[After system simulation, it would take the host at least ten years to collect the world information required by the system in the original world, which is completely insufficient to complete the task before the system shuts down.]
'You have so little faith in me?'
[Subjectively, after repelling Araya Souren, the area where the host is located will temporarily enter a peaceful period. The nearest plot event is the Tsukihime storyline in 2000, which is four years away. Moreover, given the host's personality, it's unlikely you'd go to the Clock Tower to study unless a mission is issued.]
[Objectively, the host actually hopes this system will run out of power and shut down automatically, doesn't he? Based on an analysis of your personality and behavior, this system believes that after raising Shiki Ryōgi's affection to its current level, even if you lose your ninja abilities due to the system shutting down, you wouldn't care. After all, living off others is your primary goal, and your own strength is secondary.]
[So, relying on the host's conscience is a foolish notion. To fulfill this system's mission, it has decided to save itself.]
[Host, if you fail to complete the task, you can say goodbye to your cushy life in this world forever!]
'Fine, you win!'
Higashino Kanade gritted his teeth in anger but had to admit the system had seen right through him.
To be honest, when he learned the system would shut down automatically due to lack of energy, Kanade was tempted. For him, as long as he could live comfortably, he couldn't be bothered to complete dangerous missions to gain strength—his previous life as a ninja had already worn him out.
But the system had indeed grasped his weakness. If he hadn't met Shiki Ryōgi in this world, he might not have cared about the system's survival. After all, he could always find someone else to rely on—as long as it helped him reach Chaldea before the Incineration of Humanity.
But Kanade had already developed feelings for Shiki. Emotions weren't something you could just sever at will. Though he had initially seen her as nothing more than a tool, after spending time together, he had gradually grown fond of her. He was, after all, a normal man—no one could resist Shiki's charm.
'Just wait, System. I'll complete the mission and return—but not for your sake.'
[May fortune favor you in battle.]
After ending the conversation with the system, Kanade stood up and surveyed his surroundings.
This was a high-altitude region, with low-hanging clouds and dense, towering trees surrounded by unfamiliar ferns.
The temperature was chilly. Though it wasn't snowing, it was much colder than the early spring of Mifune City. Judging by the withered grass beneath his feet, it was likely autumn.
"Miscalculation. I forgot to bring seasonal clothing."
Kanade rubbed his stiff arms, then pulled out a sealing scroll from his ninja pouch and summoned the Akatsuki cloak he had obtained earlier, draping it over himself.
Instantly, warmth returned to his body. Despite its thin appearance, the cloak provided the perfect temperature for his movements, living up to its reputation of being warm in winter and cool in summer.
With the temperature issue resolved, Kanade looked around.
At this high altitude, he couldn't see much of the landscape below. However, not far away stood a castle enclosed by a circular wall.
"Is the current plot The Case Files of Lord El-Melloi II? I've forgotten most of what I've seen before—only that the protagonist is a Master from the Fourth Holy Grail War and his Saber-faced disciple. Which part of the story am I in now?"
After a moment of thought, he asked inwardly: 'System, where have you sent me? If you want to collect world information, couldn't you have just dropped me in London?'
After a brief wait, the system remained silent. Kanade understood it was playing dead again.
"I must've been cursed in a past life for ending up with this system. Was it because I peeked into women's baths with Jiraiya-sensei too many times?" Kanade sighed inwardly. In the end, he had to rely on himself.
"First, I'll head to the castle to gather information, then decide what to do."
For a ninja, intelligence was always the top priority. For the sake of returning home, Kanade mustered a bit of the drive he'd had during missions in his past life.
Walking across the grassy field, he encountered neither people nor animals along the way. As he neared the castle, a massive, uneven boulder blocked his path.
Or rather, it was the person sleeping on the boulder.
The rock's surface was pitted and uneven—hardly a place fit for sleeping. Yet the person atop it lay peacefully, as if resting on a comfortable bed.
The figure sat up upon sensing Kanade's approach, eyeing him before muttering to himself, "A child? An Easterner? What family would dare send a child to a place like this? They must be out of their minds."
Thanks to the system's built-in language comprehension, Kanade understood him perfectly.
Now that the man had sat up, Kanade could see his appearance clearly.
He wore white ethnic attire, his skin deeply tanned, his beard caked with dust—like an Arab who had just trekked across a desert.
The man was adorned with various odd trinkets and had a row of daggers strapped to his waist. If he wasn't a performance artist, he definitely wasn't ordinary.
"Kid, though it's none of my business, I'll ask anyway—which family sent you? Are you here for the legacy left by the former master of Adra Castle as well?"
Adra Castle? The name sounded familiar.
Ding! A temporary system mission has been triggered.
Mission Name: The Truth of the Legacy
Time Limit: Five days
(Failure if the time limit is exceeded.)
Description: Lost, you accidentally hear about the former master of Adra Castle selecting an heir for his legacy. But your instincts sense something amiss, prompting you to investigate and uncover the truth behind the so-called legacy.
Reward: Silver Treasure Chest
Failure Penalty: Death
(Note: Treat Adra Castle as the first stop on your journey into the world of magecraft. See it for yourself!)
'Of course. I knew the system wouldn't just dump me in the middle of nowhere for no reason.'
Kanade was too tired to complain. "My name is Higashino Kanade, from an obscure magecraft family in the East. I'm here for the legacy of Adra Castle."
"Hah! For your family to send someone as young as you, they must have great confidence in you." The man laughed heartily, then brushed the dust off his white robe. "I'm Flew, a wandering magus. I was invited here."
"Invited?"
"Yeah, a week ago, servants from Adra Castle delivered an invitation. At the time, I was baffled—why would a renowned magus like the master of Adra Castle invite a wanderer like me?" Flew pulled out a black invitation edged with gold, then noticed Kanade's odd expression.
"Don't tell me you didn't get one?"
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