[Vol.2: Great Struggle]

First, let's start from the premise: even gods, who are referred to as omniscient and omnipotent, must abide by certain inviolable rules.

For example, gods residing in the lower realm are forbidden from using divine power, and even if they return to the heavenly realm, they are not allowed to arbitrarily traverse the past or future.

The flow of time is a great vortex and a chaotic miracle. In the face of the primordial chaos, even gods are not gods.

Once, some gods attempted to break these taboos out of endless boredom, but without exception, the results led to catastrophic consequences:

Shaking the foundation of the world, collapsing the rules, causing all to return to nothingness;

Connecting wrong cycles, mistakenly touching the intersection of time and space, triggering irreversible logical collapse;

Contacting a higher-dimensional "self," resulting in a crisis of probability.

The past cannot be changed, the future cannot be determined, this is the premise.

However, there exists something beyond [Gods], or more precisely, beyond the [Determinism] of gods in the "heavenly realm" and "lower realm", and that being rolls the dice of chaos...

———

Like the wind blows through the falling leaves of the World Tree, stirring the waves of the imaginary sea, the chosen one, crossed the rift of time and space, arriving at the far shore of destiny.

"Where... is this?", Emiya slowly opened his eyes, the scene before him made him momentarily dazed.

His gaze slowly swept across everything around him. The unfamiliar yet familiar environment made him feel a bit confused.

This was a typical Japanese-style residence. The interior decor was simple yet elegant, full of classical Japanese taste.

Underfoot was soft tatami, exuding a faint scent of straw. Hanging on the room's wall was an ink painting depicting butterflies, deer, and boars, with fine brushwork and lifelike imagery.

On the adjacent wall hung several decorative fans, each painted with the Four Gentlemen, plum, orchid, bamboo, and chrysanthemum. [T/N: Chinese art]

At the deepest part of the room was a shrine area. A tachi sword lay quietly on a stand. The black lacquered scabbard was inlaid with golden patterns, and the hilt was wrapped in red silk cloth, emanating a solemn aura.

To Emiya's left was a sliding door. His gaze was naturally drawn to it. He stood up and gently pulled the door open, the scene outside made him pause in surprise.

Beyond the door was a meticulously maintained courtyard. Emerald green bamboo stood tall and graceful. As the breeze passed through, the bamboo leaves swayed with a rustling sound. A winding stream ran through the courtyard, and the clear water sparkled under the sunlight.

At the end of the stream was a shishiodoshi¹. Each time water filled the bamboo tube, it would tip and gently knock against a stone, producing a crisp "donk" sound. The sound was melodious, echoing through the courtyard.



Standing in front of the sliding door, Emiya breathed slowly, sensing a unique freshness and tranquility in the air.

Seeing such a classic Japanese room and garden, Emiya couldn't help but feel a sense of illusion, as if he had returned to Fuyuki City, to the Emiya residence he knew so well.

However, this was clearly not the Emiya residence. His home in his past life was spacious and elegant, but it couldn't compare to the grandeur of this place.

From the courtyard layout to the room furnishings, everything exuded nobility and solemnity. Such a place was likely only fit for the "wealthy" or even "royalty" to own.

"Trace, on," He murmured softly, his right hand moved slightly, and a blue-white magical glow gathered in his palm. A pair of short swords shaped like wings, [Kanshou & Bakuya], formed instantly in his hands. The blades gleamed with a cold light. He quickly dismissed the projection.

'Projection magic still works. [Ability scores] and [Falna] are also intact,' Emiya thought silently.

His gaze shifted to the deepest part of the room, to the tachi enshrined on the stand. A long and elegant weapon lay there silently, the lacquer-black scabbard emanating a steady luster. Its combination of sharpness and grace gave the impression of a "beauty."

Emiya stepped forward slowly, his gaze deeply attracted by this tachi.

"[Higanbana]?", he murmured.

He recognized this tachi. It was the sword he had seen in the dungeon, the one belonging to [Yamato Rindou] Gojouno Kaguya.

"No, it's not the same...", Emiya focused his senses on the aura this tachi emitted.

Although the shape was identical, compared to Kaguya's sword, this one felt even purer and sharper. This wasn't just a second-tier weapon, it had already reached the threshold of first-tier, a top-class piece of equipment.

"Trace, on," After a brief magical surge, the blade that existed only in his memory materialized, he projected Kaguya's sword, [Higanbana].

Since acquiring the first-tier weapon [Kaguya's Sword(Tsubame Geashi)], Emiya hadn't projected [Higanbana] again.

But now, when he compared the freshly projected [Higanbana] with the tachi in front of him, he confirmed immediately, they were identical in appearance.

At that moment, Emiya heard soft footsteps. The sound was deliberately suppressed, seemingly not wanting to attract attention. But Emiya's sharp senses picked it up. He turned slightly and gripped the tachi in his hand.

Almost in an instant, the sliding door behind him was swiftly pulled open. Along with a sharp gust of wind, a black-haired girl appeared before him.

She had long, straight black hair as deep as the night, flowing softly behind her. Her features were exquisite and elegant, with a sharpness that couldn't be ignored.

Her fox-like, narrow eyes gleamed sharply. Her slightly raised brows added a hint of cold beauty. She wore a kimono embroidered with cherry blossoms, sun, and moon, with a wide sash tied at the waist. The entire appearance was elegant and dignified, just like a traditional Yamato Nadeshiko.

However, just her standing there exuded an overwhelming aura. This girl was clearly not a gentle lady of the Far East. Her sharp presence and upright stance were like an unsheathed blade. Even in silence, her existence gave off a chilling sense of killing intent.

"Who are you, and why are you here?", the girl asked coldly. Her voice was icy like frost. Her right hand had unconsciously rested on the tsuba of her sword, pressing lightly, ready to strike at any moment.

Emiya looked at the sharp black-haired girl, remained silent for a moment, then spoke, "I'd like to know that myself."

He glanced around, then returned his gaze to the girl, "May I ask, where is this place?"

The girl didn't answer immediately. She stared fixedly at the long sword in his hand.

Her eyes locked onto the sword that was almost identical to the one enshrined, and her pupils contracted slightly.

"[Higanbana]...", she softly said the name of the sword, glancing at the sword stand, then fixed her gaze on the projected weapon in Emiya's hand.

Waves surged in her heart. In an instant, thoughts flooded her mind, "The [Higanbana] lost outside the family, there's only one. Nee-san…"

She gripped her hilt tightly, her knuckles turning white.

The next moment, the girl made a decision. Her voice was low, with suppressed anger, "That sword, where did it come from?"

Before Emiya could respond, the girl's emotions exploded, and her eyes sharpened, "What did you do to my sister?"

She drew her long sword. Her motion was swift like the wind. The flash of the blade streaked through the air like a meteor, cutting straight toward Emiya.

In that moment, her speed was nearly impossible to follow. The blade was like lightning, unstoppable.

Her kimono sleeves flared with her movement, drawing graceful arcs through the air. Even in her fury and murderous intent, her posture remained elegant, like a beautiful rakshasa from the Asura Path. The blade descended like a waterfall, swift, cold, and stunningly beautiful.

But just as she drew her blade, her world turned black and white. The surrounding scenery lost all color. Her expression froze completely, eyes widened. Just as her blade was about to touch Emiya's neck, her arm was severed. The sword flew out of her hand, clattered to the ground.

"What...?", Her mind hadn't yet grasped what happened. In the next instant, everything returned to normal.

She found herself still gripping her hilt, standing in place, her arm intact.

Cold sweat dripped from her forehead. She instinctively touched her arm, breathing rapidly, "An illusion?"

She stepped back, eyes locked onto Emiya. Her right hand tightly gripped the long sword, its tip slightly raised. Her left hand slowly reached behind her waist, fingers brushing against a hidden dagger.

Her movements were extremely practiced. With a flick of her fingers, the dagger slid smoothly into her grasp.

The long sword suddenly slashed out, blade like thunder, trying to deflect the man's weapon. At the same time, the dagger shot out like a snake, aiming for his throat.

Her world again turned gray and white.

Everything in her vision blurred. Her motion froze mid-strike.

She looked down in horror at her arms, gone. Only twin lines of blood burst forth. Red scattered through the air like butterflies, beautiful and suffocating.

"This... this is impossible...", Her mind went blank. Fear devoured her completely.

The next moment, the gray-white world vanished. Reality returned. Her body was unharmed, limbs intact, no wounds at her waist. But her legs trembled. Her hand finally couldn't bear the pressure and let go of the blade.

The sword fell to the tatami with a crisp sound.

Her voice trembled as she muttered, "H-how is this possible…"

"Your talent is excellent. That's why you can resonate with my 'sword intent,'" Emiya said gently, "[Iaido]... You're from the Gojou family?"

"May I ask your name, and what is your relation to Gojouno Kaguya?"

The girl's lips quivered. After a moment, she finally forced herself to speak, "I... I am Gojouno Sakuya."

Shattered by the memory of being "cut in half" in the illusion, she could no longer stand. Her knees gave out, and she fainted on the spot.

———

Gojouno Sakuya, the first genius of the Gojou family in a thousand years, known as the "greatest masterpiece."

However, Emiya didn't recognize her, nor did he know this was her estate. Just to be safe, he projected restraints and bound the girl.

At that moment, the door opened again. Accompanied by rustling sounds, Riveria, Ryuu, and Haruhime entered the room while adjusting their clothes.

Riveria and Haruhime wore golden and silver crowns, respectively. Ryuu wore a golden ring.

"Master! You're here, thank goodness!", Haruhime let out a sigh of relief upon seeing Emiya.

Emiya recalled the scene before he arrived here. At that time, he had been with these three women in one room. He left to fetch some water.

The moment he stepped out, the scenery abruptly changed, and he found himself in this unfamiliar mansion.

And now, unexpectedly, it was just one wall away.

"Where is this?", Riveria asked warily, scanning the surroundings. Her gaze finally landed on the bound Gojouno Sakuya, "Who is that woman?"

"Kaguya?", Ryuu cried out in surprise.

Ryuu quickly ran to the girl, trying to confirm something.

"She said her name is Gojouno Sakuya," Emiya reminded.

"Gojou...", Ryuu remembered the name. She murmured, "She's... Kaguya's sister?"

[[1] 'Shishiodoshi' is a type of water fountain featuring a pivoted bamboo tube that fills with water, causing it to tip and make a loud clacking sound when it hits a rock.]

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