As I just sat on the floor like an idiot, staring at the girl cladded in armor, wondering "what the hell is going on". She turns her attention to the Spearman that's just a few steps away from us.

"As servant; Saber, our contract has been completed. I will protect your life as my own"

She launches into battle. But I was still confused, who was that girl? And what does she mean by "our contract"? I stepped out of the shed to battle and the Spearman was being pushed back. It seems the weapon she is using is completely invisible. But whatever it is, she's kicking his ass.

"What's wrong Lancer? Keeping your distance will give Spearmen a bad name. If you do not come to me, I will come to you."

"Let me ask you something, is a sword your Noble Phantasm?"

"Maybe. Maybe not. Maybe it's a War Hammer. Then again, it could be a Battle-axe or a Bow. Or it could be a weapon like your; Lancer."

"Very funny, Swordsmen."

He enters a serious stance. She needs to run, as his Spear glows red, something tells me she is not going to survive this.

"Ready or not Saber, I shall come to take your life."

He lunges and leaps forward as he strikes with his weapon and shouts...

"GAE... BOLG!"

With one thrust, a bolt of red energy shoots like lightning at her. It looks like it was aimed at her feet, but for some reason, the bolt changed direction to hit her, but thankfully only on her shoulder.

"Impressive Saber. You managed to dodge my ultimate blow."

"A Curse... No, a reversal of cause and effect."

The girl catches her breath. The blood that was running so much has stopped, and even her stabbed wound is healing.

"…!? Gae Bolg… you must be Ireland's Child of Light, are you not?"

"Damn, I screwed up. If I'm going to use this move, it needs to be fatal, or else I'm in big trouble."

The pressure goes away. Lancer doesn't even attack the wounded girl and simply turns his back and moves to the edge of the yard.

"My master is somewhat of a coward. Since you dodged my lance, he's telling me to retreat."

"Hold it! Your just going to run away now, Lancer?"

"Yeah. You're more than welcome to follow, Saber. Just be prepared to die if you do."

With one bound. Lancer easily jumps over the wall and disappears. She tries to pursue the enemy. Is she an idiot? If she tries to go after him when she's like that, she'll die. I ran up over to check her wounds, but her wounds healed instantly.

"What the hell are you?"

"As you can see, I am your servant class; Saber. That said, I'd appreciate it if you call me Saber."

"My name is Shirou Emiya, and I live in this house."

What am I doing? Are my answers getting stupider? But she told me her name, so I should answer too.

I know I'm confused right now, but I must be polite no matter who this is.

"…"

The girl… Saber just stares at me without changing her expression.

"No, wait. I take that back. That's not what I meant to ask you. Actually…"

"I know. You are not a formal master, correct?"

"Huh…?"

"Regardless, you are my master. As long as we have made a contract, I will not betray you. There is no need for you to be so cautious."

Crap. I can hear her words, but they make no sense to me. All I know is that she's calling me with a ridiculous word like "Master."

"Wait a second. Isn't it weird to start calling me master?"

"Then I shall call you Shirou. Yes, I like the sound of that better."

As soon as she says my name, I think my face lit up on fire. Shouldn't you call someone by their last name on a first meeting…!?

"Wait a minute. Why are you calling me..."

"Kuri Kuri."

Suddenly, a rainbow-colored, ball-shaped creature playfully appeared in front of me.

"No way. Rainbow Kuriboh?"

"It seems that shadow creature has taken a liking to you."

This is impossible. Kuribow is supposed to be a figment of my imagination and yet I'm touching it. How is this possible?

"Ow..."

Pain suddenly runs through my left hand.

"What the..."

The back of my hand is burning. My hand feels like it's in a fire. And on it is a strange mark that looks like a tattoo.

"What the hell is this?"

"That is known as a Command Spell. Try not to use them carelessly. Shirou, please heal me."

"Wait, your asking me? I'm sorry, but magic like that is beyond my abilities."

"…Then I shall face them as I am now. There are two enemies outside. Judging by their presence, it should only take a few seconds to defeat them."

Saying so, Saber jumps lightly. Just like Lancer, she leaps over the wall and disappears outside. Kuriboh and I were left alone in the yard.

"…Enemies outside?"

As soon as I say it aloud, I realize what it means.

"Hold on, are you going to fight again…!?"

My body starts to move.

Without thinking, I ran to the gate with full force, unlocked it with trembling hands, and jumped outside.

"Saber, where are you...?!"

I hear something nearby. I ran to the small road with no sign of anyone on it. Saber confronts a familiar guy in red. She runs at the man in red without hesitation and brings his guard down with one blow and easily slashes the man in red. Before she could've finish him, he disappears as a powerful magic spell is cast but Saber doesn't stop. She dashes to the person behind the man in red and easily cuts off the large spell the person launches.

"What the…"

I knew she was strong, but this is overwhelming. That spell right now was at a level of intervention magic that I cannot even compare with. It was powerful, but to Saber, it was like nothing. Saber had her invisible sword pointed at the mage's throat, about to kill whoever that person is, but...

"SABER, STOP!"

I screamed at the top of my lunges. Thankfully, she stopped her invisible sword. The end of her blade doesn't seem to be wet with the enemy's blood.

"Are you insane? I could have defeated them easily, why did you stop me?"

"Just wait a second! I don't understand what's going on. If I am your master, at least tell me what this is all about."

"We don't have time for this in front of the enemy!"

Saber still insists on killing whoever that person is, even though I don't know what the hell is going on.

"Even if your master says to lower it? Wow, so even Saber would betray her master, huh?"

Saber looks irritated, but she lowers her sword and relaxes. Saber's hostility disappears, so she must have put away her sword as well.

"I see. Then I can stand up, right?"

…Hey, wait a second. That sulky person is definitely-WHAAAAAAT…!?

"Wait a Sec, aren't you Rin Tohsaka…!?"

"Yes. Good evening, Emiya."

"Uh...?"

That gets me. If she greets me normally like that, everything that happened up to now seems like a dream and… no, my head's about to explode, geez, how easy would things be if it did…!?

"Um… so, you were using magic right now, so that means…"

"I'm a mage. Well, we're the same, so I got nothing to hide."

Her replies are so clear it's making me feel so stupid to ask.

"Let's have a chat inside. You still don't know what's going on, right Emiya?"

As we head inside, I thought, is it just my imagination, or is she totally unlike how she seems at school? But I'm surprised that she's being so calm after having a sword pointed at her throat.

"Gosh, it's so cold! Why is the window broken?"

"I couldn't help it. I was attacked by this Lancer guy so I was desperate."

"Then, were you fighting him alone until you summoned Saber?"

"Hardly, I couldn't even defend myself."

"Oh, you're not even trying to brag about it …I see you're exactly how you look, super honest."

As Tohsaka walks over to the broken window, she takes a piece of the shattered glass, takes a look at it, and…

"Minuten vor Schweißen"

The shattered glass combines on its own and restores itself in a matter of seconds.

"Tohsaka, you are a mage?"

"Yes, and you too from the looks of it?"

She says so as if it's something natural. But needless to say, her skills are beyond my understanding.

"Not me. I can't do anything like this."

"Huh? No way, handling glass is as basic as it gets."

"Well, I don't know anything about "Basics" or "Fundamentals"."

"Are you kidding me? How was someone like you able to summon Saber?"

I haven't been playing around. I know I'm an amateur, but I don't think it matters right now.

"Well, I don't care. There's no point in complaining about what's already happened. More importantly, I have to pay back my debt right now. Let's Begin."

Tohsaka takes a breath.

"First, you have no idea what you've caught up in, do you?

I nodded in response.

"To put it bluntly, you have been chosen as a master. You should Two signs, one of them is known as Command Spells and you should see them on your hand or arm."

"On my hand… oh, you mean this?"

"Yes. That is also a spell that rules the servant, your servant has to obey you as long as you have it. So, take care of it."

I should make sure I don't forget what she said. After everything that just happened, I'd better take good of them. But even though she gave me this info, I'm still confused.

"As for the second sign, have you by any chance gotten a blank card recently?"

When she says a blank card does, she means...

"Do you mean this?"

"Yes, those are known as Number Cards. In this war, as the servants fight, the masters, like myself, battle in a Shadow Duel, where the loser loses their rights to be a master."

"So when you mean duel...

"Yes, Duel Monsters. The cards in our decks are more than just part of a game."

"Does it also have something to do with kuriboh being real?"

"Yes, that's right."

"Also Shirou, in a Shadow Duel, your moves determine my outcome in a fight with the opposing servant."

I look at Kuriboh and Saber and think even if everything Tohsaka said is true, I still couldn't believe it. But that serious look on her face doesn't seem like she's lying.

"Since we're on the subject, if you have a Number Card, you're not just a master but also a duelist?"

"Yes. I'm just as good a duelist as I am a mage."

Just as I thought. Lots of people at school who dueled for her got beaten by her. They call her the "Gem Queen" because she always wins with Gem Knights.

"Also much like Kuriboh, think of your servants as familiars, granted to you by The Numeron Code to help aid you in The Numeron War."

As I looked at Saber...

"She doesn't look much like a familiar to me."

"Well of course not. Servants are technically familiars, but they're superhuman beings – heroic spirits from the past. Servants are heroic spirits from legends that are summoned from the past onto our time and given physical form. It's the masters' duty to summon them and once they're manifested, The Numeron Code maintains their physical form. Servants are always with you in spirit form, but should the time come, you can materialize them and have them fight."

So that guy in red, Lancer, even Saber are these heroic spirits from another time? Geez, I got a headache just thinking about it.

"So, do you understand everything so far?"

"Yeah, I guess I do."

"If you have more questions, you should ask the man overseeing The Numeron War. All I can tell you is this, you have no choice but to fight and servants are powerful familiars, so you should use them wisely."

Tohsaka says so and now turns to Saber.

"So from what I hear from Emiya, you must not be in full form, right Saber?"

"Yes, as you stated, I am not at full fighting strength. Since Shirou's not a full-fledged master, it will be difficult for me to replenish my magical energy."

"I'm surprised that you were in that bad of a state, but I didn't think you'd tell me honestly. I was wondering how I ought to find out your weakness."

"I do not wish to let others know of my weakness, but I do not think I can fool you. It would be meaningless to hide our situation from you. So, it will be better for us to tell you of our situation, and to have Shirou better understand the situation he is in right now."

"Correct. And you have a good personality too. …DAMMIT! What a stupid waste! If I was Saber's master, I could win this war easily. Why did she go to an amateur like him?"

Tohsaka clenches her fists with anger.

"Wait, are you saying I'm not worthy to be her master?"

"Of course, you hack."

Wow. She just said something that any normal person would have trouble saying and she didn't realize it. Her honor student image from school crumbles inside of me. Good going, Issei. Tohsaka certainly shows no openings, just like a devil.

"Well then, shall we get going?"

"Huh? Go where?"

"To see the man who knows all about The Numeron War. You do want to know what all of this is about, right?"

"Of course. But it's kind of late."

"What, you're not going? ...Well, whatever. What about you, Saber?"

"Leave Saber out of this. Don't try to strong-arm her"

"Oh, so you do think like a master. You don't want me talking to Saber, do you?"

"Why would I give a damn?"

Geez, I'm starting to think there's something messed up about her.

"Anyway, Saber is a hero from the past, right? So, she'll just be confused. She won't be able to make sense of the modern world."

"Shirou, that is wrong. Servants can adapt to whatever era they are summoned in. So, I know a lot about this age as well."

"Really?"

"Of course. This is not the first time I have been summoned to this era."

"No way, what are the chances of that…!?"

Hey, Tohsaka is surprised too. So that must mean Saber said something incredible.

"Shirou, I agree with her. You lack experience as a master. as your servant, you need to be stronger."

Saber stares at me silently. It's a gentle stare that's worried not for herself, but for me.

"All right, I'll go. But where are we going?"

"The church in Shinto."

We walked through the nighttime town. It's past one in the morning and no one is out at this time. The light's in the house are out, and the street lamps illuminate the silent town.

"Hey are you planning on walking all the way to the next city?"

"Yes I am."

"You know it's been dangerous lately, right? I can't protect you two if something happens."

"Relax. You may be forgetting, but Saber is ridiculously strong."

We got close to the bridge as we continued walking to our destination.

"Rin, what was Shirou saying earlier? I don't understand it at all."

"You can call it a major misunderstanding or pure stupidity. What he was saying is if we're attacked by someone, he'll step in and save us."

"What? Shirou is my master. I should be protecting him instead."

"He's probably not thinking that way at all. As far as master's and servant's concerned, Shirou doesn't get it."

What does that mean? I really don't get her personality at all. After a long walk, we finally arrived at the church. This is the first time I've been in this church, but I know it used to be an orphanage. As we entered the gate, Saber stayed just outside, not moving an inch.

"Why do you suppose Saber's not coming in with us?"

"She said earlier that she'd been summoned to this era before. So maybe something happened between her and the fake priest we're here to see."

It's a large, impressive chapel. Since it's so large, many people must come here during the day. If he's entrusted with such a church, the priest here must be a man of character.

"Tohsaka, what kind of person is this priest?"

"At one time, he was my father's pupil. After my father died, he became my guardian. You could say he's my senior apprentice and second mentor."

"Wait, so the priest is also a mage?"

"That's right."

Tohsaka's footsteps echo as she approaches the altar. It's bad manners to do that when the priest isn't here, but it's so late at night. He won't be in the chapel, so if he's anywhere, it will be the private room in the back.

"You didn't answer my repeated calls, and now you bring a strange guest."

Even though his back was turned from us, He must have noticed our entry as he slowly appeared from the Other Side of the altar.

"So, I take it this means he is the seventh, Rin?"

"Right. He's a mage, but he's pretty much a beginner, so I just couldn't let him be. I believe it was the rules to report here when one becomes a master, right? It's a rule you invented, but I'll follow it this time."

"Very well then."

The priest slowly turns to me. Without realizing, I step back. He's not scary at all. I don't feel any hostility from him. But this priest still has a presence that makes the air around him feel heavy.

"I am Kirei Kotomine, the one entrusted with this church.

perhaps you could tell me your name, or should I call you seventh master?"

"Shirou Emiya."

I glare back at the priest, trying not to lose against his presence.

"Shirou...Emiya."

"Huh?"

The weight on my back turns into a chill. The priest slowly smiles as if he's met someone pleasant.

"So, I assume that your saber's master, Shirou Emiya?"

"That's wrong. I certainly made a contract with her, but I don't understand this whole master and Numeron War thing. If a master should be a proper Mage, then you really ought to pick someone else."

"I see, this is serious indeed."

"He knows nothing. Not the war, the shadow games, nothing. So, you'll have to start from square one."

Tohsaka urges the priest.

"Very well. This is the first time you ever came to me for assistance. Shirou Emiya, the status of master cannot be yielded to another, and once confirmed, you cannot walk away from it. Listen carefully, the battle you've found yourself in is called The Numeron War. It is a ritual meant to seek out and select the one who is worthy to seek out The Numeron Code."

"Wait, this "Numeron Code" you keep mentioning, you don't mean..."

"Yes. The Numeron Code that appears in this city is the genuine article. For proof, one needs to look no further than the unrivaled miracle of the servants it summoned. The Numeron Code is a card that can grant the owner unlimited power. The object's unreality is worthless in front of that truth."

So, he means that even if it's fake, it doesn't matter if its power overwhelms the real Numeron Code.

"Then why make people go through this Numerous War?" If it's that powerful, why not share it?"

"A fair opinion, but only one master may claim the code. It's not something mages decide, but the Code has decided."

"It decides but how?"

"The Numerous Code chooses the people suitable to obtain it and selects its appropriate owner by making them fight for it.

That is the Numeron War - The ritual where those chosen by The Numeron Code kill each other to obtain It."

The priest speaks plainly. I have no rebuttal, and I look down at my left hand.

…There is the mark they call the Command Spell. It must mean that as long as I have this mark, I cannot quit being a master.

"Wait a Sec, along with these Command Spells, I also received something called a Number Card. What does this have to do with this stupid war?"

"I was about to get to that. So, I assume Rin told you about the shadow games?"

"Yes."

"The reason for those numbers started long ago. Before our era, during the time of hero's, shadow creatures ruled the world. These monsters spread throughout the entire earth, consuming everything in their sight and dragging innocent souls into the shadow realm. They nearly brought the world to its knees. So, powerful mages from all over the world banded together and used their magic to seal the creatures in stone tablets.

Ever since then, mages, kings, and great warriors control these demonic creatures to fight in these shadow games to gain riches, for kingdoms, and many more. But these shadow games prove to be too much for them to handle. So, they locked the creatures back in the tablets and sealed them in ruins all over the earth, never to be used again."

"But they didn't stay locked up, right?"

The priest nodded in response

"Millennia later, Pegasus J. Crawford, the president of industrial illusions, investigated these ruins and excavated the stone tablets. Based on the carving of the shadow creatures, he designed cards that became part of the most popular game in the world; Duel Monsters. Just as Pegasus made Duel Monsters based on the stone tablets of the shadow creatures, The Numeron War is a recreation of The Shadow Games from the past created by The Numeron Code.

Along with Command Spells, The Numeron Code creates a number card as a second proof that one is a master. Once the servant fights, the masters' must battle in a shadow duel that is connected to the servants' battle, meaning each move you make determines your servants' outcome."

I never thought that such a game could have such a history. So, this stupid war where masters kill each other is these shadow games that are revived?

"Even if everything you say is true, I don't like the idea of master's killing each other even if only one can be chosen to possess The Numeron Code."

"Hold on, there's no rule that says we have to kill each other, Emiya."

"It is a battle to the death."

"Shut up, Kirei. Listen, The Numeron Code that appears in this city is a spiritual object. Since it is in spirit form, we cannot touch it. Do you understand what that means?"

"Only spirits can touch spirits, right? Oh, that's why you need the servants…!"

"Exactly. To put it simply, the goal of The Numeron War is to eliminate all the other servants. So, no rule says you have to kill the masters."

Man, she could have told me that earlier! Honestly, Tohsaka and the priest were being mean. Now I'm relieved. So even if we enter this Numeron War, Tohsaka's not going to die.

"Shirou Emiya, if I may ask, do you think you are capable of defeating your servant?"

Beat Saber? Impossible doesn't even begin to describe. First, magic is useless against her, and she is skilled with her sword.

"Servants are difficult to defeat, even with another servant. So how does one prevail? See, it's such a simple solution. Servants can only exist with a master. No matter how powerful the servant is, the servant will disappear if the master dies. So…"

That's right, it's a natural solution. No one would choose to take it the hard way.

If you want to win, the most effective way to kill the servants would be to kill their masters instead.

"…Okay. I understand that killing the master is an effective way to eliminate other servants.

But then, if their servant gets killed, does that make someone not a master anymore? You said that only servants can touch The Numerous Code, right? Then there is no point to a master that doesn't have a servant."

"No, as long as their Command Spells exist, so do their rights as a master. Any master that lost their servant can rejoin the war by teaming up with a servant. That is why masters kill other masters. If not, you won't live long enough to regret it."

"Ok, what if I use up all my Command spells right now?"

"Wait, don't do that."

"Yes, you're right. If you use up your Command Spell, you will be liberated from your duty as a master. However, I do not think a mage exists that would use magic such as Command Spells in such a wasteful manner. If there exists such a mage, he would be an ignorant amateur or nothing more than a coward."

I'm annoyed. That priest is making fun of me. I think he's trying to provoke me.

"Have I convinced you? Well then, let us return to the beginning, Shirou Emiya. If you want to abandon your responsibility as a master, that is fine. Simply use up your Command Spells and break your contract with Saber. If that's the case, I will guarantee your safety until The Numeron War ends."

"Wait, why would I need to be protected by you?"

"I have been dispatched to this city to supervise the cycle of Numeron Wars.

Safeguarding mages that are no longer masters is the overseer's top priority."

Hold on.

Cycle... Does he mean that this kind of battle has happened many times before…?

"What do you mean? The Numeron War didn't just start now?"

"This one is the fifth war. The previous one was ten years ago, making this the shortest cycle in the history of the war."

"I can't believe this has happened before."

"Yes. With each cycle, The Numeron War has grown more brutal. Driven by their desires, masters have engaged in indiscriminate slaughter."

Indiscriminate slaughter? Why would anyone think of doing something like that?

"That's ridiculous…! What would happen if The Numeron Code ends up falling into the wrong hands?"

"It is beyond our abilities to stop whoever The Numeron Code chooses as it's owner. After all, it is an omnipotent wish-granter. But if that's not acceptable, then you must go out and win it yourself. If you do, it won't end up in the hands of a killer."

Kotomine is trying to hold back his laughter. It's like he's enjoying my clumsy inability to accept the facts.

"I don't have any reason to fight. I'm not interested in The Numeron Code, and I don't feel like a master even if you tell me I am."

"Oh. So, you are not concerned about what the winner of The Numeron Code would do, even if it leads to disaster?"

"I didn't say that."

Crap, his words are violent. They force the truth onto me, whether I want it or not.

"That is fine if you have no reason to fight. So, you are not troubled by what happened ten years ago?"

"Ten years… ago…?"

"That's right. At the end of the Last Numeron War, an unsuitable master touched The Numeron Code. I do not know what that master wished for. All we know is the results of the disaster that came afterward."

For an instant, that image of hell flashes in my head.

"...Hold on. That can't be..."

"It is. The Shinto fire, whose cause remains unknown to this day. 500 life's lost, 134 buildings burned to the ground. The disaster that happened all those years ago was the legacy of the previous Numeron war."

I feel sick. My vision blurs. I lost my concentration and my legs turned to jelly. But I hold myself firm. I hold onto consciousness by clenching my teeth. I hold back my nausea with the anger boiling up in me.

"Emiya? Damn it, Kieri. I only told you to explain the rules to him, not open old wounds."

"I'm ok."

I managed to regain my focus and continued my questions.

"You said this is the fifth war. Then, has anyone from the past ever won The Numeron Code?"

"One man did, but briefly."

"Did he get his wish? What happened to him?"

"Nothing at all. That Numeron Code did not achieve completion. It was the result of a foolish man, affected by sentiment."

With the previous pressure gone, the priest narrows his eyes as if in regret.

"Hold on. You sound like you've seen this thing with your own eyes."

Does that mean Kotomine was one of the masters in the last war, and that he retired because he refused to fight despite obtaining The Numeron Code...!?

"I did see it. Since I for it in the previous war as one of the chosen seven masters."

"Wait, you never told me that."

"I fought until the halfway point. But I made a wrong decision. As a result, I was only able to hold a blank Numeron Code."

This is insane. Servants killing servants, masters killing other masters in these shadow duels, and this war was the reason the fire from ten years ago happened.

"Simply causing The Numeron Code to appear is trivial. Once the seven servants are gathered, The Numerous Code will appear in time. As Rin says, killing the other masters is not necessary. But unless you do so, the Code will never be complete.

It chooses the master who is worthy of it. That is why this man, who avoided fighting, did not win The Numeron Code."

"In other words, even if you obtain The Numeron Code, it's pointless if you don't finish off the other masters. In the last war, the master who got his hands on The Numeron Code was weak."

So, saying, Tohsaka looks away from Kotomine.

"That is all I need to say. You need to decide right now. Will you participate in The Numeron War or not, Shirou Emiya."

The priest requested my final decision. But, I'm at a loss for words. I had no reason to fight until now. But I won't run away. Honestly, this Numeron War and shadow game stuff doesn't seem real to me. But still, I will never run away. I look up to the priest and I don't hesitate with my next words.

"I will fight as a master. If the cause of the fire ten years ago was The Numeron War, I can't let it happen again."

Even though I'm an amateur, Shirou Emiya is still a mage. If I have decided to become a hero of justice in the footsteps of Kiritsugu Emiya, whom I've admired all this time. As a man, I said I would fight. So, from now on, all I have to do is go forward with pride so that I will not go against my word.

"Then I approve of you as Saber's master. As of this moment, The Numeron War has begun."

The priest's voice echoes heavily throughout the church. There is no meaning to that declaration. Only Tohsaka and I heard the priest's words. This man merely rang the starting bell as the priest of this church.

"So it's decided. Then let's go, Emiya."

And Tohsaka turns her back to the priest. After that, she makes her way to the exit without saying goodbye. As I follow her to the door...

"Rejoice, boy. Your wish will finally come true."

The priest says as if declaring an oracle.

Those words are...

Aren't those the true feeling I haven't yet realized?

"What are you saying, all of a sudden?"

"You should know. Your wish will not come true unless there is a clear evil. Even if it is not something you approve of, a hero of justice requires a villain to defeat."

I feel like everything has turned black. The priest said it. The greatest wish and the ugliest wish I have are the same.

…Yes, the desire to protect something.

…Is, at the same time, none other than the wish for something to violate it. But there's no way I'd wish for something like that. I don't remember a moment when I wished for that. Such an insecure wish…

…Just means the target ideals are inconsistent. But the priest says as if to pierce my heart, "good thing you have an enemy now."