In Persian mythology, the highest god of time, Zurvan, could not bear his loneliness and thus wished for a child.

After a thousand years of prayer, he finally became pregnant.

But at that moment, he suddenly doubted his wish. This single moment of hesitation caused the child in his womb to split in two: Ormazd, the embodiment of truth and light, and Ahriman, the embodiment of all evil things.

Without a doubt, Ahriman was a terrifying demon god who symbolized all the evil of this world, the most ancient of evils.

And that symbol of all evil, Ahriman, had another name: Angra Mainyu.

During the Third Holy Grail War, the Einzbern family, cursed by the "Das Rheingold" of Mr. Sorry, attempted to summon this demon god using the eighth class, Avenger.

If that most evil of demon gods had manifested, even as a mere spiritual fragment, he could have likely mowed down all the other Servants by himself.

This was a matter decided by spiritual rank. Once Angra Mainyu, the symbol of all sin, manifested, he would be a great terror requiring the combined might of seven Grand Servants to subjugate.

However, summoning an ancient demon god like Angra Mainyu was clearly beyond the capabilities of the Holy Grail.

As it happened, in this world, there was also a human who had once been called "Angra Mainyu."

And so, the Einzbern family, as was their way, spectacularly screwed up.

Angra Mainyu the "demon god" was not summoned. What was summoned was the human from history who had once been called "Angra Mainyu."

—A young man who was tortured as a "symbol" of Angra Mainyu in a certain Zoroastrian village.

This Heroic Spirit was just an ordinary person who had been expected to bear the sins of the world. Simply because he was treated as a symbol of Angra Mainyu, he became a Heroic Spirit specialized in killing humans.

He was useless for anything other than killing people.

On the superhuman battlefield of the Holy Grail War, he was completely useless, the weakest Servant in both name and reality.

No miracle occurred. This super-weak Servant was defeated on the fourth day of the Third Holy Grail War and absorbed into the Grail.

And then, the Grail granted the wish that people had forced upon him—may you be All the World's Evils.

Thus, this ordinary Heroic Spirit truly took on the characteristics of a demon god.

"The Einzbern family really knows how to pull some stunts."

The wielder of Jizo Mitama muttered to himself.

He plunged Jizo Mitama into the base of Mount Enzo, skipping the two steps of killing Heroic Spirits and implanting them into the Grail, and hacked into the Greater Grail system.

The mana accumulated by the Greater Grail over sixty years began to pour out from the selected opening, eroding the surrounding space.

Black mud roiled with waves like a vast ocean.

Everywhere were mountains of corpses formed from dried bodies, gradually sinking into the sea.

The sky was red, as red as fresh blood. Under a rain of black mud, a pitch-black sun dominated the sky.

That black sun in the sky was the center of this world.

It was a "hole" in the heavens. The unfathomable darkness within it was so dense it seemed capable of crushing everything.

That was All the World's Evils.

"Even though I already knew the so-called Holy Grail was corrupted, seeing this scene for real is still so disgusting."

The wielder of the Fifth Magic, Miss Aoko, looked at the viscous, malevolent mana, her expression twisting in disgust.

No sane human would think that "hole" was anything good.

This vile mana looked like a materialized curse.

Miss Alice, standing to the side, also had a grave expression.

If such a curse were to be completely unleashed, it would surely bring great destruction to the human race.

She wasn't particularly concerned about whether human society would be destroyed, but she was very concerned that the person she liked would become homeless if human civilization was annihilated.

"It looks disgusting, but that is the Holy Grail, a Grail that has yet to obtain a form."

The young man, who had already anticipated some of this and was thus not very surprised, spoke.

"It can change its form according to the wish entrusted to it. Only then can it obtain a tangible form and shape in the present world and appear in the 'outside'."

"What is it that you desire?"

Before he could continue explaining the principles of the Grail, an ethereal, emotionless male voice echoed throughout this world.

It was the voice of the Servant who had been forcibly saddled with the name "Angra Mainyu."

Having become directionless mana after being absorbed into the Grail upon his defeat, losing his personality and form, he now questioned the young man who was completely ignoring the proper procedure.

If I said I wanted a harem right now, I'd definitely be chopped into many pieces by a lot of girls.

Li Zihan thought to himself.

The Holy Grail, which had granted the wish forced upon some nameless young man, had been polluted by malice and turned into a black cup.

No matter what wish was made, it would unfold in the worst possible way to achieve its goal.

"We'll talk about that question later."

Li Zihan, clearly not wanting to make a wish right now, looked toward the Magic User who wielded the Fifth Magic.

"I know, I know. Just remember to treat me to a candlelight dinner when this is all over."

The Magic User, who could easily fling a certain fact into the distant future, felt her long hair gradually dye itself red.

Hearing these words, Miss Alice, standing next to Aoko, showed no signs of anger.

Li Zihan liked many types of girls, but obsessive older-sister types were definitely not among them.

Instead of worrying about the Mad Hatter being snatched up by Aoko, she should be more worried about the little girl he picked up from the Church, and how her filial piety might degenerate as she grew up.

Under Miss Alice's very cool gaze, the power of a Magic User began to manifest.

"—Listen, O Primate of All Things.

In my name, which reveals Order (Ao), I declare.

All that is wrong, is now right.

Order, collapses here."

The Magic User, whose magic was intrinsically tied to Order, uttered words that were less of a chant and more of a declaration to build momentum.

Without any warning, the order of time began to collapse.

The timeline fractured. A certain segment, an event that had already happened, was sliced out of the past and thrown away, becoming the distant future.

Without Irisviel as the Lesser Grail, All the World's Evils had not gained a personality and thus could not organize itself to resist.

The Holy Grail was purified.

Just like that.

The omnipotent, brute-force Hole-Blaster now manifested.

"Alright, you should make your wish now."

Miss Magic User, who had no wishes of her own at the moment, urged her lover on.

"Please grant my wish."

The young man, without stating his specific wish, spoke to the purified Grail.

And then—

An alchemical device of absurdly high technology—the Spiritron Calculation Engine: Trismegistus—spontaneously assembled itself.

Li Zihan very easily stuffed the massive machine into his shadow, then looked toward Alice.

Miss Witch said nothing. She simply walked straight to the young man who had made his wish, hugged him, and pressed her thin lips against his.