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Chapter Text

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"How are you settling into SCEPTER 4?" Blue Clan lieutenant Seri Awashima asked Lancer-Class Servant Cú Chulainn when he walked out into the hallway. It had been four days since he had been summoned by Blue King Reisi Munakata and during that time it was clear that he was struggling to fit in with a group of people not as free-spirited as the Knights of the Red Branch. They didn't seem like the kind of people who would start a battle then throw a party that same night to forget all about it.

"I've gotten the hang of routine 'round here now. One thing I haven't gotten used to yet is my Master. Reisi's so hard to read."

A word Lancer would use to describe his Master: Scary. Not scary like Lancer's mentor in the Land of Shadows, Scáthach, but definitely creepier. You can never tell what that SCEPTER 4 captain's thinking and that smile of his sends chills down the blue-haired spearman's spine.

"Well, you need to learn to read him fast if you wish to work well together with him."

Lancer rubbed the back of his neck with a groan. "Sheesh, I know, I know! Get off my back about that!" One thing he learned about Seri is that she can be cold and blunt a lot of the time. Kind of reminds him of how Emer, his wife, could be at times. But her rack wasn't nearly that enormous! She could kill someone with those!"

Seri narrowed her eyes. This man, a jock-type and with a devil-may-care attitude, is probably a better match with HOMRA. He has a sense of justice at least. But she has a hunch he's also someone who embodies the cynical notion that wishes never come true. It'll be interesting to see how he works together with the Blue King.

As soon as the two came outside, Lancer spoke up. "Akira and Andy, ya wanted to spar with me, right?" he said to two SCEPTER 4 members in the courtyard of Tsubaki-mon, the Blue Clan HQ. "I ain't got nothin' better to do, so how 'bout now? The rest of you are also welcome to join up against me."

Seri crossed her arms. "I recall the Captain ordering you to share some of your tactics for guerrilla warfare with the Special Squad. It's partially what allowed you to survive single-handedly fighting a war for seven years. Are you going to openly ignore your own Master?"

"Look, I can drill ya guys later. And don't call it ignorin', just improvisin'. Hands-on experience against a Servant should do better with improvin' 'em. 'Sides, I haven't fought anyone in 2,000 years. If I don't train myself my skills'll get rusty. Doubt Reisi wants that."

"He's aware of how your physiology works so I doubt he'll buy that excuse. It doesn't matter how long you Servants go without training your skills will never decrease."

"That's what you think." He glanced back over. "You guys wanna hit the dojo? I ain't gonna wait all day."

"Of course!" Andy Doumyouji immediately replied, practically jumping up.

Akira Hidaka sheepishly grinned at Seri, who had a downright disapproving look on her face. "Sorry, Lieutenant." The other members nervously glanced at Seri before walking over to Lancer.

Then Seri glared at Lancer but didn't stop him. He's definitely too much for even the Blue King to use force against if his legend and his Servant outfit, which left little to the imagination regarding his muscle mass, were anything to go by. "I'm beginning to see why you had so many people wanting you dead."

"I don't much like rulers. Blame Agamemnon. If only that king wasn't such an ass!"

"At least you're willin' to give me a chance," said Red King Mikoto Suoh. The one speaking before is his Rider-Class Servant, Achilles. They were currently in the bar, Homra, the Red Clan's base. "I actually don't care that the Slate chose me to be the Red King. I won't deny that it has saved my life but I don't like it."

Misaki Yata, the skateboarding vanguard of HOMRA, regarded Rider with distrust. He had been since a few hours ago when, upon learning about Misaki's fear of ghosts, phased through a wall directly in front of him and earned a very feminine scream.

"Who wants me to take them for a ride on my chariot?" He referred to one of his five Noble Phantasms, Troias Tragōidia.

"I remember Kamamoto throwin' up yesterday after he rode with you," Saburouta Bandou pointed out.

Rider rubbed the back of his neck. "I hadn't even hit the speed of sound when he wanted to bail. And then Xanthus actually blamed me for it!" Xanthus is the only one of the three horses pulling the chariot who can talk. Let's thank Hera for that mistake.

Izumo Kusanagi, Homra's bartender, grinned. "I think Yata and Chitose should go. After all, they were the first to laugh at Kamamoto."

"Wait, what?!" Both Clansman exclaimed. Izumo, still smiling, roughly lifted both and tossed them out the bar's back door.

"All your's, Rider!"

He started headed to the back door, "Alright..."

"This is the second day he's here and I still can't believe you got such a powerful Servant," Tatara Totsuka, a core member of HOMRA along with Mikoto and Izumo and a non-fighter, said.

Izumo narrowed his eyes. "With how famous he is we need to be extra careful his True Name doesn't get out. Thank God only his spear and shield require the True Name for full use."

"We'll go half the speed of sound. Don't worry. Like with Rikio, I'll use my mana around the chariot to protect you two from the air friction."

As Rider held his index finger and his thumb to his lips to whistle for his chariot, Yō Chitose sweatdropped. "I don't think that's what we were as concerned with..."

It was in the Chamber of the Slate in the Gold Clan's base, Mihashira Tower. One thing the Gold King Daikaku Kokujouji already noted about his Archer-Class Servant, Gilgamesh: he's a douchebag and narcissist who believes he's the world's only king and every treasure belongs to him. You can imagine his anger at seeing the Dresden Slate, Japan's treasure, right there and being unable to just take it into his treasury since it would be detrimental to his own Master. That'll change once he gets, or rather reclaims, the Holy Grail. Until then, he'll allow this mongrel to borrow it. A king should be magnanimous to his vassals.

Daikaku was explaining to him what a King's Sword of Damocles is, one thing led to another, and a Gate of Babylon appeared, Archer pulling the actual Sword of Damocles from the golden portal.

"How..?!"

Red eyes narrowed. "My treasury houses the original of everything! Of course I possess the sword!" The sword dissolved into golden flecks of mana. "I suppose I should go out and see how my garden fares now." He then went into spirit form in a dust of golden mana.

Daikaku sighed. As the first Heroic Spirit Gilgamesh should be the most powerful. It's why the Gold King selected the relic to be the fossil of the skin shed by the snake who stole the Herb of Immortality from Gilgamesh. Still...

I hope he lets his guard down and gets eaten.

It was the third day since the Caster Servant, Medea, was summoned by the Colorless King, Ichigen Miwa. Caster was on guard the first day, unsure if Ichigen would also walk all over her. But she loosened up when Ichigen actually treated her like a person instead of a tool or witch.

But she viewed his Clansman, Kuroh Yatogami, like how she acted with her brother when they were kids, where he used to shove her into a puddle of mud and in retaliation she would put spiders in his hair. Perhaps she's subconsciously wanting a sibling relationship again.

Kuroh walked into the kitchen to make lunch and inside it looked like a bomb of ingredients had gone off. Caster was standing before the stove, her purple robe off. In the frying pan was something currently on fire. An open cookbook was next to it.

"What in the world?!" Kuroh was on that frying pan in an instant, projecting his spectral hand to smother the fire. "What happened?!"

"Watanabe gave me some fresh ingredients and I tried to make miso soup..." Caster's face was bright red and she shrunk down in shame.

Kuroh sweatdropped. "I think you need to go on Worst Cooks..."

"I don't need your opinion, boy! I was trying to do something nice for Master Ichigen!"

"I doubt he'd appreciate the house being burned down."

"It was only my first attempt! I'm sure I'll get it right the next time!"

"If there's a next time. There's a reason I do the cooking." He glanced down at Caster. He can see she really wants to cook something nice for the King. "How about this: I show you how to make the food so you can yourself."

Caster looked unsure about accepting help from a male. But if it's for her Master... "Fine! As long as I can make Master Ichigen happy! Don't think this makes us friends, though!"

An abandoned water storage housed a replica of a room. Inside were six people and one parrot. 

"Y'know, combined with my Fog Santum I'm sure your dirks will be even more deadly since even Servants won't see them until it's too late," Grey King Tenkei Iwafune said to his Assassin Servant, Hassan of the Cursed Arm. "Both of us will make killing Masters a piece of cake."

Assassin's left hand was on his chest and he bowed. "Yes. Worst-case, at least my dirks are black. This will make it difficult to see them in the dark."

"Then Saber and I will handle the Servant," Green King Nagare Hisui said. He glanced at his Servant, Altera. "Since you're a Knight Class I assume you can handle it."

"Yes. I have this blade for a reason." She materialized a sword with a tricolor blade. "This is Photon Ray of the god, Mars. With it I embody destruction itself."

"How did you get Mars' sword?" Sukuna Gojou asked.

"I was told I was born with it in my hand but back when I was alive I had glimpses of me killing him and taking his weapon as a prize. But I wonder why I dreamed of something like that."

"There may be more to the story that you're unaware of," Yukari Mishakuji said.

"Berserker's so tall that he has to crouch in the room?!" Silver Clansman Neko exclaimed. Silver King Adolf K. Weismann, a teacher here at the high school on the small island of Ashinaka, had just summoned his Berserker-Class Servant, Heracles. But the height of the Greek demigod soon presented a problem...

Said Servant gave a rumbling growl, as if agreeing with Neko that this isn't right.

"And he has to go through the kitchen in spirit form..." Adolf sighed. "I was lucky I summoned him in the forest instead of indoors. Lunchtime's almost over, Neko. You should start heading to your next class."

Neko took one last look at Berserker then smirked, an idea coming to her head. "Addie, can I borrow Berserker for the rest of the school day?"

"What for?"

"It's a secret~!"

In the dojo, all the Special Squad members were in various places of the room, struggling to catch their breath. Lancer alone looked unbothered, like he's ready for more. He was the only person in the room not wearing training gear, in his Celtic outfit instead. But, like everyone else, he held a shintai. He tapped the blade of it against one shoulder. "C'mon! Are all of ya tired already?! That wasn't enough to qualify as a warm up for me!"

"Oya? You're all working hard I see."

Yuujirou Benzai, who had been lying back on the floor while panting, raised his head. "Captain!"

Both he and his lieutenant had walked into the dojo. Reisi wore a smile instead of Seri's disapproving look. "A sparring session against Lancer? May I also join?"

Lancer pulled his shintai off his shoulder. "Sure. But since you're a King and I'm a Servant should we take this into the courtyard?"

"Very well."

"Captain! What about your budget proposal to the Prime Minister?!" Seri exclaimed to her superior.

"I've already filled out the paperwork and had a Clansman submit it."

"I'll use the shintai and you can use your saber. I offered the same thing to these guys but Himori insisted they all use the shintai so they don't cause an accident. Bet he's regrettin' that decision now."

"I'll continue to stand by my choice!" Himori Akiyama panted out.

"Was it worth all the anger you now have directed at you?" Daiki Fuse growled.

Reisi cocked his head at Lancer. "You won't use your spear?"

"I guess I forgot to tell ya it's also cursed. If I wound ya, it won't heal without magecraft. And even then it'll take a lot more time than what's normally needed."

"Then perhaps I should loan you a saber."

The ancient warrior shrugged. "Whatever. Any injuries that get made I can close with a healin' rune."

"Captain, he's really strong even when he's really holding back!" Akira warned.

"It'll be fine."

Red eyes narrowed. "Given your status I'll be goin' harder."

Reisi smiled again, but a cloak of his blue aura billowed around his form, like an icy mist. The room's temperature felt to have dropped almost to freezing. While it didn't fail to scare his Clansmen, a fanged grin grew on Lancer's face. "Good, because I won't hold back."

"Captain, you're positive this is a good idea?" Now Seri's voice was filled with worry.

"I'll make sure to keep collateral damage to a minimum. I'm positive Lancer's smart enough to do the same."

"Ya need to change first?"

"No. I'll spar in my uniform."

"Both of you reconsider!" Seri begged. "Someone could end up seriously hurt!"

Reisi seemed to ignore her and walked out of the dojo, Lancer following. Ryuuhou Kamo sweatdropped. "Well, those two match in stubbornness..."

Everyone that was in the dojo gathered in the courtyard to watch the match. SCEPTER 4's no. 3, Saruhiko Fushimi, also joined them. "Has the Captain lost it?"

"It's only supposed to be a sparring session but they're using sabers..." Seri sighed. "I've already ordered the medics to stand by..."

The Master and Servant were standing three meters apart, locking eyes.

Lancer pulled out his borrowed saber, tossing the sheath out of the way, the locking mechanism on it which can only be released by someone with blue aura having already been undone by Reisi. "Let's see if ya can entertain me!"

"Getting cocky? Munakata, ready!" As soon as Reisi pulled out his saber, his Blue Sword of Damocles, a mass of power taking the form of a giant sword hovering over the head of the King it belongs to, materialized.

Swords began clashing without warning. Each of Reisi's beautiful sword swings was accompanied by ribbons of blue and flakes of ice. But Lancer blocked each effortlessly and in fact began forcing his Master back, slowly beginning to advance forward.

"I'm honestly surprised that saber hasn't broken yet," Reisi said. All Lancer was doing is defending against blows like from a sledgehammer, the strength behind each causing bits of concrete to break off below.

"Reinforcement magecraft is pretty simple. I'm just runnin' my mana through the blade."

"You should show me how to perform the runic magecraft you use."

"Later." Anyone could tell by Lancer's tone he isn't going to get around to doing that.

"Attack me. I can't improve otherwise."

Uncertainty etched itself on Lancer's features momentarily but went away. "Fine. Just remember that you were the one who asked for it."

As soon as he saw the Servant's grip change, Reisi fell back and held his saber in a defensive position with both hands. A swing from the side with the saber in one hand. Reisi grunted when his sword collided with the incoming one, waves of blue energy flying from his blade as it tried to soften the impact.

What Reisi didn't expect was the kick flying at his midsection. A grunt came from him as he was knocked down. He recovered fast enough to use his aura as a shield to defend against a downward swing. Shockwaves that spilled down the sides of the translucent dome cause chunks of concrete to go flying. Age of the Gods Ireland must be pretty Spartan with training!

Reisi jumped back, his shield vanishing and causing the blade of Lancer's sword to smash into the ground. He then shot forward, his saber going for the spearman's chest in a piercing strike.

What happened next completely surprised the King. Lancer actually grabbed the blade with his left hand, pulling it off target and yanking Reisi toward him. He then felt cold steel touching his throat, not enough to break skin.

A chuckle from the Servant. "And with that, this match is over." He left go of Reisi's saber and took a couple steps back. Quite a bit of red came out of his hand, but the injuries closed in only a second.

Andy whistled after he took in how much the courtyard had been torn up. "I'm so glad those two are on our side! And to think that Lancer wasn't even going all-out!"

"I never would have accounted for someone grabbing my strike," Reisi chuckled. "It seems I learned something to defend against."

When Rider returned to the bar, Yō and Misaki looked like they had been dragged through hell.

"Didn't think I'd ever go across Tokyo that quickly..." Yō said.

"Now you know how I felt," Rikio Kamamoto said with a smirk. This earned him a glare from Misaki. Then he covered his mouth.

"Are you alright, Yata?" Kousuke Fujishima asked.

Anna Kushina, the only female member, sighed. "He's trying not to throw up."

"You looked like you wanted to as soon as that bird flew into your mouth," Rider pointed out. Misaki groaned before rushing to the bathroom.

Mikoto grabbed a leather jacket. "I'm gonna head out. Be back in an hour. Maybe two."

It was at the back of Tsubaki-mon, away from prying eyes. Mikoto's hands instantly flew to Reisi's shoulders, the back of the man with the dark blue hair pressed against the wall.

"Suoh, the War's started. It's too risky for us to keep doing this."

"Actually, it hasn't yet." Without waiting for a reply, Mikoto captured Reisi's lips in his own.

"Yeah, I don't see a problem here."

In that instant, both Kings froze and it felt like ice-cold water had been dumped on them. Then Reisi sighed. "How long have you been there, Lancer?"

The mentioned Servant suddenly materialized out of thin air. "A little before the Red King pinned ya."

"Are you here to drive me off then?"

"As long as either of you aren't here as an enemy, it's fine."

Mikoto took a moment to process what Lancer said. "Either of us?"

"You aren't aware ya didn't come here alone?" Then Lancer moved his gaze to an empty spot a couple meters behind the Red King. "Show yourself already. No use hidin' with me here."

A shower of blue particles revealed Rider. He was rubbing the back of his neck in embarrassment. "Sorry, I wanted to come out of spirit form when you showed up. Forgot I was still in it."

"How'dja forget? Our senses are different in it."

Mikoto rolled his eyes. "Can ya both keep it down? We don't want all of SCEPTER 4 to know the Red King's here unannounced. Actually, forget it. The mood's ruined. Well, Munakata, we'll see each other soon. But it might be on the battlefield."

"So...the seven players have assembled."

Chapter Text

In the washroom of the men's dorm, all of the Special Squad members were washing up. All of them were soaked in sweat after Lancer had casually kicked all their asses.

"Mind if we join?"

Daiki jolted. "Ca-Captain?!"

The King didn't have his glasses on and, like Lancer, lacked any clothes. "This will be a perfect opportunity for us to bond."

Nobody said anything as Reisi and Lancer walked into the washroom and plopped down on two side-by-side stools, aside from collective gulps. Seeing both without any clothes really made the difference in the two's muscle masses obvious. While Reisi only had indications of muscles from someone who mainly does kenjutsu, Lancer had the body of a professional boxer, definitely built more. To be honest, his skin-tight Celtic uniform didn't really hide it. What was really surprising is that, despite being a lifelong warrior, Lancer doesn't have a single scar on his body, aside from on the side of his neck, most likely delivered by the sword of someone who tried and failed to cut his head off. Or maybe he does have a lot of scars but they're so faint you can only see them up close.

Reisi just smiled. "I assume that won't be a problem?"

All the Clansmen suddenly felt a chill go down their spines. "N-not at all!" They all returned to doing what they were before, but the air was noticeably more tense. All they did was hand the Master and Servant a bucket and then quickly went away, as if afraid of being too close to their boss when he's like this.

Once Lancer dumped water on his head, the liquid ran down his smooth skin effortlessly. The light bounced off is runestone earrings and danced on his waist-length blue hair, which had been released from that golden confine. The short, lime-washed hair on the top of his head, which used to stick up, was now all messy, making the spearman look like someone in his early 20s.

"Damn! My bucket has a hole in it!" Andy said, looking at the bottom of said bucket the whole time.

"Just get another," Himori replied.

Andy went over to a wall lined with wooden buckets. Each bucket was supported by two pegs in the wall. He grabbed one and tried to pull it off. It didn't budge. He tugged on it. It still didn't move. Then he used both hand to try yanking it out. But the bucket still didn't go anywhere.

"The bucket's wedged!" Andy spat.

"Let me try." Ryuuhou came over, grabbed the bucket with both hands, and tugged as hard as he could. The same thing happened. "Damn! It's really in there!"

"Here. I'll get it out."

Andy turned his head to look back with a smile. "Thanks, Lancer! You're a life - WHAT THE FUCK ARE YOU DOING?!"

Everyone looked over at the Servant approaching the two Clansmen. In Lancer's right hand was now the two-meter demonic crimson spear, Gáe Bolg. Ryuuhou was getting ready to reprimand Andy for his language but now decided not to. It was completely excusable.

Lancer cocked his head in confusion. "What am I doin'? I'm helpin' ya."

"You're a Servant and taking that out for this is overkill! It's like using a cannon to kill a fly!"

"It's this or I rip the wall a new one." What scared the Special Squad the most: he's completely capable of yanking on the bucket hard enough to rip at where the pegs connect to the wall and create a new window.

"Just how much common sense is he devoid of..?" Yuujirou Benzai murmured in shock. This man is as bad as the Captain! This might indicate the warrior is willing to go to such extremes to complete simple tasks. He's probably someone who'd use his spear to cut flowers!

The flat of the spear was swung from down low upward, hitting the underside of the bucket, causing it to fly into Andy's hands. No visible damage had been done.

Gáe Bolg dissolved into particles of red. "That wasn't so bad, was it?"

"You got lucky is all."

"You'd be surprised at how many tons I can basically bench press. That was nothing."

"Huh?!"

"I haven't seen how much exactly but I know it's somewhere in the hundreds of thousands of tons, maybe in the millions or billions of tons."

"Are...you joking..?"

"About that? Not in the slightest."

"...Scary..."

"So what's with those marks on your body?" Nagare asked. He and Saber are currently the only ones at base.

"I had them on me since birth, but I don't know what they mean. I think someone from my past called them beautiful."

"Back during your time as Atilla the Hun?"

"I told you to call me Altera instead. I dislike the name Atilla."

"What don't you like? The meaning?"

"It's actually pretty simple. I just don't like the sound of the word. Altera is better."

Adolf was walking across campus to the teacher's lounge when he heard screaming like the person's being slowly eaten alive. He turned in the direction it came from just in time to see a trio of students dash away like they're on fire. At the origin was Neko sitting atop Berserker's shoulder and laughing like a maniac.

"Yeah! That'll teach you to make fun of me!"

"You got Berserker to scare off bullies for you?!" Neko stopped as soon as she saw her dumbfounded King come over. "You didn't stop to think that using a half-naked giant for this is perhaps a tad extreme?!"

"I don't see anything wrong with this. Do you, Berserker?"

"▂▂▃▃▄▄▅▅!"

"And what did that tell you?!"

"That he agrees with me!"

Assassin was using a rag to polish his dirks, somehow with just one hand, carefully checking to make sure the blade's spotless before setting the knife down on a towel and cleaning the next.

Sukuna paused to check on the man's progress. He had cleaned around 20 dirks so far. "You really care for those, huh? But aren't they easily disposable?"

The while skull remained focused. "Not to me. You should be taking care of your own weapon."

"The blade's made from my aura, so I don't need to. And aren't your weapons cleaned off when they dematerialize?"

"I can't rely only on that. I must personally maintain them myself to be sure they're in peak condition."

"Sounds like a pain. Have fun, I guess. I need to yet to my game and level up my character."

Misaki came into the bar, looking annoyed. "I'm pissed at Rider now. He can do shit on my skateboard that I don't think I could pull off even with a lifetime of practice."

Then Rider entered, hands resting behind his head. He wore a simple button-up orange shirt and blue jeans. "I told you that's what A+ Riding means."

"You didn't need to make a fool of me!"

"I didn't!"

"I looked bad in comparison!"

"I can't help that I'm great at everything!"

"Did you have to demonstrate that when those kids who admire me were watchin'?!"

"So is the state of things to your liking?" Daikaku asked when Archer materialized in the Chamber of the Slate.

Red eyes narrowed. "Tell me you're joking."

Daikaku was genuinely confused. "Did you encounter an issue?"

"You're actually proud of this garbage heap called Tokyo?!"

"What?"

"I see the world has changed for the worse since my time. Nothing but scores of mongrels enjoying their pathetic lives and heaps of filth everywhere. The second I saw it my stomach turned. If this Holy Grail turns out not to worthy of my admiration then you will pay dearly for summoning me."

"I'm sure the wish-granter will please the King of Heroes."

"Hmph! I'll ultimately be the judge of that. Either way, since it's a treasure I'll claim what's rightfully mine."

Ichigen had just walked into the house and that's when his Servant made her move.

"I made this for you, Master Ichigen!" Caster said cheerfully as the dashed into the room but was careful to not spill any of the miso soup in the bowl she held.

Kuroh entered shortly after the Magus from the Age of the Gods did. "Hey! Don't forget I helped out!"

The blue-haired woman groaned. "I haven't forgotten, boy. But I'll turn you into a toad if you keep reminding me!"

Seri suddenly walked into Reisi's office. Both the King and Lancer paused their chess game, both currently in a stalemate, to glance at her. Reisi was about to ask her why she entered completely unannounced but the words caught in his throat as soon as he saw what his lieutenant was holding. Lancer just stared, mouthing "what the hell?"

"I apologize for barging in, but I found him abandoned next to a dumpster during my patrol."

At that moment, the baby in her arms began crying. She quickly began rocking him while murmuring a lullaby.

Now Reisi spoke. "Is it a Strain again?"

"Not as far as I've seen. The Special Squad is just thrilled given what happened last time."

"I take it ya had to do this before and it didn't go that well?" Lancer asked.

"Well, we managed to take care of the baby, despite the unpleasant surprise that he was a Strain," her gaze flicked toward Reisi when she said that, "but it all worked out. The mother returned that night to take him back. But I swear it was our most stressful day ever."

The Blue King stood up. "I'll look to see what adoption options are available. Given what you said, it's unlikely the parents will reclaim him. I'll entrust all of you to care for him until I return."

"Again?!" Seri exclaimed. The baby began to cry again and she began rocking him back and forth. "You did the same thing last time!"

Reisi wore that smile that caused his lieutenant to shiver. "Is there a problem?"

"N-no! Not at all, sir!"

In the information room:

"He just dumped a baby on us again?!" Tatsuya Enomoto demanded.

Daiki facepalmed. "He's officially abusing his authority over us..."

"I think it's just due to his sick pleasure," Saruhiko grumbled without looking up from his laptop.

"Look at the bright side: Lancer said he can't detect any pseudo magic circuits in that child," Himori said, trying to be optimistic. Right then, the baby began screaming. "You'd better be right, Lancer!"

"Hey! Someone do something to calm that kid down! I can't work!" Saruhiko shouted.

Ryuuhou dashed for the room's exit. "I'll prepare a bottle!"

"You had a son, right, Lancer?" Andy said.

"Yeah. 2,000 years ago."

"Then this is your chance to finally make up for kill -" The blade of a demonic spear was held to Andy's throat before he could finish.

"Mention what I did to Connla in that manner again and I'll take your life as payment," Lancer growled, some of his killing intent being released and his glare harsh enough to kill someone. Apparently the killing intent affected the baby because the screaming got louder.

At this point, Saruhiko had given up on trying to get work done. "Lancer! You aren't helping the situation!"

Gáe Bolg dematerialized. "Shit! I don't know what is helpful!" The crying didn't subside. "I swear it doesn't matter the era, human are and will always be a pain in the ass!"

"Geez, thanks for that opinion!" Himori grumbled.

"So you're half a pain in the ass?" Andy chanced to say.

"That's what Uncle used to tell me I was."

"Lieutenant! Isn't there anything you can do?!" Yuujirou asked.

"Why am I the one you're asking?!"

Saruhiko got out of his chair rather loudly. He walked over to Ren Gotou, who currently held the baby. "Here. Give him to me." Ren handed the child over gladly. He was clearly at his wits end trying to quiet him.

"Isn't that going to just make it worse?" Andy said suspiciously.

"Zip it, idiot."

The baby quickly ceased crying and began gurgling and laughing. Everyone else was dumbstruck. How in the world did the guy with the worst attitude in the entire building make the kid calm down?! Right then Ryuuhou sprinted back in. "I got the bottle!"

"About time, slacker!" Saruhiko ripped the bottle from the Clansman and let the child begin drinking from it.

Ryuuhou then turned to the others and pointed at this scene. "Uh, how much did I miss?"

Akira sighed. "We'll fill you in later. Man, I hope the Captain returns soon."

"What for?"

Akira actually screamed like a little girl at the Captain speaking directly behind him. "Wh-what?! Lancer! Why didn't you warn me?!"

"Hey, don't blame me! I didn't notice him either until just now!"

"You two have a pact! You should have sensed him approaching!"

"Maybe I was too focused on the screamin' toddler like everyone else!"

"Will both of you shut up before we have a situation on our hands again?!" Saruhiko snarled. The baby had stopped giggling and was now looking at the approaching King.

He scooped the baby up. "How about we meet your new mother?"

"Captain? You found someone already?" Seri questioned.

"Yes. One of my friends recently had a stillborn child. She agreed to take him in as soon as she was given the full picture."

"I think the biggest surprise today is that someone was actually willing to be friends with you..." Saruhiko said almost in a whisper. But Seri heard him.

"Fushimi! That's a very rude thing to say to the Captain!"

"Hey, have you noticed a lot of girls have been coming here tonight?" Shouhei Akagi asked.

An angry huff from Yō. "I noticed. And I also noticed they're all makin' goo-goo eyes at Rider!"

"Well, I'm making plenty of sales so no complaints here," Izumo said. " "Gotta say that guy's face is pleasin' to the eyes."

Yō raised an eyebrow. "Are you into him?"

"Thought you liked that Blue lieutenant." Shouhei added.

"It was an observation and who's been sayin' that?!"

"No one needed to. It's obvious. You have a stockpile of anko specially for her!"

"At least I'm not trying to get in every woman's pants like a certain someone!" Izumo was pointing at Yō when he said that.

"And what's wrong with that?!"

"Seriously, how many times have you been called a whore just this month?"

Chapter Text

Command Seals

He was looming over a cowering Trojan soldier, about to plunge the tip of his sword into the man's neck. Then he suddenly experienced a feeling he had never felt before. Pain. Unbearable pain, coming from his heel. It felt as if a lion had just raked its razor-sharp claws over the back of his ankle. It was then immediately followed by the feeling that some jerk had just poured and rubbed salt into the gaping wound. The young man slowly looked over his shoulder, down to his heel, where pain was radiating from. An arrow. An arrow had managed to find his weak spot and sink deeply into it.

Achilles blinked. "Wha -?" Who had shot him? And how did that person know he was mortal there? Only the gods should. Before he was able to look up and answer the former question, another arrow sunk into his flesh. This time it entered through his back and speared him through his heart, having easily slid between ribs.

Achilles slowly turned around, finally seeing who his attacker was. Far behind him, on top of a ledge, was a man with short, curly brown hair. He wore a blue chiton with a tan chlamys over it. His left hand was holding a golden bow and his right pulled the string on the bow taut. An arrow was already notched and ready to fire. This was Paris, brother of Hector, the man Achilles killed. However, since Achilles had never met Paris before, he was confused as to who this person could be.

He was taken from his thoughts as Paris released the readied arrow. The projectile sang through the air and found its mark in Achilles' chest. The soldier Achilles was about to kill had already scampered away and gotten a few other Trojan soldier with him to go on the attack against the young man. It should be easy to kill the Greeks' greatest fighter, since he was already suffering from two fatal wounds.

At least, it should have been easy. However, as soon as one soldier came within range, Achilles snapped around and took off his head. At the same time, a second soldier lunged at the dying Greek, swinging his sword down. Achilles blocked the weapon with the blood-covered azure tip of his spear.

"Don't you go forgetting about me, monster!" Paris' shout was punctuated by a third arrow burying itself in Achilles' heart. Achilles only gave a grimace of pain before knocking the opposing sword off his spear. Before the Trojan could recover, Achilles drove the spear into the man's chest. "Just die!"

"What's your beef with me?!" Achilles demanded, glancing at Paris. "If this is just because we're invading Troy, why aren't you trying to kill other Greek officers?!"

"You killed my brother!" Paris snarled. He let loose yet another arrow into Achilles. At this point, Achilles collapsed onto one knee. A third soldier, trying to take advantage of this brief opportunity and tried to remove Achilles' head. He was met with the spear taking off his left hand, which held the sword. The Trojan screamed in pain and that's when Achilles silenced the man forever by slicing him through his chest, cutting the man in two. The last two soldiers, deciding not to risk their lives, fled to another part of Troy.

"Your brother..." Achilles said, panting, facing Paris once more. He could feel his life escaping him. Since Paris was wearing a chlamys, he must be nobility. And that would make it likely that his brother is, too. And that must mean... "Are you talking about Hector?"

A fifth arrow entered him. Achilles was back against the earth, hanging on to the tiny spark of life he had left. "Of course I am! And now I'll kill you!" Before Achilles could reply, a sixth arrow went into his heart. Everything in Achilles' vision was getting blurry. How he's still alive is beyond him.

All the noise from the Greek and Trojan soldiers fighting, Paris' screams, everything faded into nothing. He also thinks he could hear Apollo laughing. He didn't even feel the seventh and final arrow strike him. All the color in his vision melded together before finally fading into black.

His final thoughts were 'Odysseus...Ajax...I'm sorry...'

Mikoto slid out of bed with a groan. "Thanks for that downer of a dream, Rider." It was his second time dreaming of his Servant's past so he knew who that was from him. He went down to the bar. A few Red Clansmen stayed the night in the main area after staying too long and were just starting to mill around now that they were awake.

Shouhei looked around. "Where's Rider?"

"He went to the house of a girl last night," was Mikoto's simple reply. Shouhei swore he could hear Yō grinding his teeth.

Saburouta snickered. "If he isn't careful he'll end up with another kid."

"If he wasn't a spirit, I would tell him to wear a condom, given what happened after he had his way with Deidama," Izumo said.

It was outside of a cave. A younger Heracles was creeping up behind a centaur, careful not to make any noise. He froze up when the centaur spoke without turning his head.

"You'll need to do better, Heracles."

"Okay, how did you know what I was attempting?"

This time the centaur looked back. "Years of getting used to it. Besides, I can easily tell when a child of your size tries to play at being sneaky. You need to learn how to work around that."

"Can you show me how to?"

A sigh. "I'll try, but my methods are for centaurs so I don't know if I can help you there."

Adolf opened his eyes. "That must've been when Heracles was in training with Chiron." Then he glanced at the time. "Crap! I overslept! I'll be late!" He threw off the covers and grabbed a random shirt to put on. Neko, who had chosen to sleep on Berserker's lap instead of on the bed in cat form last night, yawned and rubbed her eyes, cracking one open in time to see her King hopping around as he tried to get his pants on.

"Is something happening?"

"I slept in. Dream about Berserker's past. It's fine. You should get ready for school. And no more borrowing Berserker just to make students wet themselves!"

Archer breathed out heavily through his nose, making the Gold King raise an eyebrow. Both were still in the Japanese house on the top of Mihashira Tower. "Is something wrong?"

"I used a clairvoyance charm from my treasury to see which Servant belongs to each Clan. I glimpsed into a Blue Clan dorm room and saw a very busty woman getting dressed."

Daikaku facepalmed with a sigh. "That would be Lieutenant Awashima...You were looking in the womens' dorm...So how long did your gaze stay in that room until you moved on?"

The Servant looked disgusted. "Of course I did! It's not the size of a woman's chest I care about!"

Daikaku didn't dare say aloud "but you'll do it with someone made of clay. What's your excuse there?"

It was the start of SCEPTER 4's work day. All the Special Squad members plus Saruhiko and Lancer were sitting at the table in the main room, going over today's schedule.

"Oh, and it's your turn to care for White Bean Tofu Stew, Doumyouji," Himori said without looking up.

Andy did a double-take at him. "What?!" Several snickers were heard. Lancer raised an eyebrow in confusion.

"I think I'm the only one who doesn't get why that's so bad."

"White Bean Tofu Stew is the name of a horse Strain in our stables. It can change it's appearance to Pegasus'. But that's all. It can't fly or anything the real Pegasus can do," Yuujirou explained. "Doumyouji has a...rough history with it."

"Damn horse kicked me in the face three times!" Andy suddenly exclaimed.

"Liath Macha only did that to me once. I think that was the hardest Láeg ever laughed at me," Lancer told him. "Now don'tcha feel better knowin' ya aren't the only one in this room humiliated like that?"

In one room of Ichigen's house was screaming, banging, and a crash from a vase hitting the floor.

Kuroh immediately dashed into that room. "What's going on this time, Caster?!" The ancient mage was running all over the room like she's chasing something, the bladed weapon representing betrayal clutched in a reverse grip in her right hand. She kept stabbing the places she stopped at. Even though the dagger's ritualistic, it was tearing the walls and floor like paper.

"What in the world are you doing?!" Kuroh demanded. As if on cue, a mouse ran out from a crack in a fallen shelf and scurried between Kuroh's feet to a small hole at the foot of the wall behind him.

Caster's eyes were wide and alert and her hair was a mess. She still had an iron grip on Rule Breaker. "I almost had it!"

"Had what?! What's even going on?!"

"I saw that mouse running around the floor!"

"So you tried to kill it with your Noble Phantasm?! What made you think it was alright to use a bladed weapon for this?!"

"Boy, you should be grateful I chose to not use any beams of raw mana."

"Hey, tell me something, Rider," Tatara said now that the green-haired man returned. "Did you see the Holy Grail in the Throne of Heroes?"

Achilles glanced at him. "No, I didn't. I didn't really see much of anything in the Throne. It only seemed like a moment had passed from when I was killed to when Mikoto summoned me. But why are you asking?"

Tatara just sighed. "I was wondering if there even is a Holy Grail at the end of this fight. If not, then all of this will all be for nothing." He looked down. "Besides, is this fight really the right thing for you and King to participate in? The loser of the fight not only has their dream ignored but it's destroyed. What if someone killed had a method for achieving the salvation of humanity?"

"But remember Mikoto would be killed instead." Tatara had wide eyes and took a step back; he had briefly forgotten that detail. "It's kill or be killed."

Lancer went to the dock to go fishing, something that relaxes him. How he got Reisi to agree is beyond everyone else. Was bribery involved? The man wore a colorful Hawaiian shirt Ren loaned him. Akira came in the room when he finished dressing and just stared. He thought Seri ordered Ren to burn that God-awful affront to fashion! So it fits people 185 cm tall.

When he made it to the dock he saw a blond man already there, a group of noisy kids gathered around him. The man was laughing heartedly.

"Keep it down, mongrels, or you'll scare the fish away! Well, they don't have anyone else to go to. None can hope to compete with me!"

Lancer couldn't help but roll his eyes. He sat down at a side of the pier, setting the carton of Blue Sparks Reisi gave the Servant beside him - he never thought the Blue King smoked until the Servant smoked his first cigarette with the man - and cast of the line of the fishing rod he held, again obtained from Reisi.

Soon, there was a tugging at the line and Lancer effortlessly pulled it out of the water, though he did have to reinforce the pole and line so they wouldn't snap. What he caught got the kids' attention.

"I can't believe Onii-chan caught a shark!"

The man narrowed his eyes. "Worthless dog..." A vein in Lancer's head bulged and he turned to the man, who he now saw is a Servant, but stopped himself. Something told him the man is too powerful for something like this. They had never met before, but this guy already knows Lancer's True Name? Is it due to a skill or something else?

"I take it that pisses you off?"

A new person. Normally, Lancer could hear someone breathing 40 meters away but the chatty kids rendered that impossible. He let the shark go back into the ocean ans turned his head, seeing a familiar face at his side.

"You're the Red Servant, ain'tcha?" He yanked up the line, seeing he hooked an octopus this time. Well, Ryuuhou can make takoyaki for dinner. He put it in a cooler beside him to keep it fresh. "What are ya doin' here? Ya also fish?"

"I never had. But I'm a fast learner. I'm sure that if you show me I'll get how it's done."

"Take a seat. Oh, do you wanna cigarette. Unfortunately, the only brand I have now is Blue Sparks."

"Sure, but I haven't smoked yet. I saw Izumo and Mikoto smoke but forgot about asking to try."

Lancer handed the other Servant one. "Yeah, I didn't either until I was summoned. Took me a bit to get used to. Put it in your mouth and I'll light it."

Rider did that and Lancer used a severely weakened Ansuz on it. He inhaled then coughed, plucking it from his lips. "What the hell's in this?!"

"Same exact thing I asked my Master. You should enjoy it more if ya give it another try." Rider tried again without a problem. "Ya sure about bein' this far from your Master?"

"Our Masters are first-rate magi, so they can deal with most threats. I just hope Mikoto doesn't get careless against a Servant or he'll get his ass handed to him in no time."

"Same with Reisi. He's a clever guy but I can see him gettin' ahead of himself."

"I think they see the same with us."

"Yeah, but Servants like us are disposable. Those humans need to worry 'bout themselves."

A being that only destroys. That's what she was called even before becoming king of the Huns. For some reason, being called this was very familiar to her.

It was 12,000 BC. When she came to this planet t hey called her the blight from the Harvester Star and the bringer of the end of the world. The fearsome White Titan.

She loved the feeling of the wind blowing through her hair, though she'll never voice it, as she rode her horse through rolling plains.

It doesn't matter how many of these pesky gods try to take her down. They'll all be swatted down like the flies they are. She won't stop until she's razed the entire world, until only the ocean remains, according to the duty she was assigned by the Umbral Star.

Another Roman civilization fell to her. As her people celebrated, she glanced down at Photon Ray. It was only a matter of time before she made the rest of the empire bow to her.

She just struck down a machine god who claimed to be a personification of war, someone from a group trying to protect Atlantis, which she just sunk. Didn't he say his name was Ares or something? It doesn't matter now. He's been defeated and his sword was claimed as a trophy.

She gasped as she basically drowned in her own blood. Even though those around her tried to help, there was nothing they could do. The could only watch helplessly as their great leader took her last breath.

A golden light filled her vision, the light of the sword forged in the Reverse Side of the World by the six Great Father and Mother fairies, Divided Spirits of the soul of the world itself, and containing the hopes of all.

It's...hot...

When Nagare opened his eyes, he was confused. That dream was like from the viewpoint of two different people. He knows one was Atilla the Hun. But what about the other?

"Saber?" he said. The mentioned woman materialized at his side.

"What is it, Master?"

Nagare opened his mouth, about to ask his Servant if she perhaps had a past life, but what came out is "nevermind." Something told him that if he's right, then triggering a return of her memories could be dangerous.

"...And that's all for my report," Seri said. She was currently talking to her superior in his office.

Reisi got up. "Thank you, but I'd like to see the data myself. I assume it's in the information room?"

"That's correct, sir. Fushimi has it on his laptop to help in another case."

When Reisi walked around his desk, he tripped and began falling toward Seri. Her hands instantly flew to his shoulders to keep him from hitting the ground. But that wasn't necessary. Because his face landed in the crack between the two airbags on her chest.

Seri was completely frozen in shock and Reisi probably was too. Unless he's enjoying this more than is appropriate. Right when Seri thought things couldn't get any more embarrassing, there was a knock on the door.

"Captain, Benzai and I are here to give our report on the developing Beta case."

Seri wanted to scream "don't come in!" but the door opened and in walked Himori and Yuujirou. They froze at the sight they were met with and it took them a full five seconds to process it.

"U-um...Did we enter at a bad time..?" Yuujirou asked nervously, taking a step backwards.

"Nothing was about to happen, I swear!" But Seri didn't know what else to say to deny the fact it looks like she's currently being motorboated by her boss. And the fact her hands were still on his shoulders looked like she was encouraging it while his hands were gripped on the side of her chest, him having reflexively done that, somehow not on each boob, when he started to fall.

Himori scratched the top of his head. "I can't believe Doumyouji won the bet...Never thought you two had something like this going on..."

"We don't! The Captain tripped is all!"

"Lucky guy..." Yuujirou made sure to whisper quietly enough so Seri couldn't hear him.

Reisi then collected himself and pulled his face out of his lieutenant's breasts. He huffed, straightening out his uniform and fixing his glasses. Like Seri, his cheeks and ears were a brilliant shade of red. While he tried remaining dignified, the fact two other subordinates saw this made this his most embarrassing moment so far. "Let's all agree that this never happened. After your report call Doumyouji in. I'd like a word with him."

Chapter Text

The church was dimly lit and only one person could be seein in it. The War's Overseer is a man from Fuyuki, a priest and member of the Assembly of the Eighth Sacrament, Kirei Kotomine.

He was mildly interested in meeting the Masters face-to-face a little over a week ago after gathering intel on them. However, there was an eighth person of interest in the mix, information gathered due to the family she comes from.

"So this Lorelei von Einzbern is not a Master but was sent to Tokyo? Is she to witness the conclusion or does Justbacheit have something else in mind? And why is the Matou family head with her?"

Inside an apartment were two people. One's a woman with long silver-white hair, red eyes, and delicate features wile the other is a man with gelled-back blue hair, red eyes, and appeared like an aristocrat or at least someone high in the social hierarchy. They met only yesterday in the streets of Shizume.

The man, formerly called Zolgen Makiri but is now called Zouken Matou, bumped into a woman on the sidewalk who was seemingly searching for something. "My apologies. Are you al-" He cut himself off when he saw her face. A person he hadn't seen for two decades came to his head. "Justeaze ?! ...No, you must be a clone of her."

The woman narrowed her eyes, as if insulted by the mistake. "You have the scent of a maggot. You aren't human, are you?"

"No. I'm a Dead Apostle. I was also a founder of the Grail War. That's how I know Justeaze. Now I know the Einzberns have created a clone of her to be the vessel for the Lesser Grail given her magic circuits are compatible with it and that it can use the Dress of Heaven to interact with the Greater Grail without the need for a Servant. Are you that vessel?"

"What if I am? Are you looking to kidnap me so you can reach the Root? I'll warn you that I'm not helpless."

"Of course not. I just want to witness the Heaven's Feel ritual being completed. But there could be times where you need backup. If we work together I can be that backup. I find it amazing Old Man Acht sent you to Tokyo without any guards."

"Zouken."

The bell-like voice brought him back to the present. "What is it?"

"You said last night it appeared I was searching for someone. The person I'm looking for is..."

Yukari began tying two pink ribbons in Saber's hair. Saber glanced at him out of the corner of her eye. "What purpose are these for?" She said it in a business-like manner.

"They don't serve any useful purpose. But they'll make you look cute," Yukari replied without losing concentration in what he was doing.

"Looking cute will not benefit me in battle."

"I know. However, you're a girl but you never let yourself live as one." He held a mirror in front of the Servant's face. "How does that look?"

Saber didn't reply but her cheeks got redder the longer she looked. It looked like she genuinely liked it. Just then, Tenkei walked in.

"What in the world's in your hair, Saber?! It looks childish!" He currently wasn't in a great mood due to Assassin doing a lot better than him at target practice. In other words, he's pouting like a child.

"And what's wrong with being a child?!" Sukuna shot back from his position at the table, playing on a handheld game console. "Ah, Saber! Don't take those out! They look great! Now look at what you've done, old man!"

"What did I do?!"

Yukari had a hand to his chin in thought. "I meant to ease you into dressing more like a girl, but perhaps hair ribbons are too childish. Saber, come with me! We're going straight to makeup!"

"Lancer?" A voice outside a room of the men's dorm called. "The Captain said you wouldn't respond to his telepathic command to see him in his office so he sent me to fetch you!" Akira walked into a room of the mens' dorm where Reisi told him he sensed Lancer. He saw the spearman laying on a couch in it, lightly snoring away. "Oh brother..." He reached out a hand to shake him awake.

Tatsuya grabbed his wrist before he could touch fabric. "You shouldn't do that."

"Eno? I thought you were on patrol. And why shouldn't I?"

"If you read near the beginning of The Tain you know what happened to the last guy who tried waking Lancer."

"Hm? No, I haven't read it. What happened?"

"Lancer was just a kid but a punch from him made that messenger's brain paint the wall."

All the blood drained from Akira's face. "Well, it wouldn't hurt to let him sleep five more minutes...or for another hour..."

Adolf barged through the door of his apartment room now that he was done with work for today, a headache building. "I hope you're happy! I heard the parents of the boys you traumatized yesterday are having to look for a therapist! We're currently having to fight to not have this taken to court!"

"It wouldn't have happened if they never picked on me in the first place!" Neko protested. She had wasted no time in changing into more comfortable clothes once she got back from school. Then she looked at the giant Servant next to her. "Isn't that right, Berserker?"

Berserker didn't agree with her. He was the only one of the two who looked embarrassed. Aside from the threat of a lawsuit, this is like the aftermath of when he accidentally scared those kids shitless while going to meet with Jason.

Rider hurried to practically shove the now-drunk girls he brought to the bar out the front door after they began throwing drink glasses down. He doesn't know why he didn't when they began throwing up on the counter and peeing on the floor.

All the color left Masaomi Dewa's face. "Oh, Rider..."

Izumo was smiling at Rider, but one side of his face was twitching and a vein in his forehead bulged. Rider gulped. He had a feeling he should leave before the explosion. Before he could, a broom and dust pan went flying at Rider. He caught them in both hands before they could hit him.

Izumo was still smiling at him, but now had both of his hands on his hips. "Don't think you're gettin' out of cleanin'."

Rider looked at the bartender with disbelief. He expected a Chiron-level scolding, not this! "Wait, I may be called a Servant, but that doesn't make me your household slave!"

"Don't talk back! That mess is your fault! And you won't stop here! You'll make the entire bar spotless! This includes the second floor too! I'll have your heel if even a speck of dust is left!"

"You're kidding, right?!"

"I'm not!"

"Fuck you..!" Rider growled under his breath so Izumo wouldn't hear him.

Izumo's ear twitched. "Did you say something?"

"Nothing."

Reisi was sitting at a large table of a dorm room with his lieutenant, his Servant, and his Special Squad all sitting around it. As soon as the words "strengthen bonds through games" left Reisi's lips, every member of the Special Squad simultaneously looked pale like they're sick.

"Is this punishment because Benzai and I saw what happened earlier?" Himori blurted out then covered his mouth when he received intrigued stares, most notably from Andy.

"Wait, something happened? Is that why the Captain had a talk with me?"

Seri's cheeks flushed. "Nothing happened! It was a normal work day!"

"I just thought since it was a slow day today we should still have enough energy to do some bonding. Especially now that Lancer's been summoned," Reisi said. He reached into his longcoat and pulled out a deck of cards. "So which card game do you want to start off with?"

Collective groans from the Special Squad. "I can't believe how lucky Mr. Fushimi is to get out of this!" Akira hissed in Ren's ear.

Lancer spoke up. "I dunno how good I'd be at any." Momentarily relief washed over the officers. Maybe this would get them out of their boss humiliating them over and over. Then they returned to dread. Reisi would just come up with some new torture.

"Oya? You were skilled at chess the other day."

"Yeah, 'cause my dad invented it! Well, a close varient called fidchell. So I played it with Láeg a lot when I was alive."

Reisi shuffled the cards. "I see. Let's start with an easy one. Perhaps Old Maid. You and Ms. Awashima can share a hand for the first round and she can show you how to play."

A rather loud groan from Andy. "C'mon! Aren't you able to show mercy to us?!"

"Doumyouji! Apologize at once!" Seri snapped.

While Berserker gazed down at Neko curled up in his lap while she read an assigned chapter in her textbook, an image of something he doesn't recall went through his head.

A little girl with silky hair as white as snow and big red eyes was curled in his lap. A little girl having to endure constant pain due to her connection to her Servant. A little girl with a tragic fate in this battle that she had been aware of for ten years. A little girl who was abandoned by her dad and misses her mom, who already suffered the fate she'll have to. She smiled up at the giant Servant.

"Never leave me..."

"Is something wrong, Berserker? You went tense all of a sudden."

Neko's concerned voice snapped the Silver Servant out of his trance. He looked around and saw he hadn't just gone tense. The wooden chair at the nearby desk was in splinters and clutched in his fist was crushed wood.

With his free hand he stroked the top of Neko's head, a rumbling in his chest that everything's okay.

Chapter Text

Chapter Text

A voice suddenly blared over the speakers of Tsubaki-mon. "Emergency meeting in three minutes! All Special Squad members are to report to the information room! I repeat..."

The door to the King's office opened before the announcement even finished and two people emerged out into the hall. Lancer was keeping pace with Reisi. While the human wasn't quite speedwalking, there was some urgency in getting to his destination. "A sudden meeting? What about?"

"Some information has come to light that requires immediate attention."

"Ya know what this is about, then?"

"An incident was reported to me recently by my lieutenant and Mr. Fushimi regarding a Strain with a high threat level. Everyone will be briefed on it in the information room." As they got closer, a rushing Special Squad member almost crashed into them. It was Daiki Fuse.

"Sorry about that!" was the only apology given before he disappeared through the door to the room. Reisi chuckled. It seems Daiki was in too much of a hurry to process who it was he ran into.

The information room was slightly crowded with everyone inside. All the Special Squad members had assembled with Seri and Saruhiko having already been waiting for everyone to arrive. Seri sighed and lifted the tablet she held at her thigh, her attention focused on the screen. "That's everyone. Let's get the briefing started, shall we? As you all know, this morning SCEPTER 4 officers were sent out to apprehend a Strain. What you didn't know is that even though it was supposed to be a standard case, only one of the Clansmen made it out, but the doctors of the hospital he was sent to are doubtful he'll live. He suffered severe bleeding due to multiple bullet and stab wounds. At least, they were said to be bullet wounds. But the description of the incident's aftermath said they looked odd, like a mini explosion created the holes. It's a miracle he was found alive."

"The hell?! I thought intel said he's is a common-class! He must've had help from a Beta!" Akira exclaimed.

"No, he was alone. The incident report says four robotic arms were strapped to the Strain's back. Some research revealed the arms are from the Bronze-Link Manipulator."

Tatsuya crossed his arms and cocked his head. "And that is?"

"The Bronze-Link Manipulator is a Mystic Code created by Fiore Forvedge Yggdmillennia, a clan of magi in Romania. It was stolen during her trip to Tokyo and the four animal spirits possessing the arms were somehow reconfigured to obey the thief. It's dangerous because no matter the level of the Strain, be it common or Beta, using it puts them on the level of a high-ranking Alpha." In terms of mana output, without mystic eyes, common and Beta are third-rate magi, though Betas, like Clansmen, are high-level third-rates, Alphas are second-rate magi, and Kings, Extra-Alpha Strains, are first-rates that are capable of taking down the two weakest Servant Classes, Caster and Assassin, but only when favorable conditions like the element of surprise are on their side. "As for the surviving Clansman, visitors are not allowed to him at this time but we were able to take a picture since it was for the sake of documenting what happened. This is it." A photo appeared on one of the screens. In a hospital bed in a room was a single person wrapped in so many bandages he almost looked like a mummy, and was hooked up to countless machines. "As you can all see, this matter will require the upmost caution."

Reisi was the one to speak up now. "Due to the heightened threat posed by the Strain, only Special Squad and above are permitted to handle the case now. To prevent the damage from spreading further, we'll take immediate action. Prepare to meet in van 4 in ten minutes to go to Shizume. Mr. Fushimi has kept the Strain under surveillance so we know where to go."

"Since it's Red Clan territory, why don't we leave it for them to handle?" Lancer asked. "The Strain should also be stirrin' up trouble there."

A huff from Reisi. "HOMRA typically takes care of issues in Shizume such as drug dealing, human trafficking, and underworld people stirring up trouble. There are exceptions, like that time they had to manage their own members. While I have to admit the crime rate there has gone down as a result, I do wish they used more legal means instead of always using force." It's for this reason that Reisi has a serious love-hate relationship with the Red Clan, especially with their King. He and Mikoto have sexual tensions toward each other, but that's all, or at least that's what they tell themselves. In a business relationship, Reisi doesn't like HOMRA. "No, we'll finish this first. If we encounter them and it leads to an argument, we'll deal with it then."

"Well, if that happens I just hope Servant Rider shows up. I've been itchin' for a good fight."

The Homra bar was pretty empty right now. It was just Izumo, who stood behind the counter and typed away on his laptop. Rider was at the counter, having a drink when the bartender suddenly spoke up. "So, Rider. Ya have such a huge sex drive that you'll have sex with a dead body?"

That instantly grabbed the Greek Servant's attention. He spat out the liquid in his mouth like a hose after almost choking on it. "The fuck you talking about?!"

Rider noticed Izumo smirk and chuckle. "I was goin' through more of your legend online then also with an Amazon woman named Penthesilea who was in it. One version for after ya killed her says ya had sex with her corpse."

A bang after the green-haired man's forehead hit the surface of the counter with a groan. "That didn't happen in the timeline I'm from. I only called her beautiful. Do me a favor and never bring it up again."

At the scene, the van the high-ranking Blue Clan members were in screeched to a halt next to the entrance of an alleyway. Almost as soon as it did, the Special Squad and up threw open the door to the back and poured out. Saruhiko will be back at the van with two other Blue Clansmen to electronically monitor the situation. Of everyone, only the Servant wasn't wearing the crisp blue uniform everyone else wore. Lancer changed to his Celtic outfit, probably for easier mobility, and had his spear out; he looked more ready for a battle against another Servant than for this. Unknown to everyone else, he was secretly hoping that would happen. He was looking forward to some excitement after a boring week.

Reisi narrowed his eyes at the path then stepped back to Lancer. The demigod raised an eyebrow. "Huh? What's goin' on?"

The Blue King didn't answer his Servant's question right away. "We of SCEPTER 4 carry out our duties as men of the sword. We do not allow violence on consecrated land. We do not allow violence in this world. We will advance with sword in hand! For our cause is pure!" Then he looked to his lieutenant. "You will be in charge of this operation."

"Understood! Men! Draw your swords!"

While his Special Squad stated their family name then drew their saber, the blue Sword of Damocles materialized overhead. But Reisi wasn't doing anything. So he only intends to have his Sanctum support his Clansmen. He held an arm out to stop Lancer from following SCEPTER 4 into the alley.

"We aren't going to fight. We'll just relocated to a place with a better view." Without waiting for a reply, Reisi leaped to the top of one of the building creating the borders of the alley in one jump. Lancer breathed heavily out his nose in frustration, letting his spear vanish in a haze of red, then joined his Master with complete ease.

"Don't you think just standin' back and lettin' your men deal with an enemy like this is cruel?" He pointed out as he followed the King forward on the rooftops.

"They won't improve if we do it for them."

"It's a strong Mystic Code. They could wind up backed into a corner."

"We're just here to provide support. We'll fully step in if things go bad."

The alley opened into a wider path. It's here the Blue Clansmen came to a stop. "To the Strain: we are SCEPTER 4! Show yourself immediately and do not resist arrest!" Seri shouted. A mechanical banging sound was heard, drawing closer. All of Seri's muscles tensed. "Everyone, get ready!"

"Yes, ma'am!" The rest of the Special Squad replied, doing the same as her. Then the source of the banging came into view. Four spider-like, mechanical arms had the ends dug into the walls of the alley where they emerged from the shadows, keeping the whole thing suspended a few meters up each time it stepped forward. All four arms connected at a human's back, holding that person up.

"Come down and abandon the Bronze-Link Manipulator!" The blond instructed. "Then come over slowly with your hands behind your head!"

The Strain smirked. "And why would I do that? This device means I can take on SCEPTER 4 any day. The last batch had to be taught that the hard way! Ah, but that's right. A rumor circulating underground is that you Blues have some new badass weapon able to easily overpower a King. I suggest you crack it out if you want a shot at taking me down! Then when I destroy it, it'll prove I'm the most powerful!"

Andy chuckled. "We shouldn't. He-It'll be too much for even a scrap of you to remain."

Ryuuhou sighed. "Doumyouji, quit trying to provoke the enemy." It's annoying when Andy gets this cocky.

Seri's saber was lifted higher. "Then you leave us with no choice. Everyone! You're free to incapacitate!"

"Then I'll go first!" Yuujirou exclaimed. He prepared to swing his saber, blade engulfed in blue aura.

"I'll join you!" Himori swung his saber right after Yuujirou did, the two crest of blue creating a long-range X-shaped attack sent the Strain's way.

"Jupiter, intercept." The top left mechanical arm swung in front of the Strain in an instant like a shield, taking the full brunt of that attack. Dust burst from the impact area but when it cleared everyone saw that not only was the arm still there, but it lacked even a single scratch.

"What?!" Seri exclaimed. Then she spoke into her earpiece as Ren, Akira, Tatsuya, and Daiki tried breaking the arm with bolts of blue aura fired from their thrust sabers, all to no avail. "Fushimi! Do you have all the data on the capabilities of the Bronze-Link Manipulator yet?!"

"Yeah. The one you just encountered is Jupiter, the left arm. It 'intercepts'. It has stronger metal than the other three arms and is the primary defense. The right arm is Mars, which shoots bullets of pure magical energy. Both 'legs' are Saturn. It 'crushes'. In contrast to Jupiter its specs make it ideal for melee."

"What about weaknesses?!"

"One. Well, two if you want to be technical. The technical one is mana capacity. Unfortunately I don't know what that Strain's mana pool looks like, so who know how long he can rain hell? Now for the other. You know it's animals possessing those arms instead of being completely mechanical. While this does increase its reaction time it also means it can't handle multiple orders. One function needs to stop to use another."

"Mars, fire." Once those words left the Strain's mouth, the metal "fingers" of the right arm opened wide, revealing a hole in the metal like the end of the barrel of a gun.

"Everyone, take cover!" Seri abruptly shouted. Good thing Saruhiko told her what that arm's capable of already. Everyone ran as fast as they could back into the entrance to the alley they came from. No one wanted to take a risk to look back and see magical bullets tearing into the ground directly behind them. The building they now cowered behind acted as their shield from this relentless assault, like from a powerful machine gun.

"If they were normal bullets we could deflect these easily. But it looks like these pack a lot more power!" Yuujirou growled. He was at the corner of the building but he didn't dare peek his head around it. Then he and the hiding SCEPETER 4 members with him moved back as more of the bricks shielding their faces were chewed up. They had to basically jump back and shield themselves when the rapid fire ended for a moment only for a shot like from a low-caliber cannon sent several smashed bricks flying.

"Come out already! It's only a matter of time before I shoot the base of the building to pieces!" The Strain shouted then the rapid-fire recommenced.

"We're all gonna die!" Tatsuya whimpered. "There's absolutely nothing we can do except wait for the inevitable!"

"Saying that isn't helping!" Akira growled.

Ryuuhou, trying to help think of a way out of this situation, realized something after going over the battle in his head. "Wait, if he's only only paying attention to down here, then..."

Meanwhile, from the overlook he and his Servant were perched on, Reisi's right hand drifted to the handle of his saber. He probably needs to lend his Clansmen a hand. He was about to undo its lock to the sheath when something caught his eye. It was Seri, running on the roof of the building immediately to the Strain's right. He didn't notice the blond woman's heels clacking on the structure due to the gunfire or see her position herself behind the young man then jump down from the roof, saber ready to slash.

...That last part was easier said than done. While she succeeded in not getting the Strain's attention, Jupiter suddenly swung around and grabbed the blade of the saber. Before Seri could process what the hell just happened, her back abruptly met the brick wall of the building she was tossed like a rag doll into. She slid to the ground with a groan. Once the stars left her vision, she looked up and saw the Strain's attention was now focused on her.

Saruhiko's voice came out of her earpiece. "...Lieutenant, that thing will automatically switch to defense to protect its user." The fact he's currently sweatdropping could clearly be heard.

"I know that now!"

Mars, which had ceased firing, now swiveled around. The "fingers" were opened and pointing right at the blond woman's face. But before anything could happen, Jupiter suddenly blocked something behind the Strain. Seri saw that it was acting as a shield against Andy's saber, allowing Ren to slip past to the back of the person, leaping through the air to tackle him.

The Strain had turned his head to look over his shoulder in time. His hand was held to Ren's chest and a blob and a red-and-black magical energy like a bullet shot out, hitting the young man point-blank and knocked him down. No visible damage had been done. The Clansman's hand flew over his mouth, his shoulders were heaving, and his blood ran cold.

"What just happened?!" Reisi demanded. His Special Squad was asking the same of Ren but he wasn't responding, just shivering.

Crimson eyes narrowed. "Gandr?!...At least it was the single-action type and not a Finn shot." Thanks to the Holy Grail, Lancer could not only identify that curse but knew what a worse version would've been. A Finn shot would've destroyed Ren's heart if it hit him. "Because of his pseudo magic circuits, most of it got negated. It'll be like he's sick. Looks like the Strain took the time to practice simple magecraft."

The Strain turned his attention back to Seri. Mars was just about to open fire when a sudden crest of blue tore through the joint of the metal appendage. What?! That attack was too powerful to have been from a Clansman. Is the Blue King nearby?! But where?! No time to worry about that, the Blue lieutenant is getting back to her feet. Jupiter instantly shot towards her, the icy cold metal grasping her neck hard enough that she struggled to breathe.

A sudden blue gust of wind appeared at the side of the Strain and a humanoid form suddenly appeared with its back facing the enemy. In its right hand was a two meter long crimson spear. All the Strain had time to do was blink before he was suddenly blown forward as if by a wind. The two legs walked forward two steps to prevent their user from falling down. But what got his attention was the piece of severed metal that slammed into the ground on his left. A spider-like appendage with a three-fingered mechanical end.

"Don't worry about Ren," Lancer spoke to the others without facing them. "He just needs some rest."

"Jupiter's been taken down?!" Then the Strain looked back at the blue form that didn't even look at him before it abruptly vanished, as if that was his only task and now he isn't needed anymore. Is that the secret weapon of SCEPTER 4 said to pack more power than a King?! It can't be! But if the first strike, which took out Mars, was from the Blue King, then what about this? Besides, he doesn't even think that thing is human. Something about it, like the presence coming from it, was off.

Next to the Blue King, his Servant reappeared next to him and resumed just watching the battle, as if nothing just happened.

"I thought you had a long-range attack at your disposal."

"The position of the arm would've had Seri be put in danger by the collateral damage it would've caused to the wall she was against, so I went down and slashed the arm off personally."

"It's too powerful for her to have used her aura to defend against?"

"Unless it can shield her from a mountain of collapsin' bricks from the entire wall then yes. I ended up completin' your order of takin' out Jupiter without killin' the Strain, so it doesn't matter how it was done."

The Strain, still in shock over what just happened, didn't do anything to defend himself from being tackled to the ground by Himori. He was fiddling around with the remaining to mechanical arms, trying to figure out how to disconnect it. Then he saw the simple straps going around the Strain's shoulders.

"...Saturn."

It happened in a flash. One of the metal legs shot out and the blade the "fingers" formed dove through the left side of Himori's upper abdomen.

"Akiyama!" Seri exclaimed. The others ran to him while the Blue King and his Servant came down. Himori coughed some blood up then grinned. Ignoring that it only made his injury worse, the Clansman forced himself forward, both hands grasping the straps on either shoulder and feet stomping down on both hands. The Strain was too shocked to react. His saber, clutched in his teeth, swiftly sliced the straps. He then went limp as Seri shot forward, ripping the glove off the Strain's right hand before he could recover. The glove was white with several gold pieces on it. Saruhiko recently informed her the user need to have it on to control the Mystic Code. Without it, the device is simply an inanimate hunk of metal. Lancer pulled Himori off the arm while Reisi put power-dampening handcuffs on the Strain.

"Shit! What's going to happen to Akiyama?!" Akira demanded. "He isn't going to die, right?!"

Lancer laid the man down. His face was scrunched up and he was sweating heavily. "Look, he should be fine. But he should have a doctor look at him when we get back," the warrior replied.

"He'll be fine?! How?! He's bleeding out!"

"Do ya think I'm only good at combat? I'll prove ya wrong." The spearman placed a hand over the bloody hole on Himori. A rune was activated and a faint glow of magical energy shone from his palm.

"Are you...healing him?" Seri asked cautiously.

"I was drilled on mastering Odin's original runes in the Land of Shadows. The power was diminished significantly from Primordial Rune because of my Class, but I can save his life."

"So you can use magic?! Why didn't we see it before?!" Andy demanded excitedly.

"Magecraft, not magic," Lancer corrected. "I'm at only a fraction of my full power and I'm not a Caster. So I'm incapable of magic right now. To answer your second question, I think they're a pain in the ass and I can use my spear to kill someone in a hundredth of the time."

Everyone was too focused to notice a green parrot soaring through the darkening sky overhead fly away.

Tenkei was walking back to a parking garage to go back to base after going shopping, Saber and Assassin behind him. The sky was well-lit because of the stars and the full moon. It was also because night had fallen that Nagare ordered both Servants to act as back-up for Tenkei and to give them a chance to see the city. Both Servants wore modern clothes, though Assassin wore a hoodie to conceal his skull mask. He refused to take it off for some reason.

"Any idea why the Green King ordered us to return right away?" Assassin asked.

"No clue. I still have some shopping left to do, but it can be put off until tomorrow. Nagare rarely interrupts my shopping except for something important."

Saber paused, gazing up at the moon. Tenkei halted and turned to face the woman, realizing she was no longer following. "Is something wrong, Saber?"

"It's...nothing. It's that I always feel a faint connection to the moon whenever I see it, especially when it's full. It's almost like a part of me is there."

Chapter Text

Outside of a cave on Mount Pelion, Chiron had his horse lower body laying down on the stone ground next to the sparkling blue waters of a pond on the mountain. He was looking straight at Achilles, the young demigod boy sitting across from the centaur and gazing at his teacher with round eyes, hungry for learning.

"Now, Achilles," the centaur started, "we will begin today's lesson with a quick overview of pankration."

Achilles' face fell as soon as he heard the word 'pankration'. "Aww, sparring again? Come on, isn't there anything else you can teach me? "

Chiron chuckled in amusement then stopped and slowly raised himself up. "Come on, you want to be a hero, right? Then stop moping and learn how to defend yourself. If you get disarmed, this could end up saving your life."

Achilles sighed and reluctantly stood up, stretching out his stiff limbs and torso. "Yeah, yeah."

Chiron sighed in disappointment, sensing why Achilles wanted to get out of this. The green-haired boy didn't think it was fun to be knocked back on your ass again and again after lasting a little over three seconds against someone or having your entire body covered in bruises, making sleeping comfortably impossible.

The clattering sound of hooves hitting the stone ground snapped both back to reality. Chiron and Achilles turned their heads to the sound. It was coming from the trees leading to the path down the mountain. And they were getting closer.

"A horse?" Achilles guessed. It wasn't unusual to hear them on the mountain due to travelers.

Chiron narrowed his eyes. "No. The hoofsteps sound too heavy to be one. It must be a centaur." The teacher moved himself in front of Achilles, shielding the boy with his body. "There's a good chance of things getting messy. If that happens, leave the fighting to me."

"If the centaur doesn't have the blood of the gods, it can't hurt me! Let me fight too!" Achilles protested. He'll have something to brag to Patroclus later tonight.

Chiron grit his teeth. He loved Achilles like a son, just like he did all of his other students. But right now, Chiron wasn't in the mood to argue with the boy. "Have you forgotten about your heel?! If the centaur ends up wounding you there, your entire body will become mortal! And you're not fully able to use your power as a demigod yet! So the answer's still no!"

Achilles shut up immediately. He never heard Chiron get this angry at him before. It honestly scared him. The fact that Chiron was getting snappy means that he was preparing himself for the worst-case scenario.

The bushes Chiron was facing rustled. The teacher tensed, ready to spring into action to defend his student. But he slowly relaxed at seeing the centaur, Pholus, emerge from the foliage. Like Chiron, Pholus wasn't savage like the other centaurs.

"Oh, it's just you, Pholus. I thought at first that the one coming to the top of the mountain was one of our brethren."

Achilles peered around Chiron at Pholus. "Who's that?"

"Oh right. Achilles, this is Pholus. Despite me warning you about the other centaurs, you have no need to fear him. Pholus, I would like you to meet Achilles. He is the son of the nymph, Thetis, and the human, Peleus."

"It's a pleasure to meet you. I have this to give to you, Chiron." He handed the other centaur a scroll. "It's in regards to a former student of yours."

Chiron unrolled the scroll and looked over what was written in it. "It seems Heracles has recently completed his first labor," he said without looking up.

Achilles cocked his head in confusion. "Who's Heracles? And what do you mean 'labor?'"

Chiron looked up from the scroll and spoke as he rolled it back up. "Ah, that's right. You know that I've taught others before you, right? Well, Heracles was one of them. And as for his labor, at one point, he went mad. I suspect it may have been caused by Hera, who hated him for being the child of Zeus after he had an affair, but I can't accuse her without definitive proof. Anyway, in his madness, he killed his wife and children. King Eurystheus, Heracles' cousin, has ten labors for Heracles to complete. In return for completing these labors, Heracles would receive forgiveness for his sins. His first was the slaying of the Nemean Lion."

"Hm? What's that?"

"It's a beast that can't be harmed with human weapons. Apparently, Heracles strangled it to death."

Achilles had stars shining in his eyes. "Really?! That's so cool! I want to meet him more than anything! Can I?!"

Chiron couldn't help but chuckle. "Yes, however he's still busy. But we'll prepare a feast for him at a later time."

When Mikoto went down to the bar, Misaki was right in the middle of pleading with Rider like a little kid begs their parents for a new toy.

"I've given up on tryin' those cool skateboard tricks ya did on my own! I'm throwin' my pride away just this once to beg ya to show me how ya did 'em!"

Misaki was getting in Rider's space, causing the demigod to start moving back. "I told you it's just instinct from my Riding skill! I don't know how I did what I did!"

"Then just let me watch ya do it a few times!"

Izumo was chuckling. "He ain't gonna give up, Rider. May as well do what he says."

"You spoil him too much!" the Servant shot at the bartender.

Mikoto growled under his breath. It seems everyone was too focused on this to notice him. Then he spoke up, temporarily breaking away everyone's attention. "Not now. We're gonna investigate that building hit with the gas leak to check for foul play."

"Oh, that's right!" Did Rider already forget what was planned only last night? "I guess I'll show you some other time, Misaki."

"Yata! Call me Yata!"

Nothing could be seen in this dark void. Only a woman's voice could be heard.

"Perhaps...I wanted to die at your hands."

Said like a prayer as she entrusted her beloved student with Gáe Bolg and trained him how to use it. For someone such as her, who was the guardian of the gate to the Underworld who can hold back any, be they man, spirit, or god, she walked the thin line between mortal and immortal. She wanted nothing more than to die before she became the latter, but won't just roll over and take it. She trained countless warriors, hoping one has the potential to be both stronger than her and her fate. She saw that potential in Cú Chulainn. But...

"If only you were born a little earlier...Young, still young."

Death was now denied to her. She was meant to be an immortal guard for as long as the Land of Shadows existed.

"Sorry," her beloved student, now a mature warrior, replied. "Somehow, it seems I got sidetracked a lot..." It was a man mourning the fate of the only woman he ever looked up to.

He went on to use the spear to kill two of his loved ones, his best friend and his son. But before that it was only meant to kill a single woman...

The beeping of an alarm clock abruptly ended the dream. Upon awakening, Reisi groped the nightstand by his bed in his apartment room for his glasses and switched off his alarm clock. Once he got them on, Lancer materialized at the foot.

"Nothing out of the ordinary happened last night."

"I keep telling you that you don't need to spend all night on surveillance. The bounded field you created should take care of guard duty."

On the first night, Lancer set up a bounded field around the apartment building that would alert him if anyone with ill intent entered it. So far, the only times that its gone off are for the few husbands who are overly mad and planning to take their anger out on their wives. Lancer had to stop them in the hall to talk out their frustration or to scare them from it, mainly by convincing them of the fact his roommate's a cop.

"It isn't perfect. There are still harmful things that could be set up outside it. It just helps when I'm doin' it myself."

"I should get ready for work today."

"I cooked an omelet and some bacon for you shortly before your alarm clock went off. The plate's in the kitchen."

"I thought I smelled something nice. Thank you." Reisi paused before sliding out of bed.

"Somethin' wrong?"

"Lancer, do you have any regrets about your life?"

"Talk about out of the blue. What brought this on?"

"I was dreaming about your past. I imagine that you probably regret some of the choices you made."

"I prefer not to think 'I shoulda done this'. I think it's stupid to wanna change events gone by."

"? Then why are you seeking the Holy Grail?"

"I'm a hero, so it's right for me to wanna engage in battles fit for a hero."

"...Is that all?"

"Like I said, I died without any regrets. So logically I only answered your summon to fight."

"...Someone who doesn't think back on his actions. Reminds me of a certain someone," Reisi grumbled.

"Look, are ya gonna talk or are ya gonna eat before your breakfast gets cold?"

Kuroh slid the door to the guest room Caster stayed in open and was met with the witch's naked form. A feminine scream loud enough to pop eardrums sounded and Kuroh went red and turned around. The air felt electric all of a sudden and the teen didn't need to turn back around to know four light violet magic circles were pointed at him.

"WHAT IS WRONG WITH YOU?!" Kuroh guessed Rule Breaker was just materialized and is being held at his back.

"I came to see if you're ready to go into the city!"

"Clearly I'm not!"

"I think I know that now!"

"Haven't you ever heard of knocking first?!"

"A habit! I typically don't have to here! Put your magecraft away before you take out the whole house!"

Then Ichigen dashed to the entrance. "I heard a scream! Is ev -" He shut up and covered his eyes as soon as he saw his Servant's state of undress.

Caster thought she couldn't get any redder. Is the whole village going to come barreling in? "Don't worry about that! Um, could you both leave and slide the door shut? That'd be great! And, um, do me a favor and forget this ever happened!"

"I've only been bitch-slapped by one woman, before I joined the Hashshashin. I asked her if she was pregnant. I quickly learned she wasn't."

Yukari couldn't remember how the conversation got to this point. He faintly remembers it began with Tenkei's question to his Servant about how comfortable he'd be fighting in an urban setting instead of a desert in the Middle East.

"Why would you do something so stupid?" Sukuna demanded.

"It just came out is all!" Assassin sounded embarrassed all of a sudden.

"Well, that shouldn't happen here. There are only a few dozen females in JUNGLE and none are overweight," Nagare said.

"Maybe we should be thankful that includes Saber," Sukuna snickered.

Saber's face was expressionless the entire time she spoke. "If he did make that kind of comment to me, Photon Ray would make short work of him."

"If it involved Teardrop Photon Ray [Star of Tears, War God's Sword], you'd also make short work of this base..." Sukuna muttered.

Seri was on her way to the information room to get some data from Saruhiko when a pop sounded and her field of sight abruptly fell.

"Kyaa!" She hit the floor and glared at her right boot. The heel on it snapped off. Thankfully, none of the Clansmen saw it. If they did she'd probably hear whispers that the heels can only support so much weight while those men are glancing at her chest. She started to get back up only to collapse again when a sharp pain shot up her right ankle. Damn, she twisted it, huh? Not a great day.

"Is somethin' wrong, Seri?" A male voice, above the woman. She recognized it right away.

"Yes, Lancer. The right heel broke off and I twisted my ankle when I fell. Just let me sit somewhere to recover and don't tell the Clansmen about this. I don't think anyone wants to deal with a sexual harassment charge."

Lancer blinked in confusion. "What's sexual harassment? Weapons? Food?"

Seri stared up at him in astonishment. Is she really going to explain the concept of sexual harassment to a hero of mythological times? No. She doesn't have the patience to put up with that impossible task. "Forget it. Now, are you going to help me or not?"

He crouched down. "The problem is your ankle, right?" He removed her right boot. "That'll be too much of an obstruction."

"Huh?" Seri just blinked when Lancer placed a hand on her ankle. "What are you -?"

"Ya saw yesterday that I'm capable of healing magecraft. Well, I'm gonna get rid of the issue."

Gentle warmth seeped into Seri's ankle, melting away any pain. Seri would have to say that typically, Lancer's very crude for a knight. Some of his talk, such as regarding the details of some of his past "conquests", can get pretty...graphic and his legend describes him as being pretty brutal at times but he's probably one of the kindest people she's ever met. His touch was incredibly gentle in contrast to his savage reputation. The touch of a person who takes great care not to break things he cares about if he can help it, like his country, since he hates to lose them.

Silence stretched out between them and it began to feel like they were the only people who currently exist. This moment of peace made the blond really study the Servant's face. With him this close, she could really see how those beautiful deep-set red eyes, like a rose, with hints of violet and with the serpentine pupils, like those from an animal, of his stood out from his mane of long, azure hair. The scent of a beast coming from him seemed to suit him. She saw but didn't register him looking at her.

"You do realize you're starin' at me, right? If ya want, just snap a photo." Seri instantly turned red and, without thinking, bitch-slapped the spearman. His head didn't move, but his eyes were wide with surprise. "The hell was that for?!"

Seri quickly stood up. Her ankle was mostly healed, so there was only a dull ache. But her standing looked awkward, her left boot standing on its side due to the height difference. She gave up and removed it, grabbing the one Lancer took off. "I need to go to my room and get my spare boots! You return to doing whatever!" She dashed away, leaving a confused Lancer behind.

"...What was that about?"

Chapter Text

Chapter Text

The runway gave plenty of a clearing near the airport itself, the runway being 2 km wide. All planes were currently parked, none getting in the way. The light from the moon and stars were dimmer due to the overcast sky. The air felt still and tense like something was about to go down. A perfect ominous atmosphere for tonight.

Lancer stood atop a rippling red disk in the air. Next to him is Reisi, standing atop a platform of his blue aura deployed in the air. Both were around 500 meters over the enemy Master, who has yet to notice them. It's a good thing he's too inexperienced to sense Reisi due to the mana leaking from him due to his pact with Lancer.

"That looks like Grey King Seigo Ootori. Impossible, Ootori was said to have died in 1999 when Kagutsu dropped his Sword!" Reisi whispered to Lancer, not taking his eyes off the other Master. "You're certain he's our target?"

"It doesn't matter what supposedly happened, I can sense he has a Command Seal. He's our enemy."

"Do you sense another Master?"

"I don't. It's just him."

"Why? I thought we'd be fighting the Green King!"

"I don't know any more than you, except it's possible we're bein' played. Green and Grey may be allies. Alliances formin' isn't unheard of."

"This is completely unexpected. Do you detect the enemy Servant?"

"No. Whoever it is must've been sent to scout the area. I can't believe that happened before an expected fight. We should strike before we're seen. Also, Reisi..." Reisi leaned over so Lancer could whisper into his ear.

Without making a sound, the two dropped down, weapons drawn for a swift kill. Then Lancer's eyes briefly widened. At the same time, a black figure materialized right behind Tenkei and facing up at the two. Four knives were flung up at the speed of sound, two at each. Lancer blocked them all, leaving Reisi as the only one slashing down. The creature pulled out another knife and used it to block the saber. The Grey King pulled a revolver out of his robe without warning and pointed it at Reisi, only looking back to smirk. Reisi planted his feet on presumably Tenkei's Servant's face and kicked off, launching himself back. At the same time, blue swathed his saber and it was used to knock away the fired bullet.

"Nice reflexes, kid," the other King said, eyes narrowed. Reisi glanced to see Lancer at his side when he landed.

"Looks like your hunch was correct," the young King said.

"The enemy could be an Assassin Servant using a high rank of Presence Concealment. In that case it'd be completely invisible in spirit form even to a Servant."

The other figure remained at his Master's side. The black cloak fluttering around him made him look like an omen of death, a smiling pale moon mocking its enemies.

"So, the fool and his pet actually showed up." Tenkei said it not as a question but as stating a fact.

"Why did you show up?" Reisi asked without letting his guard down.

"Part of it is boredom. Another is that I really wanna take you down in particular."

"And why is that, Ootori?"

A chuckle from the older King. "Haven't heard that in 13 years. I'd prefer it if you'd call me Tenkei Iwafune. Or Mr. Iwa if you'd like." A grey Sword materialized in the sky without him budging a muscle. Fog began to build up in the clearing they all were in. "As for my reason, it's out of personal hatred. You Blue King never cease to make me wanna throw up. Try to make your struggles fun for me and Assassin."

"Fine. Just remember that you asked for it." A freezing field at -90 ͦC came from Reisi at the same time his Sword of Damocles materialized and encompassed the entire area in cold. Frost and chunks of ice covered the ground. Wisps of frosty air mixed with the rolling fog. Even if Tenkei's a King, he'll need to watch how long he lingers before he gets hypothermia. Reisi, being the Blue King, would be able to last almost twice as long before his internal body temperature even begins dropping. A smirk formed on Reisi's lips. "Quite a predicament, isn't this? Sure, you could retreat right now, however..." Curved walls of ice almost 5 meters thick rose from all edges of the clearing they were in and met 2.5 km above them in a dome. "...it looks as if you'll need to kill me first. Can you do it in time?" Lancer was shocked at how brutal his Master had suddenly become. The Servant learned from Seri that Reisi has no problem beating people up. But, unlike the demigod, he hasn't killed anyone yet, and never tried to incapacitate someone while using this kind of method. Does he even know what he'll be getting into?

Assassin pulled out four knives. "Easily -" He abruptly had to jump meters back when Lancer sliced down at him with a fanged grin.

"Don't forget I'm here! I won't let ya kill my Master!"

Tenkei looked around at all the walls and sighed, rubbing the back of his neck. "Didn't think you had the balls to pull something like this."

"I admit I'm not normally this cruel, but you're another King and Master."

The Grey King pointed his gun at the ice and pulled the trigger. Several floating blocks of ice under half a meter thick and hardened to be as tough as steel were materialized in the bullet's path and were sacrificed in a glittering fireworks display of light blue and white but succeeded in weakening the bullet enough so when it hit the wall it did little damage, only a smoking dent in the crystalline Grey King sighed and lowered the gun but kept his finger on the trigger. "Kid, you do realize you'll exhaust yourself if you do this too many times. I mean, who knows how much stamina just making all this ice consumed."

"I know, but a non-Blue King or Servant won't last drilling a man-sized hole even halfway through that ice with me here." Defense is his forté instead of offense, which is more toward Mikoto's, and he refuses to just let it fall. But when it comes to endurance, his Servant is probably one of the best among any others in the Throne. Offense isn't his strong suit as much as survival is. In another War in another timeline, he held his own against quite possibly the strongest Heroic Spirit, keeping that golden sword-spamming bastard from his goal, for 12 hours straight before being killed!

Tenkei narrowed his eyes at Reisi and growled in frustration, raising his gun to the younger man this time. His fog seemed to thicken as his anger rose. "Goddamn ice king..."

Meanwhile, Lancer's assault forced Assassin back further. "A scent of sand? So you're just a dirty sandworm, huh? Ice is just frozen water and water droplets comprise fog. Isn't it too much for a type of bug like you?"

Reisi sighed. "Lancer, please don't continue to taunt the enemy."

Lancer turned his eyes to the King and grinned. "Or what? Not like a sandworm would be much - Whoa!" Three dirks were thrown at Lancer's face while he was talking, two at each eye and one at his throat, with accuracy rivaling an Archer Servant's. The demigod, not wanting to reveal his Personal skill against it, used his spear to deflect them when they were only 5 cm away. For some reason, it didn't surprise Reisi to see his Servant knock away knives thrown at the speed of sound at him while he's supposedly distracted. "Nice try, sandworm. But I'd advise not doing that again. You could be in for a nasty surprise. You can't hurt me with projectiles."

So the arrogant fool is bragging now? Time to fix that. Assassin was then attacking Lancer, who stood firm like a statue, from all directions. A normal person would have been killed immediately. But the blue-haired man easily turned away each dirk with a simple motion from his spear. Assassin gave up on that, landing 50 meters in front of the other Servant. How is this possible? The enemy is using such a long weapon, there's no way he could block all of them, and in dense fog! Assassin was actually shivering, and not from the cold. The other Servant had no clear intent to kill before, but he does now. The used dirks all dematerialized so they could be used right away again. He only has 40 and that assault nearly depleted him.

A single block of ice managed to knock Tenkei's bullet off-course. He noticed Reisi is being extra careful to not take damage. Is there a reason for that? "I'll never be free of overly idealistic idiots like you Blue Kings." The way he grumbled, it sounded like he's complaining to himself. "Just when I'm free from Habari, another shows up ten years later. Not long enough in my opinion...It's like being reminded of how stupid I was back then..."

Two more bullets Reisi deflected in time. "There's nothing wrong with who you once were; the issue is who the Kagutsu Incident forced you to become!"

"Heh, then it must've been a blessing in disguise."

Assassin jumped almost 15 meters back. 30 dirks were simultaneously launched at Lancer during the leap. It was too many at once for the spearman to deflect with his weapon like the other times, having no choice but to have his Protection From Arrows skill knock them away when they were only a centimeter away from touching and therefore reveal another thing he can use against the enemy. If Assassin really is a one-trick pony like the Blue Servant fears, this Servant may decide not to stick around. Then he wanted to kick himself. There's a wall of ice blocking escape that he completely forgot about in his joy at fighting another Servant, despite this Servant being some bug in the desert. The only way out is to kill Reisi and Assassin will need to manage to get through Lancer first. Sure, Assassin can phase through. But his Master can't. And Assassin would be one hell of a shitty Servant if he just abandoned his own Master to save his worthless hide.

"Idiot, you didn't listen," Lancer hissed. "I warned you that projectiles are useless. Look, is that all you can use against me?"

"Gh!" Assassin wanted to escape right this instant and lure Lancer to a more advantageous spot. His Strength, being at B, will allow his dirks to go through the ice like it isn't even there. But since they're knives and with how thick the ice is the holes won't be large enough for an adult man to get through and he had a feeling Lancer's too fast for Assassin to get to the wall and punch it in time. After all, the man looks to have more tricks up his sleeve than the masked one does. As expected of a Knight Class. Well, he has something else to use on this Servant.

A fanged grin from Lancer as he pointed his spear at where Assassin's spirit core is. "Heh, nothing else? Then it's game over. I would've normally been kind enough to let ya struggle some more, but oh well!" That's when words said in a chilling voice came from Assassin.

"The angel of death comes to claim you."

Lancer wonders if he imagined that sudden red pulse from under the bandages covering Assassin's right arm. A frightening premonition went through his head and it made him wonder if he's seen it before. Perhaps he did in another timeline.

A simple curse hit him while he was busy avoiding that thing in the water that seems to eat mana for breakfast. A short amount of time later, his heart was suddenly crushed within his chest during his jump to shore, forcing him to use Battle Continuation to stay alive. But for bit he can't move. In that time, his heart was mercilessly ripped out of him. Then countless black-and-red tentacles from that same something beneath the surface of the lake he fell into grabbed him, the source resembling a deep-sea creature. In no time his body was ripped into bloody pieces to make it easier for that thing to swallow him.

Without meaning to, he jumped back almost 100 meters in one go, all while taking a defensive stance. This interested Assassin but also worried him. Does this Servant know about his Noble Phantasm's curse? In any case, the length of that jump took Lancer out of range. Lancer looked just as confused as the Grey Servant. "Why...did I retreat..?" Ah, so it was his instincts and not familiarity with Zabaniya. Still, he most likely won't allow Assassin to get close enough to use it.

"You should know you can't erase the darkness in people's hearts..." A bullet skimmed past the arm of the Blue King's jacket over his black turtleneck, him having deflected it too late. He glanced down and saw only the fabric was torn but no wound was made. Reisi briefly looked relieved, further confusing Tenkei. "...So why bother wasting time for something that will never exist?! Violence is the only thing they respond to! I can't believe I had to wait for Kagutsu to have a Damocles Down to see that! But you're too young. When you've become an adult you'll see I'm right."

"I'd sooner die!"

A scoff. "Well, that'll be granted tonight."

This disadvantage Assassin was in annoyed him and it wouldn't be long before his Master succumbed to the cold. Tenkei could no longer hide his uncontrollable shivering. It's time to stop playing around and to put an end to this. He pulled three dirks seemingly out of thin air. Lancer sighed in boredom. "How do ya still not get it? Projectiles are useless on me."

"I'm aware of that." The dirks were thrown at Lancer, but does the attack have no value? They zipped past him, far enough away that even his spear won't knock them down as long as he's standing still. Lancer then realized too late who they're actually targeting.

The weapons planted themselves in Reisi's thigh while he and Tenkei were still having their argument and he hit the ground with a groan. Blood was pushing out around one, like major bleeding had been caused. Did it hit an artery? The pain wasn't enough to make him unconsciously dematerialize his Sword, but it shocked him enough for it to take a few seconds to regain his bearings. He dissipated his ice before the freezing temperature could start killing his cells - the inside of his body aside from his lungs is nowhere near as resistant to cold as the outside of his body. Each beat of his heart widened the cut and thus caused the bleeding to be worse.

Tenkei couldn't help but smirk at seeing the other King's pain and the subsequent vanishing of the ice. So that's why he was going on the defense, and not just for an endurance battle. If Reisi bleeds then the cold wouldn't show mercy even to him.

The Grey King walked to the kneeling man, grip on his pistol relaxed as he raised it. The gun's muzzle was 10 cm from Reisi's forehead, so the Blue King can't freeze it. The older man couldn't help but chuckle. "I'm feeling generous today so I'll make your death quick. But I gotta say, seeing you like this is so satisfying."

What Tenkei did not expect to see was a still-active jumbo jet about to go out of service - a 300 ton lump of metal - go flying at him like someone threw it. The fuck?! He reflexively put up a shield of his grey aura for the plane to smash into, eyes wide with shock the whole time.

What in the world?! Reisi's eyes darted to where the plane had come from. He saw, even with his vision having severely doubled, Lancer pull his right leg back like he had just kicked something. Did he jump up and kick the body of the plane? There's no other way he could have made it skim that - He doesn't look to have broken a sweat putting enough force in that one kick to make it go almost halfway across the clearing, him being a kilometer away! And he's only at a fraction of his full power! This means he wasn't merely boasting about the amount of weight he can handle in the state he's in. So Servants with B-rank Strength can do things like that no problem?!

"What made you think you could just do that to my Master?!" A knife hurled at him that his skill blocked turned his full attention to the Grey Servant.

"You'd better hurry before your Master dies. A King isn't immune to dying from blood loss," Assassin snickered. One of the dirks cut Reisi's left femoral artery, hence the massive bleeding from that wound. The King had already fallen unconscious and Lancer knew he only had a few minutes, hopefully more since Reisi's an Extra-Alpha Strain.

The back of Assassin's head was suddenly grabbed while he was chuckling and the snarling face of a majorly pissed-off demigod entered his field of vision. "There's enough time for this, asshole!" The next thing the white skull knew, his face was slammed down hard enough to crater the ground soaked with Lancer's mana and caused large chunks of earth to break off and jump up.

The impact was too light to cause any blood to appear but a certain something shattered and as soon as Lancer let go and the spider jumped 30 meters back. His left hand tried to cover a face that's featureless, aside from his mouth and some sunken parts. The Blue Servant narrowed his eyes. "So that's why ya wore a mask. Ya hid the fact ya don't have a face."

Tenkei's fog thickened around both him and his Servant. "Assassin, let's fall back for now since we're free. The kid'll die soon." The fog was now so thick neither could be seen. Now, Lancer would normally go slashing at them but he knew he needed to focus on his Master's critical condition.

When he came over and kneeled at his Master's side, he saw the three dirks had dematerialized. The King's breathing was getting ragged, his skin was really pale, and a cold sweat had broken out on his forehead. He only had a minute or so left. Luckily, it was just enough time for Lancer to close up the artery. His palm was placed gently on the wound and a healing rune activated, making the cells rapidly multiply and seal the injury shut. The entire time, his other hand squeezed Reisi's. If his estimations for the healing were correct, he should finish with only a few seconds remaining. His sensitive ears could hear the Blue King's heartbeat getting weaker with each passing second.

When Lancer stood up, all three cuts had been closed just in time. Reisi's heartbeat, which became just a fluttering in his chest, was slowly getting stronger. Even though Reisi is now healed, he most likely won't wake up until tomorrow afternoon and would be suffering from anemia until that evening. His close brush with death from bleeding will require a blood transfusion when he gets back or the anemia will be worse. The healing runes put his body under too much stress to safely increase his blood production until early afternoon. The demigod scooped the King up and made a beeline for Tsubaki-mon. Hopefully they had medical equipment there to help with anything else Reisi might need.

He isn't a medical expert but he knows how to treat those wounded due to battle, thanks to Scáthach beating, verbally and physically, the knowledge into his head. After all, there could be times where he can't rely on his runes to help someone. Scáthach's policy is that the warriors she trains have to be well-versed in all fields regarding combat. He's much smarter than people think he is. It took him only a year to master everything she had to teach. In the medical field for combat he knows how to perform a safe amputation with minimal bleeding, how to quickly and efficiently stitch up a wound, what herbs to give someone to reduce shock, and other things. It's why he called a guardian angel almost as much as he was called a demon.

When Lancer arrived at the iron gates of Tsubaki-mon, he immediately had Seri, who was on the current guard shift, sprint over to him. He knew it was because of the unconscious man soaked in blood that Lancer held in his arms.

Seri had never seen the Captain looking so small, so fragile, so helpless. Noticeable on one his dark black-blue pant legs that looked mostly black like those places had been dunked in a bucket of water were three incisions in the fabric over his right thigh with slashes of milky white skin peeking through in stark contrast. One was directly over where an artery lay, covered merely by the muscle atop his thigh. Though all three places were closed, something told her they and the artery had been open at one point, hence all the blood on him.

"Is he...still alive..?" Seri asked tentatively, afraid for the worst reply. Then she looked closer and was relieved to see the faint rise and fall of his chest.

"I managed to save his life...For now at least. He's unfortunately so weak he can't handle any more magical healin' for right now. It could backfire and rip him apart on the inside. So I have to use first-aid materials to help stabilize him. Would there happen to be packs of blood and a blood transfusion kit here?"

"Yes. We carry an emergency stash of all blood types and basic medical equipment. His blood type is AB-. We still have medics here should you require any assistance."

"Shouldn't be necessary with the knowledge the Grail gave me on how to work modern equipment, but thanks. I'll make sure to call 'em in if the Grail left some gaps in my new know-how."

"Two fights in one day, and both ended in a draw...How boring..." Archer murmured.

Daikaku glanced at him. "Are you still upset that one of the Servants isn't Enkidu?"

"That would at least have made this War worth my time."

"I would've loved to see what story Kotomine would've come up with to conceal that reunion..."

A story from back when gods still ruled the planet. Gilgamesh was combatting a lump of clay shaped like a human, Enkidu. It was the Chains of Heaven, meant to drag a tyrannical Gilgamesh back to where he belongs in order to face divine judgement. But the expression on both was not of hatred but of joy. Both had finally found a worthy opponent, one that had managed to drain the other, and the fight ended with both of them laughing.

That's why it broke him when his best friend decayed, breaking apart in his arms due to that bitch Ishtar crying about them killing Gugalanna.

"So your fight ended with you having to retreat?" Nagare summed up once Tenkei and Assassin returned and explained what happened. "And no clues to the other Servant's identity? How unfortunate."

"That other Servant has a huge advantage against Assassin, so you and Saber are probably needed."

"What about his Noble Phantasm?"

"He didn't get to use Zabaniya [Disillusional Heartbeat]. Besides, if it hit then Lancer wouldn't still be alive."

"Perhaps a new strategy is needed. I'll see what I can come up with. In the meantime, explain the battle in detail. That wall of ice kept Kotosaka from seeing anything."

Chapter Text

In a dorm room of SCEPTER 4, Ren held up the wooden doll he just pulled out of the box delivered to him last night. The officer was currently showing it off to Akira, his roommate.

"The figurine I ordered from Hawaii finally arrived! Isn't it so cute?"

Akira faked a trembling smile. "Yeah, so cute. It totally won't keep me up at night." His eyes quickly flicked to Ren's other, ahem, "souvenirs". He swears their eyes follow him no matter where he is in the room. So many sleepless nights caused by them. Even when he tried telling Ren about it, the guy laughed it off and said it was all in his imagination.

"I'm glad you like it. I have to show it to the others!"

"Y'know that Mr. Fushimi'll just kill your mood? Prepare for that."

"Well, not everyone has to see it."

"I wonder how you feel letting a human beat you up." Kuroh said as he ran into Caster in the hallway as she exited her room. She looked like she had been dragged through Hell.

Caster didn't reply with words. She simply shoved Kuroh back through the outside wall into the koi pond. Then she spoke. "If you want to live, you won't bring that up again. Now, hurry up and fix breakfast!"

"So you can watch how I do it?" He got up, trying to wring out his clothes and hair. That's when he discovered one of the koi somehow got in his kimono. "On our way, you'd better come up with a good excuse to give to Master Ichigen as to why I'm all wet." No way is he going to tell the truth, out of fear of what Caster'll do to him.

"Won't that be your job?"

"You were the one who pushed me!" A magic circle materialized in the air next to the woman. "Okay, okay! I'll come up with the excuse!"

"I still can't believe you lost!" Sukuna exclaimed to Assassin. "And that easily, too! And we found out the Blue King's still alive! I thought you Servants are supposed to be super powerful!"

"I'm an Assassin and I really don't like fighting that man..." Assassin grumbled.

"Why? Scared?" Sukuna asked in a teasing way.

"Of course not, Lord Sukuna. I am a Hassan and a Hassan is fearless!"

"Look, it's the Old Man of the Mountain!"

Assassin instantly went rigid. "G-Great Founder..! I apologize for my loss! You see..!" Then he looked back. "Never do that again!"

"Man, I swear you were this close to wetting yourself!"

Assassin faced forward again, shoulders now slumped in exhaution. "Do not plan to make me into a tool for your amusement. I'm sure Lord Tenkei won't take kindly to that."

"What's wrong with me pointing out a fact?"

"Let me be clear: I don't wish to fight Lancer because of his Protection From Arrows. It isn't that I'm afraid of him! I'm also an Assassin! We do better with stealthy attacks instead of straight-up combat!"

"That just sounds like an excuse," Saber put in. She had been in the room for the whole conversation. "All Servants should be tools of destruction, not just me anymore."

"Lady Altera, it is completely impossible for me to beat him! My only option is for Zabaniya [Disillusional Heartbeat] to hit him!"

"Then you should use that."

"He's too fast and my Noble Phantasm's too slow in comparison! And using the arm strains me each time! I need to launch it at him before he senses me or after I somehow get him into an inescapable position!"

"That last idea might be easier to pull off than you think...I'll have to tell your Master and my Master about it."

Zouken was starting to get hungry, so he entered a Chinese restaurant. Sitting at a table near the entrance and eating a large plate of mapo tofu so spicy it's practically sizzling...

This guy...

...was a man in a church outfit. Kirei Kotomine. He maintained his stoic expression even though the food made him sweat heavily. He looked up, brown eyes meeting red.

"Why don't you take a seat?"

Zouken didn't move. This has to be a trap. He could set up a bounded field so people won't see him stick me with like a dozen Black Keys. He didn't notice the faint churring sound of his insects within his body, ready to heed their master's call against this threat.

"And why should I?"

"I want to talk is all. I have no intention of causing a scene here. I trust you won't either if you don't have to."

Zouken was still hesitant but could sense no killing intent from the Executioner. Then he took a deep breath and sat across the table from him. "Fine. What then?"

"I'm glad you're beyond a ghoul. That makes it much easier to converse." A waitress walked over to their table and set down another plate of mapo tofu, removing the one Kirei just finished. Zouken flinched. This human's crazier than Nagato!

Kirei noticed the Dead Apostle staring at the food. "Want to try some?"

"Not going to happen. Now what did you want to say to me?"

Kirei shrugged and used his spoon to scoop some of the food into his mouth, not caring that he was now sweating like a pig. "I wanted to give you a warning. I'm being civil to you today, even though I really shouldn't, because I'm in a good mood. But I'll give you a warning to leave Tokyo immediately. If we meet again, I'll be looking to kill you."

Red eyes narrowed. "You don't give me orders, human!"

"And yet this human can kill you oh so quickly."

Zouken was about to say something else when there was a tapping on the window. It was a crow hitting the glass with its beak. So she sent a familiar to tell me to return?

Kirei smirked. "It seems someone wants you. I suppose this ends our conversation. Just remember that I'll aim to kill you if we meet again."

"Same to you."

Izumo just got finished pouring bourbon for Mikoto when his encrypted phone went off. Izumo picked it up, and was done after almost a minute.

"Informant reportin'?" the redhead guessed.

"Yead. He told me the Blue King almost died last night. He's currently in a vulnerable position."

"How'd he get that pompous ass of his kicked?"

"He wasn't able to see it all. All he knows is that it was a Grail War fight." Once he said that, Mikoto had an unreadable expression.

When the Usagi entered the bookstore, he found Archer with his face buried in a Jump magazine.

"There you are!"

Archer abruptly pulled his face back and slammed the magazine shut. "As I thought, this is filled with nothing but mongrel trash. I have no idea why Kenji recommended I read it." So it was a suggestion from one of the kids he befriended. Well, he'll deny that part, saying Enkidu's his only friend.

"The Gold King wishes to see you back at the Tower." He purposefully avoided saying "His Eminence". The last Usagi to do that almost got impaled. "Gold King" seems to be much safer.

"Hmph! Very well! I suppose I'll humor that old fool." He looked back at the bookstand. "There's a boy in there who wants to be King of the Pirates. I guess he doesn't know that's a fake position. I am the world's only king!"

"Of course." Anyone could tell that reply from the Usagi was forced. Archer smirked, ignoring the grumbling from the cashier that "this isn't a library" and to "buy something next time."

Reisi was offered the day off, but he was stubborn enough to refuse. So Seri begrudgingly allowed him to resume some of his simpler tasks with Lancer watching him like a hawk.

"I still can't believe I let such a simple attack get the best of me," Reisi groaned. Now that he's feeling better, he and Lancer are in his office.

"I think I feel worse since I let said attack get past me," Lancer put in.

"I also don't want to have my dog watching my every movement."

As soon as "dog" left Reisi's lips, Lancer's hands balled into fists. "...I'll write that off as your tiredness from last night. But refrain from calling me that again. There's a good chance I'll beat the shit out of you."

When Izumo went up to Anna's room to see what was taking her so long to come down for lunch, he had never laughed as hard as he did when he processed the scene before him. The fearsome Greek warrior, Achilles, who slaughtered countless people in the Trojan War...is now wearing a poofy red dress with shiny red ribbons in his hair. Well, he's probably used to this after Thetis made her son crossdress in Skyros to avoid the war. Anna just looked oblivious as to what the bartender's busting a gut over.

"Mind telling me what's so funny?" Rider asked with his hands on his hips and amber eyes narrowed. But instead of feeling threatened, the sight made Izumo laugh so hard he stopped breathing.

Seri allowed Lancer to take a break from watching his Master to go do what he wants. Ryuuhou started checking in on Reisi every few minutes while the Servant was in the city.

Reisi's PDA went off while the man was looking over some documents. It barely got to the fourth ring before he saw the caller ID and answered.

"What is it, Suoh?"

"Woah, that's a cold way to greet someone!"

"In case you forgot, this time is during work and you're an enemy Master in this War."

"Look, I just wanted to ask if you'll come see me tonight at 8 at the Shizume cargo pier in front of warehouse 3." His voice was slightly strained.

"...It'll be practically abandoned at that time. Perfect for murdering someone."

"Who said anythin' about murder?! I wouldn't have had to make it at that time if you guys didn't work so late! 'Sides, what's wrong with visitin' the place where we first fooled around?"

"I still can't believe I let you talk me into that location. It truly baffled me that you wouldn't let me get us a motel room. You said it would make it more likely for us to get caught. We almost did at the cargo pier despite your certainty it was safe."

"I keep tellin' ya I didn't know one of my boys would patrol it then! We hid in time, didn't we?!"

Reisi chuckled. "That actually got you to listen to my idea."

"I know. So, ya meetin' me there?"

Reisi didn't miss the way Mikoto's voice sounded off. "I will. And so will Lancer."

"I toldja I'm not intendin' to kill ya. No need for your Servant to tag along."

"Suoh, the fact you're bad at lying hasn't changed."

"...Fine. Rider and I will also be there. Both of ya need to come alone. Or I'll have all my Clansmen attack your base."

Violet eyes narrowed and there was an audible gnashing of teeth. "Don't you dare hold my Clansmen hostage!"

"That should be incentive enough for you to do what I say."

"My Clansmen aren't that weak. They can take on all of HOMRA any day!"

"Maybe. But how many will lose their lives?"

"Are you really okay with risking the lives of your men?!"

"...Not for somethin' related to the Grail War. But maybe you two should show up alone before I'm suddenly more confident in their survival ability." The phone hung up and Reisi almost crushed his in frustration. That man is unbelievable! Making ultimatums like that is completely unlike him! He knows the War is liable to make people act out of character but this is ridiculous! Knowing how much Mikoto cares about his Clansmen, he has to be bluffing. Nevertheless, Reisi will still meet his challenge.

Neko was sitting on Berserker's lap in the living room, both watching Disney's Hercules with Japanese audio.

"The amount of mythological inaccuracies isn't bothering you, Berserker?" Adolf asked, looking up at the two. He was busy grading papers at his desk.

'No. I just see it as a cute story and anyway, Neko is enjoying it.' Even though his Mad Enhancement keeps him from speaking normally, he can still telepathically talk to Adolf as long as he isn't fighting.

"Can you stop talking so loud, Addie?!" Neko irritability broke in. "I'm missing what Hades is saying!"

"You do know there's a rewind button, right?"

Lancer was out on the pier, giving Rider more fishing lessons. Then something happened. Lancer got a little too close to Rider's face then the other man grabbed the spearman and kissed him. And this wasn't a gentle one either. He was pressing hard while biting and sucking at Lancer's lips. In response, Lancer's thigh pressed between the other Servant's legs, hands fumbling at the other's shirt.

A sudden telepathic shout ripped into Lancer's head. 'What are you doing?!' It was Reisi.

'Are ya spyin' through me?'

'You two are enemies. Don't you think this is wrong? And in public too?!'

'Hypocrite. What 'bout you 'n the Red King?'

'That's different! Complete opposites like us will never fell in love! We still hate each other. Anyway, your break's almost done.'

Lancer grumbled something under his breath and broke away from Rider. "Sorry, I hafta go."

"Already?"

"My Master needs me back. We'll continue another time." As he left the pier and headed back to HQ, he spoke telepathically to his Master again. 'Y'know, just 'cause someone's an enemy doesn't mean ya hafta hate 'em.'

'I don't think there's anyone you actually hate. Just ones that annoy you to no end.'

'Ya got that right. '

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Reisi knew cockblocking his Servant was pretty mean, but he didn't want to run the risk of his most powerful weapon getting attached to the enemy's most powerful weapon, especially with what'll happen tonight. But maybe those two would just end up as fuck buddies. Like him and Mikoto.

Yeah, that's all we are. There's nothing else, there's nothing else, there's nothing else...

Chapter Text

"So did ya have some other reason 'sides to stop me from havin' sex with an enemy that ya called me back?" Lancer asked Reisi once he showed up in the man's office. He was still wearing his Hawaiian shirt so of course he got as many stares as the first day he went out with it on.

"In a way. That Rider will also be one of our two opponents tonight."

"And you're worried that if I went too far that I'd hesitate to kill him. Well, don't. My legend shows I'd kill my opponent regardless of our relationship. The issue is you. Rider's Master is Mikoto. If Rider's fightin', then his Master should also be there if he isn't too much of a coward. I don't know how long ya two have been lovers. Can ya really bring yourself to do what I did to Ferdiad?"

"We just have sex with each other. We don't care for each other or anything. I told you that we're opposites. As such, we'll never love each other."

Lancer just narrowed his eyes in concern. He knew his Master was most likely denying the truth. "Whatever you say...I understand you'll be feelin' better by then, but maybe not completely. So don't push yourself hard enough to pass out." And especially not mentally either...

"There isn't any reason to worry. Now, please materialize your SCEPTER 4 uniform. I can't stand to look at that thing any longer."

As Adolf was returning to the Ashinaka train station with a sack full of fruits and vegetables he just bought, he noticed an orange roll out of the sack and hit the ground. He bent down to pick up the orange sphere before it rolled away. Upon returning to looking up, he was horrified to see Neko sitting on Berserker's shoulder, moreso because people were staring at the two.

"What the hell, you two?!" He was making sure to keep his voice down to an angry whisper as he spedwalked over.

"We're just walking around. What's the issue?"

"Everything! Didn't you think bringing Berserker out would attract too much attention?! He should be in spirit form out here!"

"Berserker shouldn't have to hide himself from people."

Adolf facepalmed. "...I swear sometimes it's like trying to reason with a brick wall." Then he spoke loud enough for everyone staring to hear. "Just bring the project back to the robotics club's storage."

'Oh? You're passing me off as a robot?'

'Yes, so try to act like one. Just stay in material form all the way back to the island.'

As they went to board their train that just arrived, they passed a blue-haired man with pale skin, his red eyes flicking to Adolf. "You should be careful about allowing that kind of Servant out here, Master. I know Tokyo is one of the few places where the Mage's Association can't act on supernatural events, well, not without permission from the Gold King or Prime Minister, it could still attract other unwanted attention."

"You know what Berserker is?! What in the world are you?!"

"I'm just a witness to the incoming miracle, nothing more."

"Are you involved in the War?!" But the mysterious man had already begun walking away.

Kuroh came across a Caster vigorously using a broom on the floor. She looked completely focused on her task.

"What are you doing?"

"It isn't any of your business, but you can help by finding the feather duster for me."

"Are you trying to be a housekeeper?"

"Master is allowing me to stay here for free. It isn't enough to repay him just by cooking."

"You act as his sword and shield for the War. Don't you think that's enough?"

"Of course not! And maybe I can help build him an atelier for magecraft when he returns from his meeting!"

"I think maybe you're working too hard to please him."

Whatever, boy. Oh, and while you're getting the feather duster, fetch the mop and fill a bucket with water."

"I'm beginning to think you're trying to turn me into your personal slave..."

Ryuuhou went into he and Andy's room to retrieve something only to bear witness to what was happening at the table placed in the center of the room. Andy was attempting to arm wrestle Lancer but was failing miserably. He was grabbing Lancer's hand with the one not being held and was trying his hardest to pull it down, even using his aura to enhance his strength, but all to no avail. On the other hand, Lancer was grinning and his arm remained as still as a statue. He wasn't going to send Andy through the floor but he isn't going to call it quits.

"You're picking on a human like this?" Ryuuhou asked, sweatdropping when Andy's struggles only resulted in the side of his head banging on the table.

"Hey, it was the kid who asked me!"

"And you aren't going easy?"

"Let him win? That's no fun!" He then looked to be thinking it over when Ryuuhou glared at him. "...Okay. Andy, if ya move my hand a millimeter then you win."

"It's like trying to bend a steel wall!"

"That's not gonna stop ya though, right?"

"I think my shoulder'll dislocate first! Can't you cut down on the resistance by a few hundred tons?!"

A cashier at a fast food restaurant in Mihashira Tower looked up in surprise as Daikaku came over.

"It's unusual to see you eat here, Gold King. Did something happen?"

"Archer and I got in an argument turned violent, well, very mildly on his side. It started with him questioning who in fact is the Master and who's the Servant in our relationship. Then it escalated after I said some things that I really shouldn't have. Then he flew off somewhere after he launched like five swords at me as warning shots. Honestly, I'm afraid I won't be able to control him when the time comes, except with my Command Seal. I'm afraid to actually go out and fight because I think he'd enjoy seeing me dead. I'm just looking to have some quick stress relief."

"I'm sure this'll all blow over."

"I hope you're right. I wonder what he's doing to cool down..?"

0-0-0-0-0-0-0-0-0-0-0-0-0-0-0

In Tama, several excited kids were swarmed around Archer.

"Gil, Gil! How did you get so good at soccer?! Tell me!"

"Can you help me get my ball down from a tree again?"

"Hey, Gil! Did you read the latest Jump? Let's talk about it!"

"Gil, why do your things always look so flashy? It's cool and weird at the same time."

"Gil, my mom wants to meet you. Don't know why."

"Gil! Hina just pushed me! Do something!"

Archer was laughing heartedly. "Enough chatter, mongrels! I'll see to your requests one at a time! But feel free to praise your king as much as you want while I'm doing it!"

"Wasn't sure you'd actually keep your word to come," Mikoto said as he and Rider emerged from a shadow of the cargo pier, facing Reisi and Lancer. Even though chilling wind blew around them, no one looked cold aside from their breath being white mist.

"So you were counting on me chickening out? Sorry to disappoint," Reisi coldly replied.

Mikoto narrowed his eyes. Reisi told himself he imagined a tinge of sadness being mixed in because it was gone in a second, replaced by anger. "This means you're gonna hafta die now. I hope you're aware of that."

In response, Reisi released his Sanctum without a word, clearly ready to fight. "Same to you. But I assume you knew that the moment you decided to call me." He unsheathed his saber without giving the creed of SCEPTER 4 or anything of the sort, just a simple "Munakata, ready".

Meanwhile, the two with them were eager to fight, seemingly ready to spring into action at the drop of a hat. Not only were the Servants' gazes similar, predators who locked on their prey, but their grins made them look like feral creatures.

Lancer moved first, spear being thrust at Rider and ignoring Reisi's shout of "I didn't give you the cue to start yet!" Rider's own spear deflected it with ease but Lancer was close enough to where he could grab a fistful of green hair with his free hand and yank down the other's face to his rising knee. Rider, being of equal Strength, managed to place his free hand on the knee and stop it just in time.

Right as his Servant managed to fall back after using his spear to slash at Lancer, who had to release the other Servant to block with his own spear, Mikoto launched several large balls of fire at him but a wall of blue aura stopped the pounding blows.

Mikoto had to turn his attention to Reisi when the other King began striking at him. This allowed both Servants to continue attacking each other. At one point, Gáe Bolg grazed the enemy's right cheek, a tiny amount of blood coming out and Rider's smile got more animalistic.

"You actually wounded me?!" Then he laughed like he's deranged. "This just got a whole lot more fun!"

At that time, an ice attack from Reisi slammed into a stream of fire about to hit him and instantly creating a dome of steam around him. While Mikoto was now too far away for a quick attack, him having jumped back on a storage container where he launched that attack, the enemy Servant was close enough. Reisi burst from the mist on Rider's right side, saber in an icy inferno going for the Servant's neck. But the King was surprised when the blade wasn't even scratching the skin, like striking any other Ghost Liner with a normal attack.

Rider sighed and brushed away the blade with the back of his hand like removing some dust. "Cute attempt. But, unfortunately, not good enough." Reisi staggered a step back as this Servant fixed him with a piercing glare, akin to a raptor about to go for the kill.

"Wake up, Reisi!" Lancer's shout snapped him out of his trance in time for him to see the head of Diatrekhōn Astēr Lonkhē go for him. Lancer grabbed his Master and pulled him away, all in an instant. "Leave him to me."

"My attacks don't seem to be working on him!" Reisi exclaimed.

A body that reject almost all attacks. It was blessed, or perhaps cursed, by his mother. This is what the Noble Phantasm Andreias Amarantos grants Rider. Only strikes dealt by one with the traits of a god, the Divinity skill, are permitted to injure his body.

The thick tendon on the back of a person's ankle is known as the Achilles tendon. Due to how infamous the name Achilles is to the world, many would know that this place is the weak point of the mentioned Heroic Spirit. Attacks damaging his Achilles tendon will take down Rider's Andreias Amarantos and make it so even non-divine attacks can inflict wounds upon his body, along with cutting the speed of his Dromeus Komētēs down to 30%.

Lancer and Rider were currently exchanging blows. "I must be a special case - Son of a bitch!" He had been cut off when Rider planted his foot on Lancer's chest and sent him flying back.

"I'll tell you what it is. It's because you're related to a god. Closely, since that slice didn't have reduced damage."

Lancer smirked. "Thanks for the flattery. I won't tell you which one, but my dad's a chief god. This means I have above-average Divinity. So your body has the protection of gods...I encountered some Greeks while I was alive and your scent is like their's...Reisi! His True Name is Achilles! Go for his heel if possible!"

"Well, fuck." While the enemy correctly guessed his True Name, he doesn't have enough clues to make the opposite happen. In the end, it doesn't matter for this battle. The enemy's Divinity is B or A and there's absolutely no way the Master will have even a single attack land unless Rider lets it.

As Reisi began fighting Mikoto again, who came down at him much like a bird, Lancer ripped out a few strands of his hair when he was a couple dozen meters away from the other Servant and threw it at him. A first-rate catalyst for magi is their bodies. So hair allowed years of growing or blood can be potent when used in magecraft or can extend it.

Several fiery blasts erupted in Rider's face, throwing off as much heat as the lava Mikoto failed to swallow Reisi up with, forcing him to shield his eyes. Even with the speed Servants are able to react at, he couldn't do anything to stop Lancer from punching him back through several containers; Rider's spear was thrust down to lessen how far he was sent back.

"You bastard..." Rider grumbled before clashing with Lancer in a high-speed battle. They were going dozens of times the speed of sound, probably at well over Mach 100. And it looked like they were still accelerating each second! Two merciless beasts: one a savage wolf and the other a vicious raptor. Two animals designed to hunt relentlessly and brutally kill.

Meanwhile, Reisi had just put out the blaze that consumed a quarter of his longcoat, vest, and button-up shirt as well as leaving, luckily, a first-degree, bordering on second-degree, burn on his back. Still, he wanted to curse himself for not reacting in time to use a stronger aura to defend against Mikoto's sudden back attack.

The Red King grinned at Reisi's obvious discomfort. "I think I've only damaged ya like that one other time."

Reisi pointed his saber at Mikoto's face after managing to ignore the pain by running some of his internal aura to the burn. "You won't get that pleasure again."

"You said that last time and yet I did." The two Servants nearly collided with him. "Shit! Watch it!"

Mikoto then went at Reisi and soon steel kept clashing with flesh. It ended when he grabbed the Blue King by the front of his uniform and pushing the man on the ground on his back. Reisi hissed from the stinging of his burn then realized Mikoto was on his hands and knees over him.

"Su -" The sudden mouth on Reisi's was insistent, desperate. Like a starving man attacking his meal. It was as if Mikoto was fully aware the War could tear them apart and now wanted only to be with Reisi.

Lips pulled away and calloused fingers then wrapped around his pale neck. While Mikoto was pressing down, it wasn't enough to strangle the Blue King; he could still take raspy breaths. It's like he's hesitant to kill this man who's supposedly his enemy. There was no resistance when a blast of blue from the dark-haired man violently forced the other to back off.

"Suoh! This is a battle!"

"Munakata, all this makes me wanna ▅ ▅ ▅ ▅ ya so badly. I don't even know what I was doin' durin' that."

Reisi got up and resumed his battle stance. "Focus!"

The battle between the two demigods was actually approaching the speed of light now. Anything they even brushed against was destroyed much like the material was exposed to a bomb exploding. Eventually, Rider suddenly looked around. "Hey, Lancer?" He stopped.

Lancer also stopped, looking annoyed. "What now?"

"Where exactly are we?"

That's when Lancer actually took in where they are. It was nowhere near the cargo pier. "Shit! We didn't even realize we were movin' away from our Maters!"

"At least both are Kings. They don't need much support from us against the other," Rider admitted. "But I can't help but wonder how they're doing."

Back at the cargo pier, a raging storm of fire like the heat of magma surrounded Mikoto. Reisi was only able to neutralize it with a thick coat blistering cold winds from his aura, chunks of ice helping to dissipate the heat. He launched large spears of ice as well. While most of it melted once it drew closer to Mikoto, the clash of the two opposing AOE attacks slowed the melting enough to cause multiple cuts and stab wounds to litter the Red King's body.

Somewhere outside of Tokyo, Rider went up to Lancer. "Soooo, wanna continue where we left off this afternoon?"

Lancer shrugged. "Sure, don't see why not." As he and Rider were about to kiss, a voice broke into Lancer's head and a vein instantly bulged in his forehead.

'Lancer! I need some help here!'

"Oh. My. God!" he growled. Then he sighed in defeat. "I swear we can't get any time alone for this..."

"Your Master just SOS you?" Rider asked.

"Yeah, but how'd ya know that detail?"

"My Master just did the same."

"I suppose we'll hafta pick this up another time. I'm beginnin' to think that won't happen, though..."

When they took off, Rider's acceleration exceeded Lancer's and even hit the speed of light. This confused Lancer since the other Servant would've used less mana overall to overwhelm and defeat the spearman. Does he perhaps have a similar issue that Lancer has, where he hesitates to kill those he trusts? Lancer doesn't think all those fishing sessions were enough time to build trust, but he was the one to move in on the Blue Servant already.

Rider couldn't take out his chariot to move even half this speed; it guzzles too much mana. Just it hitting max speed consumes enough mana to summon a Servant, all without any aid. It would've burned through his reserves way too quickly and taken enough mana from Mikoto to leave him defenseless or even dead. Right now, though he is taking some mana from Mikoto along with his own, it's much less draining if he goes this speed on foot and he'll still reach his Master in an instant.

Okay, make that a tiny fraction of a second since he senses he overshot Mikoto by just over 1,000 kilometers. He was looking for big-ass swords in the sky instead of sensing his Master's exact location to know when to stop. He should have done that since both Swords have vanished.

When he got to his Master, he saw Lancer pulling Reisi away from Mikoto. His longcoat was in shreds and several burns dotted his body. But Mikoto wasn't faring any better. He was covered in wounds ranging in severity.

"Lancer! Let's call it a night for now! I have a feeling these two will kill each other instead of just one going down," Rider said as he grabbed Mikoto, who looked ready to fall.

Lancer spat in frustration. "Fine. Y'know, I pegged ya as likin' battle as much as me."

"I do. But I'm also sensible, like you, hopefully."

"Yeah. Looks like this is another thing we'll hafta pick up another time."

"So the Servant from last night is the son of that bastard Peleus and that ugly whore Thetis," Caster grumbled while watching the fight from her room, specifically right after Lancer said Rider's True Name. Then she let out an angry sigh. So it's this one and Heracles. Yes, she can tell he's the Berserker even though his appearance is slightly altered. "So, my past comes back to me in this manner."

"Watch how hard you're pressin'!"

"Shut up already, you baby!" Rider snarled. He was busy applying ointment to Mikoto's wounds. "Just take better care of yourself!"

Izumo walked over right as Mikoto bitched again and could hold back a chuckle. "I didn't know ya could do that."

"Chiron taught me all sorts of things, including how to make certain medicines for injuries." Rider looked around. "Who has the yarrow?!"

"It's a good thing we can get this shit from the drug store..." Izumo muttered then spoke up. "Kamamoto's got that on his list of things to get. I have stuff in the first aid kit to help until he gets back." He looked down at Mikoto. "Are ya sure ya don't wanna go to a hospital?"

"Last time I did the underworld goons found out I was away so they rained hell on HOMRA. Rider says he can fix me up no problem and I just need to have bandages cover the wounds until they close, so it's fine."

Izumo doesn't know if Rider intentionally made Mikoto bark out a string of curses harsh enough to make Tatara cover Anna's ears. "Get used to this." The Servant remained unsympathetic. "Unless you learn to defend better."

"I can't believe I need you to heal me two nights in a row." Reisi grumbled as he allowed Lancer's rune magecraft to tend to his wounds in his office.

"This wouldn't happen if ya took care of yourself better. Isn't your aura better for defense than offense? Either it fuckin' sucks there or...No, I'd say it fuckin' sucks with shieldin' your ass."

"Maybe if a certain someone didn't guzzle my mana then I'd probably have better control of my magecraft!"

"Don't blame me! I relied mainly on my own reserves! It's your fault for getting too cocky last night! I dunno why ya got the shit kicked outta you tonight. Maybe it was the same."

"I don't want to be called overly cocky by you of all people!"

"And yet I'm here without a single scratch."

"You got lucky is all."

"You've seen the rank of my Luck stat. I doubt it. I can't always be watchin' over ya. You need to keep yourself from dyin' too. Read up and practice new magecraft or whatever."

"Okay, you're also a skilled mage. Why can't you teach me how to use runes?"

Lancer pulled his hand back, pausing the healing. He groaned and rubbed the back of his neck. While Reisi has a point, he doesn't think he has the patience to teach and how would he do it gently enough anyway?! If he goes with Scáthach's training methods, he'll most likely end up killing his Master himself! "Seri might have my ass...'Sides, I'll probably be gone in a couple of weeks or less. We wouldn't get far."

"It doesn't matter. Just teach me the basics for now. I can study on performing the rest of the applications after the War."

"I'm gonna be truthful here: ya might not live through it."

"I'm aware, but this could raise my chances for survival. So I need you to teach me rune magecraft."

Lancer clicked his tongue in annoyance. If only his Master wasn't a first rate mage and Lancer didn't have his rune magecraft downgraded, he could have used a rune to make Reisi forget this ridiculous idea without it being resisted! "Man, ya won't just let this go, huh? Fine, just know that anything that happens to you is your fault. We'll start tomorrow. For now let's just focus on patchin', you up."

A high-pitched scream tore through the otherwise silent night in the bar, jolting Rider awake. "Anna?!" Faster than a blink of an eye, he was in her room. Anna was sitting up in bed, clutching the covers to her chest and shaking like she's freezing.

As soon as she saw Rider she dashed over to him, tears flying from the corners of her eyes. The little girl wrapped her arms around him, buried her face in his abdomen, and began to sob uncontrollably. Rider, a little unsure of what was going on, moved one of his hands to Anna's back, patting it gently as she got all of her crying out of her system.

"Mind telling me what's going on?"

"I had a scary dream. Can you stay in my room tonight?" Anna pulled back slightly. She still had her hands pressed to Rider's side, but now her fingers were curled on the orange shirt he now wore, fisting the fabric into her palms. "Please?"

Rider sighed in defeat. "Alright, I'll stay here tonight. You're lucky my other weakness is seeing girls cry right in front of me."

Chapter Text

The next morning, Anna walked down the stairs for breakfast, holding the hand of the green-haired Servant at her side. Once she got sat down at the bar's counter next to Mikoto, the Red King looked at the man. "Ya weren't downstairs this mornin' then I sensed ya bein' in Anna's room. Why'd that happen?"

"She had a nightmare around midnight and wanted me to stay with her for the remainder of the night."

"Oh, that's all?"

"What? Hoping the reason was an enemy attacking where she is or something?"

"Not that, but I thought it was for some other reason."

"Like what?"

"Can't remember now. I think it was somethin' to do with the War, though. It's moot now."

Misaki looked suspiciously at Rider. "You stayed in Anna's room last night? You didn't do anythin'...indecent, right?"

"What?! Just who do you think I am?!"

"Can't rule that out seein' as how you'll rape someone who's already dead."

Rider then rounded on Izumo. "You told him?!"

Izumo took a step back. "Not intentionally. He overheard me jokin' to Mikoto 'bout it. I thought I made it clear it was another timeline's version of you."

"Why are you going through my stuff, Yukari?!" Sukuna demanded. Yukari pulled out a box of Sukuna's things and was inspecting the contents.

"Because we need to keep the place neat and so we should give away anything unnecessary," he replied while looking through a tin of baseball cards. "I wonder how much these would sell for..."

"Ah, then perhaps I should also assist," Assassin said. He had only taken a couple steps in Yukari's direction when Sukuna stopped him.

"Cut it out, both of you! You don't even know what you're looking at! I may still need everything there!"

Now Yukari fished out a sheep doll and Saber looked to perk up a little. "So you still need this?"

"W-well..."

"Yeah, it's getting donated." Yukari put the doll on the couch behind him and continued going through the box. Unknown to him, Saber had begun inching toward the couch.

"You're being unfair, just picking on me! I'm sure you have plenty of things you no longer have a use for!"

"Mr. Iwa did my room last week. Come on, Sukuna. Quit your ugly crying and help me! Some of these things could make someone happy! ...Like a Servant..."

The three males were just quietly staring at Saber, who had reached the doll and was now playing with it. Then she noticed the others and quickly hid the doll behind her back. "Is something the matter?" She was attempting to sound business-like.

"Are you...into cute things..?" Yukari asked.

Saber began blushing. "I-I am unsure of what you mean..." A prerecorded "baa" came from the sheep ant the blush grew more intense.

"Or is it fluffy things? I seem to recal you enjoying the softness of cotton candy," Assassin pointed out with a smirk.

"I-I..!" Saber was too panicked to come up with a retort. Then someone grabbed the doll from behind her.

"Saber? What are you doing with this?" Tenkei spoke behind her. He had returned from his shopping trip. Kotosaka flew in and perched on the back of the couch.

Saber snatched the doll back and hugged it close to her chest. "But this seems like...a good civilization. I shouldn't allow it to end in that case." She continued to be stared at and so she seemed to shrink down in enbarrassment. Another prerecoded "baa" came from her basically squeezing it to herself. So cute...

Then Nagare rolled in, wearing a calm smile. "If you want, Saber, you can keep it."

"B-but..!" Saber began to protest but Sukuna cut her off.

"Hey! It's still mine!"

Yukari sighed. "Stop acting like a kid, Sukuna."

"I am a kid!"

"Just let her have it," Tenkei groaned. "How'd you even get it?"

"I won it at the fair last year, remember? Are you losing your memory already?"

"Don't try changing the subject to my age! I can't believe you kept it this long!"

"At least Saber likes it," Yukari pointed out.

"I-I don't..." Saber trailed off as she stared into the eyes of the doll.

Sukuna sighed in defeat. "Fine, you can have it, Saber. Just take good care of it!"

"Like you were by shoving it into a box and then forgetting about it?" Yukari put in, making Sukuna blush.

If Servants can be compared to weapons, then they also require maintenance, maintenance in the form of mana. Unfortunately, in his state, Reisi can't give his Servant sufficient mana because of last night so another source is needed as well. One of those options just so happens to be sex, this exchange of mana called a mana transfer in the world of magecraft.

Lancer was laying back in the bed, a cigarette held in between his lips. "If Mikoto finds out we had sex, he won't get jealous?"

"Why would he? It's not as if he and I have anything other than this going on," Reisi replied.

"Whatever ya say. Anyway, thanks for the mana. Also, ya get loud durin' it, y'know."

"Yeah, Suoh told me that a few times. And this is to hold you over until a relatively safe leyline is found. I still can't believe the amount of mana you burned."

"Yeah, well I bet Rider's condition ain't any better." The bed gave a small groan as Lancer moved off it. A burst of mana blew through Reisi's hair when the Servant materialized his SCEPTER 4 uniform. It's a work day, after all.

Rider was facedown, face buried in the pillow of Mikoto's bed, the red-haired King holding a fistful of the Servant's hair to keep his head down. Thanks to Servants not needing to breathe, there was no risk of him being smothered to death.

Using a pair of handcuffs Reisi accidentally left last time, the warrior's hand were held behind his sweat-covered back. Mikoto's other hand was on Rider's hip, fingers digging into the skin there, cock pounding into a backside that would've been spanked raw if he were human.

Mikoto's always had a thing for doing this to powerful individuals at least once in bed, like Reisi, but he usually doesn't get this rough. It's because Rider's more powerful than Mikoto. He's not being a jackass about it, but it still feels good to knock him down a peg or two. Given the Servant's low on mana, it seems like the perfect chance to show to him just who's in charge. Plus, Rider did ask for it. Seems he has a thing for being dominated in bed.

While Rider's usually the one doing this to people in bed, sometimes he just wants to feel a sense of helplessness, that his blessing won't bail him out. But he only rarely allowed this when he was alive. Can't let it go around he has this kind of kink or he may start to lose respect. He just claims he was talked into it.

The bedroom door suddenly opened. "Mikoto, what's that noi - AAAHHHHHH!"

Mikoto and Rider looked over just in time to see Anna bolt downstairs. Ten seconds later, there was another scream. "HAVEN'T YA EVER HEARD OF LOCKIN' THE DOOR?!" Anna must have run to Izumo and told him.

"Why didn't you?" Rider asked.

"I thought this mana transfer would be over fast enough. Just shut up and put your face back in the pillow so we can finish. I'm close here."

When Kuroh opened the stone door and entered the workshop Caster made, one of her Dragon Tooth Warriors nearly ran into him. Caster herself was in the middle of this chaos, barking orders.

"You! I said to set the cabinet over there! Are you two done with those glyphs yet?! I thought I said to tidy up those books! Careful with that statue, idiot! Are you just going to stand there all day, boy?!" Kuroh realized the last was directed at him. Narrowed blue eyes burned into him. "Either shut the door and help or leave and shut the door. You're exposing this to the public!"

Kuroh sighed as he slid the door shut. At least the candles provided light. "Fine. What do you need help with?"

"I have some scrolls on that table." She put a couple mana crystals down on it in a huff for Ichigen to practice with. "Look through them and find the one on bounded field creation. It's aparently too big a task for these literal boneheads."

"Can't you do that yourself?"

"Do you not see me working on getting these morons to work on this place?! I believe you volunteered to help, so shut your mouth and do what I said!"

"I think you know what I want to call you right now..." Kuroh muttered quietly enough for Caster to be unable to make out what he said.

The witch held a hand out to him. "What was that?"

"Nothing."

"Runes fall into two categories. Primordial Runes were created by Odin himself and are the highest level runes can be at. The other is modern runes. It's like magecraft to magic, where these runes are less powerful imitations of Primordial Runes. Since this is Age of Man, you'll learn modern runes."

Lancer was getting to a rune demonstration to stop Reisi constantly reminding him of what he said last night.

"On your uniform, are those runes? They look like symbols so I was wondering."

"It's runic silver molded into the fabric, so technically yes."

"What's it for? Decoration?"

"No. They're enhancements to provide me a bit of help in battle. Things like stamina."

"At least you aren't completely reckless when it comes to combat..." Reisi muttered.

An angry exhale from Lancer. "...And while we're on the subject of enhancements, I think you should learn the basics for defensive runes."

"Why? My aura already provides a strong defense."

Lancer crossed his arms and had the face of someone about to be a smartass. "This is to strengthen it. Remember how shitty I said your defense is last night?"

This made Reisi pinch the bridge of his nose. "Give me a break with that. Everyone slips up sometimes. It just happened to be during those times."

"Yeah, we need to reduce that as much as possible. In this War, a simple slip-up could cost your head."

During his walk outside, a fly went to Zouken, relaying what it had found. It was the one of the few that managed not to get killed by a Servant while trying to spy on a Clan.

"So we finally know who he's with..."

It was afternoon and Rider found Lancer fishing at the pier, what he always does during his lunch break.

The Greek Servant ran a thumb over the small cut on his cheek that was covered by a simple adhesive bandage. Given he's a Servant, a scratch like this would've closed in a second. He was too hopped up on adrenaline during the fight to notice the stinging remained. It wasn't until he got his Master back to Homra that he took note of the oddity. That spear must have the same property Diatrekhōn Astēr Lonkhē would have if Rider were to be summoned as a Lancer. A cursed weapon, the son of a chief god, a war-like and beastly person, and blue skin-tight clothing perhaps suggesting a Celt, he thinks he now knows the True Name of that Servant.

"Hey, Lancer!"

"Rider! Need somethin'?" He was being friendly now.

"I think I figured out your True Name. Can I guess it?"

Lancer looked a little startled. "Huh?"

"Cú Chulainn, isn't it? Just tell me if my guess is right or not."

Lancer gave a frustrated exhale through his nose and was silent for a few seconds, contemplating how he should respond, then sighed. "Yeah. Looks like we're even now."

"In the case of our True Names, being famous sucks."

"Tell me 'bout it."

Reisi was occupied with looking through a produce selection in a grocery store nearby.

"That man is merely your familiar."

The King jolted and turned around to face the source of that bell-like voice that whispered in his ear. But no one was behind him.

"I must still be tired..." he murmured then turned back to the selection. Out of the corner of his eye, he saw a crow feather gently descend.

Chapter Text

In Tsubaki-mon's courtyard, Reisi traced an ancient Nordic letter in the air using his mana. The mana suddenly lashed out in a burst, knocking Reisi down and back a few meters. When he regained his bearings, he heard Lancer not far off laughing his ass off.

"That looks like me while I was trainin'! Though it was worse since it was Primordial Runes."

Reisi narrowed his eyes at his Servant. "You know, you could give me advice on how to avoid this instead of being amused at my failures."

"Pain will be your greatest teacher. Ya know ya have to get the balance of mana just right or, well, that happens. But be prepared for that to happen several times. It took me about a week to form my first rune without bein' blown into a wall. It got much easier with the mana control for the other runes. Now I bet I could do 'em in my sleep."

"Kotosaka just spotted some Blue Clansmen poking around a forest to the west of here," Nagare said. "There's a ley line there, so Lancer must be in need of mana, and the Blue King can't provide a sufficient amount. This is the perfect chance to eliminate them."

"If I use my Noble Phantasm on the base, nothing of it will remain. The Master should also die," Saber told him. Contrasting her authoritative tone is the sheep doll she held, which she named Zerco.

Nagare shook his head. "Mr. Iwa still has a personal vendetta against the Blue King, and we won't deny him of that."

Tenkei stood up. "Let's go, Assassin. We have some fun things to prepare."

"I did this just for you!" Caster practically sqealed once Ichigen entered the workshop.

He was looking around. "What is all of this?"

"You can practice magecraft here outside the public eye. This magecraft won't come to you as easily as magecraft from the Dresden Slate," Caster warned. "Just getting the hang of it will take months of practice. Even after I'm gone, this place will remain for you to continue your studies."

Ichigen opened a book sitting on the table. "Then I'd better get started."

They sky was still orange as Reisi and his Servant headed into the forest outside of the city where a supposedly safe ley line is.

A bullet suddenly came out at Reisi. And this wasn't one that could be simply stopped and destroyed by his aura; it's a supernaturally charged one courtesy of the Grey King. The Blue King ripped out his saber at imbued it with his own aura in time to block it. While that was happening, Assassin materialized behind Reisi, dirk clutched in his left hand and the point of it going for his head.

"There ya are!" Lancer went behind Reisi and grabbed Assassin's wrist just as Reisi knocked the bullet away. "Figures since your Master's here." A swift kick to Assassin's chest knocked him back, but Reisi noticed Lancer wasn't unscathed. Blood ran down his face due to the dirk in his right eye.

"Lancer!"

"It's fine! I can deal with the pain and my eye will regenerate! Just worry about the Grey King!" He tore the dagger out of his eye socket. The hook near the end of the blade had a blood-soaked fleshy mass on it. He spat in disguest then hurled it at the Grey Servant. All it did was cut his ear a little and destroyed a tree. "Huh, I missed. Well, one of my eyes is gone."

"So you are in a weakened state after all," Assassin said as he got up. The thrown dirk dematerialized and a new one appeared in his hand. "This seems better for me."

"I'll still kill ya. So you'll go after the Master and not the Servant? As I thought, you cowardly Assassins make me sick. Just a pathetic nobody!"

Yes, he's nobody. He can't even remember his name. All he knows is that he's just another Hassan, just another person with no identity of his own. That seems to have manifested on him as a Servant with not having a face.

Meanwhile, the Masters were fighting in the building fog. "People like you should just die!" Tenkei shouted as he shot at Reisi.

"Your grudge against me is annoying."

"Not just against you, but your entire kind..." Reisi charged at the man before he could allow the fog to swallow him up, but his aura seemed to suddenly go into defense and created a dome to protect him from the tree large explosions, like from TNT. This made him jump back in shock. Then a bullet aimed at his head came through the smoke and dust, easily penetrating his shield.

He moved in time to where it only took off the top half of his left ear. "What?"

The dust cleared enough to reveal Tenkei's smirk. "I had plenty of time while waiting." He then went at Reisi, swinging the butt of his revolver. The other King ignored the intense pain from his injury and met it with his saber.

His aura running through his saber allowed the rune Ehwaz to be formed on the barrel of the revolver. He remembers Lancer telling him that Ehwaz has another use. When imbued with a mana imbalance, it can take away something's durability rather than add to it. So it can be used even if not mastered, though the novice still would create too much of an imbalance that he'll be knocked back onto his ass. Hence Reisi's current situation.

Tenkei snarled in frustration, seeing his revolver crumble away. Then he reached into his robe and pressed a button. A hidden crossbow several meters away fired a bolt into Reisi's hip as he was getting up, making him stumble back onto the ground. Tenkei took this chance to tackle the man onto his back.

Fists began coming down on Reisi's face. "Your ideal is pointless! We Kings are worthless in that endeavor! We can't save everyone in front of us no matter how much power we have!" That's when Reisi realized Tenkei isn't raging against him. It's against who he was before Genji dropped his Sword. He's merely using Blue Kings as an outlet to vent his anger since the two he knows have the same dream he once did.

"Killing me won't help you in the end!"

"Yes it will. And I'll also kill anyone who gets in the way of Nagare winning the Grail." Tenkei had quit the punching and settled for basically snarling in Reisi's face. "See, I'm not interested in claiming it myself. Nagare plans to have it change the world in a way where no one will be powerless to stop what happened in 1999 from occurring again! We'll return to how we were during the Age of the Gods!"

"That's insane! Supporting people being empowered is the same as supporting mass senseless killings! I'm sure a part of who you once were remains and he would never allow this!"

"That's where you're wrong. When Ootori died 13 years ago, every part of him also died. All that remains is Tenkei Iwafune, the man who'll give his life to fulfill Nagare's vision. Just wake up already, kid." A harsh slap punctuated this. Then Reisi decided to play a little dirty by kneeing Tenkei in between the legs then punching him away.

The two Servants were still fighting. "I may be far from bein' at my best right now, but there's no way in hell I'm losin' to some fuckin' sandworm!" Lancer shouted after basically hurling Assassin about a hundred meters away. What Lancer seems to have failed to realize until it was too late is that is was only a few meters away from his own Master. Assassin turned to the human and held out his right arm.

"Your heart...I'll take it."

"Look out, Reisi!" Lancer shouted as he prepared to jump. A spear of ice flew out on a path to Assassin's bandaged right elbow joint. A bullet came at it from the side and the cold projectile vanished in an explosion of tiny ice shards. The bandages covering Assassin's right arm flew away, revealing a lengthened red arm. The hand went for Reisi. "Zabaniya! [Disillusional Heartbeat]"

Lancer shoved Reisi away, those long fingers touching the Servant's chest, over his heart. Then the arm returned. In Assassin's right hand, an exact copy of Lancer's heart. "You lose!" His fingers had started to close around the heart, to crush the real one inside the spearman. A crow perched on the branch of a tree by him swooped down. Blood flew out.

"I haven't gotten to play with him yet so I won't allow ya to kill him. Taking his eye is the most I'll allow." As Assassin's head fell to the ground, the Servant burst into blue mana.

"Wha-" Tenkei sputtered, taking a few steps back in shock. The silver-haired woman with red eyes that the crow seemed to turn into grinned at the Blue Servant, lowering the bladed staff she used to decapitate Assassin.

"It's been a long time, Cú Chulainn."

Even though he's never seen this woman before, somehow he knew who it is. He bared his fangs and snarled, "Not long enough, Morrigan."

Morrigan. The Celtic goddess of war and death and one of the people Lancer has had a few encounters with while alive.

The woman giggled, taking a few steps closer to Lancer, bloodied blade dragging across the ground. He, like the two humans present, was on guard. "Did ya honestly think I was done with ya, Cú Chulainn? The Einzberns wished for a Divine Spirit by utilizin' the Dress of Heaven and I answered their call 'cause I sensed you're in this War. Ya feel honored, right? Don't you just want to kiss me?"

Lancer was still growling. "Look, you bitch, I kicked your ass before and I'll do it again."

This earned a howl of laughter from Morrigan. "Still overconfident? Ya should be smart enough to have figured out I was goin' easy. I thought killin' ya would be simple since you're merely a demigod!"

A blue eyebrow was raised. "You didn't figure out I'm not one to be taken lightly durin' those attempts on my life in the Táin Bó Cúailnge?"

Morrigan chose not to counter. She just narrowed her eyes in frustration and growled.

"I was able to possess this one since she's the vessel for the Lesser Grail. I'm only interested in the bloodshed so I have no qualms with grantin' the wish of the Einzberns, to obtain Heaven's Feel."

"You're still a Divine Spirit. You shouldn't be here with this Grail system."

"Breakin' the rules in this way is possible with the Dress of Heaven and hackin' into a leyline."

"So, you're gonna kill me?"

The expression Morrigan wore was one of a mother gently advising her child. "No, I don't want to kill ya right away. That'd be lettin' ya off too easy. I want ya to suffer first. I want to hear ya beg me to kill ya. Then I might decide to show mercy."

"Hell will freeze over first."

"Ya never noticed how much I loved ya! Ya always regarded me as a bother! I just wanted ya to look at me the way ya look at that lowlife bitch ya call your wife!"

"Will you shut up?!" Before anyone could react to the new voice, a green lightning bolt came down on Morrigan, making her jump back to avoid it. A spear was embedded in the ground where the bolt struck.

Lancer recognized it before it dematerialized. "That's..!"

Mikoto and Rider casually walked out from the trees to stand by Reisi. "Man, you're loud!" the Servant was complaining.

"Why is the Rider here?!"

Lancer was as confused as Morrigan. "Seriously, pal, why are ya here?"

"We were returning from a ley line and this commotion got our attention."

"Ya also went to this leyline?"

"Look, a decent amount of my mana was drained from me last night, especially when I went as fast as I did. I may have a large mana pool, but I can only do it for half a second tops then I seriously need methods to restore it."

"If it leaves ya that bad off, why do it?"

"I was just wanting to get back to my Master before you!"

Reisi sighed as they continued to argue then turned to Mikoto. "Remember what Kokujouji said Habari and Kagutsu once did? Let's see if we can also pull that off."

"I don't think we have a choice, Mikoto replied.

The auras from the two Swords reached out and entangled with one another, turning the rest of the two colors a light violet. This process was instinctual, like a Servant using their Noble Phantasm, so they knew how to do this even though it's their first time pulling it off.

"Whatever this is, it's useless!" Morrigan shouted before attacking. The blade of her staff smashed into the translucent purple dome around the two Kings. She thought it would end up breaking, but it held up with only a minor crack. She jumped back with a "tsk!"

Reisi was suddenly right in front of her and thrust his saber blazing with violet at the goddess' throat, which she ducked to avoid right on time. The instant she did, a fist of violet flames smashed into her cheek and sent her tumbling dozens of meters away.

That strike was with C-rank Strength and these two are only equal to first-rate magi! So how in the world was this possible?!

They're opposites, one utilizing fire and the other ice, and yet they're the two Kings who's aura is most compatible with each other, able to easily combine and explosively increase their strengths.

The two moved in on Morrigan to try finishing it while she's down but sharp pain abruptly assaulted both of their bodies, making them collapse. Up above, the purple aura around both Swords washed out to red and blue again.

"Looks like...we need more work on it..." Mikoto chuckled when he caught his breath. He was still twitching a little.

"I hardly think getting hit with mana backlash is something to laugh at," Reisi growled.

When Morrigan went at them, Rider abruptly appeared beside her, driving his spear through her enitre midsection to pin her. "I don't thin - the hell?!"

A swarm of bugs suddenly appeared and flew at Rider, making him rip his spear out and jump back.

"You aren't completely used to fighting in that vessel yet." It was a male unable to be seen.

"Bugs?!" Rider exclaimed. He and Lancer began using their spears to strike them down and Mikoto generated a wall of aura around him, the heat within causing the insects to burn up as soon as they entered. Reisi was freezing the air around him, trapping the bugs in ice. Tenkei didn't have as many go at him, but he ended up doing the same as the Kings.

The bugs began covering Morrigan, but she didn't fight back. The last thing she saw before insects completely filled her vision is Lancer giving her the middle finger. The bugs on her broke away and she was gone, teleported out. The other bugs quickly left.

"I'm sure I sensed a Dead Apostle!" Lancer exclaimed. "Why is one working with her?!"

Rider sighed. "We'll notify the Overseer about the Dead Apostle. You go to the ley line."

"Looks like Lancer has someone crazy on his ass," Mikoto said as he and Rider walked to the church.

"Being the target of a god is the absolute worst," Rider added. "I'm still pissed at Apollo! And who knows what Morrigan's plans are for joining with a Dead Apostle."

Reisi and Lancer stopped when then reached the ley line and Lancer sat down.

"I can't move from here. If I do, I'll get disconnected from the ley line."

"So, this Morrigan person..?"

Lancer sighed. "She's a yandere towards me. She even tried to kill Emer."

"Had that when I was in college. So we have another person to watch out for."

"Y'know what? If she wants me to fuck her that badly, then that bitch can suck my dick." Then Lancer smirked. "I'm sure that slut's practiced with plenty more than Dagda."

"Something tells me that suggestion won't go over well with her..."

"I don't give a shit what her thoughts on it are, that's my only compromise. I don't even feel like hate-fuckin' her in the pussy or ass!"

"When this language escapes your mouth...I can't help but pray kids aren't nearby."

"That's another thing in this time I don't think I'll ever get used to. Plenty of people, includin' Uncle Fergus, were completely unfiltered 'round me when I was growin' up."

"Parent of the year right there..." Reisi grumbled. "Lancer, do you think you'll be able to handle Morrigan?"

"It doesn't matter if it's a god I'm up against, they're dead all the same."

"It looks as if your encounter didn't go the best," Zouken said, eyeing the wound Rider gave to the goddess. "Are you still wanting to do this?"

"Like me, that man personifies war. Whenever he enters the battlefield, plenty of death results. He was born to kill! I love people like that. I want him so much but he refuses to return my feelings! And worse, he chose someone who stays out of conflict as his wife! Why?! I can't believe such a worthless human was able to tame the Hound of Culann."

Morrigan would rather die than admit she's also jealous of Emer. That should've been the goddess always at his side, the one who should've made him happy. Every time she saw them together she wanted to scream in frustration. And when Morrigan appeared before Cú Chulainn to offer him her love, he rejected her. Granted she was transformed but he still should've known it was her! Is the real reason he turned her offer down because she's Dagda's wife? Why would that matter? To a god, two millennia goes by in a flash. And yet, spending that much time without him was more agony than she ever thought she'd have to endure, an eternity of loneliness to her. So he now has to be punished for that.

"Well, I'll go clean up the trash." Zouken vanished among insects when he said that.

"Lancer's defenseless. And Mr. Iwa's returning. Time to initiate Plan B." Nagare glanced at his Servant. "It's your turn, Saber."

"Understood," was the simple reply before the silver haired woman dematerialized. She was almost to the forest when she abruptly materialized her sword, slicing apart several insects.

"These again?" She sliced the ground, throwing up several pieces of rubble to make the insects halt then it looked like a rain of slashes cut them to nothing. "Cannon fodder."

'Saber, you need to return!'

'Is something happening?'

'We're under attack by a man controlling insects!'

"I see. These were just to buy time." As a Servant, her duty is to be a tool for her Master. Whatever he tells her to do, she should do it without question.

At the base, both Kings and Clansmen were fighting. Without his pistol, Tenkei was using another fighting method. By compressing his fog, he was able to make clones of everyone. These fog doubles aren't as powerful, but they still provide the heat source of a human. They should be able to confuse the insects. Meanwhile, Nagare made cages of electricity to trap the bugs in before frying them. He and Tenkei can handle these insects no problem, but the numbers will exhaust and overwhelm the Clansmen much faster than for them. Meanwhile, the stranger just stood there, letting his bugs do all the work. Then his bugs warped him a short distance away when Saber suddenly appeared, slashing down on him.

"The Servant's back already? I was hoping to finish first." He vanished among insects, but his voice could still be heard. "Well, I know where this place is, so I can return whenever. I wonder what you people will do."

Saber turned to Tenkei. "He must've planted a familiar on you. That's how he found this place."

"Mr. Iwa, you should go to the church for protection," Nagare said.

"Not gonna happen. I'll be staying with you guys for as long as possible."

"What'll we do now?" Sukuna asked. "He said he'll come back."

"We'll need to relocate for the time being. Get me into a new straightjacket and I'll bring you there."

After some time, the Green team arrived in a hotel. The receptionist bowed. "We've received your request and made appropriate accommodations, Mr. Hisui."

Tenkei raised an eyebrow. "Nagare?"

"The receptionist here is in JUNGLE. I merely offered an appropriate amount of JUNGLE points for our stay."

"There's even a pool here?! This place is awesome!" Sukuna exclaimed after looking through the amenities.

"I'm more interested in the spa they have," Yukari said.

Tenkei narrowed his eyes at the two. "Don't get attached. This is only temporary. We'll go back after the War's over."

Sukuna began pouting. "Aww! You're no fun!"

Chapter Text

"Why don't you desire me, you filthy dog?!"

Cú Chulainn's head snapped back at the insult fired from behind, expecting to come face-to-face with some woman he had sex with then snuck out when her back was turned. The last thing he expected was to be this close to a king of the Tuatha Dé Danann. And this one looked furious.

"Morrigan?! Why in the world are you here?!"

"Answer my question, mortal!"

"I have no idea what yer talkin' 'bout!"

"Don't pretend ya don't remember! I approached ya not too long ago, but ya refused my body! Why was that?!"

The knight thought about those he recently interacted with. It was mainly just the Connacht nobodies . "Yer gonna hafta make me remember."

"Then how 'bout this?!" The goddess' form changed, into the woman Cú Chulainn met days prior, the one who offered to have sex with him but he turned down.

"It's not that I don't want ya. I just wasn't really feelin' like it at the time."

Morrigan turned back to normal. "That's still no excuse!"

"I don't know what else to say."

"Then you'd better watch out."

Reisi wandered into the apartment's kitchen to find Lancer plating the scrambled eggs he just made. "So Morrigan wasn't completely obsessed with you at first?"

Lancer looked at him. His right eye is regenerated at this point, so he no longer needed a bandage patch over it, but Reisi still needed one on his ear. "Where'd that come from? Ya see my past?"

"Yeah. Morrigan just seemed furious at you initially."

"She was. That changed when I warded off her attempts to kill me, so now we have her as she presently is."

"Morrigan is only going for Lancer. I don't think we need to get involved," Rider said. He and Mikoto were having a discussion with the rest of HOMRA that had been covered somewhat last night when they returned.

"We don't know if it'll only involve him. Kotomine told me to be on my guard since these are new players."

"Then we should strike first!" Misaki said.

"And where, pray tell, should we go?" Eric retorted.

"Hey, take it easy. He was only tryin' to help," Kousuke said, putting a hand on Eric's shoulder.

"Then maybe the chihuahua should bark something that actually is."

A vein bulged in Misaki's forehead. "I thought you finally stopped callin' me that!"

"Enough of that. You know what'll happen if ya damage my bar," Izumo sighed, causing Eric and Misaki to gulp nervously. "I've got someone lookin' into her location."

"Hopefully they find something soon, before we get dragged into a different mess," Rider said.

"It seems this goddess is like Ishtar," Archer said with a sneer. "In that case, death shall serve as her punishment!"

"So you'll lend a hand to striking her down?" Daikaku asked.

"Why should I aid lowly mongrels?! My duty as king should not be to exterminate a couple of vermin!"

Daikaku had to resist the urge to roll his eyes. "As you say... I'm very interested in where the Green Clan went last night. Too bad the Fog Santum covering the city prevented your clairvoyance charm from peeking through."

Red eyes narrowed at Daikaku. "Do not bring up that failure again."

"Of course, Your Highness. Let us instead talk about what your plans for today are. One of the first floor receptionists informed me that the mother of one Kouta Takeda has called on her son's behalf, requesting your presence for today. If I may be so bold, perhaps you should take that up."

"He must want to show me his baseball card collection. He was talking about that last time. Very well, I shall humble him with my presence!"

In Tsubaki-mon, Lancer was inspecting the damage to Reisi's ear. Next to him was Seri. "Luckily the only damage was to cartilage, blood vessels, and skin. It'll take a day or two but I can restore it."

"I know this sounds cruel, but can't you remove part of your left ear and use your runes to attach it to the Captain's? You'll regenerate quickly and -"

"Are ya out of your fuckin' mind?!" Lancer's shout cut Seri off. "Listen, the makeup of our bodies is vastly different than a human's! We're too much to handle! A transplant from me to Reisi, even something as small as half an ear, will kill him!"

Seri was shocked by Lancer's outburst. "...In that case, we'll go with your plan."

Lancer calmed down. "Sorry for shoutin'. Ya didn't know."

"It's fine. Now we know just how dangerous a transplant from a Servant to a human is."

Yukari walked into the hotel room. That was a great massage! I feel like I lost a decade of stress!" He glanced at the three in the room: Tenkei, Nagare, and Saber. "You three should get one too!"

"Maybe later," Tenkei replied. "We're still bouncing ideas on what to do if we have to deal with Morrigan and that man again. And we WILL NOT carpet bomb all of Tokyo to get them first!" Tenkei was shouting at Saber with that last one.

"I merely suggested it because it's better than waiting for a devestating attack or spending precious time and resources with locating them."

"You warlike Servants can be such a headache sometimes..."

"Ah, Mr. Weismann!" Kukuri called out, running across the front of the school to catch her German teacher before he went into the building.

"Do you need something, Ms. Yukizome?"

"I think I need help with some of this week's German sentences."

"Remind me after class and we'll set up something. Other students came to me for help, so maybe a study group?"

"Thanks! Oh, one other thing!"

"Please make it fast, I need to attend a meeting in about seven minutes."

"It's about your neice. That giant robot Neko keeps bringing with her is freaking out a lot of the students and...is something wrong?"

Adolf's face had gone pale. So Neko's still taking Berserker to school? Hopefully this won't end with the police being called.

"You know how to swim, Saber?"

Saber was currently with Sukuna in the hotel's pool. The bikini that Yukari bought for her invited a lot of stares to her tanned, tattooed skin. Her Servant outfit would as well, but it didn't show off as much skin.

"It shouldn't be surprising. I've gone swimming multiple times while I was alive. It isn't that bad of a civilization."

Sukuna was confused. "Huh? Well, whatever! Let's see who can make the best cannonball off the diving board!"

"It appears we're being looked for," Zouken said as he looked out the fourth floor window. Below, a man was asking someone about the apartment building he and Morrigan were in. "I'll handle this."

Chapter Text

"You're sure ya found 'em... Thank you for your help." Izumo hung up the phone. "Great news, Mikoto! We know where the two newcomers are!"

"Already? That was fast."

"He got reports of an apartment building with suspicious new tenants. So he decided to start there and it was right on the money."

"Wait, he actually saw 'em?"

"If he did, he wouldn't be alive. There were enough clues from people he questioned."

"Alright, Rider and I will check it out. Rider! We're goin' now!"

On the other end of the call, a man hung up then immediately dropped dead. From his body, a few insects took to the skies.

Adolf was heading to another building of the school when he heard screaming. He sighed, thinking it's because of Neko and Berserker again.

"Addie, what's going on?!"

All the blood drained from Adolf's face. Coming toward him was Berserker with Neko riding on his shoulder.

"This isn't because of you?!"

"Not this time! It must be an actual emergency!"

When they got to the scene, it was like the aftermath of a nightmare. Blood and the dead bodies of students were everywhere. Only one was standing, with a green-haired man latched onto his neck and draining him of blood.

"Rider?!" Adolf exclaimed. He knows what a few of the Servants look like thanks to his mouse familiars. He smirked and dropped the now-dead student before running away. Adolf was now too mad to think straight. "We won't let him get away, Berserker!"

"Ya sense her?" Rider and Mikoto were scouting around the abandoned apartment building the informant told Izumo about.

"Think I would've told you if I did."

"Looks like the intel was wrong. She isn't here." Mikoto growled in frustration and kicked a stray rock on the pavement. "Damn, what a waste of time."

"Seriously, how did Izumo just have that guy at the ready?"

"It's strange, though. Kusunagi's guys don't usually get the place wrong." The thought that this could be a trap didn't cross his mind until he heard that shout.

"So this is where you ran! Kill that Servant, Berserker!"

"Berser -" Rider was abruptly cut off by a fist smashing into him, blasting him through several buildings on the other side of the street.

"The fuck?!" Mikoto exclaimed. He took a step in the direction his Servant was sent flying, but an axe-like sword made of stone was held at his neck.

Adolf, who stepped around Berserker, glared at Mikoto. "We'll take care of you after your Servant."

"Weismann?! What in the world's goin' on?!"

"Don't play dumb! You know what your Servant did!"

"Let's pretend I don't."

"He murdered innocent students!"

"What a load of bullshit. Do ya have any proof?"

"Who do you think we followed here?!"

At this point, Rider had flashed to Mikoto, spear knocking the opposing weapon away. "Back off!"

"Not until you're mana!"

"This is idiotic! Ya have the wrong guy!" Mikoto shouted. "What reason would we have to kill innocents!"

"Mana, of course. We saw Rider drinking a student's blood!"

"We were at a ley line yesterday!"

"Your Servant can end up burning through mana. It must have been to build up his mana stores."

"Mikoto, this guy's beyond reason," Rider said. "I'll just eliminate his Servant."

"Looks like ya need help. We'll lend a hand." That was another new voice.

"Huh? You guys?" Mikoto was confused by Reisi and Lancer coming to his side.

"Rider going through that building we were going by caused mass panic," Reisi explained. "Also, Lancer insisted."

"I don't need help! I can handle this on my own just fine!" Rider protested.

"Really? Is gettin' your ass kicked considered doin' fine in your time? I'm just repayin' ya for last night." Then Lancer grinned. "I'm still a knight at the end of the day and it was somethin' ingrained in my by my seniors."

Adolf narrowed his eyes at the two newcomers. "I don't have anything against the Blue Servant. It's the Red Servant I need to make pay."

"Well, too bad. Learn to deal with it."

"I'll tell you his True Name. It's Heracles. The fact I'm giving it out tells you he's stronger than both of your Servants combined."

"Wait, Heracles? Really?!" Rider sounded as excited as a little kid on Christmas.

"Fanboy over the enemy later!" Lancer unleashed a blindingly fast volley of spear thrusts at said enemy. Berserker had grabbed the blade of the spear. But Lancer was struck speechless by the fact the giant's hand wasn't bleeding.

"Aw man!" Rider swung his spear down on Berserker's wrist, which Reisi encased in ice to weaken it. The ice shattered but there wasn't even a single scratch on the skin. "Me too?! What's going on?!" Lancer had just kicked off Berserker, wrenching his spear away, so Rider took that as his cue to fall back.

"None of you can penetrate his God Hand [The Twelve Labors]" Adolf said.

"Says you!" Rider shouted then opened a telepathic link to Lancer. 'I'll ram him with my chariot. Keep him distracted for like a second.'

'No problem!' Lancer went at Berserker, thrusting his spear forward. Berserker let it hit since he sensed it won't injure him.

'Dodge now!' At the last instant, Lancer rolled to the side and a chariot pulled by three horses collided with Berserker. But he had grabbed the necks of the two on the outside, Xanthos and Balius, and was fighting to keep the vehicle from plowing him over. Rider was dumbfounded. "Are you kidding me?!"

"Just let it happen, ya damn monster!" Lancer swung his spear at Berserker's lower left leg, it being like a metal bar that caused the enemy to start falling backwards. Now with the blockage significantly gone, the chariot went over the top of Berserker's chest, leaving a deep wound behind. It would've killed him if he wasn't falling, but this was probably the best outcome in the given situation.

Lancer was standing by Rider's chariot. "Finally hurt hi - Are you kidding?!" Rider shouted. The wound on Berserker was already closing. "How can he regenerate that fast?!"

"Your chariot is ranked A right? That might be the power needed. Here, Rider." Lancer traced some runes on the other demigod before doing the same to himself. "This'll temporarily increase our Strength to A. Hopefully that'll be enough to damage Berserker."

"Thanks. I was actually about to use my chariot again. Last-resort, I'll seal him in my shield and he'll eventually be unsummoned."

"No. A last resort would be overloadin' our magic circuits to blow him to the moon."

"Okay, whatever. Severe overkill. Let's go, you three!" He snapped down the reins, the horses aiming to run down Berserker. But the giant merely leaped over the chariot. "How can a Berserker react that fast?! Shit!" The man abruptly jumped out of the chariot, avoiding the giant sword that had just been hurled at him from above. It went through the ride, bringing it to a sudden halt. Rider clicked his tongue in irritation then dematerialized the chariot.

As soon as Berserker landed, he was face-to-face with Lancer. An abrupt splash of blood and the Silver Servant was impaled through the abdomen by Gáe Bolg. Lancer ripped his spear free and backed off just as a giant hand tried to grab his head.

"Blind him!" Rider shouted at Lancer while charging at Berserker. Lancer fired Raido at Berserker's face, the lightning causing him to be unable to see Rider's slash until he was sliced across the chest.

"Damn, not deep enough!" Rider spat. He must have a thick mana composition. He was about to try again, but he saw Berserker's axe-sword going for him. He tried to jump back in time, but some of the left side of his face was cut deeply, Berserker's wound closing at the same time. He ignored the pain and tried again, but Berserker just stood there. Rider didn't give himself time to dwell on it but then he wished he did because the blade of his weapon failed to even scratch the giant.

"It went back to not working?! But the enhancement should still be active!" Lancer exclaimed. Unseen, Adolf was smirking. Rider slashed again but the same thing happened. Berserker let out a noise sounding like a scoff the brought up his weapon to cut down Rider. Fire and ice from the allied Kings were fired at Berserker's face, some creating steam to blind him. Lancer sliced at Berserker's right wrist, half expecting its effectiveness to also be gone. It wasn't and half the wrist was sliced through, making the large weapon be dropped. Lancer and Rider both took this time to fall back and evaluate what's happening.

"He must build an immunity to any weapon that hurts him," Rider said. "Seems it activates when he regenerates from the wound. Your spear's curse is keeping him from building a resistance to the weapon since it can't heal that fast."

"Talk about one hell of a broken ability!" Lancer growled. "You'd need several different high-ranked weapons!" Then he had a battle-hungry grin. "This will turn out to be a lot of fun!"

Rider chuckled. "As much as I would love to join in, looks like I'm relegated to support now."

"What 'bout your shield?!" Lancer demanded. "Let's seal him!"

Rider sighed. "Fine... Makes it less fun..." His shield was almost totally materialized when Berserker suddenly flashed in front of him, grabbing his face and slamming him down hard enough for the ground to crater. I can't believe a Berserker can move this fast!

Red mana swathed the demonic spear. "I hope this works or we're fucked! Gáe Bolg! [Barbed Spear that Pierces With Death]" Lancer thrust his spear at Berserker. He had switched the boost to his Noble Phantasm being A.

"So that's the full power of your spear..." Rider was just staring at the bloody hole in Berserker's chest after the crimson spear in it had dematerialized.

"One of two. Still, didn't think I'd feel the need to use that, but it's over now."

"The hell did it do?!"

"It'll go through any defense to hit the heart. God Hand [The Twelve Labors] is clearly conceptual so I'm sure the physical blow in the reversal of cause and effect would be rejected if the Noble Phantasm wasn't A, so I raised it."

As Lancer was walking over to Rider, intending to help him to his feet, he didn't notice the grey mass he just passed twitch a little.

"..."

"What the fuck?!" The fact a giant hand closed around his torso took him by surprise. The giant seemed to be back from the dead. Every last one of his wounds were closed, meaning Gáe Bolg should no longer work on him.

"Again!" he wanted to shout, "Kill me again, you son of a bitch!" It's the only thing he desires ever since he killed his wife and children. But he'll die as a warrior, to someone stronger than him. He slammed Lancer into the ground then started punching him over and over. When the third landed, Rider snapped out of his surprise at seeing the enemy resurrect and tackled Berserker from the side, throwing him off the spearman.

Meanwhile, Adolf didn't notice Mikoto coming up behind him until the redhead pinned him to the wall of a building by his neck. Mikoto squeezed Adolf's throat harder. "I'll tell you again: Rider wasn't the one who murdered those students! Call Berserker off!"

"I know what I saw. Even if you were unaware, it doesn't change that your Servants killed those who aren't involved in the War in any way!"

"There's no makin' ya see reason here. Fine. We'll take care of your Servant. Meanwhile," the hand tightened enough to restrict Adolf's breathing, his nails digging into the skin to cause beads of blood to appear, "I'll make your life hell. You're immoral, but ya don't possess high enough regeneration to heal from me destroyin' your fuckin' spine!" Mikoto's eyes blazed white-hot when he snarled that.

Someone meowed and Mikoto suddenly found himself covered in cats. "The hell -" That's all he got out before Berserker's fist smashed into him, sending him flying hundreds of meters away. He remained on the ground; it hurt too much to move. Trying to breathe was agonizing, like some of his ribs were broken. It would've been much worse if that blow wasn't as hasty as it was.

"Shit!" Rider flashed in front of Mikoto, acting like a human shield.

Adolf looked at the girl with the silver-pink hair trying to blend into the shadows. "Neko, I thought I told you to stay on the island."

"It looks like it was a good thing I didn't since I saved you!"

Berserker was still by Adolf, merely swatting Lancer away when he tried to blow the giant up with runes. He crashed into Reisi, but the King used his aura to soften the impact.

"Dammit!" He and Rider were badly beat up. On the other hand, not even a scratch remained on Berserker. "Let me go, Reisi!" His Master was still holding onto him. "I can still fight! These injuries are nothin'!"

"Are you looking to die?!"

"You're seriously underestimatin' me! If I go into full survival mode, he'll get exhausted!" Then he looked to perk up. "Reisi, deploy your shield! Rider! Our Dead Apostle friend's back!"

"Seriously?!" He summoned Troias Tragōidia and got on it with his Master as the bugs began appearing.

The ones crawling on the ground fell victim to Reisi freezing them. The ones flying at him fell apart when they collided with his aura. "Why now?!"

"Morrigan says Cú Chulainn is hers and she won't let anyone kill him." A voice said. The speaker was the unseen Dead Apostle.

"Shoulda known she had somethin' to do with it. Probably wanted me to get beat up first," Lancer spat. "Tell her she can fuck off! I know how to take care of myself!"

He was ignored. "Silver King, did you forget to have your Servant check that Rider's mana signature? If he did, you would have known that was not in fact this Servant but someone using the Shapeshift skill, a skill Morrigan happens to have."

"Wait, what?!" Adolf exclaimed then turned to his Servant. "Enough, Berserker! We're going back!" The Servant picked up Adolf and Neko. "I'm sorry for the misunderstanding. But if you ever actually attack the island, you now know what's waiting!" With a giant leap from Berserker, the three vanished from sight.

Lancer spat in annoyance. "So now we know who was really responsible."

In an abandoned house, Zouken was just left alone by Morrigan.

"I didn't think she'd ever leave."

Zouken, startled, turned his attention to the opening front door, allowing Kirei Kotomine to walk in.

"I have to say that was clever on her part, getting Heracles and Achilles to possibly kill each other. It must have been in retalliation for HOMRA sticking their noses into your business. But I had been tailing that informant so the biggest mistake you two made was leaving that apartment to cause a scene."

"Too scared to take us both on?" Zouken taunted.

"I'm not stupid. I know she would have killed me immediately. But against you..." Six black keys, spiritual short swords, were whipped out of Kirei's sleeves, three held in each fist. "...things will go my way."

The churring of insects in the building grew in volume. "Don't think it will."

Kirei smirked. "I believe I told you to leave. Are you becoming hard of hearing, vampire? Well, it's too late to flee." With that, Kirei flung the three black keys he held in his right fist at Zouken. The wall both were next to burst and a spider the size of a car jumped out, the weapons bouncing off its hard exoskeleton.

"Set," Kirei said and the weapons sprung back at the spider, impaling three of its leg joints. It roared it pain then lunged at Kirei. He slid under it then drove his other set of black keys into the beginning of its soft underside then dragged them to the end. With one final cry, the spider collapsed.

"I think it's time to end this. Kirei threw the same set into Zouken. But the Dead Apostle didn't burst into blue flames. Instead, winged Crest Worms scattered out from his body, it breaking down into nothing.

"You seriously think I didn't sense some lowly maggot hiding outside the house?!" Zouken's voice echoed. "I'm not stupid either. Without being a Dead Apostle Ancestor, I have no chance against an Executor of your level. You shouldn't underestimate my survival instincts."

Kirei spat in disgust and picked up his thrown black keys.

"I can walk by myself, dammit!"

"No, you can't. Do you have any idea how many of your ribs are broken?"

The door to the bar was shouldered open, revealing Rider and Mikoto on his back.

"You don't either."

"I know it's to where you can't talk too much. Your aura can only do so much."

"How'd it go?" Izumo tried to sound innocent, but Mikoto glared at him.

"Do another check on your informants, you bastard."

Rider sighed and clarified. "Remember that Dead Apostle we told you about? Seems he and Morrigan made the informant lead us right into a trap where we fought the Silver pair." He layed Mikoto on the bench. "Mikoto here was punched by Berserker, busting several ribs. Luckily, I know medicine to treat him."

"I guess we should be glad nothin' worse happened."

"The Blue pair helped us. That's why the attack got called off."

"Why did that happen?!"

"Lancer said it was to repay me for last night, but who knows if that's the actual reason." Rider turned to Izumo. "These are the ingredients I need..."

"First Morrigan, and now Berserker. This War is full of problems," Reisi grumbled. He and Lancer were back in his apartment building. "He has a troublesome defense and he can resurrect."

"12 labors...he probably has 12 lives," Lancer murmured.

"So he has to be cut down 12 times to die for good."

"Not necessarily. Remember what I shouted at Seri, about how the composition of our bodies is different than a human's? If the mana making us up is severely disturbed by a strong enough attack, then we can be killed multiple times with one blow. That's what we need."

"I still can't believe you wanted to keep fighting him."

"Hey, I'm a Celt and we Celts enjoy a worthy opponent!"

"The last thing I want if my Servant fighting a battle we all know will end with him getting ripped to pieces. Let's just hope another Servant kills him for good first."

"Three days until those two lives you lost are restored." Adolf, Neko, and Berserker were in his room. "Let's hope you don't get killed the remaining 10 before then."

"Addie, are you still mad at me for disobeying you?" Neko whimpered. "I only wanted to help."

"No, Neko, it's fine. You saved me and you didn't end up dead. But try to stay out of the fighting from now on. It could have easily gone south for you since you don't have a Servant."

"As long as you're not mad anymore!"

Chapter Text

Blood poured from his abdomen, his intestines used to tie his dying body to a tall stone. Each breath was labored and rattled in his throat. Up above, a crow circled as if patiently waiting for the life to leave the man's body. Even so, a smile appeared on his lips, as if humored by what's happening.

"So...this is how my...journey ends... You were right, Morrigan..."

Reisi slowly opened his eyes then sat up in bed. Next to him, Lancer yawned then checked the time on the alarm clock. "It's almost 4. Why're ya up already?"

"A dream...about your past."

"Judgin' from your somber tone, it wasn't the one again where Láeg trolled me."

"It was your death."

"Oh. Yeah, it wasn't too pretty." Then he yawned again. "If that's all, go back to sleep."

"Being reminded of it doesn't bother you?"

"Why should it? Nothin' lasts forever. We're all fated to die at some point."

"Morrigan foretold it?"

"Yeah. She has a habit of showin' an illusion to the person who'll die in battle that day of her washin' their bloodstained clothes. Didn't bother me one bit. I knew this would happen to me when I took up arms as a child. My only thought was that my time's finally up."

"You were just waiting for your death?"

"I'm sure ya read 'bout Cathbad's prophecy. I knew since then each day could possibly be my last. So, yeah, wasn't too surprised."

In the main hall of the church, Kirei was on the phone.

"Kirei, this Dead Apostle is your responsibility. Given how the Church doesn't view this one as that large of a threat yet, no Executors will be sent to aid you. Many of them are after a True Ancestor that appears to have fallen." True Ancestors are Elementals acting as the planet's sense of touch and are made in the image of Brunestud of the Crimson Moon, the moon's Ultimate One, or Aristotele. They are the original vampires, and are fallen when they succumb to bloodlust.

"Very well." That's good, since he intended all along to do this on his own. He's simply following protocol here. Knowing the history of that disgusting worm, Kirei is aware of what would plunge him into despair.

"I can't believe I got punched away by that damn Berserker! As I thought, I still hate Heracles!" Caster had been shopping downtown yesterday when Berserker, who seemed to be in a hurry, punched her out of the way.

Kuroh was dusting the workshop. Caster swore it had all gotten clean, but the fact Ichigen began sneezing told a different story. He took a break to glance at her. "If you're that upset, why not attack him?"

"I'm not stupid. I saw he still has that cheat of a defense that he did when he was alive. I can use A-rank spells, but you know what happens if an enemy gets too close, and Rule Breaker is only C-rank."

"Anyone else an option?"

"I don't want to fight that damn Rider and his Master again, Morrigan may interfere if I fight Lancer, I don't even know where or who to look for with Saber. And I don't know what Archer's capable of, plus Master Ichigen informed me that Daikaku uses hand-to-hand combat. So the answer's no."

"You're really okay with leaving Berserker alone?" Seri asked.

Reisi sighed and leaned a bit back in his desk chair. "Lancer isn't happy about it but we have no choice. His weapon won't work on that Servant anymore, none of our weapons are strong enough, and the strength of Lancer's magecraft is lowered due to his Class. Besides, Weismann shouldn't attack unless antagonized."

"Morrigan might pull that trick again."

"It shouldn't trick him twice. Weismann now knows to use his Servant to verify the intruder's identity."

"Should anything be done in the meanwhile to prepare?"

"Our preparations thus far may not be sufficient, so I want Lancer to coach the Special Squad during their training regiment from now on. And I wish for Mr. Zenjou to be brought into the squad."

Seri looked surprised. "Are you sure that's wise? He made it clear that he'd rather work in the data filing."

"An emergency brought him to the front lines before, and this happens to be another. We need someone with his experience and skill level. He did kill the previous Blue King to prevent his Damocles Down. If you don't wish to confront him, call him in here and I'll do the talking."

"How ya feelin', Mr. Mikoto?" Yata asked as Rider assisted the King into the bar.

"Like shit." Then he winced in pain as Rider helped him sit on the couch.

"Yeah, it'll be like that for awhile but the pain relief in the medicine should take most of the edge off. Tomorrow you should be able to walk on your own."

"Good. Mmh!"

"Wait here; I'll grab some ice."

Mikoto waited until Rider was out of the room before turning his head to Izumo. "Kusanagi, bourbon."

"Nice try, but Rider commanded me to not allow you to consume alcohol on that medicine."

"That guy..!"

Chapter Text

Though it was afternoon now, Neko's crying had yet to let up. One of her friends was a victim of yesterday's incident.

"C'mon, Neko, let's go out for ice cream. You haven't eaten yet and you like ice cream, right?" Adolf asked gently. Neko just continued crying on the bed with Berserker rubbing her back to comfort her.

"I'm still not hungry..." She buried her face further into the pillow. "I still don't get why Kimiko had to die..."

"If only we had heard the commotion sooner..." Adolf murmured. He was almost launched forward when Berserker began patting his back.

'Don't blame yourself. The only one to be mad at is Morrigan.'

"Thanks, Berserker. Let's keep trying to cheer Neko up."

"Seriously, are ya just gonna sit there the whole time?" Lancer was clearly uncomfortable with Zenjou sitting in a seiza as still as a statue, expression unchanging as he observed the Special Squad members training in the dojo. Both were wearing training gear despite presently not doing any. "Shouldn't ya also be out there?"

"I train on my own time. I prefer not to have to watch out for others."

"I'm not gonna go out of my way to make a special one-on-one trainin' session."

"It's fine. Just by observing how you teach the others, I can adapt it to my own fighting style."

Lancer let out a heavy sigh and rubbed the back of his neck. "Not just Reisi, you're also hard to get a grasp on."

"What's this 'spa' you keep talking about?" Saber asked as Yukari yanked her into another building by the hotel. She kept glancing around in confusion.

"It's just something to help you relax," Yukari replied without letting up his pace.

Red eyes narrowed. "Swinging my sword is all the relaxation I need. This is just a waste of time that could be spent planning for the remainder of the Grail War."

"Seriously, loosen up. You've shown you're capable of that so do it again."

She looked to consider it. "So this...will it help me fight better?"

"It should help you move easier."

"Very well. Then I shall join in."

Rider was shaking the shoulder of Mikoto, who had managed to fall asleep on the bar's bench. "Wake up, Mikoto. Time to take your medicine. Mikoto, come on." The King refused to open his eyes and instead continued snoring softly.

Izumo handed Rider a glass of water. The Clansmen who saw this looked afraid. "Try my method of wakin' him."

"Thanks." Rider then proceeded to dump the ice-cold contents on Mikoto's face. His reaction was immediate. Miraculously, no fire went flying.

"Fuck! Are ya tryin' to put me in hypothermic shock?!"

Rider didn't look sorry as he handed the glass back to Izumo. "If you woke easier, this wouldn't have to happen. Anyway, time for your medicine."

"I thought Kusanagi was the only sadist towards me..."

Daikaku had been called down just in time to witness Archer giving the owner of the Tower's bar a hard time about the wine quality, making the King sweatdrop. His Servant was definitely in a horrible mood. "Thought he'd do this sooner..."

"This revolting drink has no right to touch my lips!" Archer shouted, slamming the glass down. Some of the wine still in it splashed out. "You dare insult your king by serving him something so foul, mongrel?!"

"S-Sir, you didn't specify a brand..!"

"Why would I need to?! The very best liquour should always be presented!"

"B-But price is more of a factor..!"

"I don't want to hear excuses!" Daikaku grabbed Archer's shoulder and tried to pull him back. Archer then fixed his icy-cold glare on the Master. "Who in the world gave you permission to touch me, mongrel?!" He then yanked his shoulder away.

"My appologies, but you must restrain yourself from causing a scene!"

"Did you just tell me what I must do?!" A few Gates appeared. "Know your place!"

Daikaku reacted quickly. "By my Command Seal, calm down!"

The command took effect in an instant. The Gates vanished but Archer's rage was still present on his face. He dematerialized in gold mana. "Do not think this is over..."

Yukari and Saber walked out of the spa, the care they received making their skin practicly glow.

Yukari glanced at Saber, who was still in awe at how soft her skin is now. "Now that wasn't so badn right? Doesn't it feel good to relax every now and then?"

A harsh blush from Saber. "I-I suppose occassional rests like this hones a warrior's mind."

Yukari sighed. "I wish you would loosen up, like when you played with Zerco."

The blush got more intense somehow. "I told you before I wasn't playing!"

"Can't think of a cover-up?" Now Saber was hanging her head in shame. "Woah, I'm not scolding you for it! I'm glad you found something to enjoy. It really is great to see you happy."

"If only I didn't forget Zerco at the base when we relocated. I hope he isn't too lonely."

Archer sighed as he sat atop a building in the city. He supposes he'll forgive that insolent man. After all, he's giving to his king by keeping him in this world. And even a vassel like him can prove to be interesting. But he'd better watch the orders from now on unless he wants Archer to start relying on Independent Action to stick around.

Seri emerged from the women's dorm, dressed in her date night clothes. She was clearly being cautious as she left, as if she wanted to avoid being seen.

"You're going on a date with Kusanagi? Very well, but be cautious about how much you reveal to one affiliated with an enemy Master-Servant pair." Reisi was walking away from the main building, going back to his apartment.

Seri stepped back in surprise. How long has he known about this relationship. "O-of course, Captain!"

"Be at ease. I'm not angry. But again, watch what you say to him."

"I would like to point this out, Captain: there's little at this point I could accidentally give away seeing as Suoh knows Lancer's True Name. I think I can be at ease on the date."

"That's true. Forget what I said, then."

Seri looked around. "Speaking of Lancer, I haven't seen him at all tonight. Did something happen?"

"No. He's out bar hopping. You and Kusanagi may run into him."

"Are you sure that's wise? You could be attacked while he's away."

"It's alright. I can teleport him here with a Command Seal in that case."

Outside of a bar Lancer had just finished going into, said Servant was confronting a man who wouldn't stop harrassing a woman.

"She told ya to back off. Ya might wanna do that 'fore things escalate."

"And what's it to ya?! You her boyfriend or something?!"

"No, but get lost or things won't turn out pretty." The man was about to punch Lancer, but upon seeing how muscular he is under his white shirt, rethought the action and stormed off instead, spitting curses. Lancer sighed then turned to the woman. "Are you al -"

There was yelling then Lancer felt something poke his back. The man had charged at the Servant while his back was turned, whipping out a switchblade and intending to stab the demigod with it. The blade was struggling to even pierce fabric. Lancer sighed again and turned a bit, grabbing the blade and shattering it almost as soon as his fingers closed around it.

The man stood there, blinking in shock. "You're one of those superpowered freaks?!"

That's all he got to say before a hand shot out, grabbed the man by the neck, and slammed him up against the wall. By now, the woman had run away, freaked out by all of this. Cars kept going by as if the drivers didn't notice or care about what's going on. Lancer moved his face so close to the man's that he could smell the alcohol on the Servant's breath. "I could easily turn ya into a red stain, but I won't since it'll cause problems for my partner. But keep bein' annoyin' and I may not give a shit. So I'll tell ya one more time to back the fuck off."

As soon as he was dropped, the man scrambled to his feet and bolted, tripping multiple times as he did so. Lancer rubbed the back of his neck. "Geez, never thought the fact I'm not human would get revealed like this. Well, supernatural isn't exactly new here, so if he blabs it shouldn't cause a commotion." Then he looked in the direction the woman ran off. "I was expectin' some gratitude sex... Whatever, then."

Chapter Text

Lancer was confused as he woke up. It's usually to the beeping of the alarm clock on the nightstand, not to the smell of Reisi cooking breakfast. "You didn't set the alarm? Aren't ya worried 'bout bein' late to work?"

"No. I have today off, so you do as well. We're on call, so be aware of that."

"Alright, then." His street clothes were materialized on him instead of his SCEPTER 4 ones. "Any plans? Wanna go fishin' with me?"

"I was going to have us do things around Tokyo, so fishing may happen."

"Bet I could show you a thing or two."

"I'm sure you could, considering I overheard from civilians that you managed to pull in a shark."

"Stop right there, Medea!"

The woman looked over her shoulder to see Aeetes, her father, approaching the Argo with his army.

Jason groaned. "That man won't give up." Then he turned to the ship's crew. "Hurry and set sail!"

"I will by us time," Medea said, looking at her brother, Apsyrtus, who ended up being captured while pursuing Jason and his sister, with a smirk. Aeetus' horse was about to stop at the shore when the severed body parts of Apsyrtus were thrown at him. "What will you do now, Father?"

The Argo had begun to move, but there was still time to jump on and recover the Golden Fleece that Medea stole. However, Aeetus just stared at the scattered remains that were once his son.

Finally, he faced his army. "...Forget the Golden Fleece. Collect my son instead."

Ichigen peered in the kitchen, where Kuroh was gently instructing a determined Caster on how to make breakfast. It may have been due to Aphrodite's influence, but Caster is willing to go to extremes to acomplish her goals.

While eating lunch at a café, Reisi realized basically everyone was staring at his Servant. A lot of the girls were probably getting wet just looking at Lancer. It eventually got too uncomfortable for even Lancer, causing them to quickly finish and get out.

"I know how handsome I am, but I never got that many people starin' at me at once when I was alive," Lancer grumbled as he and Reisi were walking away from the café.

"What would you do if you were alive again? I could easily see you working as a mercenary. Japan's military might be too stiff for you."

"Never thought about it, 'cause I don't care 'bout livin' again. What would even be waitin' for me? My wife and everyone I knew are long since dead and the Ulster and Ireland I knew are gone. In fact, in my time it wasn't called Ireland but Erin instead."

"I'm sure I could find a place for you in the Special Squad if you'd like to rejoin SCEPTER 4."

"Again, don't give a shit 'bout a second life. We'll cross that bridge if we get there." Then he looked at Reisi. "Wait, are ya askin' this because ya plan on usin' the Holy Grail to resurrect me?"

"No. My plan for the end remains unchanged. I was merely curious in case that scenario happens."

"Don't count on - Well, what do we have here?" Lancer was grinning and Reisi tensed a little at seeing Tenkei coming toward them. By his side was a silver-haired woman neither had seen before.

Tenkei did a double-take at seeing Reisi then glowered. "What the hell is going on?!"

Reisi smiled like nothing's wrong, which only served to irrititate Tenkei further. "Just out for a stroll. I see you made a new pact."

"Saber isn't my Servant; she's Nagare's. He's just letting me borrow her while he remains at our new base." He reached into his robe and pulled out a gun. "This means we can continue where we left off before Morrigan jumped in."

"Looks like you got a new gun."

"Looks like your ear's whole again." Tenkei pointed the revolver at Reisi's face. "Let's see how much we can change that." Both Servant began gathering the mana necessary to summon their weapons.

Only Reisi wasn't showing aggression. "We shouldn't fight right now."

"Saying that 'cause you don't have your sword?"

"That's not it. There are too many people around. They could be dragged in."

Nagare wouldn't approve of involving innocents in this way. Tenkei put his gun away with a huff. Lancer and Saber stopped the materialization of their weapons. "Let's go, Saber." As the two walked away, Tenkei looked over his shoulder. "Someday, you'll come to the same conclusion I did, kid."

"I doubt it."

A chuckle. "We'll see."

"I informed Nagare of the encounter as requested," Saber said as she and Tenkei continued going down the sidewalk. "Are you sure it was alright to just leave?"

"Yeah. Too many people were around. And I saw Kotosaka scouting. Nagare wouldn't be too happy if we caused a scene. Also..."

"Also?"

"I want the kid to die but I also want his world to come crashing down around him. Maybe if I let him live then I'll see that."

"Gil, tell the story about the place called Uruk again!" a kid, Mina, begged.

Archer frowned. "Was once not enough, mongrel? And I only told of a bit. The greatest city in all of history would take days to tell about in its entirety."

"Just about its king! He sounds really cool!" The other children shouted in agreement.

Archer sighed. "I do not even know where to begin with such a magnificent being. However, he would not have been as magnificent without his best friend, Enkidu. They may have been a lump of clay given life by the gods, but they were truly a star that shone like no other. The king paled in comparison to them."

"Really? Then can you tell us about Enkidu?" Kanta begged.

"Very well! But listen in reverence and be awed!" For the next hour, Archer told the eager children of how the king first encountered Enkidu, the ensuing fight, and how Enkidu, along with the king and his attendant, Siduri, made life in Uruk more joyous. Archer was going to continue, but saw the sun was getting low. "It is time for you to return, mongrels! But rest assured that I will continue tomorrow!"

After Lancer informed him of smelling something strange, Reisi saw something in the sky that made his blood run cold. "That's in the direction of HQ! Let's hurry there, Lancer!"

Chapter Text

When Reisi and Lancer ran into Tsubaki-mon's courtyard, they saw a giant fire roaring from the entire building, causing some of the beams on the outside to collapse.

"Did the Red King do this?!" Reisi exclaimed before verifying whether or not he's correct. While it's not a normal fire, it feels different than Mikoto's or any of the Red Clan. "...No, I don't sense this was his doing!"

Cold sweat broke out on Lancer's face. Judging by the mana comprising the supernatural blaze, he realized who's responsible. "This is..!" He broke into a sprint for the building. His Magic Resistance caused the fire created via several single-action magecraft shots to not touch him. Reisi had his aura out, using it to keep the fire away from him and to purify the smoke-filled air attempting to enter his lungs. Even so, all of this still made him feel like choking, especially with what they saw.

They passed Andy, or what was left of him. His waist and below was missing, like his midsection was caught in a guillotine, and blood had poured of him. A short ways away was Daiki basically crucified to the wall with three sabers. Each arm was nailed to the wall with one and a third went through his neck to pin him there. Much of his overcoat and shirt had been torn away, exposing flesh to flay. They seemed to be heading for the office, where Lancer's would come face-to-face with the one responsible.

In Reisi's office there was the heavy stench of blood and entrails. A saber was jammed blade first into the top of the back wall. Saruhiko's abdomen was slashed open and several strands of his intestines were wrapped around his neck and then tied to the saber by the other end, it keeping his feet suspended off the ground. His right forearm was some useless hunk of meat; shattered bone fragments jutting out of the skin along with several muscle fibers, some falling to the ground with his blood. It had clearly been destroyed when he attempted to defend himself.

Morrigan was also in the room. Her back was turned to the two newcomers and had just finished doing the same to Seri with another saber in the wall. But unlike Saruhiko she was still alive, barely. She held a trembling hand out to her boss, as if he could save her. "...Help..." she managed to hoarsely say. Tears were running down her face. Then her arm dropped and no more words left her mouth.

Morrigan turned and gave Lancer a serene smile, as if simply greeting a friend. "Ah, there ya are, Cú Chulainn! I was starting to wonder when ya'd show up. As you can see, I had a little fun. It was a reminder of how frail humans are."

"I can't believe you did this!" Lancer snarled, assuming a fighting stance. Reisi was stunned, as if still processing this. It made Morrigan grin in genuine amusement. It's like how these idiots didn't know what had hit them until she was leisurely strolling through the hall, happily humming a tune, and with flames devouring the building like a destructive backdrop.

"Didn't I tell ya I'd make sure to hurt ya, Cú Chulainn? Don't ya feel awful knowing these people would still be alive if ya had never gotten involved with them? That your Master wouldn't have to suffer? If only ya'd reciprocated my love for ya 2,000 years ago. For that, despair is the punishment I've decided to mete out!"

"You fucking cunt! I've never hated you before but I do now. Do you even know how unsightly your obsession towards me is?!" Morrigan grinned in ecstasy. Lancer's piercing glare that seemed to glow ominously, a pair of crimson moons, it may as well be from Mystic Eyes. They seemed to scream that his target is going to be ripped to shreds. The focused killing intent created a paralyzing hold. To the victim, the stare makes it feel as though thorns were invading their body, trying to keep every single joint from moving. It makes one wonder if this monster of a demigod or his cursed weapon is the thorns of death.

"Ya say that, but you're just trying to deny ya love me as much as I love ya."

Gáe Bolg was materialized. "It's like talkin' to a brick wall!" By materializing her staff, Morrigan was able to block Lancer's slash, though she was pushed away a bit. She grinned at how close their faces are, but not enough to kiss unfortunately. The violet jewel clutched in the talons of a crow on the upper end shone, Lancer jumping back to avoid a beam of raw mana from it.

Morrigan was cackling like a maniac now. "That's right! Hate is just another form of love! So ya do love me! I knew it!"

"Listen, bitch! I don't care what your fantasies involvin' me are, this ends one way: me takin' off your head!"

The goddess licked her lips with a chuckle. "If you can, that is." Lancer was about to make another go at her, but Morrigan turned into a crow in an explosion of black feathers, temporarily obscuring Lancer's sight. She used this opening to burst through the window, escaping into the night.

Lancer spat and dematerialized his weapon. "Slippery old bitch..!" He turned to Reisi. "We need to find anyone still alive."

This pulled him back to reality and he attempted to regain his composure. "Right! We should split up!"

"I actually have another plan." Mana focused in Lancer's hand collected and formed a stone. An ordinary-looking stone aside from the Berkana rune inscribed on top of it. He proceeded to drop it on the ground then squatted down, placing his hand on the floor to control it with his mana. "This will make the search for survivors faster since it'll pick up on a person's mana." The stone then seemed to glide on its own across the floor, rushing down the hall.

The first room it entered was the library. From Lancer's visual link to the front of the stone, he could see two blood-covered bodies. No mana readings, so both are dead. Next room. Next was a lounge area. But again, no mana was sensed from the six within. This continued but the result was the same each time. She made sure not to leave a single Blue Clansman alive.

"Sorry, Reisi," Lancer said quietly, standing up. "We're the last two standin' here."

"Maybe you missed some spots -"

"Reisi, I checked every nook and cranny. Everyone's dead!"

Reisi closed his eyes, breathing deeply to calm himself. His beloved Clansmen are all gone. This was all like a massive slap from reality. Then he opened them with a sigh. "I shouldn't have chosen today to take PTO."

"Don't blame yourself. I can't believe she'd go this far but she's the kind of person who seems to thrive off bloodshed."

"You're taking this fairly well," Reisi said with a glare in Lancer's direction.

"I've seen friends die plenty of times before. I'm pretty numb to it at this point."

"Why couldn't it have just been me?!"

"Pretty sure the last thing Morrigan would want is to make me a Stray Servant, so she went after the next best thing. Seriously, this should just be between me and her. You or anyone else shouldn't be dragged into this." Then he turned his head to the front of the building. "Sirens?"

"Someone contacted the fire department." An aura-enhanced punch from Reisi blew a hole out the back of the building. "We'll go out this way to avoid the firefighters that arrived."

"The headquarters for the Blue Clan was just burned down, apparently by Morrigan," Nagare told Tenkei after watching the feed from Kotosaka's scouting on the tablet mounted on his wheelchair. "None seem to have escaped so everyone there must be a casualty."

This piqued Tenkei's interest. "The kid's dead?" He sounded hopeful

Nagare shook his head. "I apologize. Most of the Blue Clan appears to be deceased, but Kotosaka saw Munakata and Lancer escape out the back." And the Grey King's mood was ruined.

Tenkei crushed his empty beer can in frustration and was about to hurl it at the wall. Then he lowered his arm and smirked. "The kid finally lost his Clan, just like me. Now I just have to wait for him to get broken more if this didn't already do it."

"What about the Clansmen themselves?"

Tenkei yawned. "Don't care. They only spread what the kid preaches. He's my main focus for my hate."

"Are you going to fight him again?"

"No." Tenkei got another beer out of the room's minifridge and cracked it open with a chuckle. "If Morrigan's doing what I think she is, then I'll just sit back with a bag of popcorn and enjoy the shitshow coming for him. I need a good laugh after all this time."

"How many years has it been since you genuinely laughed?" Yukari asked. Sukuna looked at Tenkei awkwardly.

"Don't remember. It was at least before Kagutsu dropped his Sword. The coming days are gonna be fun for me! Nagare! Let me know right away if Morrigan does something else to the kid! I don't care if you interrupt my shooting practice or whatever, I want in on the juicy details!"

"So that goddess is making yet another move." Archer sounded neither happy nor angry; just stating a fact. "She seems to also be targeting the dog's Master, but for what purpose?"

"You're fine with just watching?" Daikaku asked. Archer shrugged.

"For now, at least."

The two made it to Reisi's apartment without being spotted, even though the two reek of burning wood. Then Lancer stopped in front of the door, holding out his arm to make Reisi do the same. "Wait. I sense somethin' off. Be careful inside."

"That doesn't sound good. Morrigan again?"

"Dunno. Just enter with caution and prepare to use your aura at a moment's notice."

Reisi stiffly nodded and slowly opened the door. It creaked open like it hadn't been used in awhile, or something was rusting on the hinges, and they entered when nothing jumped out at them. But the sight was gruesome. Much of the walls of the first floor were now decorated with blood, as if a slasher initiated a mass slaughter in the building. A woman stained with splatters of blood was running to the both of them, tears streaming from her eyes. "Thank goodness I ran into someone! Please, you have to help me!"

Reisi took a step toward her. Behind him, Lancer's nose scrunched up then his eyes widened. "What hap -"

That was as far as he got before his Servant grabbed the King by the shoulder and pulled the man behind him. "Don't get close, Reisi!" The spear was swung before Reisi could react, a shower of blood erupting as the woman's body was cut in two.

"Why would you -" Reisi got his answer a moment later when several Crest Worms swarmed out of her severed abdomen. Lancer used a rune to disintegrate the little creatures.

"They were controllin' her dead body," Lancer explained. "Unfortunately, the smell of death here is really strong. I couldn't tell she was also dead until she got closer. If she had reached ya, then I couldn't stop the worms from doin' whatever to ya."

Reisi looked at the stairs to the second floor in alarm. "What about everyone else?!" He ran up the stairs, ignoring Lancer's "stay down here, dammit!". "Is anyone still alive?!"

Someone strong grabbed him by the shoulder to forcefully spin him around then grabbed him by the throat, not enough to restrict his breathing at all, and slammed him up against the wall. Reisi reflexively tried to push the person with his aura but it was no use. They resisted it with complete ease since it was hasty. He met the narrowed eyes of a furious Lancer, his face so close to his Master's that the human can feel his breath. "Are you fucking stupid?! When I say stay by me, then stay by me! This is clearly the work of a Dead Apostle! They're not as strong as Servants but that doesn't mean you can be reckless with them! They're still dangerous! One wrong move and you'll wind up dead, and you could end up taking me down as well!" He's never gotten physical with his Master in this way and has certainly never had this expression before: anger mixed with disappointment. "The Dead Apostle was here for who knows how long. All kinds of traps could be here." Water kept dripping on Reisi's face, probably from a leak in the ceiling. When he wiped it off he saw it's blood, not water.

That's when Reisi registered the foul stench on this floor as well and couldn't help but slowly move his head and eyes to the scene. The corridor was in no better shape than on the first floor. There were bodies scattered all over, all mutilated in various ways. One man had half his skull chewed off exposing his brain that was still being eaten. Another had multiple Crest Worms eating into his torso, surely chewing up his organs, the ones around him drinking up his spilt blood with glee. One woman was slumped against a wall by a barely alive child on the ground, but her body was reduced to a skeleton-like bag of flesh crawling with worms. The child couldn't move now that all his limbs had been eaten off, forced to submit to the Crest Worms burrowing into his body with only screaming. A couple were soaked in blood from a majority of their bodies having been ripped into by those merciless teeth. Some were reduced to being chunks of flesh on shattered bones, like an amateur butcher sliced them up. This sight and smell made Reisi work hard to keep from vomiting. On the other hand, Lancer looked completely undisturbed. But of course, he's been exposed to scenes far worse than this numerous times. He, however, did spit in disgust after releasing his hold on his Master.

"The Dead Apostle with Morrigan that the Overseer is trying to track down. He must've thought you'd be in sooner and tried to get ya."

The two cautiously made their way to the third and final floor - it's a small building - stairs, stepping over body parts along the way. The Crest Worms were too absorbee in eating to notice the two newcomers. The skittering feet of insects that sounded in the walls made the hairs on the back of Reisi's neck stand up.

"Can you smell anyone alive?" he whispered to Lancer as they carefully climbed the stairs.

"Reisi, look around. There's a ton of blood and death. What do ya think's fillin' my nose?"

"This is a nightmare..." Reisi muttered, seeing a body facing and slumped against a closed door that had a splintery gash in it, clearly having died clawing at it to get in.

"I doubt he's able to make any magical traps that can bypass my Magic Resistance so I should take the lead."

Reisi was about to say something when there was a grab at one of his pants legs. It was from an elderly man with one arm chewed off. Worms were still chewing on him. "Young man, please -"

He was silenced forever by Lancer stabbing him in the head. He quickly pulled the old man away before the Worms could do anything, making him let go of Reisi, then pulled his Master back a step. Reisi looked like he wanted to shout something at his Servant, but Lancer beat him to it. "That man was clearly infested! You shouldn't have hesitated to do that!"

Reisi pressed a hand to his own forehead and grit his teeth. "Dammit!" There was noise on the other side of a closed door, like someone scurrying to it. "Another person!" Then he glanced at his Servant. "They'd better not be infected..."

He opened the door, jumping back just as a body that had been leaned against it on the other side collapsed onto the floor. But that wasn't what made him fall back.

"Zombies?!" Lancer was about to go to his Master when more doors burst open, zombies pouring out.

The corpses that emerged first tried to attack Reisi but they froze in place at the first step. Literally. The freezing air from Reisi turned their feet into blocks of ice. It wouldn't have happened as fast if they were still alive due to their body heat. From there, the freezing crystals crawled up their bodies. When the ice covered their heads, it and the corpses shattered into a thousand pieces.

Lancer, who had just skewered three corpses in a shower of blood and gore, looked to Reisi in surprise. "No hesitation? I know they're dead but they're still humans. Figured ya'd be too morally conflicted and I'd have to clean up for ya."

"Their appearance doesn't matter. These Crest Worms make them a threat to society. As one who's cause is pure, it's my duty to eliminate them." Then he whipped his arm out, blowing a couple of the corpses facing Lancer into a wall. They shambled back to their feet. "You vile creatures never should have shown yourselves!"

"As long as you're fine," Lancer said with a shrug. He then immediately beheaded another. "Don't bother!"

The rest were killed by Reisi unleashing a rain of ice spears that skewered them. Then he asked again "Is anyone still alive?!"

"Doubt it," Lancer replied. He placed a hand on the wall. "If there is, it'd be best to put them out of their misery. Anyway, punch a hole in the back wall."

"What for?"

"This." The Ansuz rune sprang to life and flames spread throughout the hall. "It'll stay at this building but the fire spreads fast. We should go 'fore the floor collapses."

"Fine." Reisi did as instructed and the two leaped out of the burning building. "He was only after me! Did he have to kill everyone else?!"

"Much less chance of witnesses that way."

"Where do we go now?" He was too mentally exhausted to think properly.

"I know of a place we can go to. You're not going to like it."

Chapter Text

The Red Clan was finishing cleaning the tables when to door opened, making Izumo put on a smile. "Wel - Blue King?! Why are ya here?! Why are ya covered in blood?! And why do ya smell like a bonfire?!" Now they were being stared at by everyone.

"What happened?!" Tatara demanded.

"Morrigan and that Dead Apostle happened. All of my Clansmen were killed, Tsubaki-mon was basically burned to the ground, and the apartment I'm at was infested with Crest Worms then burned down. So we have nowhere else to go," Reisi said, but he now was regretting agreeing to Lancer's idea of groveling to an enemy.

Mikoto cocked his head, wondering if the Blue King has really hit a new low here or if this is a dream. "You'd be willin' to enter enemy territory for shelter?"

"I'm certain your pride at seeing me like this won't kill us."

Mikoto narrowed his eyes but has to admit Reisi does raise a good point. He just wants to rub in the fact the man came crawling to him for help. Plus, it'll be easier to have alone time with the man. "Fine. You can stay here until everything gets fixed."

"W-wait...All the Blues have been killed..? S-saru's dead..?" Misaki stammered, tears building in his eyes.

"She didn't spare a single Clansman. She chose that method to get at me since I was with the Blue Clan," Lancer told him somberly.

"So it's your fault! If you had never -" Izumo had to hold Misaki back from flying at the Servant.

"Calm yourself, Yata. Deep down you know he isn't to blame at all. Sorry about this, Lancer. But Yata here used to be best friends with Fushimi..." All of Misaki's anger seemed to have left, replaced with defeat that made him fall to his knees as soon as Izumo released him.

"It's alright. Anger directed at me for bein' responsible for the deaths of family members, loved ones, or friends...I'm completely used to it."

"That bitch will think twice about attacking a place with two Servants!" Rider growled.

"That's a reason we came here. Another is that it'll be hard for 'em to know me and Reisi are here 'cause of the bounded field. So hopefully this place stays safe. Even if she sees me outside, it shouldn't be soon enough that she knows I came from the bar."

"We should beat their asses first!" Misaki shouted, making a fist and punching the air.

"No offense, but Clansmen will be nothin' more than an annoyance to her," Lancer pointed out, causing Misaki's energy to deflate. "Also, we don't know their new location."

"This is sudden so we don't have a room prepared for you two. Lancer can stay down here with Rider and the Blue King'll sleep in Mikoto's room. I assume that won't be a problem?" Reisi didn't miss Izumo's wink.

"Well, I..." Reisi tentatively said, but Mikoto walked over to the man and whispered in his ear.

"At least we don't have to sneak around now."

"Fine." He faced Mikoto. "Do you have any clothes to change into? I'd like to soak these to get the blood out easier."

"Sure. Come up to my room and we'll find somethin' for you to throw on."

"Looks like we have another cleanup job," Kirei sighed. Behind him were Holy Church members. "Though Tokyo is familiar with the supernatural, the details involving both fires must be suppressed. If mass panic erupts from the public, the Mage's Association may step in even though this area is under the Kings' jurisdiction. I assume you all know what to do to the investigators?"

"Of course, Executor Kirei," a woman replied. "We have all been trained on suggestion spells and spells to alter memory."

Kirei's eyes narrowed. "You mean sacraments. The rest of the Church won't take kindly to what we use being labeled as magecraft. I can imagine that Ciel will give you an earful."

"Of course. I apologize."

"If that's clear then go and cover this mess up."

Reisi had just picked out new clothes and dunked the ones he had been wearing in a bucket of water placed at the corner of the room. The new clothes were laying on Mikoto's bed. This left that beautiful, flawless skin that the redhead just loves to mark up exposed, the man only wearing his boxers.

He then glanced at the other King waiting by the closed door. It doesn't matter how many times he's seen them, Mikoto will never not be mesmerized by those brilliant violet eyes. It's like a spell had been put on the Red King. "I never thought the day will come where I'd be forced to wear your clothes. These are washed, right?"

Mikoto smirked. "Of course, smartass. You can stop lookin' at them like they're diseased." Reisi picked up the shirt, carefully looking it over with uncertainty. He was briefly startled by Mikoto slinging his arm around his shoulders. "Y'know, you don't hafta change yet. We don't eat for another hour."

Reisi faced him. "What -" A kiss from Mikoto shut him up, him wrapping his arms around the one with the dark blue hair.

"You can lose that stick up your ass. It's just us in here."

"Maybe I don't want to have sex!"

"I doubt it. Given the shit that happened tonight, I'm sure ya wanna lose some stress."

"...Fine," Reisi sighed before kissing Mikoto back. His hands pressed against the King's chest, making the man hiss in pain. This startled Reisi, him backing up a step. "I forgot about your injuries from Berserker!"

Mikoto sucked in a sharp breath, waiting a few seconds for the pain to ebb. "It's fine. Rider's medicine and my aura really help with the pain. However," he pulled up his shirt, revealing a giant tapestry of sickly black, blue, red, and yellow painted on the side of his torso that Berserker punched, "it's not doin' a thing for this. Before the War, I woulda never thought a spirit could do any of this."

Reisi gently ran a feather-light touch over the bruise. The skin his fingers brushed over was really warm. Mikoto always did have a body temperature much higher than 37 ͦC, probably from being the Red King.

Mikoto palmed at the growing bulge in Reisi's boxers, enjoying how the other man groaned and thrust into his hand. Then the redhead started pulling them down to touch him. In response, Reisi slowly backed the man onto the bed. Mikoto clearly tried to ignore the pain this caused his ribs, but a grunt still escaped him. Reisi, over the other King, gently kissed him to take his mind off it.

"Since moving too much causes you pain, I'll be on top."

"Fine, but don't get high 'n mighty on me like ya usually do."

In the new motel they were staying at, Zouken was talking to Morrigan. "You say you're trying to hurt Cú Chulainn, but you seem to be hurting the Blue King instead."

"That man has nothin' left I can take away. I can thank these two millennia for that. But there is his Master. Cú Chulainn really cares for him and is such a sweet man that if I put his Master in enough distress he'll submit to me in order to make that human's sufferin' go away. Worst-case, there's the Command Seal. I'll just bargain a little and Cú Chulainn will be mine!"

She wants him more than anything. The beastly demigod who's like a shooting star on Earth.

Like one, he gloriously blazed through life, through countless battles, all without letting up his charge. It was as if he was born on the battlefield. No matter how he was hurt or who died, his shine remained brilliant.

But, like a star, the time came for his light to burn out.

She didn't want it to happen. She wished for nothing more than to reverse time and prevent it. But she had no such ability. All she could do was hold in her tears as the bleeding, dying, alone, and somehow laughing man drew his last breath. Always so close yet so far.

"Farewell...May we meet again..."

If only things had been different, she would love nothing more than to always be at his side for all eternity. This Grail War must have been an answer to her prayers.

"So you won't kill the Master?" Zouken asked, snapping Morrigan back to reality.

"If I did that I'd lose my leverage over Cú Chulainn. No, the human will break and I'll get what I want."

Just as Reisi pulled out, there was furious knocking on Mikoto's bedroom door then Izumo shouted at them through it. "Can't both of ya keep it down so everyone doesn't hear ya fuckin'?!"

Reisi at least had the decency to look embarrassed, his already-red cheeks becoming even redder. "We were that loud?! So now everyone in the bar knows that two rival Kings are having sex on a regular basis?!"

Mikoto, on the other hand, didn't look to care about that in the slightest. "Actually thought they all already knew. I only feel bad that Anna heard it."

"Wait, they all know already?! I'm the Blue King, didn't you receive not-so-desirable feedback from the others about this?"

"No. Maybe I intimidate 'em too much for them to speak against it. I assume that ya never let your Clansmen find out. They might've lost it if they found out a filthy brute or whatever they described me as was defilin' their pure 'n squeaky-clean captain."

"I'm not that pristine."

A smirk. "Thanks to me. I mean, you were a virgin until two years ago."

"At least I didn't lose it at 15!" Then Reisi looked like he was slapped by a different realization. "Wait...if you thought everyone at the bar knew already and didn't say anything, why couldn't we keep coming here for this?!"

Mikoto rolled his eyes with a sigh. "'cause you kept complainin' 'bout enterin' a 'den of barbarians'."

"I would've eventually gotten over it!"

"Whatever." He then reached over to his nightstand, grabbed a carton of cigarettes, and stuck one in his mouth. Reisi opened his mouth to say something right when Mikoto used a lighter on it, causing the Blue King to sigh.

"Really? While I'm still over you?"

"We're done now, aren't we? Oh, you probably need one of my cigarettes. You probably lost yours at Tsubaki-mon."

"I could burn myself on yours."

"Munakata, I'm the Red King. Ya should be aware you're constantly in danger of gettin' fourth-degree burns." His hand trailed along Reisi's chest, stopping at over his heart. "Or worse. I'm sure a cigarette burn is mild in comparison."

"You have a point." Reisi layed beside Mikoto and took the offered cigarette. "Ms. Awashima never approved of my smoking. It's why I only do it when she's not around." Then he glanced at Mikoto in worry. "Wait no one thinks we're boyfriends, right?"

"Pretty sure everyone knows we just fuck."

"Good. Because we aren't!"

Chapter Text

When Reisi awoke to find himself not in his bed, he briefly panicked. Then he remembered what happened last night.

"Still hopin' it was all a nightmare?" Reisi turned his head to that voice. Next to him, with one hand behind his head, was Mikoto.

"Of course I am. I still can't believe last night really happened."

A few seconds of silence went by then Mikoto groaned, rubbing at the side of his head in frustration. "Sorry, I wanna say somethin' to tell ya you'll be fine now, but I'm drawin' a blank. I never went through what you did."

This put a small smile on Reisi's face. "Thanks anyway."

Adolf, Neko, and Berserker were having a simple breakfast of scrambled eggs, bits of bacon and leftover ham, and a side of rice.

Neko finished sipping her water then glanced at the Silver King. "Oh, yeah, Addie! A friend texted me there were two huge fires last night! One was at the Blues' headquarters!"

"So it's making the rounds, then. One of my mouse familiars saw the same thing. I don't think it was normal. The building has advanced sprinkler systems. The blaze should have been put out before it got too large. That it wasn't means it wasn't a chemical reaction."

'Think it was an attack?'

"Most likely. And something must have prevented evacuation. My mouse saw no one outside. I really hope the island doesn't also get hit. Ah!"

"What is it?" Neko asked while cocking her head.

"I thought something was missing. Now I know what. Neko, can you please pass the soy sauce?"

A banging noise from the kitchen made Izumo investigate. Inside, Rider was pinned with his back against the wall, moaning as Lancer's teeth dug into his neck. That's when Izumo knew what was about to happen and to put his foot down.

"Oh no! You two will not have sex in my kitchen! Get a room! In fact, there's a guest room upstairs! It isn't made yet. There's just a mattress. It doesn't have a sheet or anythin'. Just...wash any mess you've made." Both had now stopped to stare then broke apart with a huff.

"Party pooper..." Lancer grumbled as he and Rider went to the main area were everyone else was.

Mikoto took a drag of his cigarette. "So which one of ya's gonna top?"

"Suoh! We don't require that much information!" Reisi exclaimed. Mikoto didn't look like he cared about Reisi's protest.

"What? They both seem like the alpha male types. Who's gonna be forced to submit?"

"Not me," both Servants said at the same time. Then they glared at each other, continuing to do so as they went upstairs. "We'll see!"

A minute of silence crawled by. Then there was the sound of banging, something breaking, and Rider shouting "Fuck! It feels like your fangs are trying to rip my throat out!"

"We heal quickly, so quit bitchin'!" Was the snappy reply. "Keep that up and I'll actually tear into ya! And I thought ya said ya wanted to feel how sharp my canines are!"

"Oh yeah?! Let's see how long it takes you to recover from this!" This was followed by a lot more banging and grunts from both Servants.

"Are they fighting?" Anna asked, cocking her head.

"Probably over who's dominant..." Reisi grumbled.

Mikoto slung an arm over Reisi's shoulder. "Yeah, we've had that fight plenty o' times, both in and out of the bedroom."

"You call that rippin' into me?!" That was Lancer. "Can't ya do better?! Or do ya need your Noble Phantasms to do everythin' for ya?!"

"You're going with that, huh? Fine, I'll show you how much of you I can tear out with my bare hands!"

"S&M must be what turns those two animals on..." Eric mumbled.

"Just how bloody are they making each other..?" Reisi added.

"I'm shudderin' at the thought of how much damage is being caused..." Izumo whimpered with a shiver. "I hope they don't end up breakin' the floor...That's somethin' we don't need to see..."

Lancer was heard several minutes later. "Did you just call me a dog?!"

Rider's reply wasn't a shout, but was still loud enough to be heard through the ceiling. "Sorry, slipped out. Look, just finish since your dick's in my ass!"

It was at this point Tatara bolted to Anna and clamped his hands over her ears. The talk is probably going to get more graphic. She also probably still has PTSD from what she saw.

"I think you're faster with that than yesterday..." Izumo sighed, resting his forehead in his hand.

"Well, Rider can't be blamed for havin' the urge to make that comparison..." Rikio laughed nervously.

"You know how dogs sometimes do that butt scooting thing?...I've caught Lancer doing that once," Reisi said with a sweatdrop.

"Wonder how long the talk 'bout how great their 'spears' are lasted?" Saburouta sighed.

After a lot of time passed, Rider's voice entered Mikoto's head. 'We're done. You and Reisi should bring bandages or whatever up here. Oh, and make sure Izumo stays down there.'

Mikoto just blinked several times in confusion. '...Why?'

'Do you really want Izumo to have a heart attack if he sees this much blood all over his bar?!' Was Rider's retort. Reisi sighed and pinched the bridge of his nose. Lancer must be telling his something similar.

'...Okay, now I'm really curious as to just how much blood we're dealin' with.'

'Come up here and you'll see.'

Reisi was already grabbing the first aid kit from behind the counter then looked at Mikoto. "Did Rider inform you that this is needed?"

"Yeah. Did Lancer tell you what it's for 'cause Rider was vague."

"Same here. I guess we just have to see for ourselves."

"Stay down here for now, Kusanagi," Mikoto said to Izumo when the man looked like he wanted to rush past and assess the scene himself.

Izumo sucked in a breath. "...Fine. It had better not be that bad."

The two Kings entered the room, but they weren't prepared for this sight. Blood was splattered all over the bed. Multiple holes were punched through Lancer's ribs, and some organs look to have been ripped out. On the other hand, Rider's missing his right ear and eye. And his throat did end up getting torn out. Both had small patches of skin and muscle missing from their thighs, shaped like teeth were used to tear them off. They were probably healed down a lot from their original size.

In contrast to this gruesome scene, Lancer raised a hand and grinned like nothing's wrong. "Yo!"

'You two got the bandages?' With his vocal cords gone for now, Rider had to telepathically speak to everyone in the room. Reisi sighed as he held up the first aid kit for them to see.

Mikoto whistled. "You two must like it really rough!"

'We're both Servants, so we know we can allow ourselves to be harsher with each other than with humans,' Rider telepathically said.

"We'll both be good as new by tomorrow," Lancer added.

"Ya guys use your blood as lubricant? There's certainly plenty of that."

'Yeah, and we drank each other's blood during the main event. Is that wrong?'

"No, just amazed at how much more blood than humans you Servants can lose..." Reisi grumbled while shaking his head in disappointment.

"It'll be gone in a couple minutes, once the blood runs out of mana."

"So it was worse before?" Mikoto asked.

"Yeah."

"Did you really need to rip out Rider's throat?" Reisi asked his Servant.

"It was his punishment for callin' me a dog."

After the Servants were bandaged up and their street clothes materialized on them again, all four went downstairs. Upon reaching the main floor, Mikoto went over to Izumo.

"Ya should wait a bit to check on the damage to the room. It currently looks like a crime scene."

Izumo froze, staring at Mikoto with wide eyes. "...What?" Then he dashed upstairs. A moment later, there was his scream. "WHAT THE FUCK, YOU TWO?!"

"How did you beat me at chess?! You even admitted you only played it once when you were alive!" Tenkei exclaimed.

Saber just shrugged. "It's a game of strategy and strategy is what I excel in. Now I believe 1,000 yen was the wager."

Nagare smiled at Sukuna. "Sukuna, perhaps you should allow Saber to teach you chess."

Sukuna looked like a little kid ordered to do his homework instead of playing. "What?! But why?! I don't even wanna learn how to play chess!"

Nagare simply closed his eyes patiently. "As a kid, your responsibility is to learn new things. Besides, learning chess should teach you to strategize better."

Sukuna seemed to pout. "Ugh! Fine! If you insist, Nagare, then I'll listen to you, Saber!"

"Hey, what about me?!" Tenkei protested. "I'd be more than happy to teach the kid!"

"Seeing how swiftly Saber put you in checkmate makes me question your chess skills."

"Oof, harsh..."

Nagare innocently cocked his head and looked surprised. "It was? I apologize, I didn't intend for it to come out that way."

Yukari chuckled. "It's true though, Mr. Iwa. You can't deny that."

Tenkei pinched the bridge of his nose with a sigh. "Whatever..."

"Mr. Iwa, go into the city and run your errands. I also want you to listen to the thoughts of the townsfolk."

Tenkei looked at the other King seriously. "About last night? Yeah, news spreads fast, so they probably know already."

Nagare nodded. "I wish to know their thoughts on the downfall of SCEPTER 4."

"You planning on using JUNGLE to spread a little chaos?"

"Perhaps after the War, when everyone has more power. It would be a great way to test the people."

"I'll send more Usagi out for now...Maybe we can also bribe captured Strains to work with the police..." Daikaku was mumbling to himself as he paced back and forth in the Chamber of the Slate.

"What are you going on about this time?" Archer asked with a roll of his eyes.

Daikaku stopped pacing. "I was discussing options with myself for keeping criminal Strains under control now that SCEPTER 4 has been destroyed. These are measures to take until the Red Clan handles it like when the seat of the Blue King was empty. I assume you wish to avoid chaos spreading in your garden?"

Archer smirked. "So you're finally thinking about what's truly important." He began clapping. "I applaud your thoughtfulness!"

Daikaku bowed. "You're too kind, My King. If I may be so bold, perhaps we should be active in the War to bring it to an end quickly."

Archer yawned. "And why should I? No one of note has appeared before my eyes yet. We'll continue letting those mongrels kill one another off. I'll fight the champion that emerges, for only they will be worthy of facing my full might!"

Daikaku made a fist at his side but didn't object. "As you wish."

Chapter Text

"Can't your mana web detect an abnormality like Morrigan?!" Kuroh demanded. He was in the living room with Caster. "I'm really worried we'll be dragged in."

Caster didn't look up from polishing Rule Breaker. "No. And besides, since we aren't involved in this nor trying to get involved, it shouldn't concern us. I'm more interested in discovering Saber's location. As Sabers are powerful Servants, becoming the Master of one should be beneficial, especially against Berserker."

A dull boom shut both up and made them immediately dash out to the source, to the old stone shed nestled among the trees that Caster converted into a magic workshop. Blue smoke was forcing it's way under the stone door.

"It was caused by a mana backlash!" Caster quickly figured out. She then pulled the door open effortlessly. "Are you alright, Master?!"

Inside, Ichigen was coughing as the smoke cleared and staggered back to the table where he had been practicing correct mana balances for certain spells by loading the mana into the crystals set there, a drill Caster had him do to warm up before he could try manipulating the energy . The failure sent him into the wall where he received multiple cuts and his hat flew off somewhere. He glanced at the two and smiled like nothing's wrong. "Of course I am. Just a little accident. Nothing to worry about."

Caster hurried to close the door behind her and Kuroh. "Please be careful! I've told you to practice spells without such a large mana requirement! You could end up killing yourself this way!"

Ichigen was still smiling. "I need to challenge myself."

Kuroh spoke up. "That's admirable, Master Ichigen, but I agree with Caster. There's such a thing as challenging yourself too much, so you should try spells with lower levels of mana. Then if this does happen again, it won't be as harsh."

"I understand your concern. Perhaps I am pushing myself too much."

"I'm glad you understand," Caster said. "Perhaps I should give you more of the advice Hecate gave to me and Circe."

Police tape seemed to be all over the iron gates to SCEPTER 4's HQ, but no one looked to be around at this time. Still, Reisi was on guard as he approached, constantly looking around to make sure no one's watching. Tsubaki-mon may have burned down, but the garage holding the vans should still be there. And those vans held spare sabers.

"Ya sure this is really worth this sneakin' around?" Lancer was by his Master, in spirit form.

"It is to me. It just doesn't feel right for me to fight without a saber."

"...Fine. But just hurry 'fore someone sees ya. I'll keep watch for Morrigan."

After looking around one last time, Reisi jumped the fence and ran like a blur to the garage. He couldn't help but glance at the charred remains of his second home, pained that he'll never see his second family again.

At the garage, he saw none of the fire had spread so it was still in one piece. He then used an aura-enhanced punch to blow a hole in the door where he could enter then went to a van. He wrapped his jacket around the hand he used to open the back door to conceal fingerprints then went to the two sabers mounted on the wall, claiming one. It's not Sirius, but it'll do.

'I got a saber. Anyone nearby?'

'I don't sense anyone. But get back here 'fore that changes.'

The fact it was sunny out was in stark contrast to the somber mood hanging over the people of Ashinaka and multiple parents like a cloud as they gathered for the memorial service for the lost students. Adolf was surprised to see Kirei and the Church members with him also there. Though they did assist with the cleanup, he never thought they'd also attend this.

Sobs echoed as the names of the victims were listed. Neko cried into Adolf's black suit when they got to Kimiko. He just happened to glance at the Holy Church and he wonders if he imagined that small smile full of sick pleasure from Kirei.

Lancer was walking casually to the pier, cooler in one hand, fishing rod slung over his shoulder with the other, and wearing his Hawaiian shirt under a jacket, not caring how many people were currently staring at him.

"Aw, shit..." he grumbled upon seeing a blonde man already at the pier, facing away from the blue-haired demigod. This is the same Servant he saw that other day he went fishing. "Are ya gonna harass me again, Servant? I don't see your pint-sized audience, so are ya lookin' for a scrap?"

The man glanced over his shoulder at Lancer and smirked. "And why would I waste my time on some lowly mongrel? I'm sure that goddess would be more than happy to play with you, Lancer."

"Yeah, I'm sure every Servant knows 'bout Morrigan at this point." He set the cooler down. "Anyway, can ya let me fish in peace?"

"Aren't you here to beg for my help, dog?" Archer sneered when Lancer's eyebrow twitched in irritation.

He took a deep breath to calm himself. "Of course not. I don't beg and this is my issue so I'll solve it myself."

"'Your' issue? It may be a goddess from your pantheon but your Master seems to have been dragged into the feud between you two, and how much will he be able to take? You really should let go of your pride and learn to ask for help to resolve this."

Lancer smirked. "What? You offerin'?"

That seemed to have struck a nerve in Archer. "Of course not! I'm saying to grovel to Caster or Berserker! I'm sure Rider will not be enough, you worthless dog!"

"Wait. How do ya know Rider and I are allies?"

"Even though you used a rune midway to the Red Clan base to make you and your Master invisible to scrying, it wasn't hard to figure out your destination based on the direction."

Lancer turned with a wave. "Thanks for the concern, but no thanks. I think our current situation will work out. Morrigan's just a Pseudo-Servant. The notion of takin' me and Rider on at the same time should intimidate even her." He suddenly sensed something being materialized behind him along with growing killing intent. He casually tilted his head, a sword flying past his cheek. It buried itself in the dirt then blew up like a pack of dynamite.

"I don't believe I gave you permission to turn your back to me, dog!" Now Lancer turned around, facing a furious Archer with five Gates of Babylon around him and wearing golden armor. His blonde hair was now gelled up.

Another smirk from Lancer as he materialized his Servant outfit. "So ya just throw weapons at someone? I can handle that." Five weapons fired from the Gates at the spearman. He grabbed the first two weapons that came out at him, swords, and proceeded to use them to knock away the rest of the weapons, them all hitting the ground with an explosion. "I don't even need to summon my spear!" Archer looked annoyed, especially at how damaged the weapons are now, and the weapons Lancer had snatched out of the air dematerialized. Oh well, he can keep doing it if he needs to.

"Stupid dog, you need to learn to behave first it seems," Archer growled.

A dome of Gates appeared around Lancer. He only had a split second to react before they all fired at once, a large explosion resulting. Then Archer noticed the spearman had jumped into the air to avoid them all.

"Hahaha!" Lancer was wearing a battle-hungry grin. "Ya may be a douchebag, but I'm havin' a lotta fun!" Then he summoned his spear, using it to knock the weapons flying at him away.

A crimson spear was among the weapons launched at him. "Gáe Bolg?!" He avoided it but was still stunned. The design's different but that was definitely his weapon! How in the world does this asshole have it?!

"Surprised?" Archer asked with a sneer, as if reading Lancer's mind. "I possess the original of everything ever created. I suppose you could call this treasury one of my Noble Phantasms."

"You're the first of us, huh?" Lancer gripped his spear harder. This battle's getting too loud. He needs to drive off this bastard before -

"Gil?" a small voice spoke up, making both Servants freeze.

- before any bystander happens upon this.

The golden portals vanished and Archer looked irritatingly at the little girl on the sideline. "Mimi! I told you to wait for me to return!"

"But you were taking a long time and there were all these noises. What's going on? Why do you look like that? Who's that guy?"

Lancer sighed as his weapon vanished. "Well, you're gonna have fun explainin' this to a kid. As much as I'd like to join in, I need to get back. As for your offer of help, I'll tell ya again to shove it."

"I wasn't granting you the right to fight by my magnificent self!"

Lancer rolled his eyes and went into spirit form. "Whatever ya say."

Chapter Text

Reisi and Lancer were currently taking a walk in the city when Reisi spoke up. "A few days ago, I had promised my parents we'd have dinner at their house tonight. Taishi's side of the family will also be there."

"At least you'll finally get a chance to forget all this shit happenin', even if it's only for a few hours."

"I'm planning on calling a cab to get us there. We'll leave at 6."

Lancer smirked at his Master. "Not plannin' to sneak out a SCEPTER 4 van and have me drive?"

"Too much trouble. It's not like it can go out undetected."

Lancer chose to be sarcastic in his response. "Really? You don't think the blue and gigantic SCEPTER 4 logo will blend in with the cars around it?"

"I'm sure Umi and Kai will be excited to see you again. They were quite fond of you last time." He noticed Lancer looking at something behind his Master. "What is it?"

"Are crows common here?" Then he realized. "Shit! A familiar! Let's go, Reisi!" He started taking off in a random direction, not wanting to lead it to the bar, and the Blue King followed. He glanced over his shoulder. Sure enough, the crow had taken off to follow them. But all their weaving in and out of allies and sidewalks made them eventually lose it.

"Do you think Morrigan heard everything we said?" Reisi asked.

Lancer was still looking for the crow to reappear. Thankfully, it wasn't. "I think it's safe to assume so."

"We need need to get back. I need to ask something of Suoh."

"Something may happen." Archer said. Daikaku glanced over the Servant's shoulder at the clairvoyance charm floating just over the palm of his hand. The mirror-like surface showed Reisi and Lancer fleeing, a crow pursuing them.

"Was that a familiar of Morrigan's, or Morrigan herself? We've seen in your charm that she can turn into a crow."

Archer simply let the charm sink into a Gate he summoned just over his hand. "I believe so. We'll see how they deal with her this time. Will the result turn out better or no different than when she struck last time?"

"If you're that curious, wouldn't it be wise to appear yourself? With your hatred of gods, I'm surprised you haven't done so already."

"Not yet. I want to see how the dog handles it, whether or not he opts for a different tactic. Depending on his choice, I may join in." Then he looked mildly irritated. "May! This does not mean I'm now interested!"

Daikaku chuckled then stopped as soon as he saw the death glare thrown his way. "Whatever you decide."

"Okay, there you are!" Reisi said when he and Lancer entered the bar, seeing Mikoto having a drink at the counter.

He glanced over, "Somethin' wrong?"

Reisi sat down next to the Red King and ordered his own drink. "A crow was nearby when I was talking to Lancer about having dinner at my parent's house with my older brother, sister-in-law, and their kids as well. As we don't know what information she has or how easily she can obtain it, Morrigan may strike at that time to get at me. Suoh, can you lend me Rider to back Lancer up in the event that happens?"

"Sorry, but unlike Hisui, my location isn't unknown. I can't just loan out my Servant. Just cancel."

"I can't because I always show up if I say I will. Suddenly not showing up will tell them something's wrong and may cause them to unknowingly do something to put them in danger."

"Just tell them it's for work."

"They're aware of what happened to SCEPTER 4. As far as they know, I'm still searching for a new job."

"Well this is a fine hole you've dug yourself into."

"Let's assume Morrigan knows where your parents live," Izumo cut in. "Why hasn't she attacked already?"

"If Reisi's there, then it'll hurt him even more," Rider answered. "Agamemnon was fond of doing the same thing to enemies to break them."

Reisi grit his teeth in frustration as he put his forehead in his hand. "Dammit, what should I do..?"

"I'll create several wolf familiars to patrol around the house," Lancer said, making Reisi look a little relieved to be getting a possible solution. "They can create sonar frequencies to detect her mana signature. If they detect her, I'll be alerted. They'll all attack her to buy us enough time to hide everyone. And if she snipes one to avoid being sensed, the death will still alert me."

Reisi looked uncertain at first then took a deep breath and finished off his drink. "That plan sounds like it should work...I hope it does...Actually, I hope it won't turn out to be necessary."

"Hold on," Misaki suddenly broke in. "Why is she after Munakata and not Lancer? I mean, isn't her beef with him?"

"She must be tryin' to get Reisi to use his Seal to force me to submit to her in order to make it end," Lancer answered. "Morrigan must not know how to spiritually connect to them, and that Makiri with her must only know how to create them. And since said Makiri is a Dead Apostle, he can't seek help from Kirei, an Executor, for it. So takin' Reisi's arm won't help." He glanced at his Master. "It's up to you what happens to me."

"She said she'll make you beg her to kill you. She probably wants to vent 2,000 years of frustration on you. I can't, in good conscious, submit you to that torture. Besides," Reisi now wore a smirk, "we know how she's targeting me now, so we can set up appropriate countermeasures. She won't get her way."

"Well, if you're that sure..."

"Weren't you sure the plan you proposed would work?"

"It should, but unexpected things can happen. Prepare a Plan B for that."

In an unknown building, Morrigan was giggling like a little kid about to pull a prank. "I'll have some fun tonight! Cú Chulainn is going with his human to eat with the family of said human tonight! I can't wait!" Then she looked at Zouken. "I may require your help. My familiar was seen, so they may be expecting me."

Zouken sighed. "I'll have my Crest Worms disarm any trap set. Will that be enough?"

"Perhaps. Cú Chulainn is a talented mage, so really all sorts of things could be set up."

"His Class caused his magical power to be weakened, though, so it should be no problem for you."

"While your confidence in my abilities is flattering, he has to be aware of that. So the traps will not be designed to stop me, but rather to alert him."

"You figured that out fast."

"I am a goddess of war. Tactics like these are commonplace from those who are weaker than their mark."

"You're being awfully cautious toward someone so weak."

"Being overconfident causes battles to be lost. In this battle of wits, I will emerge victorious."

"Any closer to finding Saber?" Kuroh asked.

Caster was currently gazing at the crystal ball placed on her bedroom table. She grit her teeth in frustration. "No luck. I'm not seeing anyone with unusually high mana readings. The Green Clan seems to be cautious. That, or they keep getting lucky in avoiding my eyes."

"Hisui must be an expert at hiding. He did so for years."

"He's only human. He'll slip up. And when that happens, I'll be ready!" Then she looked at the clock on her wall. "Ah! It's almost time for lunch! Is Master Ichigen back yet?"

"No. He's been in the workshop all day practicing Gandr or whatever that spell's called. He's at the point where he can shoot it from one finger."

"He needs to take a break or he'll collapse from exhaustion! I'll drag him in here if I have to!"

Chapter Text

Caster was looking through the produce section before bagging some yellow bell peppers to be weighed. During this, she was giggling. Kuroh's going to help her make some stir-fry for dinner tonight that she hopes amazes Ichigen's taste buds.

As she turned to keep going, she bumped into someone. "Excuse me! I wasn't loo -" she abruptly stopped. The silver-haired woman that she crashed into was brimming with mana. "You're the Saber, aren't you?" Her voice was low and serious, an even look on her face.

"I know who you are. You're the Colorless Servant. I believe the Class Name is Caster. Why are you here?"

"I could ask you the same thing. Shouldn't you be somewhere hiding under a rock?"

Red eyes narrowed. "I am merely here as a bodyguard. And you?"

"Shopping for dinner. Since neither of us are looking for a fight, then perhaps we should part ways for now."

"You want to encounter me again after your prepared?"

"Perhaps. Will you rise to the challenge?"

Before Saber could respond, Tenkei appeared and grabbed the king by the arm. He had overheard the last few sentences while heading back to her. "Don't agree to anything until we discuss it with the others."

"Very well." Saber didn't notice Caster place some kind of spell on Tenkei's lower back with a flick of her wrist before pulling the Green Servant to the checkout line.

Caster huffed and did a little more shopping. Once she finished paying, she went immediately back to the mountain the village was on.

"You get the rest of what we needed?" Kuroh asked.

"Yes. I got the chicken, bell peppers, scallions, and olive oil."

"Did everything turn out well? You seem a little stressed."

"Everything's fine. Oh, but I did encounter Saber at the store."

Kuroh was only half-listening as he dug out the rest of the ingredients. "You did, huh?" Then what Caster said sunk in and he almost dropped the rice in shock. "Wait, you saw Saber?! Just at the store?! Why did Hisui make that big of a mistake?!"

"She was bodyguarding the Grey King. If she does go out often, then it turns out dumb luck was in fact on their side."

"So you know what the Servant looks like. Think you can find her again?"

"No need to look. I cast a tracking spell on the Grey King. Assuming he did return to the Green King, I can find them whenever."

"Will you attack them right away?"

"No. I must prepare first Saber is a Knight Class, after all, and I will be off this land." Then the Servant grinned. "But if all goes right, she will be my Servant!"

"Just to clarify, you just need to stab a Servant in the spirit core with Rule Breaker [All Spells Must Be Broken] to transfer the contract to you?"

"That's correct. I shouldn't need to repeat it, boy."

"It sounds easy enough. Why do you need to prepare?"

"Because the task isn't as easy as it sounds. Servants only have two fatal spots, so they'll guard them fiercely. I need to catch her off-guard. And I think I know how to do that."

When the food was almost done, Caster spoke up again. "I'll fetch Master Ichigen. Is he still in the workshop?"

"Yeah. He hasn't left it since lunch."

Caster was appalled. "You just left him there?!"

"I was focused on Watanabe's request, so I forgot until just now."

"Useless boy!" Caster spat then dashed to the stone shed. Inside, Ichigen was laying on the floor. When Caster checked if he was still breathing, she sighed when she discovered the King wore himself out so he had merely fallen asleep. The attack would happen tomorrow to let the man recover.

The cab pulled up to the house, Reisi and Lancer exiting. When Reisi knocked on his parent's door, Kohaku opened up almost immediately.

"I'm so glad you two came! Taishi and the others are already inside, so we're only waiting for you! Hurry inside, the food's almost done!"

Reisi smiled. "In a minute. We have to do something really quick."

"Fine, but don't take too long!"

As soon as Kohaku had gone inside, Lancer used runes to create dozens of white wolves. A couple dozen ravens also appeared for monitoring the air. Almost as soon as they manifested, they took positions in a wide circle around the house.

"This'll work, right?" Reisi asked his Servant.

"Best plan I can come up with that doesn't involve freakin' everyone out right away. That alone can be dangerous."

"I hope it won't be needed." With a sigh from Reisi, the two entered the house. Right away, there were twin screams followed by Umi and Kai hugging the two's waists after tackling them there.

"Heard from Mom what happened to SCEPTER 4, Taishi said once the Master and Servant sat at the table. "Really bad luck there, for the building to burn down."

Lancer noticed Reisi take a deep breath before replying. "...Yes. Bad luck indeed."

"Did I say something wrong?"

"Taishi! Stop being so insensitive!" Aoi scolded. "Your brother really liked that job and now he has to search for a new one!"

"Okay, okay! Sorry!"

"I swear sometimes it's like I have a third kid." Taishi groaned and rubbed the back of his neck while his kids giggled.

Reisi gave his brother a smile. "It's alright." Lancer saw the smile was forced and didn't know how many others noticed it too.

"I hope everyone's hungry!" Kohaku announced, carrying out a plate with a giant grilled fish. Jirou was helping her take food out to the table."

"Mom, you really shouldn't have gone to all this trouble," Taishi said.

Kohaku waved him off. "It's no trouble for my family! Now eat up before it gets cold!"

Outside, a group of winged Crest Worms carefully landed on a few wolf and raven familiars, sinking their teeth into them. A safe distance away, Zouken glanced at the woman next to them. "Their functions are now altered. It should be safe."

Without a word, Morrigan walked confidently up to the wolves that had been bitten. They didn't even react as she passed, going towards the house.

After dinner, Umi and Kai played with Lancer. Both of them rode on his back, laughing the whole time. It made Reisi wonder if this is how Lancer would've interacted with Connla if events didn't play out the way they did.

Taishi smiled. "C'mon, you two! Don't wear our guest out!"

"It's fine!" Lancer replied.

"Umi, don't pull his hair!" Aoi scolded. "Kai! His earrings aren't for yanking!"

Lancer squatted down and the two got off. They then dashed over to Aoi. "Sorry!"

"Say that to Lancer." She nodded at the man who returned to sitting next to Reisi.

When they apologized to him, the man smiled. "It's okay, but try to not be so rough."

Suddenly, the front door was torn down and a woman walked into the house. Morrigan. How did she avoid detection?!

"What's the big deal?!" Taishi demanded, bolting up from his spot. He was ignored by the goddess.

Morrigan took a step forward then looked down, seeing Kai jab her with a toy sword. "Get out!"

Morrigan narrowed her eyes and her staff appeared in her hand. Lancer stood up from his spot at the table in an instant. "Look out, Kai!"

A dumbfounded look from a weapon suddenly appearing was soon replaced with agony that painted itself on his face as his belly was sliced open.

Aoi screamed, clutching Umi, and Taishi grabbed his son as he fell back to the living room. In the gap that was created, Reisi conjured a wall of ice to separate them from the goddess.

"What's going on, Reisi?!" Kohaku exclaimed. She and Jirou were helping Taishi and Aoi to try slowing the bleeding.

"No time to explain!" Lancer was by him, ready to fight. "Get out of here and call an ambulance! We'll stall her!"

Morrigan held a hand to the ice and it burst. She was wearing a calm smile, contrasting with the tension in the air. "No one's escapin' from me. Those normal humans are all gonna die."

Taishi and Aoi both grabbed something hard in a flash and went at the goddess. "Not on your life!"

"Don't get close!" Reisi was the one who shouted but a pair of severed heads hit the ground, lifeless bodies collapsing in a pool of blood. This left Reisi in shock.

"I have no use for either of you." Kohaku and Jirou were the next to try attacking her, leaving the operator who answered alone on the line, asking if something else is happening, but their blood stained the floor. "Or you." Then she went over to a crying Umi. "Ah, but I can use you."

"Leave her alone, witch!" Gáe Bolg was suddenly in Lancer's hand. He tried to slash her but Morrigan leaped away from the strike, chuckling the whole time.

"How 'bout ya just admit your love for me, Cú Chulainn?"

"I'd rather die again!"

"What a shame." An explosion of feathers erupted and Umi was suddenly in Morrigan's clutches. "One more chance to change your mind. Ya don't want anything to happen, right?"

"Let her go or you're dead!"

"That wasn't the response I was lookin' for." Her hand went to Umi's face and clutched one of her eyeballs.

"Stop!" Lancer held his spear with both hands, turned his body to his right, and the head was pointed to the ground. Killing intent and mana erupted from it.

Umi screamed at the top of her lungs as the small organ was ripped out with a single spray of blood accompanying it. The little girl was tossed to the side where Reisi, who had finally snapped out of his disbelief, caught her before she hit the ground.

"Gáe Bolg! [Barbed Spear That Pierces With Death]" When the red mana impaled her through the chest, her body was forced into the air before being thrown down. Red serpentine eyes were wide upon seeing her twitch. "How did that miss your divine core?! Wait..! Reisi! What's her Luck?!"

"B! Why?!"

Lancer's teeth were clenched so hard you can hear it. Though still alive, Morrigan was on her knees, hand clutching the bleeding wound on her chest. "That really hurts y'know?" Before she could do anything, the spear ran her through, impaling her heart as it should have the first time. Even though she was fading, she had a loving smile and cupped a furious Lancer's cheeks. "We'll meet again, Cú Chulainn. I expect a satisfyin' answer then."

Lancer was confused as Morrigan faded. She's supposed to be dead now. "She'll meet me again..?" Then it clicked. "Oh, that part of her also manifested. Just great."

Meanwhile, Reisi was trying to comfort the hiccupping and crying Umi and Kai. Lancer came over and bit his lower lip hard enough for it to bleed. He could see both were in shock. "I can only save one of them in time."

A look of absolute horror on Reisi's face. "No..!"

"Uncle Reisi...what's going to happen...to us..?" Kai's voice came out as quietly as a whisper.

"Uncle...It's cold..." Umi added. Her remaining eye was fixed on the Blue King. "Why...is it cold..?"

Lancer's eyes narrowed. "Time's runnin' out. Who will it be?"

Reisi didn't respond. Couldn't respond. How is he supposed to choose which of the two lives and dies?!

Lancer sighed. It's clear Reisi won't make a choice. He went over to Kai. "Time's up. I'll put them out of their misery."

Kai slowly looked at Lancer, and at the raised red spear. "What..?"

Reisi forced a smile. "Look over here, Kai." The boy did as he was told. "I know it hurts now, but it'll all be over soon." He covered Umi's ears so she didn't hear the weapon plunge into her brother's chest, the curse instantly stopping his heart and killing him. Reisi moved a hand over Umi's eye and looked away when his Servant did the same to her.

"Sorry. I fucked up..." Lancer said quietly once he was done.

"You certainly did," Reisi coldly replied through grit teeth. Lancer didn't say anything back.

The silence stretched on for a few seconds before Lancer spoke up. "Emergency services should arrive soon. Let's go out the back. If we're caught, it'll get complicated."

A heavy sigh from his Master. "Right..." Just as he reluctantly got up to follow his Servant, Reisi saw the back of his left hand was cut. He just numbly stared at his blood oozing out, blind to everything else.

"...si..! Reisi! Let's go!" Lancer's shout snapped him back to reality. While the two left without being seen, Lancer spoke again. "I got bad news. I didn't kill her; she's still out there."

"Great. She got away from you again," Reisi grumbled.

Lancer sighed. "Yeah, yeah. Let it out. But she's good at gettin' away, like when I tried to kill her after she attacked Emer. If only Gáe Bolg could kill her regardless of Luck. A bunch of bullshit that plays a factor."

"Why does the rank of her Luck matter?"

"Her Luck is too high for Gáe Bolg to one-shot her. It has to be C or lower. It only grazed her heart, so it technically 'hits'."

"I'm your big brother! That means I'll always be there for you!" A single tear rolled down Reisi's cheek as he remembered what Taishi said after he saved Reisi from getting bullied by some middle schoolers behind the building years ago. In the current situation, it should have been the other way around. Why did things have to go so wrong?

"She really had to do that to children?!" Tenkei spat in disgust. There was a camera in the living room of Reisi's family home that Nagare hacked into to get the footage of what happened. "Fucking with the kid's psyche is one thing, but this goes too far!"

"Will you assist him?" Nagare asked.

Tenkei took a drink from his beer. "No. The kid still pisses me off. But I must say Morrigan crossed a line this time."

"What should we do about Caster?" Sukuna asked, getting back to the topic discussed earlier.

"We haven't gotten anything about a challenge. She'll probably send a familiar to deliver it. So she probably isn't ready yet," Yukari pointed out.

"I dunno," Tenkei said. "To me, she didn't feel like the type that would fight fair and square. And it might be moot. She doesn't even know where to find this place."

"Not true." Now it was Saber's turn to speak up.

Nagare looked mildly confused. "What do you mean?"

Saber pointed at Tenkei's lower back. "She placed a tracking spell on Mr. Iwa at the store."

Tenkei was frantically trying to look at the spot. "What?! Why didn't you do anything or tell me?!"

Saber simply shrugged. "I don't know how to remove it, so I wrote off saying anything as a waste of time."

"It would not be a waste of time because we could've used the time after I got back to prepare defenses!" Tenkei snapped. "Instead it was spent at the hotel pool!"

"We had fun at least," Sukuna pointed out. "I didn't know Yukari could make that big of a splash off the diving board!"

"I got a wedgie from my swim trunks, though," Yukari added.

Tenkei looked fed up. "We're going off-topic!"

"Relax, Mr. Iwa," Nagare said. "I'm sure we can come up with something last minute to at least escape the hotel."

"Why don't we escape now?!"

"We don't know when to expect her. We could be on the street for days."

"Then we should attack first!"

"It's her territory. She'll be far more dangerous there. And we know she's been siphoning mana from civilians. At this point, she must have a massive stockpile. Besides, this hotel has its own advantages."

"Such as?"

"There are plenty of electronics here for me to create my own fun."

"God, what happened now?! Was it Morrigan?!" Izumo demanded once Reisi and Lancer entered the bar, seeing blood on the Blue King once again.

Reisi didn't reply. He instead went over to Mikoto, who had been talking to some of his Clansmen in a corner of the main area, roughly grabbed him by the arm, and basically dragged him up the stairs. "Your room. Now!" Mikoto was too dumbfounded by Reisi's sudden aggression to reply.

"What made him so pissed?" Izumo asked.

Lancer rubbed the back of his neck with a sigh. "Morrigan killed his family." Stunned silence, broken only by Rikio dropping a plate in shock and it shattering on the floor.

After recovering, Izumo spoke up. "Clean that up, Kamamoto. Also, your plan didn't work?!"

"She managed to get by it, somehow. We couldn't stop her from killin' everyone."

"Are we next?" Anna asked in a quiet voice.

Lancer tried to comfort her by rubbing her head. "I've been extra careful in coverin' my tracks, so to speak. It should be impossible for her to know Reisi and I are here. Also, two Servants are here. Still, keep on guard. I'm sure she has her methods."

Chapter Text

"How did last night go?" Izumo asked Mikoto when he came down. The man had several hickies on him. But those were just the visible ones.

"The guy went rough on me to vent. Mixed in was a bit of cryin'. That was awkward to watch. Never thought I'd see it from that stuck-up prick."

"He's still human even though he's a King," Izumo pointed out.

"Yeah, it reminded me of that. How much more can he take?"

"And here they are!" A bunch of U-ranked JUNGLE players stood between the Colorless Clan and the hotel the Green Clan was staying at.

"It seems we were expected," Ichigen said, unsheathing Kotowari. "Go inside, Caster. Kuroh and I will handle things here."

Caster's cape fanned out and she rose into the air. One player aimed a bazooka at her, but Kuroh cut it in half before anything could be fired. "Stay safe, then." She drifted to the automatic doors in front and landed in front of them.

Caster went into the lobby of the hotel and grimaced in disgust. Too many people present. Without her moving, a purple mist rolled in around her feet and several Dragon Tooth Warriors rose up.

"Clear out this mess," she said firmly. Some people already took notice and their screams alerted the others. Panic soon erupted as people were chased and cut down by the bony familiars. "Where are you, Saber?!" She noticed the receptionist go for the phone behind the desk to call the police, but he burst into blood and gore like a popped water balloon with a flick of Caster's wrist in his direction. "I'm tired of waiting!"

Someone spoke out of the phone next to a corpse. "Oh, you are?" Now the same person spoke out of another phone. "What a shame. I thought we could use this chance to play. For example," Green electricity burst out of a phone soaked in blood. It followed the liquid to a Dragon Tooth Warrior and made it explode, causing Caster to shield herself from the flying fragments, "how long can I keep you in the lobby?"

"I assume you're the Master? I won't stay out here for long."

"We'll see." A blaring sound went off, making Caster cover her ears. It's the fire alarm. This was followed by the lobby's sprinklers going off.

"Quit messing around!" Caster hissed, now thoroughly soaked. She again tried to detect the tracking spell to know what room to go to. As soon as she took a step, electricity coursed through her entire body. The voltage would've been fatal to a human, but Caster simply grit her teeth in frustration.

"I'd watch my step." Caster could hear the smirk. "With all the water, this area is basically a minefield."

"I bet you don't know I can do this!" Caster levitated off the ground. Not wanting to waste any more time, she shot to the door of the room the spell is. She blasted down to door, but no one was inside. A priest's robe was on the bed. The same robe she put the spell on.

Caster was beyond furious. In a rage, she shot beams of mana out of three magic circles in random directions, destroying the room.

In an instant, the Green King appeared in front of her. He was covered in green electricity. At the same time he slashed at her with claws of lighting, she used a repulsion spell to blast him out where the window used to be.

Ichigen's voice entered her head at that moment. 'We just spotted the Green Clan fleeing the hotel.'

'I'm already engaging the Green King.'

When she went out to where she sent the Master, she saw he had vanished.

"Where are you, coward?!" Caster roared, punching a tree down. Nagare flashed in front of Caster, smirking. Long strings of green electricity sparked from around him and Caster.

"This location is ideal for me." He smirked. "Now I don't have to hold back." He couldn't use this attack underground since it would destroy enough pillars to cause a massive collapse.

Bright light seemed to explode from the area as a massive amount of lightning was discharged. It was enough that even a Servant should be electrocuted to death.

The light went away, but there was no fading Servant. Caster was instead being protected by a dome of violet mana. The shield went down and she chuckled. "Child's play. What else do you -"

Fog erupted and Tenkei came sprinting out of hiding, smacking Caster across the face with his pistol. She was so distracted she forgot about the Grey King!

"Fall back for now, Nagare! I don't want you to burn yourself out too fast." The Green King nodded once then flashed away.

Tenkei got a couple more smacks in before Ichigen's sword stopped the gun. He must have used his ability to sense his Servant's location to find them in the fog. Kotowari cut the pistol in half then Ichigen pointed at Tenkei forehead while the latter reeled back in surprise, a small orb of red and black mana forming at the fingertip. Before the Grey King could react, he was blasted in the head by Gandr. It wasn't a Finn shot, but Caster's enhancement on her Master meant it still left a bloody wound on Tenkei's forehead.

"Again?!" Tenkei spat, looking at the remains of his gun, then jumped back into the fog.

"Thank you, Master!" Caster said quickly then looked around, her Noble Phantasm materializing in her hand. The fog made it impossible to see anything. "Where's Saber?"

"Where are you, Master Ichigen?!" Kuroh shouted from among the fog. "Gh! Can't see a thing..! Master Ichigen!"

"Oh, quiet down. Your constant screaming is getting ugly."

Kuroh recognized that voice and looked like he had just seen a ghost as he saw the approaching person. "No way..."

Yukari grinned at the teen, Ayamachi glinting. "It's been a long time, Kuroh! I hope you've improved since last we met!"

Kuroh got his katana at the ready. "So you scampered off to the Green Clan after betraying Master Ichigen?!"

Yukari's grin didn't waver. "That's right. I must say it suits me better. I can truly express myself now."

"I don't care what your reasons are, I'll still make you pay!"

"We'll see about that." Then Yukari looked to a spot several meters to his right. "Stay out of this, Sukuna. This one's my prey."

A pause. "...Alright."

Meanwhile, Saber ambushed Caster, tackling her. She tried to stab the Colorless Servant, but Caster's staff knocked it away enough to only stab the ground. After a bit of rolling around, Saber screamed when the zig-zagged dagger Caster held sunk into her chest.

"Saber?! Gah!" Nagare cried out as it felt like the Command Seal on his right hand was violently ripped off. Caster stood up.

"Hahaha! That was easy! Your Servant's all mine now!" While laughing, Caster pulled the glove off her right hand, Nagare's Command Seal now on the back of the appendage.

"Shit! Yukari, Sukuna! Get back here!" Tenkei shouted.

"Are you running?!" Kuroh demanded to a retreating Yukari.

"We'll play again another time, Kuroh."

Caster was admiring the Seal. "What should I make you do first? I know. How about I make you kill your former Master?"

"N-No..!" Saber gasped.

A stroke from the Command Seal flashed. "I wasn't giving you a suggestion."

She took slow, staggering steps toward the Green Clan, gradually raising Photon Ray. The entire time, her face was contorted in pain. "...Run...Run now..! I can't resist forever!"

"That stupid Magic Resistance," the witch spat, putting her glove back on. "I really don't want to use another Command Seal. Fine, I'll do it myself." Caster took of into the air. "Stay there for now, Saber." The swordsman sighed in relief as the invisible strings controlling her body vanished, her collapsing to the ground in exhaustion. "I'll deal with you later." She flew after the humans deciding to take Saber's 'advice' and bolt in the opposite direction. Though he could definitely cover more ground faster, Nagare decided not to leave the others behind.

"I can't believe a Servant is able to have a Servant!" Tenkei spat.

"It seems to be possible," Nagare replied.

Sukuna looked over his shoulder. "She's catching up!"

Caster paused when bullets pelted her when she was almost on top of them, the ammo bouncing uselessly off. The players from before were firing at her.

"There was no order to continue!" Nagare stopped running to shout.

"You're still our King, and we all look up to you, so keep running!" One paused shooting to shout. "We'll hold her!"

"...Thank you," Nagare said. He and the other three were heading toward a bridge. Caster growled but Ichigen and Kuroh caught up, keeping the players distracted.

"Hurry and follow them!" Ichigen shouted. Caster flew off to the bridge without a word.

On the bridge, cars were driving over it so the four took the pedestrian path. Caster began firing at the group of ants but all shots missed. Then one hit.

Sukuna cried out when a beam of mana ripped into the side of his abdomen, taking out a semi-circular chunk. He stumbled forward but Yukari grabbed him. Tears streamed down Sukuna's face. "It really hurts..."

"I know," Yukari replied while gently patting the boy's back. "Just stay strong and we'll get help." His grip on Sukuna tightened, ready to carry him the rest of the way.

Sukuna sniffed. "Okay."

A thick fog surrounded Caster. She knew it was from the Grey King, but it's not like his typical fog. "You're not going any further!" the King shouted. "Get moving, Yukari!"

Unlike normal, this boosted Sanctum thicken the fog surrounding his adversaries so much that it's the only thing they see. No structures they get close to or anything. It even looks like they're standing on fog. And to make things worse, their senses are distorted. For example, an attack they perceive as coming from the front may in fact be coming from behind.

Caster rapidly ascended, trying to get over this. No matter how high she seemed to fly, she couldn't escape the fog.

She then decided to attack randomly. The nine beams she fired sounded like they were ripping into something then there was loud rumbling followed by the sound of something large collapsing. The fog thinned and went away as a section of the bridge collapsed, the four humans vanishing among the falling rubble.

Heads were bobbing on the surface of the water. Yukari was supporting Sukuna and Tenkei helped Nagare, who's spine was now broken. "Everyone here? Let's get to the hos -" A shadow covered them, cutting Tenkei off. He looked up in time to see the car Caster picked up and hurled down collide with and cave in their skulls. The four didn't resurface again.

Ichigen and Kuroh were suddenly left alone as the players retreated. Then they saw what was left of the bridge and Caster running toward them before throwing herself at Ichigen.

"M-Master, I didn't mean to take out the bridge! You see..!"

Ichigen put a hand on her shoulder. "I understand. You had to do it to eliminate them from the game. There's no need to blame yourself."

"Thank you, Master Ichigen!" Caster threw herself into the King while sobbing. Kuroh frowned. This War is twisting Ichigen and he isn't completely okay with going along with these events like his King. However, if he cut ties with Ichigen and went off on his own like Yukari, where would he even go and what would he do? And the thought of turning his back on his King in the first place is unbearable. But once the War's done, Ichigen should return to normal, so he'll just wait for that.

"So that is Sefar," Archer said while looking into his clairvoyance charm and seeing Saber's face.

Daikaku looked questioningly at his Servant. "Sefar?"

Archer didn't answer his Master. "I suppose I owe her. After all, I would not have been born had she not chosen to show my father mercy." The charm went into a Gate and the Servant turned, heading toward the door. "I have decided! I shall go forth and free her from the clutches of the Caster Servant!" Then he looked disgusted, slowly turning his head to Daikaku. "I suppose...I need you there as well...Don't get the wrong idea! It's only because you're a Master!"

"Are you incapable of following simple orders?!" Caster demanded, a whip of her magecraft striking Saber across the face. Now that they were back, Caster was venting her frustration at having wasted a stroke.

"You should refrain from that, Ichigen said firmly. "You could accidentally kill her."

Caster took a deep breath, taking off her hood. "I understand. You're right. After all, I still need her to kill Berserker."

"If she can," Kuroh pointed out. We don't even know what her Noble Phantasm does."

Caster then kicked Saber. "Hey! How powerful is your Noble Phantasm?!"

Saber just continued staring blankly ahead. "It's a strike from Mars himself, so it's fairly powerful."

"It had better be. After we prepare, we head for Ashinaka Island!"

Chapter Text

"How's that brand?" Rider asked his Master, who was smoking a cigarette.

"Awful, but comfortin'." Mikoto replied, exhaling some smoke. A friend of Izumo's, Touko Aozaki, needed help moving some thing and Mikoto, who was a building over, was tasked to provide it. He wasn't happy, but she gave Mikoto a pack of Dragon Smoke cigarettes as a reward. They were currently back in the bar.

Lancer was holding his nose shut. "I bet. Didn't know cigarettes could smell that bad."

"Your sensitive nose must make it worse for you," Reisi said.

"C'mon, don'tcha also think it smells bad?"

"Well, of course, but you don't see me complaining."

"I don't get why he can't take it outside."

"You shouldn't complain," Saburouta said. "After all, you and your Master are just guests."

"Shouldn't you guys be interested in the satisfaction of your guests?!" Lancer snapped.

"Customers," Izumo corrected, covering the speaker of the phone he was talking into. "We aren't runnin' a hotel here."

"Whatever. Still smells like ass."

"Sure ya ain't smellin' yourself?" Shouhei chuckled. Lancer's glare shut him up.

"He's got a point," Rider said.

"Pot callin' the kettle black?"

"Everyone calm down 'fore a fight breaks out," Izumo sighed after hanging the encrypted phone up. "Just heard from one of my informants. Part of a bridge on the outskits of Shizume was destroyed by a single person. The culprit is unknown, but it had to be either a King or a Servant since they're the only ones we know of capable of that."

Rikio, along with two others, were unpacking bottles of vodka. "What for?"

"Most likely related to the Holy Grail War. Dense fog was sighted, so the Grey King was involved."

"His Servant's been dead," Tatara pointed out. "He shouldn't be a target."

"He might've lost his rights as a Master but he's still a Master," Mikoto told him. "He can pact with a Stray Servant and reenter this. Someone wanted to get rid of him before then."

"Think it was Morrigan?" Misaki asked.

"Doubt it," Lancer replied. "Reisi wasn't there and I don't know how that'd hurt him mentally."

"Someone's finally makin' a move then," Mikoto continued. Then he glanced at Izumo. "Find out who it was fast. We need to hit them 'fore we're hit."

Saber was helping Kuroh outside with sword techniques, but it was only because she didn't want to be punished by Caster, who was watching nearby.

"Loosen your hold. You're too tense," Saber told the teen.

Ichigen walked up beside Caster. "I don't know how wise this is. Saber fights in a different sword style, after all. It may take time for Kuroh to adjust, and time is something we don't have a lot of."

"You do have a point," Caster admitted. "I had hoped this would help with his ability to fight."

"Maybe he should spend time in the workshop."

"I intended it for one person. It was a gift meant for you, after all."

A rain of swords suddenly made all four take evasive maneuvers. "What was that?!" Kuroh demanded.

"An enemy got past my bounded field?!" Caster exclaimed in shock.

"It was really no issue by utilizing my Gates of Babylon on us." The group was being approached by the Gold King and a blonde man in golden armor.

"We finally meet, Archer," Caster said. "Saber, I trust you know what to do." Then she smirked. "Don't make me waste a stroke again or I'l make you spend another hour in the cellar. I have some lovely new living nightmares for you."

Saber grit her teeth. Caster managing to fish her True Name and past out by probing her mind allowed her to come up with seriously mind-breaking illusions. "...Of course."

Archer was looking right at the woman with an expression that could be mistaken for pity. "I have no desire to harm you, so just remain on the sidelines." As soon as he finished speaking, multiple golden chains wrapped around Saber, holding her in place. No matter how much she strained against the bindings, she couldn't break free.

Caster sighed in disappointment. "Are you really so weak? Fine, then teleport to my side." She felt a stroke be used, and yet Saber remained in the same position, confusing her Master.

Archer howled with laughter. "It's no use! Behold my Anti-Divine Noble Phantasm: the Chains of Heaven! The higher the captive's Divinity, the stronger the hold on them. Not even a god can escape! As if a Command Seal would change that! Curse the fact Saber has divine blood."

"How did you find that out?" Caster snarled.

"I don't see any reason to tell you."

"Well, it won't have much of an effect on me."

Archer sighed. "And why would I waste them on some lowly, non-divine mongrel?" Gates appeared around him. "Sticking to these is all you deserve."

Weapons flew out, causing Caster to quickly use magecraft to defend. Beams of her mana only took out a few and she had to fly up to avoid the rest. Six more came at her and she used a shield looking like a giant magic circle to block. The weapons exploded on impact, resulting in the shield looking to be on the verge of shattering.

At the same time, Kuroh and Ichigen were fighting Daikaku. Well, saying Kuroh is able to clash with the Gold King is being generous. The teen was nothing more than an annoying fly the old man easily swatted away. On the other hand, Ichigen's defense, enhanced by Caster, was proving impossible for him to break through. Dragon Tooth Warriors appeared from a mist to support the two, but the punishing blows from Daikaku's fist easy destroying any that came within range. But they just kept coming, like endless waves.

A rain of swords cut down several and made the three humans jump back. Archer just gave a 'hmph!' before returning his attention to Caster. The witch was now holding Rule Breaker and was almost in striking range. Though Archer's armor isn't easy to damage, magecraft still holds it together. As Rule Breaker denies magecraft, the armor would be pierced through like it isn't there. A sword flew out of a Gate, impaling Caster through the left lung instead of her heart and causing her to tumble onto the ground.

Though the injury closed soon after the sword disappeared into the treasury, more weapons came down on her during the brief healing period. A colorless dome loomed over the her, whips of aura flailing around the shield in an attempt to knock as many of the incoming swords as possible.

"Master Ichigen?!" Caster exclaimed in shock. Ichigen grunted as he tried to keep up with the weapons. He knew that any directly hitting the shield would destroy it.

"Are you healed now, Caster?!"

Caster, realizing she was still on the ground, jolted to a standing position. "O-of course!"

Ichigen turned his head to her and smiled. "That's good."

This distraction caused a slight hiccup in the timing of the whips and allowed two swords and a halberd to hit the shield, penetrating it with ease, and impaling the Colorless King through the shoulder, upper abdomen, and head.

"Master Ichigen!" Kuroh screamed, sprinting to the man's fallen body. Daikaku got through the Dragon Tooth Warriors, grabbed the Clansmen from behind and swiftly snapped his neck before he could react then dropped the limp teen.

"I didn't require help with that one." Archer then looked back at Caster. "What will you do now that your Master's dead?"

"Master...Ichigen...He's dead..?" Caster murmured, blue eyes wide, not having processed what just happened even though she's covered in Ichigen's blood. Then she slowly began laughing, looking crazed. "Ha ha...He's really dead...Ha ha ha ha!" Tears starting to roll down her face as she continued cackling. The familiars dissolved and the mist went to her.

Why do I keep having my happiness ripped from me?! What did I do to have fate hate me this much?! Constantly used then tossed aside. It made leaving the castle with Jason be her greatest regret.

She didn't need Ichigen as a Master after she began draining people. With how large her web is, it's like she has hundreds of Masters. Yes, she could've abandoned Ichigen at any point like how she had always been, but she still stayed at his side. He was what she had waited millennia for: someone who took the hand she held out. Someone who fills the void in her heart. Someone who makes her happy. Someone who stays by her despite who she is. Someone who simply tells her she did well. And now that beautiful dream is gone.

The witch flew high into the air. "Everything's gone! There's nothing left! So I may as well destroy it all!" A gigantic light blue formula formed under Caster, as large as the clearing they're all in and over some of the surroundings, lightning crackling from the top of her magic staff.

I'll offer up every last drop of mana I have. I'll offer up all of my magic circuits. I'll even offer up my soul. This is all for you, Master Ichigen! I hope this makes you proud of me!

"I'll kill you all! I'll kill everything! Nothing matters anymore!" Caster screamed. Black bled into the magic circle, the lightning turning red and becoming fiercer, spreading to the magic circle. It grew twice as large as well. No doubt everyone in the village could see certain death looming over their heads.

Archer narrowed his eyes as he analyzed it. That spell's meant to reduce the entirety of Tokyo and who knows how much else to ashes. Even his armor may not withstand a direct hit from it.

"This is the greatest gift I can offer you, Master Ichigen! Everyone, burn with me! Die! Die! Die!"

"She's gone insane..." Daikaku murmured. He looked at Archer. "Is she serious?"

"She's a Caster, so yes."

"How bad will it be?"

"Imagine the devastation of a Damocles Down, but include a massive new waterfall in the ocean."

"Can the shields in your treasury help?"

"Perhaps. But I believe mercy is warranted for this."

The staff lowered, a gavel delivering a death sentence in the form of an enormous mana-fueled bomb.

"Everything I have! Take it all!"

Several of Archer's swords shot out from portals around the opposing Servant and the magic circle shattered into nothingness. All the weapons had sunk deep into Caster's chest and back.

She looked stunned. "Wha..?" Even the fact her body was dissolving into violet mana didn't seem to register right away. "I...I..."

"That takes care of that. Now then..." Archer glanced at Saber, the chains on her vanishing. The woman stumbled forward since the resistance is gone.

Caster was almost completely gone now. "I'm sorry, Master Ichigen. Forgive me..." One last tear escaped her as she disappeared.

Archer sighed and started walking towards Saber, who went on guard.

"Hmph! Not enough entertainment, but at least a worthy prize was left. I suppose since you spared my father it's only right I do the same to you."

Saber lowered her sword in confusion. When did she spare someone? Wait, isn't he much older than her? He must have mistaken her for someone else. But, given his power, perhaps she should play along.

"To be truly spared I now require a new Master. Would it be okay if I pact with yours?"

Archer glared at Daikaku. "Do it. As keeper of the Dresden Slate, you should have enough mana to support two Servants."

Daikaku sighed and went over to Saber. "Very well." His Seal glowed as he held it to her. He instinctively knew what to say. "My will creates your body and your sword carves my destiny. If you heed the Grail's call and choose to submit to me then answer."

Saber reached out, gently touching the Seal. "I swear to follow your will and become your Servant." A blinding light erupted from the Seal. It only lasted a couple seconds before going away. Both arms lowered, the contract made. Daikaku looked more tired now.

Archer gave a disappointed sigh. "Making another pact wore you out? How pathetic."

"I'm 95 years old!" Daikaku angrily reminded him.

Narrowed red eyes. "...Do not take that tone with me again."

"What now?" Saber asked.

"Caster was worried about Berserker enough to steal you. Then we shall allow the human to rest and rid of the Servant tomorrow."