And now the Fifth Grail War begins. I skip the 3 months since nothing important really happens except upgrading the power level of the four main Masters.
Disclaimer: I do not own DxD or Fate
Chapter 5: Fifth Grail War
-3 months later, Fuyuki-
"Hmm, Fuyuki really have changed since I was last here."
"Sophia, don't go around too much."
Noire warned. The party of eight had just arrived in Fuyuki and is now heading to meet the fifth Master of Red faction, Tohsaka Rin.
"Hey master, I also wanna look around. Can I?"
"Rider, we're here for a war, not for sightseeing."
A pink-haired youth look pleadingly at Xenovia. Behind the two of them are the remaining four members of the group. There is of course Valerie and Fiore and with them their Servants, Lancer and Berserker. Lancer is Fiore's Servant and she is a very beautiful and tall woman with long silky silver hair. Lancer is currently pushing Fiore's wheelchair while watching the antics of the more boisterous Servants silently.
Valerie's Servant is Berserker. He is the tallest of the group with wavy white hair and thin facial hair. He has a regal look and the most powerful presence of all of them.
As the eight of them walk down the street of Fuyuki, Noire and Xenovia finally give up after being pestered by Caster and Rider for a long time.
"Alright! We'll go look around town! But first we need to meet Tohsaka Rin."
""Okay~""
Caster and Rider chorused. The two of them have struck a quick friendship due to how easy-going they are and it has become a nightmare for both Noire and Xenovia who have to deal with them on daily basis for the last three months leading to the Grail War.
"I wonder if I can switch Servant with Fiore?"
"You're still talking about that?"
"I can't handle her madness. She has too much energy and she's nothing like a normal magus."
"But she did help you with your craft."
"True. But still…"
What Xenovia meant about Caster helping Noire with his craft is the fact that Sophia knew much about the Shijou family magecraft due to how close she was with Momoka. If there is anything about the summoning that Noire is grateful for, it is the fact that Sophia has been helping him improve his magecraft at a very fast rate.
"Hey Noire! Let's hurry up to Tohsaka's mansion and get it over with! I want to explore Fuyuki fast!"
Sophia suddenly appear and have one arm around Noire as she drags him away like a girlfriend dragging her boyfriend on a shopping trip (which will happen soon, much to Noire's dismay).
"Hey, I was talking with Noire! Let go of him!"
"No way! I won't let you keep Noire to yourself!"
And both Sophia and Xenovia began bickering.
"Somehow, this has become a normal sight."
Fiore chuckled. Lancer lightly smiled at her master enjoying herself.
Emiya Shirou has a dream.
He wants to become a hero.
That is why he has been training himself for the last ten years as a magus.
Well, it doesn't go as well when all he can do is tracing and reinforcement.
"Trace On."
As Shirou spoke his personal aria, his magic circuits activated and prana began to flow from his circuits to the pipe he is holding. He is concentrating in controlling the flow of prana so that he could reinforce the pipe to the max without blowing everything on his face.
His concentration was broken when the door to his shed burst open and in come a fairy-like girl with snow white hair.
"Onii-chan, onii-chan, onii-chan! This is bad!"
Shirou immediately stop what he is doing and look at his sister, Illyasviel Emiya, also known as Illya. She is Emiya Kiritsugu's biological daughter and his adopted sister. Behind Illya came an older version of the girl with a concerned look on her beautiful face. Irisviel Emiya, Kiritsugu's wife who survived the fourth Grail War after Kiritsugu plead for help to a passing Sorceress.
"Shirou-kun, I have bad news. The Grail War had started prematurely."
Emiya Shirou had never been more shocked in his life apart from this moment. He look up at Illya who shows him her command seal. Shirou grimaced. It has only been ten years since the end of the fourth Grail War. It shouldn't happen for another forty years.
"Shirou-kun, it is not a normal Grail War this time. It is an Apocrypha."
"An Apocrypha?"
"It means that it will be a team battle between fourteen Servants. Illya is part of the Red team and they have arrived in Fuyuki just this morning."
Irisviel informed. Shirou's mind went numb. Fourteen Servants. Even with just seven Fuyuki had been torn apart so many times and the life lost had been great since the time of the first Heaven's Feel. Now there will be fourteen Servants competing. Shirou cannot imagine the destruction that will happen.
The Holy Grail War has a history of causing a massive amount of death, especially during the third and fourth. The fourth has the Fuyuki city fire where Kiritsugu found Shirou and the third caused an even greater damage where half of Fuyuki was razed during an all-out battle between the remaining Servants and Masters. Despite the supposedly small number of competitor consisting of only 7 teams, it really is not wrong to call it a war.
With a determined look, Emiya Shirou decided what he wants, no, needs to do.
"Illya, we will summon our Servants."
-Night-
""Let silver and steel be the essence
Let Stone and the Archduke of contracts be the foundation
Let red be the color I pay tribute to
Let rise a wall against the wind that shall fall
Let the four cardinal gates close
Let the three-forked road from the crown reaching unto the Kingdom rotate
Let it be filled. Again. Again. Again. Again.
Let it be filled fivefold for every turn, simply breaking asunder with every filling.
Let it be declared now; your flesh shall serve under me, and my fate shall be with your sword
Submit to the beckoning of the Holy Grail
Answer, if you would submit to this will and this truth.
An oath shall be sworn here
I shall attain all virtues of all Heaven
I shall have dominion over all evils of all Hell
From the Seventh Heaven attended to by three great words of power
Come forth from the ring of restraint, protector of the holy balance!""
Illya and Shirou finished their chant as the two magic circles let out a burst of light. Irisviel Had found out that the red faction will be meeting in the Tohsaka mansion and all of them have summoned their Servants. Shirou immediately made an effort to be chosen as the last of the red master which he succeeded and received a set of red command seals at the back of his right hand.
Shirou is thankful that the red faction consists of respectable individuals if what Irisviel found out was true. At least he personally knew Tohsaka Rin and knew that she will at least avoid doing unscrupulous things. Rin has a sense of morality that most magus lack and for that Shirou is thankful.
The problem will be the other four. Shijou Noire, Valerie, Fiore Forvedge Yggdmillennia, Xenovia Quarta. The Shijou family is famous for producing Shijou Momoka, a true genius who became a Sorceress half a century ago. By the family's reputation, the Shijou family can at least be trusted to not do anything drastic as they have a moral code. Valerie is an unknown who recently became the apprentice of Kischur Zelretch Schweinorg. Her family name is unknown, personality unknown, everything unknown. This worries Shirou a lot, especially since she is the apprentice of someone known to be insane. Then there is Yggdmillennia who is part of those responsible for half of Fuyuki's destruction in the Third Grail War. He will need to keep an eye on Fiore. Xenovia Quarta is another unknown. She is an unofficial member of the Burial Agency and frequently seen in Misaki City along with the number seven of the Agency. She had faced Wallachia, one of the 27 DAA, and won in the deadly 3 vs 1 fight. Shirou didn't consider it unfair as Dead Apostles are notoriously powerful and the 27 are the strongest of Apostles. Being able to defeat Wallachia with only 3 people is more than enough to prove her skill.
In the end, they only have a rough idea on the Shijou and Yggdmillennia Masters due to their family reputation.
As the light from the magic circles died down, Emiya Shirou cannot believe his eyes. In a voice very familiar to the Emiya family, one of the two Servants spoke.
"I am Servant Assassin. I ask you, are you my master?"
Having met the supervisor, a priest called Kotomine who somehow gave all four Masters a bad vibe, everyone decided to split up and do their own things. Valerie along with Fiore decided to head back to the Tohsaka mansion while Noire makes good on his promise to allow Caster and Rider to explore Fuyuki after dealing with the formalities. As a result, Noire is being dragged by the Servants throughout the town together with Xenovia in tow.
"Nee Noire, let's come here tomorrow when all the shops are open. It's been a long time since I last shop."
Noire wonders how his mother could put up with Caster. She is like a child on sugar high that Noire doesn't have the energy to deal with her more than five minutes. He had heard that Shijou Momoka is a calm and analytical person so how could she put up with Sophia?
Caster and Rider kept running around town. Noire is convinced that the energetic duo will kill him long before any enemy Servants could. The two friends are now trying snacks they could find in their exploration using money Zelretch provided them which is much more than any normal allowance even by rich people standard. Zelretch is filthy rich, richer than any devil clan back home and if he gives an allowance to someone, they could buy a huge mansion and still have more to spare. Of course, Zelretch don't just go around giving people allowance. Caster and Rider had helped him prank people and made Noire and Xenovia's life so much harder in ways he found hilarious that he immediately took a liking to them.
"It feels strange to have someone who is in the same generation as your mother to be so clingy to you."
"Sorry, I cannot understand that feeling."
Now left all alone by their respective Servants who are determined to taste every delicacies they could find at this time, Noire struck up conversation with Xenovia.
"Come to think of it, we never talk much outside of Apostle hunt and sparring."
"That's right."
"…I'm sorry for dragging you into this mess."
"What's done is done. My stay in this world has been interesting so there's no need to apologize. I wouldn't have met big sister Ciel if it wasn't for you. As reluctant as I am to admit, I enjoy being in this world."
"Still, I'm sorry."
"What I am worried about is when we return to our homeworld. I was an exorcist and I disappeared along with Durandal for more than a year. The Church must've considered me a deserter and declared me as a stray by now."
"All the more reason for me to apologize to you."
"…You're an odd man, Shijou Noire. Although I've only been here for a year, I know enough about magus that I can say you aren't a proper one by attitude. No self-respecting magus would be sorry at my predicament."
"I'm not like most magus, Xenovia. Although I learn the craft I wasn't raised as one."
"I noticed."
The duo suddenly stopped in their track as they noticed something odd. Noire can feel the air heavy with prana and judging from how they are suddenly in a street devoid of any pedestrians, they are most likely inside a bounded field. Noire look at Xenovia who also realized their current situation. The magus and exorcist have readied their customized black keys in their hand and the blades will activate the moment they trigger their circuits. The duo stood back to back as they prepare for any attacks coming at them.
It comes as swift as the wind itself with a force that could blow away any normal human or magus.
But neither of these two are normal even by magus standard.
"Haa!"
Noire was the one to strike down the projectile using his keys. His blades broke as they struck the arrow.
"An archer! It's the Archer of the Blue faction!"
Cried Noire as he try to pinpoint the location of the enemy archer. More arrows came raining down with enough force to blow away a thick wall that Noire decided to evade instead of intercepting.
"Noire, can you pi—"
"Sorry but I can't let you interfere little girl."
It was only her trained senses that allowed her to escape death. Xenovia quickly discard her black keys as she felt the powerful force of the attack and quickly summon Durandal to block the burning red blade that could've taken her life if she hadn't trained in her drawing speed.
It is a good thing that Xenovia has very high durability. The blow she took with Durandal had sent Xenovia flying to the rail by the roadside. The force she received should've broken the bones on any other person but Xenovia has naturally high durability which if added with her training and reinforcement made her strength and durability on servant-level. Xenovia could take a direct punch from a DAA and survive with only a single cracked bone. But taking a hit from a non-physical oriented Apostle and a Servant with bulging muscles are two different things entirely. If she hadn't blocked using Durandal, Xenovia knew she would've suffered more than just a broken bone.
"Hoo, you're strong girl. To be able to stand immediately after blocking a hit at full power from me, that's more than impressive for people of this time and age."
Xenovia groaned as she stood up holding Durandal with both hands. The hit from what she expects to be a Servant is very powerful. It's a good decision on her part to switch to Durandal or things could've been much worse. The exorcist stood up and tried to get a good look of her attacker.
He is a man with dark skin and bright golden hair. His very well toned body and strong posture truly made him looks like a hero of old from Xenovia's expectation. In each of his hands are weapons, two large burning swords of great power. He is bare-chested and wears black pants with golden belt. The aura he emits cause Xenovia to sweat, thinking on whether to fight or to run.
"I'm Berserker of Blue. You've interest me girl. Now, will you call your Servant or fight me yourself? Either is fine with me."
Xenovia immediately try to call Rider through their link. She had considered using her command seal to call her Servant but she put the thought aside. This is not because she doesn't want to waste a command seal, no. Xenovia had a smile on her face that shouldn't be there when facing a Servant. This is what she wants. Taking a stance with Durandal, Xenovia felt her adrenaline rising when Berserker of Blue shows a feral grin. The ground shook as Berserker took off with his swords ready to strike down the exorcist. Xenovia also dashed forward, reinforcing her body to the limit and unleashing Durandal's power. The burning blade came down to meet the peerless blue sword.
As Xenovia began her clash with Berserker of Blue, Noire had managed to pinpoint his enemy and use his magecraft to travel through shadow, avoiding Archer's volley and taking the Servant's back. Noire emerged from the shadows behind Archer's position on top of one of Fuyuki's tallest building and was about to throw his black keys when he was forced to position the blades right in front of his chest. The keys broke when Archer's arrow struck and Noire fell backward but immediately regained position and draw more keys. Noire jumped to avoid more arrows while launching his keys towards the Servant. He skid to a halt as the Servant appear in front of him with an arrow ready and aimed at his head. The Master of Red came face-to-face with the Servant of Blue. If the situation were different, his breath would've been taken by the beauty of the Servant of Bow.
Archer of Blue is a female with cat-like ears complete with a tail clad in green. She is the true description of a child of nature, a beautiful wild beast, a huntress in the wild. He had never met a wild beauty like her. If Lancer of Red represents the sorrowful beauty of the night, Archer of Blue represents the dangerous beauty of the wilderness. Even so, Noire stare at her fearlessly despite an arrow is being pointed at his head by a Servant.
The Fifth Holy Grail War had started with Masters fighting against Servants.
And so I'm done with chapter 5. The first battle of the war is Noire vs Archer of Blue and Xenovia vs Berserker of Blue. Archer of Blue should be easy to identify though I don't know if I did good with describing Berserker. I am bad with colors and description. Anyway, a hint. Berserker of Blue had only appeared in Fate Grand Order so far and since it would be boring to use FSN, Zero, and Apocrypha Servants since they've been used too much, I decided to use a few FGO Servants. I've decided on most of the Blue Servants except Rider. Medusa won't do and I don't want to use Achilles or Brokandar. Don't worry, I'll think of something interesting.
Anyway, Assassin of Red is also an unusual Servant. Can't imagine Shirou as Assassin's master, right? Yes, Illya got Saber of Red while Shirou got Assassin of Red. This chapter shows a briefly how different this Shirou is. Irisviel survives due to a Sorceress' intervention and Illya was saved from the Einzbern though Kiritsugu still died. But Irisviel and Illya's presence changed Kiritsugu's talk with Shirou and thus changed Shirou as a whole.
Next chapter will continue the Master vs Servant match while revealing the Masters of the Blue Servants. Most Blue Masters will be OCs and there is a reason why I did not show the Church scene (I'm lazy).
Now for reviews that have given me the prana to survive the Grail War.
dragonrider66: Sophia's circumstances is different. Her presence is important in Valerie's study of the Third Magic. Her circumstances are different from EMIYA since she didn't make a deal with Alaya. The flow of time between Nasuverse and DxD are the same so a year and a half would've passed when they return to DxD world. The pranksters Zelretch mentioned are the Weasley twins from Harry Potter. I'm working on a crossover featuring this story's Shijou Momoka in Potterverse. The yorokobe shounen is just a joke, you know, Kotomine Kirei. Shirou finally appear in this chapter and maybe he will meet the other Red Masters in the next chapter.
matirence: a Guest review had answered your question for me.
Guest: Thanks for answering matrience's question. All five True Magic are so overpowered if mastered that it is like a cheat code. Keyword being 'if mastered' here. Of course, even if they have obtained their True Magic, our main characters here will have to go through trials and errors to gain control of their massive power so that we still have a semblance of power balance. Plus there is preference in fighting style so it's not like they will spam their Magic like crazy. Only Shijou Momoka could currently do that but she's not in prime condition at the moment. Anyway, thanks again for answering for me. There WILL be dead Servants but the surviving Servants might just go to DxD world. The Servant currently guaranteed to survive is only Caster of Red, Sophia Brave.
Wernher von Braun: The Third Magic will play a great role in Servants going to DxD verse but there will be no new Servants summoned apart from the Grail War survivor and some others when Issei's arc starts. Summoning from the Throne falls under the jurisdiction of the Second Magic so unless both are obtained, there will be no new Servants (and I still won't add new Servants even if the two Magic are available).
That's that. Follow and review since it will provide me with more prana. My independent action skill can only go so far.