Author's Note: When I first started writing, I wanted to make a chapter about Bruce chasing the creature hiding in the forest.

But things have taken a different turn. I tried to change my writing style for this chapter, focusing on what one of the protagonists is feeling and thinking.

Tell me if you liked it and if I need to add more segments of this type.

PS. Remember to leave comments, reviews or add this story to your favourites/follows.

XXX

Story Arc: Welcome to Wartwood

Intermezzo: Bruce's Room and Foundry

Synopsis: Before the Hunt has begun. Bruce takes a moment to try and sort out some of his personal issues.

Then he takes refuge in his little Batcave to gather everything he needs for his Night Hunt.

XXX

POV Bruce Bahamut Belmont

I was able to successfully renovate the basement, allowing Anne and Marcy to have a comfortable place to sleep, rest and do their girly thing.

If they don't do any crazy stunts, the furniture should last for several weeks or even months.

With Marcanne safe for now and not needing my assistance/monitoring, I can focus on more pressing matters.

I had been a little hesitant to invoke, MY ROOM, in this world of anthropomorphic frogs.

If anyone from the Boiling Isles or Earth would have been inside the room when you invoked them, they would have been stuck with Marcanne and me in this strange world.

As nice as it would be to have Eda or Lilith near me, being stranded in an alien realm again is an experience that is not to be repeated over and over again.

Plus my mind can't help but think of Camila. With me, Luz, Amity, Miyu, Chloe and Illya stuck here, her heart might stop beating from worry and stress.

Camila needs the support and presence of the Clawthorne Sisters to function properly in stressful situations.

The only good thing about this situation for Camila would be a chance to end her love triangle with Eda and Lilith.

Returning to personal matters, I was a novice at the idea of invoking MY ROOM.

But if I think about it, the chances that someone is inside, MY ROOM, are almost zero.

No one but me knows the thirteen-digit access codes and above all I'm the only person who holds an access card synchronized with the door system.

When I touch the handle of MY Room ...

"Isn't it a pain in the ass to waste so much time opening a door?

Aren't you exaggerating about security a bit?" Anne comments, looking at me like I'm a security freak.

This is such a stupid question that I won't lose answering.

If Anne knew how dangerous the Earth really is, she would understand that there are few truly safe places in the world.

I'm not exaggerating, I just prepared myself to face the worst of the worst.

Maybe my worst only happen in doomsday scenarios, but when it does, everyone is alive, well and safe thanks you have my preparations!

I admit to wasting a lot of time going through all the security levels. But for me it's all a small price to pay to be able to lie down peacefully in good company or even take a short nap.

Before I go in, I have to deal with Altera. If I don't give him a task to keep her busy and he will chase me into MY ROOM.

"Alter you must guard the entrance to MY ROOM. Tell Jack to take care of the outside of the house.

You both have permission to cut off the heads of anyone who dares to disturb me.

Except for Anne and Marcy, if they make a mess, just slap or punch." I communicate my will to Altera.

Knowing her he will protect this door with his life. I can enter MY ROOM without any worries.

Altera is one of the most powerful Saber Class Servants, it takes an entity comparable to Karna, Arjuna or Gilgamesh to defeat them individually.

Having nothing else to say to Altera or Marcanne.

I turn the handle and enter MY ROOM, closing the door behind me so quickly that no one can get a glimpse inside.

XXX

POV Narrator

Bruce's room is large, with a total area nearly three times that of a normal room.

Some might say that a rich man wanted more space for himself, so he bought nearby apartments and had the walls torn down.

As if that weren't enough, the room is divided into two levels, connected by an obsidian-colored spiral staircase.

The second level has a walkway which is bordered by a straight metal railing, filled with padlocks of all shapes and colors.

Just like the Pont des Arts aka Padlock Bridge in Paris.

Someone surely said they have stadiums smaller than this room

The second floor is full of wall bookcases, made up of obsidian which contain a lot of books and models of every possible kind.

Instead of being flat, the ceiling is built to resemble a dome, with a small, flat center.

The floor is covered with carpets of all shapes, sizes and colors. Forming a kind of chaotic mosaic or puzzle.

All the walls except the wall on the right, which has remained completely white, are painted lilac, with the occasion rune painted on the wall.

The fanciful ceiling is painted sky blue, covered in designs resembling birds of every possible breed, as if a mass migration were underway.

In the room there are many other interesting furniture and objects that will be explored later.

XXX

POV Bruce Bahamut Belmont

For a moment I stand near the entrance, my back pressed against the metal door.

Not even five seconds have passed since I ordered Altera to guard the entrance to this room and I'm already experiencing a feeling of regret.

If we were in a more favorable and peaceful situation, I would have no problem being alone with Attila in this room.

I don't like being touched by people. People quickly learned not to invade my personal space if they don't want to earn bruises or get a nasty shock.

In the entire world there are less than fifty people who are allowed to hug me or invade my personal space (to a certain extent) without fear of getting nasty responses from me.

Even fewer are people whose presence brings me great comfort or I passively/actively seek their touch.

Altera is one of the very few people in the world who crave their affection to some extent.

The idea of cuddling up in a bed with Altera, sensing her body heat and distinctive scent, hearing her breath and the sound of her heart…is far too tempting.

I am completely sure that Altera thinks the same as I do.

This is my personal problem, the physical closeness that I can't reciprocate... for the moment.

First off, Altera and I are pretty similar in terms of our basic personalities or natures.

This should be clear enough. When performing the ritual to summon a Servant to participate in the Holy Grail War of the Boiling Isles, I received Altera among all Heroic Spirits in existence.

We are both people who hold feelings inside and find it difficult to express them.

For us, feelings are complicated and we prefer to focus on what we are good at.

When it comes to love, she and I are satisfied with simplicity, if we stay close and know that we love each other, we can do without extravagant stuff.

A thick evening in a quiet and private place, reading a book together is enough to make each other happy.

But every now and then one of us wants more than just cuddles, shared time, or dates.

Altera hasn't seen me for nearly two weeks, having been out of the picture in the form of Class Cards.

Because of Adeline's discovery, the family vacation with a little romance has become an activity focused on getting to know my twin sister better.

So I unintentionally overlooked Altera, Tamamo, and Nero. We interacted as usual, but I was more focused on Adeline than enjoying the three of them.

In short, Altera and I due to circumstances have not made love for almost three weeks.

Neither Altera nor I are people with strong libidos.

But I'm sure, if we lock ourselves in a room alone and start physically expressing our affection, I won't stop at mere hugs and kisses...

This is my problem.

At the moment I can't do anything sexual with Altera or another girl.

Technically I can do it, I'm know and I can entertain a woman for the night.

But the whole act will lead to a physical and emotional closeness that will undermine my illusion.

If I make love to Altera, one way or another they'll find out about my ruined state.

"I need to clear my mind of all these minor issues and focus on what's important. Maybe a warm bath will help me unwind." I murmur softly to myself, hearing my own voice helps me think.

If that habit doesn't help, warming up in a hot tub has always worked wonders.

XXX

POV Narrator

Bruce has finally stopped standing in front of goal and thinking about his personal problems.

Going to the left wall, past his queen waterbed and black leather sofa.

Bruce stops in front of a white door, painted with pink cherry blossom petals.

Before entering his personal bathroom, Bruce takes off his crimson coat, Sanguinis.

"I'm going to take a bath, stay here and be good, Sanguinis." Bruce said, as if he were talking to some kind of pet.

Without saying anything else, Sanguinis is placed on top of a coat rack that looks like a smaller sized Tesla coil.

XXX

The bathroom just like the rest of the room is large and spacious, although it could be considered more extravagant than the rest of the room.

Due to the presence of two rather vivacious Servants, Tamamo-no-Mae and Nero Claudius Caesar Augustus Germanicus, both with certain preferences when it comes to bathrooms forced Bruce to renovate the bathroom.

Now Bruce's personal bathroom can be compared to a small bathhouse, classifiable as a Sentō/Onsen.

Bruce having a lot on his mind and not having to worry about worrying anyone.

Simple, he takes off his clothes, rather he rips off his clothes and drops what remains on the floor.

As the mass of rags fell to the floor, they began to scatter into specks of golden dust.

The only two pieces of clothing left on his body are the black eyepatch that covers his left eye and the multifunctional superhero belt.

Before soaking in the hot tub, Bruce stops to look in the mirror.

At first glance, Bruce looks like a very cute androgynous boy with elf ears.

The black bandage that covers the left eye according to taste can be considered a defect or an advantage.

"It makes no sense to hide here too, when no one sees me." Bruce mumbles, in a depressing tone, running a hand through his hair.

The White-Haired Warlock has always had a problem with his physical appearance, especially when it comes to inhuman areas of his body.

Bruce snapped his fingers, as a result of this gesture a kind of golden haze (illusion) dispersed from his body, showing his true appearance.

Bruce's skin when posing as a normal human looks pale as milk.

When they are on the Boiling Isles and he stops disguising his skin turns pale to the level of an albino or Eda Clawthorne.

Now Bruce's skin has gained a gray tone that makes him look like a corpse.

His good eye has changed slightly.

The color remained the same, but the pupil became thin and straight as if it belonged to a reptile

Her snow-white hair is now a gray-beige shade, with some almost imperceptible tufts of lilac.

In some ways Bruce looks like a kind of cousin of the Little Sisters of Rapture, the cursed city under the ocean.

The changes didn't end there, there are three changes that are impossible to hide.

First of all, on the center of Bruce's chest, fused into his flesh, is a large purple-black crystal.

Starting from the crystal there are some sort of bright segments like scars or cracks that scatter around Bruce's chest.

Second change, a sort of protrusion made from a mix of stone, bone and metal, is emerging from Bruce's shoulder.

Bruce's third and final upgrade, his left and right arms have been replaced by crude wooden prosthetics, created through druid and runic magic.

[Author's Note: If anyone mentions the lack of raven armor. I decided to do without that part.

Later I will have to update chapter two, removing some parts that will no longer be essential to the progress of the story.]

XXX

POV Bruce Bahamut Belmont

I was alone for a few seconds staring at my reflection, hoping that since last night my looks could have improved.

"Lucky enough to cheat death. But not lucky enough to get out without collateral damage." I murmur in a low voice, touching the exact point of the shoulder where my flesh ends and the wood of the prosthesis begins.

Feeling a visceral feeling of despondency, I turn away from seeing my reflection anymore.

If I keep staring at myself I won't solve anything, my appearance won't magically change... the illusions obviously don't count.

Probably if I keep staring at my reflection, I'll gain a mad urge to break the mirror, I'm not that dramatic or furious to make such an extreme gesture, just to never see my condition again.

Walking next to the tub, he sits on my bite, submerging only my legs.

My right leg can perceive the heat of the water, the wooden leg does not allow me to feel anything. Definitely not the best prosthesis I've created in my life.

At the moment I can connect with war veterans. People who have managed to survive hell, only to lose a part of themselves and/or end up maimed.

"Woz, next time I see you, there's a good chance it will end in spilled blood." These words come out of my mouth before I know it.

"This was missing from my long list of problems, to start with harboring an unreasonable grudge against Woz, my staunchest supporter." I mumble softly, touching my forehead, trying to suppress my growing frustration.

Before I know it, I slam my right fist hard into the floor, sending most of the marble slabs flying.

"I'm acting childish, look at me I'm the sorcerer who defeated Black Susanno, the God of Destruction. Instead of acting like one, I'm throwing a tantrum like a small child.

Just because my "medicine" has made me uglier and I irrationally fear reactions from girls!" I said to myself, before stepping into the hot water, hoping it would help calm my restless temper.

"I have to be fair, I can't blame anyone else but myself for how I ended up." He continues to voice my thoughts aloud as I reach behind me.

By tapping the right portion of the wall, I open a small secret compartment in the wall, which contains a mini-fridge.

"Meeting Adeline, mingling with Marcanne and Sasha, made me let my guard down.

Bowing to the requests of Luz, Eda and Camila, I went into unfamiliar territory, without an adequate arsenal or a refuge that would offer me a strategic advantage

So when Gemini appeared, I was at a big disadvantage. If I had been more vigilant and not listened to the mothers' calls for disarmament ... "

A weary sigh escaped my mouth, ending my little speech.

Why am I wasting my time and energy thinking about all these "What If...?" they are of no use to me.

Pulling a buoyant plate and a slice of chocolate cake out of the refrigerator. Glucose is an excellent fuel for the brain.

Here are the facts, my fight with Gemini ended in a draw, both of us came out of our fight almost dead.

If it wasn't for Woz's intervention, I'd be more like a mummy or a corpse right now, completely helpless, having to stand for months or even years to fully recover."

I slowly touch the deep purple crystal in my chest, feeling something from it, a kind of rejuvenating energy.

" Thanks to this unknown element and the fossilized wing, my body was able to put itself back together in record time.

I'm not fully healed, but I can manage on my own.

Some cosmetic change deserves such a miraculous cure, especially when once healed I will be more powerful than before." He said aloud, trying to convince me that everything is going well.

It didn't work, my brain and heart are at odds over the last part.

'Altera, Tamamo and Nero have stood by my side through three conflicts centered around the Holy Grail and other cataclysmic events.

They accepted me without moments when I had a demon arm and other more drastic problems.

So why should they reject me now that I have a mysterious crystal embedded in my chest and have lost some body parts?'

My brain can come up with logic as tough as vibranium, too bad my heart contains a doubt.

'Nothing is impossible. The husks are small, but not non-existent. Perhaps nothing will happen, perhaps there will be a difficult time between you, or they may go mad with worry.'

My heart exposes possibilities that lightens me and weighs my spirit down at the same time.

There is a possible 1% that girls reject me, worst case scenario.

There is about a 30% chance that they accept what happened and everything continues as usual, best case scenario.

Finally, the rest of the 69% that girls can worry to death about me and do some unreasonable actions or force me to change plans. This is an unpleasant scenario.

"Best to keep this under wraps until I have a clearer idea of what's going on with my body.

Maybe towards the end of the process, I'll look nicer, a new tattoo and a pair of wings isn't a big change." I mumble, placing my right hand under the thought, finding this option appealing for multiple reasons.

The Bishōnen Line tropes might apply to my situation.

To quote Karn from Adventurers: Actually, leading powerfologists theorize that as you get more powerful, you get more monstrous, and then suddenly you become humanoid again. They call it the Bishonen Line."

Finishing reciting this sentence read on the internet. I decide to emerge to the bottom of the tub, I close my eyes and empty my mind.

XXX

After twenty five minutes.

Bruce is back in his large bedroom, still wearing his superhero utility belt and black eyepatch. But he is also wearing a white bathrobe.

The water present on his body is slowly evaporating, as if Bruce's body maybe a lit furnace.

" A hot bath is just what I needed." Bruce said, walking over to his queen waterbed.

As if he were a small child, Bruce jumps onto his back on the mattress, remaining still like a corpse for five minutes.

" A long, hot bath and a brief moment of inactivity make you feel like new." Bruce said, reaching out to grab the lilac pillow that sits in the center of the bed.

" Half an hour of relaxation alone is enough for the whole week. The monster of the forest not real caught alone!" Bruce exclaims, putting his hand inside and pulling out a thin envelope and a futuristic looking device.

When the white-haired sorcerer lifts the envelope from it three photographs slide out and fall to the floor.

The first photograph, which appears to have been taken during a school event, shows Luz Noceda and Amelia Blight.

Both girls are dressed in beautiful ball gowns.

In the background, Amelia's cousin Amity can be seen working up the courage to ask Luz to dance with her.

The second photograph was taken during a short vacation on Corbubu Beach in Romani, shortly after the events of the Apocryphal Holy Grail War.

The photograph shows Altera, Tamamo and Nero, all three smiling and dressed in bathing suits that highlight their attributes.

The third and final photograph is much more orthodox. The image shows Bruce himself, surrounded by the seven witches who make up the Trinity Seven: Lilith Asami, Arin, Mira, Akio, Levi, Yui and Lieselotte.

The whole group is wearing school uniforms and they seem to want to visit the Great Clock of Westminster, known far and wide by its nickname of Big Ben.

"Girls..." Bruce murmurs, recounting the photographs, unable to help but stare at the image of the girls and experience a mix of feelings that are difficult to describe.

"I promise on my honor to Belmont and Bahamut that we will be together again soon and that I will kill Gemini with my own hands for having drawn you into this quarrel." I promise Bruce, never having spoken more seriously in my life than he did.

Gently placing the photographs in the envelope and placing it under the kitchenette.

The white-haired sorcerer turns his attention to the device resembling a black magnetic card/SD-Card with a white base with a black front flip-screen with a white print with the depiction of a flower and a name: White Rose.

If someone from a certain parallel/futuristic world saw this device they could swear it was some kind of replica of a Kamen Rider Zero-One Progrisekeys.

'To this day he asks me why Woz jumped for joy when he saw the shape of this multifunctional high-tech passkey?' Thinks Bruce, walking in the direction of the white painted wall.

' When I was working on creating the design of a device capable of acting as access key and storage systems.

I had a strange dream of a terrible comedian and his android secretary fighting mechanical monsters.

To defeat the Kaijin, the comedian uses a transformation belt cast from a set of devices with this precise appearance.' Bruce thinks, completely unaware for the moment that some of his strange dreams aren't simply the figment of his imaginations of him.

Standing in front of the white wall, momentarily devoid of decoration or a drop of paint.

Bruce points the D-Key, White Rose, at a separate section of the wall, pressing a small button on the gadget.

WHITE ROSE!

The D-Key utters its name in an artificial voice that sounds very similar to Altera, only more childlike and joyful.

The white wall section splits in two, showing a hidden corridor that leads somewhere.

"No self-respecting hunter goes hunting without proper equipment." Bruce said, turning in the opposite direction, extending his right hand in the direction of his crimson coat.

" Sanguinis, come with me, before starting this night work, let you eat." Bruce said, moving his forefinger back and forth as a sign of coming in his direction.

In less than a second, the crimson coat, Sanguinis, begins to move as if possessed by some kind of guardian spirit.

The coat leaps from the whimsical coat rack, landing on the waterbed, using it as a springboard.

Sanguinis flies across the room, eventually landing on Bruce's arm.

The sleeves and laces of Sanguinis move by themselves, ending up placing themselves on Bruce's shoulders, as if it were a cloak.

Sanguinis didn't stop acting, around the neck the fabric changed shape, creating eye-shaped designs and the zipper turns into a row of metal teeth.

The hinges made of metal tusks have "bitten" the white bathrobe, a miserable "usurper" of wool.

Once the "rival" was devoured, Sanguinis released hundreds of black-red threads, creating a Batman pajama suit in seconds.

" There is a reason why here you are my favorite piece of clothing, I never get tired of surprising me." Bruce said, stroking Sanguinis' collar…the crimson coat that clearly is the result of a long series of scientific and magical experiments.

Bruce feeling comfortable in his new pajamas, grabs the D-Key White Rose, crosses the corridor, going to his destination.

XXX

A short story about MY ROOM and its evolutionary path.

At the beginning Bruce used MY ROOM, a camera capable of following him wherever he goes, not like a small mobile home, capable of making his travels easier and happier.

Instead he used MY ROOM as a glorified warehouse/workshop to hold food supplies, ammunition reserves, building materials and various spare parts.

But over time Luz, Eda and the other women in Bruce's life began to convince him to make My Room something more livable.

The requests have become more serious

when Eda and Lilith Clawthorne realized that Bruce really doesn't have his own room.

The White-Haired Sorcerer much prefers to keep the essentials in Sanguinis' pockets and spend the night in his hidden laboratories, creating beings as unique as Sanguinis is.

After several reproaches and pressures that only a woman is capable of doing.

Bruce dispensed with his personal warehouse of war goods and began to make MY ROOM his private space and treat it accordingly.

Luz, Eda, Lilith, with the support of seven human witches, three Heroic Spirits and some inhabitants of the Boiling Isles, have prevented making MY ROOM, yet another laboratory and/or secret hiding place.

If that wasn't enough, Eda and Lilith in a moment of maternal cooperation imposed rules on Bruce.

When things are quiet, Bruce must spend at least four hours in his room, away from any investigative/paranormal/magical/scientific work.

Bruce having his problems with insomnia and a kind of addiction to work tirelessly have his number of projects, I find it very difficult to spend several hours without doing anything important.

So while work of any kind was forbidden in MY ROOM, Bruce decided to focus that time on building/strengthening ties with the Servants, the Trinity Seven and other female acquaintances.

Activities wrapped up were like a movie night, playing role-playing games, a video game tournament, a comparison of their research on magic, etc.

Other times, especially when a single woman came… becoming more intimate and carnal.

After a while the girls in Bruce's life started bringing souvenirs, stuffing some of their clothes into Bruce's closet, making some minor renovation requests etc.

In that quiet period, when almost every evening one or more girls came to keep Bruce company, bringing with them a trinket or complaining of lack of space.

Bruce decided to take advantage of the girls' complaints and renovate MY ROOM, using a mix of magic and science to make it bigger.

With this cover excuse, Bruce created the colossus of rooms, with two floors, a spa and all sorts of "little" surprises for the girls.

The Warlock didn't just play jack of all trades for the sake of his witches and magical entities.

I set up all sorts of secret compartments in the walls, then slowly at random intervals, smuggling "forbidden items" from his workshops to MY ROOM.

Slowly Bruce managed to fill the walls, floor and ceiling with weapons and enough materials to build a Mecha Magitek.

Once the space ran out, Bruce decided to extend the MY ROOM space once again, but this time he would do it in secret and for scientific purposes.

So a secret passage is built which leads to the dark area of MY ROOM, the Foundry.

XXX

The white-haired sorcerer and his unique pet have arrived in the secret area of MY ROOM, baptized by Bruce as Foundry.

The place looks like a mix of the Arrowcave, the Bat-Cave and some sort of mad scientist lab.

The place has the same dimensions as the bright area of MY ROOM, even if it seems not to be completed yet.

The floor, walls and ceiling are made of silver colored metal, their appearance is not refined and smooth, but rather rough and warlike.

The place is dim, having only one set of eight phosphorescent purple spotlights to illuminate the area.

The place is littered with metal boxes shaped like dice, wooden trunks of all sizes.

In a secluded spot to the right of the chamber are a number of machines and tools, for making arrows, projectiles and swords.

Alongside is a system of equipment for compounding and mixing chemical ingredients, along with simple training materials and exercises.

In one corner of the Foundry is a stretcher, defibrillator, first aid equipment, medications, and a variety of herbs.

In this secret base under construction, there are only four seriously completed sections.

Number one, an L-shaped glass desk with five schematics on it, flanked by a bookshelf crammed with metal briefcases, futuristic chips, D-Keys, and other Cyberpunk-esque gadgets.

Number two, a futuristic command table that looks like it belongs on a spaceship.

Number three, a glass elevator, located deep inside the Foundry.

Surely it leads to a lower floor filled with tall boxes with "contraband goods".

Number four, the arsenal area. Built against the wall are several glass panels containing gadgets and weapons.

A Magitek-looking sword is stored in a specific glass container.

The centerpiece of this arsenal is paramilitary clothing, displayed on a mannequin in a glass panel.

From all this we can understand one thing, Bruce is a huge fan of Batman. This is little, but sure.

"The best act of teenage rebellion I've ever done in my life." Bruce murmurs, placing the White Rose D-Key on top of the futuristic control panel.

Bringing up a mountain of holographic panels displaying blueprints, centered around futuristic armor, energy-based weapons, and what looks like a Reactor Arc.

" Later I have to brush up on my plans for a new high-powered energy source.

In the near future, I'm going to need a lot of energy to power an interdimensional portal.

But let's focus on the hunt first." Bruce said, walking towards the display cases containing the equipment worthy of a Monster Hunter and/or Masked Vigilante.

Opening the windows, he brings out a rather particular object.

"For this night, a Belmont joins the Hunt." Bruce said, wearing a mask.

Now the upper part of Bruce's face is hidden by a huge V-shaped visor with a single red eye.

The visor has two massive ear-like constructs coming out of its sides that brush against the back of its head.

" His name is Arkan." Bruce said, with a big smile on his lips, grabbing the katana that looks like a union between science and magic.

Keep on ...

XXX

Secret Pleasures (Fate/Extella)(200): A fairly large luxury complex, built by order of a certain Roman empress.

Full of great natural springs, hot baths, secret gardens and other places of serenity and pleasure; it is a place that brings even the most hostile Servant to a feeling of peace and contentment.

Your allies are much more trusting and friendly here, those with amorous feelings much more open to expressing them to you.

Even injured or weary friends will find that the waters of the baths here work wonders to heal them and restore their tiredness.

Each room is also quite private, preventing anyone from accidentally breaking into you when you're busy with another friend.