The Holy Grail War.
This is the conflict surrounding the Holy Grail, an artifact capable of granting countless wishes.
When referred to as the "Fuyuki" Holy Grail War, it describes a highly unique battle where magus summon Servants—Heroic Spirits—to fight until only one remains.
Perhaps due to the Mage's Association's lax supervision of this small Eastern nation, it wasn't until the war had been repeated three times that they took notice. The idea of a universal wish-granting opportunity emerging in a remote corner of the Far East seemed ludicrous—even as a joke, it had its limits. This was the extent of the Mage's Association's understanding.
However, the third Holy Grail War distorted everything. Perhaps because World War II was on the horizon, the unusual situation of national involvement became a turning point, leading to the end of the Fuyuki Holy Grail War. Simultaneously, the system of this Holy Grail War began to spread as information among magus worldwide.
Magus, astonished, started imitating the Fuyuki system to hold their own Holy Grail Wars. Only then did they realize the excellence of the system constructed by the three founding families: Tohsaka, Einzbern, and Makiri.
Unfortunately, since its inception, no Holy Grail War has been held in Fuyuki for the past 60 years, much to the frustration of magus aspiring to obtain the Grail.
Today, sub-species Holy Grail Wars are held widely across the world. These sub-species are smaller-scale rituals, summoning at most five Servants. Even when these rituals are performed perfectly, none have achieved the level of a universal wish-granting machine.
Trifas is a small city in northern Transylvania, Romania. The city walls, built in the Middle Ages to fend off Turkish invaders, still stand, enclosing parts of the fortress and the city.
Most of the city's buildings are heavily repaired and modified medieval structures, possessing significant historical value. With a population of about 20,000, the city barely sustains itself through modest agriculture and the textile industry.
The city's most notable landmark is a massive castle perched on a slight hill—Millennia Castle. This castle has never changed ownership since the Middle Ages. Despite the Ottoman Turkish invasions, the Black Death, and bombings during modern wars, Trifas and its castle inhabitants have survived to this day.
The castle belongs to the Yggdmillennia, a clan of magus who migrated from Northern Europe to Romania. Currently, the castle is bustling with activity.
Not only the Yggdmillennia clan but also a group of unknown, well-groomed servants work meticulously, patrolling the castle with outdated battle axes. There are also walking stone beds and glowing-eyed statues...
Observers would undoubtedly be shocked, thinking something significant was happening. Yet, among the simple residents of Trifas, none would dare step into this eerie castle. As long as the castle's lights are on, even venturing out late at night is avoided.
So when the long-dormant castle lights began to shine again a few months ago, the residents exchanged uneasy glances, their faces darkening—the blood-soaked tyrants had returned!
The residents prayed for peace and safety, continuing their ordinary lives.
In the early hours, the city of Trifas was deeply asleep. In a room overlooking the city from Millennia Castle, a man stood gazing out the window. His eyes, watching the silent streets, burned with a quiet resolve.
"——Of course, this can't succeed. The reason is simple: none of the magus holding these sub-species Holy Grail Wars has brought the core element of the Fuyuki Holy Grail War."
"What is it?" A voice filled with majesty echoed from the shadows of the room.
"The Greater Grail!"
Turning his head, Danic's handsome face broke into a self-satisfied smile.
"The Fuyuki Holy Grail War buries the Greater Grail in the earth's leylines, making it the core. Magic power is then poured into the Lesser Grails, which are contested in the war. Those magus imitating the Holy Grail War can only produce Lesser Grails; they are nothing but boring fakers."
"What makes this Holy Grail War different?" The majestic voice spoke again, its tone archaic, unlike modern speech.
"Of course, Grand Duke." Danic's smile deepened. "This land is home to the Greater Grail, which I seized from Fuyuki sixty years ago!"
The man's name was Darnic Prestone Yggdmillennia, the head of the Yggdmillennia clan and a participant in the Third Holy Grail War. Although that war took place over sixty years ago, his face showed no signs of aging—no wrinkles at all. To an observer, he might seem to be between twenty-six and thirty years old. It was as if time had stopped for him since the Third Holy Grail War.
"In that Holy Grail War, the Lesser Grail was lost midway, and it seemed we would return empty-handed. However, by chance, I discovered the existence of the Greater Grail buried beneath Fuyuki and seized it. At that time, I succeeded by leveraging the power of the German Nazi forces I was affiliated with."
"Immediately afterward, amidst the chaos of World War II, I vanished from Germany with the Greater Grail and connected it to the leylines here in Trifas, the stronghold of the Yggdmillennia clan."
Danic's voice was filled with deep emotion. After all, for over sixty years since the end of the Third Holy Grail War, he had been meticulously preparing in secret to avoid detection.
The only miscalculation was that, due to the spread of information about the Fuyuki Holy Grail War, many of the relics that served as catalysts had gone missing. Relics like those of the ancient King of Heroes, the King of the Knight with the strongest holy sword, and the Conqueror King who ruled half the world had all vanished without a trace. Nevertheless, the relics his clan had gathered over decades were sufficient to summon excellent Heroic Spirits. They were in no way inferior to the relics collected by the Mage's Association.
"Yes, everything has been for this day!"
The sound of ringing bells interrupted Danic's swelling ambition. He stepped away from the window and approached a telephone designed to resemble the 1920s-30s era wall-mounted model, picking up the receiver.
"——It's me."
The elderly voice on the other end was one Danic knew all too well.
"Oh, isn't this His Excellency Belfeban, the Head of the Department of Spiritual Evocation? It's been a while."
The warmth in Danic's voice was a stark contrast to his earlier demeanor, exuding a friendly charm.
However, the old man on the other end wasn't swayed by this warmth. His already deep voice grew even deeper.
"There's no need for pretense. You know why I'm calling. I can't handle this alone anymore. There's still time."
"That's quite the clichéd line. I'll return it to you as is."
Danic seemed unfazed by the old man's veiled warning. His voice remained friendly, but to the listener, it carried a different undertone.
"There's still time. Has the Mage's Association completed all the necessary preparations to subdue us?"
"Are you serious?" the old man confirmed one last time.
"At this point, you're still saying that? It was our side that issued the declaration of war."
To the self-assured, almost arrogant Danic, Belfeban left one final remark: "You'll regret this, Danic Prestone Yggdmillennia."
"I'll be careful to ensure it doesn't come to that. You should be cautious too."
"That thing called a telephone is quite an interesting device," said another voice that had remained unseen throughout the conversation after Danic hung up the phone.
"Yes, in this mundane world, it is a somewhat convenient invention."
Danic nodded, unfazed by such an out-of-touch remark. After all, it was now 1999, a time of advanced communication, with just a few months left before humanity would enter a rapidly developing new century.
His mind was connected to the bounded field encompassing all of Trifas, focusing on the sudden intrusion.
"From the conversation just now, it seems my organization has received a final ultimatum from the Mage's Association. Rebels have already emerged, and a cleanup crew specializing in combat capabilities has infiltrated this land to eradicate us. Grand Duke, they are invading your territory, so—"
"No need for further words, magus. Please understand your position," the man referred to as the Grand Duke stood up from the shadows, interrupting Danic's speech. "I am a Servant. Give the order, Master!"
Danic was momentarily taken aback, but then he revealed a sinister, murderous grin:
"Exterminate those lowly invaders, Berserker!"
"Understood," Berserker's voice was equally filled with murderous intent.