FGO Singularity 1950 Germany- The Road to Paradise

by ColinHayworth

A story in an alternate WWII singularity where its mystery still reigns and the mana were unusually dense for its age. It has allowed all those who were beyond 1900 to become heroic spirits as long as their deeds are beyond any comprehension of human beings. And now this is where all those who remains to reach the truth of what happened

17. Pure White Reaper

Warning: This fanfic dealt with probably controversial themes and you may find it not suitable for you. If you still decide to read, then stay strong and brace yourself for what you are about to read. This story here happens in Arc 2 and thus may contain some spoilers.

---

"._.""._.""._."

Chapter 17: Pure White Reaper

"._.""._.""._."

---

"So you somehow managed to fly with angel wings?!" Desmond asked while he checks on Alfin's condition

"Kinda... I first used that thing to levitate and then soon I kinda just moved on my own with it. Dear Lord though, I just feel that I started to disconnect myself from what I am supposed to be. I am a soldier, not a mythological being." Arnold said jokingly while trying to clear the mood.

"So how did you manage to get to the bomber plane that Alfin rode on?" Shirou asked.

"Look, the sky is vast, alright? I didn't carry anything that could track her. Don't even get me started on the cloudy sky. It is only when I find her descending from the sky did I manage to get to her. She looked really exhausted and most likely on her last leg at that time. And that Red Baron guy really did a number on me by swinging me like some sorts of rag against many buildings at high speed." Arnold said before he tried to catch his breath again.

"But still, you said that she is on her last leg, right? It is just hard to think she still has enough mana to recreate a large bomber plane like that." Kiritsugu said.

"Forgot to tell you that the plane used my mana that she took from me just so that we can have the final chance to take the Red Baron down. While I'm not looking like it, I am pretty exhausted that I wanted to just crash right now." Arnold explained as tiredness started to appear on his face.

And then the guy closed his eyes and then collapsed into the ground. He then sleeps like a log and became oblivious to all who care in this world. Everyone sighed, this is by far the largest conflict that they have gone through, to see the Nazis pull out all of the stops like this just seems so wild to them.

"Larry?" Richard said when he noticed the man is looking at something in the distance.

The man in the white coat seems to be staring off towards the distance as if he was captivated by something. It was only when Desmond came and touch him on the shoulder did Larry broke out of his line of thought.

"Oh? Uh, nothing... There's nothing wrong here!" Larry said in a panic as he saw Desmond tapping him from behind.

"Larry, are you fine? It is rare to see you being captivated by something so mundane like that.". Desmond said.

"Nothing!" Larry said as he raised both his hands and walk away from Desmond.

Desmond finds whatever Larry said a bit suspicious and ominous but considering the man himself, he decided that he should put it at the back of his mind.

"So... are we going to take a rest?" Pierce asked the fellow Master he accompanied along.

"Yeah... Both of us were exhausted and both of our Servants are the same. Any further movement and we will be in danger immediately.

And so they made their decision, they decided to build a temporary resting point so that they can regain their strength after that battle. Needless to say though, it was a short-lived peace but one that is required nonetheless.

---

"._.""._.""._."

Delving Into Darkness

"._.""._.""._."

---

Meanwhile at the Shadow Border

"Damn it, just how much things did they hide from us? Not only just WW2 stuff but even things that are otherwise just plain unreal." Waver said as he looked through the decrypted information.

"What are all of these Relics and stuff? Collapse Fluid? What the hell is all of these? I just simply can't wrap my mind around it." Sitonai said as she also doing her part of the work.

"I think that this rabbit hole just goes straight through the core by now. All of these would easily make a normal person insane by just the sheer unbelievability." Miyu said as she felt her mind could go haywire at any moment.

"You know... Why don't we take a break for a bit? I think we push ourselves enough for now." Waver said as he stood up and walks toward the path that would lead to the bathroom if Sitonai remembered correctly.

And so Waver concedes temporarily, leaving the two sisters behind up to whatever they left behind right now. They sighed, they have been getting sidetracked by pretty much everything else in the UN database. They have been trying to find anything related to WW2 but the sheer amount of stuff that they have to go through is just staggering even for a Servant.

"I wish there is a way to sort all of them out. Even a Servant would be going to take a long while to search for the right stuff here." Sitonai said.

"Huh? You guys are searching for something?" A girl said to them while standing beside where they are.

"Wah!? Where did you come from?!" Sitonai said in surprise to see a person said near them that isn't Waver.

"I just came across you two searching for something and you all seem to be frustrated by something. I don't know what you two are trying to do but if it is something that I can help then I don't mind lending you two a hand." The woman said.

"Uhm... Okay? Can you help us sort through this mountain of information?" Sitonai asked.

"That's it!? I can do one better than that! I am going to create a search engine right so that you can filter out for stuff you wanted to see. Even with accuracy better than your average supercomputer!" The girl said as she boasts greatly.

"Uh... Who are you again?" Miyu asked.

"Oh, sorry. The name is Ada Lovelace. The first computer programmer in the world!" The girl said as she introduces herself to the two sisters.

"HOLY! Sorry that I didn't know right from the get-go. I mean you can write a computer program effortlessly, right?" Sitonai said.

Ada Lovelace, the mother of computer science... is this little girl who is just a bit taller than Sitonai. Bit long black hair that is tied to a twin-tail. Wearing a lab coat all of the time and always wearing that glasses which is redundant for it is just there for decoration. She is in charge of maintaining all of Shadow Border's processing units. According to Shirou Emiya, the timeline they are in right now for some reason is the only one with Ada in it, making her the only asset that they have while the others have to do without.

"You don't have to say sorry about that, you know? It is fine, pretty much every old-age Heroic Spirits doesn't know about me but that's fine because meeting my friend Babbage is just a good enough deal for me." Ada said while having a smile on her face.

"Okay then, you can try to sorts out everything here since our inferior minds are just incomparable to your 'big brain'.". Sitonai said as she pushes the laptop towards Ada.

Ada then sits on the couch and proceeds to type thousands of lines of code before a second could pass. Being the mother of computer science is surely feel like standing on top of your own world.

"So... Can your computing ability be used in combat because it is hard to see if it can even fight against anyone at all.". Miyu asked.

"Being the pioneer of computer science means I could change the world's fundamental rules like a computer program. I could tamper with the law of physics, the fabric of reality, adding or removing stuff from it as if they were blocks of codes. However, there is so much that I can remove or add before the thing would go haywire and hard reset into the default state before my tampering. And no, I can't just delete Servants as if they were codes that I didn't like." Ada said casually about her power with such calmness that is eerie.

Both Sitonai and Miyu clam up when hearing about Ada's power like that. To see someone could tamper with the world like a program is just unreal although the world could undo all of it if she abused too much, it is still unbelievable to see someone doing that being such a closely modern Servant like her.

"Done, now you can search for anything you like in the UN database. I also decrypted all of the information in there since I got bored with making search engines alone but of course, that none of them could even stand up to me in the first place." Ada said as she turns the laptop around to Sitonai.

The database looks a lot more organized than before and with a search bar on top making the process of looking for things far easier.

"So what do we search first?" Sitonai asked.

"Azure. That's what we would search first.". Waver said as he appeared out of nowhere.

"Oh, okay.". Miyu said as she typed the word "azure" into the search bar.

The moment she typed the word "azure" in, a single result was shown. All four of them looked at it in anticipation considering what this could mean.

Miyu clicked on it and an info dump was presented in front of them. All of them breathe heavily and as they read through the classified document.

This classified information is reserved only for the highest-ranking personnel to read. If not having any clearance to read over this information, you are enforced to report to your superior or destroy this information in 60 seconds upon reading. Failure to comply will be punishable by death.

In 1917, during WW1. A report of an unknown meteorite has fallen into a raging battlefront of Passchendaele, bypassed all of the previously known means of detection and none of the soldiers in the front are aware of the meteorites existence. Its extraction was only made possible at the end of the battle where a magus was sent over to extract it.

Until 1944, breakthrough revolving this material was finally made. During the prior time before so, it was stashed in the deepest storage unit in Mage's Association.

The material gives out an azure hue and it seems that wherever this place goes, rain also follows it. It is hypothesized that this material is capable of altering the weather whether by mystical or scientific means which wasn't properly analyzed even till the shutdown of its research. It is also believed it is the reason why the rain of Passchendaele is so severe is because of its weather-altering property.

These following remaining pieces of information are what remained after the incident which led to its shutdown and the facility that is used to research it.

-Molecule weight of 0 g/mol. Due to initial impurity, it is the only reason this material managed to reach through the earth's atmosphere without being halted.

-Metallic nature despite the impossibility revolving around the molecule weight.

-Radiation higher than many superheavy elements. Estimated to be approximately 500,000 mSv. Staying nearby this material without proper protection results in death immediately.

-It can be refined into higher purity form through a complicated process revolving around a combination of thaumaturgy and nuclear fusion.

-Breaks the law of equivalence exchange as alchemizing this material only resulted in more of it.

-Seem to display magnetic property although the trace is too faint to make any real difference. The size of its magnetic field is monstrous, however.

At first, the researching process went smoothly, at least at the surface. However, the tension started to rise in roughly 50 days into the research as signs of aggression started to form between its research member. At first, it was believed that the discord formed due to stress and ongoing tension but the further the research goes, the more aggressive the researching member displays between each other to the point that cooperation was impossible.

This results in all of its member sent to the asylum as therapists diagnosed that all of them has gone psychopathic and thus a new team was designated to continue the research of this mysterious material.

However, the same happened to the new team and many others who were made to assign over the projects. It is then believed that it also has the ability to turn people to the aggressive side and devolves them into primal instinct and rage and thus requiring a daily rotation of each research personnel to avoid primal devolution.

The final straw for this project is when the research team when berserk suddenly and messed up the entire process of refining and resulted in a huge containment breach and caused this material to filled the atmosphere of the facility in azure particles. Those who were breathed in it suddenly fell ill and then collapsed into those same azure-like dust and spreading the vector of corruption to the others. Only a few survivors remain and the whole facility was locked down indefinitely and the whole project was shut down upon the danger of the material. The location of this facility was then erased from all databases and never meant to see the light of the day.

This has also resulted in its designation as one of the few humanity-extinction levels of danger by the Atlas Institute on par of the seven superweapons.

All four of them went silent upon this revelation, it is all connected after all. Judgment in the color of the sky, it seems that it has also come to their world too although successfully contained. The Singularity is most likely what happened if the containment was unsuccessful and put the whole world into calamity.

"I knew it, there is indeed something wrong inside that world. I just knew damn well that this is most likely what happened." Waver said as he grunted more and more.

"By the way, I have a feeling that you have a personal reason to ask me to come here, right?" Ada said to him.

"Huh? You asked her to come?! Why did you hide it to us?!" Sitonai asked as she felt Waver hid something important from them.

"I have a few reasons, but one is that I can't trust Sherlock Holmes and Moriarty to disclose any of this to others. This is, after all, a piece of highly classified information that the UN would fight tooth and nail for its secrecy. I doubt that both of them would want to blow up the last good relationship that Chaldea has." Waver explained one of the few reasons.

"And the second?" Miyu asked.

"I have a feeling that they solved all of these out already." Waver said.

Tension started to rise, this has opened a whole Pandora's box that they didn't know about. Distrust started to rise, are they going to succumb to the effect of the azure judgment even if not under its influence. Or they will find a way to prevail against the discord between all they know? Who knows but the tide is about to change soon.

---

"._.""._.""._."

Feelings in Hardship

"._.""._.""._."

---

"I started to miss that mansion already.". Illya said as she tried to situate herself on a wooden stool that is not even remotely comfortable.

"Yeah... Not only there is nothing left but this place being intact, there isn't even anything to stop this chilling wind from blowing into this place." Kuro said as she felt her spine shivers as the chilling gust blows through this derelict apartment.

The intensity of the last battle that they went through was so great that they ended up resulting in many buildings completely shattered and collapsed. This was the closest one that they can still take shelter in. Even so, they will need all of the rest they could get before moving forwards toward the final destination. The Heart of the Reich.

Arnold leans on the wall and sleeping like a stack of bricks while Alfin is leaning on his broad and sturdy shoulder as she sleeps. They look so at peace that not even when the world around them is collapsing would they wake up.

The sounds of flame crackling can be heard in the kitchen, or... what is remaining of it. Shirou is attending kitchen duty and trying to whip up some meal in order to revitalize everyone here. The Shadow Border could send the ingredient over but anything more would require a leyline and they have already moved past one long ago. The old brick oven that stood there being the only source of warmth in this freezing hell.

"Shirou... Can I use the oven, please?" Kiritsugu said to his son from the back.

"Uh? No? I mean, why do you need to use the oven, to begin with!?" Shirou said in surprise as he is still trying to focus on the food.

"I just need to have some boiled water in order to make coffee, you know? This is the only place left where I could heat something up." Kiritsugu said to his son.

"Jii-san. The last time you used the kitchen, you somehow burned the place down. You burned the kitchen... just to boil some water!" Shirou said as he emphasizes on the fact that Kiritsugu can cause destruction even with the most mundane task.

"Please, this is important," Kiritsugu said as he started to get impatient with Shirou's attitude.

"Jii-san. Do I have to wake Alfin up just to teach you how to use a fucking oven!?" Shirou said as he also doesn't want his father to get anywhere near the last kitchenware in this place.

Both of them started to argue with each other and while they are arguing, another person got into the kitchen only to see the argument that is unfolding right in front of them.

"Stop!" That person said.

Both Shirou and Kiritsugu turned towards the entrance of the place and saw Iri there looking a bit disappointed at both of them.

"Kiri... I am sure that your son has a good reason to not let you use the oven but Shirou, you shouldn't drive your father away like that." Iri said as she reprimands both of them.

"Fine... But only if you observe what Jii-san is doing. If he burned the oven, we will have no choice but to march towards the fifth wall while being starved. That's the amount of trust I am placing on you right now and I hope you don't screw it up." Shirou said as he begrudgingly exits the kitchen.

"Sigh... all of this just to boil some water..." Kiritsugu sighed before he placed a kettle on top of the oven and Iri focused her magecraft for a bit to create a spark of flame just to heat them up.

Shirou got out of the kitchen and sees that Desmond and Larry are playing cards with each other. He decided to jump in a bit since he has nothing else to do anyway.

"Okay, you go first," Desmond said.

And Larry decided to go first with a 3 of Heart in which Desmond just threw in a card with a higher rank and Larry did the same. Soon, Desmond threw in an ace and Larry signaled to pass since he has no higher card or just to save it for an emergency.

"Okay then..." Desmond said as he whips out two 8 cards and placed it in front of Larry.

Larry then calmly placed two 2 cards and Desmond realized that he has no better card to play and thus passed the turn. And as if the tide was turned completely, Larry placed his whole deck lined up entirely from 3 to 7. He placed his whole deck and claimed his victory like that.

Desmond then placed his deck and his deck was far better than Larry's. The only reason he was defeated is that he didn't take the initiative first.

"Wow, your deck looks like crap. If you didn't think ahead and planned out, you would have lost for sure." Shirou comments on Larry's play.

"That's what my entire life is, I am a remarkable military man but fate always dealt me with the bad hands. I have to make do with what I have or I won't be able to get anywhere in life.". Larry said as he picks up all of the cards and shuffles them up.

"Damn... I know that my life is full of adversaries and stuff but not the level of yours. At least my fate doesn't keep going against me all the time." Shirou commented.

"You would be glad that it didn't.". Larry said as he spreads the cards again.

"Shirou, I'm done with the coffee. You can continue your kitchen duty now," Kiritsugu said as he steps out of the kitchen with two cups of hot coffee.

Shirou just nodded as he watches his father moving along the hallway. He glad that he didn't burn the oven thanks to his mother's supervision but he wonders one thing though, just why does he need two cups of coffee anyway?

Kiritsugu walked across the hallway in this half-ruined apartment as he came for the room that his Master is residing in. He entered the place as he can feel the chilling winds soar across through the opened window where his Master is sitting right by its side. He looked at his Master as he can feel that he is deep in thought as the eyes are gazing at the nothingness outside.

"Master... Want some coffee? They would get chilled really fast if you not drinking them right now." Kiritsugu said to Gudao.

"Huh..." Gudao shudders as he didn't expect to have a guest right here.

Kiritsugu keeps holding up the cup of coffee as he gives it to Gudao. The Chaldean Master decided to accept his Servant's gratitude and decided to savor a hot cup of coffee in this chilling rain itself.

"Master, are you trying to carry the burden alone again?" Kiritsugu said it straight to Gudao as he is as sharp and straight as an arrow.

"No, I mean... It is my duty to save the world, right? If I am not doing it then no one else would." Gudao said as he sips on the coffee that is slowly turning cold.

"Master... Are you thinking that the world deserved to be saved?" Kiritsugu asked, knowing that he will enter the gray area of morality.

"What? I mean where else would I live?!" Gudao said as he finds what Kiritsugu said completely baffling at a time like this.

"Okay then. What if there is a Beast who is causing destruction in another reality and its activity managed to ripple itself towards our world and crushes it. Do you think that you can just jump towards it and resolved whatever is there? Can you somehow managed to be everywhere and every moment just to ward off all the possible catastrophe? You have far more intimate relationships with actual gods with less power than that!." Kiritsugu said with more certainty.

"I... I... just want to... But... that's not even remotely fair..." Gudao said as he felt being cheaped upon.

"Look... life isn't fair even in the beginning. You can't save everyone that you saw and this includes the world itself too. The best you can do is to save those who are close to you. Just remember though, to carry your burden alone is to ask for a death wish. There is nothing to gain by saving the world by its entirety down to a single person." Kiritsugu said.

"But... how can you be so sure about that?" Gudao said.

"My first-hand experience in the futile attempt to save everyone is a hard lesson that I was forced to taste first hand. Such regret and pain still haunt me even as a Heroic Spirit. Let me tell you as a person who went through what you did without anyone to tell you what is wrong with my ideal. Don't try to carry the weight of the world by yourself!" Kiritsugu said this as if he is relieving through the haunting memory of the past.

Gudao became silent at what Kiritsugu told. He can't save the world? But that's the very reason why he fights to begin with.

"Look... I tried to do so and became a Counter Guardian just to do just that. I did become something extra-spatiotemporal in the end but doing so is to inflict an incalculable cost on yourself. Just don't try to follow my footsteps, okay?" Kiritsugu said as he tried to convince his Master from relieving the burden.

He doesn't know if he has gone too far or not with what he said but Kiritsugu has pretty much leave Gudao speechless.

The coffee in his hand turned cold from the shivering wind that blows during their epiphany of silence.

Meanwhile in the kitchen. Shirou is taking out the pot of stew that he made by himself as the steam went up as soon as he opened the lid.

"Thank god, actual lunch... Or dinner... I don't even know what time is it anymore." Kuro said as she tried to inhale as much of those saliva-drolling smells.

"Too bad that we have to eat them fast or we will going to have stew-flavored ice cream which is definitely not gonna be nice.". Illya said as she quickly takes a bowl for herself.

"Well, why don't all of you chow it all down then. If we could save up our strength for the final destination, it would help us tremendously" Shirou said as he whips a bowl for himself too.

"What about Arnold and Alfin? Should we wake them up?" Desmond asked as he gazes on the couple who are sleeping.

"I don't know what to do about them at all. It is probably more beneficial for them to sleep their way through to revitalize their strength.". Shirou said as he gives his guess about their situation.

"Wait, what about our Master, shouldn't he get some rest too?" Irisviel asked her son.

"I would have liked him to but considering the situation regarding his mental health. I decided that it would probably best to leave him alone for now. I didn't see Jii-san for a while too so I probably guess that he is having a personal talk with our Master." Shirou said.

And so they together enjoy the meal that they have but Shirou noticed that Larry is gazing towards something in a distance to the point that it caught more of his attention than anyone here. Shirou felt it is strange for Larry to act like that and thus he decided to take the initiative and asked the man himself.

"Larry... I don't know if I am intruding on something here or not. But you have been staring at that direction for like what? Two hours? I think that you should tell us about what you are sensing so that we could prepare ourselves for whatever we may come across." Shirou asked.

Larry sits there in silence for a while before continue. He decided to explain these swelling feelings inside that kept distracting him from what he supposed to do.

"Call it a hunch but there is something isn't right at all. The rain itself is already cold but the shivering wind and fogs that it keeps bringing in are what I found to be strange. Like something that isn't supposed to be there as if it was a premonition of something bad to come.". Larry said as the winds are howling from behind.

Everyone there is looking at him intensely, considering their streaks of bad luck. To face another Servant would be a fact that they wouldn't put it past them but if that is the case, it would be really bad. They barely made through the last fight, having another one consecutively will be a complete wipeout.

"Are you sure that what you said is true?" Shirou asked as if he doesn't want to accept the fact that there is another foe on their way.

"Look, I fight more wars than many of you here. If you can doubt me now at a time like this, don't ask me why you died after wasting all of these efforts to reach this far." Larry said it straight.

The winds howl once more as everyone could feel the chill across their spines while Larry is unfazed by the cold wind itself. They knew that Larry is telling the truth but that is the worst-case scenario that they wanted to avoid. But it just seems that they aren't that lucky anymore.

Back to Gudao and Kiritsugu, when Kiri decided that the silence is sickening to him. He decided that he will have to alter his message by a bit.

"Master, excuse me for my cynical and jaded outlooks. But what I meant here isn't that you shouldn't try to save the world but rather to keep fighting for it, just don't expect world peace. We have everyone here who is willing to support you, don't try to do it alone and that you shouldn't be yourself up for what you have virtually no control in." Kiritsugu said as he clarifies what meant.

Gudao became a little more attentive at the conversation between him. Kiritsugu sighed knowing that he is on the right path and he needs to convince his Master to share the burden to his Servants and not keeping it all for himself.

"The point here isn't 'save the world', it's 'stop trying to think of it as a byproduct of protecting the people you care about'. Biologically, you can't give a shit about all of the people on this planet and even if you did, it will only rack you up with so much contradictions to the point that it would drove you to suicide. It's like trying to save those millions who live on the exploitation of the billions below them just to support their lifestyle. You can't expect to save the lives of those below yet still trying to support that parasitic lifestyle of the upper. Saving the world means shouldering the problems of every possible failure and that is plain impossible for a normal human being," Kiritsugu said.

Gudao then understood what Kiritsugu meant, the sad look on his face turned into the one of determination. He knew that it is plain impossible to do so in the beginning but the guilt of committing the purge on other Lostbelts still lingers. But he knew that to do so right now is to spit it on the rest of the Servants who make it possible.

"You might not be able to save the world and making peace between everyone. Sometimes you gotta know how to hold 'em and fold 'em but you can always fight to protect those you loved when the chips are down and the dealing is done. Eventually, you will make hard choices and accepts the fact that such a thing requires sacrifice. But in the end, it all works out for you if you chose to stand up against the tide of fate instead of being life's doormat." Kiritsugu said.

Gudao understood what he meant and so he nodded.

A chilling gust suddenly blows through the place with such intensity that he felt he could get blown away by it. Kiritsugu stood his ground as the chilling gale pierced through his flesh and froze him to the bone.

"Is this what you meant by the tide of fate?" Gudao said.

"Didn't mean it literally but something isn't right about this storm. There was never such a strong gale like this even when we get nearer to the eye of the storm!" Kiritsugu said as he stood his ground against the freezing wind.

The building is slowly being torn apart as the gale became even stronger. They knew what this can only mean, they are about to fight another Servant.

The storm is coming...

---

"._.""._.""._."
A Glimpse of One's Past
A Messenger's Demise
"._.""._.""._."

---

Words of God: For this part, play Rose at Nightfall - Raze 2

In the last line of defense, the rainfall is ceaseless and unforgiving. The enemy has breached to this far and the Stormtroopers overplayed their cards and paid the price for it. And now... defeat is imminent as the remains of the defending army are barely holding on in this endless onslaught that would threaten to eat them whole.

This is the final battle... The boundary of life and death is too thin and blurred to the point of nonexistence. Arnold doesn't even need to use his motorcycle to reach the frontline anymore. They are already this close and at this point, the army needs any man who can still have the strength to even stand.

Dead bodies littered everywhere. Blood overflowed the whole front, hell isn't fire and burning. They are just mud, mud everywhere.

Arnold runs toward the no man's land where ballistics are unleashed like rain. At this point, he is basically ordered to stay and fight, not for any delivery nor intelligence, he is basically sent to his death much like any soul here.

A ragtag group of soldiers running up from behind him and being led by an officer, Arnold decided to tag along since he has nowhere else to run or go to. It is just him and this bloody battlefield.

They run into a dug-in tunnel that is used to cover the infantry personnel from artillery strike but considering how late they got into the war, its quality is dubious at best.

Arnold sees the exit and he is tempted to go through it. However, before he could get outside, a hail of bullets flew across the exit and laying lead on those unfortunate souls who were at the receiving end. He heard quite a few death throes that he could make out from the rain which sickens him even more.

When the hail of bullets ceased to be, the team quickly rushes for their life through the dead zone and soon reached the next dug-in and Arnold avoided dead once more although way too close.

Arnold breathed tiredly, never once did he felt so exhausted at just the first few minutes like this. Seeing the injured soldiers who are waiting for their slow death and the ones who were still in one piece are shaken in paranoia and fear as their life could be taken at any moment notice. Suddenly, he found a few familiar faces among this place and...

"Hans! Fritz!" Arnold signaled as he realized that his previous allies are still there even at this far in the end.

"Dear thank God! You are still alive, guess that you are still fortunate enough to make it even till the end, huh?" Fritz said to Arnold as he is still shaken in fear.

"Not giving up till now huh? Guess that is one redeemable quality that you have" Hans said.

Still remembering that they are still at the deepest depth of hell. They together swear that they will make it through the place alive. How? They don't know! They just swear like that so that they won't be collapse from moral bankruptcy.

"Push the ordnance crate out of the way, we have to move forward!" The officer tried to rouse the spirit of everyone here but they all know that they will be running to their death.

A few soldiers only followed out of the obligation of duty when they would in fact rather stay here and just wait for their death. The moment the crate is out of the way, they were greeted with a bunch of barbed wire barricades that fell into this place here.

"Let me handle this!" Hans said as he took out a barb wire cutter and begins to cut them so that they can move forward.

He cut out the first one in their way and then he took his steps toward the one in the middle of the exposed area. Arnold looked in anticipation as he could felt that things will go wrong now.

He was right about things would go wrong as he detected the silhouette of a machine gunner appeared in the left flank as it aims its gun towards Hans who is in the process of cutting it.

"Shit! Hans!" Arnold yelled to warn the guy from the danger but it is too late.

The machine gunner begins to fire the gun relentlessly at Hans and when he realized it, he dropped the cutter as he makes a run for it. But it is too late as a bullet round struck into the guy's hip as he fell to the muddy ground from the shock of pain.

"Damn it!" Arnold yelled in the middle of frustration and rage as he quickly takes a rifle out of a recently deceased soldier in the dug-in tunnel and fired the shot right dead in the head of the machine gunner.

Arnold didn't realize what he just did but he paid no heed about it as he quickly reaching for Hans. Thank Heaven that he wasn't hurt too badly and can still be saved. Arnold then pulled the man into the dug-in tunnel and told if anyone here has the medical knowledge to treat for the guy immediately.

Arnold knew that even if a person is removed, there is always somebody else to replace them. This isn't the same for his side as manpower dwindled to the point of unsalvagable. Arnold quickly rushes toward the exposed area and grabbed the cutter and quickly tried to cut the barbed wire as soon as he can. He also looked towards where the machine gunner was and then saw another silhouette reaching for it. Realizing time is running short, he tried to cut the wire faster in panic and the moment the barbed wire was severed, the cutter also snapped in half.

With his feet ahead of anything else, he jumped towards the dug-in tunnel and once again escaped death at hairbreadth once more. When the machine gunner is reloading, he used the magnum he has in his side holster and decisively takes down the new machine gunner once more. Seeing their new threat got taken down, everyone in the dug-in tunnel quickly rushing through as their chance is running shorter with each second idling.

"Hans! Are you alright?" Arnold quickly reaching out for Hans as the guy is leaning on the wall while holding onto the makeshift bandage work.

"Tsk... I'm fine, lend me a hand, won't you?" Hans asked as he gives his hand forward.

Arnold also reaches out for Hans as he pulled him up. They then quickly rushing through the danger zone and once again reaching another dug-in tunnel. Upon entering it, he decided to peek out to see if the exit is secure or not only to see a line of machine gunners preparing to open fire for the slaughtering of their enemies.

"F-" Arnold quickly pulled back in before even uttering anything.

The hail of bullets was let loose as Arnold avoided getting hit by them but those soldiers who run ahead without looking died as they got quickly shot down with those bullets. He can still hear those screams echo through the atmosphere that not even the rain could drown them out.

"Damn it, how come nobody is doing something about those machine gunners!? Why do they just charging in mindlessly like this!?" Arnold swore as he sees just how irrational those soldiers could act.

There are a few factors played in here. First... they have drafted everyone who can still fight and they have crossed the line of no return too long ago when they applied for the Stormtrooper training program. Now, all they have are the new recruits who are essentially just meat shields and firing targets for the enemy's veterans. Secondly, the artillery crews are dead, the fact that the heavy ordnance got wiped out during the earlier mission before this one makes this whole fight completely one-sided. This is no battle... just pure one-sided slaughter and butchery.

There are too many of them to shot down before he would get turned to swiss cheese by them and thus the only sensible option for this is... just run for it.

The moment they quickly take their time to reload, that's when all of them rushing through the no man's land. The wooden barricades can only give a temporary shielding of not even less than a few moments before collapsing from the power of those .303 rounds. Hans and Fritz tried to rush through the barricades that are collapsing like domino while Arnold is a bit behind but he could feel the bullets almost grazing him. Soon, they managed to reach another dug-in tunnel but only a fraction from before managed to make it here.

Seeing more injured soldiers and the ones who are curling up on the ground from the constant fear only to bolster how futile this fight really is. A slaughter of not only but on a grand scale but also in the futility itself. Even if they would make it out of here, they would die from the constant trauma that would drove them to suicide.

Arnold sighed, he wished he could do something but really, there is nothing left but to go forward.

He reached the exit of the tunnel and sees a broken trench wall blocking his way, knowing the situation, he got no choice but just to break it through brute force alone. Knowing that his time frame to do so is limited to the amount of time the enemy required to reload, he will have to be faster than them at all cost.

The hail of bullets stopped, Arnold and his allies quickly rushing towards it and gathers up all of their possible strength to break the wall down while the enemy gunners are still reloading. The wall gives away as it collapsed into the ground and they quickly gather up to the closest cover they have. A broken part of the trench where sandbags are still installed and placed on top managed to cover them from the hail of bullets that came to decimate everyone in its path.

As if that isn't bad enough, artillery shells started to rain down and mutilate the already ruined terrain. He became worried that how on earth would they get through this wringer of hell. Seeing the soldiers running up to the hill and then screams in pain when they got shot only to be filled by the silence later, he just have no words left for this sight.

A soldier falls back from behind and lay on the ground as his chest is full of bullet wounds, in his last dying words he said

...Don't... run... up...hill...

The moment the words came out of the guy's mouth, his eyes became empty and life also leaves the dying soldier.

"Damn it... How else do we go past them now!?" Fritz asked.

Arnold looked around the place and saw a rusty shovel and pickaxe that is leaning on the broken trench wall. He quickly grabbed the pickaxe and then said.

"We dig a fucking path through even if it is the last thing we can do!" Arnold tried to rouse his friends' spirit as he charges ahead and tried to dig a path deep enough to cover their heads from the machine guns' fire.

His friends heed his words and grabbed the tool to assist him in this ridiculous solution of his. But surprisingly enough, it did work well enough until Arnold sensed something isn't right, he told everyone to halt as he slowly pries something out of the muddy ground. Turns out, if he made any more step, he would have struck into this undetonated mortar shell that would have killed everyone in a mere instant.

"Thank the god that we managed to save ourselves from dying from this hidden piece of shit right here..." Hans said as he tossed the mortal shell away into the ground and suddenly the thing detonated upon impact.

"Let just not handle those things carelessly," Arnold said as he continues to dig the path ahead of him while bullets fly above their heads.

Soon, they reached another dug-in tunnel but just how much can they expect to be protected in this hastily made trench? The whole place could fall apart in any second right now and-

"Enemy soldiers approaching!" A soldier inside tried to warn everyone else before he got shot repeatedly in the back.

Arnold who just entered the place realized what is going on, quickly draw out his weapon for the imminent firefight. He takes his stance and then jumped into action. With his Artillery Luger in hand, his CQC capability is far greater than anyone else here, especially in such a tight space like this. But then he realized what those opposing soldiers are using.

A loud blast rang across the hallway as he realized that the enemy has their own ace under their sleeves. They are using shotguns in order to sweep this whole place clear. Getting shot by those things at point-blank is guaranteed death, there is just no way that a pistol can measure up against a shotgun.

Another shot was heard and he just witnessed one of his guys got gutted with a shotgun shell at point-blank as his own intestines dropped into the ground. Such a sickening sight like that can't be erased from his mind no matter how hard he tried. Knowing that he had no choice left but to fight for himself, he quickly drew out a sawn-off that he carried along and fired it at them one-handed while taking cover should he need to reload.

The assault team noticed him and quickly tried to approach his position. Arnold prepared his stance so that he could take appropriate action at the right moment. However, another soldier appeared and wearing much more stuff and armed more than how he could ever get. With a gun that Arnold doesn't know what it is and the only thing he could discern is the drum mag that is also used for Artillery Luger.

The gun fired repeatedly over quite a distance compare to the shotgun whose effectiveness is limited to short range. The bullets laying fire upon the enemy soldiers as they quickly became fallen from it. Soon, the conflict was resolved although the victims died a gruesome death, there is nothing that he could do about it at all.

"Hey! Can I ask for-" Arnold tried to strike a conversation with the Stormtrooper but the guy just swat him off and paid no attention as the guy moves through the tunnel.

Arnold felt a bit irritated when he got ignored like that but considering everyone else is giving him the cold shoulder except for his friends, he really shouldn't bet on the fact that anyone would be friendly towards a stranger. He then quickly tried to rush through the place until he heard the sound of artillery shells impacting on this tunnel.

The place shook violently as if the earth is being torn apart, everyone then quickly gotten into a state of panic as Arnold tried to get out of the place as fast as he could while his friends are meanwhile still ahead of him. Soon, the tunnel collapsed and buried those misfortunate souls who were beneath the cave-in at the time. Darkness soon engulfed him and he doesn't know what happened afterward.

Arnold opened his eyes once more and feeling the rain splatters on top of him. The artillery shells must have caved the whole place in and he looked around to see the Artillery Luger of his being buried beneath the rubbles. He quickly tried to take the thing out only to see that it got the receiver got crushed and the only thing that he could salvage is the drum mag that is being used.

"Damn it..." Arnold cursed as his prized gun has turned into a hunk of junk.

And he looked next to him and saw the same Stormtrooper from before and saw that the guy's head got crushed by a falling boulder which splattered the guy's head into a bloody pulp. In his hand is the gun that he doesn't know of.

Arnold tried to inspect the thing and reads the carved out words on it. "MP18", it said. He tried to pull the trigger and got surprised by its automatic firing. Realizing what he just got, he tried to scavenge the dead Stormtrooper's body for more drum mags since the dead can't use anything in the first place.

With a new weapon in his hand, he quickly rushing through the destroyed tunnel for the hope of finding anyone who is still alive after this catastrophic cave-in. The sounds of screaming and gunfire only intensify the further he moved in this place, he then came across a firefight between a few of his allied soldiers and the enemy raiders. Utilizing the weapon's range, he fired the thing with good accuracy as he tried to take down the opposing fighters.

The sidearm bullets are still decent enough against human targets but anything more and it would just render useless. The bullets burst through the enemy fighter as they didn't expect such a weapon like that to be used against them as they helplessly retreat.

"Is any of you alright!?" Arnold said as he tried to check up on the situation.

"We got surrounded by the incoming infantry units, we need to get out of here, now!" One of the soldiers said.

Arnold suddenly got assigned the leader duty as he tried to find any way for the ragtag team of soldiers to fight through the group of enemy onslaught. Running through the tunnel, the roof was suddenly blown apart as artillery shells threaten to turn any misfortunate souls into a splattered mess. The tunnel keeps being torn with each second passed and now they were suddenly meet a dead end when the path ahead of them got caved-in completely.

"Don't worry, I'll open a path for all of you!" One of the soldiers in the team said.

The man has a bundle of TNT with him and seems to be trained as an engineer. He placed those explosives charges on the caved-in as he signaled everyone to fall back immediately. Heeding his words, the team stepped back so that they won't get caught in the blast. The engineer then runs back as he is holding in his hand the detonator of those TNTs.

Another artillery shell ruptured the place apart as the engineer got caught in the blast and falls because of it. And when that is not enough, a hail of relentless bullets flew through the gaping hole in the tunnel and shredded the engineer apart. Arnold got caught off guard by the turn of the event as he can't believe what just happened.

And when that is not enough, enemy infantry quickly entered the place through the gaping hole itself and started to open fire on Arnold's team. Arnold quickly responds to the situation by firing his MP18 back at the enemy. The soldiers along with him also fired their weapons in order to repel the breaching team. Those enemy soldiers quickly opened fire with an intensity no less than before as Arnold desperately keeping the situation under control and avoid the climbing casualty.

"We have to do something!" Arnold yelled as he tries to fight back.

A fellow soldier pulled something out of the side pouch and then threw it towards the oncoming soldiers. It was a grenade and when Arnold noticed it, he jumped away and soon the thing detonated. The result was not pretty to describe but it got him to proceed with the next step.

Reaching towards the detonator, he quickly pressed the lever down and the TNT blew the cave-in away in the instant and opened the path ahead for everyone else. The allied soldiers in his team quickly rushing ahead and soon they found the exit to this place. Arnold has also noticed the two friends of his at the exit but there was something wrong.

When Arnold reached the exit, he became silent at the sight in front of him. A sickening portrait painted in blood and corpses in front of him. It makes him remembers back to that mountain of corpses from back then and this one is just like it but far larger than how he is willing to admit. Blood dripping from all of those corpses and the ceaseless rain turned the place into a spring of tainted blood.

"They turned the exit of this tunnel into a killing ground... Dear Lord... How many got caught into this trap?" Arnold mumbled to himself.

His mind then shifted to the image of his friends. What if they got caught into this trap and-

Arnold shut his mind from ever trying to divulge that thought. Anything to keep his sanity in checks, he will do so just to save himself from shooting his own weapon into his own head.

He then heard something. A weak cry for help but that is enough to spark another flash of hope in his eyes. He tried to check the base once more and saw the familiar sight playing out in front of him. Hans is stuck at the bottom of this mountain of corpses once more and Arnold then tried to pull the guy into safety. However, he also felt something is breathing right into his ankle and he looked down and sees Fritz lying face flat into the pond of blood. The guy must have faked his own death and managed to be fortunate enough to avoid getting shot in this killing ground.

Arnold then used his other hand to pull Fritz into safety. But while he is doing so, he noticed to the flank of this place that there are machine gunners preparing their armaments to continue this killing ground. Arnold then quickly tried to gather all of his strength and pulled his friend back to safety. Feeling the sense of dread encroaching nearer, he lets out a cry to rouse his strength and make his final stretch for the tunnel.

Just right in the nick of time, the machine gunners let loose their weapons as they open fire on those who were in their line of sights. Arnold managed to drag both of his friends out of danger and narrowly avoided their end right there.

"Thanks... You saved me once again.", Hans said tiredly as he felt like he went through the worst moment ever.

Arnold can only stare towards the mountain of corpses. Is this what all of those lives ultimately culminate to? Just senseless deaths and slaughtering? Arnold doesn't care anymore, he just wanted to shut his mind off so that he won't have to go through this living hell.

And when he thought it couldn't get worse, he is about to see the reenactment of the most haunting memory he has in this war. An artillery shell flew towards the mountain of corpses as the next moment was too horrific to even describe in any sense without causing one to grimace from the sheer mentioning of it. Arnold tried to shield his eyes from witnessing such a horrible moment again but even when he shielded his eyes before the impact, that scene from back then still playing out in his mind. Gores and blood flew everywhere into a rain of crimson and the body was dismembered into tattering pieces as they landed around the place after the blast.

Arnold slowly looked towards the mountain of corpses again as he tried to brave against that horrific sight of the aftermath but he was proven wrong in a mere instant. What happened in the last memory is just looks like a sweet dream compared to this atrociously nightmarish sight. It was as if he is stepping in grounded meat of his fallen brethren.

The pile of corpses created a cover for his soldiers to make through the killing ground but if he is not careful, he will be going to join this place.

Timing his moment correctly, he and his friends rush for the cover as the hail of machine guns' bullets decimates the surrounding area. The pile of corpses was big enough to block even those bullets and giving them a safe place to move forward.

The hail of bullets stopped coming and the trio once more climbing up through the mountain of blood and gores. To trample upon the deceased like this just makes him feel sickened although he is not the one to talk when he looted a dead Stormtrooper.

"Gah!" Fritz said as he slipped on a spilled intestines and fall face flat into the pile of gore.

Both of them felt disgusted when they see such a sight like this and just wanted to distance away from this thing as fast as they could. They together pulled Fritz up as his face is tainted with an unholy mixture of blood and mud. Fritz felt so sick that he wanted to vomit all of the nonexistent food in his stomach.

"The British is about to fire! Quick!" Hans said as both of them tried to pick up their pace.

In a matter of seconds, they managed to narrowly avoid being slaughtered and entered another dug-in tunnel on top of this mountain of gore. The fellow soldiers of his tried to climb this place but seem to have a hard time to grasp for anything without being slipped upon in this mountain of overflowing blood. Not that he has any time left to stay here, all he can do is moving forward.

The trio then moving through the tunnel as artilleries still raging on from the distance. Sensing the ground sunder and shaken violently like this makes him feel uneasy about what might going to happen. And just as simple as thinking about it, the ceiling of the tunnel blew apart and revealed them open to artillery fires.

"Quick! Moving now!" Arnold said as all of them quickly tried to run away from the rain of explosive shells although the situation is looking far grimmer with each second passed.

They tried to run through the tunnel as the place is getting torn apart more and more as they advance through the tunnel. And as if that is not enough, there are enemy infantries coming through the place en masse.

"Damn it! Does anyone have any explosives!?" Arnold said as he frantically searching around since an SMG won't stand up against a battalion.

Everyone knew what is going to happen if they do not act now and thus tried to find a solution to this predicament. They can't go back since the path behinds them is filled with rains of explosives. Charging forward is asking for death considering they will be pitted against a much larger enemy unit while being horribly outnumbered.

And within that moment panic, Fritz decided to look through Arnold's backpack and find a single stick of dynamite within it. Arnold realized it and took it for himself as Hans tossed him over a lighter.

The enemy assault team noticed them and begins to open fire at them unhesitantly. Arnold ignited the dynamite and rolled it on the ground for a short distance and then quickly told his friends to fall back immediately. The enemy presumes that they are running away as they didn't even notice the stick of ignited dynamite on the ground.

When they finally got close to it, it was too late for them to run away. The next moment, an explosion occurred and shook the cave apart. Arnold and his friends looked in disbelief at what just happened and they decided to check if there is anyone alive. When they got close, they realized that they underestimated the power of even a single stick of dynamite alone. It caved their only path and now they are basically stuck between a rock and a hard place.

"Damn it, although we cleared off the soldiers, we sealed our only path..." Hans said frustratedly.

The ground trembled. They knew that if they don't do something now, they will become a bloody splat on the ground. Within this dilemma, Arnold decided to rouse everybody's spirit once more.

"We fucking dig through this place again! We did this once already, you guys already know the drill, right?" Arnold said as he takes out the pickaxe and tried to dig his path through the rubbles.

The other two see him doing it and decided to pitch in with their help. Doing nothing will get them nowhere and they knew damn well what to do. With their collective efforts, they dug through the cave-in just in time as they made their final rush towards the exit. They run as fast as their legs could take them while leaving the rain of artillery shells from behind.

With only the rain and the muddy path that they run, they looked at their surroundings and saw how much dead bodies littered everywhere. The decayed smells emanated the air, the burning wafts of gunpowder, the echoing sounds of endless rain that splatters. All of these were familiar sights to them but what truly unnerves them is that they find all of these 'familiar'. When did they get so used to the idea of industrialized manslaughter like this?!

"Why were we so blind to all of these?" Hans said as he felt completely in disbelief as he finally sees a bigger picture after being forced to look in one general direction in front of him.

War... Out of all things they shouldn't find normalcy in, they chose to find normalcy in this. They looked down towards their memory lanes and remember nothing but bloodshed and death, pain, and suffering. Only when things truly about to come to an end would they looked back and realized just how things have turned up to. And suddenly, they witnessed another killing ground unfold right in front of them.

"Damn it, we have to stop them now!" Arnold said as he takes out his MP18.

He quickly approaches silently towards a machine gun nest and then opened fire and takes out the machine gunner for himself. Hans and Fritz assisted by wiping out the escorts of the machine gun team. They then together rinse and repeat this process to save as many lives who were stuck in this place. But they shouldn't expect to keep a perfect streak like this to go on without anyone to detect what is wrong.

"Sounds the alarm-" The enemy soldier tried to signal before Arnold finished him off with the SMG in his hand.

"Damn them all... Just damn them for killing so easily without batting an eye." Arnold said while grunting.

They took out a few machine gun nests along the way as they tried to dismantle the killing ground as fast as they could to save as many lives as possible from falling prey to this jaw of death. Soon, a few soldiers who escape the killing ground joined up along with him and worked together to take down the killing ground as fast as they could.

The number rising a bit by bit but Arnold spent no hesitation to rouse everybody's spirit up to take down the machine gunner. They might not be able to do anything about the artilleries but if clearing all of the machine gun nests away would save these many lives then he will not hesitate to keep this up.

"Clear them out! Don't give them any ground to fight back!" Arnold commanded the ragtag group of soldiers that he made from those who are still alive beneath this cesspool of slaughter.

The soldiers let out their cry as they fight even fiercer than before, not letting their enemy to counterattack back. With each step of them, they managed to push the enemy back one by one. Things seem to go well enough until...

Arnold heard the sounds of roaring steel, he knew this is a really bad thing for nobody here has the weapon to fight back against tanks. Taking considerable measure, Arnold commanded everyone to mobilize quickly and move away from anywhere they heard the sounds of roaring. They together heeded his words and then moved separately.

Well... if he said it a bit sooner, it would have made a real difference. A tank suddenly burst through the trench wall and quickly tried to crush Arnold into the ground. Being quick on his feet, Arnold jumped out of its way before it could turn him into pastes. But what makes him worry that he is going to fight against a tank without any anti-tank weapon.

The built-in machine gun within the tank started to fire at anyone in its line of sight. Arnold being completely powerless against it as the tank keeps killing more of his allies who were also powerless against it.

"Everyone! Move out of its sight!" Arnold tried to yell through the intensifying chaos but only for it to fall to deaf ears.

More of those tanks approach his location and they opened fire all of their armaments no matter what their targets are. Despite the clear fact that there is only infantry in his squad, they are willing to use cannons against human targets themselves. The situation went off the handle and Arnold soon finds himself unable to control the situation any longer. His men are dying as they were helplessly killed by those metal behemoths.

"Arnold! Over here!" Hans yelled to Arnold as he is running for a dug-in tunnel.

Arnold heard his friend and quickly ran towards it. A tank noticed him and quickly aimed its cannon right at the tunnel itself, attempting to collapse the place away. Arnold pushed all of his strength into his feet and run like hell for his only chance of safety. And when the chance came, Arnold grasped it at the last moment and escaped death as the tank shell struck the top of the entrance and collapsed it and thus buried the entrance away.

Those who aren't fortunate enough to get there can only meet certain death as their only fate.

Arnold felt completely dazed and realized that the entrance got caved-in. And then he noticed that the place is completely pitch black except for a light that came from an oil lamp.

"Why is everything so dark here? Did both the exit and entrance collapsed?" Arnold asked.

Hans nodded and sighed. The tunnel does go deep into the ground so that it is safe from artillery but with both sides blocked, the air here will run out soon and they will die from suffocation.

Arnold looked around and sees that there are only 15 soldiers left other than him and his friends. They have been pushed down into such a bad position that there is no saving anymore. Everyone is dead. Defeat is everything but assured. And now... all they can do is waiting for their death.

Arnold wandered around the place as the dim-lit light of the oil lamp shows the surrounding. The people are silent and motionless as if they lost all hope of ever seeing the next day. The atmosphere is so tense that his weave of a finger could cut the air.

He noticed a table with a dossier file on top of it. He opened it and reads the content inside. Not like it is matter anymore since the chain of command has collapsed by now.

Words of God: For this part, play Messenger - Steins;Gate 0

In response to the increased armor unit that the British are sending over the frontline, we have created our own armored vehicle that can be used against the British Mk IV. The A7V Sturmpanzerwagen.

This is a last-minute attempt to revert the situation when our belief of infantry over everything else shattered when the enemy's armor tactic proven to be successful. Due to the shortage of materials and the enemy's supremacy over manpower, we have only one tank left. And they will be assigned to this final line of defense.

Armed with a rapid-fire gun and multiple Maxim MGs. Around 50-60 cartridge belts, each with 250 bullets, plus 180 rounds for the main gun, split between special HE explosive rounds, canisters, and regular rounds.

Even if it can't be used for direct combat, this vehicle is still capable of traversing through muddy and deteriorated terrain. Maximum crew sizes of 17. The current storing location is at the furthest east in this current battle-

The rest is ripped away from the original document and can't be found anywhere. He also found a map with its location marked on it and the basic control of the tank itself. Arnold realized that this might be their only chance of making through this hell and escape alive. Nobody care if they are running away if the enemy will steamroll into the high command and kill everyone anyways.

He looked around the place for anything, especially anti-tank gears like explosives or even the T-Gewehr. Soon he received his answer as he found a crate with the T-Gewehr with its bullets inside. Placed next to it is also a crate of dynamites and a detonator. Arnold thinks for a while before making smirk on his face.

"There's a way after all.". Arnold said as he devised a path towards it.

He then moves toward the center of this place where he will catch everyone's attention. He breathes in as much as he could to pacify the stress that is building up in his heart before delivering a speech to bring everyone from morale collapse into the zenith.

"Everyone! Listen to me!" Arnold said as loud as he could while the sounds echo across the cave.

They wanted to ignore what Arnold wanted to say and be left alone in this darkness. But the resolute spirit inside Arnold delivered the speech with such force that they couldn't help but to have their attention caught by it.

"Do all of you accept your death this easily?! All of you make it through this hell this far and yet accepting defeat right now?!" Arnold said as he tried to rouse everyone up from the depth of despair.

"I understand all of you went through the worst nightmare called this bloody war. WE all understand that suffering and bloodshed that we were forced to endure. BUT this is the final stretch to reach for the final escape from this hell on earth. The last stretch for salvation..." Arnold tried to convince his allies as some of them started to listen to what Arnold has to say.

"This! This is our last hope of escape marked on this map. We can make it there but only if all of us cooperate and fight for each other!" Arnold said as proudly as he could muster although such facade could be easily broken by a professional.

More soldiers started to listen to what he has to say as they started to gather around him. They seem to be interested in what this escape vehicle is.

"If we chose to stay here, death is the only thing awaits us. So then, if we are going to die anyway, why don't we fight for our way for our own survival!?" Arnold said as rousingly as he could to bring the despaired hearts of the soldiers back to life.

"And most importantly, the greatest dream of a soldier is to see the next day without worrying that it would be their last. Do you wanted to see 'the tomorrow' for yourselves!?" Arnold said as more men started to gather around him.

"So then, will all of you please lend me your strength so that we can make it to the next day!?" Arnold said his final part of the speech.

Soon they raised a commotion after listening to Arnold's speech. They seem to be in much of a greater spirit than before as they are far more willing to fight back against their tides of fate.

"Good job, bud. But how do we get out of here now?" Fritz asked.

"I have an idea. And I need all of you to get into positions so that I can initiate this plan." Arnold said.

Arnold then grabbed the T-Gewehr and the bullets along with it and used the carrying belt to bring it along without the thing get in too much in the way. Armed like a walking armory, he will be the one to carry the rest of the surviving team to their escape. The responsibility ultimately falls on him.

After a little while, all 15 soldiers and his friends stand into their positions while Arnold is standing at where he believed is the exit that got caved-in. Placing a few bundles of dynamites carefully and wired all of them into the detonator. Arnold took his steps back and when he believed that this is the safe distance, he pushed the detonator, and soon the explosion occurred.

Words of God: For this part, you can now continue with Rose at Nightfall

After the dust died down, Arnold rushed forward to the light that shines from the exit and quickly sprung into action. Seeing that there are British soldiers around here and they seem to be disoriented from the explosion's blast. Arnold took advantage of the situation and used his SMG to take down the British surrounding him. The fellow allies of his also exit the tunnel and quickly assisting him in taking down as many of those enemy soldiers as they could.

"Follow me! I'll lead the way for all of you!" Arnold said as he moves ahead despite carrying a lot more than how many other soldiers could.

Through the deteriorated trench, they met with no less amount of resistance on their way. Through their fierce fighting and their will to see the light of the next day, they tried to pull through the most hardened and most veteran soldiers they could be facing and managed to do so thanks to Arnold's guidance. Through the treacherous path they went, they used everything that is at their disposal. Enemy's weaponry, the muddy terrain, and this atrocious rain that turned everyone's vision into crap at best. They used every ounce of unfair advantages they have just to survive this deepest circle of hell.

No longer bound by honor, pride, or the binding of the upper. All they have left are their brothers in arms, no bonds are stronger than those you can rely on upon without any doubt or hesitation. Perhaps that is what makes them so effective in the first place, they followed what their hearts called out, not the words that dictate them what is right or what.

"Stop! Don't move!" Arnold told everyone to hold their horses.

In front of them is a huge sinkhole filled with mud. He could tell that there are people fallen into this place as some of their hands protruding through it around the edge of this sinkhole as if they desperately tried to escape but it was only futile in the end. There also tanks that were fallen into this sinkhole and the mud goes deep enough to almost engulf it. Even the height between the mud surface and the edge of this sinkhole is at least 4 meters high.

Arnold noticed that the tanks seem to line up in a path towards the other side of the sinkhole and it makes him have a glaring suspicion that the sinkhole was most likely created due to how constantly artilleries were used.

"Dear Lord! Where do we go now!?" Fritz said in a panic as he fending off the pursuing assault team.

Running above the trench will only draw all of the attention towards them and will get them shot in a mere instant

Arnold looked around and saw a derelict tank that was abandoned and tethering against the edge of the sinkhole. Guess the British abandoned it when they realized they can't turn around and thus just moves on foot when being stopped by this sinkhole. He then grabbed a stick of dynamite and ignited it with short fuse time before throwing it at the ground below it.

The dynamite blew up and tore a chunk of the ground beneath the tank. The tank then proceeds to tilt into the sinkhole and then falls into it, bridging the gap between the fall tanks in it.

"Everyone! Jump!" Arnold said as he jumped first into the fallen tank below.

He landed on top of the tank as he looked around the muddy sinkhole of death from below. He gazed into it and saw his own silhouette's reflection but he can't help but feel that if he makes even the smallest misstep, he will be fallen into this one-way path to hell. Hans and Fritz followed him and landed on top of the tank that is fallen into this sinkhole here. They noticed that there is also enemy soldiers on the other side as they tried to fire at them. Arnold used his SMG and tried to fire them accurately but once again, he can't have much hope for a small-caliber arm to have that much effectiveness in longer-distance combat.

"Take this!" A soldier from above said to him as he tossed something to him.

Arnold grabbed the thing as it was flying in midair and he realized that it is a scoped rifle. He has no bullet that can fit in this thing but he will still use it nonetheless. Aiming down the sight with it, he shot down the soldiers who are trying to kill him in quick succession. One of them got shot right in the heart and then falls into the mud sinkhole and gone along with it.

When he can confirm that there are no more signs of opposition in his side, he quickly jumped from the first tank to the next one. He knew that he mustn't even mess up even a single jump or it will be his death. Hans followed him and successfully made it to the next tank. Fritz then followed but the guy made a misstep and unable to jump far enough, he thought his death is certain until...

"Fritz!" Arnold said as he reached out to him and Hans is doing the same.

Just in a nick of time, they managed to grab Fritz and used all their strength to pulled him up from the brink of death. Fritz breathed in heavily as he can't believe he just got so close to death.

"Leader! The tank is coming!" A soldier from above the ground said to Arnold.

"Just jump already!" Arnold yelled to them.

The soldiers one by one jumped down to the tank below, partially because they have no means to fight back at all against those metal behemoths. On the other hand, they just wanted to avoid getting killed needlessly. The tank then stopped at the edge when it realized that it has no more ground to move but all of its armament is still working and will shot down anything within its sight.

Arnold realized the state of emergence they are in and he quickly drew is T-Gewehr out and fired a shot right at the machine gun's emplacement if his memory hasn't failed him yet. He was right about where he shot though as he can hear the sound of something broke in the British tank. Although the same could be said to his shoulder. Arnold pulled the bolt back and loaded in another shot and this time he fired it at where he believed to be the tank commander's position.

Feeling his shoulder could fly off any second from improper positioning but does he even have the time to repositioning!? The survival of others has to come first. With the tank commander out of his way, he could tell that the rest of the crew might try to escape the tank but the moment one gets out, Hans finished them off with a bullet squarely on the head. With the tank completely abandoned, Arnold decided to leave it alone to hinder further reinforcement.

"Everyone! Over here!" Arnold tried to grab the attention of the soldiers standing on the first tank.

They noticed Arnold and they quickly tried to jump across the gap between, considering how many people here, Arnold decided to jump to the next tank to make space for the others. With his leap of faith, he managed to make it to the next one, while the ally soldiers from behind him tried to jump to the next one with him.

Although the distance isn't too great, what truly occupying their minds is the dreading thought of falling into this mud sinkhole. To suffocate the whole way as they fall to the depth of hell is no great way to die at all. Especially when there are those who desperately trying to escape from the jaw of death only to have their futility became the warning sign for others.

"Watch your step! Put all your strength into your feet and jumped as far as you can. You have only one chance!" Arnold warned his fellow soldiers.

Arnold jumped to another tank and he can feel that he is losing his concentration and focus due to fear. There is no possible way to swat off or even ignoring fear because that is something instilled into pretty much everyone's psyche. But ignoring fear isn't courage, overcoming is.

The team managed to get closer to the other side as they slowly but surely getting to it by jumping from each tank. But nonetheless, they have to overcome this final hurdle to make it to the other side.

Another squad of enemy soldiers approaching from the other side, they proceed to jump down to the tank from below and begin to fire at Arnold. Arnold noticed their actions and quickly lift up the hatch of the tank and used it as a temporary shield. There's no way for him to jump inside since the place is also flooded with mud. Considering the path of remaining action, he decided to use the T-Gewehr against human targets. He has no choice left or they will decide to target his fellow soldiers.

Pulling out his T-Gewehr and pulled the bolt back, he reloaded the gun and then aims it at where the enemy soldiers are. He doesn't want to pull the trigger but he knew he has no other choice and he will accept whatever is the consequence of his action.

He pulled the trigger and he can hear the sound of the gun tore apart the hatch plating and through the massive hole in it, he took them all down with one single shot. The chunks of gore torn from their body are no lying.

"Hey! Are you alright?" Hans asked his friend.

"Yeah..." Arnold said tiredly.

He then packed the T-Gewehr away and quickly jumped towards the last tank on the way. Seeing the steep cliff on his way with virtually no way to climb up. He decided to grab the dynamite and plunged into the muddy ground in front of him. He attached the detonating wire into it and then quickly move away as far as he could before detonating them.

With the push of the detonator, he blew apart the cliffside and created a path for everyone else to climb up. Arnold then jumped to the ground and used his hand to climb up against the slope. Everyone else has also reached the other side and does the same as the ground quickly becomes muddier with each second passed. Fortunate enough that they all managed to climb up to the top before reinforcement comes.

"Everyone! This way! Quick!" Arnold said as he tells everyone to follow where he has to go.

They looked back and saw a group of soldiers climbing up the abandoned tank on the other side and they tried to fire back at them but Arnold's team has gone out of their sight and there is no way to go over this sinkhole anymore as the other side was completely muddy and any attempt to climb will land them into the mud sinkhole.

However, just because no one can get over the sinkhole doesn't mean their weapons are out of the range. They still have something within their sleeves and they are willing to use it.

A little while later through the muddy and treacherous path. They finally found it, the A7V. It sits right there in the rain and seems to be unscathed so far. Everyone quickly gathers around it as they find the very thing completely spectacular.

"Find the way in of this thing. We don't have much time left. They could probably find a different way to get here now." Arnold said as he tried to find the entrance of this tank.

After struggling for about a few minutes. They finally managed to find a way to get into this thing. Each soldier of his entered the tank one by one. Things seem to go smoothly until...

Something exploded nearby him, Arnold knew that the enemy is trying to taking them out with the artillery team. The enemies don't know where they are exactly so they still having some time left before they pinpoint where they are.

"Quick, get in!" Arnold said to the soldiers as they quickly tried to get into the tank.

Arnold threw in the basic control dossier and the map so that they knew what to do best. Although they may require training to use the tank properly, there is no other choice left for them but to use the tank if they want to get out of here.

Arnold then gets into the tank while Fritz is still staying outside. Arnold looked into the inside of the tank and saw how crammed the place is. One more person and it will be too cramped and nobody will be able to control the tank properly. And that's when he realized one critical detail he forgot to take account to.

Maximum crew size of 17...

Those words echo through his mind as it suddenly dawns on him. He doesn't have enough space anymore, and now he stood with one dilemma blocking him from his hope of escape. Will he abandon his friend and ditches him away in this godforsaken battlefield or will he stay and most likely die in this place along with many other poor souls.

His mind stuck between two decisions and he doesn't want to choose any at all. Nobody here wants to die nor betrayed by those whom they trust for so long. Time is running short as artillery firing intensity started to rise tremendously. Seeing the dilemma in front of him, he decided to choose one final decision that he must take.

"Fritz?" Arnold asked.

"Yes?" Fritz asked nervously

"Get in..." Arnold said it straight to his friend whom he will see for the last time.

"Huh?" Fritz asked in confusion despite the world is collapsing nearby him.

"I said get in!" Arnold yelled at his friend to make him do what he said.

Fritz then nervously enters the tank while looking back at Arnold who is staring at him sternly as if he doesn't want to regret saving his life instead of himself.

"Sir?" Fritz asked nervously for the last time.

"Just get in already!" Arnold yelled as he then grabbed the door and then slam it shut.

The tank then moves away as fast as it could while the fog started to settle in. Soon, it disappeared into the fog itself.

Arnold stood there, trying to hold back his own tears. The surroundings are exploding deafeningly with the artillery shells while the rain is raging on endlessly. And yet... his sadness is more profound than all of these combined. He cried not because of regret but rather how this is most likely how his whole life is going to end.

And then something exploded nearby him but he can tell immediately that it isn't any artillery shell at all. He looked to his side and saw a yellowish smoke appearing and quickly spreading. He then quickly runs away from it partially in panic and also in fear of what it might do to him if he came into contact with it. As if that isn't enough, more of those canisters suddenly landed nearby and emitting this yellowish fog around it. Arnold keeps running away as fast as his feet could carry.

He doesn't know where he is going anymore. He just runs wherever his leg could carry without a destination in mind. He just runs for the sake of running. Whether running for escape or running to reach for the tank that his friends rode on. He doesn't even know why he is still trying anymore.

A mustard gas canister exploded right in front of him and Arnold was unable to cover his eyes at that moment. The mustard gas caught into his eyes and inhaled some of it into his lung. He felt the world around him is burning apart as the mustard gas tearing his vision apart and his lung melting into a bloody mixture. He wanted to just roll on the ground and writhing in pain. But he still running despite being completely blind as a bat and each breath felt like immolating himself.

Words of God: For this part, play E.S Posthumous - Ebla. The first choir.

A soldier, with his clothes bleached to gray by time, trekking through the land of the dead. He keeps wandering, with no destination in mind. Forever stuck in this perpetual cycle of torment, all for the single hope of getting out of this eternal punishment.

A face rugged by fate, jaded by the passage of time. He managed to open his eyes but his vision might as well be considered ruined.

He keeps walking, abandoning everything that he kept with him, just so he could delay the inevitable. He keeps walking as he sacrifices his mentality restrain, which prevents him from doing anything that could kill him, just so he could keep moving on.

He keeps walking and soon, he sacrificed the very madness that kept him for so long. He soon came into a stop and stood up straight, he looked up into the sky as the raindrops fell on his face. A face that was rugged by torment, suffering.

Devoid of any hope that could free him from this suffering. He fell into his back with an eye as empty like the void, looking up the sky and he let out his last breath. He joined the rank of those who have fallen in this place, without ever having the chance to ask God why this has to happen to him and everyone else.

He looked up into the sky as he makes out the hazy image of it while the rain still landing down on him. With his life coming closer to its end, his memory flashes in front of him as everything playing out in his vision despite how barely can't see anything yet those image are still so vivid that is unreal. At that moment, he decided that if his life is going to reach its end soon, he will end it with a silent requiem. A requiem only for himself to hear and to remember.

In a forgotten land I lay
A lonely soldier with unknown fate
Upon my dying words as I pray
Tell the words of passing hell

Relieving all I have been through
With the last communion of my soul
Rusting bullets with my own tears
Relieving all of the sorrows of my own years

Laying low in a blood-filled trench
Killing time until my own death
On my face I can feel the falling rain
Never seeing my friends again

Within the smoke of mud and lead
Smell the fear and the feeling of dread
Soon the time the walls fall over
Rapid fire and end of us all

Whistles and sounds of gunfires
Lifeless bodies hang on barbed wires
A battlefield nothing but a bloody grave
Be reuniting with the other side soon

Many lives of eighteen years
Drown in the mud with no more tears
A war that nobody wins
Killing time is about to begin

Crucified as if on a cross
Lives that never be able to mourn their loss
The gears of war forever turning
A cycle that can't ever be ceased

Swore my vow that I heard the angels cry
So this senseless madness can finally end
Pray to God that no more will die
So they can finally see the truth for themselves

As the rain of blood unveil its crimson cloak
The sounds of guns can't hide their shame
And so I meet my end here
On the land of passing hell

Dodging shrapnel and barbed wire
Running straight into enemy's fire
Running blindly as I hold my breath
Let out a prayer within a symphony of death

Seeing my spirit soars across the wind
Across the horizon and beyond the hills
Friends that I never will be able to meet again
May I finally see you... on the other side...

His vision became dimmer as his consciousness started to fade away. Breathing started to become a chore. He felt his grasp on his life can't be held onto any longer but he finds it okay. Soon... he joined the rank of the dead, became one of those who died here.

And soon everything falls into silence...

---

"._.""._.""._."

A Bitter Reunion

"._.""._.""._."

---

"Ugh... What happened?" Arnold said as he wakes up from his slumber while the landscape completely turned white from the snow.

He felt something is weighing down on his chest and when he finally focused, he saw Alfin who is sitting right on his chest while looking straight into his face. On her face is an expression that he is hardly able to put into words. If he attempted to, he would say that it is an expression of someone finally able to reach the other after such a long time of being absent away.

Before he even processes anything, Alfin kissed him on the lips. And hold it tight like that before she let go of him.

"Arnold... I... I thought that I lost you..." Alfin said as she tried to hold back her tears.

"What is going on?" Arnold asked.

He then realized he is lying on the snow while everything completely turned white from the blizzard, he can hear the winds howling into his ears and the chill it carries piercing through his flesh and bone.

"Did something happened?" Arnold tried to ask Alfin but she seems to care more about holding his embrace as closely as possible.

But he received an answer nonetheless as a person from behind answering his question.

"A blizzard came crash over this place. We have no shelter left, it is time to go now.". Larry said as he lends his hand so that Arnold can pull himself up.

Arnold accepted his help and pulled himself up. Alfin also let go of him when he stood up and seems to get herself back together just as quickly. Arnold also saw the rest of his allies approaching him and seems to sigh that he is fine. Did he got blown to here or something?

"It is strange though... We have seen rain for most of the time but a blizzard right now out of nowhere? This is can only go so well..." Arnold said.

Larry just nodded, the cause of this blizzard is unnatural and there is most likely a mastermind behind this.

"We have to go now or this blizzard will kill all of us before then.". Gudao said as he leads the team forward.

Words of God: For this part, play Frostpunk - The City Must Survive

They then together trek through this blizzard as the surrounding is completely turned white. They can't really discern anything within this blizzard at all. Is that thing over there a building or it is just the terrain? They don't even know anymore.

"Damn it, I thought there just no possible way for the weather to be this cold.". Arnold said as he shivers with each gale that passes through him.

If a Servant complains that they are feeling freezing, you know that hell has just completely frozen. Feeling that something just not right to him. Gudao then used the communicator that Illya has given back to him when she had the chance. Just like always, Da Vinci is the person who picked up his call.

"Master? Are you alright? The temperature that we recorded in the area your in is so low that not even the first Lostbelt is this brutal." Da Vinci said to her Master.

"Wait... What is the temperature?" Gudao asked in confusion because he can't really tell much due to the Mystic Code he has on him right now. He does feel frisky but other than that, he just has no idea.

"Master... It's -220 degrees Celcius... The 'snow' around you isn't 'snow'... They are solid air..." Da Vinci said with an expression that said "I can't believe I am saying this".

"What?" Gudao asked as if his whole perspective on things just turned upside down.

"Dear Lord! Now that you are saying it... I just feel ungodly cold." Desmond said as he felt he could fall ill in this cold.

"You just have to say it, don't you?" Richard said as he felt completely unbelievable.

Maybe it was better for them to not know the actual temperature since they felt discouraged at the fact that the possibility of them dying here just raised exponentially upon knowing it.

Arnold meanwhile is still trying to strife through the cold wind that is trying to push him back. Just even moving a step forward just difficult for him in this unforgiving weather although everyone else isn't faring any better than him, maybe except for Larry who still looks fine enough even in this air-freezing cold.

Alfin seems to be most affected this blizzard as her walking speed just getting slower with each second spent within here. Arnold kinda realized that her defeat came from not acting fast enough and ended up defeated due to winter freezing pretty much every military asset of her during Eastern Front and Stalingrad. That failure ended up becoming her conceptual weakness or pretty much every military really. It just that she got affected the most out of it.

"Alfin. Let me lend you a hand." Arnold said as he turned around to her.

Alfin nodded and she decided to jump to Arnold's back so that he could carry her. Arnold shivered when Alfin's chill quickly spread to him but he managed it properly enough so that he won't collapse like her.

"Larry, you seem awfully calm even in this weather. While I kinda could guess that you have some experience with it but this level of level-headedness of yours just unnerving to me." Pierce said as he walks through the blizzard with the armor. Thanks for the Crisis Core that he didn't get frozen to death in it.

Larry doesn't say anything, not even the cold of Finland is this atrociously cruel. It is like two winters combined into one then just boosted its potency with something. Not even a wind could tear a building apart like that and thus he just knew that something is wrong about this winter.

Many possibilities ran through his mind as he tried to narrow down the list of them to the bare minimum. Just who is capable of creating such a blizzard that can be simultaneously reminiscent to him but so frighteningly nightmarish like this?

"What if there are two Servants who are capable of the same ability?" Larry thought about that possibility but yet at the same time not wanting to explore more of it. Not because he got stumped there but rather, he already has two candidates in mind.

They keep walking in that blizzard as it hails down the pure white of nothingness on them. They then suddenly realized that surrounding them are just... nothingness. No building... No terrain... Just a pure flat land of that white nothingness shrouded by the diamond dust and the howling of the wind.

"Something isn't right... I sense something really wrong here..." Shirou thought as he tried to discern anything in this pure white landscape.

His mind suddenly flashed as he instinctively drew his Kanshou and Bakuya out and used the pair of swords to deflect an incoming bullet that is aimed into his Master's head. He successfully knocked the bullet away but his blades shattered upon impact and created a deafening sound upon collision along with a gust created from the vacuum left behind from its trail.

Tension suddenly rose as everyone quickly getting on their guard. Shirou tried to discern where the bullet came from and aimed his bow right in that direction, thinking that his enemy is right there. However, he got proven wrong when-

"Watch out!" Kuro yelled as she deflected another bullet came from the opposite direction than the one from before.

Her pair of twin swords broke as the deflected projectile plow through the ground and created a huge wave of snow in its path.

"Did it just-" Shirou said as he realized what just happened behind him and then suddenly-

Pierce quickly get in front of Gudao as a bullet came straight into his head and knocked both of them into the ground as they glided a long distance into the snow.

"Thank god for this armor..." Pierce said as he finds himself completely fine but not very much for Gudao for he is completely in a daze.

"Master!" Kiritsugu said as he grabbed his Master by the collar and pulled him up from the ground before the bullet would burst through his temple or just blown his head apart entirely.

"Damn it! How did this guy get around us this fast!?" Shirou said as he tried to detect where the hell this assailant is.

Whoever this enemy Servant is, they can't even tell wherever this person at all. Being attacked from all possible directions while having no way to even tell, they were truly at a disadvantage in a situation like this.

"Damn it, I know where you are, you just won't show up even if I am gonna make it so." Larry said as he begins to take something out of his coat.

It was the Muramasa from before and any Servant would obviously know what to do when facing that thing. Everyone then quickly ducks to the ground as Larry then makes a whirling slash with it as the shockwave ignited into a crimson heatwave that quickly soars across the atmosphere and sweeps away the diamond dust.

Soon the foggy vision cleared up and revealed two figures standing in a distance away. This basically confirmed Larry's suspicion as he gazed into them intently as if trying to find the reason why they are targeting everyone here in the first place. He could understand why him but an unrelated person who he accompanied with? That's why he couldn't pass this off mere coincidence at all.

The two figures approach them and their figure became much clearer. They are a man and a woman, however, when Gudao sees them for who they are, he gasped as if he witnessed something that is falling on the spectrum of unbelievable.

The woman next to the white-coated soldier is wearing a dress that seems to belong to the high-society class. But Gudao can instantly tell who she was, she is...

Anastasia Nikolaevna Romanova

The Tsar of the First Lostblet and the one that he has killed to stop the Lostbelt itself. He could tell that she remembers none of those things that transpired there but what makes him gasping in horror isn't her but the white-coated soldier carrying a side bag of same color next to her.

Hair as white like silver, those baggy eyes as if he never has any rest in his life. The lower of half of his face is covered with a scarf but it was such a familiar face that he couldn't forget and it doesn't make the gaze that he placed on Gudao any less threatening. Gudao swallowed his breath as a single name flew out from the furthest depth of his mind to tell him who is that person in front of him.

Kadoc...

The first Crypter that he faced during the first Lostbelt, he never remembered his fate or whatever transpired to him at all but to see him now is such a dreading feeling that he couldn't get it out of him. Those empty eyes that gaze on him feeling as if it could pierce him just by simply looking.

Larry gets in front of Gudao as he approaches forward to the duo in front of him. He could tell that Larry has something personal with them.

"So we meet again... my old friend... Simo Hayha..." Larry said it straightforwardly.

That alone makes him gasp even greater. Simo Hayha, the greatest sniper of WW2 with over 700 confirmed kill over the course of one month. Cheated death despite getting shot with an explosive bullet. The man was like a phantom... a ghost... or more exactly... a reaper of the pure white hellscape.

And Kadoc is the vessel for this man's Spirit Origin, and then he remembers that the vessel has to be suitable for the Heroic Spirit. Considering that both of them have a ridiculously low ego and they might not controlling each other at all.

However, that doesn't make the man any less dangerous. He could have blown his head off before Gudao could do anything if Larry didn't intervene in time.

"Answer me! Why did you targeting them!?" Larry said furiously.

Simo doesn't answer and he still keeping that stone-cold face of his. The winds are returning and the diamond dust is filling the atmosphere quickly. The guy is dead serious about killing them.

"You bastard!" Larry yelled before rushing towards Simo with the intention of giving him a beat down. However, he is stopped immediately by Anastasia as he felt completely frozen on his track.

"Damn you..." Larry muttered as he gazed towards her and saw something appearing behind her back. It was Viy, the mythical monster that is said to haunt those who brought her unjust death.

Realizing the emergence of the situation, Desmond joined the fray only to... shot down immediately.

"Desmond!" Larry tried to yell but Viy basically froze him shut to the point he could barely say it.

Desmond held onto the wound of his left arm as he wanted to scream in pain but can't afford to do so in front of his friend.

Shirou and Kuro looked intently into the duo in front of them as if they are devising their own plans. But with Simo's gaze on them, they can't afford to do anything rashly at all, at least not in front of that man deliberately.

Simo heard something flying at him from behind but he didn't even bother to turn around for Anastasia dealt with them immediately with two icicles that burst through the ground and deflected a pair of twin blades that is aiming to decapitate him. The blade soon landed on the snow and they were Kanshou and Bakuya.

"Damn it..." Shirou muttered beneath his breath as his plan didn't work out as planned.

The basic here is that Desmond would get the attention of the two in front of him as Shirou would throw a pair of his twin swords in secrecy and hope that Simo won't notice them. However, he really shouldn't have underestimated him that much or the fact that Anastasia could notice them.

Time is running down for the Chaldean, the longer they stay here, the colder the atmosphere will be. Soon, they will be cracking up like ice and shattered into fragments from the sheer cold that would break physics.

Larry standing there in front of them, feeling the flame of hatred in his heart burning greater. To see an old friend as an enemy like this just pissed him off to no end. Seeing his friend getting stuck here with no hope of escape, it makes him remember that unpleasant memory of his. He has a solution but doing so is just as much as self-sacrificing. But seeing that if everyone is going to die if he just stands still and does nothing... he decided that one death is far more preferable than complete wipe-out.

Channeling the flame of his rage to his body, the spell that Viy put on him is slowly but surely cracking as an aura of flame started to swirl around him to the point it defrosted the frozen air that he stood on.

Simo noticed something is amiss as he turned his gaze to Larry only to realized that it is too late to hold him back. The binding spell that Viy put on Larry shattered like glasses as the burning rage of his created entirely on sheer will and conviction alone. This time, Larry decided that he is not holding back anymore.

He unbuttoned his white coat to reveal the inside of it is... military attire of the 1960s US? And on his wrist revealed to be an armband of German's Iron Cross. Turns out... Illya's bluffing about the guy fought in three wars turned out to be true as his military service went on for a long time. All for one singular target on his mind... to destroy communism.

The flame in his eyes burns brightly as he wanted his justice fulfilled. Especially after Simo hurt Desmond as if it wasn't his business at all. Anastasia quickly commanded Viy to bind Larry back into his position but as if he could tell the gaze that is about to land on him, Larry pressed the trigger of the Black Barrel Sheath as it pushes the blade out with lightning speed. With his hand gripping the Muramasa tightly, he cleaved Viy's gaze with such speed that the aftershock it created shattered the binding lock apart.

The power to severe karma of the Muramasa quickly caused the feedback to Viy with a massive shock of pain that it also inflicted upon Anastasia which incapacitated her immediately, creating a small gap of escape for everyone else. Simo also seems to care more about Anastasia rather than the fact that everyone is quickly trying to move away from them. Larry then raised his left arm to the sky and pointed towards it, soon something started to flew down through the dense cloud.

Massive explosions occurred as it created two blazing lines of inferno stretching to who knows how long. It was as if they were fires of heaven, raining down upon this frozen and forsaken land.

"Everyone! Go this way! They will take you out of this frozen hell!" Larry said as loud as he could to guide his fellow teammates to escape this place.

Desmond by this point collapsed into the ground already and Shirou quickly grabbed him by his arm only to realize how cold his body has become. The medic himself is dying of hypothermia due to the exposed wound and if not treated quickly, the guy might going to die for real from being frozen inside out. Knowing that he got no option left here, Shirou quickly threw him over to his back and rush forward to the blazing line.

However, the smell of gasoline quickly approached his nose and he realized just what this flame actually is. Information started to piece themselves together and Larry's revelation started to make the picture clearer. Shirou signaled his Master to call the Shadow Border to confirm the identity of one of the friends who hid their identity for so long.

Gudao flipped the communicator on and Da Vinci said first before he could.

"Dear Lord... Just dear Lord... Can't believe how bad I actually screwed this one up." Da Vinci said as her expression shows how bad she screwed something up.

"Da Vinci!? What's the meaning of all of these?!" Gudao said as the smells of gasoline fill through his nostril.

"It's about Larry, we realized the massive mistake we made when looking through his identity. We considered any information irrelevant to WW2 to be swept aside and which including the man himself there." Da Vinci said.

"What do you mean?!" Gudao asked.

"Larry is indeed his name but that's the identity he assumed in the Vietnam War. His True Name is Lauri Thorne or Larry Thorn if you wanted to decide so. His military service stretched back to WW2 in the Winter War, the same one that Simo participated in. He led many battles and fight through those same amounts and he even has a battalion dedicated to himself to break through the enemy's lines. However, he never received the happy ending he deserved after all of everything he did as Finnland signed a treaty with the USSR that part of their lands will be transferred to the USSR so that the war can be stopped. This also included Larry's hometown!" Da Vinci said.

"So that's why..." Gudao said as he ran through the corridor of burning flame and the path of frozen air.

"This pretty much breaks the guy as he lost the very thing he fought so hard to protect and thus he decided to continue his conquest against communism by joining the SS Waffen so that he can fight against the USSR himself. However, he has no part in the politics of SS Waffen, and thus when he learned what is happening behind the scene, he ditched the Waffen immediately and escapes to his homeland only to be tried for treason after the USSR once again got their hands on Finnland's government. You know how much they hate Larry for the damage they caused to the USSR and the extent of what they tried to do just to kill him is just pathetic." Da Vinci said.

"Decided that he will not go to put himself to rot in jail, he flees to the USA and became one of the earliest Green Beret. He still only has one task in his mind, to bring down the USSR. He got sent over to the Vietnam War and became one of the advisor and overseer of the operations there. However, he meets his end when his transport was too faulty for mission requirements and ended up crashing when they met with horrible weather. No survivor was found and his remain was sent back to Arlington for burial. In the end, no enemy managed to kill him but the betrayal and incompetence of the higher-up are what killed him. A remarkable military man but dealt by fate with all of the bad hands." Da Vinci said.

Gudao gritted his teeth as he looked into the sky above him with the blizzard just keeps going worse. Da Vinci felt something is peculiar in her Master's action and wanted to ask. However, Gudao shut the communicator off and then keeps rushing forward. Arnold looked into the situation that transpired in front of him. He felt something but he can't even quite put it into words. Seeing the emergence of the situation has spiraled out of control too long ago, Arnold decided to keep silent about it as he keeps running through the blizzard.

Soon... heaven and earth will shatter from the retribution that was unpaid.

---

"._.""._.""._."

Painful Retribution

"._.""._.""._."

---

Both of them are staring into each other while the blizzard keeps intensifying, nobody raised a single voice as the tension started to rise. Larry stood there steadfast even if faced with the prospect of dying, it was as if he knew what would happen if he stayed but he still decided to go with this plan even if it is going to cost him his life.

"You know... I am supposed to be happy right now that I have found you... Since the Winter War..." Larry said first to break the impasse between them.

"However... that woman behind you is telling me a different story. White Death... No... Simo Hayha. I can see why you would choose to cooperate with her but why do you have to choose me and my friend to be under your judgment?" Larry asked as he wanted an answer to this madness that is unfolding.

Only silence came from the opposing Servants. They don't seem to know how to make an excuse for what they just did.

"Silence, huh? I'm afraid you two only have two choices here. Tell me why you created this blizzard and your side of the story or I'll let my guns do the rest of the talking." Larry said as he is prepared for the worst-case scenario should Simo and Anastasia decided to fight.

Both of them stood there for a moment before Simo said his answer.

"You know... I am also glad that I met you too. Something just can't be said through words alone and we can only do so through actions." Simo said assertively.

"Guess that it was redundant to ask that from you in the first place. Fine, if you wanted to answer with the gun then you will have it!" Larry said as he charged forward towards Simo.

Simo also does the same as he charges headfirst towards each other. He blocked the Muramasa with the bayonet on his Mosin Nagant which has been tempered with near absolute zero ice by Anastasia. However, he knew that a bayonet alone won't stand up against a blade that was made to kill its opponent, and thus he has to be careful with all his moves.

They swung their blades against each other and when the chance comes, Simo suddenly disappeared right in front of Larry. Larry then pushes his sense to the highest possible height while his hand still placed on the Black Barrel Sheath. And just like that, he pressed the trigger and the blade quickly pushes itself and he quickly turned to the back while the blade is moving at an ungodly speed.

"Knew it..." Larry thought as he saw Simo right at his back, prepared to fire his Mosin right into the back of his head.

A pillar of ice burst through the ground and blocked Larry's Muramasa at the last moment. However, its power can still be felt without even having to taste it as the aftershock of the attack pushed Simo away into the air and rolled down the hill of snow. He quickly got back on his two feet and Larry just walks toward him menacingly like that while the Muramasa's aura is burning through the air-freezing temperature.

Anastasia approaches Simo from behind while blood is still dripping from her eyes like tears. It was the result of Muramasa's karma severing that did the damage to her eyes as bloodshot is spread around them. It doesn't take that much to realize that she isn't pleased with what Larry did to her.

"So you decided to side with the Russian. Very well... If that is what you wanted then I won't spare you from my blade!" Larry said as he dashes toward Simo.

Anastasia held onto Simo from his back as he quickly fazed away into the snow. Larry then gazed around his surrounding in an attempt to discern wherever they are in this frozen wasteland.

His instinct flared up as he evaded a large icicle that spiked up from his position. And then another one right at where he just jumped to evade. And then like a specter, those icicle spikes suddenly pursuing him as if he was haunted by them. Larry quickly moves away from them as they just keep homing on while still remaining there to block his way.

"Interesting, enough is enough..." Larry said as he quickly pulled a whirlwind slash around him as the shockwave cleared away all of those icicles in one fell swoop.

No more of those chasing icicles but he felt like something is still approaching him. Within a brief moment, he acrobatically evades those crystal edges that are rushing in like a bullet train at him as they plow across the azure field of frozen oxygen. Now that he realized it, the temperature has also dropped so low that it is just flat out snowing pure solid oxygen.

Vision is getting worse, the night is slowly approaching, with only the Muramasa as his only beacon in the slowly encroaching darkness. He knew that he can't let his guard down even in the slightest moment.

The wind currents are changing, he felt something unnerving as he tried to look around for anyone. And then his body acted first before he did as he jumped away from his position immediately. Right at his previous position, a massive spire of ice landed right at where he stood. Larry then looked up and sees another one that is about to land on him which he jumped away immediately from it. And before he realized it, it just a goddamn storm of them raining down upon him.

He swiftly evades them and moving his way through the storm of ice spires. He is doing well so far until-

"Huh?" Larry grunted when he realized something is clamping at his left foot before he falls face flat into the 'snow'.

He looked back at his left leg and saw a bear trap made entirely out of crystalline ice clamped his entire left foot with its jaw. He quickly tried to remove it while the icicle spire is still raining down on him. The moment he got out of its grip, he jumped away and an ice spire landed right at where he got trapped.

Letting out a breath of relief while getting back on his two feet as fast as he could. But then he realized that fell into something even worse. Those spires of ice... They didn't fall randomly... They were selectively placed so that it would corner him right into this encirclement filled with nothing but an icy wall.

Larry tried to put up his guard but he soon realized just how pointless that was when Simo appeared suddenly right at his back, holding above him a massive ice pillar created by Anastasia. He then swung the whole pillar down on him into a god-shattering blow.

With that sudden attack that Larry couldn't counter in time just from how Simo could appear out of nowhere and randomly like this. The guy felt as if the whole world just shattered entirely as he collapsed to the ground. His body is in great physical pain that he could faint at any moment. The ice spires that surrounded him shattered into fragments and flown away with the winds

Simo and Anastasia are standing behind him and looking down upon the man. Whether it was disdain or pity, it didn't matter to Larry any longer. Something started to fill inside him...

Larry stood up despite the fractured body of his. Simo and Ana noticed something isn't right and instinctively steps back in caution. He can feel the intense emotions that are starting to build up inside Larry with such speed that is unreal. He can sense them... rage, fury, despair, hatred, contempt, disgust, malice, hostility, loathing, resentment... All of them became more and more intense with each second passed as they started to swirl around his heart like a vortex that devours everything in its reach.

He turned his head around to Simo with his left eye dripping tears of blood with a bright red flash that can be seen within his eye.

I thought you were far better than this...

Words of God: For this part, play Painful Retribution - Undertale Disbelief

Feeling his body instinctively react just from Larry's gaze full of hatred on him alone. Simo knew something isn't right, feeling the mana spiking to an unbelievable degree as he tried to raise his guard to prevent whatever Larry may do to him. But nothing can ever prepare him for the prelude of hatred.

Anastasia raised a wall of crystalline ice just right before Larry's Muramasa would decapitate both of them in one fell swoop. But even then, the impact was so great that both of them were knocked away by a great distance from the aftershock. Simo held onto Anastasia tightly as he used his power to transport them right to somewhere else.

In the next moment, he is right somewhere a bit safer but not that much safe considering Larry has gone mad by now. He saw a massive cloud of snow right on the distance where he most likely 'teleported' away. Larry probably just unleashes his Muramasa right at that place when Simo teleported.

However, Simo's power isn't teleporting anywhere that is snowing, he just moves so ungodly fast in it that it appeared to be teleportation. Even if it is not snowing, he would still fare well enough no matter what with his speed alone. The only reason that both of them managed to survive this long against Larry's rage is because of their synergy with each other.

The ground trembles as he can see that flash rushing towards him like a bullet that is aiming directly into his head. If it weren't for his body reacting before his mind, both of them would have been bisected in the next moment. Anastasia completely froze Simo's Mosin and encased with ice that is so tough that no level of pure brute force could break it and right in the next instant, Simo is using the very same thing to block Larry's Muramasa from bisecting him into half.

He gazed directly into Larry's face and Larry does the same. But Simo felt unnerved just by looking at the sight of his old friend himself as the bloody aura emanating from his bleeding left eye and the bloody tears that drip on his face. But what truly nailed that fear factor is just how stone-cold and emotionless Larry is, even in great pain or filled completely with intense hatred and rages that could withstand against near absolute zero.

The clashes between Muramasa and Anastasia's Frozen Mosin ended up causing a huge amount of spark that pierces through the veil of winter darkness. They pushed back against each other and strike against each other. Again and again...

Larry's hatred started to affect his strength directly with each blow started to have more force behind it. Realizing that he can't keep fighting him head-on like this. Simo took his chance and rushed his way out of Larry's sight along with Anastasia taken with him.

Forced to escape away from Larry once more. Never had he felt this lethargic like this trying to fight one Servant alone. He looked back at where he was before and saw the light of Muramasa from the distance. It seems Larry is trying to find him again and seems to said all sorts of profanity that Simo couldn't hear clearly because of the storm. However, a light started to illuminate upon them and both Anastasia and Simo looked up to see... a giant fireball that is about to come crashing down on them.

Both of them quickly get away from their position as the fireball came crashing down and exploded and leaving an undying flame in its place. The smell of the flame came whipped into his nose and he muttered one word instinctively that he didn't even aware of knowing.

Napalm...

A bomb used extensively in the Vietnam War and used the burn vegetation to ashes. They don't stop burning no matter what, even if they landed on a water surface or extreme cold. These things, there just no limit to how these things will last. It could be an hour or a whole afternoon. It just lasts as long as it wanted to. And because of it, the ground that Simo and Anastasia can use to activate their abilities just got shrunk.

They knew what this means when the longer this fight drags out. Soon this place will be a burning hell paved with ice.

"So you think you can just coward your way out of this? If you have intended to freeze hell over then I shall burn the heaven with my retribution.". Larry said as he approaches Simo and Anastasia while the Muramasa still having that burning aura akin to the burning napalm beside them.

Two of them stared coldly towards Larry and Larry does the same towards the two in front of him. Soon... the boundary between heaven and hell will collapse.

---

"._.""._.""._."

Scorching Sky - Frozen Earth

"._.""._.""._."

---

"Huff... huff... Did we got away from them?" Illya asked as she tiredly tried to gather her breath after nonstop running from the jaw of death.

"Yeah?..." Shirou said as if he is baffled from what is unfolding from his back during the whole event when they tried to run away.

Flame scorching up to heaven. The gust of cold still soaring through the frozen wasteland. The whole sight that is unfolding in front of them is too unbelievable for words to ever describe. Flame raining down from heaven, Ice bursting through from the ground. To say that hell is frozen and heaven is burnt apart is perhaps apt enough to at least equivalize it to something.

"Larry..." Desmond said as he tried to open his dim eyes and looked towards the blazing horizons.

Gudao tried to stay calm but he can't help but gritting his own teeth out of frustration. He has done many sacrifices till this point but never ever compromise with any of them. This was just another one that just got added to his list.

Arnold looked into flame and felt something inside him just keeps beating constantly. Was it stress? Was it something out of fear and tension? Or something else? He looked towards Alfin who is holding tightly to him. She seems to be going through some memory that she didn't want to ever looking back on and those flames just reminded her of it.

"We have to go now... If we still stay here, that circle of flame will soon reach us." Pierce said as he reminded everyone of what they need to do.

They looked back at the blazing in hesitance of leaving Larry behind but there is nothing else they could do anymore at this point.

Back at where Larry is

He stood there, completely still with that stone-cold face of his while the surroundings are filled with burning napalm littered across the battlefields. His hand still held onto the Muramasa as he deflects the hail of bullets that Simo fired at him from all sorts of angles.

Simo appeared and disappeared repeatedly without stopping. The moment he is in front of you, the next instant you find him having his gun at the back of your head. That's just how frightening he is like to those Red Army soldiers who got fell by him without knowing how or why.

Simo started to pick up his speed as his figure started to turn blur like an afterimage. With such unreal speed, he then fired his Mosin as fast as he could that the sheer speed makes all of them appeared to be overlapping on each other. Seeing the bullets around him that are about to turn him into Swiss chess, Larry placed his hand on the Black Barrel Sheath's trigger and pressed it quickly as he could. The blade in his other hand quickly pushed out as he quickly performs a whirlwind slash and sweeps clear all of those bullets away in an instant.

The shockwave knocked Simo away as he landed on his two feet to halt him from skidding across the burning snowfield. Larry then raised his hand up to the sky as the fire of heaven started to rain down upon where Simo is. Simo then quickly moves away as fast as he could but having his own suitable combat area slowly being consumed away by the flame started to hurt his ability's performance by a lot.

Anastasia joined with him as she raised a large wall of ice to cover him from being doused with napalm, although it melts in an instant upon contact, to have any of it on your body and you pretty much as good as dead.

"Anastasia!" Simo said to her as he tried to pick himself up.

The duchess then quickly held onto him from the back as she tried to giving him any assistance that she could. The foe that she is fighting against now is a fearsome soldier who is willing to stain his hand with as much filth just to accomplish his mission. She can't expect Larry to not pulling something even worse than before and the napalm makes her just wanted to scream 'It's goddamn hot!'

She is not willing to use Viy on Larry because the last time she did so, Larry almost got her eyes burst apart and turn her blind. Because of that, she is a lot more willing to cooperate with someone allegedly one of the scourges that Russia was so feared so that she could just payback Larry for what he did to her.

Simo quickly moved away before another napalm bomb landed on him. Space that he can move and utilize his 'teleportation' skill is getting tighter with each second passes as the napalm slowly consuming everything here. The darkness of winter is now completely replaced with the flame of war as the burning light of it pierce through the dark veil of the night.

With each second she held onto him, she felt something familiar but how? Both of them are strangers of two different times, there is nothing in common between them. Yet this resonating feeling inside her keeps beating in a way that she can't tell at all. However, that train of thought got interrupted when Larry is about to land an overhead blow on them.

An icicle shot from the ground and forced Larry to change his targeting priority and Simo took advantage of that to 'blink' them away from Larry. And just like that, they managed to get away from Larry at a distance of... 50 meters. He now realized just how small the battlefield now is to him to the point that he literally can't get away that far from him.

"Simo! Lend me your strength!" Anastasia said to him from his back.

"Huh?" Simo said as he didn't understand what she is trying to get at. His Magic Parameters aren't anything spectacular, they are average and getting by at best. But why does she have to even ask him to pitch him in the first place?

But he still obliges anyway, the only way to defeat one in perfection is two in harmony. If he and Anastasia can work with each other flawlessly, not even Larry could stand up against them.

Feeling his mana started to channel from him to her, a flash appeared in Anastasia's eyes as she raised her right hand to the heaven above. Feeling the wind current shifted dramatically, he wondered what did she just do until he looked up into the air and saw a massive ice spire descending through the air with fast speed towards Larry.

Larry looks at it apathetically as he sheathed the Muramasa into the Black Barrel Sheath and placed his finger on the trigger. He controlled his breathing as he tried to pace it steadily before pressing the trigger. When the chance comes, he pressed it as he quickly directs the quick draw slash upward into the sky. Letting his body flows into momentum without any resistance, he soared up to the sky as he let out his words before truly going into action.

Tidal Wave!

Soaring up to the sky with a single upward slash, leaving behind a blazing red afterimage as he reaches towards the falling ice spire. The moment the blade made contact with it, Lary also placed his feet on the ice spire and dashing through it while the Muramasa still plunged into it. The blade searing through the ice pillar leaving behind a blazing trail. The moment he reached the other end of the ice spire, Larry jumped once more and smashed it with the Muramasa with all of his might which resulted in the whole ice spire to explode like a massive fragmentation bomb, scattering its fragment everywhere.

Watching chunks of the whole ice spire to raining down mercilessly, Anastasia realized her whole plan backfired as she tried her best to salvage any saving grace left. The force of the blast are pushing them back slowly as Simo's scarf soaring violently as it lashing out among the wind like a whip. Soon, a chunk of ice almost struck him as he evaded it the last second but his scarf wasn't spared as the sharp part of the chunk cut through his scarf and revealed the lower part of his face.

The left side of his lower face was completely made out of crystalline ice as one can see the jaw bone in it. It was the lingering scar of what ended his streak as the White Death, an explosive bullet made for anti-tank, he survived it but it forever lingered on even after death.

"Simo!" Anastasia said as she placed both of her hands on the ground and encased both of them in a dome of ice in an attempt to shield them from the hail of ice raining on them.

And that cataclysm that is unfolding... isn't just limited to them.

---

"._.""._.""._."

Engage Your Enemy

"._.""._.""._."

---

"Keep moving! We're almost gotten out of here now!" Gudao said as he finally sees a building although still covered in snow, it is still remaining. That' the proof they have gotten far away enough.

"Everyone? What's that flying towards us?" Richard asked as he felt something is flying towards them.

Rho Aias!

Before everyone could process just what is going on. Shirou has jumped into action as he traced the Rho Aias to protect everyone from what is about to rain on them.

Rains of ice fragments raining down upon the Chaldean as the Rho Aias holding up against it. Everyone quickly got behind it as they wonder what on earth is happening right now.

"Why is there suddenly a storm of ice right now?!" Pierce asked as he stood behind the shield while those ice fragments are moving at supersonic speed.

Just when they thought they could just hold out until the storm passed, a large chunk of ice collided with the shield resulting in one petal broken. Shirou winced as he felt the damage being transferred to him. The chunk of ice landed on the ground but Kuro seems to notice something as she noticed the burning trace of the ice itself. She analyzed it and realize that it is the burning left behind by the Muramasa and doused by napalm.

"Don't tell me that he overexerted it power and caused this blast?" Shirou said as he holds the shield up.

"Most likely, and considering the amount of ice being flung here, he must have slashed something unbelievably extraordinary.". Arnold said.

"But it is strange, the power of Muramasa in itself is already extraordinary, he could just cut it without exerting too much power like this but no, he just has to explode the thing and caused this whole thing to happen. It is like... he is acting entirely out of pure rage and feelings and not putting any restraint at all". Illya said.

Suddenly, Arnold felt something flashed in his mind. Acting entirely out of pure rage and feelings? Why does this remind him of someone he knows?

He then looked at Alfin who seems shuddered at what just going on right now. She has a terrifying capability if driven to rage and hatred but he felt that there is a missing link that connects both of them together. Not because of Hitler or anything but rather... something that is exaggerating their emotions to a borderline psychotic degree.

He looked into the blazing horizon once more, he is getting closer to the truth, he just knew it. But why does he feel that he won't like this truth one bit at all?

His gaze keeps locked on the burning image in front of him, wondering just what has unfolded in this forsaken battlefield.

Back at the battle is unfolding, the dome of ice that Anastasia summoned to protect them has shattered but other than that, they are still fine. But there is one thing though, Larry has landed on the ground while the Muramasa in his hand is still ablaze. Anastasia at this point wasted much of her power on a futile attempt to defeat Larry but it was to no avail.

Simo stood up as he faced directly towards Larry. With the Mosin Nagant in his hand, he-

Before he could realize it, the Mosin Nagant in his hand got bisect and he is now holing its stock. The moment he realized it, Larry is already in front of his face as the guy quickly kicked him into his gut as he flew and collided into Anastasia who is sitting tiredly on the ground. Soon both of them lying tiredly as they breathe heavily in both pain and tiredness.

Simo gazed towards Larry who is looking extremely ominous and threatening with the spires of napalm flame behind him creating the lighting that gives him such an image in the first place. With the Muramasa aimed directly towards Simo, Larry said:

Tell me what you cherish most so that I will find the joy in taking it away from you.

Words of God: For this part, play Engage the Enemy - Xenoblade Chronicles

Simo stood up while still holding on to his bisected Mosin. He then looked directly into Larry's eye as he said the words inside the furthest depth of his feelings.

That's what you don't understand. There's nothing I don't cherish.

Infuriated by Simo's answer. He quickly tried to slash Simo with the Muramasa only to realize that both he and the Russian tsar has disappeared from his sight. He turned around and see them behind him a bit distance away from him.

Simo is currently carrying Anastasia in bridal style while crouching. He tried to find any way of breaking through this situation. Larry just cut his Mosin like nothing, just what does he hope the Suomi would do anything? Anastasia is basically drained after using such an attack like that. He can't keep 'teleporting' like this forever, Larry would eventually cut the amount of non-napalmed ground to just him. It is either die by the Muramasa or burned to death in the napalm.

Anastasia opened her eyes and saw Simo's face up close for the first time. His face is reminding her of something, something like it belong to her past summon. She felt like she has seen that face from before, was it...

A flashback played within her mind, it wasn't a memory belong to this summoning but rather a different time. She saw his face but it was too hazy to make out but it is definitely him, it was the eyes of disbelief of him losing her at that very last moment, to have her dying in his own hand while being too powerless to do anything that completely turned upside down of what she knows. This wasn't the first time that they met and worked with each other.

Soon that flashback ended just as soon as it appeared. She then looked into his face and realized that she has to do something. That epiphany alone makes her forgot that she isn't even at her best shape anymore but she can't afford to make him go through it once more. She can't let him went through that pain of loss again.

She placed her hand on the Mosin stock that Simo is holding, the stock was touching the snow at that time but he didn't have any care about it since he is trying to formulate a plan to have two of them escape from this place. However, his train of thought stopped as he felt a chill in his hand coursing through his nerve.

He looked at it and saw the stock completely froze and when he tried to pull it, the thing is unusually heavy and when he tried to pull it all up, what he pulled isn't just a stock anymore. It was a greatsword made entirely out of crystalline ice with the Mosin stock as its hilt.

No... It was too crude to call it a sword. It is more like a massive icicle sharpened into an oversized knife. Suddenly, both of them looked into each other in the eyes as if they read over each other's thoughts perfectly. It was as if both of them are synchronized with each other at that moment as they quickly get into preparing stance with the crystal greatsword in such perfectly synchronized movements that not even Servants could find flaws in it.

"Let's dance... Moron..." Simo said as he and Anastasia flow their movement into 'hanging right' sword fighting stance.

Larry felt irritated when he saw that they think they still have a chance against him. He sheathed the Muramasa and pressed the trigger again to create a torrent of crimson slashes that fly towards the duo in front.

Back right

Their thoughts synchronized without delay as they quickly changing their stance. Their movements are unbelievably graceful to the point of unblemished. The moment their stance changed, they together use all of the remaining strength that they could pitch in and pulled an upward slash with it. The shockwave created from that slash moved with no less amount of power than crimson torrents that are charging toward them.

The two attacks collided resulted in a huge discharge of energy in the form of a massive shockwave that pushed all of them back. Larry didn't expect that there is something that is capable of fighting back against Muramasa's power but he won't let that fact dissuade him from taking them all down. Simo and Anastasia were dumbfounded that it actually worked and they quickly nodded toward each other in complete mutual understanding.

Larry then charges forward as he prepared to pull an overhead slash which both Simo and Anastasia quickly parried it almost instantaneously. Their spirits are resonating with each other greatly to the point that the two of them act with such synchronization that they are like one person. Each blow they managed to deflect with their own power combined, it is such a rare sight to see something like this in the first place.

Simo and Anastasia used their upward slash again and Larry dodged it by acrobatically backflips away from it. He then quickly makes a large jump into the air and swung his blade downward at Simo and Ana. They quickly raised their sword in time to parry the strike just in time but got pushed back because of it. Larry then took advantage of it and charges forward to keep the suppression on.

The duo quickly sharpens their focus so that they don't falter at the worst possible timing. Simo quickly read the pattern of Larry's attack and within that slimmer moment of truth, he managed to successfully counterattack through the smallest gap within Larry's attack and quickly tried to make use of it. However, Larry quickly disengages and falls back immediately to prevent him from getting chained with the duo's attack.

Larry when getting enough distance from the duo, he then quickly plunges the Muramasa into the ground and then rushes toward them while the blade plows through the snow. Both of them braced for whatever Larry might do to them as Larry pulls an upward arc slash that breaks their guard open and he quickly followed up with a roundhouse kick straight into their gut and knocked them into the ground.

Quickly getting back on their own feet before Larry would follow up on them. Larry then proceeds to sheath the Muramasa and pressed the trigger on the sheath to pull a quick-draw slash on Simo and Anastasia. Simo realized the emergence and quickly decided to apply one of his power in the hope that it might be able to do something about what Larry might do to them.

Simo flickered towards Larry right when he unsheathed the blade and the applied force of Simo's greatsword unbalanced him immediately. Anastasia followed up immediately with the momentum as she spins around and knocked the Muramasa out of Larry's hand as it flew a distance away from him. Right when that happened, they attempted to follow up on the defenseless stance Larry is in right now.

However, instead of just taking hits, Larry used both of his hand stopped the greatsword right in between his palms. He then grabbed the greatsword and spun around tossed both of them away. Looking at his palm and noticed the frostbitten part on it, he grunted and ignored the injury on his hand as he cracks his knuckles.

Both Simo and Anastasia gathered back at their feet as Larry approaches them. Larry then charges forward with a speed that breaks the sound barrier and caused the ground to shake upon his movement towards the duo. Both of them held their greatsword tightly so that they won't be disarmed from Larry's attack.

Larry then puts all of his strength into the punch that collided with their greatsword with such a force that cause the ground to tremble and shake from it. Both Simo and Anastasia got pushed away but still remained the guarding stance. Larry then does it again, and then again, and again, and again... With each punch of Larry, Simo wonders how on earth and why does he being tougher to deal with when he is without a weapon?!

Simo and Anastasia quickly swung their greatsword in overhead position at Larry in which he stopped it between his palm again, but this time, they won't let Larry tossing them around like the last time. They let out their cry as they pushing the blade down against Larry and they soon managed to do so but Larry jumped out of its path right at the last second and thus the only damage he received is just on his clothes.

Larry just simply annoyed at the duo's attempt to fight back against him, he then grabbed the Muramasa which is being plunged into the snow until now. This time, he ain't gonna be so merciful anymore.

Suddenly moving like an afterimage, the duo tried to attack him but only grasping at straws in an attempt to land even a single attack. Larry then jumped back away from Simo and Anastasia as he sheathed his blade and assuming his stance. Right in the next second, the snow around him blew away from the sheer speed that he moves and just when Larry got close, he pressed the trigger. The crimson slash appeared and strike into the greatsword that both Simo and Anastasia with such a force that they were pushed away tremendously. Even if they weren't hit by the Muramasa directly, the shockwave it created would have done the same.

This time, Larry is at their back and quickly prepared for another quick draw slash right after he did one just now. Both Simo and Anastasia turned around and sees him about to do it again. They quickly raised their guard and if they were any second late, they would be bisected right now. However, due to improper guarding stance, they got knocked away into the ground.

Simo and Ana quickly tried to get back onto their feet but Larry is about to pull another quick-draw slash for the third time. Realizing that they don't have any time left to stand up, they decided to grab the blade as fast as they could and raised it to block another strike and-

The Muramasa collided with the crystalline greatsword again and this time both of them got knocked away once more and their blades disarmed from them as it flew a distance away from them. Both Simo and Ana then stand up for themselves and reaches toward the greatsword that is currently being plunged to the snow as fast as they could.

The air froze, Simo swore that he thought the surrounding just turned completely red for a brief moment, he turned around and saw Larry is charging up for an extremely powerful attack that is being redirected at them if the flash in the Muramasa is any indication. Both of them grabbed the greatsword once more and Larry is about to unleash his attack the moment he pressed the trigger

Helix Blade!

A crimson tornado unleashed the moment he pulled that quickdraw slash as it rushes toward them with an ungodly speed. Right at that moment, their hearts skipped a beat as their body and mind act before they could process what just happened. With one hand still holding onto the greatsword, they acrobatically and gracefully dodged that tornado of slashes as they flip with their other hands and managed to take back their greatsword without any problem.

The air froze again, this time they learned that the surrounding turned completely red is because Larry's charged attack with the Muramasa caused a massive spike in mana in the vicinity to the point it affects its surrounding. Not that it could affect them but it does serve as a good warning sign of what Larry may try to do. The only thing they hope that it won't be something that they can't handle.

This time, Larry charges straight forward to them as he unleashes the Muramasa right at the close-quarter and in front of Simo directly. Both of them knew this isn't gonna end well for them.

Tidal Wave!

With a rising upward slash, the power of the Muramasa sent both of them sky-high. Both Simo and Anastasia got sent to the sky but they at least not flat out dead although they couldn't say the same to the greatsword as it got split into half. Simo then glides himself to reach for the hilt once more and Anastasia started to hold onto him from the back.

"I won't let you went through that tragic fate once more," Anastasia said to him.

Simo doesn't understand what she meant by the tragic fate but he fully understands the feeling she has for him right now. He thought it might have something to do with his last summoning but he won't make any further question lest he risks breaking this grace of harmony they have

Feeling that he is descending even faster, he felt that he is being enveloped by something and before he realized it, Larry is right in front of him.

Both of then crashed into the ground and created a massive cloud of snow and tremor upon their impact. Simo stood up once more with his broken greatsword plunged into the snow while Anastasia is still holding onto him.

He then pulled the sword up from the snow and the rest of the greatsword itself is repaired almost in a miraculous way. The greatsword fixed itself just by plunging it into the snow and now he has something to fight back once more. Anastasia then dropped off from Simo's back and quickly rejoined him into the sword fighting stance.

Larry who avoided getting crashed into now sheathed his Muramasa again, with this time aiming to kill them for once and for all. He then pressed the trigger and the blade will quickly move into thousands of slash in the next second. However, both Simo and Anastasia won't let Larry keep getting the upper hand like this anymore. Simo applying his 'godspeed' skill to the blade as both of them are moving so fast to the point they are matching the Muramasa in terms of pure raw speed alone.

Thousands of clashes were followed as both of them unleashed all of their attacks with all of their might. The last blow ended up causing a massive shockwave which pushed both of them back. Both Simo and Ana felt tired and like going to have a headache if keeping this up.

Larry falls back and sheathed the blade once more, Simo quickly realized that he has to end this now, deflect the first blow before it would follow up to a barrage of thousands. Both of them changed into back left position charged in unison as they quickly swung the blade into an upward arc. And just like that, they managed to stop the first blow from going with their sword.

Sparks flying from the clash between the Muramasa and the crystalline greatsword as none of them are willing to yield. The intensity of the spark created by their clash is so bright that not even the napalm flame around them could match against.

But... Sometimes... Being unbreakable doesn't equal strength.

The crystalline greatsword in Simo and Ana's hands snaps against Muramasa but instead of disengaging from Larry, they pushed forward with all their might and with their graceful movement and perfect synchronization, Simo and Anastasia swung their blade together as it slits through Larry's eyes. There is no blood from him at all but they could tell that they have struck right in his eyes.

With his vision completely ruined, Larry lashing out the Muramasa at everywhere he could, thinking that he will strike Simo somehow. Anastasia used her power to levitate both her and him into the air and they silently watching Larry lashing out at nothing with his Muramasa.

Larry looks really pathetic in his attempt to kill Simo but he was too blinded in rage and hatred to even realize that. Simo decided that he needs to subdue that rage immediately, plus... he has something to ask Larry for.

Wielding the greatsword once more after landing on the ground, they prepared their stance and when the moment comes, both Simo and Ana quickly dash forward with a focused thrust. Due to Larry's attacks being a completely incoherent mess, the singular focused thrust quickly impaled straight into Larry's chest as his body jolted instinctively before feeling the freezing chill it gives.

Simo doesn't even want to kill anymore, he just wanted this whole thing to end.

Larry stopped swinging his blade as he kneels to the ground, his rage started to die down as he lost any reason left to continue to fight. Soon, even the napalm flame around them died down just like his rage and hatred that drives him so far.

"It's... over..." Simo whispered as he let go of the greatsword.

Larry doesn't say anything as if he accepted his fate, it takes a lot to even make him accepting defeat in the first place.

"Why? Why did you do this?!" Larry said as if he wanted an answer for this madness.

Simo doesn't know how he should answer it. It is not that he doesn't have an answer but rather, he doesn't know how he should convey it to Larry without agitating him even more.

"Larry, tell me... What happened during the last 4 years?" Simo asked.

4 years? Simo has been in this world this long? This raised a whole lot of question but everything Larry knows will be revealed soon.

"Beats me, I have been summoned for the last 5 years and I know jack shit compared to you. The only reason I got summoned is because of my affiliation with the SS Waffen, nothing more." Larry answered.

"Russia, tell me what happened there. I want your side of the story at that place too." Simo asked.

"That place? If you mean that contaminated wasteland with no hope of survival then it is true that I have my part of causing it." Larry said.

"A contaminated wasteland. You were half right about that. There are indeed contaminated wastelands but the truth isn't what you think it is..." Simo said.

Both of them have a brief of silence as they are about to step into something that points out even a greater picture.

"It was a pure land of white emptiness, it was as if Russia itself is wiped out like paint from the canvas. There were elevations but none of them have more than a digit worth of meters. It just... empty" Simo said.

Larry can't open his eyes but Simo could tell the disbelief in it. It was as if Larry didn't know about it at all.

"There has to be something that caused such destruction like that... It just impossible to be you even with the WMD you may have at the disposal. It has to be something completely on the realm of god to erase something like that from the plane of existence." Simo said.

Larry suddenly flashed back, he remembered one thing, Alice... the girl who held extraordinary power that is beyond any Divine. He never checked Russia ever again after killing Stalin personally by himself and send over a dirty bomb that crippled any chance of anything that could live there. But that is all there is, he never knows that something else was sent along with it and that is before he knew anything about Alice.

"And let's talk about something else, our homeland," Larry said as he switched the subject.

Larry suddenly got his attention caught by what Simo said. What happened back there?

"Finland is where I got summoned but there was nobody there at all. There was only the silence that spread through the atmosphere with the unbridled cold and snowstorm. And yet there was no sign of war, no dead body, no stench of death... just pure empty cityscape. It was as if everyone just disappeared suddenly without an answer. I thought it just this town and so I spent 3 years of it searching for any living soul in there but all I got was still nothingness." Simo said.

Nobody? A thought runs through Larry's mind as he can't fathom the idea of Finland being completely devoid of life. But how? And...

"That's when I realized, I have to seek the truth of this matter and thus I made my path to the Third Reich but realized that I can't brute force through without getting decimated and thus I decided to try anything I could do in the matter. I have walked through the vast land of Europe for this alone. Just to find you..." Simo said.

Larry went deep in thought, how could the whole of Finland be up and gone like that even without a single fight? Just what happened-

Larry suddenly understands... It was the same reason that the whole German populace up till now is still haven't found yet. The whole desolated area and derelict buildings. All of this time he wondered, why there was no living soul but the one right in the heart of the fifth ring is still alive in this accursed hell. Now, he just reached that conclusion for himself after this long.

He laughed hysterically for himself for taking even this long to realize. He may have been a remarkable military man but he was too stubborn and headfirst to realize the bigger picture until it was too late.

Soon, the crystal clear blood that drips from the wound of his eyes started to turn red. It was as if he has reached acceptance that there is nothing left to truly be there for him. No longer clinging to hatred, only empty acceptance that it is truly the end.

"My identity... I threw it around like a piece of rag. This flowing tears of mine, when was the last time I cried? Oh right, when those greedy bastards took away my hometown after having the gall to invade then fail to do so. I cried like a bitch, that was probably when I truly died an identity death. This hollow shell of mine is just vengeance of that day incarnated. And now... There is truly nothing left, I have gone too far for any hope of redemption or to even forgive myself..." Larry said as his voice was filled with regret.

"Larry... You... Your wound..." Simo tried to reach out to his friend.

"Did I forget to tell you?... In my world... the color of red doesn't exist... So this has to be... my tears..." Larry said as he touched on the 'tears' rolling down his face.

Larry then truly let loose his bottled up feelings and Simo and Anastasia just watching a grown man letting his heart loose like it. To be devastated by loss is one thing but to let that loss controlling you and brought ruin and devastation to the others is just cruel. Larry, he needed his methodology born from mind-shattering loss to be shown that it is not an answer to resolve his inner turmoil.

"Simo, please help them. They're... the only hope left... for this world..." Larry tried to say to Simo when he managed to calm down.

Larry then collapsed into the ground and soon only the silence remains, the napalm flame died down along with his intense emotions. Simo couldn't ask for a better end than this. At least, it didn't end in a bloodbath.

"So you have accomplished your side of the deal then." A voice of an old veteran said to him as he approaches.

It was the Russians that the Chaldean encountered during their journey through the second ring. It seems that Simo has made a deal with them or-

Simo took out his Suomi and aim it at them. It seems that he is the actual one who is holding the upper hand despite the Russian have three Servants on their side.

"No need to be so cautious. I'm just here to ascertain-" Reznov said as he slowly approaches toward before suddenly stopped.

A mountain of ice was raised as it encases Larry beneath thousand feet of ice. It seems that not even Anastasia placed that much trust on her fellow brethren. It also speaks volumes when she would rather protect the one who almost killed her rather than those of the same nation she lived in.

"Don't forget, it was I who beat all three of your Servants in the first place. If you tried to do anything underhanded then you are going to die." Simo said.

"Woah there, don't act like I would backstab you at this far. If none of my Servants working together managed to defeat you then I have no reason to even make an enemy out of you." Reznov said although Simo still wary of him even if they cooperate this far.

"This is the end of our deal. I took down Larry for you and so you will transact her command to me. If you refuse, I would make it so either way." Simo said.

"Heh... Fine... Not like I have any use for her when she can't even trust me in the first place." Reznov said as he looked at the ice pale that Anastasia created on top of Larry.

Both Simo and Ana then moved away from the ice pale while the soul-freezing wind still howls across the empty boundary. Soon, even the ice pale itself is gone from their sights.

"Anastasia... Base on how you acted just now... Did you remember anything about me?" Simo asked.

Anastasia nodded. Simo doesn't know if he should bet on it or not but in the end, he decided to let the vessel reunited with what he lost. Gudao didn't know how right he was when he managed to guest that both of their egos are so low that nobody is in control of who at all. It just that Kadoc left the combat to Simo and Simo left Kadoc with the negotiation. That is how they managed to get Anastasia through the collective efforts of each other, the final key piece to break through the fifth wall.

Something in Simo's eyes changed as if Simo decided to give the spotlight back to Kadoc.

"Anastasia... Let us strife forward to a better tomorrow, don't we?" Kadoc said.

Anastasia smiled to him while still holding onto her doll. It was such a heartwarming scene in this frozen wasteland.

---

Servants Profile

The Avenger Wise up!

Class: Archer/Avenger

True Name:Lauri Torni (Larry Thorne)

Parameter:

Str: B | Agi: B+ | End: B | Mana: D | Luck: E | NP: B++

Passive Skills:

Oblivion Correction C: The hatred towards those who took all he hold dear was extremely powerful to the point that mentioning it would make him filled with rage and intense hatred.

Magic Resistance D: Due to innate resistance against harsh weather that would otherwise incapciate normal people, he managed to attain a slightly higher than normal Magic Resistance compare to many other Modern Servant.

Independent Action C: He served no one but his conquest against one only target, communism. To him, others are just happened to be aligned with his goal. Can act for a few days without a Master as long as said Servant does not use their Noble Phantasm.

Personal Skills:

Evasive Disengage B+: With his commanding skills and the ability to act accordingly to situation with unreal foresight. Larry is capable of making path of retreat or keeping distance against his enemy while treating himself and others.

Eternal Arm Mastery C+ (Disciplinary): A skill attained from his long-time warfare experience and usage of many weapons ranging from duration WW2 to Cold War. This skill allow him to use any weapon skillfully no matter what.

Tears of Denial A: "In my world... the color of red doesn't exist..." A skill born from the trauma of the past that affected his mentality even until now. A pain of loss that was so great that it affected him to the point that loss became what turned him into a weapon that devastate those who took all he had.

Noble Phantasm

|Trinity Soldier|
The Soldier of Three Armies

Rank B+| Classification: Anti-Army

A Noble Phantasm that culminates everything and all of what he had in his life. His works and extensive background as a soldier stretching back to three armies. Detachment 20 of Finnland, SS Waffen of Germany, Green Beret of American. All of these for one singular goal in mind, the destruction of communism. The Finnland for traversy speed, German for raw firepower, American for two of them combined and enhanced to a greater degree but will reveal his True Name upon using.

|Bloodstained Philosophy|
Painful Retribution

Rank A| Classification: Self-Enhancement

A Noble Phantasm that enhance Larry's strength and endurance immensely based on how much intense negative emotions he has. Rage, hatred, loathe, all sorts of negative emotions that raise combat spirit of his.