for a while, Aozaki Aoko finally looked away and let out a very soft, ambiguous laugh.

"In that case, I'll head back now." She turned around and walked briskly toward the door. "But... I still have to remind you, Tohsaka-kun."

She walked to the entrance, then suddenly stopped, turned around, and looked at Tohsaka Yu. Those eyes, which always held a hint of amusement, were now deep and mysterious, as if they could see through everything.

“That ‘mother’s’ love is very heavy.”

"Don't let yourself get completely 'swallowed' by her if you're not careful."

……

As the door closed gently, Aozaki Aoko's seemingly ordinary figure, along with her unsettlingly powerful aura that seemed to have everything under her control, vanished completely.

The living room once again regained its unique tranquility, a tranquility belonging to the early morning.

But for both Yu Tohsaka and Artoria, the arrival of this uninvited guest cast a heavy shadow over their hearts.

"Master,"

Artoria broke the silence first, looking at Tohsaka Yu, her usually serious emerald eyes filled with unprecedented solemnity. "That woman... who exactly is she? And what did she mean by those last words?"

She could sense that although Aozaki Aoko's magic power was not outwardly displayed, its 'essence' was probably... no less than that of any top-tier Servant.

That woman is very dangerous.

“I know.” Tohsaka Yu nodded, walked to the sofa and sat down, a somewhat helpless smile on his face.

He knew that things had come to this point, and there were some things he could no longer hide from his Servant.

“Saber,” he said slowly, looking at the knight king beside him, who was filled with worry and vigilance, “what I’m about to say may seem a bit unbelievable, but I hope… you can believe me.”

"Her name is Aozaki Aoko, and she is one of the only five 'magicians' still alive."

"A mage?!" Even Artoria, a well-traveled and knowledgeable queen from the age of mythology, was utterly shocked for the first time upon hearing this title, which was full of taboo and legend. Her usually serious and beautiful face showed complete and immense shock.

She knew, of course, the vast and fundamental difference between a "magician" and a "magician".

“The reason she came is probably…” Tohsaka Yu looked at her and continued, “because of Tiamat. In the eyes of the ‘magicians,’ the existence of the Beast is itself a threat to ‘human reason,’ and it is something that must be eliminated.”

"If you're planning to give up on this Holy Grail War now, it's not too late, Saber."

Upon hearing this, Artoria fell into a long silence.

After a moment, she slowly nodded, her eyes, which were always as pure as jade green, were now staring intently at her Master.

"No matter who the enemy is... my sword will always be with you."

Yu Tohsaka was taken aback. Although he had guessed that Artoria would not abandon her master, he was still moved when he heard her words.

It was worth feeding Artoria every day; she really proved reliable when it mattered...

Thinking of this, a genuine smile appeared on Yu Tohsaka's face.

Perhaps unaccustomed to Tohsaka's gaze, Artoria shifted her eyes somewhat uncomfortably and asked, "What do you plan to do next?"

Yu Tohsaka regained her composure befitting a "master" and said, "The first thing we need to deal with now is that guy who's secretly drawing magic power from us."

"makes sense……"

Upon hearing this, Artoria's tone became serious. "If we allow people like that to operate freely in Fuyuki City, it will eventually attract the attention of the Mage's Association, and it may even affect more ordinary people."

“So, Saber,” Yu Tohsaka looked at her, “tonight, we’ll continue to split up.”

"You are responsible for monitoring the flow of magic within the city, especially in the new district and near the school. If you find anything unusual, notify me immediately, but... do not act rashly."

"And what about you, Master?"

“I…” Tohsaka Yu’s voice was unusually calm, “I plan to… visit the Tohsaka family’s ‘allies’ to see if I can get some useful clues from them.”

Volume 1: Chapter 98 The Movements of Sesshouin

We can no longer wait passively.

Whether it's Aozaki Aoko, shrouded in unknowns and dangers, or Sesshouin Kiara, or any other Masters and Servants eyeing the "Holy Grail"...

We must take the initiative.

Before anyone could react, end this erroneous Holy Grail War—which should never have started—as quickly as possible.

Yu Tohsaka turned and left the mansion.

The streets were shrouded in mist and rain. Holding an umbrella, he walked with steady steps into the Gothic building that appeared particularly solemn and majestic in the rain.

Led by a young priest, he soon met the overseer of this Holy Grail War, Kirei Kotomine, in a prayer room deep inside the church.

"Tohsaka...kun?"

Kirei Kotomine looked at the travel-worn, familiar yet unfamiliar young man before him, and for the first time, a hint of undisguised surprise appeared in his usually deep and calm eyes.

"It's been a long time, Kirei."

Yu Tohsaka looked at him with a gentle smile and said bluntly, "I came to see you because I want to ask you something."

"Regarding that 'mysterious magician' who secretly draws life force from ordinary people and converts it into his own magic... does the Church have any new leads?"

Upon hearing this, Kirei Kotomine's surprise at Tohsaka Yu's sudden visit gradually gave way to his usual calm.

He looked at Tohsaka Yu and shook his head: "The church is also investigating this matter. But the other party's methods are very secretive, and for the time being... we have no clue."

He paused, his usually deep and calm eyes turning to Tohsaka Yu with a hint of curiosity and question: "And you? Tohsaka-kun, you seem... to know something?"

Tohsaka Yu briefly explained to Kirei Kotomine the events that had recently occurred at school when they were attacked by a magical barrier, and the similar attack that occurred in the new ward that same evening.

However, upon hearing the last part, a cryptic expression, full of "dissent," appeared on Kirei Kotomine's face.

“Tohsaka-kun,” he looked at him and spoke slowly, “could this be… the result of two different magicians secretly plotting something?”

Yu Tohsaka was momentarily stunned.

Two different magicians, who don't know each other, but... they both happen to be plotting to absorb magic power?

How can this be? !

He looked at Kirei Kotomine, his dark eyes filled with incomprehension and doubt: "Kirei, don't you think... this is too much of a coincidence? Using the same forbidden magic and acting at the same time."

"Coincidence is an important part of what makes up this world, isn't it?" Kirei Kotomine's tone was calm, without the slightest emotional fluctuation.

"The Holy Grail War will attract all sorts of magicians. Among them, there are naturally some... 'desperate people' who will stop at nothing to win, and even rush to stockpile magic power before the war begins. It's not surprising to find one or two of them."

Yu Tohsaka fell silent.

Looking at Kirei Kotomine's flawless face, which seemed to be forever shrouded in shadow, the doubts he had felt because of his words grew even stronger at that moment.

This man...

He is definitely hiding something.

"I understand."

Yu Tohsaka looked at him, slowly stood up from the chair, and the seriousness on his face caused by confusion was gradually replaced by his usual gentleness.

“Thank you for your ‘reminder,’ Kirei.” He looked at Kirei Kotomine, whose dark eyes, which always carried a hint of gentleness, were now so deep that they were impossible to see clearly. “It seems that this Holy Grail War is more complicated than I imagined…”

After saying that, he didn't linger any longer and turned to leave the prayer room, which was filled with an atmosphere of oppression and hypocrisy.

Kirei Kotomine sat quietly in place, watching the boy's tall figure disappear into the darkness at the doorway. For the first time, a faint, yet delightful and... expectant smile slowly appeared on his face, which was usually as calm as a rock.

"Yu Tohsaka..."

"You really are very different from your father."

"It's really... getting more and more interesting."

……

Before we knew it, it was evening.

The afterglow of the setting sun cast dappled, warm light and shadows on the floor through the old wooden window panes of the archery dojo.

Sakura Tohsaka stood alone and quietly in front of the target.

She wore a loose-fitting, white-on-top, black-on-bottom kyudo uniform, holding a bow in her left hand and nocking an arrow in her right. Slowly, she drew the powerful bow, which required immense strength to draw, into a perfect full moon.

Those dark eyes, which always carried a hint of fragility, were now unusually calm and...focused.

call out--!

With a crisp snap of the bowstring, the arrow shot out like lightning, hitting the bullseye with perfect accuracy.

"What...what are we planning to do next?"

Just then, Sakura Tohsaka's voice, filled with worry and unease, belonging to "herself," quietly resounded in her heart.

Upon hearing this, Kama remained silent, but for the first time, an undisguised...irritation surfaced on her pretty face, which always carried a hint of languor and playfulness.

How could she not be annoyed?!

You should know that she has endured humiliation and hardship for nearly ten years in order to achieve this day!

For the past ten years, she has dared not reveal her identity. She has kept her consciousness hidden deep within Sakura Tohsaka's soul, silently recovering from the trauma she suffered in that great war, while waiting for the best opportunity to return to the world.

She originally thought that this Holy Grail War would be the perfect stage for her to regain her reign.

She had even planned everything.

however……

Tiamat's appearance completely and mercilessly shattered all her plans!

Are you kidding me? !

Why is that woman... that unreasonable "Creator Goddess" who doesn't even qualify as a "Beast" here?!

Moreover, she has such a... unclear and bizarre relationship with that brat, one filled with "maternal love"?!

What should we do next?

Just as Kama was filled with frustration and resentment, a clear, melodious, and energetic familiar female voice suddenly came from the entrance of the temple.

"Sakura, are the club activities over?"

Rin Tohsaka, carrying her schoolbag, waved at her with a bright smile on her face.

Kama's face instantly changed to that gentle and shy smile that belonged to Sakura Tohsaka.

“Sister,” she said softly, looking at Rin, “the teacher taught me some new skills today, and I’d like to… practice them a little more. You go back first, I’ll go back by myself later.”

"Huh? I see..." Rin Tohsaka was taken aback for a moment upon hearing this, but didn't think much of it.

Looking at her younger sister's "ambitious" expression, she was a little puzzled, but still smiled brightly and nodded: "Okay, then don't practice too late, be careful on the way."

After saying that, she turned around and left alone.

……

As evening fell, the setting sun, having lost its daytime glare, slowly sank toward the distant horizon.

There were few people on the street, and occasionally a quiet and lazy breeze would blow by, accompanied by the rustling of leaves and the falling of a few withered yellow leaves.

Rin Tohsaka walked alone on the deserted street at dusk.

The afterglow of the setting sun stretched her shadow long.

Although she appeared no different from usual, a closer look would reveal that she was in an indescribable state of agitation.

She felt that everything that had happened recently seemed so... strange.

First came her brother's sudden return, then the unexpected and eerie attack at school, and then... last night, she stumbled upon her brother and sister in the living room, in a strange atmosphere filled with ambiguity and danger.

As her biological sister who had lived under the same roof with Sakura Tohsaka for nearly ten years, she knew her younger sister's personality all too well.

She knew that Sakura had always been introverted, timid, and even excessively fragile since childhood. Although over the years, with her "guidance" and "encouragement," her personality had become much more outgoing than before, but...

Last night, the look in her eyes when she looked at her brother, a look filled with obsession and possessiveness that seemed to devour him completely, could not be explained by "fear of thunder."

And my brother...

His seemingly reasonable explanation temporarily dispelled his doubts, which stemmed from just waking up, but now, upon calming down and reflecting on it carefully, he still felt... something was off.

That's more like... an overly perfect excuse deliberately fabricated to cover something up.