A woman in a long black robe staggered along the edge of a desolate road.
No Name Assasin's mind was engulfed in unprecedented chaos.
Once called a genius of the assassin order, she was the only Assassin who had perfectly reproduced all the sacred techniques of the past eighteen leaders through extraordinary talent.
Yet because the upper echelons of the cult had denied her lack of originality, deep in her heart the girl had always believed herself to be a pathetic loser.
In this fake Holy Grail War she had been fortunate enough to encounter the First Hassan. Along with the excitement of pilgrimage came deep terror and anxiety.
Undoubtedly, No Name Assasin was a true genius. But merely imitating others could never truly earn her the title of "Hassan." That was why she was called "Nameless" and "Zealot."
Therefore, when the Old Man of the Mountain declared he would test her, her previously calm heart filled with anxiety rather than hope.
Her hope lay in the possibility that she might truly wash away her disgrace and once again become a successor of Hassan. Her anxiety stemmed from the doubt whether her body—capable only of imitation—could truly unleash a unique assassination miracle and finally sever the head of the dead apostle Jester.
After losing her mana supply, the weakness of the human body rushed in like a tide.
Mental chaos and physical heaviness intertwined; her steps grew increasingly unsteady, her slender frame swaying precariously in the night wind.
Am I going to die? Must I exhaust my mana and depart in such a ridiculous manner before demonstrating a miracle to the Grand Master?
The night wind stirred the dry, cold sand of the desert and swept past. It lifted the black veil, revealing a foreign yet bloodless, strikingly beautiful face. Deep fatigue weighed on the girl's eyelids; her pupils gradually dilated, focus blurring, until finally—
Thud!
Her frail, swaying body collapsed completely onto the ground.
At the edge of the desert the cold night wind howled; yellow sand danced in the air. On the desolate highway only the distant howl of a wolf echoed faintly.
In the depths of the previously empty wilderness, a mass of eerie blue flames suddenly blazed without warning.
…
Early the next morning.
When Matou Yuu awoke, the Tiamat Lily was already sitting properly on the small wooden chair beside him. She rested her chin on both hands, her pale red star-like eyes fixed intently on the old-fashioned wall-mounted television in front of her. The screen's colors were slightly distorted.
The latest morning news was playing.
["This is SNF Morning News. We continue to monitor the sudden public health emergency occurring in the city. The City Health Bureau announced one hour ago that the alert level has been raised to Level 2."]
["This strange illness, unofficially called 'Cursed Plague-Wind,' is spreading far faster than experts predicted. The President is also deeply concerned… Let's hear the President's reaction."
The scene cut to flashing lights and camera shutters. The blond man on screen adjusted his red tie and smiled confidently. ["All right, everyone, quiet down. That so-called epidemic or whatever terrible name it's got… I prefer to call it just a little cold."]
["No one knows more about epidemics than I do. I know many excellent scientists and renowned physicians, and they all tell me, 'Mr. President, your intuition is wonderful.' Everyone is amazed."]
He raised his index finger and declared confidently, "We have already won, understand? Just now my team reported that the situation is completely under control. We have the best doctors and the best equipment. Snowfield City will become an even greater city than before. I intend to build a tall, large, beautiful monument here to commemorate our great victory. So tomorrow, everyone, go to work, go shopping, enjoy life."]
["We will make Snowfield City great again. Thank you."] (Read it in T voice.)
Matou Yuu sat up, stretched, and muttered thoughtfully, "Epidemic… At such a delicate time, any supernatural phenomenon feels inextricably linked to the Holy Grail War."
While he was lost in thought, the political news seamlessly switched to a beautifully produced advertisement for local dessert. The screen showed a soufflé cake covered in thick whipped cream and topped with bright red strawberries being gently pressed down by a silver spoon. The elastic cake bounced dynamically in slow-motion footage, as though the rich aroma of milk and caramel wafted through the screen.
Gulp.
Tiamat swallowed hard; her previously confused eyes suddenly lit up.
At that moment, a series of blue virtual characters appeared on Matou Yuu's retina, accompanied by a familiar mechanical voice in his mind.
[Chew!]
["Sea Spirit's Larva" is in its growth phase and has shown a strong appetite for high-calorie foods.] [Current Mission: Take the Sea Spirit's Larva to a densely populated area to forage and ensure sufficient intake of "terrestrial high-sugar fermented gel extract" (Note: This substance can effectively supplement the trace elements necessary for the Sea Spirit's Larva's growth).]
[Mission Reward: Attribute Points +1 (Free)]
Matou Yuu glanced at the strangely named item on the system panel, then looked at Tiamat's desire-filled eyes and couldn't help but chuckle. "You want to eat this?"
"Aaaah…" Tiamat Lily nodded like a chick.
They were currently in the midst of a dangerous Holy Grail War, but magi were nocturnal creatures and the war itself was a cruel nighttime game. In broad daylight there was no need to be overly tense—especially with Tiamat nearby.
With that thought, Matou Yuu casually picked up his coat. "In that case, let's head to the shopping mall in the city center and look for food while we're at it."
He took Tiamat's soft little hand and pushed open the hotel door.
Creak— The moment the door hinges turned, the characteristic daytime desert heat slammed into them.
Before Matou Yuu could take the key to his second-hand motorcycle from his pocket, he suddenly stopped, gaze locked on the scene ahead.
Outside the hotel ran an old, poorly maintained transcontinental highway. Due to the extreme day-night temperature difference in the desert, long black spiderweb-like cracks covered the gray asphalt.
On the desert edge across the empty highway lay a conspicuous human figure.
It was a girl wrapped entirely in a black robe.
She lay quietly on the scorching sand. Her trademark black veil had long since been blown away and lay scattered beside her. From beneath it emerged a paper-white, beautiful face with eyes tightly closed.
"Aaa?"
Tiamat tilted her head, unable to hide her confusion, and looked in the direction of Matou Yuu's gaze. She gently tugged his sleeve as if asking what the black lump on the ground was.
Matou Yuu stood dazed for several seconds before his thoughts began racing again.
No… He had been holed up in this rundown hotel on the city outskirts and had just run into a scammer trying to extort money this early in the morning!
…