"...You know, I really should have asked Nero that earlier." Andrew said, realizing he didn't know which Emperor was at the location they were headed. "But most likely, you will have to kill Julius Caesar at some point."

"I have never killed a Roman before, now Contractor I shall be your shadow. Call upon me when you have need of me." Hassan said.

"Actually…" Andrew quickly used his Stat-o-Vision on his newest Servant.

[spoiler=Cursed Arm Hassan's Stat Sheet]

True Name: Hassan-I-Sabbah

Class: Assassin

Master: Andrew Murphy

Parameters:

Strength: B

Endurance: C

Agility: A

Mana: C

Luck: E

Noble Phantasm: C

Class Skills:

Presence Concealment: A+

Personal Skills:

Projectile(Daggers): B

Self-Modification: C

Protection from Wind: A

Noble Phantasm:

Zabaniya: Delusional Heartbeat(Anti-Unit): C

[/spoiler]

"What is the extent of your Self-Modification skill?" Andrew asked, more-or-less able to figure out the rest with his vague knowledge of Hassan's appearance in Fate.

"Ah, it allows me to fuse foreign bodies to my own, it was how I obtained my personal Zabaniya, and with it, I can consume the hearts of others gaining some of their knowledge and skills." He answered.

"Mhm. That sounds incredibly useful; we'll have to test the limits of your skill once we return to Chaldea." Andrew then pointed over his shoulder with his thumb back towards the entry to the temple. "For now though, we gotta kill an emperor."

"Understood, Contractor." Andrew watched as Hassan went into spirit form.

Xxx

"Umu, good to have you back Lord Andrew, I hope your trip was useful... And where is the one with the long and thin sword, did he not go with you?" Nero asked Andrew as the emperor greeted them at the harbor of Rome.

"Ah, well, you see," Andrew started, trying to bullshit something on the spot.

"You see your Majesty, we have Magecraft capable of switching out our members here with the ones we have back home at Chaldea. That was why we needed to access the leyline to power the Magecraft so that we now can switch out members as the situation calls upon. We, now have an Assassin to help take down the false emperors." Mash explained to the Arturia look alike.

"Ah, I understand, your truly a powerful man Lord Andrew, to be capable of such magical feats. It was truly the right decision to ask for assistance, Umu Indeed."

"Please, do not misunderstand. I am not a Mage. I just happen to have the smartest one to ever exist on my side, and she is able to make such wonders as this armor or creating the spell we used. I am merely a conduit, a Commander at best." Andrew said, making sure she didn't think him able of performing miracles while he could barely make fire.

"Ah, I apologize. But, still it is impressive to have such a powerful mage working for you, my own was a very fickle man, prone to leaving for weeks on end finding new ways to improve his magic." Nero said. "Now, let us return to the Palace and plan for the fight at the frontline."

"Your Majesty!" Shouted a voice and all turned to look at a soldier come running towards them.

"What is it, commander?"

"Your, Majesty more united soldiers are on the way to the capital, at least ten thousand men. And, and they are all the former troops we thought missing now wearing the enemies color." The soldier informed.

"What?" Nero said in shock, and Andrew saw actual anger on her face. "Lord Andrew might I call upon your assistance once again. Eliminate the enemy but leave a few to be captured so they can be interrogated, then executed for treachery." And that was when Andrew got his look at the 'Tyrant' hidden beneath the facade of an artist.

Andrew sighed at how with those kinds of numbers it would be much more difficult to reduce casualties. "You heard the Emperor." He said to his Servants. "We're going to defend Rome."

"Ah, Master?" Arash spoke sounding like he wanted to say something.

"Please, speak your mind Arash."

"You and the others just go back to the palace, I'll handle it myself. I kinda want to get a proper warm up before we fight for real." He asked Andrew for him to just handle the situation.

"If you think you can handle it, leave as many of them alive but incapacitated as you can," Andrew said. "And the millisecond an unfamiliar Servant shows up within your sights I want you to inform me."

"Sure thing Master, don't worry I should be done in less than half-an-hour," Arash stated with confidence.

"Alright. Then, make it rain." Andrew said.

Arash smiled.

Xxx

It was indeed a half hour later that Arash had returned to Andrew, with most time having been spent taking some of the still alive enemies back to Rome to be interrogated.

One of them, bound and restrained, tied up in front of Andrew and Nero, plus a few of her soldiers with Dr. Roman and Da Vinci on call to hear the soon to be questioned, traitor.

And Nero took the lead as she ungagged the soldier. "Julius of the third legion, I will ask only once, and if you don't answer immediately, I will turn to harsher methods to have my answer. Why did you and your men betray Rome, betray me?" Nero's voice was stone cold as the question passed her lips.

And seemingly the soldier responded back immediately. "Our Goddess told us to!" The man Julius answered, his voice singing with praise and admiration.

"Goddess, what Goddess. Which god would side with the enemies of Rome?"

"I don't know, but the moment she looked upon us we all knew true LOVE, our true calling, she asked us to attack you Whore, and so we did. We have never betrayed Rome, we have seen the truth!" Julius spoke like a deranged cultist.

"What madness have you been put under?" Nero asked, but it was more directed towards herself.

"Madness, we are not mad you're the one who is mad Beast." The soldier spoke with a deranged grin.

"You follow a so-called 'goddess' who you know nothing about, based solely on one look? How sad a life you must have led, devoid of the touch of a lover, to throw yourself at her feet when she so much as looks your way." Andrew said, trying to incite a reaction out of Julius that could give them more information. "How pitiful."

"Such filthy words coming out your mouth foreigner, to dismiss the goddess. Have you know this all paths shall lead to Rome, Sic Septum Tyrannis!" That was when Andrew noticed blue lines going across Julius skin.

"Andrew get out!" Roared Roman at him.

Andrew ran as fast as he could, picking up/barreling into Nero as he did to get as far away as possible from the soldier.

"Lord, Andrew what are-?" Nero tried to say as they left the holding cell, but it was cut by the sound of an explosion. Andrew turned around and saw blue fire explode from out of the interrogation room.

"Shit. So all of the enemy soldiers are suicide bombers?" Andrew said to himself before remembering he was still awkwardly holding Nero. "Ah, sorry about the rough handling Emperor," He said as he put her down.

"No, it should be me thanking you Lord Andrew you saved my life." The short-stacked woman said as she dusted herself off.

As she did they both heard, more booms go off in various places.

"What did they do to them? You said something about bombs, what is that?" Nero asked.

"From the way he lit up before the explosion, I'd wager the enemy has turned their own soldiers into explosives, probably cannibalizing their Od and any Magic Circuits they might have to then explode and take out as much of our resources as possible." Andrew shook his head. "Such a waste of human life. And for what? Some 'goddess' who told them to…Pathetic, using people like that."

"So, they used magic to turn my people into weapons, does the United Empire have no idea about troop management, to waste such good soldiers to do minimal damage. Now, Andrew you can return to your group, I need to survey any damage these Suicide Bombers have done." Nero said, her smile utterly gone now.

"Ah, forgive me, but before I do that, could you perhaps tell me the location and presumed identity of the Emperor you mentioned before? My group can travel rather extremely quickly, so we could go in, strike, destroy that Emperor, and get back here in less than a day." Andrew proposed.

"I have no idea of what the Emperor's name is, but he had a golden sword, along with being fat. His current location is Gaul, two of my General's are in Massillia holding the line. But know this Lord Andrew I will be coming with you, I want to watch the ones who have torn my Rome apart die as their life leaves their eyes." Nero said darkly.

"Ah, while your want for vengeance is justified, I meant to leave immediately. You said you needed to survey the damage, my group could very well destroy the false emperor and return before you finish." Andrew said, trying to keep her from interfering in the fight. Like him, she was a human and was automatically extremely fragile in a Servant-based conflict. The only reason he felt 'comfortable' going into battle was because of his trust in his Servants and Da Vinci's genius.

"And relegate that to others, to confirm their deaths for my own eyes is more Important, I shall simply use my chariot to follow you." Nero being steadfast in her desire to come along.

Andrew shook his head. "No, if you insist on accompanying us you should ride with Mash and me. Unless your chariot can cover the distance from here to Gaul in mere hours, you would just be left behind."

"Of course it can, its wheels have been blessed by Mercury, it does not even require horses," Nero said.

"Alright, if you insist. But please, allow one of my squadmates to ride with you for your protection." Andrew said.

"Ah, I see now Lord Andrew, you believe me weak and defenseless is that right." As they argued, Andrew took notice of other soldiers putting out the blue fire behind them.

"Ah, one moment. Ice Runes." Andrew said, before firing one of the Runestones at the center of the blaze. Instantly, the flames disappeared as the heat was drained from the surrounding area, forming the characteristic ice crystals.

"Sorry about the interruption. But, the short answer is yes. You're just as weak as I am, emperor, against these enemies. Without this armor, I would be nothing compared to them, and with it, I am at best an annoying bird instead of an ant. The revived emperors are Servants, Heroic Spirits from the Throne of Heroes given physical vessels, empowered by their legend and impact on history. Their magnitudes above anything a living human can be. It's just a simple fact of this fight. So, for your safety, I insist that if you come with us to Gaul, you allow one of my Servants to accompany you." Andrew explained.

"Allow me to dissuade you of that notion Lord Andrew," Nero stated as if taking Andrew's word as a challenge.

"Andrew, the instrument's are sensing a massive build-up of magical energy within the Emperor, it's starting to rival a Servants."

As Dr. Roman said that. Nero moved her fist and punched the wall next to the two. Andrew watched as her fist sunk in and cracks spread out from the hole she had formed. "I am Nero Claudius, the fifth emperor of Rome, I am Rome and Rome is the world, such there is no way I can be defeated, as I wield the Original Flame in the form of my sword Estus Aestus." Nero started with a smirk on her face. "So, Lord Andrew, do you think myself weak now?"

"Compared to a human, absolutely not. There was never any doubt about that." Andrew said. "But against a Servant? You might have the strength needed to hurt them, but your still a flesh-and-blood human. One strike, chances are you die instantly. And if you are Rome, then so is each and every one of those revived Emperors, on top of them being Servants." He sighed. "Please understand. By this era's standard, you might damn well be the strongest person alive. But on the scale of Servants that doesn't really mean anything. They're just conceptually better than living humans."

"You are wrong." The statement was short and simple.

Andrew sighed once more. "Ok, I can see we're getting nowhere. I can't really stop you, so if you do fight, let Mash be your shield and the rest of us your sword. If I can't persuade you to not, might as well do my damnedest to make sure we win."

"I was not finished. I do not care about Servants or Heroic Spirits. They can be former emperors or not I do not care in the slightest. This my Rome, and it is greater than all other before it. It shall never fall, and neither I shall. So I say to them bring it, for Rome shall defeat them." Nero declared.

xxx

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