Chapter 105: The Premiere of "Fate Zero" (5)
Norsrick Cinema.
On the white walls, "Fate/Zero" continued to play. Due to the excessively long duration of this movie, most of the audience had already visited the restroom more than once. Unfortunately, judging from the plot development, the end of the movie seemed distant.
With such a terrifyingly long runtime, more than one audience member had complained, "Is this length supposed to kill me?"
Of course, complaints aside, most audience members were actually quite satisfied with the lengthy viewing experience. After all, compared to "my life expectancy versus the director's," or the usual one-and-a-half to two-hour movies that would be over in a flash, for this group of folks who had nothing else to do after work, they even wished the movie would play for the entire day, saving them the time for sleeping.
The four-hour spectacle of "Fate/Zero" had the audience buzzing with excitement, exclaiming, "I'm so hyped right now!!!"
As the movie wrapped up its introduction of Masters and Heroic Spirits, paving the way for their first clash, anticipation soared.
The sight of the golden-haired female knight advancing toward the harbor sent hearts racing. The inaugural battle of "Fate/Zero" had commenced, unfolding its blockbuster essence in grandeur!
The clash of spears and swords, the majestic displays of Heroic Spirits spanning eras based on mutual recognition, stirred a hidden passion within the audience. Whether seasoned adventurers or ordinary folk, all were engulfed in the glory of battle. Amidst the chaos, the actions of each Master and Servant were vividly portrayed, offering a glimpse into the strategic and tactical depth of the Holy Grail War.
Meanwhile, at the Imperial Mage Academy, mages were brimming with enthusiasm.
"The boundary around the sword? The red spear shattering magic? Absolutely fantastic!"
"The design of the Invincible Air is fascinating. Engraving wind and water attributes on the sword to conceal its true length, even fooling the enemy. But compressing the self-recharging magic array so small is no easy feat. Plus, the immense magic power wrapped around the sword might dull its sharpness. Perhaps wrapping it in a layer of fire attribute would enhance its edge further."
"The concept of Familiars is intriguing. Similar summoning contracts existed in legends, but it seems this magic faded over time. The idea of sharing sensory experiences is captivating."
"Why does this movie feel more like an educational film than a story? It's as if we're being enlightened..."
"Yeah, I'm tempted to delve into alchemy after this..."
As discussions unfolded, it became evident how differently informed individuals perceived the movie.
At Norsrick, uninformed viewers would simply marvel and exclaim, "Wow, that's awesome!" On the other hand, mages from the Imperial Mage Academy scrutinized the film's sensory experiences and design, akin to seasoned movie critics.
In the midst of it all, a group of teachers from the Imperial Mage Academy and the Mage Tower, who had stealthily attended the screening of "Fate/Zero," couldn't help but ponder:
"Is this considered recruitment? That scoundrel is openly trying to poach our future students!"
"You're right, this approach is too cunning. Even I feel like brushing up on my alchemy after watching it... I bet he timed the movie release for this purpose, didn't he? Seriously, doesn't the Dean care at all?!"
"Well, the Dean himself has been spending a lot of time at the Alchemy Tower lately. Who knows what he's up to..."
Clearly, despite being staunch adherents of traditional magic, these old mages couldn't help but feel a slight wavering under the influence of "Fate/Zero," a work that not only boasted an excellent storyline but also subtly highlighted the advantages of alchemical magic. If even they were affected, then the new students who were just starting out, unaffected by the influence of traditional magic, were even more susceptible!
At this moment, a group of freshmen, after witnessing the story presented in "Fate/Zero," regardless of their prior knowledge of magic, developed an interest in alchemical magic. The only thing currently hindering their pursuit of this interest was the apparent absence of alchemy courses at the Imperial Mage Academy.
Meanwhile, at the far end of the Mage Tower, a group of top-tier Imperial mages, who, due to their status, couldn't attend in person but were still watching through their hawk-eye spells, engaged in a more profound discussion.
"The Holy Grail, a mystical artifact that can grant any wish, and it can also summon Heroic Spirits and grant three Command Spells to Masters participating in the Holy Grail War to control their Servants. The magical power required for such a massive system must surpass even that provided by ley lines, right? In my opinion, this story is just nonsensical nonsense. After all, it was written by that youngster who's barely twenty, without any basis or logic."
In response to a certain wise man's assessment, Headmaster Hohenheim shook his head. "Not quite. While the Holy Grail's setting is indeed fantastical and beyond our comprehension, the other aspects of the story are quite well-developed. The story portrays the Three Founding Families and organizations like the Clock Tower, where the Three Founding Families, who created the Holy Grail, possess a comprehensive magical legacy. However, instead of choosing to keep it within their own ranks, they invite external mages to compete for the use of the Holy Grail together. This seems rather illogical."
"In addition, the supposed collaboration between the so-called Holy Church and the Tohsaka family, and even the biased conduct of the referees, suggest that this war may have been flawed from the start. In my opinion, there may be some inherent flaws in the Holy Grail War itself, forcing them to call upon external mages. In other words, perhaps the most important aspect of the Holy Grail War is not the Holy Grail itself, but rather the process of the war..."
Impressed by Hohenheim's almost uncanny insight, another wise man chuckled, "Old Hohen, you're still as sharp as ever. But you're right. I share a similar view. And don't you all remember what that guy named Tohsaka Tokiomi said before? He mentioned that the magicians participate in the Holy Grail War to reach the Root. While we don't know what that Root is for now, I can imagine it's akin to what the Seventh Level represents for us mages."
"So, you're saying the Holy Grail War might have initially been designed by the Three Founding Families to reach the Root. But due to some unforeseen circumstances, they had to spread rumors about the all-powerful wish-granting device to attract outsiders. And obviously, the other mages in that world aren't fools. The higher-ups deliberately suppressed information about the Holy Grail War, as evidenced by the scarcity of participants initially and the forced involvement of even 'ordinary' people like Ryuunosuke Uryuu in the later stages."
In agreement with the analysis of the two elders, the other wise men nearby nodded in assent. The one who spoke earlier, with a touch of irritability, interjected, "Ha, you see it clearly now, don't you? I just don't like these petty stories. I'd rather have seven powerful mages battling each other; that's more interesting than knightly fights, which, while magnificent for ordinary folks, are ultimately superficial for us."
"Well, I share your sentiment. Knightly battles may be glamorous for the common folk, but for us, a battle between mages would be more satisfying."
"Holy Grail, Holy Grail War, magicians, the Root, Heroic Spirits from history, the last one standing gets to claim the Holy Grail and fulfill any wish... Honestly, though it may seem like a straightforward story, I've been on edge this whole time. Whether it's the head of the Matou family not expressing any hope for adopting the Tohsaka girl or the Clock Tower's indifferent attitude towards the Holy Grail War, it just feels like this so-called Holy Grail War isn't a simple story."
"Yeah, even an old hermit like you, who hasn't left his laboratory in decades, is out here because he wanted to see a movie. How could this be a simple story?"
"Enough with the banter, I'm being serious here."
"What's serious is that a bunch of wise men like us, instead of conducting magical experiments in our own laboratories, are gathered here watching something called a movie made by a young mage. Five years ago, I would never have believed such a day would come!"
"..."
As the other wise men veered off-topic, Hohenheim remained silent, murmuring to himself, "In any case, it comes down to that question: since the Holy Grail and the Holy Grail War have been presented as rewards and a stage, it's evident that the process of war is indispensable. But in such a scenario, is the Holy Grail truly the wish-granting device it's said to be? Does the system for summoning Heroic Spirits really exist? Where do souls go after death? And what is this Root? Is it a miraculous entity, or does it exist beyond the realm of magic?"
Hohenheim's series of questions reflected his confusion, prompting the other wise men present to focus more intently on the performance called a movie.
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