Archer was a man who faced many things in life. From droves known as the Dead, magus who tortured people, men who kill one another for profit, and so much more. All while keeping a straight face as freaking out wouldn't save anybody or get the job done. Yet now, that straight face was cracking. Mainly because he just witnessed one of the most powerful Heroic Spirits on the Throne, the very man who could win a Holy Grail War in one night, just getting killed.
With this new Servant now looking at his general direction. Showing off power that wasn't normal and held abilities that must be powerful enough to take on the King of Heroes himself. With Archer not knowing any of it since he arrived after the battle was done and over with. Still, that didn't mean he didn't know what to do.
Instantly he showed himself to the woman, not bothering to hide. Those Grimm already picking up on his self-loathing anyway. The woman then smiled.
"Excellent" She then said, satisfied. "Now then, I want you to-"
Archer struck in an instant.
He didn't know how this woman killed Gilgamesh of all people, but he knew he needed to act now. Instantly he rushed at her, wielding a special dagger known as a symbol of betrayal. Rule Breaker.
'She must be connected to a Master.' Archer concluded as he raised the Noble Phantasm towards Salem. 'All I have to do is cut her connection off.' No matter how powerful the Servant, they needed an anchor to the mortal plane. Even Gilgamesh, before his incarnation, was also bonded to that rule. As such Archer will cut that connection off and let her fade, the dagger ready to plunge into her chest.
Only for the woman to then grab his arm before he could plunge it in. Her eyes glowing as she then looked at him with a frown, clearly upset as she then looked at him straight in the eye. "Attacking while I'm talking to get my guard down. How…pragmatic."
Squeeze.
Archer then gritted his teeth as the woman then crushed his arm and tugged. The entire limb ripping off with Rule Breaker fading away while the woman then made a finger motion where numerous Grimm hands then came out of nowhere and grabbed hold of Archer's body.
"You know, it's very rude to keep a woman waiting." Salem said to Archer as he tried to escape the gangly limbs grasp, but couldn't at all. "Either way, I will get my answers. Because if you don't," Growls could be heard as many Grimm started stalking towards Archer. "I will make you talk. One way or another."
Archer spat on the ground. Narrowing her eyes, Salem prepared to do whatever it is she desired only for a voice to be heard.
"Please, my fair lady. No need to let a wonderful woman as yourself do the dirty work." A voice that made Archer's eyes widen as he and Salem turned to the direction of the voice. Standing with a smirk, is none other than Zouken who looked as good as always, with Salem herself raising a brow.
"You…you're…"
"Supposed to be dead?" Zouken chuckled. "Yes, I understand having a skull being crushed can cause such….fatalities." Along with the immense power that this woman unleashed. Zouken, who has seen many Holy Grail Wars, also couldn't believe what he had witnessed himself. To see that a Servant, unknown to him with it's identity a mystery, actually defeating the King of Heroes himself. He would have to play this carefully if he wished to attain victory.
"What do you want?" Salem said with suspicion as the Grimm also began circling Zouken.
"I just wanted to tell you the answers you seek." Zouken said while also for some reason, feeling a sense of dread. Nonsense, he had everything under control. Yet his emotions seemed to tell him things such as fear and regret for reasons he couldn't understand. Grah! Must be more of that Ozpin's idiotic emotions affecting his own. Regardless, he continued on while also keeping a straight face.
"Oh. Do you now?" Salem didn't like this man. The stench he gave off was one she disliked, alongside her own Grimm capable of sensing the negative emotions produced off this man. That, and for some reason there was just something else about this man she didn't like. He felt…familiar for some reason, even though she never knew him.
Zouken grinned.
"Yes my lady." Zouken then kneeled down. Showing he meant no harm to Salem, while also doing what he could to manipulate her. "I understand you are confused, uncertain of what is going on and wishing for answers. And I will gladly tell you everything, occurring in this Holy Grail War."
Holy Grail War. Those were the words that were in Salem's head. "Very well." Salem then spoke to Zouken. "You will tell me what is going on." She didn't like this man, as he gave off feelings of manipulation like her. But if she is to understand what is happening, then she'll use anybody she can get.
"Yes my lady. Oh, but first." Zouken then looked at Archer, the latter snarling at Zouken. "Perhaps action should be taken on the unworthy." Salem looked at Archer.
"I suppose that is true. Shirou Emiya." Salem then spoke Archer's name who looked shocked that Salem knew with Zouken also surprised. Yet not as surprised as Salem who then blinked. 'How did I…?' Though before Salem could realize that this came from the True Name Discernment skill she now had, Archer made his move.
'Now!' From his remaining hand, Archer projected a nameless sword which he then used to cut down the Grimm limbs holding him in place. Salem instantly tried to zap him with electricity, however he was quicker. Jumping away he then threw the blade at Salem which pierced right through her head. She ripped it off and glared in anger, only to find Archer was gone.
"Spiritual form." Zouken said as he couldn't sense Archer anymore. "Hm. He's quick at running, I'll give him that."
"That he is." Salem agreed as she then turned to Zouken. "Now then, you said you would explain things to me."
"Of course my lady." Zouken said while hiding the Command Seals hidden on his arm. "Just leave everything to me."
"Good. But first," Salem's eyes glew again as she then connected herself to the Grimm. Where she then decided to give them a new command, especially to a particularly old child here. One she sensed that for some reason, wasn't making its move. That'll have to change, starting now.
"Attack."
"Attack." Deep within the temple where the Greater Grail laid, multiple red eyes opened wide.
Shing! Slash!
Gray easily dealt with the many Grimm around the city that rushed at her. Her scythe easily deals with them and cuts them apart like paper, making them disintegrate away. Still…Gray couldn't help but feel many of them always came after her.
'Must be my imagination.' Gray thought as she then jumped over a Beowolf and slashed at its back. It turned and tried to rip her apart only for Gray to then slice of it's limbs and then head. Nearby, she saw her Master Waver watching her with what was clearly pride for her capability. She blushed a bit while also feeling honored.
Still, she kept on fighting while Waver watched, who while glad his apprentice was doing fine, also felt suspicious.
'These Grimm. They're too focused on her.' He thought as he saw how the Grimm in the general vicinity charged at Gray even when she wasn't fighting them. Heck, some even ignored Waver as they came at Gray for some reason like they were attracted to her. 'Or something.' Waver's eyes then focused on none other than Gray's weapon.
With the Grimm's own eyes also focused on it as well before attacking Gray.
'Thinking on it, some of the Grimm do show more interest in magus than ordinary people.' Waver then thought how these creatures attacked magus whenever they got closer to them. Were these things attracted to mana?
Before Waver could consider this theory, suddenly a great shaking was then heard and felt. Waver feeling the ground shake and stumbled a bit while other magus also felt the same thing. Then, they all heard two things.
The first was that every single Grimm seemed to stop for just a moment, and then growl and howl onto the air. Confusing everyone on why they were doing it. Then came the second noise.
"RUUAAGGHHHHHH!"
Waver clutched his ears as he heard a primal roar. One that gave an oppressive feeling of fear itself. Where for the Grimm, it was a roar of absolute victory. Suddenly an explosion was heard, and Waver turned to that explosion where he then saw it.
"Oh shit." A massive wyvern bursting from Ryuudou Temple in all it's wicked glory. Screeching loudly as it spread its wings and then began flying upward into the sky. Everyone who saw it, from normal people to magus to the Servants themselves, all realized that things had just gotten worse. With the Wyvern itself then flying as high as it could and looking down across the slowly falling apart city.
With a roar, it then flew across the city where from it a black ooze of sorts fell out of its body. Some of which lands a bit away from Waver's own position where to his shock, saw Grimm bursting forth from those piles of oozes and then roaring as the newly birthed Grimm howled.
"This isn't good." Waver muttered as he then saw an Ursa come right at him.
"The hell!" Shirou said as he and Rin then saw the massive Wyvern flying past them and going further into the city itself. Shirou gritted his teeth as he heard the thing roar while it then slammed itself onto some buildings to cause more chaos. "Are you kidding me?"
"Focus Emiya!" Rin said as she smacked an Ursa's head clean off. "We need to get to Ryuudou Temple to deal with this mess."
"Will going there even help us at this point." Shirou then cut down a Beowolf to pieces before running through a Creep's side and then taking out the blades and throwing them like darts onto a Boarbatusks head, killing it. "I mean, even if we stop the source, these things are everywhere!"
"But stopping the source will ensure no more Grimm are born." Rin then jumped over some kind of Saber Tooth Grimm and crushed it's back. "Either way, we need to stop these Grimm from bolstering their numbers before this gets out of hand."
It already felt like it was already out of hand.
From these monsters killing the people of Fuyuki, to Shirou learning this city will later be destroyed by the Association. 'In a way, it makes one wonder why even bother.' Shirou thought as he stabbed some jellyfish thing before throwing it's disintegrating remains at a Beowolf.
If it weren't for the fact that he was going to save Illya and Sakura, Shirou wasn't sure if he'd even have the determination to continue on. I mean, why even bother when everything seemed so hopeless? His home being wiped out, the fear that those he knew were being killed off, and so much more.
"Gruah!" Suddenly, with Shirou having been deep in his own thoughts, a Grimm with wings and looking like some dinosaur creature then came and stomped on Shirou's back.
"Uh!" Shirou grunted as he felt the Grimm's foot keeping him down.
"Emiya!" Rin then tried to save him when a Deathstalker came and slammed its stinger down in front of her. Rin facing the massive bus-size Grimm that clicked it's pincers threateningly at her. Occupying her as Shirou felt the Grimm's nasty breath down on his neck. A screech is then heard and for a moment, Shirou thought this was the end of the line for him.
"Leave my Master alone!" Then, with what could only be described as an awesome entrance, Musashi came.
Instantly she was in front of the Grimm, and cut the beast down without much effort. The Grimm in that moment, realized who the true threat here was. Excluding the Death Stalker, the Grimm then tried to overwhelm Musashi with numbers itself. All of them are ready to tear her apart. Musashi then looked at the oncoming Grimm and gave them an unimpressed look. She then simply raised both her blades.
Shing, shing, shing!
Then, with speed surpassing the human limit, all the Grimm that tried to come close fell apart and turned to smoke. Shirou himself watched in awe at such movements with a part of him blushing at how fierce yet beautiful Musashi did the deed. The Saber then turned her blade on the Deathstalker which then backed away, realizing it was in danger.
"Scrcrcrc!" It then shot it's stinger forward to try and kill her. Musashi simply cut the stinger off with the Deathstalker screeching in pain before it then tried to run away. Instead, it found its legs cut off, it's pincers, the rest of its tail, and soon its very head.
"And done." Musashi sheathed her blades. She then looked at both Rin and Shirou, glad they were okay. "I heard the noise and came back. Hope you guys aren't hurt an-whaaaa!" Musashi then looked at Shirou more closely. More importantly, at his freakin arm! "M-M-Master! Your arm!"
"Huh?" Shirou blinked before he then remembered. "Right, that." He lifted his new appendage. "I almost forgot about this."
"You almost forgot?" Musashi asked incredulously. Rin then stepped forward as she also looked at Shirou's new arm.
"Interesting." She then said as she observed the strange hand. "Considering you aren't an actual magus, if I were to take a guess, this is probably your aura at work. Correct?"
"I…think so." Shirou observed the new limb. It was colored like his own aura, and as he moved it around it certainly felt like his old limb except for the lack of feeling since it had no nerves or even skin. Being a bit see-through yet functioned like an actual arm. "This is so weird."
"Oh." Musashi then realized something. "Maybe this is a semblance. I think Ozpin mentioned that."
Semblance? Actually yeah, Ozpin did mention that. 'He said how it's a power born from aura.' Maybe this new hand was his semblance. Walking towards a wall, Shirou then punched it where a new hole was made. "Definitely stronger than the old one." Then, shutting his eyes and focusing, the aura limb vanished. A moment later it returned. "Hm. Not bad."
Rin also looked interested in this. Wishing now she had asked Ozpin more about this aura magecraft of sorts. That had to wait though, as she then called out to Musashi and Shirou. "Alright guys, I think it's time we focus back on the mission." She glared at the Wyvern, as it continued to screech and fly around. "Last thing we need is for more of these Grimm to come out, especially ones as big as that!"
"True." Musashi also took a good look at the Wyvern. "I don't think this city can handle more Wyverns already. If anything, stopping their production rate will ensure no new Grimm can take the place of the ones already existing."
"Exactly." Rin was glad someone other than Archer got it. "So let's get moving already." With that said, the three then rushed to the site of the temple. Granted there were some Grimm along the way, but far fewer as most have spread themselves out across the city. Shirou wasn't sure how to feel about that part. Regardless, all three soon found themselves before the temple itself, or what was left of it anyway. Where they then saw none other than Archer nearby waiting.
"Archer!" Rin smiled as she ran towards him. "Great, you're here. Maybe you can-!" She then stopped when she then saw what Archer had. Or in truth, what he was missing. "Y-Your arm?"
Shirou and Musashi got closer where they also saw that Archer was missing a part of his arm with his hand plain gone. The Servant noticed their arrival and stood straighter. "I see you arrived already. Safe to say you got caught up." He then noticed Shirou's new arm. "Some more than others."
"Ignoring that, what happened to you?" Musashi asked the big question. As everyone looked at Archer and his missing limb. Sure it would regenerate in time as that's how a Servant's physiology worked, yet it still concerned them that Archer lost a part of his limb. Considering his skill, they knew it wasn't from a Grimm.
Archer frowned, as if considering what to say. After a bit, he then spoke up. "We have a new problem apparently." The mystery Servant and Zouken together came to his mind. "One that involves both Zouken and his latest pawn."
"So…where are we?" It's been a bit since Shinji was taken to some run down building by Rider. He was still suspicious of her, as was Berserker who's on his shoulder. But they had no choice in the matter as refusal likely means their death.
"A place your grandfather took Illya at." Rider responded with Shinji gasping and Berserker surprised.
"The brat is here?" Shinji then frowned. "Wait, but this place, won't it have-"
"Security?" Rider finished for him. "Not much really. Zouken was in a rush, and just placed a bounded field that causes an impulse for people to leave the building alone."
Then that's a sign of relief. Last thing Shinji needed was for him to enter a building full of traps, curses, and maybe a wraith or two. Not that he liked having to come here of course.
"RUAGH!" But it was a lot better than dealing with the massive Wyvern flying across Fuyuki City at the moment. Shinji was starting to regret not going to Hawaii now. Hell, he doubted the airport was even open at this point in time.
"I have to go." Rider said as she then turned to leave. "I cannot risk Zouken asking what my position is. Get the job done and try not to die." Then like so, Rider was gone as she jumped away. Leaving Shinji and Berserker behind as the former then looked at the door. Sighing, he then raised his fist, focused his aura on it, and then threw a punch.
Bam!
Shinji grinned as the door fell down. Had it been the old him, he'd have kneeled on the ground crying while the door had no marks on it. Instead, he just felt a slight tingle on his knuckles with the door broken. Chuckling, Shinji entered while Berserker hopped down his shoulder and began sniffing around. After a bit, the squirrel Servant then began sprinting across the ground with Shinji following after him. Eventually the two reached another door, and with a good punch it fell down where inside the room, a certain person was there.
"Great. Back to get more information or…Wait, you're not Zouken."
"Nope." Shinji stepped forward all smugly. "Just here to save the day. As always." Berserker rolled his adorable eyes while Illya just scoffed. "Hey now, is that the reaction you give to your savior?"
"Oh, you're absolutely right." Illya mockingly said before she then looked down at her Servant with a smile. "Thanks Berserker."
"Tch." Shinji walked up to her as he then undid the ropes that held her down on the chair. "Whatever. Let's just get out of here before Zouken realizes you're missing." Rider said Zouken didn't have the time to put up any defenses. However, maybe he had the time to set something up to send him an alert if Illya were to be taken away. As such, it would be best to leave and fast.
"It's boring here anyway." Illya said as she then picked up Berserker and put him on her shoulder. "In any case, what now?"
"No idea."
"Should have expected as much." Illya snided with Shinji growling.
"At least I'm not the damsel in distress here with a rodent for a Servant." Illya growled next with Berserker hissing. "Hah! You know it's true."
"If it hadn't been for Ozpin, my Berserker would be the strongest there is." Illya yelled at Shinji as they moved out. Still upset about what had become of her Servant.
"And what are you going to do about it?" Shinji rolled his eyes. "Command him to grow a pair of muscles?" Illya stopped.
"Command him…Of course!" Suddenly, Illya's body glowed with Shinji turning at the sight. Noticing the abnormally large Command Seals on her with one of them vanishing away as Illya shouted, "Berserker! By this Command Seal, I order you to return to your glorious form!"
Berserker squealed as he then fell on the ground. His form shimmering and shaking when suddenly, a loud 'popping' noise could be heard. At first it appeared nothing was happening at all. Then…Berserker's limbs grew.
"Wha-?" Shinji then got a rare first sight of seeing a squirrel growing huge muscles. It then had a six pack on it. Suddenly Berserker grew taller and taller, the squirrel features soon going away bit by bit as fur began shedding off and the tail flopped down while bones could be heard cracking. In time, what was once a squirrel soon became the massive and powerful son of Zeus, Heracles.
"Yes! Hahaha!" Illya then leaped on Berserker's body who grabbed her and placed the girl on his shoulder. "Look at you. Back to your wonderful self!" Berserker howled in agreement while his chest rippled with pure muscle. "Alright then," Illya then said as she then thought about Shirou. "Now then, time to save Oni-Chan!"
"And how will you do that?" Shinji crossed his arms but spoke more respectively now. Not wanting the ire of a demi-god snapping his back with those big arms of his. "There's Grimm everywhere and the temple where Shirou is at is miles away!"
"Berserker will handle any obstacle in his way. Right Berserker?" The Servant nodded. "In which case, let's go!" Suddenly Berserker grabbed the yelping Shinji by his waist and ran towards the nearby wall. Breaking it through while giving a mighty wordless roar as he then jumped high in the air to go and reach Shirou and the others. Back-up will soon arrive for Shirou and the others.
The only question is, will it be enough?
"What…was that?" Sakura said as she clutched her aching head. Seething as she could feel something within her connection with the Grimm. Seeing the Wyvern itself outside the temple and destroying buildings, while also sensing countless Grimm abandoning the duties she gave them to do something else.
"Who is doing this?" The corrupt girl then asked nobody in particular, but more than upset by what was happening. Up until now, everything had been going great. The Grimm were culling off the worthless human scum and the magus in droves. Senpai and the others were spotted heading towards the temple where the 'Great Grimm' slumbers in. Her own power, growing as she can sense the mana in her pushing her into further heights.
Ohhh! By the time Rin sees her, she can show off her power and easily kill Rin without even trying. Surpassing her sister already by this point and would love to crush her just to show off. Yet something or someone is messing with her control over the Grimm.
"There!" Sakura then said as she then sensed it. An unknown interference that happened to be some city blocks away from the temple grounds. The interference messing with her control over her Grimm. From Sakura's body, her very shadow extended where bursting forth from it were massive shadow giants with Grimm skull masks with countless glowing red eyes on the masks. Creatures made of both her Hollow Element combined with the Grimm substance, a new breed of Grimm so to say. Sakura then enveloped herself and her new Grimm to teleport herself to this interference.
She won't be denied her vengeance. Anybody that stands in her way will die before that happens. Nothing can stop her.
The gang are now at the temple, and Heracles is back to normal with Shinji having helped with Illya. All things are good…
Yeah. By the time this is all over, Fuyuki probably won't last. If it isn't the Association, it'll be the Grimm that'll wipe out the city. Plus Sakura is making her move against Salem, and that won't be a pretty fight.