There were many myths about different Gods creating humanity, but none as famous as Adam, the Original human.
[How troublesome…]
For Romani, who remained in Chaldea, the situation in this parallel world was far from optimistic.
"But it's not like we're out of options, bastard. In fact, it's a good thing the Monster sent Rider back…"
Gilgamesh had endured countless trials throughout his life. Even though the situation was dire, as the King of Heroes, he would never surrender.
"Huh? It's a good thing Rider-san died?"
Ritsuka couldn't understand it. Achilles had suffered terribly and had been brutally split in two. To Ritsuka, there was nothing good about that.
"Hmph! A bastard is a bastard. You can't see beyond that…"
With a dismissive snort, Gilgamesh crossed his arms and refused to say anything more to Ritsuka. Enkidu smiled apologetically and explained in his place.
"What Gil means is that the war hasn't truly begun yet. Any Servant who dies before it starts will be replaced by another Servant chosen by the Holy Grail."
"Is that really possible?!"
Mash and Ritsuka exclaimed in shock. Sakura blinked in amazement as well.
"In normal Holy Grail Wars, it wouldn't be possible. But this is the World Holy Grail War—the largest and most dangerous one. Anything can happen…"
"Ohhh…"
It was dramatic. That meant Achilles's death hadn't been meaningless. It was sad, but future allies would take their place.
Perhaps that was why Ruler had stopped Lancer.
"This is your chance, last Master of Humanity. You can take part in this war and summon the Red Rider."
[Incredible! That's a great idea! Hurry, Fujimaru-kun, begin the summoning!]
Many Servants had already formed contracts with Ritsuka and were willing to answer his call. Now that Leonardo da Vinci was gone, it was the perfect time to gather strength—before the World Grail chose another Master.
"Da Vinci-chan…"
Perhaps driven by Romani's urgency, Ritsuka already knew who he wanted to call—the girl who had sacrificed herself for them.
Clenching his fist, Ritsuka hesitated no longer.
"Come on, Mash. Let's call our friends."
"Hehe, all right, Senpai."
With Mash's help, the Summoning Circle was completed in moments. Among countless heroes, Ritsuka began the chant, calling out to Leonardo…
"I command you, come to me.
Your sword shall govern my destiny.
Following the laws of the Holy Grail, answer if you accept my will and my reason."
Gilgamesh, Enkidu, and Sakura stood nearby, watching calmly. After all, they were all in the same boat now.
"By the way, my friend, it's unusual, but your Master is a fine catalyst."
Ritsuka using himself as a catalyst made Gilgamesh glance at Enkidu's feet, where a wolf—or more precisely, a chimera—was sleeping.
Enkidu was the will of nature, closer to beasts than to humans. That explained how a chimera could summon him…
"Master is kind. I have no complaints."
Gently stroking the wolf's head, Enkidu smiled. Gilgamesh said nothing more. He was glad his friend's Master wasn't a selfish magus.
"I swear here to embody all that is good in the eternal world.
I swear to expose all the evil of the eternal world.
By the seven heavens that uphold the three great words, come to me from the circle of balance.
Protector of Balance!"
An intense light erupted from the circle as the Heroic Spirit appeared…
"Oh? Well done, Chaldea. You've summoned something quite impressive…"
Gilgamesh smiled as he looked at the Heroic Spirit.
He wore a white robe, with long blond hair like a doll's. His face was expressionless, and the moment his sky-colored eyes opened, his demeanor turned cold.
"I sense Father's presence… What's happening? Why are Father and Mother here?"
The instant the Heroic Spirit opened his eyes, he felt an overwhelming energy—familiar, oppressive.
Only one being in this world could produce such a presence.
His father, Adam…
But why had his father, who was supposed to have returned to Eden, come back to the world?
Was this a blessing, or a mistake?
(No… if Father has returned, it means he obtained the Tree of Life…)
Adam had spent a long time eating the fruits of the Tree of Life. He was immortal, and very few knew that Adam and the Tree of Life had formed a special bond.
According to legend, the Tree of Life loved Adam, just as Adam loved the Tree.
(This is bad. Father must not return to the world…)
A bond that later became an obsession, and then a curse, when Eve tempted Adam to eat from the forbidden Tree.
"Excuse me… who are you?"
Ritsuka was disappointed when he realized it wasn't Leonardo da Vinci, but he still stepped forward. This was his Servant.
The Heroic Spirit remained silent, calmly observing the group. When his eyes settled on the Golden King, everything became clear. His suspicions were confirmed.
"So that's what happened…"
From Gilgamesh, he could sense the energy of both his mother and father. This boy had survived a battle against the Progenitors…
"I am Red Rider, the legitimate descendant of the Progenitor of Humanity… Noah."
The Grand Rider had entered the stage.
And that wasn't all. With Enkidu's summoning and Green Lancer's appearance, the Blues made their move as well.
This time, it was Blue Rider's turn. Like Noah, this Servant was so powerful that even many Gods feared her.
"Rider, are you confident you can defeat him?"
The one who spoke wore a priest's robe. He was the Master of Blue Rider—Kirei Kotomine.
Kirei had been preparing for the Fifth Holy Grail War, so being transported to this world came as a shock. Even more unbelievable was that he had summoned a Goddess…
"Nyaa~ I'm not sure~. That Servant is really powerful. I won't know unless I try~"
Speaking in a playful tone, Rider—who had been summoned at the same time as Enkidu—had also witnessed the Monster's power. She voiced her doubts openly.
As a Goddess, Adam was her nemesis. Her divinity was useless against him—worse, it was a double-edged sword. In martial skill and magical power, they were evenly matched.
Giant planet destroyers.
Even so, there were many restrictions. Although she wasn't part of Genesis, she was still a well-known Deity in the Americas…
The Feathered Serpent Goddess, feared even by the Mesopotamian Gods—Quetzalcoatl.
But Adam came from Eden, the pure land. If she wasn't careful, her strength and authority could be stolen by the Progenitor.
Still, as a pure warrior, she wasn't afraid. If anything, her hands itched at the thought of challenging the Father of Humanity.
"Forget it, then…"
Kirei quickly abandoned the idea of facing the Monster. He had thought that having a Goddess as his Servant would give him an advantage in this World War.
He was wrong. Even Quetzalcoatl wasn't confident she could win. Kirei hated uncertainty, and in such a dangerous war, chance was the least reliable thing of all…
So he turned away, choosing to wait for the war's beginning and the surprises it would bring.
"It stopped…"
Elsewhere, Rin let out a sigh of relief when Lancer withdrew.
She was surprised by Ruler's angelic appearance, but more than anything, she was glad Sakura was safe.
"What a shame, it ended so quickly…"
Eggy waved her hand in disappointment. The image cut out as she rose from her throne.
"What a waste of time. If there's anything else, call me, girl…"
"Moon Cancer…"
Without waiting for Rin to respond, Eggy vanished into the spirit world, leaving Rin speechless once again.
Her Servant was incredibly powerful, but it was a shame she wasn't treated like his Master…
"…"
While Rin sank into gloom, Luviagelita narrowed her eyes. During the battle, she had gathered plenty of information, and Yuki's true identity had been laid bare…
"Adam, huh? Lancer, are you his descendant as well?"
"Yes. At first, I was human. He is my oldest ancestor…"
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