Type Moon Warriors

by solopy567

The war against the Hydra left humanity on the brink of extinction. Its power growing unabated, the Hydra reached across time and space, pulling new arrivals from many universes into the dimensional world. Faced with imminent annihilation once again, the heroes travel through time with the aid of a new ally, vowing to change the course of history. MEGA CROSSOVER! WO3 STORYLINE!

2. Ch1, Ep1: Battle of Mikatagahara

AN: And so it begins!

As stated, this follows Warriors Orochi 3's storyline. For those familiar with it, this will be easier to follow. For those not, that's fine; I'm going to try and include as many details as possible explaining what happened in the previous two games so no one feels left out.

Also, I'll be taking a few liberties with a few mechanics, particularly Warriors Orochi's. It was never the most consistent thing in the world, so I'll be attempting to make sense of it as much as possible.

As to why I picked WO3's plot instead of 1's? Well, simply because it fits better. How? Continue reading the story and find out!

Anyway, enjoy!

-TMW-

Being blinded twice in a row wasn't something that was high on Mordred's priority list. Having lost to the Demon army every step of the way, she had better things to worry about than some strange girl's claims about time travel. Whoever Kaguya was, she was still incredibly suspicious no matter the case. Having the ability to freeze the world at her will was ridiculous in more ways than one.

The bright light filled her vision with spots again, not having prepared herself for the mystic woman's magic out of nowhere. Inwardly, the knight felt as though she was about to find herself inside of the Hydra's belly, with Kaguya simply being a distraction from the bigger problem.

Maybe it was some bizarre sense of mercy? She didn't know; she had fought on enough battlefields, as a living human and as a Servant, and couldn't just put her trust in some random stranger, no matter how graceful or sincere they sounded.

Which was why it was surprising that she felt solid earth beneath her feet, and not gooey insides. She blinked several times to shake off the blur, her eyes focusing little by little.

And when they finally fully opened, she was absolutely shocked at the sight.

"We have arrived," She heard Kaguya say softly. Beside her, Shiki and Fujino also regained their bearings, and hurriedly looked around to check out the astoundingly familiar surroundings.

It was as rundown as always. The uneven glowing ground beneath their feet was as uncomfortable and hot as they had remembered it.

"W-wha-" Mordred murmured dumbfoundedly. "This is...our camp?!"

There was no way this was possible.

"Wait...wasn't it destroyed by the Hydra?" Shiki asked, vividly recalling the moment the monster burst through the ground and totaled the place with its appearance. They got lucky that they were already on their way to its lair with the small force that they had, so they did not have the misfortune of facing it directly inside their home base.

Nothing was left of it, according to the scout's report; yet, here it was, untouched and still as makeshift as ever. It consisted of two smaller islands, separated in the middle by a river of lava that exuded hot air that exhausted them with every breath. Half a dozen tied up logs served as the bridge between the two, luckily not close enough to the fire as to burn up immediately.

They hadn't stayed in it long enough to have the logs burn. The sky was as dark as ever, and the atmosphere of the place was filled with anxiety, uncertainty, and generally low morale.

"It was indeed," Kaguya answered. "However, I have taken you back to the moment before you launched your attack; this is proof of my sincerity."

They could barely believe it. Even the tents the soldiers used were intact, having been placed on the hillside by the camp on any ledge they could possibly find. They weren't a very big force anyway, so they didn't need all that much space. Deploying however took forever, as each of the men had to scale the hillside, careful not to fall into the lava, and reach the valley that led to the Hydra's lair.

All in all, it was as bad as ever. Dead trees served as a pseudo barrier around the camp, many of which they had cut down in the first place to make some breathing room. It hid them fairly well from the demon army, considering they had not been invaded in the time they had spent in this rundown camp.

But it was all just a matter of time. Time, time, time.

Which apparently could now bend to their will, if Kaguya was to be believed. Still, Mordred had her doubts. What if it was an illusion? Cohersion? Some sort of mind manipulation? She'd know if it was, as being a Saber class Servant granted her some measure of protection from any sort of magic.

Mordred walked forward, looking down at the river of lava that flowed right beneath their feet. "This is unbelievable," She uttered. "This can't be real."

Voices from across the bridge made her raise her head to their source.

And she promptly froze in her tracks.

"Get those carts ready; we are heading out any time now. We'll need to make sure our supply line isn't compromised," Ma Teng commanded a few soldiers, all of which bowed to him and ran off to begin their work. He put a hand on his chin in thought, wondering where to proceed next.

And Mordred was stupefied. She took off, running towards the general, who immediately noticed her approach. "Oh, Lord Mordred; our army will be ready to head out shortly, so we should-"

Before he could continue, she grabbed his shoulders. Her eyes wide, she studied his entire form, making the Xiliang general confused by her behavior. "My Lord?" He asked.

She didn't answer him. She just looked at him, and even shook him several times, as if to make sure her eyes weren't playing tricks on her. "No way…"

She looked back to Kaguya, who walked forward to join them along with Shiki and Fujino. "Kaguya, this is...how…"

"It is as I have said; I did not deceive you," The mystic said, bowing to the knight once again.

Mordred released her hold on Ma Teng, finally processing and accepting that Kaguya was telling the truth; how could she not? She had seen the Xiliang general get vaporized into fine mist right before her eyes, and yet here he was now standing in front of her again.

Ma Teng noticed the strangely clad woman, and his eyes narrowed. "My Lord, I must ask what brought this on. I do not recall seeing this woman in our camp before. Whoever she is, she must steer clear of this place. We are marching upon the Hydra's lair soon enough."

The knight's eyes widened again at his words, repeating them in a murmur. "The march…"

That's right, that was something they were about to do; however, knowing first hand what the outcome would be meant that…

She turned to Ma Teng again. "Ma Teng, cancel the march."

It was his turn to be baffled by the sudden order. "Wha- My Lord?!"

She turned away, and began walking towards the commander's tent where they held their meetings. "You heard me. Cancel the march, and summon all of the generals; we'll be holding a war council. I'll explain everything there."

The older man didn't even have time to argue with her. Before he could speak she had already disappeared behind the curtains. Ma Teng blinked several times, then turned to Shiki and Fujino, who had similar resolute expressions on their faces. "Lord Shiki, what is the meaning of this?"

Shiki shook his head, and repeated Mordred's earlier words. "We'll tell you. Just trust us on this."

Ma Teng wasn't sure what to say. He threw one last glance towards Kaguya, and then shrugged, turning around to begin spreading around Mordred's sudden orders.

Whatever it was, it must be serious.

-TMW-

(Play: Dark Field - Warriors Orochi 3 OST)

Coalition Army war council, thirty minutes later…

"Lord Mordred, if I may be frank, this is preposterous," Sima Yan argued, finding the trio's tale completely outlandish. He, along with the three time travelers and his fellow generals sat around the small table they usually used. Various maps lay scattered upon it, sitting on top of one another in a messy pile. Kaguya remained standing a bit further back behind the trio, letting them speak amongst themselves as she waited for them to reach a decision.

"Look, I know what it sounds like, but it's the truth," The knight repeated, trying to get the generals on her wavelength.

"But my Lord, you can't possibly believe we'll accept something so ludicrous," Shigetoshi added. "To tell us you've travelled through time is too big of a joke."

"It's not a joke, Shigetoshi-san," Fujino chimed in. "It's exactly what happened. We went back in time with Kaguya-san's help."

"You too, my lady?" The Japanese general asked, briefly looking towards the mystic woman standing behind them. He had personally met only three other mystics before this, and he had not seen them in quite some time. After Orochi's second death, the three of them had returned to the Mystic Realm to handle their own affairs. Whether or not they were in this world right now was anyone's guess, as he did not see or hear of their presence at any time during the Coalition's desperate struggle against the resurrected demon army.

He couldn't help but be suspicious, since mystics were a mixed bag at the moment. While Fu Xi, Nuwa, and Taigong Wang were on their side, Da Ji, Himiko, and Sun Wukong were not. A mystic has to be treated cautiously, for they held unknown powers. He felt bad mistrusting Kaguya like that, but he couldn't allow himself to drop his guard.

Mitsunari had during Sekigahara, and that's what led to his defeat.

But to hear Fujino of all people stand with the mystic girl was strange. Fujino was usually a quiet individual, whom they had found pretty much by accident while on the run from the demon army. She was not a soldier, but she managed to avoid being a hindrance by the sheer magnitude her power provided; it saved their hides from many near misses in the past.

Sima Yan turned to Shiki with a hopeful expression. The schoolboy met his gaze, and the Sima clan member closed his mouth before he spoke, seeing the same truthful stare there as well.

Ma Teng rubbed his beard thoughtfully. "It is quite incredible to hear of such a thing. You say that the moment we march, the Hydra destroys our camp. Then, you say our force fails to make any major headway in the battle and we all get massacred? That is an ominous thing to say, my Lord."

"I wouldn't say it if I wasn't serious," Mordred replied, putting an arm on the table. "It's no use, we can't beat the Hydra no matter what we try. Nothing works, so there's no point in attacking it. We'll just get slaughtered."

The generals groaned, finding the finality in her words disconcerting. Their force was so meagre and unassuming that several times they had already considered pulling out of the area and just try and regroup with any survivors. However, the lack of information about any human remnants would have made the search a near impossibility, taking into account the dimensional world's messy terrain and the abundance of demon troops running rampant in the occupied territories.

They were stuck between a rock and a hard place. Going forward was impossible, and going back was…

Perhaps an option, if Kaguya was to be believed.

"Then what do you suggest we do?" Sima Yan asked.

Mordred reached over to the stack of maps in front of her, and sifted through them curiously with both hands. "We put Kaguya's power to the test. We go back in time and increase our numbers as much as we can."

"But how does it work? We cannot go into this blindly," Shigetoshi reminded them.

The three time travelers looked to Kaguya. She met their gaze calmly, and walked forward towards the table. Dismissing her Sakaki branch, the six around the table eyed her carefully as she began explaining.

"In order to travel through time, a person must exist both in the present and in the past. Then, I must follow that person's 'thread of existence' that connects their present and past lives. Only with a vivid and clear memory of a location may I lock onto that past, and allow us to travel to that point in time. It is a very difficult procedure, akin to trying to cross a raging river on a thin piece of rope."

They listened to her intently, trying to keep up with the alien explanation and make sense of it as much as they could. "However, the appearance of the Hydra threw the time stream into chaos. With its ever increasing power, it only continued to do so, limiting my range with every moment that passes. And also…"

They watched curiously as she fell quiet for a moment, her eyes closing in contemplation. After a short while she opened them again, a saddened look on her face. "Something had...prevented me from coming to assist humanity when I had originally intended. I only succeeded in entering once my fellow mystics were able to open a path for me to pass through."

Ma Teng's eyes widened. "Are you saying...that something had, and is actively hindering your ability?"

Kaguya nodded. "Yes. I do not know what it is, but I am resolved to find out when possible."

"As fascinating as all of this is, we are still at an impasse," Shigetoshi cut in. "Identifying whatever it is that is interfering with Kaguya-san's power will be impossible so long as we do not have the manpower to do so. If it's as bad as it sounds, such an opponent will be difficult to overcome, not forgetting the Hydra itself. We must do what we can here and now."

He made a good point, Shiki realized. "I agree. We need to go with our original plan. We can worry about whatever that thing is after we make sure we can survive."

They looked to Mordred, who nodded in agreement. "Yes, our course of action remains unchanged. Kaguya, how far back can you take us?"

The mystic thought for a moment before answering. "It depends on the memories of those gathered in this army. While I can usually go back as far as necessary, at this moment...I cannot. The Hydra bent space and time, and a human's thread of existence is not durable enough to serve as a link to a farther point. The only ones who have a stronger thread are mystics."

"None of which were here before the Hydra's appearance," Sima Yan added. "As they all left after we killed Orochi for the second time. The only one who was in this world the entire time was-"

"Da Ji," Ma Teng finished for him.

They fell quiet, grumbling to themselves as to how to proceed. "Then how far can we really go?" Fujino asked, finding herself as lost as everyone else.

Mordred stopped searching through the maps, taking one out of the stack she held and placed the rest back on the table. "It doesn't matter," She said. "Right now, we have to figure out whether or not Kaguya's power can actually help us."

"How do we do that?" Sima Yan inquired.

In response, Mordred placed the map she held back on the table, right on top of the pile. She pointed towards it, and the others leaned in to take a look as she spoke. "We go here."

From his angle, it took Shigetoshi a moment to recognize what the area on the map was. Once he did, his eyes narrowed. "Mikatagahara?"

The knight nodded. "This was the last place I was in before we put together this tiny force. I didn't know what it was called, so I looked through the maps until I saw the one that reminded me of it," She recounted. "I was at one point linked up with another force, and we were fighting off the demon army. But we couldn't win, and so we were ready to fight to the death until two of my comrades told me to run and take the remaining soldiers with me away from there. I wanted to stay with them to fight, but they didn't allow it. In the end, I was forced to run away like a coward, and left them to fend for themselves. They are probably dead by now. If I can go back and help them with the people we have now, then…"

She drifted off without finishing her sentence, and none of the others said anything in response.

Until Kaguya spoke up instead with some reassuring words. "If that is what you wish, then we shall do so."

They looked to the mystic with wide eyes as she continued. "I will make the preparations for the travel. In the meantime, please finish your own preparations. Once they are done, we can proceed."

Her nonchalant answer caught them off guard, leaving them momentarily stunned. They snapped out of it quickly, and Mordred along with the three generals rose from their seats. Shiki and Fujino stayed seated and silent as the four military generals spoke. "It's good that we have most of the preparations already complete," Ma Teng said. "We only need to put the finishing touches, and we can deploy almost immediately."

"I'm still skeptical, but I'm willing to give her the benefit of the doubt. We don't have anything to lose, so even if it doesn't pan out it doesn't change our situation," Sima Yan commented.

Shigetoshi huffed. "We're desperate enough to try anything, I suppose. We did not depend on the mystics on our first campaign against Orochi, but I guess this time we don't have a choice. Show us what you can do, Kaguya-san."

The mystic girl nodded as they turned to her. She bowed low in deference. "I shall do my utmost to live up to your expectations."

"Let's get this started, then," Mordred said. With their meeting over, Shiki and Fujino rose from their seats, and followed after the generals as they headed out into the camp, with Kaguya right on their heels.

-TMW-

Fifteen minutes later, Kaguya's ritual site...

Fujino wasn't sure what to make of the makeshift shrine Kaguya put together so quickly. With their camp being so small, there weren't many locations she could have erected it except where the old storage area once stood. It seems that in the time between the end of the war council and now, she had somehow moved the derelict wooden shack to a different location.

It wasn't much to look at either. In between the two dead trees that marked the border of the site was a long rope decorated with charms, each of them scribbled with ancient Japanese text. In the middle of the site, Kaguya and Mordred stood facing each other as the generals and a few soldiers watched them studiously.

"Think of the location clearly. Make sure you have a vivid image in your mind," Kaguya reminded the knight, who nodded in acknowledgement. Mordred closed her eyes and exhaled, clearing her mind of everything except of her memory of escaping from Mikatagahara.

"Remember the atmosphere, and the ground you had walked upon. The smell in the air, and the sounds that met your ears. Think of the events as they had unfolded, and remember each face you had seen and interacted with. The more details you have in your mind, the easier it will be for me to make the connection," The mystic explained.

Mordred nodded once again, and focused her mind. 'Remember them...remember them...remember them…'

The spectators watched in silence as Mordred tilted her head down. Kaguya saw the resolve in her form, and seemingly satisfied, began chanting lowly. The indecipherable words left her mouth, causing a golden glow to surround her. She waved her sakaki branch over the knight, and golden sparkles fluttered down from it onto Mordred's head.

All at once, a golden sphere of light, just like the one they had seen when Kaguya first appeared, came to life around the duo. Kaguya continued to chant and wave her branch, moving it over Mordred's head to and fro several times as the glow continued to grow. The spectators were forced to cover their eyes as they were nearly blinded by the light.

Peeking under his arm, Shiki saw as a huge magic circle bloomed on the ground beneath the two, expanding to cover the entirety of the old storage area. Lines of power divided the circle into similar triangular shapes, and ancient runes and characters of languages he recognized and some he did not lined every part of it. As the light finally died down, the watchers opened their eyes again to gaze at the completed circle that Kaguya and Mordred now stood within, perplexed and speechless at the unfamiliar magic.

"It is done," The mystic said, and Mordred opened her eyes to look around her at the completed and now slowly rotating circle on the ground. "Whenever you wish, you and any number of individuals can enter this circle and be transported to the time and location that you recalled."

As Shigetoshi stared, he found his skepticism fading with each passing moment, slowly finding himself unable to doubt the mystic's power and sincerity. She was softspoken and calm, yet held a certain firm will within her that he could no deny. Perhaps...she really could make things right for them.

But that will only be confirmed once they all leave for Mikatagahara and rescue their comrades there. Before that, there was no reason to hold onto hope just yet.

Despite himself, he found a small glimmer of it blossom in his heart.

Mordred and Kaguya stepped out of the magic circle, and they both stood before it. The knight put her hands on her hips as she studied it. "So this is how you do it…" She murmured, then turned to her generals. "Everyone, bring everything here. Have the soldiers be ready to move right away."

It looks like they were doing it. The three generals responded quickly. "Yes my Lord!"

They scattered to begin gathering the troops, filled with determination.

-TMW-

Twenty minutes later…

The combined Coalition army stood before the magic circle, each and every soldier clad in armor and wielding their weapons. They stood in a tight formation due to the camp's restrictive size while making sure that the supply carts in the middle of the formation had enough space to move. They didn't have any horses, and so were forced to pull them by themselves in teams of two.

At the front, Mordred, Shiki, and Fujino stood, barely a step away from the magic circle that waited for them. Ma Teng, Sima Yan, and Shigetoshi stood a small distance behind them, waiting for the start of the march.

"Alright," Mordred began. "It's do or die time."

"I have to admit, this is kind of making me nervous," Shiki admitted. "But it's our only hope, so I'll trust it."

Fujino nodded in agreement. "Yes...it's scary, but we can do this. I know we can."

Mordred smirked and turned to the two of them. "We're in this together, so let's do this right," She said, and extended her hand forward. The two looked at the back of her hand in confusion for a moment, but then Shiki caught her drift, and placed his own hand right on top of hers. The two looked to Fujino, who hesitated for a moment, then softly placed her hand on top of Shiki's.

With their three hands connected, Mordred continued. "Let's show these bastards what we got."

And so, the three time travelers hailed for success, pulling their hands up and back to themselves. Before Mordred turned back to the circle again, Kaguya walked up to the trio. "Hm? Kaguya? What's up?" The knight asked.

The mystic bowed to them. "I shall be joining you in your endeavors. It is the least I can do."

The three were surprised by her insistence to join the fighting, but weren't about to turn her down. They needed all the help they could get. "Sure, you're welcome to join us," Shiki told her.

Kaguya smiled, and walked to stand in line with the three. Mordred now turned towards the magic circle, excitement filling her frame. "Let's do this."

She raised her fist into the air, and yelled. "ALL UNITS, BEGIN THE MARCH!"

And took the first step into the circle, disappearing into the light as the others followed behind her.

-TMW-

When Shiki opened his eyes again, he realized that Kaguya was indeed the real deal.

The dark, cloudy sky was replaced by a clear evening one. Snow scrunched beneath his feet as he walked, shocked that they had actually succeeded. Behind him, a soft shimmering sound repeated itself as the troops appeared in the order they had entered the circle, their formation remaining intact as they began to fill the unknown area. He noticed Fujino shiver beside him, the cold air chilling them suddenly, having not expected there to be such a vast difference in temperature in comparison to their camp.

Steam escaped Mordred's mouth as she breathed and looked ahead, her ears catching the distant yet not too far away sound of clashing blades. She turned to look behind her, waiting for the rest of the army to finish coming through the circle. "Ma Teng, what are our numbers again?"

"Two thousand," The Xiliang general answered. "Hasn't changed from before, my Lord."

"Right," She responded. "You got the map?"

He nodded, and stepped forward towards her, retrieving the paper from a slit in his armor. He rolled it open and stood next to her, letting her take a look at it again. She pointed towards the north eastern point. "This is where we are," She said. "I'm pretty sure of that. What's that castle in the south called?"

"Hamamatsu Castle," Shigetoshi answered. "It used to belong to be the Tokugawa's main base before they established their formal alliance with Shu and moved to Chengdu. It's usually used as a forward base now, as it has strong defenses."

"So we're gonna have to break through the gates by force," Sima Yan said. "Our path is blocked by two garrisons to the east and the west, so I recommend we split up our army and force our way through them and use them to shorten our supply routes. There are two main open areas where the vast majority of the fighting takes place."

"My allies were in the one closest to us," Mordred said. "And I'm pretty damn sure Kiyomori is holed up in the castle too."

"Then we must watch out for possible ambushes," Ma Teng warned. "Not only from the demon army troops, but from some of the mind controlled humans as well. I did not hear what took place in Mikatagahara, but I know for sure that wherever he goes, he takes a contingent of brainwashed soldiers with him. I suggest we take this opportunity to free them as well."

"We will," Mordred reassured him. "We ain't letting him keep them under his spell. In that case, tell the troops to not kill any humans they see. Aim for knockout blows."

"Yes my Lord. Anything else?"

Mordred thought for a moment, but nothing came to mind. "No, there's nothing left to think about. All that is left now is to just go ahead."

Ma Teng nodded, rolling up the map and putting it back into his armor again. Clarent materialized in Mordred's hand as she turned forward once more, and raised the blade towards the sky.

This was it. If they can't get results here, then it was all over for them. This battle...will be the proof of their will.

She took in a deep breath.

And with a mighty shout, pointed the blade towards the battlefield.

"ALL UNITS, FORWARD!"

-TMW-

Chapter 1, Episode 1:

BATTLE OF MIKATAGAHARA

Coalition Army vs. Demon Army

(Play: Lightning Strike (Oda) - Samurai Warriors 4 OST)

-TMW-

The demon general was sure of their victory, waiting at the northern point to ambush the duo on the battlefield. There was no one here to help them out of this predicament. With so many troops to face, they were bound to fall sooner or later.

Clutching his spear in both hands, Yellowbelly prepared to order his soldiers forward. "We'll catch the humans by surprise. They won't see us coming!"

The demon soldiers were itching for a fight, grinning maniacally as they began to take the first steps forward.

But then, the ground shook. They looked at the snow beneath them in confusion as they heard something massive approach from their flanks, and hurriedly raised their heads to catch sight of what it was.

What met their eyes shocked them to the core. "W-what?!"

The humans' battlecries terrified Yellowbelly's unit as they charged, spears and swords raised to plow through them. Caught completely unawares, he quickly ordered his men to take defensive positions to meet them head on.

The demons placed their shields before them protectively, but it was useless. Like a tsunami, the soldiers of the Coalition army pummeled through their formation, engaging in close combat with the demons head on.

"Where the hell did you come from?!" Yellowbelly screeched in shock and anger.

His question went unanswered as he was forced to raise his spear to block the red and white sword that came down on him. He groaned in pain as Mordred pushed her strength into her hands, forcing Clarent into the demon's guard further and further.

"You damn humans, you can't win-!"

She didn't even bother responding. With a yell, she forced his spear aside and pushed past his guard. He attempted to regain his footing, and he grinned when he noticed Mordred did nothing to follow up.

Until something sharp plunged itself into his backside, causing his breath to catch in his throat. Yellowbelly barely managed to turn his head in time to see a human clad in blue stabbing a knife into an exposed section in his armor, rendering him immobile.

"G-guh…"

He was promptly decapitated by a follow up swing from Mordred, and Shiki withdrew his knife from the demon general's fading back.

"DON'T LEAVE A SINGLE ONE OF THEM ALIVE!" The knight screamed.

The demon soldiers screamed in pain and horror, their small unit unable to match up to the humans' superior numbers. As they ran, spirals of red and green chased after them. Catching the retreating demons in her influence, Fujino used her eyes to twist them into mangled corpses, silencing them and making sure they couldn't join the fray later.

"We're entering the first plain!" Ma Teng yelled. "Eliminate the demon troops and rescue our allies!"

The general's orders were relayed down the chain of command. The humans took position as they advanced, mowing down any wayward demon soldier they found on their way. The snow beneath them remained almost unblemished as they charged.

Hamamatsu Castle, southern Mikatagahara.

"Lord Kiyomori! A human force has been sighted in the northern plain!"

The demon leader grumbled. "So they still had some remaining. Interesting. Send the ambush units to meet them head on," He commanded. "Should they fail, my puppet will make short work of them."

"Secure the outlying bases! Don't let the demons regroup!"

As Mordred led the way, she couldn't help but smile. She turned her head to gaze at Kaguya, who was running beside them, successfully keeping up with their speed. Two pairs of mirrors floated above her, launching beams of light towards the demon soldiers that attempted to close the distance to the pale mystic.

Soon enough, they reached the center of the plain, where the knight last recalled seeing her two allies.

And there they were, just as she remembered.

One was a man wearing a blue full bodysuit, swinging around a red spear like child's play. Grinning, he dashed through the demon ranks, leaving them stupefied as they tried to catch him. He was far too agile for them as he cut them down, sweeping his spear in wide arcs to take down as many of them as possible.

The other was a woman with red hair tied up in a ponytail and wearing a casual business suit. Narrowing her eyes hidden behind her glasses, she swept her hand to and fro, writing magic symbols in the air that erupted with fiery explosions towards the demon army.

As the spearman cut down another demon, he turned around at the sound of the approaching human army. His eyes widened in surprise, and the red haired woman followed suit as they saw the knight catch up to them.

"Eh? Mordred? The hell are you doing here?" He asked her.

Mordred stopped in front of him, looking up at the taller man. "What do you think, Cu? I ain't gonna run on you while you're fighting the demons; besides, I brought reinforcements!"

Cu Chulainn looked behind the knight, seeing the human force passing by him as they charged towards the demon army. "Where the hell did you get all these people? I was damn sure you didn't have that many when you left!"

"It's a long story!" She replied, turning to face the demons again. "We're hitting back at them with everything we got!"

Cu looked at her with a surprised expression, then smirked. "Well, if that's how you want it-!"

The two Servants did not miss a beat as they rushed forward along with their troops. Meanwhile, Fujino ran towards the red haired woman, who was left staring in shock. "Touko-san!"

At the sound of her name, the Aozaki elder turned to the girl, once again caught by surprise. "Asagami? What are you doing here?"

It was then she noticed Kaguya, who had stopped by them with Shiki at their side. "It's going to take a while to explain…"

Touko waved her hand in front of her, and took out a cigarette from the box she had in her pocket. It was her last one, and she was going to need every single one of them. With a flick of her finger, she conjured up a small flame and lit up her cigarette. "Then it can wait; we don't have time to waste here. We should join up with everyone else before we get caught in a bad place."

"Right!"

Touko took a whiff of her smoke, and together with the two teenagers ran forward to join the rest of the army. Ahead of them, they could see Mordred and Cu leading the charge, the humans around them howling mightily as they battled against the demons.

Ma Teng was quick to remind the knight of their original plan. "My Lord! The two garrisons are just up ahead! We need to split up our force between the two!"

Mordred slashed at another demon general before turning to him. "You take the western path! We'll go through the-"

Suddenly, something impacted the ground in front of them. Instantly smoke began to fill the air, quickly forcing the humans to cover their noses to avoid breathing it in. Their vision now impaired, the Coalition Army was abruptly forced to stall their advance.

"What the-? Who the hell-"

"I will exterminate the enemy."

A voice cut into Mordred's thoughts just as she was about to try and get rid of the smokescreen that was hampering them. Suddenly reminded of a similar situation she had been in before, she heightened her senses, and on Cu's cue stood back to back with the Irish hero, covering their flanks. The rest of the force copied their move, staring out into the smoke in an attempt to pinpoint the aggressor.

"GUUUUUAAAHHHHHHHHH!"

A sudden scream caused them to turn their heads just in time to see one of the human soldiers drop like a ton of bricks. Another scream soon followed as another soldier fell, sending the Coalition Army into high alert.

"Keep your eyes peeled!" Shigetoshi yelled, standing back to back with Sima Yan. His eyes scanned the smokescreen, and he could barely see a swift silhouette move quickly within.

Shiki's vision searched for the source, relying on his eyes to find the target that would surely be covered in lines of death. His knife unsheathed and held in a reverse grip in front of him, he looked in all directions.

It was only his ingrained instincts that managed to save his life. The hair on the back of his neck rising, he hurriedly turned to the left to see a small form leap from the smoke right towards him, blades at the ready.

He raised his knife to block the fatal blow, finding himself pushed back from Fujino's side and skidding across the snow.

"Tohno-kun!" She called out to him in concern.

Shiki kept his eyes on the attacker. The stranger, their ambush having failed, immediately jumped back into the smoke to continue their assault.

But Mordred was having none of it.

"This is pissing me off!"

Clarent raged with crimson lightning, and she raised the blade up into the air. The bolts streaked throughout, striking at the smoke in all directions and weaving around her allies. Soon enough, the blanket of smoke cleared, restoring the humans' vision of the battlefield.

Allowing Mordred, Cu, and the generals to finally take a look at who had been downing their soldiers in but a glance.

"Impossible, Lord Yukimura's ninja girl?" Shigetoshi murmured in disbelief as he caught sight of their assailant. The nameless shinobi who served under the Sanada remained crouched low on the ground, her twin blades held in reverse grip in both hands. She looked ahead at the group, and Shigetoshi could see how her eyes lacked life, her movements mechanical and stiff.

She rose to her feet slowly with almost robotic precision, her usually cheerful disposition replaced by an empty shell just like the rest of Kiyomori's brainwashed pawns.

And she spoke, her voice devoid of all emotion. "For Lord Kiyomori…"

Her cold words sent shivers down Shigetoshi's spine; however, he could not act upon his discomfort, for a soldier suddenly yelled in fear.

"A-an ambush!"

He turned, looking behind to see a legion of horses charge down the field towards their position. Squinting his eyes, he was once again left speechless at the sight. "The Takeda Cavalry! They had fallen under his spell too?!"

It was a total disaster. Caught in a pincer attack between two sides, the Coalition Army found itself stuck and unable to retreat in any direction. The ninja girl, who Shigetoshi only knew by Kunoichi, remained static as she watched the cavalry approach. Choosing to ignore her for the moment, the general signaled for the troops to move. "All units, do not falter! Meet them head on!"

Cu looked between the two sides, taking a moment to decide where to go. Picking a direction, he turned away from Mordred, preparing his spear for the clash. "You go on ahead and take down that Kiyomori bastard! Leave these guys to me!"

"You can't! We gotta stick together!" The knight argued.

"And let you guys get trampled by these fellas? No way. Don't you worry about me, I took on bigger armies than this," Cu explained. "I know, I should knock them out; it's easy enough."

He briefly glanced towards Kaguya, who was holding off some of the demon army soldiers with one of the human units. "You pulled off something crazy, that I'm sure of. You'll be giving me answers once we're done here."

It wasn't a question. Before Mordred could say anything further, Cu dashed forward, his spear upraised and ready for battle. The Takeda Cavalry noticed his charge, and rode ahead to take him on.

-Cu Chulainn is engaged in battle with the Takeda Cavalry!-

With the Irish hero holding off the ambush troops, the human army could now focus on advancing again. Just then, Kunoichi charged, closing the distance towards their position in blinding speeds. Shiki's eyes widened when he noticed she was heading straight for him, and he brandished his knife to block her attack once more.

Only for the ninja to be forced aside when a ball of flame flew towards her. Touko swiftly wrote runes in the air, using her cigarette as a channel. Kunoichi darted between the fireballs, attempting to close the distance to the clustered group.

"Asagami! Use your eyes to trap her!" The woman yelled. Fujino perked up at hearing her name being called, and panickingly worked to follow through with what she was told.

"R-right!"

She focused, sending forth the red and green spirals towards the ninja. Kunoichi kept on dodging, giving Fujino have a hard time keeping her in her sight as she ran circles around her.

'She's so fast!'

"Mordred! You go ahead with everyone else! We'll deal with her here!" Touko yelled to the knight.

The knight found the fact that everyone was ordering her around getting on her nerves. While she knew it was because they wanted her to finish the battle, it was also pissing her off leaving them behind.

But there was no time for arguments here. "Fine! Ma Teng, Sima Yan! You two take the west! Shigetoshi, you and I will take the east!"

"Yes my Lord!"

Breaking away from the Coalition's formation, the two units headed their separate ways, meaning to take the garrisons that they had pointed out on the map. As Ma Teng recalled, the western garrison lay just beyond a bridge that lead to the south, while the eastern garrison took a more direct path.

'Ah, I see now. She's going to draw the enemy's attention to her by going towards the more obvious target, while we go and snatch the other under their noses.'

A simple, yet effective plan. With their limited numbers, such tactics are necessary to ensure victory.

The two thousand soldiers of the Coalition Army split, Ma Teng opting to take a few hundred with him. Mordred would need all of the men she could get to draw the enemy's attention, so he'd only take enough to take care of the western garrison's defenders.

The knight and the Xiliang general nodded to each other, and broke off towards their respective targets, leaving the others behind to deal with their own opponents. With the whole Takeda Cavalry currently kept busy by Cu, and Kunoichi held at bay by Touko, Shiki, and Fujino, the path ahead should be simple enough.

It was then Mordred heard someone fall into step next to her, and she turned her head to the source. "Kaguya?"

"I shall be accompanying you," The mystic said as she ran. Mordred had to admit she was surprised the mystic girl was keeping up with them so easily despite her looks. She had really underestimated her capabilities.

Well, if she could travel in time, then fighting off the demon troops should be easy.

Mordred's group cut through the enemies in their path to the eastern garrison. She noticed that some of the enemy soldiers weren't demons, but in fact humans as well, all of which were mind controlled by Kiyomori.

"Geez, just how many people can he manipulate?! This is insane!" She let out.

"My Lord, we are nearing the garrison! Once there, we must draw the enemy to us!" Shigetoshi reminded the knight.

She nodded in acknowledgment, and kept up the pace. The soldiers behind her marched onwards through the path she cleared, awed by her amazing strength. As she continued leading the way, Shigetoshi and Kaguya fell into step beside each other.

"Lord Shigetoshi," The mystic called to him. "May I ask you a question?"

Her formal request in the middle of battle puzzled the general, who just finished cutting down another demon soldier. He turned to her and answered. "You may, Lady Kaguya."

"I was wondering, why is Lady Mordred referred to as a Lord? I was led to believe that women cannot be lords," She asked honestly.

He took a moment to answer, briefly glancing to the aforementioned knight. They were just outside the garrison now, and she was working on taking down the guards, killing the demons and knocking out the humans with expert precision.

"To be quite honest, I'm not sure," he said. "The first time we met her we had indeed referred to her as Lady, but her infuriated reaction made us realize we had been in error, and so corrected ourselves quickly. However, it matters little to us whether she's a Lady or Lord, for it was due to her that we managed to rally our scattered forces in the first place. She brought us all together, and so we saw fit to declare her the leader of the new Coalition. Of course, it was in order to face the Hydra, so I still find it strange we're here instead."

Mordred slammed her shoulder against the closed gate of the garrison, and the reinforced wood groaned as it tried to hold her back. "Regardless, we will follow her, for the sake of humanity and our departed comrades. If we cannot save them, then we must do all we can to survive and honor their memory."

Kaguya found herself inwardly shocked, but chose not to comment. If that is how it was, then so it shall be.

The gate flew open after Mordred's fifth charge, and a loud crash was heard as the wooden doors slammed against the inside of the garrison. She ran inside, stopping short when she noticed the men in red armor standing within the garrison's center.

Shigetoshi and Kaguya were right behind her along with the soldiers, and the general gasped in shock as he realized who was their opponent.

"No...Lord Masakage? Not you too!"

The Takeda general did not respond to his fellow Japanese comrade. Brandishing his spear, Masakage and his crimson-clad troops charged towards the Coalition Army. Shigetoshi's naginata clashed with his spear, and the two began to duel despite Shigetoshi's reluctance. As he held him at bay, Mordred and Kaguya took care of the garrison's troops.

They needed to make as much noise as possible while they were here; draw the enemy in and let the other unit capture the eastern garrison. Once they were done, they could make their way over from behind and catch the enemy in a pincer attack.

"Kaguya! You handle the humans!" Mordred ordered the mystic, who quietly obeyed. Almost on cue, the very same troops turned on Kaguya, and blindly rushed towards her. Her mirrors shone as light shot outwards, knocking the brainwashed soldiers aside with every blast.

Clarent was swung wildly as Mordred savagely executed the demon troops in the garrison. She roared like an uncaged beast; every one of her slashes took down dozens of the demons.

But they kept on coming in droves from the opposite end. Well, not like it mattered to the knight, as she had the easiest job out of everyone here.

Now there was only waiting until Ma Teng and Sima Yan were successful. Until then, she'd keep on taking down the enemy.

"How persistent!" Touko bit out as Kunoichi rushed towards her again. She had to admit, the ninja was strong, stronger than she had anticipated; was it due to Kiyomori's magic? She didn't know, but she'd definitely have to look into it once she had the chance.

She took a step back and conjured up another fireball, and Kunoichi seemed to weave around it in mid air as she leaped towards the Magus. Luckily for her, she was not alone, as Shiki ran to stand in her way. He intercepted the ninja's strike, forcing her back through the air.

Fujino took the opportunity to twist the air around the ninja, hoping to knock her out with a strong percussive blast. However, Kunoichi dropped to the ground faster than she had expected and immediately charged towards her, catching her off guard.

"Exterminate the enemy."

Fujino's eyes widened as suddenly Kunoichi began to spin, tearing up the wind around her. Her blades followed suit, becoming a whirlwind of death that would surely slice her to bits. Seeing the danger the girl was in, Touko chanted, forming a wind spell that pushed Fujino out of the way, allowing the ninja to pass through her previous position unabated.

"She's alone and she's still so strong!" Shiki commented, watching as she came to a stop and rushed towards him again. His knife clashed with her blades repeatedly, and he sweat nervously as he tried to keep up the pace with the obviously more experienced girl.

Touko grimaced. "She may be, but she's still under someone's thrall; she's not as bothersome she could be. In fact…"

She had an idea.

"Tohno, buy me a few seconds!"

Shiki had no idea what the Magus was planning, but he had no problem with it. He clashed with the ninja as Touko chanted, aiming her cigarette at the ground around her in a circle. The area she marked shone purple for a moment before dimming, completing her trap. "It's ready! Now let me get her attention!"

Hearing her loud and clear, Shiki heaved, pushing himself away from the ninja. A fireball passed through the area between them, forcing Kunoichi's attention to Touko. Immediately she headed towards her in the same ludicrous speed as before, barely touching the ground.

But it was just enough.

As soon as Kunoichi stepped on the trap, lightning rushed from the ground, trapping the ninja in its hold. She screamed as she was electrocuted, having completely missed Touko's earlier chanting in her mindless state.

She fell silent a few seconds later and crumpled to the ground, her knives following suit. The three who had battled her let out a sigh of relief, but then Shiki looked at Touko incredulously.

"She's fine, it was just a little shock," Touko explained, seeing the worried expression on his face. "With this, she's out of the way. Now we can go and join Mordred."

She turned her head to a few of the soldiers that had remained behind to assist against the demon army. "Take care of her."

They obeyed her without question, and immediately scooped up the unconscious ninja, taking her back to the Coalition main camp.

"That's one down."

-Kunoichi has been captured by the Coalition Army!-

"Hmm...even after all this time, the spell is still not perfect," Kiyomori grumbled, realizing that the connection to one of his stronger thralls had been cut. Just then, a demon soldier rushed in to deliver news.

"Lord Kiyomori! The humans have taken over the eastern garrison!"

The half-demon replied angrily. "So they still have some fighting spirit left in them. That's fine, I'll send in another one of my puppets. Overwhelm them with numbers and crush them underfoot!"

"Come on you pathetic gutter trash! You couldn't even outfight my corpse!"

Mordred taunted the demon army as she swept them aside. She looked back, and smirked when she saw that Shigetoshi broke through Masakage's guard, smashing the pommel of his naginata into his stomach and knocking him out. Even though whatever spell Kiyomori cast made them stronger, the brainwashed troops' minds were not sharp enough to use their skills to their utmost on the battlefield; as such, even a fairly mediocre fighter like Shigetoshi could defeat a seasoned veteran like Masakage.

The three leaders of the eastern unit slowly but surely began to push the demon army back. Amongst the bodies of the slain demon troops were the unconscious human soldiers, brought down thanks to Kaguya. Her magic merely knocked them out, ensuring that they would be released from Kiyomori's magic once they awoke. As the Coalition forces eliminated the last of the eastern garrison's resistance, Mordred ordered the troops forward.

But just as they were about to cross the threshold into the second plain, they were blown away completely. Shigetoshi watched in shock as the troops crashed to the ground in scattered heaps, and his eyes locked on the one who had done the deed.

He recognized the figure instantly. The headband with six golden coins, the red armor, and the jumonji yari told him all he needed.

"No...Lord Yukimura as well?!"

Mordred's eyes shot open, glancing briefly to the general before laying her eyes on the new opponent. "Yukimura Sanada, huh? Now that's a name I didn't think I'd hear today," She said with a tinge of excitement. Yukimura trudged into the garrison slowly, his clearly lifeless eyes locking on the knight. He brandished his spear and entered his stance, and murmured the same phrase they'd heard a thousand times already.

"For Lord Kiyomori…"

He charged, and Mordred found herself forced to bring her sword up to defend herself from the powerful strike that followed. Sparks flew as the two weapons clashed, and the two began to duel in earnest, throwing up dust into the air. With the knight occupied, more demon and brainwashed troops rushed into the garrison, forcing the Coalition soldiers back further to the chaotic middle point.

"Lord Mordred!" Shigetoshi yelled.

"Don't worry about me!" The knight replied, parrying a swift thrust from Yukimura. "Direct the troops! Don't let them take away our advantage!"

He was momentarily surprised, but nodded in acknowledgment. He turned to the mystic girl beside him, who was now engaged in battle with more human soldiers. "Lady Kaguya, we must hold out until the other unit arrives!"

"Sorry we're late!"

Suddenly, several voices rose up from behind him. Shigetoshi turned his head to see Shiki, Touko, Fujino, and a small number of Coalition troops rush into the garrison, immediately engaging the enemy in battle.

"Oh! What perfect timing!" Shigetoshi let out. "What about the Takeda Cavalry?"

"Cu Chulainn is holding them at bay. They won't be a bother so long as he's standing; it's going to take more than a battalion of horsemen to take him down." Touko replied. "What's our status?"

A wide swing from his naginata forced the attacking demons away. "We're holding out until the other unit arrives!"

"Then it shouldn't take long; I see we have quite a bit of company," Touko said, taking note of Yukimura's duel with Mordred. The two were going toe to toe, which honestly shocked the Magus. She knew that Servants only held a fraction of their original power in their human bodies, but it was insane how a living human like Yukimura could be a match for the heroic spirit.

Was it due to Kiyomori's magic again, or was this simply how strong the originals were? She figured a legendary figure like him would definitely become a heroic spirit, so perhaps only those who are eligible exhibit such might.

Fujino used her mystic eyes to twist and crush the demon troops in her sight, making sure they did not encroach on herself or her allies. Touko stood beside her, tossing spells into the enemy formation with reckless abandon while Shiki defended the two, stopping any lucky demon that breached through the gap in the formation.

No one dared to enter the sphere of influence of the two duelling heroes, so Shigetoshi realized he had to work around it. Their only available forces so far were infantry, as their numbers were simply too little to have a working archer unit, and they were similarly deprived of horses, so a cavalry unit wouldn't work either. Hopefully, they would be able to regain the mighty Takeda Cavalry to serve their purposes after this battle.

They just had to survive it first.

So far, they had reached a stalemate, but it would not last long. While each Coalition troop was worth at least two demons by themselves, the enemy was simply far too numerous. They just kept on coming in endlessly from the other side, and it would not be long before the Coalition army would be forced to retreat. If they lost their position in the garrison, the western unit would find themselves caught between two massive forces on both sides. It was already a crazy maneuver, as they had to pierce through the demon army regardless; it was the eastern unit's job to dwindle that number as much as possible so the pincer attack would be a success.

Mordred smashed down the yari to the ground, and swung at Yukimura's exposed flank. He pulled back the spear and immediately blocked with the shaft, and then twisted his grip to force Clarent aside to strike at Mordred's head. The knight moved her head aside, and the yari's tip grazed the side of her helmet slightly. She clicked her tongue in annoyance.

"Damn it, you're good. It's a damn shame I have to fight you like this!" She yelled, increasing the pace and matching Yukimura blow for blow. Mordred couldn't help but notice how it seemed like the spear was enveloped by fire, making any longer clashes harder to deal with due to the heat it let off. Whatever it was that Yukimura was using to temper his weapon with flames, it made her own life that much harder.

It was good that those who were busy in the northern plain joined in on the fighting. To her knowledge, Cu was still holding back the Takeda Cavalry, covering their flanks and making their advances much less worrisome.

Yet they had to break through this chokepoint first. The battlefield was as noisy as Mordred remembered it, with the screams of men and demons alike nearly covering up the sounds of the clashes of weapons. To counter Yukimura's flames, Mordred imbued her blade with crimson lightning, and the clashes became explosive. Humans and demons alike were blasted aside from the zone of death in the middle of the garrison, as the legendary samurai and the Knight of Betrayal remained locked in deadly combat.

'To think he's like this when he's being mind-controlled; but I'm not a Knight of the Round for no reason!'

And she wasn't just any plain old Knight of the Round. After all, her methods weren't exactly conventional-!

"GRAH!"

Just as Yukimura took a step back to attempt another strike, Mordred slammed her foot onto the ground, throwing up dust into the air and throwing off his rhythm. Whether or not he was surprised was anyone's guess, but Mordred took the opportunity to throw her sword at him with all her strength. It pierced through the cloud of dust, and Yukimura deflected the blade, causing it to rebound into the sky. Shifting his stance, he prepared to go on the offensive when he noticed his opponent had disappeared.

He immediately set his gaze upwards just in time to see Mordred come down on him, swinging her blade with all her might at his head. Having taken the opportunity to jump into the air while he was distracted, Mordred came up with this reckless plan to throw him off balance.

It half worked. Yukimura quickly brought his yari up to block, and Clarent met the spear's shaft in a mighty clash. The force of the impact sent Yukimura flying back, but he flipped over in mid air, skidding against the ground momentarily before rising to his full height again.

'So I failed to knock him out.' Mordred thought as she straightened her back, the leftover lightning from her blade arcing towards the ground. She managed to push him a bit further back, and as a result push their battle line forward, but it was not enough to knock the samurai out completely. She brandished her sword again, readying herself to resume the clash. 'Guess I gotta keep going!'

But it turned out she didn't need to.

"CHARGE! FOR HUMANITY!"

The battlecry that rose up behind the demon ranks caused their formation to crumble completely. Looking behind her red-clad opponent, Mordred smirked as she saw Ma Teng and his troops rush into the garrison, cutting down the demons that stood in their path. Even though he was brainwashed, Yukimura took a moment to glance behind him and see the Coalition soldiers overwhelm the garrison's defenders. He looked back to Mordred, and giving him no time to respond she made her way to him, hellbent on knocking him out right there and then.

But Kiyomori, still shut inside of Hamamatsu Castle, had other plans.

"Return, Yukimura!"

And the samurai vanished just as Mordred was about to strike. Clarent cut through thin air, and her eyes widened at the sudden disappearance of her opponent. 'A teleportation spell? Seriously?'

-Yukimura Sanada has retreated!-

"My Lord!"

Her focus was shifted to Ma Teng, who ran to her side. "My Lord, are you all well?"

"We're fine," She replied. "I don't see Sima Yan with you."

"He chose to stay in the western garrison, and is awaiting the signal to begin a joint attack on the castle. I was against leaving him there with such a small unit, but suddenly Lord Cu Chulainn joined us, and said he'll help us in the assault."

Cu Chulainn helped them? Good, then that means he managed to take down the Takeda Cavalry without much difficulty. With two Servants joining on the siege, it would be much easier to break down Hamamatsu Castle's defenses.

With the fall of the final demon soldier, the eastern garrison was now under the control of the Coalition Army. "It looks like we finally managed to break through," Touko said as she walked up to the two, with Shiki, Fujino, and Kaguya following behind her. "I guess it's time we take the fight to Kiyomori?"

Mordred nodded. "Yeah, let's do it. Ma Teng, what did you tell Sima Yan the signal would be?"

"I told him it will be something in the sky," The general replied.

"Then Kaguya," Mordred began, causing the others to turn to the mystic, who looked at them in confusion. "It's up to you. Once we finish the preparations, fire a beam so Sima Yan will know to advance."

Kaguya seemed perplexed to be put on the spot so suddenly, but she recomposed herself and bowed respectfully. Just as she raised herself up again, Mordred's armored glove fell on her shoulder, startling her. "Kaguya, we couldn't have done this without you," The knight said gratefully, giving the mystic a thumbs up. "This is all thanks to you."

She smiled. "No, I merely showed you the way. It is your strength that brought you this far. I'll give my all to make sure you succeed in all of your endeavors."

Mordred removed her hand, and turned to face the newly opened path towards the southern area. There was now nothing to stand between them and Hamamatsu Castle. "It's time we finish this!"

"Yes!" Shigetoshi acknowledged, and turned to Kaguya. "Lady Kaguya, if you please."

She nodded, and willed one of her mirror to face the sky. She waited with bated breath, along with everyone else, for Mordred's signal. Shiki and Fujino went to stand by the knight. "I can't believe we're actually here," He said. "I never thought we'd be able to change the past."

"Yes...it's so...so unbelievable," Fujino replied, clenching her fists in anticipation and anxiety. "Can...can we really do this?"

Mordred took a step forward. "We came this far; there's no point in stopping now," She declared, and once again pointed Clarent forward.

"CHARGE! TODAY WE CLAIM KIYOMORI'S HEAD!"

And that was the signal. On her cue, Kaguya fired her mirror, letting the other garrison know that it was time to advance. Together, the army of the Coalition Army marched forward towards the castle, their battle cries loud and powerful as they engaged the remaining demon troops.

Sima Yan looked to the skies as he noticed the beam of light rising in the distance. He smiled, and turned to Cu, who had also noticed it.

"Lord Cu, that's the signal!"

The irish Lancer smirked. "It sure as hell is!" He said enthusiastically. "It's time to take down some more demon rabble!"

Sima Yan nodded, and turned to face the garrison's southern exit.

"All units, forward!"

The force inside the eastern garrison roared, and charged ahead to battle, with Cu and Sima Yan right on their heels.

The battlefield roared and raged as the mad clashes renewed. Reinvigorated by their success in the two garrisons, the Coalition soldiers fought with an uncanny frenzy, hellbent on victory this day. The three time travelers pushed the way forward, and the others followed closely behind them.

However, their charge couldn't remain so disorganized. Touko, who realized that the army was losing its head with the thought of justice, barked out an order to put them back on track. "Surround the castle on all sides!" She yelled, amplifying her voice with a spell. "Don't leave even a single gate unmanned! We musn't let Kiyomori escape!"

It worked. Immediately the generals shifted focus, taking a contingent of the troops to commence the siege. While the only units they had were infantry, against such a small demon force it should be more than enough.

And besides, they had managed to take down the bulk of the enemy army. It would be a while before the slain demons returned, and by that time they would be able to capture the castle.

Ma Teng led the way to the eastern gate while Sima Yan took to the west together with Cu Chulainn. Slaying their way through the defenders stationed outside the castle, they took their positions, standing by in formation for any attempted escape by those stationed within.

Meanwhile, Mordred, Shiki, and Fujino marched upon the main gate. The imposing barricade of Hamamatsu Castle stood before them, and the knight knew that there was no way that Kiyomori would simply let them get inside without due effort.

Mordred held Clarent before her, and the sword glowed violently with the crimson lightning. "Stand back," She told the others. "I'll tear down this gate, the castle, and Kiyomori in one attack. I'm pissed enough to leave nothing standing!"

"Wait," Touko called to her. "I know you're eager, but we need the castle to use as a base. If you destroy it, we won't be able to make use of the supplies that were left behind."

Despite her anger at the enemy, Mordred understood the Magus' reasoning. She clicked her tongue and willed the lightning away, lowering her weapon.

"Then, should I-?" Shiki began to ask, only for Touko to cut him off.

"No. You'll simply wear yourself down if you try to destroy this huge gate with your eyes," She told him, and he looked to her in surprise. "Yes, I know about your ability, Tohno. We'll discuss that, along with those glasses of yours in great length later."

Her tone sent shivers down his spine. Touko walked over, taking place beside Fujino. "Asagami, use your eyes to take down this gate," She said to the dark haired girl, who stared at her in astonishment. "You're the only one here who'll be able to open the path without wrecking everything or killing herself in the process. We need to depend on your help this time."

Fujino didn't know how to reply at that moment. She clenched her fists tight, the Magus' words weaving their way into her mind. "Yes, I'll try," She replied, and took a step forward. She raised her hands, and focused her gaze on the gate.

The Mystic Eyes of Distortion shone in all their crimson glory. The red and green spirals shot forward.

"BEND!"

The gate creaked, and all at once warped in on itself. A moment later, it exploded in a shower of wooden fragments, sending dust and shavings in all directions. The violent act caught the Coalition troops unprepared, and they stood frozen in place.

Mordred was quick to remind them what they needed to do as she dashed forward. "The path is clear! Onward!"

With renewed vigor, they all followed after her. Not to be left behind, Shiki, Fujino, and Touko were also quick to fell into step behind her. The demon defenders within were caught completely by surprise, having not expected the gate to fall so easily.

They were cut down like so much trash. Mordred swung first, decapitating a demon general before he could order his troops to move. Left in disarray by the fall of one of their commanders, the demons were scattered in the wake of the Coalition's advance. As the infantry engaged the demons in close combat, the three time travelers along with Kaguya forced their gaze forward, looking towards the one standing at the bottom of the steps leading into Hamamatsu Castle's main keep.

"You handle adversity very well, humans," Kiyomori Taira proclaimed with anger in his voice. "I do not know what you have done to come this far, but I will allow it no longer."

He raised his weapon, an oversized set of red and black prayer beads, and marched towards the four of them. "Come! I will face you head on!"

Mordred smirked, forcing back her helmet and exposing her head to the world, making sure Kiyomori could see her fury plainly. "You're going to pay for treating us like dirty, you rotting old man!"

Without even waiting for the others to assist, Mordred charged forward, letting out a guttural scream as she slashed at the demon commander.

"Mordred, wait!" Shiki yelled to the knight, but she didn't hear him above the noise of the battle. He looked around, noticing that demon troops were closing in on their position. He grit his teeth and turned to Kaguya in a hurry. "Kaguya-san, please hold them off! We can't let them help Kiyomori! We'll go and help Mordred fight him!"

The mystic responded quickly. "Yes-!"

With their flank secured, Shiki looked to Fujino, who seemed uncertain at his abrupt decision. He met her unsure gaze, and just his resolute expression filled her with strength. She nodded, and together with him ran forward to join the knight's fight.

The two were already locked in combat. Mordred found herself shocked at the sheer ability Kiyomori displayed with his prayer beads; they were an extremely unconventional weapon, but for all his buff physique, he danced around her as he delivered accurate and blunt blows. More than once was she forced to dodge or deflect them aside, knowing instinctively that outright blocking would send her flying.

"What is the matter, knight? Where has all your fighting spirit gone?!" Kiyomori yelled. As Mordred was forced to jump back to avoid another swing to her head, Kiyomori raised his hand and fired a dark ball of energy at her, catching her by surprise.

Luckily, Shiki made it in time to slice the ball from the air with his knife, cutting the line of death on the projectile in the last possible second. "You two-!"

"No time to talk!" Shiki interrupted her bluntly. "We need to think of a way to beat him!"

The demon commander ran towards them, but before he could close the distance completely, he felt the air before him swirl. He grunted and stepped aside, and Fujino's red and green spirals missed him by an inch. Her eyes widened, not having expected to miss completely, and kept up the pressure as tried to force Kiyomori away.

"Tch." Mordred clicked her tongue. Strategy wasn't her strongest forte, even though King Arthur had sometimes left her as regent when the king left on expeditions outside Britain. While she could handle domestic tasks well enough, in combat she preferred being brutal and straightforward. It was simply far more efficient in her eyes; overwhelm the enemy with superior strength, and strike fear into their heart. Even the greatest of tactician buckle under the weight of supreme power.

It worked for her in many campaigns in the past...when the enemy were human; however, this time it was not the case. She made use of the enemy's fear of death at that time, and that was something that neither Kiyomori nor his demon troops had. They simply resurrected when killed, so their numbers never actually went down, and they never lost their spirit fighting spirit either.

Which meant that her usual tactics would never work...but that didn't mean she couldn't think up some basic ones. Mordred eyed Kiyomori carefully as he avoided Fujino's attacks, slowly closing the distance.

There was no time left. "Tohno, Asagami...focus on his weapon. If you can destroy it, I'll be able to deliver a finishing blow."

Her two companions heard her, and nodded in acknowledgment. Changing her focus, Fujino locked her gaze on the prayer beads. While she was keeping the demon commander preoccupied, Shiki ran towards him, and dodged a vertical swing from the prayer beads that crashed into the ground beside him. He brandished his knife, and immediately aimed at the lines on the weapon, but Kiyomori continued his mad dance, causing Shiki to miss repeatedly.

Kiyomori smirked, and despite being outnumbered, he did not feel the pressure at all. With Shiki in his range, he made sure to keep his weapon away from Fujino's gaze, forcing her to stop her assault lest she hit her own comrade. Suddenly finding himself pinned, Shiki dodged in a hurry. One swing grazed his stomach, and he groaned in pain.

"Tohno-kun!"

"It seems you have failed, human," Kiyomori said darkly. "It's time for you to meet oblivion."

He swung at Shiki's head with all his might. However, he was forced to stop midattack as he sensed someone coming up behind him rapidly. Mordred, who had made her way around the demon commander to strike at his back, lunged forward to run him through with her sword. Kiyomori narrowed his eyes and twisted on his heel, swinging his prayer beads in a wide arc.

Crimson razor winds erupted from his body, sending the trio flying.

"There is nothing you can do but embrace destruction!" Kiyomori bellowed. "Be consumed by the fires of Lord Orochi's wrath!"

Mordred flipped in midair and slid across the ground. "Damn it, this guy...how the hell is he pushing me back?"

Having never really faced him before today, Mordred was perplexed, yet somehow gained an inkling of understanding. If Kiyomori was this powerful, it was no wonder even Servants fell by the hand of the demon army. They posed an actual threat even to the strongest beings; the near extinction of the previous Coalition Army was proof enough of that.

But she couldn't let that happen again. They would never lose again, not as long as they had Kaguya with them! She was the key, the ray of hope that came in their darkest time!

There was no way she was going to let that chance slip away!

And it seemed like her prayer was answered.

A loud cracking sound echoed from Kiyomori. The demon commander narrowed his eyes, and looked to his weapon in confusion.

There, embedded in the links between two of the beads was a short knife. Shiki, from his downed position on the other side of pathway, grinned victoriously. He had thrown his knife at the last possible second while Kiyomori was distracted, and hit a bullseye. The point of death of the beads was pierced, and right in Kiyomori's grip the entire set fell apart, each individual ball crumbling to ash that fell to the ground.

"What?" Was the demon commander's shocked response.

"Asagami, aim for his arms!"

Fujino got right on it. Using the opportunity while Kiyomori was stunned by the loss of his weapon, he moved out of the way barely in time. His right arm escaped unscathed, but the same could not be said for his left arm. It was mangled into a bloody mess instantly, and he grunted in pain.

And that was the opening Mordred needed. With his back turned to her, and having lost both an arm and a weapon in the span of a few seconds, there was nothing he could do to avoid her final strike.

With another primal, loud roar that echoed in the confines of Hamamatsu Castle, Mordred stabbed Clarent forward with all her might.

Piercing through Kiyomori's back with one fell swoop.

Shiki pumped his fist in the air from his place on the ground. "Yes!"

Mordred gripped her sword's handle tightly, driving it deeper into Kiyomori's body. She heard him grunt in pain again, but he seemed to give no reaction aside from that.

"It's over for you, Kiyomori!" She declared. "You've lost!"

To her surprise, the demon commander began to laugh, his hellish voice rising to the skies. "You are only delaying the inevitable. Your fate of destruction cannot be avoided."

The trio's eyes widened at his bold proclamation. "I do not know what method you used to gather this strength, but it is useless. There is nothing you can do to escape this cycle. It is better if you offer your lives now."

Mordred grew furious at his arrogant comments. Unwilling to listen to his drivel any longer, she withdrew her sword from his back with a strong pull, and slashed at his head.

A shower of blood gushed from his neck as he was decapitated with a single swing. As his body fell, Kiyomori kept on laughing. "Futile."

That was his last word before both his body and severed head turned to dust. Mordred breathed heavily, gritting her teeth in frustration. She raised her gaze to her two companions, who were similarly as tired and shocked as her.

Right, they took out the commander. They should focus on that for now. Taking a deep breath, Mordred raised her blade to the sky just as the last of the demon troops inside the castle was cut down. The soldiers looked to the knight, and her blade shone in the late evening glow.

"We have slain Kiyomori Taira! This battle is our victory!"

And the cheers erupted from the Coalition soldiers. They raised their weapons above their heads in jubilation despite their tired and bloody states. The time to dwell on what Kiyomori said would come later.

"This is our first step!" Mordred continued. "And we do not stop! We will achieve victory, again and again, and we will slay the Hydra with our own hands! We will make the demons fear humanity's rage until they are wiped out from this world!"

The cheering intensified all the more, and Cu smirked at Mordred's simple speech. It was short, but it was effective.

And it was all they needed.

-COALITION ARMY VICTORY!-

-TMW-

Hamamatsu Castle, an hour later…

Mordred, Shiki, and Fujino watched from the side as the Coalition troops made their way inside, carrying the materials and supplies from their previous main camp at northern Mikatagahara. They were previously a force only two thousand men strong, but now that number effectively doubled with the humans they had managed to liberate from Kiyomori's spell. Not only that, among those were previous chief Takeda officers, all of which pledged their allegiance to the Coalition in thanks for freeing them.

All of them also swore to avenge their fallen lords and free the rest of their comrades. That was good, seeing them have so much enthusiasm for the path ahead.

"Yo," Cu called out to them as he approached. The three turned to him, and his light hearted expression freed up some of the tension they felt. "That was some battle wasn't it."

"It really was," Touko added as she joined. She was disheartened that she ran out of cigarettes, and she knew it would take a while to find more, if at all. "I can't say I like this sort of large scale conflict, but I guess that's all we're getting for the time being."

"I got no complaints with that!" The irish Lancer said happily. "It's been a while since I had to take on big armies. It's such a shame these demons are such pushovers."

"Pushovers they are, but their numbers are essentially endless," Touko retorted. "We're going to need to plan every step of the way from now on."

"I think...I can help with that?" A third voice said from behind the group. Walking up to them, and rubbing the back of her head in embarrassment was Kunoichi. "I can't believe a ninja like me fell to that sorcery. What a disgrace."

"Are you feeling well?" Fujino asked her in concern.

"Yeah, I'm all good now! I can't thank you enough for helping me! Although...I wish Lord Yukimura was saved too…"

"Don't worry," Shiki reassured her. "We'll definitely save him. You can count on it."

Kunoichi smiled. "Then, until that time, I'll help you out! It's the least I could do!"

"Then welcome aboard. We need all the help we can get here," Touko said. She then turned to the three time travelers, eyeing them closely. "Now then, I think it's time you told us what exactly was it that you did. We need to talk in length about everything to make sure we're all up to speed."

The three looked between themselves, and then to Kaguya who was standing a small distance away. She noticed their gaze and bowed.

"This might take a while…"

Touko sighed. "Well, unless I'm mistaken," She said as she narrowed her eyes at the mystic girl. "We have all the time in the world, don't we?"

She hit the nail right on the head.

This victory was just the beginning. With their new allies in hand, the Coalition Army looked towards the next battle.

-Cu Chulainn has joined the cause!-

-Touko Aozaki has joined the cause!-

-Kunoichi has joined the cause!-

-TMW-

WISE UP!

Battle of Mikatagahara: A battle that took place in January 25, 1573 between the Takeda and Tokugawa clans. On his march towards the capital, Takeda Shingen invaded the province of Mikawa, Tokugawa Ieyasu's home base. In response, Ieyasu met him in battle in this location, suffering a crushing defeat. It is notable to be Shingen's final battle, as he was ultimately unable to reach Kyoto and died of illness on the way there.

Kunoichi: A character who was introduced in the first Samurai Warriors as Yukimura Sanada's ninja bodyguard. In reality, Kunoichi is a term for female ninja, the most famous of which was Chiyome Mochizuki. They were mostly kept away from battle, usually infiltrating target locations as maids or concubines to gather information.

Takeda Cavalry: Said to be feared throughout all of feudal Japan, Shingen's genius and use of his mounted troops became infamous among the various warlord. His tactics, as well as his numerical advantage, proved vital in his victory against Ieyasu at Mikatagahara. The might of the cavalry would eventually be proven useless in the Battle of Nagashino, when Nobunaga Oda would use his innovative three line musket formation to render their charge meaningless.

Masakage Yamagata: A general of Takeda, and one of Shingen's Four Heavenly Generals. He was famous for ordering his men to wear red armor in battle. This act was eventually replicated by the Tokugawa vassal Naomasa Ii. Having served the Takeda his entire life, he was eventually slain in battle at Nagashino against the Oda forces led by Nobunaga.

Yukimura Sanada: Also known as Nobushige Sanada, he was a famous general of the Sengoku Era known for being on the defending side during the Siege of Osaka Castle. A talented and skilled general of the time, he was nicknamed "The number one warrior in Japan." Together with his father and brother, he had managed to live through the turbulent period all the way until the Siege of Osaka. He serves as the poster boy for Koei's Samurai Warriors series.

Tokugawa: A clan from the province of Mikawa, it was fathered by Ieyasu, the first shogun of the Tokugawa shogunate. Rising up from behind a retainer of Nobunaga, he eventually defeated Mitsunari Ishida at the Battle of Sekigahara and became the shogun. The clan then continued to rule Japan for the next 250 years, eventually being driven from power during the Meiji Restoration.