Fate/Magus Path

*Boom!!*

On the outskirts of Mifune City, in a mountain forest rented by the Ryougi family.

The continuous sound of explosions and flying dust startled the birds and beasts in the forest.

"This is unbelievable."

Looking at several mountain peaks being blasted apart by radiant streaks, Touko Aozaki's eyes were filled with disbelief.

Her understanding of the power of Magic deepened further.

If Magecraft is seen as a miracle incomprehensible to ordinary people, then in the world of magecraft, True Magic holds a similar status... an unfathomable, indescribable miracle, akin to a cheat-like ability.

Although Touko Aozaki had already reached the pinnacle of her field with magecraft, her overwhelming power and confidence made her fear of True Magic fade.

But ever since that deadly fight with her sister, Aoko Aozaki, she had lost all such arrogance, realizing how cheat-like the existence of True Magic truly was.

Even a not fully mastered True Magic could allow Aoko to unleash the power to defeat her. What level might she reach if she continued to improve over time?

She could hardly imagine, with the only standard being the legendary Magician of the Second Magic... Kischur Zelretch Schweinorg.

And now, the Third Magic that Roy possesses is of a scale comparable to Aoko's Fifth Magic.

Its uniqueness lies in its independence from this world's Mana. Merely using his internal life energy, he could generate and refine endless magical energy, turning himself into an infinite magical power generator.

All he needed to do was raise his arm, channel the energy, and find a suitable point of release. The power to freely alter terrain, tear the earth, and level mountains was at his fingertips.

This was using the simplest of principles, like how 1+1 equals 2. It was merely basic magical power refining, controlling, and releasing... something even novice magus could do after familiarizing themselves with their magic circuits.

But the power displayed in his hands was far beyond what any ordinary magus could achieve.

A self-proclaimed monster who, like Aoko, embodies the principles of True Magic.

Remarkable. Absolutely remarkable.

If all it took was a wave of the hand to reach this level, then indeed, he could match Aoko.

But Touko had a hunch.

Although she hadn't seen Aoko recently, she felt that Roy was even stronger.

Not just in raw strength.

The Third Magic versus the Fifth Magic was something she couldn't compare.

But by adding tactics, strategy, and the resources at his disposal, Roy would surely surpass Aoko.

And if they took the initiative, they'd have the upper hand.

Given the right time, place, and allies, if this guy fought on her side, then the next time she met Aoko, Touko was confident that her sister would suffer a major defeat... maybe even be taken down completely.

Just the thought of her sister being beaten down by her hands made Touko smile.

However, to Shiki standing beside her, that smile looked more like a foolish grin.

"So dumb... You're drooling."

"Huh?"

Prompted by Shiki's remark, Touko quickly realized her gaffe and wiped away her silly grin.

"That should do it."

Breathing a sigh of relief, Roy ended the demonstration when he felt it was enough. With agile steps, he instantly descended the mountain and returned to Shiki and Touko's side, moving so fast that his arrival was utterly silent.

"Well? Is this level of power sufficient? It should be enough to help you deal with your sister, right?"

"More than enough. I'm thrilled! I'm already itching to see the scene where we join forces to take down Aoko."

At this, Touko nodded repeatedly, unable to hide the joy on her face.

During their last meeting, she hadn't witnessed Roy's power and still had doubts about his ability to match Aoko.

Now, after seeing it firsthand, all her remaining doubts had vanished.

The level of output was in no way inferior to Aoko's, and perhaps even stronger. Coupled with her own plans, she now had at least an 80% chance of defeating her sister.

And how much of his true strength had Roy actually shown here? Five percent? Maybe even less...

Touko felt like she'd hit the jackpot. Not only had she resolved that accursed Sealing Designation from the Clock Tower, but she'd also gained such a powerful ally.

As a wielder of the miracle that is the Third Magic, and with enough influence to easily remove her Sealing Designation, Roy clearly held considerable sway within the Clock Tower... likely even above that of the Lords, though not quite at the level of the Magician of the Second Magic. The resources he could leverage were beyond imagination.

She absolutely had to stick with him!

All in all, Touko had fully resolved to align herself with Roy. Once they'd dealt with her foolish sister, she'd return to the Clock Tower alongside this Magician of the Third Magic, where they'd find the old fool who placed her under the Sealing Designation all those years ago and settle the score.

"So, Boss, when do we go after Aoko?"

Touko rubbed her hands together, eager for action.

"No rush. After I finish my current business, I'll go with you to visit her. I'm also curious to see the prowess of the Magician of the Fifth Magic."

"Perfect! And please, don't hold back because of me. Aoko's got thick skin... she won't die easily. So feel free to go all out. I'll help finish her off if necessary."

"..."

Finish her off? You really are full of sisterly love, aren't you...

Roy glanced at Touko, speechless. She was so shameless about stealing the kill that it left him at a loss for words.

"Go pack your things, and get a car ready. We're leaving Mifune City tomorrow night. Be sure to bring plenty of combat-related mystic code. You'll be joining me in dealing with the guys lurking in the shadows."

Leaving Mifune City?

"The ones lurking in the shadows? You don't mean..."

At this, Touko's usual smiling face showed a rare hint of concern.

...

In the evening, at the location of the Ryougi family's leyline.

After speaking with Touko and the head of the Ryougi family, Roy was preparing to summon a suitable Servant to guard this place for himself and Touko using his own methods.

"Are you going to use the Third Magic, along with the ritual to summon a Servant?"

Touko Aozaki asked Roy, who was drawing a magic circle on the ground with his magical power.

"Yeah, I've already deciphered the principles of the Third Magic and the Heroic Spirit summoning ritual. While it's difficult to directly snatch a Heroic Spirit from the Throne of Heroes, summoning a regular Servant shouldn't be a problem."

As he spoke, Roy completed the final stroke of the Heroic Spirit summoning ritual and looked at Touko Aozaki and Shiki, saying, "Which of you is interested in becoming the Master?"

"Master?" Shiki said, somewhat confused about what they were discussing.

"It means summoning ancient or modern heroes to become their Master, responsible for supplying them with magical power and controlling them in battle."

Touko Aozaki took a puff of her cigarette and explained to Shiki, "I've heard about the Holy Grail War, this magical ritual, but I didn't expect it to be true, and it even involves the Third Magic."

"So becoming a Master is quite an impressive thing?"

"Not necessarily. As long as one has the qualifications to become a Master and enough magical power, along with the corresponding ritual, it can be successful."

"However, this is indeed a great opportunity. If a Servant is stationed at the leyline, we can rest easy."

"Shiki, do you want to come?"

Roy asked Shiki.

"Never mind. Touko said my magical power isn't much. If I had to supply a Servant, it would be quite troublesome. Besides, I'm not very used to fighting alongside others; it's better to leave this opportunity for someone else." Shiki shook her head.

"I'll pass too. My magecraft is very special, and changing bodies is a common occurrence for me, so I'm not suited to fight alongside a Servant."

Considering her own uniqueness, Touko Aozaki also declined the proposal.

"Alright then…"

Seeing both of them refuse the opportunity, Roy felt somewhat helpless.

But he understood their concerns and didn't insist.

After all, all he needed was a Servant to guard this leyline. As long as he controlled its activity range near the leyline, it didn't matter whether there was a Master or not.

Since no one was willing, he might as well do it himself…

His magical power had already reached infinity, so supplying as many Servants as he wanted would be no problem.

Then, without incantations or relics, Roy activated the summoning ritual solely relying on his magical power. The magic circle used to summon the Heroic Spirit immediately burst into dazzling white light, which was a sign that a Servant was about to be summoned.

*Bang!!*

A powerful wind pressure that made it hard to open one's eyes surged from the ritual circle. Amid the dizzying brightness, the summoned Servant stepped out with big strides.

"Ah! How unfortunate! I actually manifested as a Caster this time?"

"Yet it feels a bit off; there's no aura of the Holy Grail. Is this an illegal summoning? Well, whatever. In any case, I am Cu Chulainn. Kid, are you my Master?"

Shiki and Touko saw a tall young man in a blue robe, carrying a rough wooden wand, stride out from the glowing magic circle.

Cu Chulainn? Hearing this name, Touko Aozaki suddenly became uneasy, as he was a renowned hero in Celtic mythology. Did they actually summon such a powerful Servant?

She suddenly regretted not being more proactive earlier.

Rune Magecraft were treasures from the Age of Gods, possessing an irreplaceable allure for magus.

Moreover, as a magus who revived the foundation of Nordic Rune magecraft, legendary Age of Gods magecraft like Rune held a deadly attraction for her.

If she could obtain these Rune Magecraft from Cu Chulainn, then...

Without noticing Touko Aozaki's mixed feelings nearby, Roy smiled slightly and extended his hand to the appearing Cu Chulainn.

"Hello, Mr. Cu Chulainn. I am Roy, the Master who summoned you here. I look forward to your guidance."

"Oh, not bad, kid!"

Seeing Roy, Cu Chulainn's eyes suddenly lit up as he shook his hand.

"With this scale of magical power and the number of magic circuits, you are truly a complete monster! I haven't seen a freak like you in my era. If that purple-haired old hag sees you, she'd definitely be thrilled!"

Purple-haired old hag?

Is it Scathach?!

Roy felt a bit embarrassed.

So Cu Chulainn really respects his teacher; he isn't afraid of being turned into meat skewers by Scathach?

But why is he summoning this dog?

He hadn't prepared any relics; he just summoned them casually using this leyline.

Logically speaking, he should have summoned a Heroic Spirit from Japan, yet a great Celtic hero appeared, which puzzled him.

Could it be that their compatibility is quite good?

"Kid, what do you want me for? This isn't the Holy Grail War, right?"

"Yes, this isn't during the usual Holy Grail War, but I summoned you through other means, Mr. Cu Chulainn."

Looking at this dog-like hero, Roy was very satisfied with his strength and temperament; having him guard Mifune City was definitely not a problem.

A great hero from Celtic mythology, son of the sun god, successfully graduated under the Queen of the Land of Shadow, Scathach, and became her most outstanding disciple.

Whether it was spear techniques or Rune magecraft, he possessed an extremely high talent and control. Any modern magus willing to stir trouble wouldn't stand a chance against Cu Chulainn.

Moreover, Cu Chulainn was straightforward and didn't like to beat around the bush.

Thus, Roy got straight to the point and said to Cu Chulainn, "I'd like you to help guard the bounded fields and leylines here. If any Magus or Dead Apostles cause trouble in this city, just capture or eliminate them."

"It's that simple? You summoned me just to be a bodyguard for a city?"

Hearing there was no fight to be had, Cu Chulainn bared his teeth, glancing back at the leyline area, but he didn't say anything further and agreed to Roy's conditions.

"Alright, you are the Master; your word is law."

"I'll help keep an eye on this city. However, don't bother me when there's nothing going on. If there's something you need me to fight for, just summon me directly."

Upon hearing this, Roy nodded, "Thank you. I will inform you of the management details and the location of the Ryougi family. If you need help, you can seek them out."

Then Roy explained the status of the city's leyline and important notes to him.

Cu Chulainn immediately agreed to fulfill his responsibilities.

In simple terms, the Ryougi family were allies, while the other disruptive magus were enemies. If something happened, they could seek help from the Ryougi family.

"Alright, if there's nothing else, I'll take my leave."

Without any complaints, Cu Chulainn accepted this simple job and immediately left the leyline residence to look for more interesting things in the city.

His swift actions and generous personality made Roy and Touko Aozaki exchange glances; this Celtic hero truly was straightforward and decisive.

Though he did seem a bit dimwitted.

"Then... is it possible for me to trick some Rune Magecraft from him?"

Touko Aozaki thought to herself.

...

The next evening.

*Buzz*

A decent SUV was parked on the road not far from the office.

Roy sat in the driver's seat, glancing helplessly at Shiki, who had naturally settled into the passenger seat and said.

"Are you sure you want to come along? Shiki."

"Yeah, I want to go. Since you and Touko are going, of course, I want to see too." Shiki replied seriously while adjusting her clothes.

"It's very dangerous. This time our opponents are those monsters that only exist in fantasies. If things go wrong, you could die." Roy began to scare her.

Although he was aware of Shiki's current abilities and the third personality residing within her, he still felt responsible and was reluctant to take her on such a risky venture. If it were just ordinary dead apostles, they wouldn't pose any threat to him, and he was confident he could protect Shiki's safety.

However, the advice given to him by Mother of Mifune also made him worry, "Don't get too entangled with the white; otherwise, you'll encounter the black."

The white referred to White Princess Arcueid Brunestud.

The black referred to Black Princess Altrouge Brunestud.

If he really encountered her and a battle broke out, he would have no problems. However, the black-and-white knights would be quite a hassle, not to mention the other dead apostles involved.

Touko could easily escape with her magecraft, and Emiya Kiritsugu wouldn't be a burden.

But as for Shiki…

He didn't know whether Void Shiki personality hidden within her would intervene, so Roy was hesitant to bring her along for the adventure.

However, these exaggerated words clearly did not scare this special girl.

"Is staying at home absolutely safe?"

Shiki countered, "I remember you said before that I might have been targeted by certain magus long ago. Now that you and Touko are both away, wouldn't it be more dangerous for me to stay here alone? Do you think anyone at my house can protect me?"

"Just that Celtic hero who goes fishing during the day, drinks at night, and is often nowhere to be seen?"

"Also, if I really encounter danger, will you abandon me to escape?"

Shiki looked at him calmly. Her slightly youthful face paired with such astonished eyes seemed to see right through Roy.

After hearing her words, he gave a bitter smile and then replied earnestly, "Of course not."

Seeing this, Shiki also smiled.

"That's enough."

"Seriously, you really can't stay idle. You should pay more attention to your safety."

Roy sighed helplessly, ultimately not refusing Shiki's request to join him but giving her a few reminders.

"Remember to stick close to me or Touko, don't go out at night, and don't enter dark corners alone. If you see any strange individuals, avoid them. If you encounter danger, run immediately and call for me. Can you do that? Don't let curiosity kill the cat."

"Don't worry; I'm not an ordinary little girl. I won't do anything reckless."

Shiki nodded and made a promise.

"That's good. By the way, I have a gift for you."

Roy started the car and then took out a sharp dagger from his pocket, handing it to her.

"What is this?"

Seeing the dagger radiating a cold gleam in her hand, Shiki's eyes brightened.

"A short knife made of mithril, blessed by the church after being soaked in holy water, with excellent forging craftsmanship. It's a sharp weapon suitable for Executors, effective for hunting dead apostles or undead creatures."

Executors? Dead Apostles?

Although Shiki didn't understand the terms Roy used, she could still sense that the short knife was extraordinary.

Sharp and clear, it seemed to have a special charm.

In short, it was a good knife, much better than the knives at her home.

"Thank you, I really like it."

"If you like it, that's good. Now we need to set off, ladies."

As the rear door opened, Touko Aozaki finally finished her preparations and got into the car.

"Let's go! I've been so busy these past few days. First, I stayed up all night helping you introduce that client to make a suitable puppet. Before I even got a chance to rest, I had to go on a business trip, and now I'm supposed to hunt dead apostles."

She raised her hand to light a cigarette, leaning back in her seat and couldn't help but complain a little, "You really don't know how to be considerate of your employees, boss. Be careful not to end up hanging from a streetlight in the future."

In response to Touko's complaints, Roy couldn't help but chuckle.

Recently, he had sent Emiya Kiritsugu to find Touko to create Illya's body. Just as Touko had finished, he was taking her to fight against the dead apostles.

The frequency of work was indeed a bit too high, and it was no wonder she complained.

"Sorry, this time it really is quite rushed, but considering your hard work during this time, I will give you appropriate compensation."

"Compensation?"

"Hmm?"

Touko Aozaki paused for a moment, then looked at Roy seriously and asked, "What kind of compensation?"

"Um…"

Roy thought for a moment and then replied, "How about you record the best moments when dealing with your sister? I'll let you be in the best seat."

"This compensation is quite tempting. If I could really capture that idiot look of Aoko after her failure, that would be the best, but when will that be…"

Seeing that Touko Aozaki wasn't very interested, Roy smiled and added, "Oh? Shiki didn't tell you that the place we're going to this time is Misaki Town?"

"Misaki Town?!"

Hearing that name imprinted in her memory, Touko Aozaki's eyes widened.

She quickly countered, "Is it the Misaki Town I'm thinking of?"

"There isn't a second one in Japan, is there?"

"Of course not!"

That answer was already obvious.

Getting Roy's indirect confirmation, Touko Aozaki's lips curled into a smile.

"Alright, this compensation… it's simply a perfect score! Then it's settled, boss. You must let me see her foolish face."

Imagining her sister's miserable appearance after being educated by her, Touko Aozaki couldn't help but laugh heartily, and all her frustrations vanished.

"Let's hurry up and set off. Once we finish the boss's business, we'll go directly to her house to catch her!"

"Even if she's not in Misaki Town, I have plenty of ways to call her back from any corner of the world!"

Touko Aozaki rubbed her palms excitedly and began urging Roy to set off. At this moment, even the taste of the cigarette in her mouth felt more enjoyable.

Watching her wild antics, Shiki shook her head repeatedly, muttering two words.

"Fool…"

"Haha, are you feeling better now? If so, let's set off immediately."

*Boom!!*

Accompanied by the roar of the engine, the black car drove toward Misaki Town.

--- Volume 2: World Stage - END