So, for those of you who read Red Owl and remember I said I hoped I didn't jinx working on Dragoon? Yeeeaaah, I jinxed working on Dragoon. Also for the first time in a long time, you can claim to have got this before Spacebattles.

Also, Advance Warning, There are going to be spoilers for up to the fifth Lostbelt in this story. Some in this chapter even, if you want to experience them unspoiled, this is your chance to get off the ride.

- X Izuku X -

Izuku emptied the box of cigarettes, pulling out a bundle of sugar sticks with his other hand and slid them into the box. Stopping at the knock, he spoke, "You can come in, Mash. I'm decent."

The door of the Shadow Border's captain's bathroom swung open, letting the pinkish-purple haired Demi-Servant in. Immediately, without breaking, Izuku continued, "Can you bring those to Kiritsugu? They're his favorite-"

"Kiritsugu isn't on the ship, Senpai."

Izuku stopped, closing his eyes and breathing in, "Right. It's time?"

"Yes."

Izuku turned on his left heel, moving towards Mash and leaning around her to grab the phone connected to the Shadow Border's PA system, "King Hassan, Lord Tepes, Scáthach, Sage-King Gilgamesh, King Arthur, Atalante and… King Iskander, begin prep. Count of Monte Cristo, report to my quarters. Detective Holmes… I'd ask you to prepare yourself, but knowing you, you're already ready. Da Vinci, Sion, Captain, Gray… please prepare to release the missile's restraints when I give the word."

"Iskander?" Mash asked after Izuku hung up, "I thought we were bringing Drake?"

"We have firepower for days," Izuku said as she let him past, "If Melammu Dingir, Phoebus Catastrophe, Kazikli Bey, Excalibur, Enfer Château d'If and the Black Barrel aren't enough to win this fight, the Wild Hunt won't do it, and we're gonna need men."

"A good point," the Cavern King said, stepping into the room and walking towards them, "Go prepare yourself, Shielder. I'll help Izuku."

"Go," Izuku said, sitting on his bed and giving a sigh. Mash hovered beside him for a moment, his eternal guardian, even in the safest place in the world…

Chaldea had been the safest place in the world too, supposedly.

Finally, Mash bowed out of the room, leaving Izuku and the man who had once been Edmond Dantès alone. The Count walked over to Izuku, crouching so he was even with the Master, "Are you alright?"

"Another Lostbelt," Izuku said with a sigh, running his Command Spell marked hand through his hair, "another timeline dead."

"It needs to happen," The Count said.

"I know," Izuku sighed, "it doesn't make it any easier. Help me up?"

The Count reached down, letting Izuku wrap an arm around his shoulder and helped the Master stand and move around the room. Izuku loaded the Model 686 he kept in the gun case, not that he often had any reason to use it, between the Servants and what little Magecraft he was capable of.

"Izuku," the green haired teen stopped, looking towards the Count, "What are you going to do when this is over? With the damage you've taken over the years… being a Hero might be impossible."

"...I'll deal with that when the time comes, Edmond," Izuku said, quite a bit harsher than he had meant… and the Cavern King's eyes flashed, but he didn't verbally respond to the use of his name. Izuku breathed in, closing his eyes and pressing his arm against the glass, "I'm sorry. That was out of line. I'm sure you can all help me, King of the Caverns."

The Count nodded, "Ever and always, my friend. An army of heroes and villains would sally forth to act as your scourge at your word."

"An idea that isn't completely and utterly terrifying," Izuku joked, picking up a bottle of alcohol and pouring two shots, handing one to the Count, "To our victory."

"And to you not acquiring any more injuries," the Count said, before the both downed the drink. The deep voiced count boomed as Izuku slammed the shot glass down, gagging violently, "Still as intolerant to alcohol as ever, my friend?"

"I don't get how you can drink this," Izuku coughed, left leg giving out on him as he forced himself to not retch up the liquid.

"When water was not healthy, even by the standards of the time," The Count said, helping Izuku stand and bracing the younger man against, "You were safer drinking the rum. Do you have everything?"

"Yes," Izuku said, nodding.

"Then let us finish this."

- X Mash X-

Mash Kyrielight walked alongside the heroes and did her best to not show the weight waying down on her. Even compared to other days, other battles, this one had legends that would dwarf her no matter what she did with her life.

It wasn't every day the King of Knights, King of Conquerors and Sage-King of Heroes sallied out alongside the First Old Man of the Mountains, the Warrior Queen of Dún Scáith and the Lord Impaler of Wallachia. In any other circumstances, it'd be overkill of the highest level.

But today was not most days, and the Servants assembled were going to have to give it their all to buy time for the plan Senpai had devised to go off. Because today they were fighting a Grand Servant and make it look real. A pinnacle of humanity who should have been fighting beside them to return the true Human History to its place, standing above regular servants like regular servants did to humanity. And that was assuming their plan failed.

Senpai reached up, pressing his finger into his earpiece, "Are you in position? …Good, wait for my signal before you release everything, we can't afford them to know you're here before they're ready."

His hand dropped, his eyes, normally so kind and happy were like steel as he pulled out one of the fake cigarettes and a custom lighter, sucking on the sugar stick, "Come on, let's do this."

It didn't take them much longer to find the servants, Senpai let go of The Count, leaning against a tree, "Daybit."

"Midoriya," Daybit turned to face them, looking around, "You're pulling out the stops, huh?"

"Can't afford not to," Senpai said, flicking open the lighter, "A Beast is enough of a problem, a Beast that's also a Type? That's a problem bigger than anything. You mind if I light up?"

"I'd say you're a bit young to be smoking," Daybit drawled, "But since when have we cared about stuff like that?"

"Exactly," Senpai said, flicking the lighter… and tendrils of white flames leapt from it, circling around Daybit in a cage before launching inwards, "Hell's Spider!"

"Berserker," Daybit said, a servant appeared in a flash, grabbing his master and smashing through the flames before turning towards them, "Did you actually think that would work?"

"Can't blame me for trying," Senpai shrugged with a smile, before it dropped, "Assassin, Lancer, Saber, Berserker… engage him."

Each of the servants Izuku listed prepared themselves in minute ways, Saber's foot shifted a few centimeters, Assassin's eyes glowed brighter in his skull helm, Lancer twisted her grip on Gáe Bolg a bit, Berserker grinned a bloody grin… and then they moved faster than Mash could keep up with. But the Berserker, the Grand Berserker, deflected the strikes with a pair of macuahuitl. He wasn't moving like a frenzied beast, or even with the savagery of the Impaler.

"Archer," Izuku ordered, crunching the candy in between his teeth now that it had served its purpose, "Caster, would you please keep an eye out for the other servants?"

Each of them nodded, before vanishing into the trees in their own ways.

"Mash, you're running interference," Izuku said, "If an attack comes my way…"

"I'll stop it," Mash nodded.

"Ruler, you'll stay by my side to coordinate and advise me. Avenger, you'll be supporting. If one of the four engaging Grand Berserker has to fall back, you'll take their place, but if Archer and Caster can't eliminate the other four, you'll engage before they can disrupt the melee," Senpai ordered, eyes still steely as he continued his orders. This is where he really shined, he wasn't an amazing Magus in skill or Magic Circuits (he was below average, in fact), but he could make plans on the fly and generate loyalty in even the blackest of hearts, "Rider, you'll be doing the same, with the added caveat that if Daybit somehow has some non-Servant agents, you'll use your chariot to break their ranks."

Everyone nodded, and prepared for the fight ahead.

- X Artoria X-

Artoria Pendragon, better known as the Once-and-Future-King of Britain, King Arthur, swung her legendary sword up, hiding the growl of irritation as the Grand Berserker dodged it despite the sheath of air hiding the blade from the world. But immediately after, the Old Man on the Mountain rushed forward, blue fire burning along his blade as he came close to taking off their opponents arm.

Unfortunately, as the saying went, close only counts in horseshoes and hand grenades. They weren't any closer to killing the Grand Servant.

Their Berserker slammed his left hand, which had spontaneously manifested stigmata and bloody wounds up it into the ground, "Now you die!"

Seconds later, spikes of wood, blood, bone, shadow and other assorted viscera erupted from the ground, lashing towards Grand Servant. But without an invocation of the true name, the Bloodstained Demon King was much weaker, and Grand Berserker shattered them without breaking stride. Lancer lunged forwards, one of her twin spears angled for the heart while the other was spun around deft fingers, aiming to cleave the arm off the Servant.

It, like everything else, failed, both attacks being deflected. Izuku's mad plan better work, or they were...

"Tch," Scáthach clicked her tongue as she slid back to be even with the other servants, "Berserker, they say."

"Madness taketh many forms," the Old Man of the Mountain said, "his may be more insidious than can be understood with thine eyes. A rabid dog is easily put down, but a violent one that knows how to act as if 'twas normal may yet live it's entire life without facing the headsman."

Saber nodded, shifting her sword as the Old Man drew the nameless blade from the ground and then, as one, they rushed forward, the Assassin using his larger height to swing over her head as she swung low. The Grand Servant caught each of the blades with one of his macuahuitl, the B ranked strength of each servant being stopped dead.

But the Lancer appeared behind him angling her spears to go up through the ribcage and pierce the heart at the same time Berserker rushed forward, his own spear pointing towards the throat. Grand Berserker gave a unholy roar, the sound of which was enough to force all four servants back.

And then it launched towards Artoria, swinging in a frenzied hurricane of blows that she barely deflected, her arms protesting the abuse despite her prodigious strength. Assassin appeared behind him without a sound, his sword swinging to take the head of the Grand Servant. In the wake of the blade, death followed. The air it's becoming stagnant and dead…

And still Grand Berserker managed to dodge the attack, rushing to his Master as Izuku launched another Hell's Spider at Daybit. Izuku aborted the attack, not flinching or moving as Grand Berserker cleared the space between them in a second.

And then Lord Camelot, the ever reliant shield of Galahad, blocked the attack without budging an inch, resolve burning in Mash's eyes.

-X Izuku X-

Most people would have reacted with some amount of fear as a Grand Servant without a single stat below "B" barrelled down on them. Izuku had stopped being "most people" sometime between working with Jekyll and Hyde in London and running a gauntlet through half of the Knights of the Round Table in Camelot. He just stood with unwavering certainty that Mash would, without question, intercept the blow before it hit home.

And yes, that had backfired on him before, but that had heen because Mash hadn't been there to take the blow in the Shinjuku and SE. ER. PH Pseudo-Singularities. Not once had he ever been hurt while she was around.

Sure enough, Mash blocked the attack with Lord Camelot. Izuku's grin became positively sharklike and nasty, as he reached up and pressed his hand to the earpiece, "Now!"

Lights flashed in the distant north and south, nearly a kilometer out while The Count rushed behind Grand Berserker, blasting him with the flames of Monte Cristo Mythologie. The Grand Servant howled, and Izuku barked, again, "Now!"

"The Evening Bell tolls thy name, god of the Discordant North!" King Hassan said, drawing his sword and beginning to move towards the Grand Servant as Scáthach rushed forward, both Gàe Bolg's bared. The barbed head of the first punched through his chest and dug into the ground, stopping him dead. Then she kicked back, spinning the spear in a half circle so she was holding it in a throwing position, "The feathers that foreshadow thy end are those of-!"

"Gàe-!"

"Azrael!"

"-Bolg!"

The air crystallized around the two sure kill techniques, before the Soaring Spear and Angel of the End struck at once, killing the Divine Spirit Tezcatlipoca. Izuku glanced at Where Daybit was standing, blood pooling from his lips as two swords skewered him front to back and back to front. He glanced down at them with something resembling confusion before giving a chuckle, "You tricky son of a bit-!"

And then, just to make sure, Kiritsugu's sniper round hit home, a spray of pink mist punctuating the last Cypher's life. Daybit fell, thudding into the ground as Izuku lifted up his lighter and set the body burning.

"Think it was enough?" Izuku asked Holmes, before the ground started shaking and a golden rainforest began to rise, Beast Seven appearing above it.

"This isn't my most astute observation, but I do believe it was," the Great Detective said.

"Right then," Izuku said, holding up his hand where the Command Spells glowed as the Seventh Beast descended, "Let's hope this is enough. Shielder! Deploy the Black Barrel at full strength!"

The first Command Spell burned out as Lord Camelot changed and the targeting visor above Mash's face lowered. Pain spiked through Izuku's body as the gun prepared itself, but he continued on.

"Assassin! Rider! Release the restraints!"

At the Shadow Border, the Captain and Gray did just that, the weapon howling like it had never stopped spinning. And finally…

"Archer! For the first and last time I order you, Great King of Heroes! Release Ea!"

A kilometer away, Gilgamesh drew the Sword of Rupture from the Gate of Babylon.

Izuku looked up at Type-Oort as Beast VII merged with it, gritting his teeth, "Now."

"Black Barrel-!

"Unrestrained Fang of the World's End-!

"Enuma-!

-Firing!"

-Rhongomyniad!"

-Elish!"

Izuku watched Beast VII's new body be disintegrated by the two EX level attacks and the Anti-Aristoteles weapon hammered home. Then, with as much dignity and grace as he could muster, which was to say "None", Izuku promptly and unashamedly fell forwards and was caught by Mash and The Cavern King.

"That's gonna hurt for a couple of months," Izuku tried to say, but it came out as the more mumbled and jumbled, "at's ann rt fer a c'ple o' mnths."

And then, finally, mercifully, he blacked out.

- X The Cavern King X-

The Cavern King rested Izuku on the bed, nodding to Mash, "He'll be fine. Now I need to go prepare."

Mash nodded, beginning her silent vigil over Izuku as he stepped out of the room and looked towards the Captain, "Do you think you can make the voyage?"

"I can try," the Captain said, "But I'm not sure how the logistics will work out once we get there."

"But we should try," The King said, "The Clock Tower will continue to not trust Chaldea. And Izuku has given everything for them. It's time to return home."

"Then I'll go prep the ship for departure," the Captain said, turning and walking away.

- X Izuku stats X-

Izuku Midoriya

Magic Circuit Rating: C

Number of Magic Circuits: 15

Element: Fire, Air, Ether.

Origin: REDACTED

Master-Servant connection: 100%

Preferred Servants: The Cavern King (Avenger), Mash Kyrielight (Shielder-Shooter).

Strategics: A+.

Natural Enemy: Those Who Would Endanger Human History, Beasts.

Likes: Katsudon, Heroes, Mash, Fou.

Dislikes: Beasts, Beryl Gut, Alcohol, Cigarettes.

-X AN X-

You hear that? That was the sound of people who didn't listen to me's brain malfunctioning at the revelation there's a Type-Oort and Mash gets the Black Barrel. Thoughts, questions and opinions? Good? Bad? Meh?