Fate series is one of my favorite series by Type-moon. The most intriguing part of the series for me are the heroic spirits. When I found few heroes who were referenced but did not appear, I thought about their lives and how they will feel if they entered the Heaven's Feel. So this story is born.
Happy reading.
Fate/Servants
Yukimura
He was Sanada Nobushige.
He was a samurai.
A servant of his lord.
And he would die as one.
When he was nine, he was taught by his family to be a true samurai. He asked his Nobuyuki, his brother what a true samurai meant but his brother did not answer.
He was confused and asked the one he knew as the funny old man what is a true samurai.
"One who was born in the house of a warrior, regardless of his rank or class, first acquaints himself with a man of military feats and achievements in loyalty...Everyone knows that if a man doesn't hold filial piety toward his own parents he would also neglect his duties toward his lord. Such a neglect means a disloyalty toward humanity. Therefore such a man doesn't deserve to be called 'samurai'."
He did not understand. But he knew that being a samurai means to be loyal to his lord. To his family.
He believed samurai means loyalty.
When his clan surrendered to Oda Nobunaga after the funny old man's death, he was confused again.
Should they not fight for the old man? Even after his death, a samurai must honor their loyalty to their lord. Why would his father surrender?
When he was about fifteen, he was sent away by his father to a man who he thought looked like a monkey.
The monkey man laughed when he called him monkey. Other people's faces went red though. He did not know why.
He spent his time around the monkey man. The monkey man was funny and smart.
The man taught him about samurai. About war. The monkey man asked for him to be his samurai.
He accepted. He did not know what it meant at that time.
The monkey man said that he was allowed to use the name Toyotomi from now on.
He felt strangely proud.
When the monkey man died, he was sad. The man was one of his friends. The man was like the funny old man in his mind.
Now he was old enough, he forever considered Takeda Shingen and Toyotomi Hideyoshi his lords.
When he was called by his father to join Tokugawa army against Uesugi Kagekatsu, he followed.
However when a man named Ishida Mitsunari appeared, claiming he wished to return the glory of Toyotomi clan, he and his father joined the man. Leaving his brother with Tokugawa Ieyasu.
He joined a battle at Ueda castle. Their army were outnumbered 2,000 against 40,000. This battle was important to prevent the 40,000 men joining Tokugawa while Ishida and Tokugawa fought at Sekigahara.
They managed to prevent the army from advancing however, the battle of Sekigahara was lost and they were captured.
He and his father were taken care of by his sister-in-law, the wife of his brother. Komatsuhime.
He was confused by Komatsuhime. While they were a family, he and his father had fought against her father.
He was also confused by her father. Because her father pleaded Tokugawa Ieyasu to spare him and his father.
When asked, she answered that family is important. A family should not fight.
A simple answer.
And yet he was dumbstruck.
He was a samurai.
If his lord ordered him to, he would fight against his family.
But Takeda Shingen's words came back to him.
"if a man doesn't hold filial piety toward his own parents he would also neglect his duties toward his lord. Such a neglect means a disloyalty toward humanity. Therefore such a man doesn't deserve to be called 'samurai'."
He returned to his starting point.
What is a samurai?
He did not know.
But he knew he would not find the answer simply by living in exile.
He secretly raised an army.
An army consisted of people he could trust.
Among them were ten shinobi who helped him and pledged themselves to him.
He asked them, would they fight their own family for him?
They said they would because they were shinobi. Not samurai.
So he asked, does that mean a samurai would not fight against his family?
They answered that fighting a family and killing a family would stain the samurai's honor.
Another different meaning of samurai.
Does samurai meant loyalty?
Does samurai meant honor?
Does samurai meant family?
He did not know.
When he heard that the remnants of Toyotomi would be attacked by Tokugawa, he marched.
Joining the battle at Osaka castle, he decided that he would find the answer in this battle.
He built a small fortress he named Sanadamaru and defended his lord there.
Even greatly outnumbered he stayed there and defended the ward.
When Sanadamaru fell, he retreated to the mountain.
He saw Gessō Shrine and stopped to pay his respect.
They were denied entry. He was confused and personally asked the head priest for the reason.
The head priest instead asked for his sword. He was confused but handed him the sword.
The head priest was surprised, asking why he would hand part of his 'soul' to someone.
Part of his soul?
Does that mean samurai meant sword?
The head priest gave him a place to stay and stated that he would always be welcome there.
His sword was given another marking to reflect his time there, Denshin Gessō.
He blushed, he was happy for the gift.
"My blade is much better now, isn't it?"
He replied to the head priest.
The head priest wished him luck in his journey to find the answer.
Returning to the battlefield, he and his army marched to Tokugawa main camp. Ignoring any enemies they encountered.
They reached the main camp but were pushed back by the superior numbers.
They returned to Osaka castle and continued defending it.
The battle began again. He fought against the army of Date Masamune, known as Dokuganryū twice.
One ended with defeat, the other victory.
He observed that Date Masamune was a loyal man.
He was ambitious but loyal.
Was that a true samurai?
He fought against Date Masamune once again. The battle took place for five hours.
He was impressed by the man.
The man fought against him with conviction.
He decided that the man was a samurai.
Finally his lord decided to counterattack.
He charged against the Tokugawa army.
After hours of battle, outnumbered, wounded, exhausted, he continued to fight.
Against such number, his victory was an impossibility.
Yet retreating would mean that he would abandon his lord.
His honor, his pride, his loyalty as a samurai would not accept that.
He would fight.
Finally he noticed that his body would not move any longer. He looked at the army before him.
He was alone. All of his army had either retreated, surrendered or killed.
He declared to the army.
"I am Sanada Nobushige, no doubt an adversary quite worthy of you, but I am exhausted and can fight no longer. Go on, take my head as your trophy."
He was Sanada Nobushige.
He was a samurai.
A servant of his lord.
And he would die as one.
When he was allowed to arrive at the Throne of Heroes, he felt proud.
He was joyful when he saw Takeda Shingen and Toyotomi Hideyoshi again.
He told them of what he had done.
They listened.
Lord Shingen praised him for standing for what he believed in.
Lord Hideyoshi thanked him for standing with his family. Even to the bitter end.
When he was summoned to the Holy Grail War, he swore he would serve his new lord as he served his previous ones.
His lord was a young man. Cowardly and weak.
He still accepted him.
He taught his young lord what it meant to be a samurai. To be a man.
When he revealed his identity to his Master, his Master was surprised.
He could not believe that he managed to summon Sanada Yukimura, his idol.
He did not believe he deserved to be praised as an idol.
He told his Master that he simply fought for what he believed in.
When the war reached it's peak, he stood against the Berserker.
The class of Berserker was considered as the strongest class. The monster class.
It was considered impossible for other Servant to defeat Berserker alone.
However, Berserker's master was someone who killed innocents simply to revitalize the monster before him.
His master managed to shook away his fear and commanded him to destroy the Berserker.
To make sure no other innocents were harmed.
He felt a command seal being activated and a rush of energy entered him.
He smiled, proud of his young lord.
He readied his spear and charged.
He was Sanada Nobushige.
He was a samurai.
A Servant of his Master.
And he would die as one.
Class: Lancer
Name: Sanada Nobushige, Sanada Saemon-no-Suke Yukimura, Genjirō
Alignment: Lawful Neutral
Strength: A
Mana: E
Agility: B
Endurance: A+
Luck: C
Noble Phantasm: EX
Class Skills:
Magic Resistance: X
No change in spell damage or effect.
Personal Skills:
Battle Continuation: A+
Makes possible to fight even with deadly injuries and can remain alive for a while even after receiving decisive fatal wound.
Bravery: A+
Negate mental interference such as pressure, confusion and fascination. Not usable under the effects of Mad Enhancement. Bonus effect of increasing melee damage.
Eye of the Mind (True): B
Capable of calm analysis of battle conditions even when in danger and deduce an appropriate course of action after considering all possibilities to escape from a predicament. So long there is even a 1% chance of a comeback, this ability greatly improves the chances of winning.
Military Tactics: B
Tactical knowledge used not for one-on-one combat situations, but for battles where many are mobilized. Bonus modifiers are provided during use of one's own Anti-Army Noble Phantasm or when dealing against an enemy Anti-Army Noble Phantasm.
Vitrification: B
Serene state of mind. A mental protection that nullifies mental interference.
Noble Phantasm:
Sanadamaru: Impregnable Fortress
Anti-Army
A++
A makeshift fortress built in the Siege of Osaka. An earthwork barbican defended by Sanada Yukimura and 7,000 men against approximately 30,000 Tokugawa forces.
The ability to call Sanadamaru and his army. His army are considered as E- rank Master-less Servants with E- rank Independent Action. The army may only exist within close range of Sanadamaru. Similar to a Reality Marble. However, rather than a World formed by a distorted mind, it is simply an ability to form a world in which he had achieved his Legend.
Sanada Ten Braves: Ten Shinobi Heroes
Anti-Unit
EX
A group of ten shinobi serving the warlord Sanada Yukimura. Assisting him in the Siege of Osaka.
The ability to call Sanada Ten Braves. The Ten Braves are considered as D rank Master-less Servants with D- rank Independent Action. The Ten Braves may only exist within close-mid range of Sanada Yukimura.
Sarutobi Sasuke, Kirigakure Saizo, Miyoshi Seikai, Miyoshi Isa, Anayama Kosuke, Unno Rokuro, Kakei Jizo, Nezu Jinpachi, Mochizuki Rokuro and Yuri Kamanosuke. Similar to a Reality Marble. However, rather than a World formed by a distorted mind, it is simply an ability to form a world in which he had achieved his Legend.
Bio:
Born Sanada Nobushiga in Sengoku Era.
Known as "A Hero who may appear once in a hundred years", "Crimson Demon of War" and "Number one warrior in Japan".
Best known for his part in Siege of Osaka (1614-1615).
In the Winter Siege of Osaka Castle, he built and defended Sanada Ward against 30,000 of Tokugawa forces and against imported artillery.
In the Summer Siege of Osaka Castle, particularly Battle of Tennōji, Sanada Yukimura and 50,000 men fought against army of 150,000 men under Tokugawa Ieyasu.
Greatly wounded and exhausted, Sanada allowed the army of Tokugawa to kill him.
"I am Sanada Nobushige, no doubt an adversary quite worthy of you, but I am exhausted and can fight no longer. Go on, take my head as your trophy."