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The real world map of Fuyuki City—based on Kobe, Japan—is about 500 square kilometers. Max (the developer) had condensed it to a playable 50 square kilometers for the game, but that was still massive.
To prevent players from hiding in a bush for ten hours (also known as the "Rat Strategy"), Max had implemented a dynamic radar system.
[THE CIRCLE IS CLOSING]
Every hour, a player's detection range expanded by 5 kilometers. It was like a sonar ping.
Green: You and your Servant.
Red: Enemy Players.
Yellow: Enemy Servants.
However, the Assassin class had a passive skill: Presence Concealment. When an Assassin was pinged by the radar, they got a notification. If they moved out of range or got within 1 kilometer (the "Blind Spot") within five minutes, they stayed invisible.
It was a perfect cat-and-mouse mechanic.
Maverick and Saber sat in the ruins of Ryuudou Temple, watching the map. The sun was rising, painting the devastated landscape in hues of orange and pink.
"One hour," Maverick said, checking the timer. "The final ping."
They waited.
The Gamer Girl (Rider's Master) and Ryu (Lancer's Master) sat nearby as ghosts, refusing to log out. They were invested.
"Maybe he disconnected?" Ryu suggested, kicking a rock that his spectral foot passed through.
"Or he got killed by the Columbus army," the Gamer Girl mused. "Those things were everywhere."
"Or maybe," Maverick said, staring at the empty map, "he died to an NPC."
The timer hit zero.
The radar pinged. It swept the entire city.
[NO TARGETS FOUND]
Silence.
"You're kidding me," Maverick groaned. "He's already dead?"
"It appears so," Saber said, sheathing her sword. "There are no other magical signatures in the city."
The Gamer Girl sighed. "Well, that's anti-climactic. I stayed up all night for this? I'm going to bed. Maverick, accept my friend request."
"Yeah, yeah," Maverick waved.
"I'm out too," Ryu said. "GG, everyone. Artoria supremacy."
"GG."
The two spectator ghosts faded away, choosing to "Voluntarily Forfeit the Grail" to end the match.
With the last opponents gone, the sky split open.
A burst of kaleidoscopic light flooded the ruins. From the heavens, a golden chalice descended, floating gently into Maverick's hands.
It was heavy. It was warm. It pulsed with infinite magical energy.
[SYSTEM NOTIFICATION][WINNER: MAVERICK][ITEM OBTAINED: THE HOLY GRAIL (1)][UNLOCK: SHOP & FRIEND LIST]
"Is this it?" Maverick asked, holding the cup. "The wish granter?"
"It should be," Saber said softly. She looked at the Grail with a mix of longing and hesitation.
"Well," Maverick said, offering it to her. "It's yours. Save Britain."
Saber reached out, her armored fingers brushing the gold. She paused.
"Master," she said, her green eyes clear. "I still wish to save my country. But... this journey. Fighting alongside you, and the others... it has taught me something."
She smiled. It wasn't the sad, burdened smile of a martyr. It was the genuine smile of a girl who had finally found comrades.
"Even if the wish fails... even if history cannot be changed... I will not regret this path. Thank you, Master."
She took the Grail.
The world dissolved into white light.
[GAME OVER]
Maverick found himself back in the black void of the lobby. He was alone. But the golden cup was in his inventory.
And a new menu had appeared: [MATCH HISTORY].
"Okay," Maverick muttered, cracking his knuckles. "I have to know. How did the Assassin die?"
He clicked on [ASSASSIN - DEATH REPLAY].
The screen shifted.
Maverick was watching a recording. He saw a player—another Kiritsugu avatar—standing in a dimly lit apartment in Fuyuki. This was clearly at the start of the match.
"Are you kidding me?" the Assassin player scoffed, tossing the default catalyst (Avalon) into the trash can. "I'm the Emperor of Europe! My luck is S-Rank! Why would I use a guaranteed summon? I'm pulling for a 5-Star!"
He drew a custom summoning circle on the floor with red chalk.
"Come on, RNGesus!" he shouted. "Give me something broken! Give me King Hassan! Give me Gilgamesh!"
He chanted the spell.
Blue light flashed. Smoke filled the room.
When it cleared, a small figure stood in the circle.
It was a girl. She was petite, with dark skin and purple hair tied in a ponytail. She wore a tight, black bodysuit that left very little to the imagination, and a skull mask covered her face.
[SERVANT SUMMONED: ASSASSIN - HASSAN OF THE SERENITY]
Maverick blinked. "Oh. It's her."
The chat in the replay (which was recorded alongside the video) exploded.
[Chat]:[DownBad]: A WILD GIRL APPEARED!
[Thirst]: Dark skin! Purple hair! The author has taste!
[Analysis]: Wait, that's Serenity. The Poison Girl.
[Lick]: I want to lick her abs.
[Warning]: DON'T LICK HER. SHE IS LITERALLY POISON.
The Assassin player stared at his Servant. He clearly liked what he saw.
"Jackpot!" he cheered. "A cute Assassin! Forget King Hassan, I got a waifu!"
Serenity tilted her head. Her voice was muffled by the mask. "Are you my Master?"
"Yes! Yes I am!" The player rushed forward to hug her.
"Wait," Serenity warned, stepping back. "Master, do not touch me. My body is—"
"Shh," the player shushed her, opening his arms wide. "No words. Only hugs."
He grabbed her. He hugged her tight. He even tried to kiss her mask.
Serenity froze. "Master... no..."
[SYSTEM NOTIFICATION][EFFECT APPLIED: POISON (RANK A+)]
The player turned purple instantly. He started foaming at the mouth.
"Ack... urgh..." he gagged, clutching his throat. "Toxic... love..."
He collapsed. Dead.
[YOU HAVE DIED][CAUSE OF DEATH: TERMINAL SIMPING]
The replay ended.
Maverick sat in the void, staring at the screen.
"He died..." Maverick whispered. "He died because he tried to hug the Poison Girl."
He burst out laughing. It started as a chuckle and grew into a full-blown roar of laughter.
"That's it!" Maverick wheezed, wiping tears from his eyes. "That's why he wasn't on the map! He died in the tutorial!"
[Chat (Live)]:
[KekW]: HE DIED HUGGING HER!
[Darwin_Award]: Natural selection at work.
[Lore_Master]: Serenity's whole lore is that her skin is lethal poison. If you touch her without poison resistance, you die instantly.
[Simp_Nation]: Worth it. I would have done the same.
[Respect]: He died doing what he loved. Being a degenerate.
Maverick shook his head. "This game... this game is a masterpiece."
He looked at his follower count. 12 Million.
"Alright," Maverick said to the camera. "That's it for tonight. I'm going to sleep for a week. Thanks for watching the Holy Grail War. And remember..."
He pointed at the screen.
"Don't hug the poison waifus."
[STREAM END]
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