Bedford, Connecticut. January 1939
It was in the middle of the day that Indiana Jones, or should I say Professor Jones was teaching one of his lectures at Marshall College. It really was just a normal day for the famous archaeologist. However…
… That was all about to change in a matter of a few minutes…
"The King of Macedon, Alexander the Great had achieved many feats throughout his life. He tamed a wild horse by the name of Bucephalus when he was twelve, engaged in a war with the Band of the Thebes when he was sixteen, and became King at the age of twenty." Jones explained to a group of students though they were hardly interested in his lectures. The women wouldn't stop gawking over their professor thus angering the men in the room in the process…
… Though this wasn't the case for one student.
"Wow. I would have loved to have been born in that era." A male student spoke as he was most certainly imagining himself as a king of a nation since him and Alexander would be around the same age. Professor Jones recognized this and knew exactly what to say to that.
"I almost forgot to mention that Alexander was born during the BCE era which was roughly two thousand years ago. At the time they had very few cures for diseases so many people were lucky to live past the age of forty. During that time there was also no form of transportation other than horses. So, if you wanted to get by anywhere you had to walk. Bandits were also known to be a common threat and resulted in the untimely deaths of many people. But other than all of that, it must have been a time to be alive." Jones replied with a sarcastic look on his face.
"N-Never mind." The same student from earlier avoided making eye contact with his professor and chose to stare at his desk out of embarrassment.
"Tee-hee!" The girls in the classroom giggled in unison, much to the dissatisfaction of every other male student present. Though one student had their curiosity piqued, a young woman to be exact. She raised her hand upward, which caught the attention of Professor Jones.
"What's your question?" Jones asked noticeably a bit surprised due to the fact that questions were rarely asked for reasons already explained before.
"If it's been two thousand years since Alexander the Great passed away then how do we know of his existence?" The girl asked as a smile formed on her professor's face. Rarely has a chance to discuss the more interesting parts of history present themselves for Jones but this was one of those exceptions.
"That's a very interesting question. Without the use of cameras, people around that time had to rely on art that was fortunately preserved throughout the years. Though there was nothing to keep his corpse from withering away at the time. He ended up completely decomposing." Jones explained, raising another question in the process.
"But why couldn't they just wrap him up like a mummy?" A male student who did not want to be there asked with a smirk on his face. But this brought up a question that Jones found difficult to answer.
"Hmm. Throughout his conquest, Alexander had ventured into Egypt and claimed it as his property. However, the place where he died was in Babylon, which would later come to be known as Iraq. Though mummification isn't exclusive to Egypt… that begs the question of why none of his followers preserved his corpse. As well as how his final resting place was Venice of all places." Jones explained as he gave the question as much thought as he could but couldn't come to a conclusion that would explain everything.
But there was a bit more to it than that. Two years ago, Jones and a good friend of his by the name of Tatsuo Tohsaka discovered the truth of what lay beneath the St Mark's Basilica, the tomb that belonged to Alexander the Great. However, all that Jones had found in the King of Conquerors' coffin was a piece of red cloth. It was utterly perplexing that fiber was all that remained.
Furthermore, Alexander the Great had never visited Italy during his entire life since the Wars of the Diadochi decimated his empire. It really begs the question of how and why someone would go through the trouble of traveling over two thousand miles just to hide it beneath a church. If only I could ask the man himself…
… Ha… like that would ever happen.
"Professor. Isn't the final resting place of Alexander the Great a mystery?" The female student from before asked as her professor's thought process was interrupted. He then realized he might have said a bit too much.
"Well… it's just a theory. There's a chance it could be hidden in the Nabi Daniel Mosque as Heinrich Schliemann theorized. In fact, it could be hidden anywhere since anything could happen after two thousand years." Jones replied as he lied through his teeth to the female student.
'Ring! Ring! Ring!' Thankfully before any more questions regarding the place where Alexander the Great was buried could be asked, the bell rang loudly.
'Step! Step! Step! Step! Step!' The students wasted no time hurrying out of the classroom and made several loud noises in the process with their feet.
"There will be a quiz next class!" Jones shouted but the classroom was all but empty by the time he finished. It was completely silent to the point that a tumbleweed passing by wouldn't feel out of place here.
'And… there gone. Figures.' Jones thought internally as his students would be in for a rude awakening next class. Eh. They will be fine. Probably. Maybe he'll allow whoever fails to try again. It's not like he's going anywhere anytime soon…
… Or at least that's what Jones surmised until a good friend of his walked into the room.
"Marcus. You wouldn't believe what I heard today. One of my students actually thought living in the BCE era would have been a nice place to live in. Kids these days. They really don't know how good they have it." Jones greeted his longtime friend Marcus Brody with a smile.
"Hahaha." Marcus laughed all the while Jones noticed something in the hands of his friend. It was an envelope. Most likely containing a letter. Jones' father, Henry Walton Jones Sr., knew Marcus back when they attended Oxford University together. That was long before Jones had been born and they have kept in touch ever since.
"Another one of Dad's letters?" Jones asked his friend. The three of them all went on an adventure together less than a year ago and Jones' father was still in good health. This all pointed to the sender of the letter being none other than his father, or Jones had deduced. But he was wrong.
"No. This is not from Henry. The sender is a man by the name of Tatsuo Tohsaka. I've never heard the name before. Does it ring a bell?" Marcus asked as he handed the letter to Jones who opened it without a second thought.
"Yeah. Me and Tohsaka… we went on a few… adventures together. I've known him for a little over a decade." Jones explained as flashes of the shared history between him and Tohsaka went through his mind.
However, it had been two years since Tohsaka had last contacted him. Jones knew his good friend was involved in some 'war' and wanted to help him. But even though he sent many letters since that day… he did not receive a single response…
… Until now. And upon opening the letter… Jones read the words that were written on the parchment. Words that will shock him to his very core.
'Jones. If you are reading this letter, then I am no longer in this world. I made sure that this letter was sent in the advent of my demise because I have one last favor, I must ask of you. For months, an unknown person has been targeting me and two other people related to the war I briefly told you about after we left Venice. I fear that this unknown person may target my daughter if she joins the War. I had instructed her that she do no such thing, but I believe that she will disobey me as she has done in the past. That's why I request for you to become a Master and summon a Servant, the instructions of which will be written on the back of this very letter. After that I want you to travel to Fuyuki, Japan, and protect my daughter. Time is of the essence, and I fear if nothing is done then she will share my Fate. You are the only person I trust to handle this properly. Please, Jones. You are my last hope.' – Sincerely, your friend, Tatsuo Tohsaka.
"… Damn it… Tohsaka." Jones muttered to himself as he gritted his teeth hard. He had feared that something bad had happened to his friend and had planned to travel to Japan to learn of his whereabouts. Unfortunately, he became preoccupied with several ordeals he had prevailed against such as the adventure to find the Holy Grail from the last year for example…
… Even still… of all the things that could have happened… this was not something that he would ever thought possible.
"Jones? Are you alright? You look white as a sheet." Marcus asked with a concerned look on his face. This question brought him out of his thoughts and back to reality. Thinking about what could have happened didn't matter right now. Jones knew just what he had to do right now.
"Marcus… I'm going to have to take care of something. I'll need some time off from teaching. I hope you understand." Jones spoke as he walked out of the classroom without waiting for a response from his friend.
Jones didn't desire to be rude but if he told Marcus everything then he would want to get involved and would probably tell Jones' father. He did not want to get them involved especially since his own father almost died on their last adventure. The archaeologist decided that he must go on this adventure alone as it would certainly prove to be the most dangerous of his adventures yet.
Now was the time to take action. Gone was the professor of archaeology at Marshall College…
… In his place was the true identity of Dr. Henry Walton Jones Jr. or more commonly known as…
Indiana Jones and the Holy Grail War
Chapter 1: The Adventure of the Great Departure
Jones wasted no time leaving Marshall College and driving back to his house. Once there, he made sure to pack several of his clothes, among other necessities, into a suitcase. After that, Jones changed out of his suit which was befitting for a college professor but not for one of the greatest Archaeologists.
Jones opened the door to his closet and spotted his usual attire right away. His brown leather jacket, along with long grey pants, as well as his satchel that complemented his jacket perfectly and most importantly his fedora. In no time at all, Jones suited up and was all ready to leave and board the next plane to Fuyuki, Japan.
However, there was one last thing that he must attend to before leaving America. It all had to do with one of the last lines in the letter that his late friend had written…
'That's why I request for you to become a Master and summon a Servant, the instructions of which will be written on the back of this very letter.' What could these words mean? Jones thought to himself. Specifically, the meaning behind the words 'Master' and 'Servant' alluded him. Perhaps, the answer is on the back of the parchment with the instructions. But then…
"What the?" Jones blurted out as he turned the parchment over on its back only to notice that it was completely blank. Not a single trace of ink could be found on it. That was very peculiar since his friend was not one to lie. Was there another piece of paper in the envelope? Jones thought to himself as he checked the contents of said envelope only to find a golden key. But that didn't help him right now in the slightest, so Jones slipped the key into his pocket.
"Tch. Just what do you want me to do, Tohsaka?" Jones muttered to himself as he tried to search for the key that would unlock this metaphorical puzzle within his mind. Time passed by as Jones recalled another part of the letter…
'For months, an unknown person has been targeting me and two other people related to the war I briefly told you about after we left Venice.' If his friend were to be believed, then an unknown individual had been targeting not only him, but two other people related to the 'war.' If this unknown man were able to procure this letter, then they would learn how to 'summon' whatever a 'Servant' is. Unless…
… The instructions were hidden in a way that you could not read them without heating up the letter. In other words…
"Invisible ink." Jones muttered to himself as he deduced the answer to this puzzle. He knew that his friend was cautious among others due to the fact that he had to keep his identity as a Mage a secret from the public. But to go this far all to keep these 'instructions' a secret? If this theory of his is true…
… Then whatever's going on in Japan must be far more dangerous than Jones could ever imagine.
A few seconds later, Jones walked over to a nearby lightbulb with the parchment in his hands and put the latter near the former. As the light bulb touched the piece of parchment his theory was proven correct as words began to appear on the back of the letter. Those words being…
'First, draw these sigils onto the floor with a piece of chalk. After that, channel the Mana within your body as you read the passage below.' Jones read as he noticed a drawing below the words which included a circle and what appeared to be the sigils that his friend was referring to. Though they were foreign to the Archaeologist.
'Sckree! Sckree! Sckree!' Jones grabbed out a piece of chalk that he stored in a nearby cabinet and began drawing what was on the back of the parchment. It took him a few minutes as the drawing was very detailed. However, it wasn't long before the Summoning Circle was complete.
"Haah… haah… haah…" Jones breathed in and out in accordance with the next part of the instructions. He recalled that his friend was a talented Magician. Over the decade that they had known each other, Tohsaka had taught him basic Magecraft though his affinity for it was subpar at best which is why he focused on what he was good at.
However, in this situation, he was forced to recall his memories of Tohsaka teaching him how to control his Mana within his body. It required a great deal of focus and quite frankly a pain in the ass. But then…
"Ah." Jones gasped as he felt his own Mana coursing through his body. It was a feeling unlike any other. It was as if all the exhaustion from the lack of sleep from the night before had been replaced with a full eight hours of rest. To say that he felt good would be an understatement.
'Four? Five? Just how many years has it been since I last done this?' Jones thought to himself though no matter how much he tried to remember, the answer to his question evaded him. But that was beside the point. With his Mana channeled, Jones looked at the parchment once more and began to speak the incantation out loud.
"Silver and Iron to the Origin. Gem and the Archduke of Contracts to the Cornerstone. The ancestor is my great Schweinorg. The alighted wind becomes a wall. The gates in the four directions close, coming from the crown, the three-forked road that leads to the kingdom circulates." Jones spoke as he closed his eyes but even without the use of his vision, he felt a white light coming from the summoning circle. This must mean it's working. Jones thought to himself.
"Shut. Shut. Shut. Shut. Shut. Repeat every five times. Simply, shatter once filled… I announce. Your self is under me, my Fate is in your sword. In accordance with the approach of the Holy Grail, if you abide by this feeling, this reason, then answer." Jones continued but now another question had been raised by words all too familiar to the archaeologist. Which were…
'The Holy Grail… but it couldn't be… right?' Jones thought internally as he remembered the adventure that he partook in less than a year ago. One that would bring him to the Hatay province of Turkey. After a series of events, the Grail was lost after the Canyon of the Cresent Moon collapsed. The golden chalice was most certainly destroyed. But if that's the case…
… Then what does this all mean? Unfortunately, there was no time to ponder as the incantation must be finished. Maybe then, the answer to all of his questions will present itself.
"Here is my oath. I am the one who becomes all the good of the world of the dead, I'm the one who lays out all the evil of the world of the dead. You seven heavens clad in three words of power, arrive from the ring of deterrence, O keeper of the balance!" Jones finished reciting the incantation as he opened his eyes only to be blinded by a ray of pure white light.
"Agh!" Jones groaned in pain as he stumbled backward and fell onto his butt. He blinked his eyes over and over again until he spotted 'something.' No. The correct word was 'someone.' It was then on this Fateful Night that the great archaeologist had met the man who would become his Servant and most trusted ally in the Holy Grail War. His name is-
"… My name is David, the King of Israel. I'm proud to have become your Servant, Master Jones." The man named David spoke as he bowed toward the man he declared as his 'Master.'
"…" Jones sat on the ground with his mouth agape as he was completely speechless. Not only had his incantation summoned someone that he had never seen or met before into his own living room…
… But this same man was claiming to be David, a man that many historians have deduced that he had lived during 1000 BCE. However, the time right now is thirty-nine years into the twentieth century…
… Which would mean that this man is claiming to be a person who has lived from a time that was almost three thousand years ago. Indiana Jones had come across strange things throughout his life… but this…
… This should be impossible. Nothing more than a dream that would never become a reality until the end of time itself. But here is a green-haired man claiming to be the King of Israel. On the man's neck was what appeared to be a black scarf but everything below it was clothes that Jones had never seen before.
Furthermore, the man had ancient symbols on his gloves and knee socks as well as a staff with a blue bell, the latter of which was unmistakably the staff of a shepherd. David was known to be a shepherd before he was King of Israel but that's common knowledge that anyone could learn of from a book!
No… what Jones needed was proof. Proof that this man who claims to be David is the genuine article as well as proof that he can be trusted.
"Prove it." Jones spoke as he stared at the man in his eyes. The man closed his eyes and stood motionlessly as he appeared to be thinking. This only lasted for a few seconds as the man opened his eyes once more. And then…
"… Very well." The man spoke as he snapped his fingers. Time passed by as the two could do nothing but stare at each other. Seconds then turned into minutes and the archaeologist was about to lose his patience.
"What exactly are we waiting fo- Jones spoke as he stood up, but he was cut off by the green-haired man.
"It's here." The man spoke as he was assured of himself. Not even a second later-
'BAAAAAAM!' Something crash-landed through the house's roof and into the living room.
"Gah!" Jones groaned in pain as he fell once more onto his butt due to the suddenness of something that appeared to fall from the sky, make a giant hole in his roof, and then destroy his living room. In any other situation, Jones would have been furious over this turn of events but in this case, he was more confused than anything else.
"W-What is that?" Jones asked as stared at the thing in his living room which was a giant wooden box. He wanted nothing more than to believe that somehow this box fell out of a plane and just so happened to end up in his house of all places, but something made him believe that was not the case.
No. Once again the answer was not 'something' but someone. This man had said the words 'It's here' at the precise time that this wooden box fell into Jones's house. There is no way that could be a coincidence. Which means…
… He 'knew this' would happen.
"This here… is what appears to be a wooden box." The man spoke as he examined said box on his knees in a way that made him look like he was expecting to see something else. But that wasn't Jones's question.
"Obviously! I meant what is inside of the box!" Jones yelled out in anger as the man stood up and used his staff to tear the box open.
'Bam!' The wooden box was torn to shreds as the archaeologist's eyes shot wide open in surprise. What was contained within the wooden box was something that Jones had seen before. It was on an adventure almost three years ago that Indiana Jones had sought that golden artifact in order to make a name for himself and keep it out of the hands of the Nazis while he was at it too.
However, Jones had been told that artifact was to be under constant supervision by 'top men' in some place that only top officials of the American Government would know about. But somehow, against all odds, Jones had locked eyes with 'it' once more.
"T-T-The… Ark." Jones spoke as even though it was undeniable that the Ark of the Covenant was in his living room, it was all so… beyond his wildest imaginations that even the great archaeologist found it difficult to process what had just happened.
"That's right. 'This' is the reason why I emerged from the Throne of Heroes and made sure that I would be your Servant. It is for that reason that I'm here…" David spoke but paused for a second as he bowed toward his Master. And then…
"… To thank you. You made sure that my Ark would not fall into the hands of someone as despicable as Adolf Hitler. Even though your endeavor almost cost you your life… against all odds… you made sure that my Ark would not be used by a greedy and nefarious man…" David continued as Jones's mouth was agape again, but the former paused once more until-
"… I, David King of Israel, thank you from the bottom of my heart. I'm truly in your debt." David finished as he stood up and extended a hand to help his Master stand back up. Jones didn't even have to think about it, this man had destroyed whatever suspicions that he had about him in an instant.
"… It was… nothing at all. You really don't need to thank me." Jones replied as he grasped the hand of the King of Israel as the former stood back up once more. Though the latter disagreed with the comment made by his Master.
"Yes, I do. It was through your efforts that you managed to protect my Ark from the hands of those who would not be worthy in a million years to touch it. No matter how many times I thank you, it would not be enough. Which is why I will devote every fiber of my being to fighting beside you as your Servant, my Master!" David declared with a voice full of resolve.
"…" Jones was once again speechless over what transpired. To be thanked by the legendary King of Israel, a man that he had looked up to as a child and was utterly fascinated by… well… to put it simply…
… It made the archaeologist feel embarrassed.
But now Jones had been reminded of some questions that the answer to which alluded him. The meaning behind the words 'Master' and 'Servant.' Just what do those words mean? Though if anyone knew the answer to them, surely, the great man who slayed Goliath would.
"Um… King David- Jones spoke but he was interrupted by the person he was trying to talk to.
"You don't need to call me 'King.' David will suffice. Or perhaps… Archer." David replied with the last word, in particular being one that confused Jones. But the archaeologist found it more appropriate to call him by that word, instead of addressing the King of Israel in such a casual manner.
"Archer. Just what do the words 'Master' and 'Servant' mean?" Jones asked though his question incurred a puzzled look from the man in question.
"I'll be honest. I'm quite surprised. Surely the reason you are participating in the Holy Grail War is to claim the Grail?" Archer asked a face full of confusion and words that matched it. But Jones wouldn't lie to him.
"I'm sorry to disappoint you… but, claiming the grail is not my goal. A… late friend of mine had requested my involvement in that 'war.' I'm simply fulfilling a favor of his." Jones admitted with words that further surprised David though the latter regained his smile in no time at all.
"I understand. Then I will explain a way that will be easy to understand. A Master is someone who makes a contract with a Heroic Spirit, which are beings from ancient history or mythology. The Heroic Spirits are divided into seven Classes. Saber, Lancer, Berserker, Rider, Caster, Assassin, and of course Archer. That last one being the class that I was summoned under." David explained in a straightforward and easy way to understand. However, this raised another question.
"I see. I understand the purpose of the Grail war being to claim the Grail. I don't mean to be rude, but why summon beings from history? Also how is the Grail won exactly? Surely, it isn't some battle to the death." Jones asked but his question was met with silence.
"Um… right?" Jones asked once more out of confusion but this time his question was answered as Archer shook his head to his shoulders indicating a 'no' much to the surprise of the archaeologist.
"No. It is as you surmised. This Grail War is settled by sacrificing every Servant to the Grail except one. The one in question being the Master and Servant pair that survive to the very end. The Grail is only able to materialize into reality through the demise of six Servants. It is for that reason each Master and Servant pair fight each other to the death. All so that they could obtain their own wish for the Grail." David explained as Jones remembered the letter of his departed friend once more.
'I fear that this unknown person may target my daughter if she joins the War.' This means that whoever this unknown individual is… they are a Master and their reason for targeting Tohsaka's daughter is to claim the Grail for themselves.
Jones had met cunning men in the past who had no qualms about sacrificing human lives for their own benefit. He had seen time and time again the ruthless and cruel nature of these men and had lost the lives of people he had grown to care for in the process. And now…
… his friend has met what was surely a horrific end. Jones had known the man named Tatsuo Tohsaka for over a decade and in that time, he became one of most trusted allies and one of his greatest friends. Tatsuo had not talked much about his family but now he was leaving behind not only his wife but his own daughter as well...
... The same daughter that he will never get to see grow up and pursue a life of her own that she can be proud of. The thought enraged Jones to his very core and David noticed it from a mile away.
"Master… have my words angered you?" Archer asked with a look of concern on his face. While it was true that Jones was more than angry, to the point that he was absolutely furious over his friend's demise but more than that…
… Jones felt a sense of duty to ensure that his friend's effort to protect his own flesh and blood would not end in vain. There was a word that perfectly encapsulated what Jones felt in his heart. That word being…
… Resolve. Resolve to protect Tohsaka's daughter. Resolve to kill the man who had taken one of his best friends away from this world. And resolve to fight in the Grail War to end things as quickly as possible. However, the only thing that concerned the man was that only 'one' pair could claim the Grail.
'I had instructed her that she do no such thing, but I believe that she will disobey me as she has done in the past.' Jones recalled the letter once more and if his departed friend's suspicions come true then that would not only mean that his daughter would become a target for the other Masters…
… But her Servant too. Killing her Servant would endanger Tohsaka's daughter even more than she already is. It might even mean that she joins her father. No. That will not happen. Over my dead body. But by choosing to not fight her Servant…
… I would be betraying Archer… wouldn't I? Damn it. I could think about all of this later. I need to buy a ticket for the next flight to Japan. Or two now that Archer is here. Like my friend said, time is of the essence. I just hope I won't be too late.
"No… in fact they have helped me understand the situation better. That's why we have got to get out of here and to Japan as fast as possible." Jones spoke as he picked up his luggage and was about to head out of the door but stopped in his tracks as he heard-
'Skree! Skree! Skree!' Something scraping against his floorboards. That something can only be-
"Apologies… haah my Master. But… haah… since my Ark still exists within the present day… haah… I have no choice but to pull it with me… haah." Archer breathed in and out as he used every fiber of his being to pull the Ark through his Master's house. Wait, what?!
"Stop pulling it! You're ruining the floor! Just do what you did before and send it to Japan!" Jones commanded with a pissed off expression on his face and a voice that matched it.
"Unfortunately… haah… that's not possible… haah… I used most of my Mana just to bring my Ark here… haah… and without a supply of Magical Energy… haah… I'm pretty much drained… haah." Archer explained as he was sweating buckets while ruining the archaeologist's floorboards even more.
"Fine! Then let me help you with that!" Jones spoke as he hurried over to the other side of the Ark that David was pulling from. He then kneeled down so that he could grab the giant piece made out of gold. And then…
"On a count of three! One! Two! Three!" Jones yelled out as his Servant understood immediately and with the strength of two men, they were able to pick up the Ark. Albeit barely. Though he would never admit it, Jones thought he was doing most of the work in carrying the Ark out of his house.
Not long after that, Indiana Jones and his Servant Archer managed to secure two tickets for the next flight to Fuyuki, Japan. Unfortunately for Jones, he had to pay out of pocket for all of the travel expenses as well as the fee for the abundance of luggage he brought with him. To put it lightly, it all cost the archaeologist a pretty penny.
"Haah…" Jones breathed out a sigh of exhaustion though this gained the attention of his Servant.
"Master. Is everything alright?" David asked with a look of concern on his face. The two men were next to each other in a pair of seats as the plane was about to take off. Although Jones wished he could just teleport to Japan, such a thing was impossible. Not only that but after a full day of teaching and plenty of unexpected events happening one after another, the archaeologist wanted some shut eye.
"I'm fine. Just wake me up when we arrive." Jones replied as he grabbed the brim of his fedora and covered his eyes with it. Indiana Jones then entered a deep slumber as the plane took off from Connecticut and would take fourteen hours until it reached its destination, being the land of the rising sun.
Although Jones was fine with the extra amount of sleep since he was going to need it with the chance of him having to pull a few all-nighters seeming quite high with the Holy Grail War going on… but more than that…
… He hoped that his arrival would not be too late in order to fulfill the request of his departed friend.
Meanwhile in a certain hotel in Fuyuki, Japan…
"Gulp… gulp… gulp…" A man was overlooking the city below him as he was drinking from a glass cup. What was contained within the glass was an exquisite type of alcohol known as whisky.
Whisky was sublime to drink though the prices were beginning to rise in the late 1930s and would only continue to rise from there. However, the cost of drinking a shot of whisky was more than what most Japanese citizens were able to afford. Only high-ranking members of the government were able to purchase a bottle of whisky.
However, this man was able to afford not just a single bottle but a whole box of bottles all stored with whisky. That is to say that this man was even more high ranking than the top officials of the Japanese government. But how is this possible? Just who is this man-
"Major!" A man yelled out as he saluted the man partaking in the exquisite beverage. The latter turned his head to look at his underling with a smile on his face. This smile unnerved the soldier and his mind went completely blank. This would have annoyed most people but not this man.
"Is there something you wished to tell me regarding the Holy Grail War? The last time I was notified was when the fifth Servant was summoned. I assume this means the sixth has been summoned? And their Master… hmm… Tohsaka's brat I surmise? And if I were to go further… she summoned the Rider Servant no less?" The man asked the soldier ranked far below him with a smile on his face.
"Ah!" The soldier gasped loudly. Every word that the Major had uttered was correct. It was as if the man before his eyes had read his mind like a book. The soldier had heard rumors of the Major's level of intellect though he hardly believed that his superior would have a mind that was able to deduce events as if they were written in stone…
… However, this deduction had erased all doubts that the common soldier had held for his superior.
"I-It as you say Major Yggdmillennia!" The soldier replied as he saluted the Major once more. Now if we were to look at the Major's clothing, we would see an all-black uniform and a cap that matched it and the insignia of none other than Nazi Germany on his shoulder.
That's right. Not only is this man a high-ranking official within the German military, but he was also given his rank by Adolf Hitler himself. This man was chosen to hand the Holy Grail on a silver platter to the Nazis so that they would be able to achieve victory in the coming second world war. And now to finally answer the question from before, this man's name is…
… Darnic Prestone Yggdmillennia.
"I appreciate the report. Now do as you wish." Darnic spoke as he sipped on his whisky once more. However, this action confused the young soldier. Major Yggdmillennia had ordered the executions of the Masters from the three great families who had created the Holy Grail War.
But now with the knowledge that another person related to the three great families, the sole remaining living descendent of the Tohsaka family was going to participate in the Holy Grail War following her father's death…
… It would be an understatement to say that an order to eliminate her was not just made greatly confused the young man. Though Darnic noticed the man's confusion through the reflection of the glass the former was looking at.
"Do not misunderstand. I'm not choosing to let her survive. She may be nothing more than a child, but if she dares to attempt to pursue me then her demise is all but guaranteed. I'm just… waiting to see how this all plays out." Darnic replied but the man was still confused.
"B-But Major, we can surely eliminate her without too much effort! If you would just send Lancer to apprehend her then surely, she would be- The soldier spoke but was cut off by his superior.
"Did I just give you an order? Someone like you who is below me… has no right to give me an order. Now do I make myself clear?" Darnic asked as he was still smiling even as his eyes glared daggers at the man who had questioned his judgment. That contradiction of emotions sent shivers down the man's spine.
"… I-I apologize!" The soldier yelled out as he bowed on his knees at the man before him. This caused a smile to return to the Major's face as he approached the young man.
"At ease. You may have questioned my judgment… but I'll overlook it just this once. As long as you perform… a simple favor." Darnic spoke as he extended a hand outward toward the soldier, the latter of which thought whether he was worthy of touching the hand of his superior until he realized that the Major was wearing white gloves and thought it should be fine.
"Anything for you, Major." The soldier replied as his superior helped him regain his footing. But then…
"… I appreciate it… now… kill yourself." Darnic whispered into the soldier's ear as the eyes of the latter shot open once the words went through his eardrums.
"W-W-What?" The soldier replied in a voice that was almost inaudible as sweat dripped down his face and onto the floor. The soldier had heard his Major's words clearly though he could not believe what he had just said.
"It's not hard. I have already secured your pistol. All you have to do is put your fingers on the trigger… like this." Darnic whispered as he forced the clenched fist of the soldier's hand open and made him grasp the gun.
"Now put it here… perfect." Darnic continued as he had moved the soldier's hand to the latter's head. Memories of the soldier's life flashed through his life as tears ran down his face. He wanted to scream for mercy but there was nothing that he could do to defy a direct order from his superior.
"Now… pull it." Darnic finished as pulled the fingers of the soldier that were on the trigger until they-
'Bang!' The gun was fired point blank at the soldier's head. It was an instant death as the soldier collapsed onto the ground. His lifeless corpse bled from the wound on his head onto the floor of the Major's room as the latter watched with a smile on his face.
"Now, was that so hard?" Darnic asked the dead corpse who would never give him an answer for as long as the former would live. He then noticed that several parts of his uniform were stained red with the blood of the departed soldier. The Major walked over to a nearby telephone and pressed a few numbers in rapid succession until-
"I request a new uniform… and someone to carry out the corpse in my room. That will be all." Darnic spoke as he did not wait for the man on the other end to reply before he put the phone down and ended the call. The Major then walked over back to where he was standing previously as he overlooked the city with a smile on his face.
"The Nipponese are rather unintelligent creatures…" Darnic muttered as he noticed several Japanese people walking in the city below him but paused for a second to sip on whisky in the cup in his hands. And then…
"… But… they do make quite an exquisite refreshment if I do say so myself." Darnic finished as he wondered how the Holy Grail War would play out from here. The Tohsaka brat had no knowledge that it was him who orchestrated the death of her father, nor does she know that he even exists to his knowledge.
That begs the question of what she is going to do from here on out. Who will she target? Will her target kill her? Or will she against all odds prevail against her enemy? Whatever happened next would only result in the death of an enemy Master without Darnic having to do anything…
… All he had to do was wait and see who would make the next move on the chessboard below him. However, unbeknownst to him, the final Master and his Servant would soon arrive in the land of the rising sun. Their future involvement would make what would happen next be quite interesting for the man named Darnic Prestone Yggdmillennia.
To Be Continued…