Prologue: My Name Is Fujimaru Ritsuka
[June 6, 1983 — Clear]
Today is an important day. My father, Matou Tsuruno, brought me back from London to the Matou family estate in Fuyuki. He said he would introduce me to Grandfather and Uncle, and that Grandfather would treat my eye condition—even though I've never met him before. I'm really happy.
Because these eyes I was born with are strange—different from everyone else's—I sometimes see all sorts of messy, complicated lines. It's so inconvenient.
And those lines are terrifying. If I accidentally touch them, things break… and people can get hurt.
[June 16, 1983]
It's been more than a week since we arrived in Fuyuki. Life is quiet and uneventful, but both Grandfather and Uncle feel… strange.
Especially Uncle Kariya. Ever since the day I came here, he's been looking at me with a weird expression.
I asked him if my eyes couldn't be cured, or if he didn't like me. He didn't answer. He only showed a look that was both guilty and relieved. I can't figure him out.
[July 6, 1983]
Today, Father suddenly left without saying anything. He left me at Grandfather's house. He only told me to behave—he didn't say when he'd come back.
I feel a little sad, but I can understand. Adults have to work to support a family—they're busy. Besides, for the last two years it's mostly been the nanny taking care of me. Father and I… aren't that close.
[August 6, 1983]
Grandfather Zouken Matou came to see me again today.
No matter how many times I see him, he still looks like a dried-up mummy. When he walks, he creaks—crrk, crrk—like something that stepped straight out of a horror movie. And he always smiles strangely at me.
He treats me kindly, almost gently… but the way he looks at me doesn't feel like he's looking at a person. It feels like he's looking at an object. It scares me.
But I'm probably overthinking it. Ritsuka has to be a good child who respects his grandfather.
Oh—before I forget to introduce myself. My name is—
Fujimaru Ritsuka.
[August 12, 1983 — Overcast]
I haven't seen Grandfather in about six days. It's strange. I asked Uncle Kariya where he went.
Uncle Kariya said Grandfather is "preparing" something for me.
Preparing? Is it for treating my eyes? I don't really understand, but I feel very excited.
[August 16, 1983]
Uncle Kariya is gone too. He looked really down.
I know why. He often took me to the park, and I've seen him with a big sister named Aoi. She's going to marry someone else. The groom isn't him.
Poor Uncle Kariya. I hope he can get out of that shadow soon.
Before he left, I even pinky-swore with him: next time we meet, he'll take me to the amusement park. He agreed… but then he said things I didn't understand at all.
He told me that no matter what happens—no matter what I face—I have to stay strong.
[August 20, 1983]
Grandfather finally reappeared after being gone for so long. He said the treatment for my eyes can begin.
Even though he looks scary… he really does love me, doesn't he?
Everyone is a good person. I'll cooperate with the treatment, and someday I'll repay them.
…
From this day onward, everything changed completely.
…
[August 23, 1983 — Rain]
Bugs! Bugs everywhere! Endless bugs!
Grandfather shoved me into a cellar filled with insects. He said this is a necessary part of the treatment.
But it hurts so much—the bugs bite so painfully! It hurts so badly I feel like I'm going to die!
[September 23, 1983]
I don't even remember how long I've been in the bug pit. My eyes don't hurt anymore, but the pain in the rest of my body overwhelms everything.
Sometimes I can even feel it—bugs crawling into my eyes.
These strange eyes of mine are becoming uncontrollable. My vision is filled with black lines—until the whole world is nothing but black lines.
I don't know anymore… whether I've gone crazy, or whether this world has.
When the "treatment" finally reached its supposed end, that old worm appeared again.
He said my adaptability and talent are beyond expectation. That I stayed in the bug room for a whole month and still looked "full of life." He told me to keep going—just one more week.
In that moment, something collapsed inside me.
I don't understand.
Father… what did I do wrong? Why did you hand me over to a monster like this?!
[June 6, 1984]
I've been in the bug room for almost a year. Somehow, I've started to adapt to the pain. Even the bugs have become tame with time.
That damned old worm says I have outstanding talent. That I successfully "assimilated" the familiars with my mana. That the circuit modification is complete. That it's time for me to inherit the Matou magecraft.
Magecraft? What is magecraft? Is it just being tortured by bugs forever?
[July 6, 1984]
That piercing pain is back!
The old worm said he needs to "stimulate my talent more effectively," so he added many new bugs.
My body feels like it's being torn apart again. More than once I felt like I was truly going to die.
But I can't die. I can't die!
Damn you, old worm! I'll never forgive you!
It's just bugs, isn't it? Aside from this filthy trick, what else can you do?
Bring it on! I'm not afraid!
[July 16, 1984]
The torment has finally paused. The old thing says the "initial phase" of the improvements is complete.
Uncle Kariya came back today too—apparently to attend his first love's wedding.
When he saw me this time, his eyes were full of guilt and pain. When he tried to leave, he even attempted to secretly take me away.
But the old worm noticed and ruthlessly drove him out.
[July 24, 1984]
The old worm finally finished evaluating my aptitude.
As a "first-generation magus," I apparently have 23 high-quality Magic Circuits—far beyond what he expected.
But he still looks furious. Maybe he's unhappy that I didn't break, that I never knelt and begged.
So today there were even more bugs, and they bit even harder.
But whenever I think of his unhappy face… I can't help laughing.
It's like my numb body doesn't even hurt as much anymore.
The more you want me to submit, the more I won't.
I'll keep resisting you forever—just to disgust you!
[August 1, 1984]
Today the old worm started teaching me magecraft theory—from basics to system-level concepts—and he urges me to learn quickly.
[August 21, 1984]
My learning speed is far beyond even his imagination… beyond my own expectations too.
It's like I've studied these things somewhere before. I only need to read them once to understand.
In just ten days—or seven—I caught up to what would take others months.
Could it be… that I'm actually a genius?
[September 1, 1984]
My request to go out and attend school was rejected again.
He won't even let me take one step outside.
Damn it—my escape plan hasn't even started, and it's already dead.
[October 6, 1985]
A year of hell is finally over, and I gave the old worm a "pleasant" surprise.
Because of my elemental alignment and my Mystic Eyes, I improve extremely slowly in the Matou family's specialties—familiar control, absorption, and command-type magecraft. My aptitude for healing and water magecraft is terrible too.
But for summoning, spirit invocation, general-purpose magecraft, and offensive spells… my growth is terrifyingly fast.
The old worm's dissatisfaction is written all over his face.
Looks like I was never compatible with this trash family that only knows how to play with disgusting bugs.
[November 6, 1985]
He blamed it on "incomplete modification," so he stuffed me into that damned bug den again.
This time it was twice as long, and the bugs were far more aggressive.
I can clearly feel it—every inch of my body being torn apart and repaired by even more insects.
But thank goodness… no matter how many times, I'm still me. My mind is clear. I haven't turned into some filthy insect.
And with the accumulation and stimulation, my eyes were finally truly activated.
In that instant, I felt like I saw the real structure of the world.
The essence of the world is made of countless lines and points—and I can see them clearly.
And… it seems I can interfere with them in my own way.
At that moment, I felt like I understood something.
[December 6, 1985]
This long tug-of-war has finally ended. The old worm gave up on further "modifying" me.
Because no matter how many bugs he threw in, what remained in the end was only piles of corpses.
Those insects' lines… I cut them neatly with a curved blade, or with my palm, until not a trace of life remained.
And that's when I finally understood what my eyes are for—what those lines I saw all these years truly were.
Follow the lines. Follow the points.
Cut them. Break them.
Grant all things their destined death.
Whether the target is living or not—death can be imposed.
From this day on, my Mystic Eyes truly awakened.
[February 6, 1986]
Because I kept killing so many insects with my eyes, the old worm realized continuing like this would only waste resources.
He dragged me out of the bug pit, and after much effort he finally confirmed the true nature of my eyes.
They are the lowest "grade" of Mystic Eye—yet still above the level of "gem."
A legendary Mystic Eye known in myth as:
Mystic Eyes of Death Perception.
He said its prototype is the miracle eye possessed by the god of myth, Balor—a divine miracle. Even he doesn't understand why I have such eyes.
Honestly, neither do I.
Because I can't remember my memories from before I turned five.
But the old worm told me: my "father," Matou Tsuruno, discovered these eyes and adopted me—then sold me to Zouken for a good price.
Of course, I know he says this only to make me hate Matou Tsuruno.
Yes… I do hate him. But it doesn't matter anymore.
Because the person I want to kill—
from start to finish—
has only ever been you, my dear "grandfather."
I can't expose myself. I have to keep enduring. I need the right opportunity.
Yes. I have to keep waiting.
"Wait—and hope."
That's my favorite line. It's from The Count of Monte Cristo. I often use it to encourage myself to crawl out of this hell.
Sometimes I even mock myself… thinking I really do resemble a certain prisoner king.
[April 6, 1986]
Today I made a bold decision.
When the old worm turned his head, I tried to carve his "line of death" from behind.
But the moment I used my eyes, the threat of death alerted him.
He was furious—he wanted to kill me… but in the end, he couldn't bear to.
Instead, he hung me up and let the bugs chew on me for three days.
Old worm… I didn't expect you of all people could ever "hesitate" to lose me.
[August 6, 1986]
The old worm has gone completely insane.
He wants me to preside over an advanced spirit invocation ritual—attempting a Heroic Spirit summoning.
I understand his intention perfectly.
He wants the ritual backlash to damage my soul, making it easier to control me.
Damn old worm… your revenge really is vicious.
But I won't let you succeed.
I will live.
[December 6, 1986]
I tried resisting. I even set fire to half of his bug chamber once.
Watching him rage and stomp around was… genuinely entertaining.
I know he wants to kill me, but he doesn't dare.
Because he can't confirm whether my eyes are bound to my soul. He fears that if he kills me, my Mystic Eyes and body might be severely damaged.
As long as he still wants to use me… he can't gamble.
That might be my last thread of hope.
[January 3, 1987]
Today is not a good day.
The old worm threw a book at me—"Heaven's Feel"—and forced me to read it all, then learn the ritual magecraft inside.
So this is his real purpose for teaching me spirit invocation.
The author is Makiri Zolgen, and the book is about the Holy Grail War.
Over two hundred years ago, the three families—Einzbern, Tohsaka, and Matou—joined hands to create the "Holy Grail," a wish-granting device meant to touch the ultimate goal of all magi: the Swirl of the Root.
But the Grail can belong to only one. Cooperation turned into slaughter.
So every sixty years, seven Masters and seven Servants fight to the death in Fuyuki City for the Grail.
Servants are heroic figures summoned by magi. They appear in classes like Saber, Lancer, Archer, and the other seven standard containers, and they fight.
When I saw the words "Servant" and "Master," an inexplicable familiarity surged in my brain.
What is this?
It feels like I've heard these words before.
No—more than that. I must have heard them.
But I can't remember. Still, I feel like if I follow this clue, I'll grasp something important.
If I calculate the timeline… the Fourth Holy Grail War should be starting soon.
So the old worm wants me to represent the Matou family.
No wonder he's been so "invested" in me.
[May 6, 1987]
The first rehearsal for Heroic Spirit summoning began.
The old worm watched with malicious glee, not caring at all whether my soul would be damaged.
To him, it would be best if I became an idiot.
What he wants is a tool he can control—or a body he can exploit.
[May 8, 1987]
The ritual ended successfully.
Unexpectedly, the rehearsal actually "worked."
But the result disappointed the old worm.
I wasn't possessed by a wandering spirit, and I didn't summon a Heroic Spirit.
I only drew in a weak spirit entity that attached itself to me—
and it was killed without suspense by my Mystic Eyes.
But at that time, my vision blurred, and it felt like my soul had been layered.
Through the Mystic Eyes, I vaguely saw the silhouette of a girl with orange-red hair.
She was beautiful.
Even though I had never met her, a strange impulse rose from deep inside me, and I blurted out her name:
"Fujimaru Rikka."
That was… my sister?
But I'm supposed to be an orphan. I don't even know who my parents are.
How could I have a sister?
Then why do I know her?
Why did I call her name without thinking?
Just from seeing her once, my questions only multiplied.
I realized nothing about this is simple. I have to keep digging.
Fujimaru Rikka… she must be connected to the secrets hidden inside me.
[June 8, 1988]
Another year slipped away.
I started pretending to be obedient—at least, that's what the old worm believes.
I stopped openly opposing him and instead studied the rituals in Heaven's Feel seriously.
Because I'm already good at spirit invocation, and with this book, my skill has advanced by leaps and bounds.
Every time I read it, I can't help admiring the genius of Makiri Zolgen.
His mastery of invocation and command systems truly deserves to be called the Matou family founder who built the Grail.
Compared to him, the current Matou Zouken—who only plays with bugs—is garbage among garbage.
[August 8, 1988]
To recreate the feeling of seeing Fujimaru Rikka—and gather more clues—I performed spirit invocation alone more than ten times.
Each time I saw only fragments, but I also began to grasp something like the outline of fate.
I suspect it's my past life.
Or maybe a wandering spirit's memories.
But I recorded several key names and terms:
Chaldea. A-Team. A Lord of the Department of Spiritual Evocation. Control room explosion. Fujimaru Rikka. Mash. Kadoc. Doctor Roman. Da Vinci.
The information is still unclear, but it's like a puzzle finally has its edges.
I feel the truth is only one step away.
So I must endure. I must hide myself.
I can't let Matou Zouken notice anything.
…
Time passed. Another two years.
[June 4, 1990]
Two years of silence and accumulation finally lowered the old worm's guard.
Today, he received an invitation from the head of the Tohsaka family, saying they needed to discuss something important.
No need to guess—it has to be about the coming Grail War.
At last… an opportunity.
With the materials I've secretly gathered over two years, I set up an over-spec ritual circle.
This is my 26th voluntary invocation—my highest-spec yet.
No limits. No safeguards.
Only to rip away the veil—
to see the truth more clearly.
The magic gemstones are stolen from the old worm's collection—high-grade pieces from the Tohsaka family.
The improvements come from blurry memories combined with what I know now.
Lapis lazuli. Mercury. Magical beast blood.
And I will use my Mystic Eyes and soul as the price.
This ritual is extremely dangerous.
If I slip even slightly… I'll die.
But at this point, what is there to fear?
I believe I'll survive.
Because after this… I won't have another chance.
[June 5, 1990]
The ritual begins.
This is the moment.
I use my invocation memories from a previous life, combine them with Heaven's Feel and religious knowledge from Heaven's Stair, and complete the circle.
This time… I'll see more clearly than ever before.
I take the Mystic Eyes of Death Perception as the initial medium.
I stake my soul as collateral.
I offer six gemstones, six magical beasts, and my own six organs as the exchange—
only to truly touch the hidden truth.
"Then… let the experiment begin."
After making up his mind, the boy named Fujimaru Ritsuka staggered up from the shadows, clutched his chest, and looked out the window—toward the distant horizon.
"And I… will not regret it."
(An illustration follows.)
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In Star Rail, Ultra-Beast Armored — Have I Caught "Equilibrium"? l (Chapter 60)
Uma Musume, But I Only Have Five Years Left to Live (Chapter 80)
Zenless Zone Zero: I'm a Doctor, Not a Bangboo (Chapter 60)
Ben Tennyson Wants to Join the Justice League (Chapter 64)
TYPE-MOON: Redemption Beginning with the Holy Grail War (Chapter10)
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