* Fata Morgana – Bad End

* Muv Luv Alternative – End of Regret

* Mahou Tsukai no Yoru – Face to face – Out of Border

* Fata Morgana – Bad End

A tremendous ruckus was shaking the Ark.

If the ship wasn't sailing on the sea, one could think an earthquake was happening. But the fact that it couldn't be blamed on any natural occurence made it all the more worrying. Even by taking a look outside and seeing the reigning chaos, it was impossible to understand what was going on. For all one knew, the Ark might as well be crumbling into the sea.

However, none of that mattered to Anastasia.

She was aware of the tremors of course, but all information coming from her surroundings felt vague and distant. Even if the world were to collapse on itself, it would be nothing more than a passing thought to her. Her mind was in a daze while her head was so hot she thought she might be melting. It was as though she was floating.

All she knew was that she was dying. Not because she had been told over and over, nor because she expected it to happen any day – she knew the time had come. It was said that animals could tell when death drew near, and it was certainly something similar that she was feeling.

And what was she thinking at such a time?

Honestly, there wasn't much to think about, not for someone in her state. That wasn't necessarily a bad thing; at the very least, she wasn't troubled by questions about what she would see after she died, or what the purpose of such a short life had been. Instead of coherent thoughts, her head was filled with fragments of memories in disorder. Those were about two people specifically: the girl who had become a family for her, as well as the boy with whom she had been able to share her true feelings at the very end.

Were those memories happy? She wanted to think they were. But the pain and discomfort she was in were muddling her emotions, lost in a swirl of voices and sensations.

Maybe because of that, she was having strange ideas.

Even though she was about to die, all she could think was that she wanted to watch the sea.

She had seen it in books and magazines, but she had never really seen it for herself. She hadn't even caught a glimpse when Evangeline and Aleister had taken her to the Ark. It wasn't really a regret that would haunt her in the afterlife, she simply wished to see it. If it was an amazing thing, that would make one last moment of wonder before the end. It would certainely be better than to lie down in an empty room, alone.

But it was a bit of a ridiculous idea; she was bedridden for a reason. She had long since passed the point where she could move around freely. But that thought did not occur to her – she simply wished to go somewhere and, nevermind how feasable that was, she stood up. She didn't realise how incredible it was that she managed to make her way to the door and into the hallway.

This was the strength of someone who had nothing to save it for.

She couldn't exactly move steadily and confidently like someone healthier. Nonetheless, she hadn't been able to walk like this since the days she had spent alone in that mansion, and the time when it had only been she and Evangeline. While using a wall as a support, Anastasia subconsciously forced her body foward.

Even after she had stumbled out into the street, her hazy mind didn't register the drastic changes the City had suffered. She could feel the many holes and dents left by the black rain with her hand and under her feet but she ignored them. Likewise, she was only aware of the tremors because they would occasionally throw her off balance and make her fall over. But she simply stood back up through sheer force of will and kept on going as though nothing had happened.

Naturally, that was a very dangerous enterprise. Right now, the entire ship was the victim of such tumult that she might very well slip off and fall to her death, or perhaps a crumbling house would crush her. Yet, no such thing happened. Someone somewhere must have thought there was no need to rush her death and was allowing her to do as she wished with her last moments.

Thus, miraculously, she managed to reach her destination – she arrived at the edge of the Ark.

However, at the very end she met an unexpected obstacle: even though the sea was down there, Anastasia couldn't get past the railing. The latter was more like a small wall than a normal barrier, and she would never have the strength to lift herself up. In fact, she didn't have any strength left after coming this far. The sea was on the other side but she couldn't even hear the wave, let alone see them.

Oh, well.

That's how it was.

Anastasia didn't have the energy to stay up anymore. Even when she collapsed, she barely felt it. Ah, but having a cold floor underneath while the wind blew over her was refreshing. At least now she could make coherent thoughts without feeling like her body was on fire.

She opened her eyes and looked up.

Instead of the same boring white ceiling, she saw a cloudless blue sky.

It gave her a strange form of peace.

She wished she could keep gazing at it for much, much longer.

This world which denied her, this ruthless world which was erasing her existence was such a beautiful one. She didn't even see the irony of that fact; she was caught up in contemplation.

But she also felt somewhat lonely.

"...I still... haven't said goodbye..."

Chapter LXXXVII: Crossroad Cut

* Muv Luv Alternative – End of Regret

"What's this...?"

That was all Hatsuyo could say.

Her question was somewhat rhetorical since she could already tell the answer. Still, she was surprised enough that it came naturally out of her. After all, it was hard to recognize the bloody patch on the floor as Elena Bujart.

It wasn't too surprising considering how many arrows had fallen. But it was practically impossible to see a human being there. The only reason Hatsuyo knew for sure was because of the katana that laid next to the mangled pile of flesh. After the black rain had fallen, she and Honda had returned here to fetch it. As expected, it was mostly unscathed save for a few scratches here and there. It still felt really absurd that it had held on against so much destructive power, yet it was also fitting in a depressing way.

"Ya don't have to look, Master." Honda said. "Cut yerself some slack."

"...I'm not disturbed." She protested. "It's not like she meant anything to me. And it's not the first time I see a corpse."

In fact, specifically because it was hard to imagine this mincemeat had once been the fire magus, it was easier to look at. However, that didn't mean Hatsuyo didn't have a bitter taste in her mouth. When she bent down to pick up her sword, her movements were sluggish. Looking at the katana up close, she felt nothing but exhausted.

"I can't feel the other bastard's presence either." The samurai looked around carefreely. "Well, he's gotta be gone as well. Can't really call this a satisfyin' conlusion for a fight..."

"...Let's leave."

They had nothing more to do here, so Hatsuyo turned her heels and walked away. She had to return to where she and Leo had split up. She hadn't been able to check on him before, so she had to see how he was holding up. However, when she returned to the exact spot (at least according to her memories) and looked over the Ark's railing, she didn't find her annoying classmate. For one second she thought he might be hiding behind an illusion, but when she called out his name no answer came.

"...Did he fall off...?" A chill went through her spine. Admittedly, she had tossed him without checking whether he had stuck the landing. "A... at this height..."

"Don't ya worry Master~." Honda tried to comfort her by tapping her shoulder lightly. "If that lad truly fell down, he must have called his Servant to the rescue! ...Ah, but I did cut off his hand, didn't I?"

"..." For one second, Hatsuyo thought about going down there and search for him, but she realized how ridiculous that was. And she didn't want to imagine what she would find there.

Honda must have been worried about the face she was making, for the shoulder tapping intensified.

"C'mon, c'mon, don't ya worry~! The kid's stupidly lucky, so let's trust in that~!" Saying so, he proceeded to sit up on the railing. "If ya want my opinion, he found some way out this mess. He managed to get to ya in the first place, after all. So we oughta leave that matter aside and think about ourselves."

"...ughhh..." Hatsuyo put her head against the wall and grunted.

She was filled up to the brim with anxiety and frustration, but there was no way to relieve them right now. It was just as her Servant had said: all she could control right now was her next move. And so, she dropped down and sat up against the railing, her head burried between her knees.

"How do I always make things worse..."

"Um, Master? Yer not acting like usual..." The spearman's voice trailed off a little. "Are you alright...?"

"... ...Alright?... ... ... ... What is 'alright'?! Nothing went alright!" Ragefully, she held out her other katana. "This is a damn joke!"

"Hm? This is Caster's... Hey, did it always have that shape...?" Honda blinked. "And? What's wrong with it?"

"You saw it! You saw me, didn't you?! When I used it, it was just like back then...!"

When Hatsuyo remembered the trance she had been plunged in before, she shuddered. She had been fully enjoying fighting and killing Elena. That elation in which she couldn't tell friend or foe apart, the glee she had felt at the thought of hurting her... it was the same loss of control she had used to experience as a child.

Losing herself to her murderous instinct...

The memory of another Hatsuyo, which she had thought buried a long time ago, resurfaced violently.

"In the end, all I got was another cursed sword...!" She gritted her teeth and then threw the precious blade away.

She didn't want to kill.

It may have seemed ridiculous seeing as her hands were covered in blood, but she had only taken up arms as a mean to an end. Whether it was Linandir Eïchtobell, Charles Pendleton or Elena Bujart, she had never rejoiced at the thought of killing them. Her life had been in danger, and so she had fought. She had an objective to fulfill, and so she had fought. Even if she hadn't liked Elena at all, Hatsuyo hadn't tried to kill her for the sake of it. There was no pleasure to take in such a thing.

That was why, the rapture she had unconsciously surrendered herself to was something forbidden.

All she could feel after this was a bitter feeling of defeat.

"Cursed, eh...?" Honda jumped off the railing and walked up to the nameless sword. "I don't think that Caster would make somethin' like a cursed weapon... though, since he gave it to us after I killed him, maybe he put all of his resentment in it, heh."

He picked it up to give it a closer look.

"...But that ain't it. I really ain't gettin' any bad vibe from it – it's just a splendid weapon. Not really my type but it's somethin' perfectly worthy of being your sword." After juggling with it for a bit, Honda walked back to Hatsuyo and presented the sword to her. "If ya ain't scared of it, yer stronger than it. My lord, as yer Servant I don't know that much 'bout yer struggle. But what's got you so scared can't come from this blade."

"..."

Even though he was inviting her to take it back, Hatsuyo didn't want to hold that katana again. In her eyes, it was no different from the time her younger self had made the mistake of laying hands on her family's heirloom. Although, compared to that time it was true that she didn't feel compelled to reach for the nameless katana. She also owed it for saving her life; without the second wind it had provided her, she wouldn't have survived Elena's flames.

Even so, she could only glare at it with distrust. Seeing as she wasn't taking it, Honda sighed and put it next to her.

"A blade's only ever gonna do what you mean it to do. By givin' a purpose, it becomes somethin' unique for the rest of its days. That's true for Tonbokiri. And it's also true for the Toriyama's sword: someone a long time ago wanted it to be able to carry their legacy, so there ain't much ya can do about it. It's faithfully doin' its job. But what Caster left for you ain't like that, it's brand new. Yer the one who gives it a purpose."

"...A purpose..." Hatsuyo eyes moved between the two swords at her side. But eventually, she clicked her tongue and looked at her feet. "A fine purpose I gave it. It's just good for murdering. A perfect tool for a monster."

"Yer taking the easy way to look at it, Master, even if that's the way that's harsher for ya." The spearman shook his head. "When ya needed to fight, it helped ya fight. But if ya didn't like the way it did it, yer the one who can make sure it doesn't happen again. I know ya don't like havin' to use a weapon, so it'll probably sound crazy to ya, but the reason yer so scared is because yer not one with that sword."

"Becoming one with the blade...?"

Her Servant was sounding like a samurai who came out of some manga. Although, he actually was a samurai, wasn't he? Hatsuyo could hardly see it through his armour, but Honda's smile was gone and his face couldn't be more serious.

"When yer fighting, yer scared. For ya, the sword is somethin' to be afraid of, somethin' loathsome that ye use to massacre people. I won't say yer wrong, ya'd know better than me. But in the end, it means yer struggling against yerself. It's like yer holding a livin' snake that's tryin' to eat ya."

"That's not inaccurate." Her father's sword had eaten and digested her. "But I don't understand what you're saying at all."

"Ah, I guess it's not easy to grasp since you've always been using that sword. But that's exactly why I've got to teach you this now: don't run away. It's not the sword, it's you. What yer scared of comes from you. That means yer gonna have to face yerself."

"..."

"Ah, did I say that right? I don't actually understand people's heart all that much, so ignore me if I'm sayin' somethin' weird~." The samurai's cheeky grin returned and he tried to scratch his head. "But I think ya'll be alright, Master. No matter what happens, I know yer strong enough to do it. And if what I'm sayin' is too confusing, there's someone out there who will explain it better than me. Ya know who I'm talking about, right~?"

"...What could he explain to me?"

"Beats me~. But at least, he can see ya as a human. Master, ya can only see yerself as a monster. And me, I can only see ya as my lord. Humans don't see themselves as who they really are, only who they think they are. The others don't necessarily know who you are, but it won't hurt to ask them." Honda shrugged. "Ya just got to talk with him, didn'tcha? So? How was it?"

"He's stubborn." Hatsuyo answered without hesitation.

"Hahaha, then that makes two of ya~!" Her Servant laughed to her face. "But that's good. If he's stubborn enough to follow ya through Hell and back, I can trust him not to give up on ya. I can't force ya to trust him in return but, well, maybe I don't have to do anythin'."

He winked at her, and although Hatsuyo didn't understand what he meant right now, it felt embarrassing and annoying. But then, she was taken aback: the spearman stopped smiling and kneeled down on both knees. He was always stupidly respectful toward her in his own way, but it was the first time Hatsuyo saw him being so formal.

"It's in yer hands, Master. No matter how much other people help ya, yer the one who has to take the final step. I can't give any order to my lord, but there is one thing I want to beg of you: don't become like me."

Those last words were said such gravity that, for a second, she thought she had someone else in front of her.

"Ya know my life, so maybe ya understand already. When I was a brat, my parents didn't know what to do with me. I didn't care about a lot of important things and, frankly, I sucked at them. But the first time I grabbed a sword and slaughtered other men, my folks were relieved. There was nothing but war all year 'round back then, so it was perfect for someone like me. I kept fightin' like it's the only thing I cared for and I made a name for myself. But when there was no more war to be fought, I was stuck. I couldn't do nothin' anymore; not administration, not politics, and I could barely bother to manage my own land. Instead, all I did was think about the time when I could fight, until I became an old man and died. Humans ain't only one thing, ya know. That's what makes them incredible in their own right. But me, I failed to be more than a man who holds a spear."

"... ... ...That's the first time you've told me about yourself." Hatsuyo finally said after recovering from her surprise.

"Nhahaha~, I guess it is! There ain't much to say about little ol' me anyway... Ah, but it's not like I regret it, ye know? I can't say it was satisfyin' growin' old while there was peace all around – I thought the country would be torn apart by war well after I died. But I was the only one bothered by it, and I'm too far gone to feel sad about how I ended up~. So there's no need to make a sad face for me. But it wouldn't look good on ya, so ya should make sure ya don't become like me, okay~?"

"Why are you..." Hatsuyo grumbled but her spirit was lacking. "Why do you people keep worrying about someone like me...?"

"Isn't it because that's what people do? I don't need a reason; I'm sure ye already asked that Leo kid for his, so ye'll have to be satisfied with that." Honda smirked.

"...Hmph." Her feelings were still deeply mixed but Hatsuyo had calmed down. She grabbed the nameless sword before remembering that the fabric it had been wrapped in was no more. "Anyway, how long are you planning to wear that weird armour?"

"Hm? Ah, that. Well, it can't be helped: I've taken some serious damage from that Archer bastard, and my Noble Phantasm's the only thing keeping me alive. It would be a wasteful death if I took it off now. Although, since it keeps draining magival energy, maybe it's a bother for ya?"

"If it keeps you alive then keep it on." Hatsuyo replied bluntly. "We still have to win the Holy Grail War, remember?"

"That's right, that's right~. Until my body falls apart, I'll keep on fightin' for ya, Master..." A shadow lingered in his cheery tone but Hatsuyo didn't notice it.

"We'll find someone who can heal and then you can take it off." She nodded to herself.

"Sounds like a plan. Though, what do you plan to do from now on?" Honda asked.

"...? I just told you..."

"Healin' me is fine and all, but we if we need someone else to do it, then we have gotta make a pick."

"..."

"We just fought against the Black Faction, so ye probably don't feel like goin' back to them. But we already betrayed the Red and we don't know nothin' about the White. Can't say we have many allies anymore."

"...Tch." Unavoidably, a certain someone's face came to mind. But she didn't even know whether he was alive or not. "At any rate, we're finding someone to patch you up. They'll help us whether they like it or not. It doesn't mean we have to take sides with anyone anymore."

"That's my Master for ya..." Honda shrugged. "Well, I'd love to do just that, but it might be difficult."

Saying so, he looked away toward something Hatsuyo couldn't discern. She didn't understand what he meant by that either. But suddenly, the ground started shaking violently. The same phenomenon that could be observed by anyone around the ship happened in front of their eyes: the Ark was put in great turmoil.

"I noticed it a bit before: there were two forces duking it out." The spearman added."But the fightin' stopped just now, so this has got to be the consequence."

"What is happening...?" Hatsuyo looked around but it was hard to see much of anything from where they were; she couldn't see how the rest of the Ark was faring. Then, they heard the cracking noise of the white stone coming apart. "Is this boat being destroyed...?!"

"Who knows." Honda stood up and turned toward the Tower; the latter's top had vanished and it was barely visible. "Something's approachin'."

"...!" Hatsuyo's hand instinctively moved to her sword. "How far?"

"They're not coming toward us. Not yet. But I have a bad feeling about this." Tonbokiri materialized in his hand. "If that's the same bastard responsible for the shower we got, they're out for blood. I can feel the killin' intent from here."

"A Servant?"

"Obviously."

Hatsuyo cursed. Another threat she couldn't deal with. Even though she should have had her fill with Savrance and Elena, it was still frustrating. When she couldn't match up against what was menacing her, this strength of her became meaningless. It was a very hypocritical way of thinking for someone who didn't like fighting in the first place, but standing there and doing nothing felt as though the only thing she had was being denied.

Although he was aware of those feelings, Honda still looked at her and said:

"Alright, looks like we're splitting up for a bit, Master."

"Why? You said they're not coming toward us."

"That's only a matter of time. And even if they don't, it looks like they're looking for anyone they can kill." The spearman grinned widely. "We decided to fight for ourselves, but that ain't feelin' right. If we're gonna need other people's help, we can't keep turning our back on them."

"What is that supposed to mean?" Hatsuyo frowned. "Everyone decided to participate in the Grail War, so their lives are in their hands, right? You don't have to do this."

"Oh? And who decided that? If they were all bastards I only know by face, I might agree."

"I've decided."

"Master, yer stubborn."

"..."

"Come on, don't make that face. I'm not in the greatest shape either, so I'm only goin' to keep 'em occupied while ya leave."

"...I'm waiting for you here." She tapped her foot on the ground.

"Bzzt! Wrong!" Honda made a cross with his arms. "Yer retreatin'. Come on, this whole place is falling apart. Not to mention, ya need some rest. If ye try to fight anyone right now, ya might actually die from pushin' yerself too much. That's not where ya want yer path to end, is it? Right now, yer duty is to find somewhere safe and look after yerself; mine is to make that possible."

"Where do you even expect me to go?" He had said himself that the Ark was unstable, and all around them there was only the sea.

"Mh? Somewhere, anywhere." Honda waved his hand nonchalantly, while he turned and began walking away. "If ya think there's someone who can help ya, go find them. I'm not gonna take long, okay~?"

And without further ado, he dashed away without listening.

Hatsuyo was forced to keep her complaint for herself. For some reason, it was upsetting. She couldn't help but get the feeling her Servant has been acting strange. First there was his weird speech from before, and now he was acting on his own all of sudden. He was right that she wasn't in any condition to fight right now, she had already exhausted herself before facing Elena and Odysseus. Even so, she had a bad feeling.

"What's all this about being one with the blade...?"

She looked down at the swords she held in each hand. Even thinking about it now, she wasn't sure why Honda had told her all of this or how it applied to her. What it meant to use a weapon; what it meant to be human; the path he wanted her to avoid. What did those things mean to her? She already knew she was a poor excuse of a human being – she hadn't planned to live beyond this Holy Grail War anyway. Life advices were wasted on the likes of her.

'I can't let you give up on yourself and pretend I'm happier that way!'

"... ...Annoying." She gritted her teeth and clenched her fists. "Both of you...! You know how it makes me feel and yet you..."

The intent within her blade.

The part of her that she had to face.

"...How do you expect me to understand those things now?! Why don't you see me as a monster?!"

While she was busy mulling over such irritating things, the world around her was still falling apart. The disaster that was shaking the Ark had now reached the edge of the ship and she could see pieces of the hull crumbling down. In fact, it was happening to the exact spot where she stood: cracks quickly spread around this part of the edge and Hatsuyo felt the ground tipping underneath her.

But even so, she didn't move.

She turned her rageful gaze toward the sea below.

She would listen to what Honda had told her; she knew where she was headed.

* Mahou Tsukai no Yoru – Face to Face – Out of Border

Honda felt a twinge of guilt.

Lying to his lord was definitely not something he was fond of, but it was better than her acting recklessly. Although, it was hard to tell whether or not he had truly lied. He had indeed felt Nimrod's bloodlust searching about and it did not take a genius to understand what that meant.

Admittedly, the spearman was completely oblivious to the situation around the Servant of Revenge. In fact, he was barely aware of his battle against Ruler. Even so, after Nimrod's 'greeting' moments earlier, Honda could at least have the conviction that the hunter was after everyone else on the Ark, or most people. And if he was the origin of the Ark's turbulances as he suspected, then the feeling in the samurai's guts might not be off the mark at all.

Right now, the murderous bastard was hunting down anyone he could find.

Well, the Servants aboard the ship were all very strong in their own right, so perhaps there was no reason to be worried. But thinking about the malice that had emanated from those black arrows, Honda suspected the ashen giant was a real piece of work. And everyone who shared that feeling would want to get away; not because they were scared but because they wouldn't want their Master to get killed. In the chaos that was shaking the Ark, it would be hard to both fight off a vicious opponent and guarantee the safety of humans. It was better to just retreat, even if it meant getting off the ship altogether.

And that was something the hunter must have understood as well.

That was why Honda had decided to make his move – he was covering not only for his Master but for everyone on the Ark.

It wasn't as if he had to, as Hatsuyo had duely pointed out. She wasn't exactly wrong. In the face of unknown danger he ought to be looking out for his own Master, just like the other Servants were most likely doing. But for one, he could do that just fine by taking the bull by the horns; if Nimrod was eliminated, he could breath out it relief and they could return to their previous business.

Moreover, that was the best Honda could do for Hatsuyo.

As a Servant he had nothing to be ashamed of, but as a retainer he was so useless he could only shake his head.

In the end, all he could do was to fight. That wasn't what Hatsuyo Toriyama needed.

It was frustrating but that was something he knew painfully well already. And since that was the case, he wanted to fight for her until his body couldn't move – which might be soon. That was the truth Honda had concealed from her: he was most likely not returning. He had lost most of his body, so he wasn't even sure someone could heal him up at this point. And even if that was the case, he might not last until then. If he didn't vanish from mana starvation, he could very well be killed.

That was why, he would fight until the very end.

Regardless of what state his body was in, he would do what he did best and buy everyone time to get out of this mess. After all, that was all he could really do for her. That girl needed somewhere to go back to. It might be hard for her after all the way she's come, but Honda wanted to make it a possibility. Those people who had come to the Ark were the only real place she had left. That was why he didn't want them to die; and who knew, maybe putting his life on the line would find some grace in their eyes.

The Masters of Red weren't a bad bunch. He wouldn't want to see them be killed either way if he could help it. The Black Faction had not been a very pleasant stay, but he still owed them for taking a couple of traitors in. Thus, there were many personal feelings behind his decision. Ultimately though, he was desperate to make himself useful.

Even though it meant they wouldn't meet again.

"...Aaaah, c'mon, that's not how ya usually think..." He sighed to himself. "There's only victory, goddamn victory."

The undefeated general who would disregard fear and logic to mow down his opponents, that was supposed to be him. But after his recent fight against Odysseus, he felt he had already failed that reputation. Nonetheless, as long as that girl wasn't the one in danger, he wasn't afraid of anything.

Honda didn't head for Nimrod in a straight line; that might be revealing Hatsuyo's location in case she decided to be stubborn. Instead, he took a detour before making a sharp turn toward the oncoming hunter. Because the latter made no effort to conceal his approach, it was rather easy to tell where he was. This also had a psychological effect of making him more intimidating; he who didn't fear standing out on a battlefield ought to be a force to be reckoned with. Not that these tricks worked on Honda, but he would still be a fool if he underestimated his opponent.

On his way to meet him though, he came across someone unexpected.

"You're... Lancer?!"

"Oh~, if that ain't Archer~."

Maui was also there and she was carrying Laurent and Ladylee under her arms. Neither of those kids seemed to be doing well, albeit for different reason. But unlike the spearman, the fisherman was going in the opposite direction; when they saw each other, she came to a halt while giving him an hesitant glance. Well, that went without saying. As far as she was concerned, he was still a traitor.

"My bad. Don't pay attention to little old me, I'm just comin' through~." He didn't bother putting up his guard against her; they both had better things to do. "Carry yer little Masters to safety and watch over the others. They're gonna need someone like ya out there."

"..."

She didn't add anything, even though she looked like she wanted to. It looked like they had an understanding at least: they passed each other and never looked back.

Though, it didn't take long before another familiar face showed up – Honda saw a light from the corner of his eye and soon enough a golden chariot landed close to him. Phaeton looked down from his vehicle with the same expression as Maui, although he was less on his guard than he was confused.

"Yo, it's been a while... or I guess not." Honda greeted him. "Doin' rescue work I see."

"Uh... I don't really have anywhere safe to take them but yeah." The charioteer seemed taken aback by how casual he was. "Well, I'm trying to find people, but..."

"That's good, that's good~! I guess it's a bit late to ask ya to take my Master with ya though. Well, ya don't have any time to waste with this here general. So long~."

Honda was about to leave him behind to resume his objective, but Phaeton actually called out to him.

"Wait! Lancer, you... what are you trying to do?"

"Nh? Ain't that obvious?" He replied, showing off the spear in his hand.

"Well..."

For some reason, Phaeton's expression was strangely sad. Honda had always thought he was a bit of a strange guy among all the Servants of the Red Faction. Not because of how weird he was, on the contrary. He looked so tender and inexperienced it was hard to think he was a Heroic Spirit.

"C'mon, what's with that face?" Lancer raised an eyebrow.

"It's nothing... but..." Even the youth didn't seem to really know what he wanted to say. "Back then, when we were having tea with Assassin, you talked about stuff like the role of the rear-guard and sacrifice..."

"Hoh, ya remember somethin' like that~?" Honda was actually shocked at how precisely he had hit the nail on the head. "What's that, it ain't somethin' for ya to be depressed about. For all ya know, I've got my own reasons for goin'. Ye and I aren't allies anymore, remember?"

"I know... but..."

"I swear, are you really protectin' yer Master correctly when yer this soft?"

"I am!" The charioteer answered with strength.

"Good, good~. Then don't worry about me and help as many people as ye can." Honda put his thumb against his chest. "Ya don't have to worry about being attacked 'cause I will be watchin' yer back. So don't ya even think about comin' to help me, 'kay~?"

"..."

Phaeton still looked conflicted but he nodded weakly before taking flight again. That he would still think of Honda as enough of a comrade to be this concerned... he really was too soft. But it didn't fail to amuse the spearman. People were interesting creatures through and through. In a way, maybe he too was like that; after all, he was deliberately on his way to make a poor decision.

After parting way with Phaeton, it only took a few seconds before Honda knew he was getting close – he saw a black swarm soaring through the sky and heading this way. Naturally, those were arrows; with a quick dash he easily got out of their range, but when they passed near to him the same bad feeling rose up from his guts. He couldn't see his enemy yet, so that would mean Nimrod had also decided on his opponent.

"Come then, I'll give ya yer fill and more!"

Then at last, he saw a dark silhouette afar.

While the whole Ark was a pandemonium at the moment, the centre of it was especially suspicious: the buildings seemed to be rising up in a clustered mess. Meanwhile what was left of the Tower was being swallowed by the white mass. By contrast, it almost felt like Nimrod was the size of a normal man as he stood in front of it.

"Running away? Coming to your own death? Which one will you choose?" The hunter's red eyes seemed to pierce through Honda.

"Right back at ya! If it gets too scary for ya, ye can cry and run with yer tail between yer legs!"

The ashen giant's smile told him that was not going to happen though.

Frankly, neither of them wanted to waste time with the insolent chatting; Honda held his spear in both hands and squared up. But before either of them could give the starting shot, something came to crash their duel: a knight in white armour holding a black sword landed next to the spearman.

"..." Ganelon briefly looked at Honda but quickly turned his attention toward the King of Tyrants. "At last the nefarious fiend shows his true colours. He comes under the guise of one who wields the bow and arrow, but Calamity crawls beneath his skin!"

"What's that, ya came to take care of him too?" Honda wondered.

"Hmph!"

That was no answer, but as Ganelon didn't turn his blade against him it was safe to take it as a 'yes'.

"Well, I ain't goin' to stop ya!" Honda cracked his neck and turned toward Nimrod with a bold smile. "I don't know ya but ye don't look like someone who's gonna listen. At least don't get in my way, aye?"

"You should observe these words as well!" At least they had reached a tacite agreement.

"A walking corpse and a beast. Amusing." The ashen giant drew his bow. "I smell no fear in you. Good. Show me what the Heroic Spirits who guard humanity are worth."

Black and white dashed forth under a rain of death.

Ravana still stood where had previously been fighting.

What little remained the Treasure Golems after the shower of arrows was scattered left and right across branching streets. A moment ago, Bryhildr had flown away alongside Phaeton; Chi You had disappeared to somwhere without a word; and finally, Ganelon had done as much and had stalked away. At least for the latter, Ravana had a good idea as to where he might be headed.

That massive attack had definitely been the doing of 'Lancer of White' – and now a similar energy was circulating throughout the entire ship. Since he was a being far beyond humanity who held wisdom in his eyes, Ravana was able to tell with a single glance: the Mystery around the Ark was increasing exponentially. To be more specific, it was pouring out of the Ark like smoke out of a volcano and the centre of it was, naturally, the exact spot where the City was rising up.

"A tunnel... no, it is nothing so tangible." As he assessed the situation, the demon king slowly returned to his smaller, more human shape. "There is no true portal opened between this World and the one below, yet all of this energy and Mystery can only come from that place."

The air around the Ark was changing. It was imperceptible at first but it felt familiar enough for his to tell – the space inside the Ark was regressing to a state close to the Age of Gods. But perhaps that was only a byproduct of the fact something was ascending from the lower layer known as the Reverse Side of the World. Ravana couldn't tell if it was alive. But even if it wasn't a living organism in the likes of Phantasmal Beasts or even Elementals, there was certainly something uncanny about it: it felt as though it was desperately crawling its way through.

"However, it is not a simple feat than to cross from one side to the other; they are the two sides of a coin, separated by their very nature. If one is to move between them without a pathway, then they must have been summoned by something on the other side."

The way the mana was currently flowing across the Ark wasn't random at all. Even though it looked like the City was coming apart at the seams, it was all following a pattern. Indeed, it was all too perfectly arranged to be a coincidence – between the movements of the buildings and the fluxes running all around the ship to converge toward the centre, it was obvious that this was all part of the Ark's purpose. And now that it was clear the ashen giant was related to it all somehow, Ravana was able to see the bigger picture.

Although the atmosphere around the Ark was regressing, it wasn't the same Age of God the demon king had lived in.

Something about it was drastically different: it was not a texture suitable for Divine Spirits to live in. A structure that wasn't ruled by gods nor belonged to the Human Order completely. If he had to say, the latter was stronger despite not being dominant.

Whatever the reason might be, Ravana was not pleased.

This modern era he had been summoned in was ruled by the Common Sense of Men, something which he would find to be undesirable. However, since it was also not fit for the existence of beings that thrived in Mystery, it wasn't as though he would ever want it for himself. That was why the fragment of texture that was wrapping around the Ark felt much more untolerable to him.

That being said, it wasn't only his pride as the King of the Three Worlds speaking – the 'thing' making its way to the City was something that degraded existences other than human. Not through a 'denial of being' but a 'denial of authority'. The beings that were born on this planet all possessed a different life span, different strengths and a different sentience. It was fundamentally unfair but that was the harmony this universe abided to. If all of them were brought down on the same level below humanity, then it was the same as denying their essence and, subsequently, their existence.

Although, since that influence was limited to the Ark (and for that matter, the Mystery seeping out of it did not leave the outer ring), the effect was not that drastic.

This was only a prelude to something, unfortunately. Since every part of this was unambiguously intentional, it meant that Ivan Pedilefey had been preparing this behind their back from the beginning.

"To think a man such as him could orchestrate something of this magnitude. Whether he deserves to be praised on bellittled will depend on his success, however."

If one wondered Ravana felt betrayed by Ivan's actions, the answer was no: he had never trusted Ivan to not pull a selfish move like this one. The master of the Ark had always been suspicious to some degree, all the more after he had revealed his prized Mystic Code. Only a fool could have thought that the Ark was nothing more than an extravagant mean of transportation.

On the other hand, to think it was something on the level of a Greater Ritual was surprising to say the least. After all, Ravana's observation of Ivan told him he was only average in his mastery of thaumaturgy. His saving grace was his uncanny ability and how far he had gone in developing it; he had an almost unbelievable talent for compensating his lack of experience.

The ritual concealed within the Ark had to be similar: by using external elements such as Nimrod, he could achieve a result beyond any comparison.

That being said, Ravana was not admirative in the slightest.

"..."

Wings sprung out of his back and and he took flight toward the Tower where the origin of the problem lied. But he ended up knitting his eyebrows when it became clear he wouldn't get very far: as soon as he tried to enter a certain perimetre around the center, Ravana was repelled. It wasn't a hard limit like a wall; instead, he met a sort of force field that made it increasingly hard for him to move. He had been feeling the effects of it even from his original position. In other words, this too had to be blamed on the texture trying to affix itself onto the ship.

This was no barrier he could break through but a force that would push him away endlessly.

"Lancer, you...!"

It was enraging but he understood it was a pointless endeavor and turned back. A being such as him who was both divine and demonic without a trace of humanity would be repelled the strongest. He could neither go to kill Nimrod himself nor try to stop what was happening. His options were few; he had to find his Master and leave this place. If the Ark then showed the slightest sign of weakness, he would make sure to destroy it for good.

That had been his plan.

However...

"Gh...!" Out of nowhere, he was assaulted by feeling of dread. It was as though an invisible noose had seized him by the throat. "You... what are you doing...!?"

This wasn't because of anything experienced by Ravana himself though – it was something he felt through his connection with Naraku Saten.

"That's a beautiful mess..."

Fergus watched this sorry spectacle while walking around without hurry.

He didn't believe the Ark was about to disappear; his Master was still alive and, as long as that was the case, his white vessel would most likely remain afloat. Even so, the heaviness in his chest was the same as if that had truly been the case. Even if the Ark remained, it was changing. For what purpose, he didn't know, but it was obvious that the Ark where the Masters and Servants of White had lived together was being destroyed.

They were a strange bunch for sure but the warrior personally didn't have bad memories of his time here. Perhaps he was the only one though. What made the end of this temporary home they'd shared so regrettable was that it would be destroyed by the one who had made it in the first place.

This is your doing, isn't it? Master.

Hmm, I suppose there's no point in using semantics at this point. I am the one who created this Ark Babel and designed it for this purpose – that makes me the culprit indeed.

Ark Babel...

So it really was the end for the old Ark.

But don't you think you've gone too far this time, Ivan?

Oh my, I didn't know you cared about the fate of this place to this extent.

It looks mighty dangerous. Also, I can feel that fellow's killing intent from where I stand. At a time like this, I'm guessing this is also your fault.

That would probably be correct.

...You're putting our own teammates in danger.

They were never safe, though? That's the very nature of what the Holy Grail War entails. I believe everyone's accepted it – they were always in danger simply by being in each other's presence.

I haven't accepted it.

Oh? Colour me surprised. I didn't think you would care this much about the people around you.

Oi, I'm still a hero, remember...?

Even so, you and I had an agreement. For someone who accepted that deal without qualm, isn't it a bit late to show remorse?

...

Ivan wasn't entirely wrong.

From the beginning, he and Fergus had mutually acknowledged each other's freedom. Ivan didn't wish to win the Holy Grail and only desired his own entertainment. Fergus likewise didn't have any strong wish for the Grail to grant, he was only interested in enjoying the simple pleasures of life. He couldn't say whether that last part had truly been fulfilled, but at the very least he hadn't felt like complaining about it. The fact that his Master was somewhat unhinged hadn't escaped him either. But since he had chosen to ignore that fact, perhaps that made him a hyprocrite for only reacting to it now.

I'm a man who only thinks about what's in front of him, I guess.

Following one's heart's desires is not a sin. If you decide to oppose me now, I will not blame you.

The fact that you're not lying is creepy. Fergus sighed. But this is going beyond the Holy Grail War, isn't it?

...

I don't know what you're planning at all. But if it's gonna put everyone in danger, I really can't do nothing and just watch, can I?

Well, I said you can oppose me, but it's not like that would do much at this point. I've already played my part.

Then what are you doing right now?

My body is in very poor condition at the moment. In fact, I'd say it's mostly dead – I am on my way to remedy to this. Don't worry, you don't have to fear for your own life.

...You're a really strange person, you know?

My, wasn't that obvious? After all, I love nothing more than what is unique.

Fergus had not meant to express surprise, though.

If anything, there was sadness in the words he had used; perhaps it couldn't reach that man. For how unusual and mysterious he could be, Ivan had still been someone Fergus saw as a similar soul. Someone who honestly answered to their heart's wishes without malice was someone he couldn't help but admire. Even if that didn't mean he was always on the side of righteousness, Fergus was very much the same: following his heart meant he had sometimes taken actions many would find intolerable.

He understood that very well.

Unfortunately, Ivan Pedilefey was a being who could act benevolently or malevolently without seeing a difference between the two. No matter his behaviour, he would only be able to acknowledge that gap objectively, never subjectively. Because the Master and Servant were similar – or rather, because Fergus had wanted to see them as similar, he could tell his Master's defect.

In the end, maybe he had been the only one to feel some kinship between them.

I guess that means I was just an idiot.

...? Have you come to a decision?

Who knows. Well, I'm really not suited for lecturing and it's not like you will listen anyway. I won't bother you anymore then.

And with that, their mental conversation came to an end. Fergus didn't feel like he had made any progress compared to before though.

"Why do things have to be so complicated? Kh..."

He looked at the wounds on his arms. He hadn't completely recovered from Nimrod's surprise attack yet. It wasn't at a degree where it mattered at all but these hurt like hell. In a way, they were constantly reminding him of where the priority was: Ivan had left his seat as the public enemy number one to someone else. Along what was currently happening to the Ark, the situation had gotten way out of hand for a Holy Grail War.

In short, the warrior had no idea what he should do next.

Going after Ivan would be pointless – as he had said, it might not stop Nimrod, and since he was his Master Fergus would be at a disadvantage.

Savrance was the ashen giant's Master, but since Fergus didn't know how much the vampire was involved he'd feel bad for him. Not to mention, Savrance was a bothersome opponent for Servants.

Finally, he could go after Nimrod himself. Whether Fergus could win or not though, he couldn't tell. Actually, he wasn't even sure he could put a scratch on him.

"Wait, am I useless?" The warrior held his chin pensively. "I have the freedom to do whatever I want, except for what matters, huh? I'm really not suited for situations like this..."

Perhaps that was why Ivan had chosen him as his Servant? No, he was being too pessimistic. But it was true that none of the options open to him would end well. Right now as well, all he could do was to watch the Ark come apart without any way to stop it. He didn't even know where his other teammates were to help them – that is, if they would even want the help of Ivan Pedilefey's Servant.

However, just as he thought that, he spotted something in the distance.

"Hm?" Fergus squinted, and eventually realized it was a winged silhouette growing in size. "That's... Rider?"

Thank you for reading.

It's happening again.

~Legends Storyteller