Prologue: A New War Starts
April 2015, Skopje, Macedonia
Hikigaya Hachiman came to a crouch.
He had been discreetly following the man to this house, and now that he could see the glimpse of an alchemical laboratory inside, he confirmed that the target was here. A cursory glance revealed that there were no traps here. Was this really a magus' laboratory? Most of them were protective of their labs to the point of being fanatical. Either he was careless, or he had less obvious traps in place, which did not seem to be the case; considering the open nature of this lab. Sifting through his backpack, he pulled out a tablet and started it, the screen coming to life. On it, he saw what vaguely resembled a crosshair with it aimed at the window he was now staring at. The equipment was working as intended, it seems. Hachiman adjusted the crosshair to point slightly above the window and was inwardly delighted to see the screen respond. This could work. The sniper rifle was here for two purposes, and he did not want to be the bearer of bad news for Lieutenant Major Harwood. He pulled out his iPhone and dialed the given number as he waited for the target to appear at the window.
Hachiman went through the mental lessons he had been imparted for sniping. Relax your muscles, slow your breath. It felt eerie that there wasn't an actual rifle in his hands, yet he felt like doing it. He slowly and carefully lessened his heart beat, his breaths coming in deeper now. Pure instinct, it had to be now. He placed the tablet down and touched a button, a confirmation pop-up appearing. Hachiman took a large breath in.
It's show time, he mused as he pressed the confirmation.
400 meters away, the rifle came to life. It shot a single bullet at a muzzle velocity of 800 m/s, more than twice as fast as the speed of sound in air. The bullet would have enough energy to make a fist-sized hole in a man's head, even after going through glass or sheet metal. There was absolutely no way for a regular magus to defend himself from this. As expected, the window pane exploded, showering glass all around as the man collapsed. Hachiman rushed in, jumping through the window and cursed.
A damn homunculus. This was turning out to be more complex than he intended. Now that stealth was broken, force was into play. He threw a blue alchemical formula from a vial on the body, instantly incinerating the body in a blue flame. Eliminate all organic evidence, were his orders. The rest would be handled.
He rushed out, using reinforcement magic on himself to bust through the door, the Magic Circuits on his body activating, giving him an eerie green glow. Hachiman saw a homunculus pointing a pistol at him and smiled. How many times had this scenario played out? He had won every time.
Hachiman charged, exiting the man's peripheral vision to reach him in a fraction of a second. With no time to react, the man was helpless as Hachiman drove his reinforced fists into the man's torso in a one-two punch. The man collapsed, instantly dead. Pulverized lungs tended to have that effect. He left the body with another vial, observing 4 more men running away. He sighed. Leave no survivors, had been the orders.
Hachiman jumped, the reinforced legs carrying him to the roof of the nearby building. He surveyed the area, finding the 3 homunculi running behind their master in a line. Hmph. If they were any dumber, they could just plaster "Kill me" to their backs. He moved from rooftop to rooftop; keeping track of the enemies down below. When he was close enough, he decided to end the chase prematurely. After all, he had a technique specially designed to close gaps. Hachiman took a literal leap of faith on his Family Crest's magic and jumped.
A split second later, he appeared above the last homunculus, smashing him to the pavement with his sheer weight and quickly used the knife in his main hand to slit his throat; all in one clean motion. One of them panicked as Hachiman rushed him, knife in hand, ready for an underhand grip stab. The man caught the hand at the wrist expertly, just before it could reach his eye. He smiled, and then Hachiman smiled as he pressed the trigger. The spring mechanism activated, propelling the blade at nearly 60 km/h before the blade implanted itself firmly in the man's eye. He threw the handle away and delivered a reinforced palm strike that annihilated the man's rib cage and heart along with it, throwing him a good 30 feet away. Both men got the vial treatment. Two more to go.
The other men would now be far off, and Hachiman needed another vantage point. He loaded his crossbow and fired, the grappling hook embedding firmly into the ledge. The CO2 gas canister mechanism activated, pulling him up; where he resumed his surveillance, finding them trying to double back in order to throw him off. And they would have succeeded if he hadn't gone up. He sighed again.
They entered a dark alleyway, hoping to escape when a smoke bomb dropped, cutting their vision. Hachiman dropped down, his reinforced landing creating a small crater on impact. The shockwave unsettled them, giving him enough time to prepare his pistol and fire at one of the vague figures in a two-tap pattern, supposedly killing him. He barely had time to switch to his crossbow and load a bolt before the second one shot a burst of wind that cleared the smoke and almost caused Hachiman to fall down, shifting his legs to keep balance. The man rushed in, performing a swiping motion with his claws. Claws? Hachiman wondered, reinforcing his hand to block the swipes and still getting cut in the process. The claws were there, but there was wind magic at play. He was using it as an extension of his own hands. Troublesome.
Hachiman pulled his pistol out, but before he could the man came in close, punching him in the gut and grabbed him by the neck. Too fast. Caught in a chokehold, he could nothing but wait. "Who sent you here?" The hoarse, unreal voice startled him for a second. "Can't… speak." Hachiman rasped man let him drop, seemingly gloating over his small victory. Which is why he did not notice the next action. Hachiman quickly pulled out his crossbow and fired, the bolt piercing him in the stomach. The man grimaced in pain, doubling over. That confirmed it.
"Dead Apostle." Hachiman said out loud, hoping to get the man's attention. "You were just hit by an arrowhead made of pure Macedonian silver from Alexander the Great's era, supposedly blessed by the damn Pope himself. Executors of the Burial Agency use this to stake your kind, you know? As a show of purging heresy." The man grimaced.
"No one would have paid any attention to your research if you'd just stayed quiet in your little corner, you know?" Hachiman continued, loading another bolt and shooting the man in his shoulder when he saw the man start to get up. "But nope, you just had to start abducting poor souls now. This all came to a head when you kidnapped the last virgin. Turns out, he was the younger brother of a high-ranking mage; and sent me to investigate. That's where your luck ran out, fiend. But don't mind me, I'm here just for the money. Killing you is a bonus."
"You can't be… the Black Huntsman? I thought you were a myth."
"Is that what they say about me? Well, not that I care." Hachiman fished out his silver knife, stabbing the man in his heart. He pressed the blade further in, as the man made a few gurgling sounds and fell down, dead. With this, Hachiman too collapsed, the near constant reinforcement use and physical exertion having taken its toll on his body.
He dialed a number and got a response on the second tone.
"Did you do it?"
"Yeah. His lab is intact, I presume, and all of his homunculi are dead. Unfortunately, he himself was a Dead Apostle. I had no choice but to kill him. Restraining that would not have been feasible. His body is here, albeit with stab wounds. The homunculi were incinerated."
"That's a shame. I wanted to kill him myself. Anyway, congratulations on a job well done. At least I can sleep easy now, knowing my brother was avenged. I'll wire you the money in two days."
"Thank you, Lieutenant Major. And, you'll be pleased to find out that the new autonomous system performed admirably. I could see it become a major support system in the future. The range could use an upgrade though. 600m should be easy for a semi-pro sniper. I think the system might handle it."
"That's good to hear. I've sent the standby team for retrieval. What about the Dead Apostle?"
"I don't like it, but the Mages' Association will step in now. His body and the lab are now their jurisdiction. You come in and the Church will raise a fuss about all this. Better let the two big daddies duke it out in case push came to shove."
"Very well. And thank you, Hikigaya. It was nice seeing you after all this time."
"Same here, Lieutenant Major Harwood."
Hachiman cut the call. He had been a little surprised actually; hearing from the man after so long. But knowing it was a personal problem, Hachiman had to go. That was how it worked. The money was just a bonus. After all, the man was responsible for his 'modern weapons' training. He got up, dusted himself and boarded a bus to his hotel room. His flight home was tomorrow. A quick shower and dinner later, Hachiman collapsed on the bed. He had barely enough time to close his eyes when the phone rang.
"Hello?"
"Um, is this Mr. Hikigaya I'm speaking to?"
"Yes. And who might you be?"
"You know who."
"Sorry. Let me rephrase the question. Why are you calling me?"
"Because she wants to talk to you. Face-to-face. That's all I know."
Hachiman sighed. Another job, probably. But what did that woman want from him?
"Fine, I'll be there. When?"
"The jet is ready and will be waiting at IA Skopje within 4 hours. You just board when you feel like it. But don't dally anymore than you can. This is a matter of utmost importance."
"I'll be there tomorrow."
"Then good luck, Mr. Hikigaya." Saying so, the call was cut.
Hachiman frowned. If she was calling him again, there was something serious brewing. There was no point fretting too much over unknown quantities. Time to go to a place he hated to his core.
The next day, The Clock Tower, London
Hachiman stepped out of the taxi, marveling at the sight before him. Even if he managed to come here for work every month or two, the Clock Tower always awed him. Not the occupants of the buildings, though. Most of them were idiots and fools, throwing themselves into research that would never see the light of day in their lifetime and many more. What was the point of doing something if you weren't around to see it? Plus, this was a bureaucratic group, of all things, scientists and researchers. The absolute worst things to use to govern a group. Hell, even actual politicians had trouble in management; what made these people think they could do it? But this was inevitable in today's era. Magecraft was supposed to be hidden from the general public, and Hachiman had to admit they had their role to play in the current status quo.
He entered the building, consulting the nearby map to get a general lay of the land. He trudged on, bumping into a student who rudely told him off and a girl who just stared at him in disgust. Like he hadn't received any in his previous life. He walked on what felt like an eternity before reaching the offices of the Minerology department. There were a few furtive glances his way, but nothing threatening. The office he was supposed to enter had a red light above it, which meant she was busy. He waited out in the lobby, the sofas providing no comfort. It was only after a long time that the light turned green and a man trudged out, seemingly unhappy. Hachiman walked in, beholding his sight at a woman he hadn't seen in 5 years.
Miss Tohsaka Rin.
Calling her 'beautiful' would be an understatement. There was a sense of pride and maturity to her face, though it was a bit washed out; probably due to the sheer amount of work she was putting in. Widely regarded as one of the best magi the Association would ever produce, she could manipulate all 5 elements; which was extremely rare in and of itself. She could still live off her family's patents if she so desired. She now wore a red open jacket over a white polo-neck jumper and black knee-skirt, with long leather boots and black gloves to finish off her description. Her hair was kept shoulder-long, with two bangs curling near her shoulders. He regarded her appearance for a while before she spoke. 10 years younger and she would've been a prize catch…. Hachiman shook his head as the possibility disgusted him.
"Ah, Mr. Hikigaya. Come in, come in. I was just about to send for you."
"And? Where's your secretary? She's the one who disturbed my good-night sleep after all."
"She's out on some other business."
"Please switch to Japanese, Tohsaka-sensei. English grates my nerves."
"Then call me Lord Tohsaka when I'm in office. I'm the department head, you know." She begrudgingly spoke in Japanese.
"I'm not one your underlings here, Tohsaka-sensei. Anyway, what am I here for?"
"Getting straight to the point, are we? Why not do a little readme first?" Tohsaka pulled out a file from under her table and opened it, seemingly reading its contents. Hachiman sat down on the opposite end, eyeing her.
"So, Hikigaya Hachiman. 19 years old. Freelance Enforcer for-hire. Sixth successor to the Hikigaya Family Crest. Took the mantle after father declined to be a magus. First ancestor was a Kirishitan and former Executor who retired here. Started a fledgling magus line. Family: Father and mother who work at an advertising agency. A sister who's in middle school. So, does she know about magic?"
"No." was Hachiman's deadpan reply.
"I see. Sent to live with the grandfather at age 4 to learn basic magecraft and close combat arts. Brought here to the Clock Tower after completing middle school. Says you even skipped a grade in there. Further learning here under yours truly. Ran away after two years, only to wind up in a human trafficking ring where your heroics brought the attention of a Lieutenant Major Harwood who was coincidentally investigating the same. A 3-year gap in the time he took you. Mostly special forces training, it seems. Suddenly exploded onto the Enforcer scene, taking contracts all over the world. Infamously known as… 'The Black Huntsman'? Seriously, who comes up with these ridiculous names?" Tohsaka laughed, embarrassing him.
"Not me, obviously."
"Sorry, it's just too funny to pass up." She cleared her throat and continued.
"Let's see… For magic ability, nothing spectacular. No elemental affinity, preference towards reinforcement magic. Can use basic magic arts and alchemy. And this is your state after I drill so much into you. Origin of 'Borrowing Power'. Currently unknown magic propagated through the Family Crest. Wait, what does this mean?"
"Secret."
"Hmph. Whatever." She continued. "As for physical abilities; expert in kick-boxing, silat, eskrima, bujiquan, ninjutsu and more. Hmm, top-notch. Also trained in various modern firearms and combat tools. Most are now repurposed for your 'specialized combat style'. Then, you're nothing more than a soldier who's trained in magic arts."
"That's right."
"And this doesn't bother you?"
"Not at all. I'm not a magus, Sensei. I don't give a rat's ass about reaching the Root or whatever it is you magi desire. I have zilch interest in advancing my lineage, as it would seem. Magecraft is simply a tool that allows me to perform more efficiently on the field. Nothing more, nothing less."
"Some people could just murder you for the kind of thoughts you have, you know."
"They're more than welcome to try, Sensei."
"Call me Lord Tohsaka here."
"Sorry, Lord Tohsaka."
"Better. You were slated to be one of my best students, you know." She mused. "But why did you run away?"
"Like I said, I'm not a magus. Never wanted to be one."
"Hmph." She made a pout that quickened his heartbeat a bit.
"Anyway, with introductions over, let's go over your last job. I understand you went up against a Dead Apostle. And won. Impressive."
"In his defense, he was a newborn, it would seem. No special abilities other than slashing at me with wind magic. Lame. Even his homunculi seemed nothing special. Just basic animal survival instinct."
"You still incinerated them."
"Those were my orders. Besides, you still got his research notes. Should advance the Tower's own research by years."
"Believe me, it won't. Some grunt will take one look at it, say that it's nothing new and file it away, never to be seen again. So much wealth down there and not enough time to sift through it."
"I don't care about all of this, you know. If you have a job for me, say it out loud."
"All right then. Let's just say I want you to take a vacation."
Hachiman blinked. "Come again?"
"I mean you need to relax. Go home. Your family's in Chiba, right? Room with them for a while."
"Uh, how long will that 'while' be?"
"A week, maybe. Two at best."
"Two weeks? What am I supposed to do for two whole weeks?"
"Relax. I'm getting to it. Just hear me out before you jump to conclusions."
"Fine."
Rin fished out a sheet of paper and said this while handing it out.
"So, what do you know about the Yukinoshitas?"
"Uh, nothing at all. Should I care?"
"You should now. They are a relatively small magi family only 5 generations old. What's unusual is that their magus line is matriarchal. Which means, only females in the family ever inherit their family crest."
Hachiman frowned. This was certainly unusual.
"They're a small offshoot of my family, honestly. Somewhere, a disagreement started, and it led to the branch family. Till now, they've mostly stayed in their corner, not bothering anyone. It's their recent activities which worry me."
"Such as?"
"Take a look."
Hachiman took a cursory glance over the paper. There was too much magus lingo here for him to understand.
"Uh, what am I supposed to understand from this?"
"That, Hikigaya, details procedures for transfer of blood, among other rituals. Which means…"
"Dead Apostles." Hachiman hated the word, and its implications. The hate for them was not completely unfounded either. The one he had killed earlier was a fluke. A fledgling newborn, who had barely enough time to wallow in its true power. A true vampire would be a much tougher target. Hachiman shuddered at the thought.
"Yes. And if a young magus line is researching Dead Apostles, then that means…"
"Immortality." Hachiman instinctively replied, finishing the thought. He went back to her lesson, where she had said the primary reason for research into vampires was because it was one of the simplest and most documented ways to attain immortality. And for a true magus, immortality meant that they could convert their existence slowly into a Mystery, where the laws of the world would stop applying to them anymore. He sighed. What was up with that sort of thinking? You become a monster just to visualize some truth you might not even comprehend? Transcending humanity would be like throwing your identity, your soul, your everything away. What was the point of such an existence then?
"Correct. So, as you can see, there's been a flurry of activity recently."
"Let's see… Presence of some primitive golems, various homunculi milling about and reagent requests for… summoning circles of all things. There might be chimaera involved."
"Wait. If there's summoning circles involved, wouldn't this fall under Mr. Belfaban's territory?"
"Yes, as head of Spiritual Invocation, he would be privy to this. But… he's dead. Died of a stroke 2 days ago."
"Damn. So that geezer finally kicked the bucket, huh? It was about time anyway."
"I'm going to pretend I did not hear that."
"Sorry. So that's why you're picking up his slack?"
"Yep. As the youngest here, grunt work always gets shafted to me. What a pain."
"Please do continue, then." Hachiman could barely contain a snicker.
"Then read the profiles inserted there."
"Hmm. Yukinoshita Eijiro. Says here that he's… Chiba's representative in the Diet? He's that up high?"
"Yep. Probably married into the family for its political and social influence too. He's not the focus here, though." Rin continued after a pause.
"Then we have, Yukinoshita Natsuko. Nothing extraordinary till now, rarely seen in public. Probably has equal influence to her husband. Has dabbled in every known art; from kabbalah, alchemy to necromancy and summoning arts as you know now. What has me on edge is that she's surreptitiously downplayed her own magical abilities if the current evidence is to be believed. The Association shouldn't be this idiotic."
"Well, that's what you get in a bureaucracy. Inefficiency and lots of misinformation."
"Not like it's my fault. Anyway, the real threats I feel are coming up next."
Hachiman flipped the page, revealing what was a veritable threat to his indifference regarding members of the opposite sex. This girl could have passed for an angel and he would have believed it. With those looks, he could only imagine the struggles the girl went through. But there was something more, to her eyes. A certain… coldness? Aloofness? Hachiman wasn't sure. Rin read out the entry verbatim.
"Yukinoshita Yukino. Younger daughter of the family. Currently 17 years old and approaching her 2nd year in high school at Sobu High in Chiba. Was sent to the States in her elementary, which is where we suspect she got most of her education in magecraft. Came back and has been behaving like a regular student since then. No magical activity around her, though she might be too smart and just be throwing off our observers. Based on what we know, she has an affinity for water and wind magic in addition to the trademark ice magic her Family Crest gives her, which we saw as weak at first. Consistently at the top in studies with above-average athletic skills and known judo practitioner. Nothing much to say otherwise."
"This is not a threat at all. Why focus on her?"
"Let's finish the other one before we address anything." Hachiman turned the page and the photo he saw chilled him to the bone. It was a face he would never forget. A face that still reminds him of his failure…
"Yukinoshita Haruno." So that's who she was. He made sure to remember the name.
"Let's see. 19 years old, in her 2nd year of college at the sciences department in Chiba University. Was considered unfit for inheriting the crest, so Yukino got it instead it seems. Ran away from home at a young age, was accepted back a few years later. Most likely, whatever she went through made her parents acknowledge her. Very outgoing and social; seems to be better than Yukino at almost everything with a known Aikido belt to boot. And that's just it. Her history is… surprisingly empty."
"I… know why."
"Hmm? Then pray tell, Hikigaya-kun."
"She's a… negotiator, is what I would describe her loosely as, from the rumors I've heard. In truth, she's far more insidious. I don't know much, but she's apparently been sighted at various hotspots in the world, none of them substantiated. Creating backdoor channels and twisting people to obey her will is what she revels at. She is the reason for one of my 2 failures I've ever had to face. And I know for a fact that she's a high-level magus, because she instantly destroyed 3 of my familiars without me noticing. Even the few tracking runes I had placed on her that time were destroyed. I tried to follow her trail for a while, but it ran cold very fast. If nothing else, she's good. Hmm, so that's where she ended up. So damn close to home."
"If this is the case, the situation is graver than anticipated. Anyway, we stick to the plan and hope it turns out well."
"Which is?"
"I want you there at the heart of the problem. In Chiba. I want you to shadow the two girls. Immediately report any suspicious activity back here. If those girls are involved in something, I want to know about it."
"Understood."
"I'll be enrolling you in the school there as a 2nd year student. Much as I'd like you near the older one, considering you only passed middle school and the chance she'd instantly recognize you; the safer bet is the younger one."
"Uh… What?" Was all Hachiman could muster.
"Think of it this way. You get to enjoy your youth and get paid while doing it. Isn't this the best?"
"Not really. I don't really feel the need to go to school. There's nothing they can teach that will help with my job."
"Come on, don't be so uptight. School life is one of the best periods in your time, you know? Some day when you look back and reminisce about this, you'll actually miss this. Trust me, I'm speaking from experience."
"Huh. Never took you for the sentimental type."
"Neither did I." Tohsaka wistfully frowned, a look that put him in unease."
"Well, if that's all, I have a lot to prepare for. I'll take your leave, then." Hachiman got up and walked to the door, when Tohsaka called him out.
"Wait, Hikigaya-kun."
"What?"
"I hope you know you have carte blanche on this operation."
"I didn't, but thanks for the information."
"Yep, so if push comes to shove, you are authorized to kill them."
"I know what the Association's carte blanche means, thank you very much. This isn't my first rodeo." Hachiman left, leaving a wondering and tired Tohsaka behind. Even after all these years, he hadn't really changed at the core. She wondered if the years he had spent here with her had really been productive for him or not. She sighed and picked up another report she had to sift through.
Hachiman walked on, a mess of thoughts swirling inside his head. That was why he did not notice himself approaching someone else as they bumped into each other.
"Hey, watch where you're going." Hachiman's irritated voice rang out.
"Sorry, I was in a hurry too." The man replied, bowing with a hand on his head to show his apology.
As they parted ways, the man's voice rang out.
"Excuse me, but could you be from Japan, by any chance?"
Hachiman turned around. "And what if I am?"
"Nothing. It's just rare to see a fellow countryman out here, you see?" The man effortlessly switched to Japanese.
Hachiman took a few seconds to appraise the man in front of him. It was difficult to see him as Japanese, considering the reddish-brown hair and the golden-brown eyes. But his basic face structure and speech pattern was like an actual Japanese. It was hard to discern if he was an actual native or had some foreign blood mixed in him. The second thing was the man's stance. Even in a relaxed position, Hachiman could not find any openings in his guard to exploit with a cursory glance. It was as if the man had spent his life fighting people better than him.
"I'd guess so."
"So, why were you here meeting Tohsaka?"
Was there are a twinge of jealousy in the man's voice? Hachiman couldn't clearly tell. And Tohsaka as the form of direct address? It seemed like the two were close.
"Just a job she had for me."
"I see. So she is free now, right?"
"If you consider she having no visitors in the room as free."
"Thank you. Then I'll be on my way. Sorry for taking up your time, Mr…"
"Just a passerby."
Then, see you later, Mr. Just-a-passerby." Was this his way of making a joke? If nothing else, it only made him come off as corny.
Hachiman continued, retiring back to his hotel room and pondering his next train of actions. First he had a call to make. He dialed a phone number as the voice on the other end came to life.
"Onii-chan, is that you? And here Komachi thought you had abandoned her." Her fake crying sound grated on his nerves.
"Okay, you can stop with the fake drama now." He could hear her puff on the other end.
"So? What was so important that you had to take time off your incredibly busy schedule to call me?"
"Can you honestly stop with the condescendence? I… know that I haven't been around for you a lot but that's the kind of life I've lived. The least you can do is accept it after all this while."
"Doesn't mean I have to be happy about it."
"I know. And like I've told you before, I am sorry for that."
"Apology accepted." As always, their actual conversations began after this point.
"So, the real reason I'm calling you is because I want my room ready."
"Wait, does that mean…"
"Yes, I'll be staying home for a while."
"Is it work? Or something else?"
"Work."
"I see." The disappointment in her voice pained him, for some reason.
"How long?"
"I don't know." Hachiman simply said.
"And that's it?"
"That's it."
"Do Mom and Dad know?"
"They aren't at home most of the time anyways. Figured I'd call you first considering the circumstances. They'll know once I get there."
"Okay. Then see you soon, Onii-chan."
"See you soon, Komachi."
2 weeks later, Chiba
Hachiman adjusted his binoculars as he continued to stare in the direction of the apartment building. It was his second day of surveillance and nothing out of the ordinary had turned up yet. Yukinoshita Yukino was probably as much of an enigma to him as the rest of the student body in Sobu High School. The only person he'd see her talk to was a Hayama Hayato, the proverbial ladies' man of the school and she'd seemed immune to his charms. Even his recon during school hours had turned up little. All he knew was that she was a consistent topper, rarely socialized and preferred to eat her lunch alone in an abandoned clubroom. And she was the victim of jealousy and snide remarks from the girls, who thought she was too pretentious for her to care about them. Hachiman smirked. People too good for the world like her did get hate from the people around them. All this was just a cry from people who did not appreciate the merit of true hard work. He shook his head as he tried to return his thoughts to the present. He could see her reading a book and… conversing? Or was she reading the book out loud? It was hard to tell from here, even with the 12x zoom on his binoculars. Finding a vantage point for an apartment 15 stories up was no easy task either. Thankfully the nearby building helped, though arranging for a room there had been another nightmare entirely. But waving around the Tohsaka family name using proxies did tend to get results. And thus he was here, observing Yukinoshita Yukino's daily activities and reporting back on anything 'unusual', which he had found nothing of yet. His continued observation led him to the bathroom, where she was… undressing? Hachiman choked for a bit before resuming his duties. Thankfully the shower itself was curtained off so there were no 'distractions' to be seen per se. Hachiman continued, since letting her out of sight was not an option. He had once lured two men after his life towards the bathroom by keeping the shower running, himself hiding in the darkened bedroom and a few knife slashes had done them in. God forbid he'd let a bathroom get the better of him. He continued the observation, seeing her exit the building and call for a taxi. It was at this time he contemplated leaving a familiar on her, letting his eagle companion soar into the sky for an advanced video-feed ahead of his reaching there. It was on the way that he received a phone call.
"Hello, Hikigaya-kun? Where are you right now?"
"Tailing our target. She's quite far right now, but I have my familiar on her. Seems she's heading outside the city area." He could hear a sigh coming along on the other end.
"Some new troubling developments have occurred, Hikigaya-kun. It seems that family is into far more shady business than we anticipated. I can't tell you much of it but suffice to say they have killed Association agents sent to report on them. Some of them good friends of mine. Add all of the other things up and the Lords are out for blood."
"Which means…"
"As much as I hate to say it, standing orders for the girls are elimination on sight. The parents will face a far worse punishment and that will be handled by us. When they came to know of you, they demanded me to use you instead, since you're on-site already."
"Well, that much is something even I can figure out."
"So, can you do it?"
"If it's a question of capability, then of course you know I can. Else, if it's about…"
"No, what I mean is are you perfectly fine with killing someone who's probably an innocent bystander?"
"So it's about morality then. I see. Even then you know I will."
"But…"
Hikigaya asked the driver to drop him as he paid the taxi and entered a shady alleyway to finish the call.
"Let me ask you a question, Tohsaka-sensei. Have you ever killed someone?"
"Huh? Where is this coming from?"
"Have you ever stared into a man's eyes, holding the knife slowly sliding towards his heart, each second draining the man's life as a look of pure terror and realization swipes his face? Have you ever killed someone from half a mile in such a way that the person could never even see it coming? Staring down the metaphysical barrel of death as you make a choice of extinguishing a life? A life, with its own ambitions, hopes and fears, family and friends to care for? Considered how they would feel or react? Because trust me, I have and I used to lose sleep over it. Not anymore. Because I came to a realization that ultimately none of it matters. So before questioning my ability to kill, maybe you should take a look in the mirror."
"Hmph. I was just worried about you, you know! You don't need to be so condescending towards me." Oh god, what was up with her tsundere attitude?
"Well, as long as we're clear on this. Shouldn't take too much time for the younger one then."
"Then good luck. I expect to hear something good from you soon."
Hachiman put down his iPhone and cursed his luck. More killing. Great. Just because he was paid to do it didn't mean he had to enjoy it. He put on his black leather gloves, preparing for work as he observed her taxi settle near a forest.
A half hour later, outskirts of Chiba
Yukinoshita Yukino panted as she completed the summoning ritual. It had taken weeks of preparation excluding the acquisition of the artefact required for summoning which had been another herculean task entirely. She couldn't believe that a mere piece of stone had enough of a connection to summon someone so mighty, a member of a legend like that. But, where was he? She barely had time to register this before her barrier broke, while felt like a hammer smashing a hole in it. She rushed outside to see a dark-clad man stand there.
"I'm sorry, did I interrupt something? I felt something happening inside and decided to rush my job. Well, whatever."
"How… are you here?"
"There's lots of ways you know. Walk, hitchhike, take a taxi."
"No, I mean… how were you able to come inside? It should've been impenetrable."
"You mean that pathetic excuse of a Bounded Field? I have to admit, that level of shoddiness surprised me for a second."
"So, you are a magus. Here to kill me? Already?"
"Ooh, look at the brains on the smart-ass. I can clearly see that summoning circle over there so be a good girl and tell me what you summoned, else I'll have a whole another set of problems to deal with."
Yukino said nothing, which only served to irritate the man in front of her. He sighed.
"Well, whatever. I'll just chase it down later. Seeing as it's not around, I doubt it can protect you from this." Yukino's eyes widened as she realized that was a gun pointing at her. She could only cower as the bullet came for her.
Only it didn't, as she stumbled back from having been pushed. And what she saw in front of her amazed her. There was a glow around the person, clearly a male; as if to say he radiated the light of Gods. A sword scabbard lay at his hip, an intricate design from a bygone era. He stood tall with a grace that defied her regular senses. She could only wonder at the sight.
"What a troublesome fellow! Even with my plate mail, bullets still hurt a lot. Are you unhurt, my lady?" The man turned around, extending a hand and Yukino took it. "Y-yes, thanks to you." The man turned, facing her would-be killer.
"And you! A villainous interloping Master attacking from the shadows. Call your Servant out so that we may fight an honorable duel."
"What are you talking about?" The killer asked before rushing at a speed she couldn't comprehend. Was that reinforcement? With no chants? Yukino was shocked for a second before she saw her savior grab the hand at a speed that escaped her senses and casually tossed the hand away. "Sneak attacks are not proper etiquette in ritual combat. Here, I'll show you how a true knight fights!" Saying so, he drew his sword, burning with a light that blinded her. When she came to, she could see them exchange blows, the killer with his reinforced knife and the man with his sword of light. A few exchanges clearly showed the difference in strength. He drew his pistol and fired a quick few rounds, startling the knight. That break was all he had needed as he rushed her, knife in hand. But this time, she was prepared. Concentrating inwards on her Crest allowed her to manipulate her ability as she sent a wave of ice forward that froze the man's legs. Despite that, he went in a forward roll, drawing the knife hand in and attempting to stab her. She sidestepped it, anticipating the moves and grabbed his hand with hers, culminating in a forward judo throw that should've knocked the wind out him. Instead, he merely stood up and cracked his knuckles, his face clearly visible now.
"You're… I've seen you before, it seems." Where was it? She racked her brains, hoping to find the answer.
"Man, that was tough. Talk about a bad match-up. Seriously, what is up with that familiar? His mana signature is off the charts. There is no way in hell you could sustain a familiar like that."
"It seems it is you who does not understand the truth of the situation. Are you an outsider, by any chance?" The knight piped up.
"Outsider? What the hell are you talking about?"
"It seems you are." Yukino said as the knight approached her. "That means death. Kill him."
"As you wish, my lady." The knight stepped forward, the sword leaving the scabbard creating another flash of light. She barely had time to register it before something rolled out and the knight grabbed her in a one-handed hug, hurtling them away as she saw an explosion go off. Thankfully, the Bounded Field should've prevented sound from leaking out too loudly. They returned to find him gone. Well, so much for killing him.
An hour later, Hikigaya residence
Hachiman dialed the number, which was picked up on the first ring.
"So? Tell me how it went."
"Sorry, but I have bad news. She's still alive and kicking."
"And how does that happen? I thought after that big, condescending speech you gave me, you'd be a little more motivated."
"Oh believe me, I was. But then she summoned this overpowered familiar that I'm not even sure she did. The mana signature is too big to be from her."
"Heh? Then, describe him."
"You'll probably not believe me if I said this; but it was a knight."
"A knight?" Tohsaka sounded genuinely surprised.
"Yes. His mannerisms and speech patterns were heavily Old Age, but he had surprising knowledge of bullets, and by extensions, guns as well as grenades. Either he was trained in modern combat or somehow had working knowledge." On the other end, he heard a visible thud as the phone fell.
"Are you absolutely sure about all of this? Also, was the knight truly male? If there's helmets, it could've been a female knight too."
"I saw his face. No helmets. Honestly, the mana signature is what's throwing me off. There's no way…"
"Now, I want you to listen to my words and listen to them very carefully, Hikigaya-kun. Got it?"
"Y-yeah." The seriousness threw him off.
"First, describe this male knight in detail. As much as possible. Every bit will help."
"Hard to say. No helmet, deceptively fast for his size and weight, and has a sword that throws around light. Too much of it, I'd say."
"Light, you said? Was the sword invisible?"
"No, it was clearly visible, but hard to look at. The blade seemed steel, with engravings on top of it. The grip and scabbard had mostly purples and reds on it."
"Wait, purples and reds? Wasn't the primary color of the sword golden?"
"No, I know what I saw. Come to think of it, maybe the cross-guard was golden, but that's all I remember." On the other end, he could hear a sigh of relief and a low murmur. "Thank god it wasn't Excalibur. Then the only sword of light in the legend is Caliburn. That would be difficult in its own way."
"Uh, you say something, Tohsaka-sensei?"
"Huh? Oh, nothing. Just wondering what sword it was." He could hear specks of distress in her voice. What was this revelation that had completely shaken her up?
He heard a long breath on the other side before she continued.
"Then listen Hikigaya-kun. And listen as if your life depends on it, because it actually might. You have walked into something you shouldn't have, and I take full responsibility for that. There's a good chance that knight Servant comes for you and you'll have no proper way of defending yourself. The only way you'll survive this is to summon your own Servant and enter the war as a participant."
"I'm sorry, what?" Information was coming in too fast for him to process.
"Right after this, I'm going to call a specialist on these matters and have him meet up with you. Follow his advice and you might just come out of this alive. He'll explain the rest to you in person."
"Uh, when is he coming here?"
"Tomorrow, which is the soonest I can manage. Till then, stay off-radar and hope to God he doesn't track you down because if he does, you're most likely dead."
"Very well." This whole turn of events was now bordering on the bizarre.
"And treat the man with respect. He's a dear friend of mine and I'll not have you mouth off to him." And what now? What kind of 'friend' was this guy for him to get reamed over hypotheticals?
"I will."
"Then, I'll call you after the preliminaries are done on your end. Good luck, Hikigaya-kun, because you're going to need it."
"Thank you." He cut the call, wondering what kind of new quagmire he had fallen into. In any case, he had an assignment to turn over for tomorrow and the lady's patience ran thin. Violent punishments were not something he particularly enjoyed. He turned over to his desk, beginning the writing.
An hour earlier, outskirts of Chiba
"I don't think we should follow him, my lady, if that's your wish. If he's left traps around and I go ahead to search him, you will very likely be left vulnerable. We should remain close by until extreme circumstances dictate otherwise. And I don't think the man genuinely knows who I am or what all of this. It will very likely be a point of contention for him. I believe we should focus on letting him come to us, capturing him when he does; since he doesn't know that I can become incorporeal." The knight said, pointing in the direction the would-be killer could've gone.
"Now that I think about it, you are right. Very well, we will not pursue him yet. I want you to stay close by in case other Masters or Servants attack. We'll retire for the day then."
"As you wish." The man bowed, in a way that made Yukino uncomfortable.
"That reminds me, you haven't introduced yourself yet."
"Oh dear me, where are my chivalric manners? Please forgive me for this unseemly inaction." Yukino could only give a meek grin at that. Was he not embarrassed saying such lines?"
"Then allow me to introduce myself. I have the pleasure of taking the name Percival, son of King Pellinore and 2nd seat of the legendary Knights of the Round Table. I have been summoned by you, my Master, as a member of the Saber class." A Saber class, huh. Widely regarded as the one of the strongest classes in frontline combat, Sabers were powerful sword-wielders with high average rankings in all aspects of combat; whether it be offense, defense or magic. The fact that her summoned one was one of the Round Table knights of Arthurian legend only added to it. Of course, the stone she had procured from the halls of the Round Table as a catalyst had helped; but without a proper anchor it could've failed. Yukino wanted to squeal and jump in joy all around, but she composed herself.
"I am Yukinoshita Yukino, fifth magus in line for the Yukinoshita Family Crest and your Master in this war. Pleased to make your acquaintance."
"Well, seems like I've found quite a prize catch for a Master, a good combination of brains and brawn. I hope we lead our partnership to its successful conclusion, my lady."
"S-same here." Yukino stammered. How was she supposed to respond to such cheesy lines?
"Then, what should I call you, my lady?"
"Master is fine with me. And I'll call you Saber."
"No objections in my mind to this, Master."
"Then I think we should head to my apartment. I've had enough adventure for one day."
"As the Master commands." Seriously, his attitude was now getting on her nerves. She erased the runes for the Bounded Field and made her way back home, pondering on her next set of actions.
The next day, Sobu High School
"Hikigaya, what is this?"
"Exactly what it looks like, Hiratsuka-sensei."
"Look, Hikigaya. What was the assignment I gave you?"
"An essay reflecting on my time as a high school student."
"So why write this contemptful composition? What the hell is this?" She sighed as Hachiman could only glare at her. "Damn it. On top of your rotten personality, your eyes look like a dead fish's."
"Oh, does that mean I look full of DHA? I must be pretty smart then."
"Getting smart with me, are we?" She shot him a death-stare that crushed his soul.
"W-Well, I did write this based purely on past experiences. Isn't a high school life like this these days?"
"Huh. What did you go through to make you think like that, kid?"
"Kid? Certainly, when you're at your age, I'd seem like a kid-" He barely finished his sentence as he saw Hiratsuka-sensei's fist shoot forward, aiming for him. It took all he had to control himself instinctively grabbing her hand and throwing her 10 feet away behind him. Thankfully, the hand sailed past his head, stopping above his shoulder.
"Did no one ever teach you that bringing up a woman's age is considered bad manners?" Hachiman relaxed, easing the tension in his body as she withdrew her hand.
"Well, sorry about that." He picked up the sheet, glancing the contents. "I'll rewrite it." It was then that he observed her staring at him in a way that made him uncomfortable. Then she smiled, appraising him.
"Hikigaya, come with me for a minute." Great. More work probably. Hachiman complied, meekly following her.
A few minutes later, Service Club Clubroom
They reached an abandoned classroom, Shizuka paving the way for them to enter. Hachiman took in the sights. The clubroom was mostly empty, with benches stacked on top of each other occupying the most area. A table near the window, some cartons stacked in a corner and a lone occupied chair constituted the rest. What startled him was the occupant of said chair, as a gasp of shock escaped her lips. "Hiratsuka-sensei, I believe I told you to knock before-"
"What, you two know each other?" Damn. What a time for the woman to be inquisitive.
"N-No. Just a passing glance." Yukinoshita Yukino said, saving him the trouble.
"I see."
"So? Who's that abnormality behind you staring off into space?" And surprise, she's got a sharp tongue.
Hachiman put his head down before a sharp glance from Sensei brought him back to reality. There was no escaping this.
"Uh, Hikigaya Hachiman from class 2-F."
"And, he's here to join this club as its newest member." Hiratsuka helpfully chimed. Wait, what was this about joining a club?"
"Hikigaya" She turned to him. "This is your reward for writing that contemptible crap. Any form of appeal or opposition will be strictly denied." She turned back to face Yukino.
"As you can see, his personality is as rotten as his dead eyes. Your job is to fix his stagnant personality and make him a productive member of society. That's my request."
"I respectfully decline." Yukino said, bringing her hands up to cover her body. "I sense danger to my person in those eyes looking at me with ulterior motives."
"Don't worry about that. His sharp self-preservation instincts will not let him do anything punishable by law." Yukino seemed to consider this statement before responding. "Very well. It seems that I cannot deny a request from you after all. I accept."
"Well, I'm counting on you, Yukino." Saying so, she left; leaving two mortal enemies in an abandoned classroom where both considered their options.
Hachiman cursed his luck. He was still staring over at her when she sent a glare his way that forced him back.
"Why don't you take a seat?"
"Y-Yeah, I will." Hachiman drew up a chair and sat down.
"What the hell am I doing here?" Hachiman thought, accidentally out loud.
"Hikigaya-kun." Yukino turned towards him and spoke. "I'm sure you'd like to continue our previous engagement here now that you have an opportunity, I'd like to advise you that this is a classroom. And committing murder inside a school is not going to go over well for you."
"Who says I'll be committing murder? It could be manslaughter coming from self-defence." Hachiman quickly replied.
"Oh? So you're insinuating that I'll be the one? When it was obvious yesterday that you were the aggressor?"
"That's on me, alright. But I was just following orders. And well…"
"Well?"
"I'm not so sure anymore."
"Then let me be the one to propose a compromise. What I suggest is that inside the school or on school-related outings and such, we refrain from killing each other. Any other time is fair game. Deal?"
Hachiman considered this. On one hand, he definitely did not trust her to uphold her end of the bargain directly, simply because he wouldn't. On the other hand, combat on school grounds could get ugly, and he'd rather avoid bystander attention if he could help it. Not that he was actively planning on actively engaging her on school grounds in broad daylight. This gave him free reign to use some of his more indirect tools to do the deed.
"Very well. I accept."
"Then I hope we continue our club activities in a fruitful manner, Hikigaya-kun. And outside the school, may we find honor in the battles to come." Was she secretly a battle nerd? Hachiman snorted.
"Let me give you one free piece of advice, my lady. There is no honor and nobility to be had in killing someone. And with this, I'll take your leave for today." Hachiman picked up his bags and left, remembering he had a meeting to prepare for.
A few hours later, an apartment in Chiba
They were sitting in the man's apartment; having just finished a large order of ramen ordered from Saizeriya where Hikigaya had read through the initial report on the basic systems and mechanics of the Holy Grail War. The same report was now in his hand as he spoke.
"So, you're telling me that this 'Holy Grail War' is actually a ritual used to decide the winner of the Greater Grail, a device that can grant any wish of its user?"
"Yes, but the Grail itself is much more than a wish-granting MacGuffin. It is a gateway to the Root, the source of everything in the world. The current Holy Grail is a system to draw out that Greater Grail's powers. The original system allowed 7 magi to compete in Fuyuki City, summoning heroes of legends and myths as powerful familiars called Servants with the Grail as the ultimate prize. Performing a copy of the ritual here without a correct template will only lead to disaster."
"Is that so?"
"You don't understand. It has been corrupted… for quite a while. Unleashing its power will lead to wide-scale destruction. We have to stop this war before the Grail fully materializes."
"And how do we do that?"
"You need to enter the war as a Master and win. That is the only way we can be sure of a win."
"You seem awfully well-informed for a second-class magus."
"Is that so? Well, my first-hand experience does count for something, right?"
"I'd think so."
"Well then, let's not waste any time and continue. Here's the relic." Saying so, the man drew a silver decorated box from his possession and opened it, handing what seemed like a piece of wood.
"Wait, what's this?"
"A relic from the past, one of the Association's most prized ones. Since we already have a Saber class summoned, we have to make do with this." Hachiman could marvel at that. Whole histories had been recorded on this and now he had a chance of summoning someone from that era and learn of the incredible histories. It was as if he reliving his interest in history as a child. Hachiman found himself overwhelmed for a second, before accepting it. "So, where do I place it?"
"In the center of that summoning circle." The man said, pointing towards the pre-drawn summoning circle on the floor near them. "It actually doesn't matter all that much, but it pays to have an artifact around to guarantee a specific summon. In your case, this is the best we could manage in the limited time." Hachiman only nodded, placing the artifact in the center and backing away.
"You remember the incantation?"
"It's been a while sine I've had to chant ten-count incantations; but yes, I have it memorized."
On 5 other locations in Chiba, 5 other masters prepared their summoning circles and readied themselves for the summons.
"But wait. Is it even possible to summon someone that powerful with such an incantation?" Hachiman had to ask. The basics of Spiritual Evocation hadn't escaped his mind.
"Surprisingly, yes. It is the Grail itself that does the actual summoning. You job as a Master is to keep the Servant anchored to the world once they've materialized and supply them enough mana for them to exist. In that regard, it is quite easy."
"Understood."
Hachiman took a deep breath in and exhaled. The 5 other masters did the same. It was show time.
"Fill. Fill. Fill. Fill. Fill.
Repeat five times. But when each is filled, destroy it.
Let silver and steel be the essence.
Let stone and the archduke of contracts be the foundation.
Let my great master be the ancestor. Raise a wall, against the wind that shall fall.
Close the four cardinal gates. From the Crown, come forth and follow the forked road to the Kingdom.
I shall declare here. My will shall create thy body, and thy sword shall create my fate.
Abide by the summons of the Holy Grail. If thy dost accede to this will and reason… then answer!
An oath shall be sworn here! I will be all that is good in the Eternal World. I will be the vanquisher of all that is evil in the Eternal World.
From the Seventh Heaven, attended to by the three great words of power, come forth from the ring of restraint, PROTECTOR OF THE BALANCE!"
Hachiman had to shield his eyes as an intense blinding light emanated from the circle. He staggered back, stumbling into the arms of his 'friend'. They were shocked to see a man with flaxen hair and golden armor staring at them.
"SO? Which one of you two is my master?" And Hachiman could swear he saw his friend twitch for a second.
On another end, the woman smiled at the fellow woman in a white gown with a rose in her hair who spoke.
"Who… who summoned me?"
"That would be me, Yukinoshita Haruno." Haruno smiled, showing her Servant the Command Seals as she headed to the nearby bottle of wine. Not getting drunk easily had its own advantages, it seemed. "And you are? Although I have a pretty good guess."
"Y-yes. I am Pandora, owner of the eponymous Pandora's box; summoned as a Caster-class in this Holy Grail War." Haruno frowned. Pandora seemed too uptight and scared for a Servant of her caliber. This would not do. She would need to be beaten into shape before proper field operations could take place. Now wouldn't that be interesting?
On another end, the blonde handsome squealed in joy. His summons had been answered. Finally, he could win the one thing he had always desired for him. He jumped in joy and fell as he slipped on a cloth and fell .His Servant approached him and asked, extending him a helping hand.
"Master, are you okay?"
"Yes, I am." He dusted himself, staring at the old man who seemed out of place to be a servant.
"Oh, sorry about the introductions, Master. I am known in the world as Gan Jiang, but you may call me Assassin."
"Then you can keep calling me Master."
"Very well, Master."
A separate location had the Master summon a massive ten-headed monster nearly 15 feet tall before his heads vanished and he dropped to a casual stance.
"Ah, how I wish I was born as a Rider or even an Archer. Well, it's not like a Berserker's all bad considering the current reputation of the King of Lanka. Right, Master?"
At that, the woman, his Master could only smile.
Two unknown masters summoned their own servants, Theseus as a Rider astride the Marathonian Bull and the famous pirate Edward Teach, also known as Blackbeard; as the Archer class.
Hachiman opened his eyes to see his friend tensed up.
"What's wrong?"
"Nothing. Just seeing how he looks brought back bad memories."
"Ah, but we're sure who we summoned right?"
"Yes. Considering the artifact was a piece of wood from the Trojan Horse, summoning that person was very unlikely to happen."
"Then who's he?"
"Um, I'm in the room, you know. Could you not refer to me as a thing?"
"Sorry. Let's start with the introductions then."
"Well, well. In my past life, I went by the name of Diomedes during my reign as King of Argos, but you will call me Lancer."
"That works for me."
"Told you we'd a good servant." The 'friend' piped up.
"Yes, yes, and it's all thanks to you. Now scamper off. I have a war to prepare for."
"This is my room, you know."
"Then go get me a MAXX Coffee can or something."
"Don't worry. I'll be sticking around anyway since I have nothing better to do and Tohsaka would kill me if I left you to fend for yourself."
"Don't count on it. I fight alone. You'll just be in the way and trip me up."
"I didn't say I'd be necessarily fighting, right? Consider me a part of logistics and support. Then, here I go to buy the cans." The man approached the door, when Hachiman asked.
"By the way, I never really caught your name, Mr.-"
"Just a passerby, like you." The man left. Seriously, that man's warped sense of humor was starting to grow on him.
"Anyway, we've got to prepare-"
"Sorry to say this Master, but I have no personal interest in this War. You can fight it all alone, if you so incline."
"Huh. What?"
The man's butler brought him the latest report.
"My lord, it seems that all Servants in the coming Holy Grail War have been summoned. Based on initial observations and the request for famous relics around the world, we have determined the identities of all except two Masters and all Servants. Here's the report." His lord pored over the list, studying it carefully for reference.
The Masters were,
Hikigaya Hachiman, current freelance Enforcer infamous as the 'Black Huntsman' and Master of Lancer. Interesting choice for an Association puppet, but ultimately not worth the attention.
Yukinoshita Yukino, heir apparent to the "Ice Queen" and Master of Saber. Lacks the discipline and experience of her mother, so not a strong threat.
Yukinoshita Haruno, pretender extraordinaire, heavily skilled and Master of Caster. A possible threat to his plans, given her nature.
An unknown man as the Master of Assassin, though he had his suspicions as to who it was. And they led to classification as a 'non-threat'.
A known former magus as the master of Berserker and the true threat to his plans. Her early elimination was paramount to his success.
Two unknown Masters for Rider and Archer respectively.
As for the Servants,
Percival, The Hero Of The Grail and the current Saber-class Servant.
Diomedes, Glorious Golden Hero Of The Trojan War and the current Lancer-class Servant.
Pandora, The Root of All Evils In Ihe World and the current Caster-class Servant.
Gan Jiang, The Famous Yin-Yang Swordsmith and current Assassin-class Servant.
Ravana, The Demon King of Lanka as the Berserker-class Servant.
Theseus, The Heroic Minotaur-Slayer as the Rider-class Servant.
Edward Teach, The Chaotic Plunderer Blackbeard as the Archer-class Servant.
The pieces on the chessboard were assembled. And now it was time for them to dance to his tunes.
"Let the game be afoot. LET THE HOLY GRAIL WAR BEGIN IN EARNEST!"
And with that proclamation, a new war starts.
A/N: This is a story I had sitting in the pipeline for a while. I just tweaked it and decided to release it to help tide the gap I took from writing due to very personal reasons out of my control. This story takes place 10 years after the UBW ending (not epilogue, and ignores F/HA). Only minor appearances from the Fate characters, so this is still a story of the Oregairu cast.
Also, expect the next chapter in the current ongoing story by next week. This one will remain a one-shot until I finish that story and find a good enough reason to continue this one. That's it from my side and see you soon!