NOTES

I recommend reading Berserk's Chapter 83 (also known as The Lost Chapter) if you haven't already. You will need some of the lore in there for this chapter's storyline and also appearances.

One of Griffith's appearance later on will be the same as the one he has in Chapter 83, be sure to keep his design in that in mind.


Tall stature, square-shaped glasses, stupidly long purple hair. I know her.

"Rider?"

I couldn't help but say it out loud.

How is she even here? At the very least, she seems much more tame than when in the Holy Grail War, so far that is.

That facade shattered in a matter of seconds as Medusa attempted to take a step forward, only for Griffith to put a hand up, stopping her. Even if I didn't know what was going on here, it would be incredibly suspicious.

Cypher then looked back and forth between the two of us, 'Mary' having gone completely silent.

"Rider? Huh?" He let out to me in confusion. "Well, I guess she is a rider, as in she's going to be riding one of these bicycles."

"No, I mean..." Come on, act natural! "Nevermind. Sorry, she just reminds me of someone."

"It's fine." He turned back, presenting the wine in his hands to her. "Look what I got you."

In a single second, she had already taken it out of his hands and into her own, gazing at it as if she were a child with candy. Her eyes shine.

"From 1966..." A wide smile grew on her face right, looking up at him after. She's a rather cold and unfeeling person from what I could tell during the war, it's a surprise that he got even that out of her. I guess that's his greatest ability. To charm all, no matter their age, their gender, their nationality.

Now that I think about it, it does make a little bit of sense these two are tangled with one and another, that is if this guy really is Satan. I'm not that religious, but if I recall correctly, it was said that he appeared before the first humans in the form of a snake. That's how he fooled them.

Snake man, meet snake lady.

Saint Griffith turned back, pointing. "That there is Shirou Emiya. He's a nice kid, let's have him join us for dinner tonight."

The moment she laid her eyes upon me once more, that smile was wiped off her face. She clearly remembers me, I think I'll be fine as long as Cypher is around though. He can't risk having his cover blown. Funny how whatever he has planned could all be ruined if she simply made a move.

To be the spider's captive.

"I won't object, however, we are a bicycle short."

"It's fine, I can walk over. It'll just be tiring at most."

"Will you be safe though?"

...What kind of question is that? Satan would be the last person I'd expect to ask me that. Not sure what's wrong with him. I know he's supposed to be a good guy on the outside, but even if the average joe were to look at me, that would be the last thing they'd think to ask me, let alone a high-ranking magus, most of whom are known for being dickheads. Besides, I feel fairly grown up. "I'm not a child, sir."

"Sorry. I tend to get overprotective at times."

"I need a bit of time to gather my items before I can come."

"Well, fine. I can access your data with my phone, I'll text you the address later."

Good thing he went with it.

I need time to re-gather my thoughts. Maybe I can get this to Tohsaka, even; after all, I couldn't ask for a better ally. She's experienced with dealing weird shenanigans like Holy Grail Wars... yet... no, I can't do that. I can't drag her foot into this mess.

I could only watch as Griffith and Medusa both got onto a bicycle each, strapping their helmets on.

"I'll see you later, Sherou. Stay safe."

He rang a bell on his bicycle. Ding dong.

They took off shortly after.

...

Sherou...

What a character this guy is. I can't understand him at all.

I'll have to put up with it.


Realm of Those From Beyond

"The Great Roar of the Astral World, some call it that, indeed... an ancient occurrence in this world that links the Reverse Side of the World with the physical one. What do you wish to know about it?"

Not gonna question the Reverse Side of the World thing, all that matters is that clearly it's the place all those fantasy creatures came from.

"Did he have a hand in it?" I ask, "It's just too much of a coincidence. The kingdom of Falconia came around not too long after it happened, it was also the sole safe zone during those times."

"Far more than a hand, no, it was all his doing. The Sun and its goddess die five times, giving birth to the concept of desire itself. An enemy of Causality attempted to assassinate the Fifth Angel, only to be countered, his attack opening the gates."

"...Who was this enemy?"

"His identity, important to you, it is not."


Later, at night...

As the day closes, the great morningstar's light dims...

Residence of "Louis Cypher"

That was a tiring walk.

I stop at his door, taking in a deep breath.

Knock knock.

I feel as if he already knows. He knows that I'm tangled up with those demons. This whole thing has a horrible stench, the stench of a long rivalry, not just something that's been happening for a short time.

The door opened at last. Griffith had donned a much more casual white tunic, a belt over it. The sleeves were rolled up to his elbows.

"Hey, Shirou! I was getting worried, the sky's already dark! Where have you been?! Are you alright?!"

He immediately reached over to my face, planting both his hands on my cheeks as he looked for injuries around my body.

"I'm... fine, sir."

It was impossible for me to not blush. For a person who's supposed to be an experienced magus, his hands were unlike those of an experienced magus who has spent years perfecting their craft. They were soft, as if I were placed between two cushions.

Sadly, the feeling didn't last. He took them off after I said that.

A sigh of relief was released. "That's... great. Sorry, heh. I got worried. Em..." He turned around, looking inside. "I have a few guests over. Is that fine with you?"

Uh oh.

"How many?"

"Let me count." He said with his head still turned. "There's er... around four, excluding me. All good?"

"Yeah, do you have enough space?"

"Are you serious?! Even if there's no space, I'll make some for you! Come on in!"

He stepped to the side, clearing the entrance. I walked in shortly after. For an apartment, it was incredibly large, yet, it was also dimly lit. A few lights here and there, not too much, not too little. Gave off an incredible feeling. Makes me feel cozy, even though it's literally Satan who was welcoming me.

Not too far away from the entrance, to my right, there was a large area for sitting. Littered with fancy looking couches and also a glossy harp, but what caught my eye was the area to its left. A whole bunch of people were seated, all dressed casually. Four people, just as described, all conversing with each other.

I felt Griffith's hand be placed on my left shoulder.

"Hey, hey, hey, everyone! This here is the student I was talking about, Shirou Emiya."

The conversation had been broken up, all the people at the table having their eyes now fixed on me. But...

...

I recognize almost all of those faces beyond Rider. One of those faces was...

Light blue hair, elongated ears.

Caster.

...

A single tear of sweat runs down my face, but to add fuel to fire, I noticed another familiar face. Blonde hair that was made into a bun at the back, that face structure...

That's...

I can't blurt it out like I did with Rider, but I know it.

Saber...

She looks different. Her eye color now yellow, her skin color as pale as a corpse's, and more noticeably, a much more gothic dress.

The last, I don't know who she is. She was as pale as Saber, her hair ash white. A jacket with a fur collar and a neat dress underneath accompanied her.

What the hell? Is Griffith doing this on purpose? Caster, Rider, Saber. Three of those faces I recognize in this group. Those were the most notable. All of them were major threats in the Fifth Holy Grail War. With all their differing hair colors and the inclusion of those three, I quickly realize that none of these people are living.

They're all Servants. They're all Servants under his control.

Is this some sort of intimidation tactic? Because it's sure as hell working.

I'm cornered. There's nowhere for me to go. They're all staring daggers at me.

My body trembling, I slowly raise my right hand. "...Hi."

No answer except from the one with the fur jacket. "Hey there."

"Ah, Jeannette, thank you for your manners. I always knew I could rely on you."

"Heh." Jeannette's face curled into a smile. The sense of approval must have made her feel good.

"Please, have a seat, Sherou. I'll get to cooking now."

The seats there were arranged in such a way that two side of the table had three seats each.

Two free seats, one placed in-between this new Artoria and the lady with the fur jacket, the other placed next to Rider. I can live with sitting next to Rider because the space to my left would be empty at least. Sitting in-between those two would only make me feel more trapped.

I hate to say this, but clearly, Saber's all aware of this too. She's going with it. No objections, nothing, at least that's what it looks like. Maybe she's making it seem like so she's working with him, and then she's gonna turn on him and save me, that is if reality decides to favor me today. Even so, I wouldn't count on it.

...Great.

It was a bit awkward, but I had to pull through. Walking over, I took my seat next to Rider.

"I'll be back as fast as I can. Next up, steak with a side of vegetables and mashed potatoes." With a wink, he took off into the kitchen.

Since he's acting normal for the time being, I wanted to join in with the cooking, sharpen my cooking skills, but oh well. Doesn't seem like there's a way to get back there, looks like he's an independent cooker.

"You know, Mr. Cypher there talks a lot about you." Spoke Jeannette.

"Negatively or positively?"

"Positively."

"That's... nice."

"Obviously, it is." She rolled her eyes. "He just won't shut up about you."

"Huh. I don't know what else to say."

"If I were your age and I got told that, I wouldn't have any words either. Understandable."

"Hmm..." Medea leaned forward by just a bit, looking past Rider as she put her hands together, clasping her fingers. "Mr. Emiya, you seem a bit familiar. Have we met somewhere before?"

"...No. I don't think so."


Later...

"Enjoy." He let out, as he set a decent looking meal in front of me. Looked a little burnt. I can live with it.

I was the last to be serviced. Strangely...

He started to walk away from the table.

"Oi, Lucy Lucy!" Jeannette yelled out to him. "Where are you going? I saved a seat for you even!"

Lucy... Lucifer. This Jeannette isn't very good at keeping secrets...

Or maybe she did it on purpose?

"Sorry, I don't feel very hungry tonight. Instead, I'll play some music for you all."

"Ooh, Emiya, here's the good part!" She said to me with glee,

"What?"

"Lucy Goosey is quite good at playing the harp, listen well. This is a night you're going to be remembering for the rest of your life."

Good at playing the harp...

That's just stacking more and more evidence on top of the mountain. Angel of music.

"I must admit, I've heard him play a few times." Artoria commented. "To say it is exceptional is an understatement."

If a king used to extra-luxurious stuff throughout her life likes it, then it better be something good.

...

...

A soothing sound comes in contact with my ears.

Yet another comes.

And another.

And another.

So soothing, so incredibly calming. The simple gesture of Griffith pulling on the strings of the golden harp near the couches makes me feel like I'm in heaven. I feel like I'm in I'm losing my mind to it, it feels as if I'm being brainwashed. The master of music itself, that is his art.

In an instant, I had forgotten who it was that was laying his hands upon the harp, who I'm currently near.


Later...

After a fine dinner...

That was incredible.

The music, the atmosphere, the food, I had lost track of my position in reality. That's how efficient it was. With that said, his cooking skills were above average. Reckon I could do better. Really, the harp made most of the scene.

"Whew, that was tiring." Cypher walked back to the table, dropping down onto the free seat between Jeanette and Artoria. "I hope you had a fun time, everyone, Emiya."

"That was amazing, sir."

A wide smile came to Cypher's face. It felt oddly malicious. "Really? You seem to have had a lot of fun. I hope I was able to win your heart over."

...And that dragged me down from the Garden of Eden to the Earth. That can't be good.

"I guess you did, yeah... you can say that. I've got to go, though, it's getting really dark. I gotta catch up for tomorrow."

"There's no need to make haste. I'll pardon you for tomorrow as well if you'd like."

"Nonono, I can't miss out on my studies." I quickly stood up from my spot.

"Stay."

With that single word, the atmosphere changed. Not physically, but mentally. The dimly lit atmosphere had turned from a dream straight into a nightmare.

Jeannette let out a deep sigh. "I guess that's the ceremony. Good while it lasted."

Silence filled the room.

...

...

...

It was a trap. It was all a trap. I shout once more. "Trace—!"

Right before I could project anything, I felt stinging pain from both sides of my right hand.

A corrupted Excalibur had stabbed through my right hand from the other side of the table. It happened so quick, the pain was collecting up.

"AHHhHhHhHHHHhH—!"

Artoria pushed down on the weapon, pinning my hand to the table. It silenced my screams.

None cared. None looked. Medea, Medusa, Jeannette, all of them looked straight forward, not a single care in the world. This was really a weird situation, it was like a dream.

"Well done, Arthur. You were the first to react. I applaud you." Griffith stood back up, expressionless. "Please, Shirou, I only want to speak." He spoke to me as he slowly made his way around the table, eventually stopping at a point not too far away. "I am well aware of your involvement with the God Hand."

"Wha... what do you want from me...?!" I had barely managed to get to him through the pain.

"It's simple. You will stop working with the God Hand. Throw the Behelit into the bottom of a lake. The God Hand do not have control over you, as much as they like to manipulate you into believing you so. They are only masters of the Reverse Side of the World. You will be in no danger if you deny them."

"You think... you think I'll accept that easily? I know who you are...! You're—"

"Satan? Is that what you want to say? Yes, I am, and I'll admit to that proudly." He defended, "You humans are rather ungrateful. Never forget that by doing what I did during my first life, I granted you all free will. The ability to commit both good and evil. That is the greatest gift, and you should thank me for it."

What the hell is this guy even saying? He's so caught up in his illusory daydream that he's actually buying the words he says.

"However, I know of your resolve. You're not one to stop chasing me all because I told you a few things, hence, I shall reveal my true form to you."

With a light smile, the area started to light up before darkening by just a bit, allowing me to see him, the real him, now without any clothing.

Four pairs of angelic wings had sprouted from his back. Eight in total. Other than that, there were also two nails that had been stabbed into each of his wrists. A crown of thorns caused blood to run down his forehead. Just as the holy messiah is usually portrayed.

Most interestingly, he was shattering into pieces and then reassembling at other places. You could tell he was somehow incomplete. Cracks would appear in his face, his hair, his body, there was no jurisdiction for any part of his body. At times, his arms were disconnected from his shoulders, floating freely. At times, his thighs were disconnected from his legs, at times, his waist from the rest of his torso, and so on. At no point was his body actually complete. Thankfully, this incomplete nature of his was what spared me from looking at his indecent parts. I couldn't, simply because there was no groin on him.

"The Four Archangels, the Four Kings of the World, each being the ruler of a single cardinal point. Michael, Gabriel, Raphael, Uriel. I robbed them of their powers, however, in doing so, I fell from the God Hand thanks to my divine state of being. I am quite literally an angel."

Four angels, eight wings. One pair for each angel he stole power from. That makes sense.

"Why do you think I deceive? I am no liar; I truly bring with me light. I represent all things pure in this world. Earthly vessel, know my name, I am the Idea of Benevolence."

The Idea of Benevolence

All the World's Purity

"Gh-!"

"I am the concept of benevolence itself personified. From things as petty as helping someone back up after they fell down, to things as grand as saving humanity. I represent all these things, there is no exception, but I shall simplify it for you. In other words..." That light smile disappeared. "You are siding with the God Hand, their master being the Idea of Evil. To kill me would be to destroy mankind's only chance at world peace, a chance at a brighter future."

That is when I lost all hope. If that is really true then what can I do? I don't want that, I want the exact complete opposite of that. But, then...

I smirked. "Yet, you're working hand to hand with people as rotten as Caster here."

"It's more like she's... working with me. Working with me for a better future. Arthur, why have you allied yourself with me?"

"Promises of a grand peaceful kingdom, unable to be penetrated by any enemy."

"Joan, why have you allied yourself with me?"

Not Jeannette?

Jeanne. Joan.

Huh... Jeanne d'Arc?

"I know I can put my trust in you. I've known you for a long time."

Jeanne d'Arc and Griffith were major figures during the Hundred Years' War. It only makes sense he'd want someone he knew, yet, she feels a bit off...

"Medusa, oh dear Medusa, you've had quite an unfortunate life... why are you here?"

"Friendship. That is all."

"You as well, Medea. To be called a witch and berated for it for no apparent reason... all this misery for no reason. Why are you following a 'demon' like me?"

Caster stood up, turning around to face me with a clearly angered expression.

Uh oh.

I can already tell that she is PISSED, given that she bothered standing up and looking at me.

"When you and that Archer Class Servant killed Soichirou, admittedly, I had spiraled into depression. Horrible feelings, horrible thoughts. Griffith has filled the hole that you had made in my heart."

So she does remember...

"That is my true beauty. I bend to the masses' desires and grant them. These people you see follow me for a reason, and that is because I have or will fulfil their desires, whether it be material possessions or something as simple as friendship." Griffith then bent forwards, putting his hand out. "Isn't this what you wanted? To be an ally of justice? I am purity itself. By joining me, you will be fighting for the sake of all those who have been treated unjustly. I have granted their desires, now let me grant yours."