Morning came to Fuyuki. The sun slowly rising up, with its yellow rays illuminating all signifying another day to come. However, this morning, things were much more different. Instead of the sun showing a normal city with the citizens prepared for another day, all that could be seen is death and destruction.
Buildings with holes, claws, melted, with some tumbled down. Roads full of ruined cars and broken glass all scattered. Blood filled the sidewalks and the homes of those who couldn't escape. The few that remained of this once peaceful town were now being hunted down with utter fear, while those that tried to fight ended up dead. The only good news being that countless have escaped the city by taking cars, trucks, helicopters, any means necessary to escape the creatures of Grimm.
Now only a set amount of people is left in Fuyuki. Those who could not escape and forced to run and pray for any form of help. The magus who tried to stop the spread of Grimm, only for many to run when they realized there were too many. Finally, the last group. The only ones in Japan who are trying to actually stop the situation from growing worse.
"..." Shirou Emiya, stepping out of his home, gave a sorrowful look at what became of his city. A look around showed the Grimm had actually reached this neighborhood, and only didn't try to kill him and everyone else in the house because of the Servants that stood guard.
"Mm. Sorry kid." Lancer said as he looked at a house that now had a hole in it. "May have accidentally kicked that Grimm a little too hard."
"I don't think it's all bad." Musashi then looked a bit guilty. Her eyes then saw one house that looked like the front half had been sliced apart. "Better than what I did."
Heracles just huffed. Nearby, three houses were not rubble.
"How did none of us hear this?" Rin asked while rolling her eyes.
"I used some magecraft for that." Illya grins. "No way am I going to bed listening to howls and yelling."
"At the very least we're now all rested." El Melloi II then took out a cigar and smoked it. "Not that it changes the fact on what we're going to do now." Something that won't be easy.
"The destruction of the Greater Grail." Shinji yawned. "Jeez. That'll be so much fun."
"Coward." Rider then said, not even trying to whisper. Naturally, that infuriated Shinji.
"Why you little-!"
"Shut it Shinji." Rin told him as she then kicked away some broken glass. "Right now, we all need to take this seriously. Because we need to do what we can to stop the Grimm from spreading further while hoping we avoid that Servant and whatever else is out there." Shirou noticed that Rin avoided saying Sakura. Not that he blamed her, as even now despite knowing that she's technically a threat, Shirou just couldn't find it to see her as an enemy. If anything, like Illya, he wanted to save her.
'But how would I even do that?' Shirou could only ask himself, as he and everybody else began walking. For now, everyone's best bet was to follow the plan which is relatively simple.
For the most part, the Servants will carry everyone as close as they could into Fuyuki City. To ensure that new Servant or Sakura didn't detect them too soon, once the group made a certain distance they'll stop, and the Servants will enter Spiritual Form. Well, except for Musashi who admitted she couldn't do that for some reason. She'll keep behind though on the chance anybody tried to attack them.
From there, the Masters will walk towards the location of the Greater Grail. Thankfully, Rin knew another way to get there other than the massive hole in Ryuudou Temple. Shirou now felt bad for Issei while also hoping him, Taiga and the others were all right. From there, everyone will try their best to avoid or quickly kill the Grimm and make their way to the cursed Heaven's Feel and destroy it.
This will not only cause the new Servant to vanish away, but there's also hope that it'll stop the production of Grimm and perhaps even get Sakura back to normal. If not for the latter, Shirou vowed to simply restrain her, and do whatever he could to return her too normal. That is the plan everyone came up with. It had some holes in it, plus, no plan survived its first encounter. But it's also all they had, and any time wasted meant the Grimm will continue expanding until they found other cities here in Japan.
That cannot happen.
'Let's just hope things don't go sideways.' Shirou thought as the gang continued their march to end it all.
"So then, how does this work exactly?" Deep within the darkness, beneath Fuyuki City itself and home to the Greater Grail, Sakura asked a question. Speaking to the Ruler Class of what it is they should even do. With Salem herself observing the Greater Grail.
"Oh." Salem turned to Sakura. "And what is it that you mean?"
"Using the Grimm." Sakura gave more details. "After all, can't we just have the Grimm leave this city to continue their goal?"
"We could. If we wanted to be fools." Salem then said before shaking her head.
"Huh?" Sakura asked while her eyes briefly glowed red. Wondering just why they couldn't just have all the Grimm in this miserable city move on and kill everyone that came in their sights. Let them advance to every city in Japan before moving on to the world.
"Simple really," Salem spoke, knowing that this girl, for all her power, had little knowledge in terms of an actual fight. Especially if it involves the entire world. "Because we're undermanned. I assume you at least saw some of my memories, involving my war against that man?"
"I did. He seems to be in a losing battle." Sakura, if she's being honest, didn't see every memory Salem had. That was impossible, considering especially that Salem had more memories than a regular lifetime, so Sakura only saw the major ones. Still, it was enough to see that this man had little power, only a few set allies, and certainly no army against the Grimm that were all over the world.
"Very true." Salem nodded. "However, even with all the Grimm I had, if there's one thing I can acknowledge of that man, is that he hasn't lost his edge if he could continuously defend humanity from my attacks for all these years." Indeed. Salem had her magic, her own allies, and a planet just full of Grimm all over. Yet time and again, no matter how many times Salem crippled humanity or set them back, he always found a way to return and bounce back. No matter how many times she sent him away, by the time he returned, and, in a few years, humanity still remained united enough to withstand the onslaught of Grimm.
That fool is a constant thorn on Salem's side. She could never figure out why he even bothered protecting such a ruined world like Remnant. Regardless, right now this isn't about him.
"From what I understand, this world undoubtedly has protectors that could face, challenge, and even defeat the Grimm here." Many Grimm have died, and not because they got themselves killed. Instead, from what she could tell, they died through the power of the beings known as Servants.
"That's true." Sakura thought back to Rin, knowing she's a trained magus compared to her. "There are some magus around that can use these…spells." Not that Sakura knew any such spells. Her 'dear' grandfather never actually taught her anything worth a damn.
"Exactly." Salem then gazed at the strange hole above. "Right now, for reasons I do not understand, the Grimm summoned here are stronger, including my own capability." Salem then raised her hand, feeling a surge of great power in her. "But I have only a small city's worth of Grimm. I find it unlikely they could take on the world, especially when others fight back."
If there's one thing Salem has learned about humanity, it's that humans always found a way to fight back against the looming darkness. It's what made humans strong. If one couldn't face an army by themselves, then they gathered other people to make up for that weakness. To work together and drive a fatling blow to whatever came their way.
Sakura seemed to understand this at the very least. Knowing that there were probably a bunch of magus like her sister that could face off against the Grimm. Heck, the creatures already informed her of many magus who arrived and began attacking the Grimm. Granted, those self-serving cowards ran when they realized they were outnumbered, but it didn't change the fact that sooner or later, more may come.
'So, we need a way to spread the Grimm further.' Sakura thought, realizing that only a few Grimm have made it outside the city. But that wouldn't be enough at all. Unless she changed that. "Ah." One that gave her an idea.
Waving her hand, from the mud that surrounded the Greater Grail, bursting forth from it came another Grimm out. Though not a normal one that one would expect at all. Instead, this one is in the shape of a Pelican, only with black feathers and a boney massive beak with red glowing eyes. Salem just looked at the strange new Grimm, especially when more of them came out and flapping their wings.
"And these are?" Salem asked Sakura who giggled.
"They'll just be helping out with, hehe, distribution." With a simple command from Sakura, suddenly the Pelicans caws and then flies upward. Then quickly diving down and scooping up as much mud as their large beaks can carry and flew back up again. Only now, they had the mud in their beaks which they then carried out to the wider world out there.
"Oh." Salem gave a smile. "Now I see. That's a good idea." Having the Grimm travel beyond Fuyuki took time, be it by foot or air. It also didn't help that while more Grimm are being born here, it's rather slow and that the newly born Grimm are made in one location. However, those Pelicans can carry the mud, drop enough elsewhere and far from here, making an established Grimm pool that can slowly spawn more Grimm at a certain rate.
Just like the Grimmlands at home.
"Still, we might need more information in knowing our enemy." Salem then looks behind her with Sakura doing the same. "I'm sure our guests will be glad to explain." From the shadows itself, Beowolves and Beringel came in and walked towards their two Mistresses. With them and in their grasps, shivering magus who have been captured. Salem having decided the magus can be more useful to her alive than dead.
Granted, to ensure that nothing went wrong, Salem also made it so that these fine folk wouldn't plan anything funny. Those that had been captured, had a single Beetle Grimm near them. Their goop is already touching their victims' necks, and slowly sucking out their unique energy from them.
'Quite interesting, to see this world still has magic. Or magecraft I believe they call it.' There seemed to be differences between this magecraft and magic from back home. Not that it mattered to Salem unless this magecraft became a threat to her. As for the magus, they saw the human Grimm and the Servant and instantly realized they were in trouble. Salem spoke then and there.
"Hello there, magus as you call themselves." Salem stepped forward towards the captured, with Sakura staying behind to make more Pelican Grimm. Though also made some plushy Grimm for her own amusement, while also giving them sharp teeth. "I see you've all been behaving well."
"What do you want?" A young man then said, gritting his teeth. Though he wasn't foolish enough to talk back and knew his position here. Salem liked that.
"I'm just someone that wishes to understand how things work here." Salem answered honestly. The man just eyed her nervously, sensing the vast mana Salem emitted considering the fact that she couldn't exactly hide it.
"What are you?" The man asked.
"Something that isn't your concern." Salem told him. 'All you need to know is that you, and the rest with you, will give me what I desire. Failure to do so, and punishment will await."
"Like what?" Another man asked, more harshly and quite demanding.
"Allow me to show you." Without any hesitation, not even bothering to act cordial, Salem snapped her fingers. The Beringel that held the man grunted and then threw the magus into the air as the man screamed. Everyone then watched as the magus fell into the mud that surrounded the unborn being with a splash.
"Uaghhhaauihcaibqehaa!" A curdling shriek then came, everyone then seeing the magus bursting out of the mud. However, to their horror all they saw isn't a magus at all. Instead, just a near dead moving corpse with muscles being exposed, skin falling off, and his body looking half-melted. The man screamed in agony as he tried to escape the mud when in a cruel fate, being annoyed by those screams, Sakura gave a command to her plushy Grimm.
With playful sounds, the plushy Grimm bears, dogs, cats, and rabbits then jumped on the magus and began tearing out his vocal cords while pushing him into the mud. A few seconds later, the thrashing stopped, and everyone got the message.
"What do you want to know?" A woman then fearfully asks their new boss. The magus then realizing the plushy Grimm began to surround them along with the natural Grimm that had their eyes on them for any moves.
"I just need questions of this world answered." Salem then sweetly said while giving a glance at the Greater Grail behind her. She then had a Grimm come to her which then placed a certain item on her palm. It had been a weapon before, but now it was an unresponsive cube of sorts. "Like perhaps you know what this is." She then held up the Mystic Code Add towards them. The first of many questions that were to come.
With Assassin wondering if he could truly only do nothing but watch.
Nevermores and Ravagers flew across the sky. On the ground, Geist, having possessed ruined cars, rubble, and whatever else they could find, patrolled the streets along with other Grimm. The mighty Goliaths, as big or bigger than some buildings themselves, stomped through stores and crushed vehicles while looking out for anything suspicious.
"Yep. Those things will totally kill us if they find us." Shinji shivered as he saw the patrolling Grimm from behind a building while gulping. "What the hell, I thought Grimm just wandered without purpose and crap. Now this junk."
"Must be because of that new Servant." Rin answered as she poked her head out, noting how well coordinated these Grimm were. Also realizing they seemed very keen on blocking paths towards Ryuudou Temple itself. "It was quick, but she totally looked like the Grimm but in human form."
"Ah yes, Rider did mention that." El Melloi II nodded, using a mystic code to suppress their emotions, or at the least lessen them thanks to the calming effects of his cigars. "She stated during her time with Zouken, he wanted to capture a Grimm to use as a catalyst."
"That's unusual then." Illya responded with Shirou confused.
'What do you mean by that?"
"Because how can anybody be related to these things?" Illya told him with Shirou still not getting it. So Illya clarified further. "Basically put, Ozpin told you guys these things were made in America. Meaning they're new."
El Melloi II realized what Illya meant and gave Shirou an easily understandable answer. "In other words, those Demonic Beasts shouldn't really be capable of summoning anything aside from maybe certain Servants that share maybe certain attributes towards them. But this new Servant mentioned, you all state looks exactly like them."
"Maybe it's a coincidence." Gray suggested with El Melloi II frowning with Rin not buying it either.
"Perhaps." Rin reluctantly said. "But her ability to control them and her appearance is practically a red flag itself."
"Well, not like talking about her is going to help us." Shinji tells them all. "Let's just forget this speculation and move on already." A howl could be heard a distance away. "Because I'd rather not die out here from those things."
"Quit being a baby." Illya huffed. Thanks to El Melloi II masking our emotions a bit, and the illusionary spell we have no need to fear getting caught so soon." Shirou could agree with that.
'We're definitely more prepared this time around.' Everyone had their mana nice and full. The Servants are fully capable of releasing their Noble Phantasms if it came down to it. Even better, while progress is a bit slow, their walk towards the hidden passageway to the Greater Grail is going smoothly for the most part. Any Grimm that got near them, Musashi would deal with them while also making noise to cause the patrolling Grimm to check it out.
"How much longer towards the passageway Rin?" Still, Shirou wanted to get there quickly to stop this mess entirely.
"Not too long now." Rin told Shirou, though understood why he's rather impatient. "About maybe thirty more minutes until we get there. After that, good-bye creepy lady."
"Uh. And good-bye Holy Grail." So much for the omnipotent wish-granter. Shinji still desired the damn thing to a degree, though not as much since it's both cursed and is what's birthing those Grimm. At the very least, he had aura that made him a lot tougher. The ladies would certainly swoon over him punching down a door.
As Shinji fantasized, El Melloi II began making some mental simulations of what is to come. Eventually, he spoke to Rin saying, "How powerful is this new Servant you mentioned?" Because while ideally it would be great to enter the chamber of the Greater Grail and destroy it, the group also had to accept the possibility of facing the Servant or even Sakura. Maybe both in the worst case.
"Aside from the massive mana, not much else." Rin admitted the lack of knowledge. "I don't suppose Rider knows anything?"
"Just that she can manipulate Grimm and she's a Ruler Class Servant." Damn that Zouken. The only good thing is that it's unlikely she has the ability to command other Servants, since she was summoned rather improperly. "Still, she'll know our Servants names at the very least once she sees them."
"Not like it'll matter much." Illya confidently spoke. "After all, Berserker has few weaknesses."
"Yeah. I doubt Ruler has a poisonous shirt or whatever it was on her." Shirou read up on Heracles and understood what did the hero in according to legend, had been his wife Deianira unintentionally killing the poor dude because she thought Heracles might have loved someone else. The wikipedia described his awful death as exposing bones and burning up.
".." In Spiritual Form, a bit ahead of everyone Berserker then stood still having heard the talk. For a moment, Heracles' expression seemed to change from stoic to slight anger and pain. Even when under madness, some memories just wouldn't vanish. His agonizing death being one of them.
"At the very least, Lancer doesn't have any obvious weaknesses alongside Musashi and even Rider." Heck, Lancer is the Heracles version in Ireland what with all of his feats. Musashi is a very skilled swordsman, with Rider also being quite incredible herself. The only one who had a real weakness is Assassin, though that's limited to Musashi herself and she wasn't going to just betray him.
"I suppose if it comes down to it, most of the Servants can stall Ruler long enough for another, preferably Musashi or Lancer, to destroy the Greater Grail." El Melloi II then cursed a little, knowing that the other Lords and magus would gripe his ass after this. Even if the Greater Grail is cursed, its ability to summon Servants, make a wish, not to mention potentially reach the Root already tempted many to want it despite its cursed state. So, the second they destroyed it, chances are both he and Tohsaka will be blamed big time.
Gray stood by him and gave a comforting look towards him. Which he appreciated and made him smile a bit. Ah, what would he ever do without Gray? Even if she had a face he disliked, his trust in her is true and proud.
Such a thing would be needed though, trust in one another alongside courage. Especially when loud noises could be heard, and the humans looked up. Seeing many flying Grimm all leaving in countless directions all over that led away from Fuyuki itself. All of whom looked like Pelicans for some reason.
"Seems she's preparing." El Melloi II concluded. "We better pick up the pace." Everyone agreed with that and soon, all of them started to walk a bit faster. The sun was still rising yet it wasn't even close to twelve at all for at least another few hours. Plenty of time to see if their plan will either work or fail.
"There we go. That should do." Far away from the ones that could be considered heroes and even the villains, inside the ruined Matou home Ozpin found clothes and his own cane. Now well dressed and with his familiar weapon on him, Ozpin felt himself ready. Especially seeing as he now had so much knowledge of this world from the magecraft side of things to the location of the Greater Grail itself now thanks to Zouken snooping around.
Granted, Ozpin didn't have all of Zouken's memories. But enough that Ozpin could work with at the very least while ignoring the disturbing magecraft Zouken used nowadays and instead just focused on other things. Such as the Command Seals Ozpin had on his hand.
'These should be very useful if I use them right.' Ozpin thought, knowing these three Command Seals could change this battle to who could win. However, Ozpin only had three and there's no denying Salem won't be exactly pleased when she discovers she can be commanded. More so when she realizes just who is the one commanding her.
If she finds out, Ozpin will die. 'She's superior to me at this point. Even more so because of the earth's rules.' Ozpin now knew why his magic was more powerful here, alongside why some Grimm just seemed unusually strong. All because the earth's own laws of effects and rules were affecting him and everyone else that came here from Remnant. For Salem though, someone who lived through the extinction of humanity, the birth of the second and then more, the boost she got would be astronomical.
Even if Salem isn't the most powerful being on this planet, the raw energy she had would certainly put her as a contender for top ten. Managing to even defeat the King of Heroes himself, aided by the fact that he took too long to deal with Salem seriously near the end. But none of that is important right now. What is important is ensuring Salem couldn't use the Greater Grail for her own wicked deeds.
Because if she had her way with the Greater Grail, chances are she'd use it to kill herself while taking the world with her. Thankfully, she could only do that by killing the remaining Servants. Though if the Greater Grail is destroyed, that should end things as well.
With this in mind, Ozpin knew what he had to do.
'It's time to stop this madness.' With a leap Ozpin landed on the nearest rooftop of another house. Then, faster than any car began making way to the Greater Grail so that this world didn't suffer from Salem, the Grimm and everything else for much longer. That, he promises.
Oh my. It seems Sakura made a nasty plan to start implanting Grimm Pools farther away while Salem starts interrogating for more answers. However, everyone who wants her gone are coming for her now, and fully ready to face her. Ozpin is also on the way to, though that will be a double edge sword considering Salem will probably be more offensive when she sees him and learns that Ozpin is her Master.
Either way, let's see if they can survive.