The Fate/stay night series that Ren drew from was a complete work, but so far, only the Heaven's Feel (HF) route had been released as a movie.
During the HF production, the Unlimited Blade Works (UBW) and Fate routes had also been in the works, but they were scheduled later in Picca's production timeline.
By now, Picca Comics, under Ren's guidance, had grown into a comprehensive entertainment company with numerous large IPs. Many projects awaited adaptation into TV series, so even with careful planning, it had taken time to finish these other two routes.
Finally, Ren announced on Weibo that Fate/stay night would soon be releasing new content.
The news caused an instant uproar, and the criticism of 5 Centimeters per Second that had flooded Ren's Weibo quickly got pushed down.
"Another TV series? Wait—is this just a remake? Are they chopping up the movie and calling it something new?"
"Come on! Didn't you see there are two versions of Fate/stay night coming?"
"Exactly. Last time we got Heaven's Feel; now it's Unlimited Blade Works and Fate/stay night…"
"But what does that mean?"
"I don't get it either."
Online, fans grew curious about the UBW and FATE routes, as both bore the Fate/stay night name and looked almost identical. If it weren't for the Unlimited Blade Works title, people might have assumed Picca had accidentally posted the announcement twice.
But then a knowledgeable fan chimed in:
"I don't know much about Fate/stay night, but I think I get what Unlimited Blade Works (UBW) is about."
"Did you all forget the character known as Red Archer from the HF route? He says 'Unlimited Blade Works' right before he saves Shirou, hinting at his connection to Shirou and possibly Rin."
"Right! I thought it was weird in the movie that Red Archer looked so much like Shirou. And in HF, we saw hints pointing to a deeper relationship between Red Archer, Shirou, and Rin. The red jewel, for example, and how Red Archer's attitude toward Rin was… well, very close."
This insight sparked further discussion among fans of the Fate universe.
"If that's true, then maybe Fate/stay night is like a visual novel with different routes. HF focuses on Sakura, UBW on Rin—so what's the Fate/stay night route?"
"Obviously, Illya's route!" someone joked.
"You're ignoring Saber, the King of Knights?"
"No way Saber would ever fall for a kid like Shirou!"
Excited fans debated the question of the main heroine for the Fate route. The prevailing theory was that Illya would be the lead since Saber, the legendary King Arthur, couldn't possibly develop romantic feelings for a teenager like Shirou.
What's more, Illya's tragic story in HF—growing up without family, finally meeting her brother, and then sacrificing herself—had left a huge impression on fans.
A lot of them hoped Ren would give her a happier ending.
"If your fans knew how you treated Illya in these routes, what do you think would happen?" Jada asked, glancing over at Ren as she read through online discussions on her tablet.
Jada noticed that most fans were rooting for Illya to have a happy ending.
Honestly, she'd felt the same at first.
But then she found out that Ren had given Illya a tragic ending in every single route.
Take the Fate route, for example: Illya becomes the Holy Grail after absorbing six Heroic Spirits, and even though Shirou defeats Kotomine and destroys the Grail, Illya's body is so weakened by the battle that she dies a year later.
And in UBW? Illya's heart is ripped out by Gilgamesh.
If fans caught wind of these endings, Ren would probably face even harsher backlash than he had for the 5 Centimeters per Second finale.
"Can't you just give Illya a happier ending?" Jada asked.
As a mother of two, Jada couldn't help feeling that her husband was being unnecessarily cruel to Illya. Even if he didn't want to give her a fairy-tale ending, he didn't have to kill her off every time, right?
"Hmm… that's not impossible," Ren replied thoughtfully from where he lay on the bed, stroking his chin.
After all, there was Fate/kaleid liner Prisma☆Illya in the Fate universe—a spin-off series in which Illya lives happily, attending school, making friends, visiting hot springs, and watching fireworks.
In this story, her father, Kiritsugu, fulfills his dream of ending the Holy Grail War and protecting his loved ones. Illya's mom, Irisviel, is alive and well, and Shirou doesn't have to become a "Hero of Justice."
It's clear that Prisma☆Illya was created as a happier counterpart to the main Fate/stay night timeline, filling in some of the heartbreaking gaps with fun, exciting battles that felt on par with any top-tier action series.
"Wait, seriously?" Jada looked at him, her expression full of surprise.
"Maybe… we'll see." Ren shrugged.
To him, Prisma☆Illya was an option, but he'd only work on it if he happened to draw it from his random selection of projects.
With a new month approaching, he thought it might be worth trying his luck on the next draw.
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