A Hero Amongst Shinobi

by eppelMax

At one point in time in another universe, I, Uzumaki Naruto wanted to become Hokage above all else. It was what I strived and trained to become. But here, I felt I had a greater calling. One that transcended above all else. It fueled my desires, my ambitions, my dreams; to become, not a Shinobi, but a Hero. Heavily AU.

14. The Sword of Promised Victory

Chapter 14

The Sword of Promised Victory

---

The King of Rats, the Left Arm of Merem Solomon, looked back and forth between Emiya Naruto and the recently introduced Servant, Avenger.

By now, Naruto had taken a knee due to being in a catatonic state. Being in the presence of Avenger had some severe adverse effects on him. He had attempted to probe the boy's mind and get in contact with him but there was no response. No feedback from an external stimuli. He was actively shutting everything out.

Merem cursed.

He looks back at a smirking Avenger poignantly. His beady red eyes looks him up and down. Taking it all in and making note of every little thing. "So you're the incarnation of All the World's Evil I take it?"

The black haired boy tilts his head. "I sense a twinge of disappointment in your voice."

"Hmph – I expected a lot more than… a dark clone of Emiya-kun here. A little cliché don't you think?"

His shoulders shrug in response. "I assure you that it wasn't by choice. His genetic makeup was the only one available on hand at the time and was the only one that had touched upon the grail. Besides," he brings up his right arm and clenches his hand. "I got a neat little gift from him. Wouldn't you agree?"

"That explains where the missing arm of his went and why I sensed his signature down in the caverns then," Merem mutters to himself. "So you wouldn't mind telling me what your game plan is hmm?"

It didn't hurt to try to ask before resorting to other means of extracting information out of the heroic spirit. He wasn't all too thrilled in poking inside the head of a being that embodied all the curses and evils of the world. While he was an inquisitive being by nature, he was cautious enough to not go prying into things that could kill him… or worse.

Avenger breathes in the air deeply before speaking.

"I guess you can say I have two goals. Two desires if you will." He holds up two fingers. One of them points to the frozen form of Naruto. "Obviously I want him dead. People die when they are killed and he simply refuses to stay dead. Stubborn as a bull, but I can respect that greatly. It's admirable."

Merem couldn't help but agree with the statement about Naruto. He was as stubborn as they came if not more so. To his knowledge, Emiya Naruto had come knocking on Akasha's doorsteps a total of three times so far. The first time when he was a child by the fire, the second when his heart was pierced by Lancer, and the most recent one with his arm being blown off and bleeding out underneath Fuyuki City's caverns.

The boy simply refused to die.

"And as for my second one well…" Avenger looks around himself at all the carnage. "You can see that's a work in progress. I was given a wish… a wish to see the darkness within humanity's heart. I desire to fulfill that wish by bringing upon a hellish nightmare to the world."

Merem's face scrunches up in distaste. "I'll take a wild shot in the dark and say that wish belongs to Kotomine Kirei."

Avenger grins in satisfaction. "Indeed! I was left bereft without a wish after I was harshly rejected by Emiya Kiritsugu." He spits the name out like it was poison. "I showed him a world that he desired and he thought it to be unfair! So when he rejected me, I sought another individual to give me a wish! To give me a purpose! And there… I found him… just lying in a pool of my black mud… dying."

There was a manic look of glee on Avenger's face. "He had a wish. So I used his to open up a hellish portal on Fuyuki City and this place! I cursed Emiya Kiritsugu when he rejected me! I cursed him to a faraway land where he was a stranger and an enemy to all! Never to be able to leave to see his daughter ever again! HAHAHA!"

A hand comes up to hold his head as he laughed wildly.

"Ha… you can't even imagine what I wanted to actually to do to him for revenge, but beggars can't be choosers." He nonchalantly shrugs his shoulders. "So with that out of the way, it's time I got rid of the roach that never dies."

The malignant heroic spirit whistles a jaunty tune as he projected two reverse grip black blades that looked more like a beast's laws and fangs. They were wicked and jagged with protrusions running about the course of the main blade. He flourished them around with a spin in his hands as he took his time.

Merem glanced down at Naruto's still form. 'Come on! Snap out of it kid! Or else you and I are going to be minced meat in a couple of seconds!'

When the King of Rats looked back over to Avenger. He was already upon them with a wicked smile.

The Left Arm needed more time! While he could leave Naruto to save himself, it wouldn't be prudent to his health if Rin were to ever find out. So as far as he knew, he was stuck in the same boat with Naruto.

"Ha – so? Any last words before I parade around this backwater cesspool with your body my little hero?" He pauses and leans forward for any response. "No? Well-"

He's interrupted by a whisper he didn't catch. "What did you say? I couldn't hear you. Speak up!" Avenger cups an ear for effect.

"I said… TRACE, ON!"

---

Denial.

Anger.

Bargaining.

Depression.

Acceptance.

The five stages of grief. It all happened so fast and all at once that my mind and body simply shut down. The massive influx of raw emotions and information flooding in caused me to collapse to my hands and knees. The shock of seeing Angra Mainyu, Avenger, in all its unholy glory for the first time before my eyes shocked me to my core.

I wanted to deny that the thing before me wasn't Avenger. But the things that I saw in my mind said otherwise. The curses. The pain. The anguish. All of it came running into me full force.

Then anger quickly followed suit at the sheer stupidity of myself and at Avenger. The things he has done and yet to do sparked a flame inside me. It was wrong. That very thing before me was the definition of wrong.

Anger quickly dissolved into bargaining. Why did it rear its ugly head back again so soon? What were its reasons? What was the point of the persecution of the masses? How could I even possibly stand a chance? All those times fighting Servants and other beings were with the help of Saber and Tohsaka.

Here? I was by myself. Alone against the monstrosity of humanity.

Depression settled in. I was reminded why I ran. Why I decided it was best if I went back home and to play hero. When it mattered most I failed. I thought I would be able to handle the thought of loss. Strangers, people who I would never talk to on a normal basis, I could reconcile with. But when it came down to those who I cared for the most?

I broke down. I shattered like glass. I crumpled like a house of cards. I failed to shut my heart out like Archer. To callously play with the scales of balance on the priority of the greater good.

I told myself I could do it.

I lied to myself that I can do it.

And when the time came. I didn't.

I couldn't bear the thought of looking to Tohsaka after the cataclysmic failure of dismantling the grail. I killed her sister and failed to protect Saber.

And so I ran.

I ran back home to find some place to be hero and meet my end. That was all fine in the end as I was helping people right? But… that was what Archer did. He went gallivanting all over the world and made a contract the World. He stepped on one too many toes and ungrateful people who turned their backs on him.

Shinobi people.

In their paranoia they thought he was the mastermind behind their source of conflicts and strife, and so they persecuted him. Arrested him, judged him in a kangaroo court, and had him publically hanged.

Somewhere along the line I realized the folly of it all. The idiocy of myself. The warped psyche of my mind and its thought process.

"Those eyes… your eyes aren't human boy. A machine masquerading as a human."

He wasn't wrong yet he wasn't entirely correct either.

Acceptance. I accepted that I was wrong. I accepted that I was foolish and stupid. And I accepted that I had problems that needed to be worked out.

That I needed to go home. Back to Fuyuki City. Back to home. But more importantly… back to Tohsaka.

I bet she was in pain as much as I and I left her there.

I accept that I'm a horrible person.

But I refused to let it be like that.

I would fix them. I would right the wrongs and make things better.

No more running.

No more crying.

No more cowardice.

It was time to face the demons in the dark. The demons that I ran away from.

Avenger walks up to me casually. He couldn't see my face.

"Ha – so? Any last words before I parade around this backwater cesspool with your body my little hero?" He pauses and leans forward for any response. "No? Well-"

I mutter two words back.

A hammer cocks back in my mind. Prana and Od filter in through my circuits. The board lights up green. All projections were on standby.

He leans forward. "What did you say? I couldn't hear you! Speak up!"

"I said… TRACE, ON!"

A dozen Black Keys are traced into existence above his head and shot downwards with the force a bullet. His eyes widen at the sense of danger and flips backwards all the while dodging more and more Keys of Providence. Each one of them pierced into the concrete roof up to the hilt of the blade like it was butter.

There was a small measure of satisfaction in me at seeing him frantically dodge the holy sacraments of the church. They were specifically designed to intervene spiritually against the concept of evil. Each blade held the concept of holy baptism to cleanse the target and had the ability to lock a person's body down if their shadows were pierced.

"Phew… glad you came to your senses Emiya-kun or we were going to be etched into history." Merem wipes a bead of sweat off his brow. "What took you so long anyways?"

I stand up with my back straight. "Finally reconciling with myself… I think after this Merem. It's time we head home."

He hums in agreement. "Mhm – yes that does sound good, but might I remind you that there's the incarnation of All the World's Evil standing in front of us? You should probably deal with that first."

Avengers belts a laugh at Merem's words. "Him?! Dealing with Me?!" This time he holds his stomach as he guffaws. "Saber was twice the person this Faker ever was and she failed to put me down permanently. What makes you think he can even stand a chance against me?"

I smile melancholy at him. A forlorn look on my face. Now was the time to use it. There would be no other moment except for this.

The pinnacle of all holy swords in existence.

One of the last god-forged weapons, a Last Phantasm, forged by the planet as the crystallization of the wishes of mankind and stored and tempered within the planet.

I unsheathe it from Avalon and pull the blade out with it still being wrapped within Invisible Air to conceal its appearance. But it was more than enough for Avenger to take a wary step back at the sight of it.

"Scared Angra Mainyu?" I tilt my head and brandish the tip towards him.

"Feh – big whoop. What about it?" He twirls his two blades in his hands. I structurally analyze them to the bone.

Tawrich: The Left Fang Grinder and Zarich: The Right Fang Grinder.

They were sword breakers. One to catch the blade and the other to either shatter it or attack the opponent. A small grin tugs at my lips at the prospect. I would love to just see him try and shatter Saber's sword.

"Do you have enough curses stored up?" I slide into a ready posture. "Angra Mainyu?"

A manic smile splits his face. "EMIYA!"

He roars my name into the air and it signals the start of the fight.

We both blur and cross the measly distance of thirty meters almost instantaneously.

By the time we meet in the middle, I was already swinging downwards diagonally at his torso. Avenger's right sword Zarich comes up to catch the blade in mid-swing. A resounding clang resonates like a bell. The sword was so corrupt that it was actually managing to expose apart of the blade. It was negating Invisible Air to a degree.

In response I merely press down some more and like the sound of glass shattering. Zarich snaps in pieces. It only stopped me for the briefest of moments. His left sword Tawrich comes up and punches the sword away, redirecting it away from his torso. It barely misses.

He kicks and backflips away while projecting another Zarich into existence. He cocks both arms back and throws them. The sounds they made while spinning in the air were like a buzz saw.

They were shoddily traced which made it all the easier for me to smack and reflect them aside.

Avenger notices and traces more and more to bide some time.

It was beginning to bog me down with how many he was able to project into the world. They are thrown with such speed even the afterimages they create are blurred. My mind was on an autopilot like mode. I knew none of them made it through because I wasn't injured yet and the constant staccato of metal on metal reassured me.

In less than a heartbeat we trade over a hundred blows.

The incarnation of evil traced over fifty pairs of Tawrich and Zarich to throw at me. All of them deflected or shattered as they met my blade.

My eyes narrow at how he was keeping his distance after our first engagement. I was a little surprised at how easily I was able to overpower his strike with my own, let alone push against him. I was certain that he as a heroic spirit would be able to barrel through me, but that wasn't the case.

His strength rank must've been lower than mine.

A low-level servant then.

But still dangerous nonetheless.

I flood prana into my legs. Time to test out a suspicion I have.

In that instant I appear right before him. His eyes widen at the suddenness of it.

The sword in my hand is swung like a flash of light. It couldn't be seen by normal measures.

I strike for the heart, neck and head all at once. Three slices all launched at once, any one of them being a fatal blow for sure to damage his spiritual core.

He blocks the first blow for his head frantically. When Tawrich and Zarich meet, my arms struggle just for the barest of seconds before I push forward with a bit of resistance. Avenger pushes back and ducks under the blade. I redirect the blade to go for his neck and instead of blocking, he opts to continue dodging instead. He fails to fully protect his chest and I'm greeted with first blood.

Albeit – it was more of a scratch than anything else.

But it proved a suspicion of mine right. The Servant Avenger was weak. Weaker than me at least.

Archer in comparison only had D-Rank strength. This meant that Avenger had an abysmally low and paltry rank of E. That was wholesomely pathetic for a heroic spirit in terms of direct combat. Good for me, bad for him.

I keep my eyes trained on him. He still had his magecraft. His black mud and shadows. I know his thaumaturgy exceeded mine well beyond my comprehension. So what was the thought process in his head for using projection based magic instead of his curses? They were far more potent and stronger.

Was he mimicking me just to rub salt in the wounds? A Faker of a Faker?

Or was it something else? Maybe he couldn't use All the World's Evils just yet? Was that the reason why he seemed so weak? Was that the reason why he was invading Konohagakure with Michael?

I push that aside for now. I'll get my answers when I have Avenger's body skewered into the ground with my sword.

"▄▅▄▅▂▂▃▃▄▄▅!"

A roar rumbles in the distance. If it could be, it was louder than ever before. I glance in its direction before returning to Avenger.

"What is that?"

He smirks. "Oh you know… a little present and an insurance on my part just in case if things don't go as planned. You know like a plan B."

I'm reminded that over half of Konohagakure was set ablaze right now. The roar of the flames almost drowned out the yelling and screaming down in the streets below. Civilians and innocents all running for safety while the shinobi battled it out in the midst of them. Collateral damage was inevitable with how close and intense the fighting was.

That was the reason why he was stalling me. The longer he kept me here, the more people would die. He was holding me back. That's why he was primarily playing keep away with me. And Alter Rider was nowhere to be found. So who knows what she was up to? That made me even more alert than I already was.

I move to get away from this fight.

Avenger blocks my path. "I was beginning to wonder how long it would take for you to realize what was going on." He flourishes his sword breakers. "While killing you would've made things so much easier, stalling you was the original plan."

"▄▅▄▅▂▂▃▃▄▅▄▅▂▂▃▃▄▄▅▄▄▅!"

The inhuman roar in the distance was definitely louder than the previous one. I was sure of it. Avenger was lying about it being a Plan B. Whatever was making that sound was definitely his end game goal.

'Emiya-kun, you feel that buildup of prana out in the distance? The magnitude of it is simply enormous! It's increasing at an exponential rate!'

I bite my lip. 'Yeah I feel it too alright and I'm not liking it.'

'You need to be done with this fight and get to a higher vantage point to see what in the name of Akasha is making that sound!'

'No need to tell me twice.'

"So are you going to-" His words get caught up in his throat as he is forced to block an overhead swing with both blades. It locks both of our swords and we're caught in a sudden stalemate. "Ha! Trying to pull a fast one on me aren't ya! I got your sword now!"

It was my turn to smirk at him.

"Strike Air: Hammer of the Wind King!"

The wind being released created a gale made out of super high pressure condensed air that was powerful enough to easily crush and blow away armies and fling stone slabs weighing several tons into the air as if it were nothing.

A horrid look spreads across Avengers face as he was right beneath it.

"GUHHHRRRKK!"

The blast of Invisible Air being unleashed was so strong it actually collapsed a part of the roof that we were on and we both fell down into the spectator stands below. By this point, the stadium had been mostly evacuated with pockets of civilians here and there. Luckily none of them were below us.

"Guharchkk!" Avenger hacked up a mouthful of blood and spat it out on the ground. "Heh – you're a lot stronger than I thought Emiya-kun. I didn't know you could do that." He grabs his- no my right arm and tears the red cloth off.

The right arm underneath the Holy Shroud of Martin twitches. My grip tightens around the handle of my sword.

"I don't want to pull out anything serious for now so I'm going to have to take an L on this one." He claps his hands twice. "Rrrrider!" His voice singsongs out.

The innate sixth sense in the back of my head told me to duck. It didn't matter where or what. I had to duck. The corrupt servant appears behind me and I twist my body to the right and narrowly dodge a nail linked to a chain sail overhead.

I lose my footing and stumble on all four trying to get back up.

Alter Rider is already upon me and snaps a kick into my chest. The force of it sends me barreling through the hard concrete ground. I sheath the sword and roll with the motions. Everything was a blur.

Medusa knew how to kick like a god damn mule.

I push against the ground with both hands to propel myself into the air and trace Archer's matte black straight bow. Three arrows all charged with prana, enough to level a house with each one, are launched towards Rider in rapid successive fire.

They were like three flashes of light.

The purple haired servant used her chains like a whip and swatted them aside.

My feet land on the grand and I skid a meter back before finally coming to a rest.

I cough up a sizeable load of blood and spit it to the side. One of my hands goes to nurse the area where she kicked me. The Red Plain Mystic Code barely withstood that attack. Not even reinforcement did much this time. She compensated for the reinforcement from last time.

"Damn it," I swore. "She got me good… a broken rib." It was starting to become a chore to breathe easily now.

"You idiot, you got careless," Merem berates into my ear. "You allowed him to monologue and stall for help. Now we're dealing with two servants!"

I click my tongue in annoyance. "Can't you just enthrall her already?"

"Are you daft? Did she kick you in the head as well you moron? The incarnation of the world's evils is standing right before us. There's no telling what could happen if I dare to peak in there!"

"Alright, so that's a no… a big no."

Avenger was healed back up now. Alter Rider was to the side of him, obediently like an attack dog.

"Remember, if she takes those blindfolds of hers off look to close your eyes! If she turns you into stone we're done for!"

"I know! I know!" I bite out as they both begin to charge towards me.

A pincer move. Avenger to my left. Alter Rider to the right. They weren't going to allow me to play keep away and fight from a distance. I pull out Saber's sword once more and ready myself for a world of inevitable pain.

Just this once, I allowed myself to swear.

"Fuck me."

---

For one Uchiha Sasuke, Genin of Konohagakure no Sato, had been slogging through what felt like was a never ending gauntlet of enemy shinobi. It was one enemy after another. Cut one down, two more show up. She felt like there was barely any progress being made.

Her back bumps against another person's. "Well Sasuke-chan! At least we're almost there! How far do you think we're away from Kakashi-sensei?" asked an optimistic Sakura.

She gripped her sword with both hands before parrying away a kunai strike and riposting straight into an Oto ninja's chest. His hands reached up to grip the blade, but she simply ran it through him deeper and pushed him off with a snap kick.

There was a sense of disappointment in her chest at how terribly easy it was to dispatch her opponent. Her eyebrows furrowed momentarily as she watched him bleed out on the ground. Had she been making that much progress with Naruto that she hadn't noticed? Or were these people horribly trained and equipped for such an operation to invade Konoha?

Or maybe Emiya Naruto was just that good at beating the literal hell out of her.

"Not sure… can't be too far by now. The fighting is starting to get less and less so we must be thinning out the herd by now."

She took note of her surroundings and the group that she was with. They were all the hopeful genin candidates participating in today's tournament. It was by Shikamaru's suggestion that they group together to get back to where their Jonin teachers should be and receive official orders from them.

Sakura had noted before that they were a motley crew consisting of all five great nations and never before did she think that they would all be working together like this. And in a way Sasuke agreed with her. At one point in time their respective nations had gone to war with each other.

The raven haired girl shook her head. This was not the time for her mind to wander about such things. And speaking of wandering, her eyes trailed off towards where her once significant other was. He was standing over a corpse with blood on his hands.

Tsubasa Daisuke had been awfully quiet. Not a word nor a peep from him. Except for an occasional indiscernible mutter here and there about something along with a constant scowl.

"Hey? You ok Sasuke?" Sakura breaks Sasuke out of her reverie. The pink haired medic followed her line of sight. "Hey, you're still not hung up over him right?" She says in a hush tone.

"N-No, just… something feeling a bit off is all."

"Yeah I feel you… like why in the world is Otogakure invading us? And how did they breach the walls so easily?"

"Maybe Naruto knows? Or Kakashi-sensei?" She reasoned that either of them would most likely know the motivations behind the attack.

Sakura nods her head. "Hopefully everyone's ok and-"

"Oi! You two quit blabbering and hurry up!" Shikamaru calls out. "We're almost to the stadium proper!"

The two members of Team Seven mutter out an apology and picks up the pace to catch up with the group.

It wasn't long before they finally made it to where the general audience would be seated. To their surprise a large portion of the civilian spectators had been evacuated with pockets here and there that were still in the process of being escorted out in groups.

The squad was quickly spotted by their respective Jonin leaders and were herded in for a detailed debriefing of the developing situation. Kakashi was at the head of the makeshift operations, directing things as the fighting was dying down inside the arena.

"Ah good! You all made it safely," greets Kakashi in a cheery tone despite the given situation. "I was about to send a group of Chunin to go find you all, but it seems like you kids are growing up faster than expected!"

Sasuke quickly noted that there was a certain blonde missing in the group. "Um sensei… where's Naruto? I don't see him with you."

"Tch… you would be asking about him," mutters Daisuke.

She ignored it and looked expectantly at her Jonin teacher.

"Hmm – he said he went up to the roof to get a better look at things not too long ago, but I suppose it's been some time now." He contemplates something for a moment. "You two," he points at Sakura and Sasuke, "go up there and find out what the holdup is and-"

The sounds of wind howling throughout the arena greets everyone's ears. Hurricane force winds whipped around causing everyone to duck. It was quickly followed by an explosion that made the whole stadium shudder and groan.

The ceiling overhead cracked and gave into itself.

"EVERYBODY! MOVE NOW!" Kakashi shouts immediately.

Everyone in the vicinity scattered as slabs of concrete and steel rebar rained down from above.

"Holy shit!"

"What the fuck just happened!?"

Various voices yelled out in surprise as they tried to figure out why the roof had collapsed over their heads.

Coughing and blood being spat onto the ground could be heard from the center of the collapse.

"N-Naruto!" Her eyes widen at the sight of him.

"Who the hell is that on the ground?!" Sakura runs up next to Sasuke pointing at the black haired person clothed in red. "W-Why… why does he look like Naruto-kun!?"

"I-I don't know!" Sasuke fumbles. She was just as confused as her teammate. The two were essentially identical twins with opposite color palettes.

And then suddenly a long purple haired woman comes out of nowhere and proceeded to engage Naruto. He barely fends her off before being savagely kicked in his ribs that sends him skidding on the ground.

It was all a blur. Barely discernible to the human eye even with her sharingan activated.

"Get down!" Sakura tackles her to the ground as a cacophony of explosions follows suit.

"Sakura? Who are those two?"

"I-" the girl ducks her head back down, narrowly being decapitated by a stray boulder being flung from the blast of the arrows. "I don't know! But he looks like he needs help!"

They both peak their heads up over the cover and watched as he was beset on both sides. The two unknowns walked towards him slowly before their forms sudden blurred and disappeared.

It was like a whip cracking in the air.

Any thoughts of charging in to provide assistance left their minds at the sheer ferocity and speed of the fight before them. It left them stunned at how they couldn't even track the barest of movements. The only way they could tell Naruto was surviving were by his grunts and the sound of steel screeching as they bashed against each other.

"Guh-!"

A strained voice escapes Naruto's mouth. It all slows to a crawl momentarily as they see his left hand hold his now bleeding stomach. The movements were invisible to them. They didn't even see the attack that snaked through his defenses.

He had been doing remarkably well against two opponents until now because he had left openings to guide his opponent's attacks to. Using his inferiority as a weapon to block their furious onslaught. It limited the oncoming offensives to a point, but there was only so much he could mitigate.

Uchiha Sasuke understood Emiya Naruto's methodology when it came to fighting.

Prediction using information obtained. Planning using cultivated battle experience. Being one step ahead of the opponent to guide the fight into a favorable outcome.

Her eyes squint away as bright flashes fill her vision. It was the sparks coming off his sword. It would shatter the two black swords that were constantly being projected and blocking two iron nails when he could.

The two back off immediate and she began the motions of jumping in before her arm was grabbed by Sakura.

"No! Not yet! We need to find a better opening!" She points to where Kakashi was sneaking around. "Look! He's already trying to find an opening to intervene properly! When he goes in, we go in as well!"

Sasuke huffs in frustration at the feeling of being useless, but agreed. This wasn't the time to charge in like a bull. She would bide her time for now before striking in with her sword.

However.

There was something unsettling in her stomach. As much as her heart wanted to believe that Emiya Naruto would overcome his opponents, her mind said otherwise.

It was obvious who was going to win in the end.

"Kughck-!"

The red-armored swordsman was hit once more. Life giving blood runs down his back and he lurches forward. And his opponents pounce like a pack of wolves. The purple haired woman blasts off and reengages from above.

Naruto blocks the strike.

Her feet pulverizes the floor when she lands, but she's already speeding off and comes back around for another strike.

He parries it and attempts for a riposte.

The woman continued her momentum as she blurs past him and his strike misses wide. Sasuke could only tell by the aftershock of her feet smashing into the ground before rocketing off again. From there her sharingan failed her in tracking the woman. At first it counted for more than a dozen strikes, and then another dozen, and then another dozen before she could no longer properly count them.

It all happened so fast!

Naruto's back was turned away from his doppelganger. They could see him rushing in for his rear flank.

Sasuke's voice rises to warn him.

"GHHHRRK-!"

And suddenly he's sent flying back from his starting position. Rolling and tumbling on the ground.

It was from Naruto bucking a kick like a mustang. He had caught the full force of it straight into his chest.

She lets out a breath of relief.

It's washed away when the sight of a heavily battered and bleeding Naruto comes into view. His armored chest was heaving, his face contorted in a mixture of pain and exhaustion. One of his eyes was barely open with blood running down freely over it. His right arm sported a fresh gash revealing a red cloth. He was using his sword as a support to keep himself up. He stubborn refused to go down without a fight.

"Raikiri-!"

Like a cobra striking from the shadows. Kakashi explodes and strikes forward with a hand coated in lightning from the cover of rubble!

"Sasuke! Now!" Sakura was already blasting off towards the woman that had her back towards them.

Without hesitation, she followed suit and sped past Sakura. Pushing lightning chakra into the sword, it comes to life with a series of crackling noises. With a mighty roar she swung her sword the moment a nail came striking down to deal a crippling blow to Naruto.

Iron nail met steel blade.

She grit her teeth as her knees bended from the monstrous strength behind the blow. Her target was only using one arm while she had two! The lightning chakra infused blade had failed to cut into the dagger-like nails, but it did its job of stopping the attack.

"I- I won't let you hurt him!"

The purpled haired assailant tilted her head slightly. "What beautiful crimson eyes you have." A wicked grin set on her playful lips. "Shall I show you mine?"

"S-Sasuke! Look away!" Naruto croaks out from behind.

The girl didn't need to as Sakura came roaring in. "DON'T YOU FORGET ABOUT ME!"

Her head moves slightly towards the pink haired girl in response.

"Hrrk-!"

Sasuke felt the woman's heel dig into her abdomen before she found herself flying backwards and into Naruto. They tumbled to the ground together harshly and were a mess of tangled limbs. When her world finally stopped spinning, she heard a groan of pain beneath her.

"Y-You idiot-! Need to pay attention more…" he manages out.

She rubbed the sore spot in where she was kicked before getting up and rolling her eyes. Only Naruto would lecture in the middle of a fight.

Looking back, Sakura had missed.

Kakashi deftly lands next to them, crouching down to inspect Naruto's wounded form.

"That lookalike is good… real good. He has a similar style to Naruto and uses projection magecraft, however I managed to nick him in his stomach," he comments with a critical eye still trained on the two unknowns.

Sakura was already working her magic on healing Naruto by the humming sound of her Iryo techniques.

A sigh resonates through the area. Avenger was clutching his now freshly bleeding stomach courtesy of Kakashi. "Well… this isn't exactly how I panned it all out to be. Oh well – in for a penny, in for a pound I suppose. It's time to say goodbye. Rider, would you so kindly leave them a departing gift?"

Naruto suddenly lurches up. "GET DOWN AND CLOSE YOUR EYES!"

Even in his wounded state he pulled Kakashi to the ground with his left arm. Sakura with his right and kicked Sasuke's legs out causing her to fall back onto his body.

All the shinobi in the area who failed to react to the warning in time suddenly froze.

There were no sudden flash of light.

No calling of a technique.

No flashy move.

Unnerving silence quickly filled in the void like a flood.

And when Uchiha Sasuke clamored back up.

Her jaw dropped.

Her hands shook.

The sharingan that was still activated recorded every bit of detail. She wished it hadn't.

The look of pure agonizing terror on the unfortunate souls who turned into stone was the stuff of nightmares.

---

My body ached to the high heavens.

The blood in my veins were like hot sluggish molten metal.

I had barely closed my eyes the moment Alter Rider had pulled off her blindfold and used her Mystic Eyes of Petrification to turn everyone in the vicinity into stone. Even with my eyes closed I could still feel the effects of her petrifying gaze. The feeling of having your blood thicken like oatmeal was not a pleasant feeling to experience.

"Sasuke, if you're done using me as a chair can you kindly get the hell off me now please?"

No response.

"Hey – earth to Sasuke!" I follow her gaze and looked at the aftermath. I bite back a curse at seeing how many human sized stone statues surrounded us.

"Everyone! Report in! Get me a body count on how many injured and… how many dead." Kakashi began barking orders to reorganize whoever was left. "Naruto? What the hell just happened? Who were those two that were attacking you?"

I grunted as Sakura started assessing the damage and went to work.

"The black haired guy that looks like me is called Avenger. The purple haired lady is Rider… well Alter Rider I guess. And simply put she turned everyone who didn't look away in time into stone with her eyes. You can liken it to a dojutsu of sorts. A really, really rare dojutsu that's both a gift and a curse."

"And it seems as if they made their escape in the midst of all that chaos." Merem came crawling out of my hair. "So we have two heroic spirits running amuck, one being the actual incarnate of evil mind you, to go hide and watch whatever is about to happen. Judging by that scream over yonder of your walls. It's not going to be anything pleasant."

"Can we… reverse whatever happened to them?" he asks hesitantly.

I shake my head.

He scratches the back of his neck tiredly. "We'll have to figure this out later then, for now we need to rally the regular forces and prepare a push for the main avenue soon. Command wants for us to secure the arena to use it as a staging ground since it provides a buffer between the Administrative district and general districts."

I hiss in discomfort as Sakura patched up a nasty gash on my back. "Anything else?"

"One of the main priorities is reaching the gate and closing it. We lost contact with personnel posted on the wall some time ago. Everything else went dark after that." His voice was low, bits of sadness and steeliness to it. "We're assuming total loss for anyone at or near the wall, including civilians…"

It was a given that they were dead with how the Oto forces were simply slaughtering everyone in their sights be it shinobi or innocent people who had nothing to do with Konoha. Maximum damage for maximum efficacy.

"There's also reports of shadowy entities lurking around assisting the enemy." Kakashi added. "You have any clue what's all about?"

I sigh tiredly into the air. It was just one thing after another. "It'll take too long to fully explain. Here take this." I project around me a fair amount of Black Keys. One for everyone at least. "Your Ninjutsu should be able to deal significant damage alone, but these swords will put them down for good. They're made for mainly for throwing or thrusting, keep that in mind."

I watch him as tested the grip and weight before nodding to himself. "Everyone! Come pick one up! You'll be using these as a secondary measure against the reported unknown entities rampaging out there." They all shuffled along all around me as they picked up the oddly designed swords.

Somewhere behind me I feel a distinctive sneer being made. I had a feeling who it was, but refrained from making a comment. I really didn't want to hear his voice. The more he stayed silent around me, the better.

"N-Naruto…. W-what is… what this?" Sakura's voice was quivering.

I felt her hand touch my right arm and figured she discovered the shroud underneath. When I go to look, the sight alone made me pause for a second before I sighed once more.

It was a blade growing out of my shoulder. The tip of the steel was sticking out between the wrappings of the shroud. A part of it was exposed, but there was no damage to the cloth itself.

This body is made out of swords.

How terribly true that it was. Avalon and Unlimited Blade Works conflicted with each other. Throwing in the Kyubi into the mix of things made it all worse.

"Ah… yeah." I start lamely. "I suppose it was only a matter of time before you all found out." I rip the rest of the covering off my right arm to fully expose the shroud to everyone. I also remove the gloves and clench my right hand repeatedly.

My gaze lingers on the two different skin tones for a while.

"So this is it huh?" Kakashi spoke up. I look around to see Kakashi, Sakura, and Sasuke all staring intently at my right arm like it was a strange anomaly. There were others who stuck around like Anko, Kurenai, Asuma, and Guy that were taking in the sight as well.

I roll my shoulder as a test and immediately regret it as a bloodcurdling screech of steel on steel grinds against each other.

"Naruto." Sakura grabs my hand. "Why... why didn't you say anything?"

The pink haired kunoichi looked as if she was about to cry.

Damn it, I hate it when people cried over me. Especially girls. That made it even worse.

"Hey, hey," I grab her attention by reaching out for her hand. "Don't worry about me. I've just started coming to terms with it myself alright? So no crying over me, you hear Sakura? We have a job to do and you probably have the most important one of them all. There's going to be a lot of people that'll be hurt after this whole thing is done and we'll be needing you to fix them all up."

"After all this… please… tell us? Come clean for the people who care about you?" she pleads.

"I will. I promise." I move to get up and feel every part of me protest against it. My body was aching and burning. Everything hurt, but there were people that needed saving. People who couldn't protect themselves. Men, woman, children that were out there currently suffering in this hell that they suddenly found themselves in.

"▄▅▄▅▂▂▃▃▄▄▅!"

That inhuman roar resounds throughout the air once again. It was now louder than ever before. The concrete beneath my feet rumble at the intensity of it.

"Change of plans," I said. "Kakashi I'll be going to the Hokage Monument to get a better look of what's going on. I can provide long range fire support from up there while I'm at it."

"What?! How are you going to be able to provide support from all the up there?" said an incredulous Kurenai. "Let alone seeing what's going on down here from that far!"

"Yeah… the distance from there to the main avenue is several kilometers out." Asuma followed up. "Even if you're a good shot and you added chakra to augment your strength, your shots won't even reach us."

"Oh, don't worry they'll reach alright and when they do… be sure to duck," cautioned the Left Arm. "It would be in poor taste if someone had to scrape what's left of you off the streets into a soup can."

With those parting words, I reinforced my legs and sped off to the Hokage Mountain with Merem. There was a shit eating grin on his face as we left and I couldn't help but roll my eyes at his crassness.

---

The view from up the cliff face would've been breathtaking if it weren't for the fact that Konohagakure no Sato was up in flames with the sound of people dying in the streets below.

I was standing on top of one of the Hokage's heads. The fourth one to be precise. The irony of it all was not lost upon me.

"Do you see it Emiya-kun? The monster beyond the wall making all that incessant racket?" Merem was perched atop of my head.

My eyes squint to gain a better focus through all the columns of smoke rising hundreds of meters into the air. It was only a feint outline of it. A humanoid looking creature that was at least several hundreds of meters tall. From what I could make out, it was grotesque in the sense that it was vaguely familiar yet completely alien to my senses.

There was a sharp distinctive red glow being emanated from its head and the center of the chest. Its two arms were high above its head reaching out for something in the air. It looked like it was attempting to gather energy or something to that effect.

"Do you remember my description of the Lesser Grail attempting to manifest itself near the closing hours of the Fifth Holy Grail War?"

"Ah… so it's that huh?" He clicks his tongue. "How boorish," he says primly. "It's most likely the cause of all the shadow entities spawning and other things. No wonder they gained control of the wall so quickly. Those poor souls were overwhelmed and consumed. What a waste of human life."

"No kidding… it explains why it sounded so familiar." I stared intently, peering through all the smoke and fire. "And reminds me why I should get rid of it as soon as possible… Trace, on."

I project the bow and Caladbolg II in my left and right hand respectively.

In my head, I've already measured the distance between the mountain and the Lesser Grail.

Six and a half kilometers from here to there.

It was far beyond my normal range to accurately hit it properly, but I didn't need accuracy with this noble phantasm. I didn't need to shoot it perfectly in between its eyes or anything like that. The blast radius from breaking the traced weapon should be enough to blast it away.

Raising my arms, I pull back the string of the bow. The sound of the esoteric metallic material of the bow from the not-so-distant future creeks and groans.

My aim was fuzzy from here on out.

I was imitating the strength and power of a fake heroic spirit.

A Faker through and through.

I push as much magical energy I could dredge up into the noble phantasm to break it. A burst of pure prana comes out of the tip of the arrow. Arcs of energy danced all around me as I concentrated my aim to the best of my abilities.

"▄▅▄▅▂▂▃▃▄▅▄▅▂▂▃▃▄▄▅▄▄▅!"

The earth reverberates and shakes.

My feet and form hold steady. My eyes narrow in concern.

Was it responding to me? Was it cognizant to recognize me as a threat to its being?

"Emiya-kun… its magical energy levels just spiked crazily out there," Merem mutters worryingly.

It made me worry too. I increase even more prana into the arrow to the point where it was thrumming to life. Cracks spider throughout the noble phantasm. Anymore at this point and it would reach catastrophic meltdown and explode in my face. There was enough energy packed in to crater the face of the monument.

"My core is twisted in madness…"

My grip tightens. I breathe in to steady my aim. Whatever it would attempt to do, Caladbolg would twist it away with its abilities.

"Caladbolg!"

It was like letting go a bolt of lightning. Chunks of stone weighing in several tons were torn off from the ground along with whole trees being uprooted as well.

The broken phantasm streaked, warping away the billowing columns of smoke in its path.

But that wasn't the only thing flying in the air as a red lance of pure magical energy flew past it, unaffected by the twisting distortion.

My jaw drops at the sight of it.

It soars over my head, missing me by a significant margin. I keep track of it on its flight path.

The prana lance from the Lesser Grail smashes into a mountain over yonder.

A blinding flash fills my vision, forcing me to cover my face with a free hand. The ground beneath me quakes and rumbles like never before. When the light dies down and I'm able to look back. Astonishment and shock fills me.

Merem is doing the same as well.

The "lance" razed the mountain to the ground in an instant.

I turn my gaze towards where my arrow landed. My breath hitched.

I had barely even scratched it. The forest surrounding it was completely blasted away and cratered. But compared to what it sent back at me? It was like comparing a hand grenade to nuclear bomb.

I gulped nervously. My throat was dry like a desert.

"Emiya-kun," Merem starts off slowly. "I think… you're going to need a bigger sword."

"Yeah…" My jaw was still unhinged at the display of power. "We're going to need to get to that gate and fast."

"Then you better start shooting arrows like never before if you want to get to there in time Emiya-kun."

"Hmph – I'll do you better."

"Oh?"

I pull back on the bow and ready the first arrow.

"Yeah, I'll make it rain."

---

Out of the frying pan and into the fire.

That was what Uchiha Sasuke could aptly describe the situation she was in currently.

She along with everyone else had been the first wave to lead the charge into the main avenue to get to the gate. The fighting was intense as both defenders and invaders struggled for every meter on the street.

The defenders were a hodgepodge of shinobi hailing from the Great Five nations with the invaders consisting primarily of Oto shinobi with other smaller elements supporting them.

Building by building. Room by room. They cleared everything out before proceeding further with each one becoming harder than the next. Buildings that were set ablaze were considered a total lost cause and damage control to prevent it from spreading went into full effect. The body count was sky high in terms of enemy deaths and civilian casualties.

No one was spared. Woman and children in particular were hunted down with a great prejudice by the invading forces.

This was war.

This was actual war.

It was all incredibly sobering for her.

Not even a year ago she had once shared the same sentiments as Daisuke's friends that a war would be amazing to participate in to become famous like Konoha's past heroes. To become the next Kiroi Senko, or the next Shiroi Kiba, or even the next Sannin. Back then she wanted to fight to prove herself and become great in honor of her family's name.

Now she realized why Emiya Naruto fought. It was to prevent this.

To prevent the horrors and atrocities that fellow human beings can commit.

To save people.

Now she understood.

The whistling of shuriken cutting through the air broke her out of her reverie. With practiced ease she blocked all six and threw the "Black Key" at her assailant. The Otogakure ninja failed to block the sword with his flimsy kunai. The kunai shattered in his hands and could only stare on as the blade pierced itself into his chest all the way to the cross guard.

He stumbled back and attempted to pull the sword out, but it was for naught as another sword came swishing through the air and cut cleanly into his neck sending his head flying across the street. Blood spurted out of the neck like a broken water fountain before finally collapsing to the side.

She plucked the sword out of the body and sighed.

"That makes it twenty-seven so far…" her voice was soft as she spoke to herself and glanced at the body littered streets of the main avenue. "…and so much more to go."

"SASUKE! BEHIND YOU!"

The hairs on the back of her neck stood up on its ends. The pervasive stench of evil radiated through the air from behind. Without acknowledging the warning, her right foot slides to the right to dodge the downward strike. In her left hand she spun the blade into a reverse grip and thrusted back with Naruto's projected sword into its stomach causing it to disintegrate.

"Huh – well you look at that. You got me all worried for nothing Sasuke," teased Sakura.

Sasuke replied with a smile and apologized for letting her mind wander.

Her teammate sighs and runs a gloved hand through her pink hair. "The fighting's getting thicker and thicker the closer we get to the wall. I feel like we've barely made any progress. Not to mention we've barely found any civilians along the way… just bodies and more bodies as we go. Where does it end?"

The question echoed in her mind. Indeed – where does it end?

It wasn't long before the fighting picked up again. The lull of peace was short and fleeting. Another wave of bodies collide against each other in the proverbial meat grinder.

"Damn it!" cursed someone to her left. "Where the hell is that guy that said he was going to provide long range fire support?!"

"Yeah! Fire support my ass! I bet he just ran away!"

"What a coward! He's all talk and no show!"

Sasuke ducked beneath a food cart to avoid a set of shuriken and kunai being flung down en masse by the enemy. She turned and scowled at the other shinobi who were badmouthing Naruto. Then she noticed who exactly she was taking cover with behind the cart.

It was Daisuke's group of jonin friends.

She blanched, rolled her eyes, and made to move to a different cover immediately after the volley was finished. In fact, she'd rather charge headstrong than be near them.

Just as the barrage of projectiles ended a dreadful roar shocks the air.

"▄▅▄▅▂▂▃▃▄▅▄▅▂▂▃▃▄▄▅▄▄▅!"

Followed up by two monumental surges of energy through the air with one being significantly larger than the other.

The fighting stopped.

Everyone looked around for the source of it.

"Look!" Someone says. "At the Hokage Monument! There's a red glow atop of the Yondaime's head!"

Her sharingan eyes didn't need to tell her the obvious that it was Emiya Naruto preparing something. That must've been the reason why he was taking so long. He had assessed that there was a greater threat beyond the walls that needed to be taken care of first before providing support.

The red glow was alluring to her. She couldn't peel her eyes off of it.

The object in his hands reached critical mass and it was soon let loose. From where she was, kilometers away, she could see the plume form from the back blast. The arrow was akin to a shooting star in the night. Sasuke's eyes could barely keep up.

It distorted and warped everything in the air in a twisting motion. But it wasn't the only projectile in the sky as a lance of some sort zoomed passed it, undeterred by the twisting distortion.

In an instant, the earth quaked and everyone on the ground lost their footing form all the shaking.

Over the distance, she could see two mushroom clouds forming with one being ludicrously larger than the other that it was shameful to compare them.

"What the hell are you shooting at Naruto?" asked a concerned Sakura. She must've huddled up next to her when everything started to rumble.

She notices that Kakashi crouched down next to them. "More importantly, what in the world shot back at him?" His sharingan eye narrowed in concentration before it widened in surprise and huffed an amused breath. "You three."

Her teacher called out to the three jonin beside her.

"I heard you all griping about my friend. I suggest you sit back and watch very carefully." Kakashi said in his normal fashion that seemed to never fail to get underneath people's skin.

"Huh?" Was their collective response.

The words of Merem Solomon fluttered back into her head.

"…be sure to duck."

A red arrow flies closely overhead.

She could feel the wind splash against her face from how fast it was moving. Her head turns towards the street leading to the main square of the village. It strikes perfectly, right between the eyes of a poor unfortunate soul to be the first target.

It sends him flying back dozens meters before the arrow explodes. Leaving behind a gory mess of brain matter and cranium.

"…!"

She ducked and so did everyone else as they all watched the fireworks unravel.

The arrows crashing down from the sky are a literal heavy torrential rain.

They smash into the ground completely devastating the enemy forces, the shadow monsters, and everything else in their path. It was just one after another of nonstop arrows being flung by Naruto.

Sasuke had to rub her eyes in disbelief at the way the arrows behaved.

Usually when objects are shot or thrown they followed an arc from beginning to end. But these arrows were turning in midair to correct themselves and home in on their targets. Those who tried dodging by jumping up or to the sides would balk and cry out as some of the arrows jerked and slammed into them dead center.

Some even tried cowering behind walls, but the angry crimson projectiles pierced through them easily like paper.

Others tried futilely to block and deflect the arrows, but proved to be a fool's gambit as they were overwhelmed in a heartbeat.

The shadow entities in particular were hunted down with an extreme mount of prejudice by the fact that every single time an arrow careened into them. They were either launched off thirty meters into the air and exploded, or were turned into a pincushion and then exploded.

Suffice to say the opposition was being annihilated before her very eyes.

He made it look all so easy.

A cheeky, shit-eating voice rings out. It was Kakashi.

"Speak of the devil and he shall appear… with a whole lot of arrows." He whistles in marvel of Naruto's work.

When the smoke cleared and the last of the arrows met their mark. A clear path had been defined for them straight to the gate. Albeit ridden with craters and body parts strewn about everywhere.

And landing in front of everyone in the main square was the man himself with his bow in hand and an arrow nocked.

A smile edges its way onto her face and it spoke of the emotions toiling within her.

Of her friendship with him.

Of her fondness for him.

Her eyes trailed down to the lower half of his red overcoat ensemble as it fluttered in the wind. It was mesmerizing. It was captivating. It was enchanting. It was powerful.

Her heart skipped a beat.

It was at that moment, Uchiha Sasuke knew, she had fallen in love with the person before her.

---

I take in everything before me.

The absolute carnage and devastation that I wrought on the enemy forces entrenched in the main avenue and square. They didn't even stand a chance. Most of the street was destroyed along with the buildings that lined it.

"Emiya-kun," Merem's voice rings out in the quiet main square of Konoha. "The magical energy is beginning to rising again. There's no time for you to linger here and let your mind wander. Lest you want this place to become a smoldering crater in the next five minutes."

My face sets into a frown as I waded through the wasteland. My head goes through a list of noble phantasms that had enough power to dismantle the Lesser Grail or maybe even block the lance if it came to it.

And I'm suddenly met with the realization that the list of noble phantasms that embodies the characteristics of "Anti-Fortress" were incredibly small. Not to mention they were all usually classified as high-class Divine Construct noble phantasms.

Ig-Alima: Green Field Cutting Through the Thousand Mountains would be perfect for this situation to obliterate the Lesser Grail, but the amount of magical energy needed to project it was too high of a cost in my current state. The degradation of the traced construct would be so severe that it would be almost next to useless.

Another name floats to the forefront. Sul-sagana: Heavenly Formation of the Astral Stars was another construct that could do the job, but I'm confronted with the same problems as Ig-Alima.

No…

I was thinking too big. I needed something that could amplify a small amount of magical energy into offensive power. Something that could-

I stop.

My grip tightens on the handle of the bow that it began to groan in protest.

I knew what weapon that could perform the job beyond expectations. It destroyed it once. It destroyed it twice. And it would most certainly be destroyed thrice.

The only problem was, could I bring myself to let it go?

It was a onetime deal.

I was neither the rightful owner nor wielder. Just someone who had the ability to wield the sword because of a special one in a million circumstance.

A fluke.

A fake.

As soon as I used it, the world would reclaim its prized possession back from a foolish mortal who greedily kept it hidden to himself.

I'm being selfish. I'm being stupid. I'm being greedy.

I'm a terrible person.

Here I am trying to rationalize whether I should save hundreds of thousands of lives or keep a sword with me to remind me of her.

Saber would probably be disappointed and kill me.

Tohsaka would absolutely murder me while berating me for being stupid as usual.

"Hey, you idiot! Are you daft? We're here and you're just standing around like a dumb schmuck! Did you figure out a way to get rid of our little cup problem or no?"

I huff tiredly. "Yeah, somewhat. It's a work in progress right now."

"We'll work with what we have then! Leave the gate to your shinobi friends and get up that damn wall! With you daydreaming we wasted precious minutes! There's maybe only a minute before this place is blown up to Kingdom Come!"

Shit.

I'm running out of time.

I reinforce my legs and bounded up to the roof of the battered gate.

The Lesser Grail amalgamation comes into view. It's only about a kilometer out from where I was. Its hands raised up above its head collecting the magical energy into the form of a lance. The foreboding red color glowed ominously between its hands.

High above the sky there was a portal. A hole, I correct myself.

"What an unsightly ugly thing it is, wouldn't you agree Emiya-kun," the rat comments distastefully. I hummed in agreement.

"What in the actual hell is that thing Naruto?!"

I look to my right and I see all the jonins and their genin students bounded up to the wall.

"…"

I pause and gave it a good look.

"Something that I've been running away from now for the better part of the year now…"

I feel their questioning gazes at my response.

"…something that needs to be put to rest once and for all."

I dispel the bow. My left hand goes to grab my right shoulder.

It was aching. It was burning. Like hot iron rods being shoved down the length of the arm.

"▄▅▄▅▂▂▃▃▄▄▄▅▂▂▅!"

It howls into the air.

The roar alone from so close forces everyone besides me and Merem to their knees. It had finished gathering up a necessary amount of energy and began forming a lance above its head to throw at Konoha…

…at me.

My right hand clenches.

I took too long to decide whether to use her Sword or not. No matter what, I had to block this attack and then I can attack. There was only one shield that could possibly block a lance of this magnitude and I'm not sure if I'll be getting back up from this.

The right arm begins to tremble now.

The power of the phantasmal beast, Kyubi no Yoko, was in my right arm. It was the calling of my true nature as a jailor since my inception. Before I dreamt of being a Magus. Of being a Hero.

"W-What are we going to do? How are we going to stop that… that thing Naruto?" Sasuke stepped forward looking to help.

I shake my head.

"I'm sorry to say that you won't be much help here. You're going to have to sit this one out."

She steps forward to say something, but I jab a finger to her forehead before she could say anything.

"You're a moron you know that? You should know when to fight, when to run, and when to let others do the fighting for you."

Her hand rubs the spot. "B-But! You're always doing the fighting for us! You're always the one bearing the burdens! Y-You! You selfish fucking bastard! LET US HELP YOU! LET… LET ME HELP YOU! JUST FOR ONCE LET US HELP YOU FIGHT!"

I'm stunned.

"I-…" her voice chokes. "I want to prove to you that I can stand up there with you! That I can fight the same fights as you! That I can be there to help support you! P-Please! Please Naruto-kun!"

Silence.

The sound of magical energy being gathered and wind whipping around us are the only sounds to be heard.

Uchiha Sasuke finally grew a spine and bit back.

A smile.

A true smile is on my face.

"Sasuke." I walk up to her and grab her shoulders. "You've certainly changed and grown up as a person from the time when I first met you."

She sniffles. There were tears threatening to escape from the corners of her eyes.

"I-… I-!" Her voice stammers, but I interrupt her.

"I'm sorry."

And like that I roughly shove her into the arms of Sakura and Kakashi.

"Merem."

He already understands what to do. "Ahem – would you all so kindly go away?"

The Left Arm of Crown subjugates his will onto the group, forcing their bodies to lock up and stand stock still.

"W-What are you doing?! N-Naruto!" Sasuke struggles and so does everyone else. "NARUTO!" Her voice screams. Her body protesting the action of walking away. "NARUTOOO!" She curses to the high heavens. Yelling and screaming all the way for Merem to stop.

I can see the others, particularly Kakashi and Sakura, struggle against the foreign presence within them. How awful of Merem to leave them still cognitive of what's going on.

The will of a Dead Apostle Ancestor was far greater than theirs.

"N-NARUTOOOO!"

To my bewilderment, Sasuke actually managed to turn her head around. Piercing crimson Sharingan eyes gazing into my own blue eyes. They were blazing furiously in pure unadulterated anger, spinning all the while. And then they suddenly began to mutate. What was once a two tomoe sharingan mutated into a fully matured three tomoe sharingan.

The pure agony on her face forced me to look away, but it didn't drown her voice out. It wasn't until they were off the wall that her voice finally faded away into the background.

"That's cruel you know that?"

"Says the man who shoves a woman away who was about to confess to you."

My face grimaces at his rebuttal. "Sorry to say, but I'm already taken by Tohsaka and she's probably going to Gandr my face off the moment we meet."

Crown mutters something, but it's over ridden by the roar of the Lesser Grail.

"▄▅▄▅▂▂▃▃▄▅▄▅▂▂▃▃▄▄▅▄▄▅!"

I even out my breathing.

I hook a finger underneath a neatly tied knot near the top of my shoulder and raise my arm. I hesitate just for a moment, but throw all caution to the wind.

It was do or die now; no going back.

The knot is undone easily and the Holy Shroud of Martin unfurls all in one ago leaving but a part of the wrapping on the hand to keep it from flying off into the wind.

The sight of the arm being completely tanned with the magical circuits glowing brightly is grotesque to me. It was my arm and yet not my arm. The combination of the Kyubi and Avalon trying to regrow my arm and creating an unholy matrimony of chakra and thaumaturgy.

It hums to life at being released and an overwhelming rush of pure magical energy courses through my circuits. Power a thousand times more than what my circuits can handle threatens to escape and I crush it with a will of steel.

I grit my teeth and keep my eyes trained on the lance.

This was power that no normal human being could wield without killing themselves from the sheer energy output. Be it chakra or prana. Jinchūriki throughout the ages and the corners of this continent all tend to die an early death. Only an exceptional few ever control the powers within themselves and live to a decent age.

The Lesser Grail monster rears its right arm back. It was ready to throw.

I step forward with my right foot.

I now know the scope of my power with my right arm.

A nigh unlimited source of energy at the cost of one's life from burnout. It replenishes my empty reserves, but I'll die within the next ten or so minutes from exposure.

The power of a being that rivals the gods. An extraordinary weight.

Emiya Naruto cannot handle the sheer magnitude of it.

But – all I knew was that I could use it for a brief moment.

"Ahck-!"

My eye twitches. It breaks. A small part of my brain explodes along with a circuit. I cough out a glob of blood. This body wasn't made to withstand the overflowing magical energy.

I reinforce my body. It was breaking down. All I needed was a few precious moments to keep myself together.

"Do your worst – Angra Mainyu."

Its arm trembles momentarily and adjusts its aim. Its hostility now has a focus. Instead of aiming for the heart of the village. It aims for me. It recognizes me as the threat from before.

Good.

It releases another roar into the air before throwing the lance with all its might.

Space distorts.

The air around it is forcibly pushed away by a mighty gust. The bullet approaches faster than ever.

I'm undeterred. I close one of my eyes and keep the other open.

"I am the bone of my sword."

The line helps me concentrate as I pull forth a conceptual weapon that I knew that had the best chance of blocking the thrown lance.

"RHO AIAS-!"

The lance smashes into the shield like a freight train.

That lance that razed a mountain to the ground has been stopped!

The radiating storm of heat and plasma dances all around me, Rho Aias: The Seven Rings that Cover the Fiery Heavens appears from empty space and shields myself from the demonic lance!

Seven flower petals made from light to represent seven layers. Each layer with the defensive power of a reinforced fortress wall. The shield was a boundary field Noble Phantasm that was said to be invincible against all projectile based weaponry.

A thrown lance should be defeated by this shield without even penetrating one of the petals due to its concept of being a Shield of No Loss.

Even so…

It smashes through the first three layers of the shield like it was nothing. Three petals are removed. Only four are left.

The force alone pushes me back almost to the edge of the wall. Any damage done to the shield is reflected back onto the user. Every layer that shattered like glass, shattered my body.

"GHHHCCKK-!"

The fourth and fifth layer of the shield shatters. More damage is done to my body. Only two petals remain.

In the face of such power, it felt like it was unstoppable! But I had to block it no matter what! I push with all the magical energy I had in me into the shield to break the last two layers.

For the barest of moments I could feel the lance being rejected by the bounded fields.

My hopes rise.

But it's immediately dashed away as the second to last layer breaks.

"Grrr-!"

This was the last petal. The last layer of defense. I give it my all even if it kills me in the end.

"NRRRRGGHHHH- NNRAHHHHHH-!"

With a roar spirit, I push back with all my might! With all my will!

A bright flash.

An explosion engulfs my view.

---

Crown was fretting out of his mind and pulling his hair out in frustration.

"Emiya! Now's not the time to be playing sleeping beauty!"

He had forgone his usual appearance of a small rat and took his elderly human priest form. He was crouched down next to the horrifically mangled and broken body of Emiya Naruto doing his best to patch him up with magecraft. All the while roaring and commanding for the boy to wake up from his slumber.

"Wake up you god be damned moron! Or this whole village will be nothing but a crater tomorrow!"

The boy begins to stir. Every part of his body begins to twitch in little movements. First his legs, then his arms before finally his right eye creaks open.

He gurgles something out.

"Yes! I know it hurts! Don't be such a baby and get up!"

He groans out in excruciating pain.

"M-My… my arm…" Naruto whines pitifully.

It didn't look much like an arm any longer. The appendage was horribly mangled and torn up. The flesh and muscle ripped apart to expose the bone that laid underneath and even that was broken as well. When Crown looked at it closely, he could see swords knitting themselves together to keep the arm attached to his body.

It was one less thing for him to focus on. What little he knew of thaumaturgy healing was going to the legs and torso of Emiya Naruto. It was a small requirement of all Executor level priests, especially Burial Agents, to know of spiritual healing.

"Don't worry about it! It'll heal back up! You just need to get up!" He was repeating himself over and over for the boy to get up. Every passing second counted as the Lesser Grail gathered up enough energy to form its lance again. It was drawing energy from the main magical lay line to fuel its attack and the next one was coming up quick.

"Uggghhh-!"

Emiya Naruto slowly lurches forward.

"That's it! Come on! You can do it!" he encouraged him with every movement.

He groaned in agony, but continued to get up. When he was finally on his knees crouching, Merem slung Naruto's left arm over his shoulders. "Alright Emiya-kun. I'm going to help you stand up alright? You hear me?"

Naruto's responded by spitting out a glob of blood to the floor.

"I'll take that as a yes then," he mutters. "Ok – 3… 2… 1…!"

He heaved him up on his two feet.

"T-This… fucking… sucks Merem…"

It was a rarity for him to hear the boy curse, let alone out loud. "Watch your mouth. You're in the presence of a man in cloth," he jokes with the boy. "You're defiling my priestly ears."

"I'm… one too you jackass…"

He rolled his eyes. "Of course, how could I forget the venerable Executor Emiya?" He shifted the weight to where Naruto was no longer leaning on him for support. "Alright. I'm going to let go of you now. I healed you up enough, now finish what you've started."

"Gotcha…"

Crown counted down from three before letting him go. He watched the battered mage stumble a bit before he balanced himself.

The red knight before him places a hand on his chest before pulling out an invisible sword.

He couldn't help but stare in envy at the greatest treasure of mankind. Of all the treasures in the world, none was greater than this. People all over the world could only dream of seeing such a thing let alone wielding it.

With both hands he planted the sword in front of him to use it as a support. Blood was running freely down the length of the blade exposing the outline of it. The wielder heaved a great breath before slowly wrapping his hands around the handle of the blade and raising it up above his head.

"NARUTO!"

Merem turned around and saw that the group he enthralled had returned. He uttered a small curse to himself about his carelessness. In his focus to heal Emiya Naruto back up to an acceptable degree. His control over Naruto's acquaintances slipped, allowing them to return.

The girl who looked like she was about to confess her feelings to him was at the forefront of the group. Her mystic eyes ablaze in anger at him as she skidded to a stop huffing and puffing. He cocked an eyebrow up.

"Apologies, but Emiya-kun is a bit busy right now." He glances back. "I think you'll want to watch what happens next."

"I am through… with just watching…" the girl growls. "You either step aside… or-"

She's interrupted as a wave of hurricane force winds slam into her and everyone else. It forces everyone to cover their eyes and look away.

The moment her eyes connects with the golden brilliance radiating from the sword. She was enraptured by the light being emitted. "I… oh my… god… it's so-"

"Beautiful?"

---

The hallowed voice of Merem Solomon rings out through the still air.

"While one could say there are many other swords crafted more splendidly and with better skill, this sword is an illusion far, far superior to them. You calling it 'beautiful' would dirty its appearance. It is instead something sacred, forged from people's conceptions, legends weaved only out of hope."

It was a herculean feat just for me to keep the sword up. It took every ounce of effort and will for me to not drop the sword while I scraped the bottom of the barrel for any magical energy left within me. Her sword only needed a fair amount to set off a chain reaction. And I'm not sure if I could even provide the bare minimum.

The vision in my right eye was starting to go grey and darkness began to creep in.

This body wouldn't last another minute or two.

I've relied too much on this body of mine without even knowing it. People die when they're killed, but I've stubbornly refused to do so.

"It is a crystal trained by the alone of mankind, making it reign as the strongest fantasy. The crystallization of the prayer glory and all the things etched in the hearts of those who are scattered at the sword's exuberance; the nostalgic, the sorrowful, and hallowed dreams of those who found themselves on the bloody hell called a battlefield."

It burned my lungs every time I took a breath. Each inhale like a hot forge being pumped with air. Every exhale a cold and sharp poke from the steel.

The only reason why I'm able to grip the sword with a tight enough grip was due to Unlimited Blade Works locking in my hands with the swords growing out of it. It knitted and weaved itself through flesh and bone to keep it in place. The feeling was like a thousand needles prickling through your hands.

"Hmph – I see you're still alive. You're a stubborn little human being aren't you?"

Ah… I had completely forgotten about the Kyubi. Now that the shroud was gone, he was now able to fully communicate to me again.

His voice was deep and baritone. It rumbled my head every time he spoke. "I can respect that. I've never met a human who has stubbornly refused to die even when he should by all accounts."

'You're being… awfully talkative… come to see a dead man drop into his grave hmm?'

The phantasmal beast scoffs. "Do not presume me to be a depraved mindless beast. I was given thought to which I may use to reason by my creator."

He didn't answer my question. 'So why are you here… come to gloat then with your supposed superior intelligence? Your infinite wisdom you've garnered since your conception in time immemorial?'

"…No. With the shroud removed, I finally have the ability to see and feel the outside world through your senses. The touch of the wind on your skin, the smell of the forest leaves, the sound of dirt crunching underneath your feet, the taste of blood in your mouth, and the sight… of that sword."

I see… even the Kyubi would be attracted by the all-encompassing power of Saber's sword.

"The sword represents a desire of all warriors, past, present, and future whom have been fully exposed to the nightmares of the battlefield. And that desire? To be exalted."

"I can feel the World calling for its greatest treasure to be returned to her. She wants it now, but… she's waiting patiently. Even with all the sins he has committed by selfishly hiding away the greatest fantasy, she's allowing it to be used one last time. Ha… you should consider yourself lucky my jailor."

I didn't know what to say.

"You've used up the last vestiges of prana. Your circuits are fried. Avalon won't be able to help you without her here to fully activate it. You won't be able to even call forth its name to activate it."

My jaw tightens and I continue to dig deeper. I was coming up short everywhere. There was nothing left in this body.

"But… I can help. You and I have never seen eye to eye. It's evident by how well you've entrapped me in your reality marble after that whole debacle in Fuyuki City. And even then I have room to roam as I please in this wasteland. It's more than what I can say about my last two jailors."

A deal with the devil huh? The Kyubi was right. While the sword was glowing brightly and brought out the residual prana in the background. It wasn't going to do anything except act like a glorified glow stick. I'll bite. 'What is it do you want then?'

"To see its light."

'That's all? Are you serious?'

"I'll have my freedom one way or another. It may come now or it may come later. Time is inconsequential for me. Besides knowing you? I won't have to wait for long."

I wanted to laugh. I wanted to cry. I wanted to do both.

Instead I hacked up blood and allowed it to dribble down my mouth.

'Do it then. I'll sign my soul away to a devil.'

It wouldn't be the first time that Emiya Naruto had signed his soul away to save people.

It certainly wouldn't be the last.

"It's nothing like that. I assure you boy, this is all entertainment for me to pass the time. I am no Alaya-Shiki… for she is far, far worse than you could ever imagine…"

With those departing words along with a menacing chuckle. The Kyubi faded into the background of my mind.

"Do you see it? Do you see what he holds in his hands? The light that shines within us all!"

I close my eye and a resurgence of power flows within me. The phantasmal fox was directing his energy to Avalon to be converted into magical energy for me to use!

The sword began rattling in my hands at the overwhelming power it was holding back.

"Its name transcends all boundaries! Time and space! Cultures and languages! Nations and borders! For its name is-!"

I inhale sharply, ignoring all pain and senses.

"EX-!"

The Lesser Grail vessel roars in defiance at its impending doom. It scrambles around with its arms trying to do anything to escape, but found no mobility. It was trapped by its own design.

"-CALIBUR!"

Excalibur: The Sword of Promised Victory swoops down in one clean motion unleashing a blade of light that slices everything it touches. It was a blast of pure refined golden energy that cuts through the earth, the trees, and the mountain of meat.

It plows through the Lesser Grail with ease cutting it in half and breaking it down. Absolutely obliterating every piece of it from the base to the top, it flattens the forest. The golden wave then travels up to the portal above in a spiraling motion before coalescing into a point. It flashes once before bursting like a supernova in the shape of a massive cross.

Golden light scatters all across the land like a gentle snowfall.

The rooftop of the gate is silent.

The wind is gone. The roar of the monster beyond the wall is silenced permanently.

"S-So… beautiful…" a timid voice notes the spectacle.

I can barely see straight out of my right eye. I'm envious of those around me who can see Saber's brilliance.

The weight in my hands begins to dissipate bit by bit.

"Ah…"

The holy sword begins to fade away. There's some small measure of magical energy left. I begin to wobble on my feet. I can feel myself starting to fall forwards to the ground.

There's a tight feeling welting up in my chest. What was this feeling?

It… It was the feeling of regret and… sorrow…

That's what it was.

The same day that I declare that I would go back home and right the wrongs. I'm left dying far away from home. Far away from Tohsaka.

I can just imagine the worry on her face with my eyes closed.

"Ha…"

This is what I get for running away like a coward. A suitable punishment for one such as myself.

A single tear rolls down the right side of my face.

I didn't want to die.

Emiya Naruto did not want to die for he had so much to make up for.

My body begins to lean forward. I try and stop myself, but there's no fuel left in this body. I stop resisting, letting gravity take control. The air rushes past my face as I begin to black out.

But.

Just before I fall flat on my face. Someone catches me.

My limp body falls into their embrace.

My eyes didn't catch who they were. All it saw were red and black.

It felt familiar. My mind tells me that I've felt this before.

However with everything shutting down I couldn't put the name to this person.

I swear… I know this person…

Her melodic voice rings out to my ears.

"Emiya-kun… you idiot…"

I smile a bloody smile.

There's only one person in the world that can chastise me like that.

"Tohsaka…"

---

He smiles as he's dying in her arms.

His voice gurgles something out that sounds a lot like her name.

She shakes her head in exasperation. The more things change, the more they stay the same.

Her hand digs into a pocket and pulls out a ruby pendant. "Good grief, to think I would have to use this twice in one lifetime neh? Emiya-kun…"

The ruby shines brightly before it dulls blankly.

"Ha… there we go. That should keep you going until I can fix you up properly."

"Um – excuse me?"

Tohsaka Rin looks up and finds an audience watching her. There were two that stood out to her. One with black hair and one with… pink hair?

Her turquoise eyes blinks. A delicate eyebrow goes up acknowledging their presence.

"Who are you?" the one with black hair says aggressively.

Rin gently lays Naruto's body down gently. She brushes off her clothes and flourishes her hair.

"Ah, I apologize for not introducing myself. My name is Tohsaka Rin and I'm this moron's girlfriend."

A man with silver hair who wore a mask coughs repeatedly to the side awkwardly.

"WHAAAAAAAAAAT?!"

---

Author's Note: Finally. I finally made it to the chapter that I always wanted to write. I've pictured it for the better part of the year and I'm so happy to finally put it on paper. Using Rho Aias and Excalibur was the main reason why I wanted to write this story. Exploring a character's psyche using first person narratives was an interesting thing to do along with developing my skills as an author. Hopefully with this chapter, there's marked improvement from Chapter 1 to Chapter 14.

I can't believe it's been eight months since I've started writing as a way to get out of depression at the time. It was therapeutic at the same time nerve wracking as all hell posting this publically, but I'm extremely glad that a vast majority of you actually like my story. It's rough at first learning how to… well write a story, but I'm both thankful and grateful for those who've stuck by me so far on this journey.

Naruto finds his resolve once more, Konoha almost gets burnt to the ground… again, Sasuke was about to confess, Naruto sidesteps it, Rho Aias action and Excalibur action, and RIN IS FINALLY HERE! SHE'S FINALLY HERE EVERYONE! IT ONLY TOOK 14 CHAPTERS! I'M TERRIBLE WITH PACING! HOORAY!

Please leave a review of your thoughts on the chapter and story so far! I hope everyone, readers and critics, enjoy this week's update! I'm super grateful to those who've taken the time to review and leave a comment on my story! I strive to get better and better with each chapter for you all and myself!

Feel free to message me any questions you might have or better yet place it in your review! I'll be sure to RSVP as quick as I can!

Special shout outs to reviewers ChaosRune, Masterx01, The Amazing Grayson, Examine Draco, Revan Kazama, SkySage24, and Dgco. Especially you Dgco, I thank you especially for that review. Really pushed me to improve myself and I hope it shows! Oh and one more to the person who commented that my story reads like a visual novel. I was actually aiming for that, so thank you very much!

Word count before A/N: 14,934.