Chapter VIII

Hello all! Hope you all enjoyed the last chapter, I am glad to see it got a few more reviews than the last couple, I hope that trend continues. At any rate, here's the newest chapter for Chaos Pawn of the Gremory, and hopefully you guys continue to enjoy it. As usual I'd like to thank my coauthor Bakuto Masaki as well as TheLastNanaya, though I'm still trying to decide what to call him in reference to this...anyway, can't think of much of anything else I need to say right now, so let's get on with the reviewer responses, shall we?

Bakuto Masaki: Yes, I hope it did as well.

Nightgale912: Thanks...I think. I believe that's a compliment, so I'll just go with it being as such. Yes, I know the story can feel a little widespread sometimes but hopefully that's not too distracting.

TheLastNanaya: Well...she's a sadist. Sadists do tend to enjoy weapons. Yeah, I can imagine you skipped that part, but it does have some things in there I hope you managed to read, like Akeno effortlessly destroying a Hollow after it tore most of her shirt off. I certainly hope it was. Yeah, I thought about having them jump in and join but decided I should exercise a little restraint. Besides, their time will come. That's the plan. But yes, in this case Akeno would be Illya's target.

Well, I believe that's everything so...on with the show...er, story, I mean. Whatever!

Kazuma, Rin, and Akeno made their way away from Kotomine church, where Arturia was waiting outside.

Arturia nodded as they approached.

Akeno asked happily, "Ready to go home?"

Arturia nodded in agreement but tensed when she, along with the others, felt someone approaching.

The first thing they heard was the laughter of a young girl, they then saw a young-looking girl with waist-length, silver hair that was almost white, skin that was as white as snow, and deep red eyes wearing a collared, long-sleeved purple, buttoned shirt with a matching purple scarf, a long white skirt, purple boots, and a tall purple hat.

However, what Kazuma and the others focused on was the figure behind her. An armor clad person whose form was not visible as a blood red haze flowed and ebbed around them. The only details Kazuma could make out about the person were long, curved horns on their helmet, and a long, wide sword that seemed familiar, however he could not see enough detail to know why.

The girl giggled happily, although combined with her sadistic smirk and the shadowy figure behind her left everyone with an eerie feeling. "Hello there."

Akeno narrowed her eyes and raised a hand. "You're the girl I saw before."

Kazuma raised an eyebrow and asked, "Before?"

Akeno nodded and redirected seriously, "Yes, however we cannot worry about that now."

The girl bowed and said, "My name is Illyasviel von Einzbern. Though it's a long name so you can just call me Illya."

Rin narrowed her eyes curiously and muttered, "Von Einzbern? Then that means…"

Illya smiled and asked sweetly, "Now, could you all do me a favor and die please?"

Kazuma twitched an eyebrow and remarked, "This little imp's almost as creepy as Agria."

Rin tensed and demanded, "What do you want?"

Illya answered slightly annoyed, "I already told you. I want you all to die. Now, go get'em Berserker!"

The shadowed figure released a strange, animalistic howl and charged forward.

"Saber!" Akeno ordered.

Arturia nodded and rushed forward, as a blade hidden by wind magic appearing in her hands.

Kazuma clenched a fist angrily. 'Damn, I don't know if I'd be able to handle a Servant right now. Even with my powers returning I'm still human right now…shit, the one day I had to forget Kon.'

Arturia and Berserker clashed blades with force. However, when Berserker saw Arturia sections of its armor lit up bright red and it howled in a deeper anger, thrusting forward and knocking her off balance.

"No!" Kazuma shouted as Berserker slashed downward, causing a large gash down Arturia's torso.

"Kazuma!" Medea shouted as she appeared next to him and tossed Kon at him.

Kazuma caught the stuffed lion by the head.

Rin looked at Kazuma in confusion. "You idiot! This is no time to be playing with stuffed animals!"

Kazuma pulled open Kon's mouth and demanded, "Alright Kon! Cough it up."

"Hic!" Kon grunted as his Gikongan popped out and Kazuma grabbed it, ingesting the small pill as Kon took over his body and forced Kazuma out, in his Soul Reaper equipment.

Everyone there gasped in surprise.

Akeno looked at Kazuma and asked, "What are you doing? This is a fight between Servants."

Kazuma turned to her and snapped, "Screw that!" He unsheathed his Zanpakuto and charged at Berserker, who was preparing to strike Arturia again.

However its blade was stopped by Kazuma's Zanpakuto.

Kazuma grunted as he was pushed back some. 'Son of a bitch, this asshole has got some serious strength.'

Berserker looked at Kazuma for several seconds before tensing and growling again, lunging towards him.

Kazuma huffed and pushed back against it, managing to dredge up enough strength to force Berserker back and cause it to stumble.

Breathing heavily, Kazuma tensed his fists and said, "Well, I guess this is one fight where I'll need it." Kazuma stabbed his Zanpakuto into the ground, slammed his fists together, and shouted, "Let's go! Boosted Gear!" His hands were bathed in deep red light as red, plated gauntlets with several golden spikes, and a green jewel on the backs of the hands appeared. The gauntlets left his hands exposed and covered only a portion of his forearm. 'It's not a full awakening, but it'll do for now.'

A voice from the gauntlets shouted, "Dragon Booster!"

Berserker looked at Kazuma surprised as did Arturia and the others.

Rin widened her eyes and asked, "Wh-what is that…?"

Akeno's eyes widened before narrowing with a smile. 'You were right Prez…'

Kazuma got into a fighting stance as the gauntlets shouted again, "Boost!" as the gems lit up.

Berserker roared and rushed at Kazuma.

Kazuma leveled his sword and swung it up, knocking Berserker's strike off. He pulled back his left fist and thrust it forward, slamming it into Berserker's torso and sending it flying back. Kazuma smirked as the gauntlet shouted once more.

Illya sneered as the stalemated battle continue.

Berserker jumped back from Kazuma and then rushed forward with its blade horizontal and swung it at him.

Kazuma pointed his blade down and put his left hand against the back to brace it and stopped Berserker's strike, grabbed the back of the sword with his left hand, released the handle and punched Berserker in the head and caused it to stumble. Kazuma returned his blade to normal and asked, "So, you wanna keep this going? The longer we go the stronger I get."

Illya widened her eyes and then chuckled in amusement. "That's silly. There's no way that works."

Kazuma smirked and showed her Boosted Gear as it Boosted again, the gauntlets glowing before increasing to covering his hands with dark red, armored gloves and extending further up his forearms. "Guess you've never heard of Boosted Gear. Every ten seconds my power doubles."

Illya's eyes widened as Berserker rushed at him and swung, however Kazuma jumped over its attack and spin-kicked in the air into Berserker's back and sent it skidding across the ground.

Kazuma rested his sword on his shoulder and said with a smirk, "If you want to get going now, I won't keep doing this."

Illya narrowed her eyes and ordered, "Let's go Berserker."

Berserker stood up and picked up Illya and looked at Kazuma for a few seconds before jumping away.

Kazuma sighed and sheathed his sword as Boosted Gear disappeared.

Arturia ran up to Kazuma annoyed. "What is wrong with you?!"

Kazuma looked at her confused. "You should know the answer to that by now."

Arturia clenched her fists in frustration. "I…I am aware of that, however…"

Kazuma put a hand up. "Ar…Saber, you know as well as I do," Kazuma paused and put a hand on her head with a smile, "I could never stand to see you hurt."

Arturia frowned in frustration. "I understand that, but I am a Servant, and what's more, my Master is your rival, so that means we may-"

Kazuma lightly tapped her on the head with a stern expression. "Don't even say it. There's no way in hell I'd fight you."

Arturia looked up at Kazuma contentiously but then sighed in defeat. "Very well. I can see this won't stop you."

Kazuma grinned and replied, "Darn right. You should know by now I'm stubborn as a bull."

Arturia smirked deviously and then grabbed his wrist and clenched her fist strongly.

This resulted in Kazuma falling to his knees.

Arturia smiled down at him and rebutted, "Who is the king here?"

"You are…you are…" Kazuma whined as Arturia let go. "Ooowww…"

Medea and Kon ran over to Kazuma and Kon asked, "Want your body back?"

"…Please…"

The group was walking back to Akeno's house when Rin suddenly stopped.

Kazuma and the others turned back to her and Kazuma asked, "Your legs stop working?"

Rin stood still with twitching eyebrows and then pointed at Kazuma and demanded annoyed, "Who are you?"

Kazuma looked at her incredulously. "Has your brain dropped out your ears or something?"

THWACK!

"No you idiot! You're a Master out of nowhere, my Servant and Akeno's Servant know you personally by a strange name, you've got that weird, out of body thing, and that strange gauntlet! I want an explanation, otherwise I'll determine you as an enemy!"

Kazuma sighed heavily and looked at Rin in disbelief.

Akeno walked up to Kazuma and added, "I would like to know more about you as well. After all Saber seems to know you well enough."

Kazuma rubbed his head in frustration and then sighed. "Alright, fine. Follow me. I'll tell you at my apartment."

Rin looked at him incredulously.

"I'm not that kinda person dammit!"

After arriving at his apartment complex he led them to his apartment and opened the door to lead them in.

To his misfortune, Kuroka and Kazehana were sitting at the table when he walked in with the others.

Kuroka and Kazehana looked up and saw Arturia there.

Kazehana pointed at Arturia and muttered, "Aren't you…?"

Kuroka said in surprise, "You were the woman in Kazu-nya's bed!"

Kazuma began to sweat heavily as Rin and Akeno looked at him incredulously as Arturia began to glow fluorescently red.

"You're not that kind of person hm?" Rin asked incredulous.

Kazuma sputtered, "Ah…well…I…that was…different…"

Rin and Akeno turned to Arturia who felt about the size of a mosquito compared to the other girls' judgmental stares.

Kazuma waved his hands and shouted, "This isn't the time for that! Let me explain and you'll understand, okay."

Rin and Akeno turned to Kazuma and then sat down at the table as Kazuma sat at the end of the table.

"Now, one thing I need to clarify is that what I'm about to tell you will have the effect of revealing who Archer, Saber, and Caster really are. You cannot use that information against the rest of us and if you share it with anyone else they and you will die."

Akeno and Rin froze in surprise at the matter-of-fact way he said that.

Rin gulped and asked, "A-are you…?"

Kazuma nodded and stared at Rin sternly. "Yes, I am completely serious."

Akeno nodded in understanding and responded, "I will not tell anyone."

Kazuma turned to Rin and said, "If I tell you this you will need to agree to an alliance. We will work together to win the War."

Rin folded her arms in a huff. "Let me guess, to accomplish your goal of destroying the Grail?"

"What is your wish?"

"Wh-what?!"

"What is the wish you want from the Grail?"

Rin looked away with a red face. "Ah…w-well…I…" she then mumbled quietly.

Kazuma raised an eyebrow and insisted, "What was that?"

"Ohh, I haven't really thought about it okay!?"

Kazuma gaped slightly in surprise. "You haven't thought about what your wish is?"

"N-no…I'm only participating to hold up my family's honor. I must excel in everything I do."

Kazuma nodded in understanding. "In that case destroying the Grail shouldn't have any effect on you."

"What?! It would! I must win the War to uphold my honor!"

"I'd say this is more important. That Grail is evil, and it must be destroyed."

"What do you mean by that?"

"The Grail's true name is the Sephiroth Graal. It is not some omnipotent, wish-granting object. It is a magical item called a Sacred Gear. Its only real effects is that whoever uses it is able to hear the thoughts of the dishonored dead, an infinite sea of damned souls called Magutsushi. However, using it causes the user to lose their mind. The closest thing it could provide to granting a wish is using those souls as fuel to perform different acts in the real world, destroying them in the process."

Rin's expression became crestfallen before she clenched her fists and shook her head emphatically. "No! No, no, no! You're wrong! You have to be!"

Kazuma raised an eyebrow as Rin began to cry. "You're far too defiant about this for it to just be about your honor."

Rin stood up and shouted, "My father died for this War! He couldn't have died for something as pointless as that!"

Kazuma put a hand against his forehead and sighed heavily. "I see…well I suppose that explains things."

Rin stared at Kazuma defiantly. "Alright, now you know…" she sat down softly on her seat before continuing, "my father, Tokiomi Tohsaka, died in the Fourth Holy Grail War, he died fighting to obtain the Grail."

"And you believe you can uphold his honor by winning the Grail?"

Rin nodded.

"Well as cold as it is, it seems your father was fed lies. The Holy Grail never was, and never has been a wish-granting device." Kazuma paused as he noticed Arturia's expression sour.

"And just how do you know so much about it?"

"My master and proverbial creator, Forbesii Lucifer was one of the people to own the Holy Grail."

Rin blinked and asked, "Lucifer? Isn't that the name of the Devil?"

Kazuma nodded. "Yes, however, I can tell you no more than that without getting your agreement to an alliance. I guarantee you, that whatever your father sought out, had he obtained the Grail, it merely would've killed him. You will not honor his memory by fighting in a War based on a lie."

Rin clenched her fists and sighed sadly. "Very well. However, this is only a truce. Until you can prove that the Holy Grail truly is as you say, we are still enemies."

Kazuma nodded and turned to Akeno.

"I have no problem joining, Kazu," Akeno replied.

"Kazu?" Rin asked. "When did you two start with nicknames?"

Akeno giggled in amusement and explained, "Ufufufu, isn't it normal for a girl to give her boyfriend nicknames?"

Rin looked between the two several times in bewilderment. "Eh…eh, eh? EEEHHH?!"

Kazuma sighed as Rin started shouting.

"Y-y-you two are d-d-dating?!"

Kazuma rested his cheek against a fist and nodded. "Yeah, a couple weeks now."

Rin twitched an eyebrow and then sighed. "I can't believe you two are actually dating. Hah, you must be pretty desperate if you're dating one of the Perverted Trio, Himejima."

Akeno smiled sweetly and retorted, "You. Are. Ly-ing. I know that you're familiar with Kazuma personally, he fixes and maintains those gems of yours. So you know full well he's nothing like how he projects himself in school."

"Ohhh…" Rin whined as she slumped her shoulders.

"Or…could it be that you're jealous I got a boyfriend before you, Tohsaka?"

"Shut up!"

Kazuma took a deep breath and then sighed. "If you two are finished, can we please get back on topic?"

"This is your fault!" they replied in unison.

Kazuma twitched an eyebrow in annoyance. 'Am I really considering teaming up with these two…?'

'That's the way it seems,' Ddraig remarked.

'…I'm must be very suicidal…'

'That is a definite possibility.'

Kazuma sighed again and then slammed his hand down on the table, ending the argument. "Alright, if you are finished, we came here for a different purpose, remember?"

The girls turned to Kazuma slightly annoyed but sighed in defeat.

Kazuma turned to Rin and asked, "So, will you form an alliance with us, or not?"

Rin nodded slowly and answered, "Yes, I will."

Kazuma nodded in return and proceeded to explain his history to the girls.

After he finished, they both, along with Atalanta, Medea, and Arturia, who had not known Kazuma's history after a certain point, looked at him in surprise.

Rin sat silent for several seconds before asking, "That…that can't…all be true…that you were raised by the Devil…that you fought against several gods…it can't…"

Kazuma nodded in response. "It's all true, every word."

Arturia, Medea, and Atalanta nodded in agreement.

Rin gaped in surprise and asked, "So then that means that…the beings we call God and Devil were real…?"

Kazuma nodded in response. "Yes, they were."

"That's…unbelievable. Although…how do Saber, Archer, and Caster fit into all that? You never mentioned them."

Kazuma nodded and pointed to "Saber." "Saber's real name is Arturia Pendragon."

Rin looked at Arturia in surprise, Arturia nodding in affirmation. "Th-that's…so then she was…?"

Kazuma nodded with a pained expression. "Yes…she is my wife whom I killed…"

Arturia shook her head. "No, I let you kill me, you need to understand that."

Kazuma sighed and shook his head in response. "That doesn't change things."

Rin frowned and then asked, "What about Caster and Archer though?"

Kazuma pointed to "Archer" and explained, "Archer's real name is Atalanta. I met her during my travels to deal with Prometheus' plans to use Typhon."

"As in…Atalanta the Huntress?" Rin asked.

"I thought you said she told you her history?"

"Ah…well…not much."

Atalanta lightly knocked herself on the head and stuck out her tongue.

Kazuma sighed and explained, "I was travelling through the area of Greece she lived in at the time and ended up challenging her to a race since I was bored."

Atalanta flung herself over Kazuma's shoulders and added, "Yeah, but Abra didn't know that marrying me was the reward."

Kazuma looked up at her annoyed, "How the hell was I supposed to know when you never told me?!"

Atalanta moaned sadly in response.

Kazuma sighed and reached up and tugged on one of her ears.

"Nya!" Atalanta shrieked as she jumped back. "That hurt!"

Kazuma just chuckled as Rin asked, "So what about Medea?"

Kazuma nodded and answered, "Medea, from the legend of Jason and the Argonauts. I ran into her after everything that happened to her and she followed our group up until we beat Typhon."

Akeno asked apprehensively, "If you don't mind me asking, how did they both…?"

Kazuma sighed and relayed, "Medea was…" Kazuma clenched a fist as he remembered the events, "…she was crushed by Typhon before we had the chance to kill him for good."

Atalanta added solemnly, "I died when I used my mana stopping Abra from rampaging around as a giant dragon."

"Giant dragon?" Akeno and Rin asked.

Kazuma sighed and tugged on Atalanta's ear again, getting an annoyed shriek from her. "I haven't explained a few things to you yet. You see, part of what I gained from Boosted Gear was the ability to use an ancient form of magic called Dragon Slayer Magic."

Akeno's eyes widened. "Dragon Slayer? But dragons are some of the most powerful beings in existence."

Kazuma nodded in agreement. "Yes, but about four thousand years ago there was a form of magic that was designed to defeat them. I'm one of the only people alive that knows how to use. There are multiple levels of the magic, and the highest form grants the user the ability to transform their own body into that of a dragon. As a result of defeating Typhon, I awakened that ability. The only problem was that since I was so exhausted from fighting him that I wasn't able to control my dragon form, so Atalanta absorbed all of the excess energy from my transformation. Unfortunately…it was too much for her body to handle…"

Rin started inching away from Kazuma.

Kazuma looked at her confused.

"What do you expect? From the sounds of it people drop like flies around you."

Kazuma tightened his hands and nodded. "Yeah…I know…"

Akeno glared at Rin. "You say that as if Kazu himself isn't already aware of that."

Rin flinched in surprise. "Er, well…sorry…"

Kazuma shook his head in response. "No, you're not wrong. I will be the first to admit that being around me carries death as a likely result. If you want, you still have the chance to back out of this. I'll simply erase the events of this period and something else will replace it."

Akeno smiled and shook her head. "I couldn't go anywhere, you are my boyfriend after all."

Rin twitched an eyebrow angrily. "Hmph, well, as for me. My pride as a magus won't allow me to abandon something like this. If it's true that the Holy Grail really is as evil as you say, then it's my duty to keep it out of the hands of those who would cause devastation with it."

Kazuma looked at her surprised.

"Wh-what…?"

"You seem more like one of those people than someone who would fight against them."

Rin threw a coffee cup at him. "You jerk!"

Kazuma fell to the floor as the piece of dinnerware hit him in the face. He stayed there for a few seconds before sitting back up. "That was rather uncalled for."

"So was you calling me evil!" Rin shot back.

Kazuma smirked lightly. "I never actually said evil…"

"Ohhh…I'm…gonna kill you!"

"Hey, there's the tyrant in the making we all know."

Rin smiled shakily and asked, "You really want to die don't you?"

Kazuma just smirked.

Rin sighed heavily and then asked, "Well, since it seems we've formed some sort of alliance, what now?"

"Why are you askin' me?"

"Well you are the one who was a military commander, right? I'm not saying I'll always follow your suggestions, but I'll still take them into consideration."

Kazuma sighed as he ran a hand through his hair and responded, "For now we should bide our time. The only Servant that we've encountered so far is Berserker. We all also each have Servants of our own, Saber, Caster, and Archer."

Medea then raised a hand.

"What is it Medea?"

"We have one more Servant," she added.

The three looked at her puzzled.

"Before you found me in that park, I managed to summon my own Servant."

Rin looked at her in shock. "A Servant summoning a Servant? I didn't even think that was possible."

Medea nodded in response. "It wasn't easy, mind you. Doing this also means I require more mana from my own Master, as a portion of mine goes into fueling my Servant, Assassin." Medea then snapped her fingers as Assassin appeared next to her.

Everyone in the room gasped as Assassin appeared.

Assassin was a young woman who strongly resembled Arturia with short, pink-blond hair in a bob cut, a small portion tied back with a black bow, a small cowlick on the top of her head, pale yellow eyes, and fair skin who wore a light pink kimono with a dark pink hakama, brown, high-heeled boots, and black bracers on her arms.

Assassin opened her eyes and looked around. She tensed when she noticed the large number of Servants and Masters in the room however Medea raised a hand and Assassin appeared to calm down.

Kazuma pointed to Assassin and asked Medea, "Think you would mind explaining?"

Medea shook her head. "As I said, Assassin is a Servant I summoned myself."

Kazuma looked back at Assassin and said, "Well we're all on first name basis, so who are you?"

Assassin looked at Medea thoughtfully.

Medea nodded with a thin smile.

Assassin nodded in return and bowed before introducing herself. "My name is Okita Souji."

Kazuma tapped his finger for a few seconds.

Rin looked at him puzzled and asked, "Is…something wrong…?"

"I…don't recognize that name…"

Rin sighed and retorted, "You don't know Japan's history very well, do you?"

"Hey, it's not my fault, I group up in Niffleheim, I wasn't even on Earth for most of my life."

Rin motion to Souji and explained, "Okita Souji was a captain in the Shinsengumi, and one of their best swordsman. Though I will say it's strange to learn he was actually a she."

Souji nodded in return. "You seem to know quite a bit about me."

"You are a historical figure in Japan, after all."

Kazuma stared at Rin still lost in though.

Rin merely sighed in exasperation. She then looked around the room and commented, "I suppose this means our little alliance now has four of the seven Servant classes. And it also means you, Kazuma, have two."

Kazuma thought for a moment and then shrugged. "Yeah, I guess it does."

Arturia then interjected into the conversation. "If you don't mind my intrusion, now that introductions are finished, I believe it may be pertinent to discuss plans on how to deal with the other Masters and Servants."

Kazuma nodded but before he could say anything Rin interrupted. "Aside from Berserker, there is one other Servant we know of."

Kazuma raised an eyebrow and asked, "Who?"

"Lancer. Archer, I mean, Atalanta, and I were attacked by Lancer as the first battle of the War. I don't know who she is, but she is skilled."

Kazuma nodded in thought. "Saber, Caster, Assassin, Archer, Lancer, and Berserker. So that leaves…?"

"Rider," Akeno answered. "We merely need to discover who Rider is."

Kazuma nodded in response and then turned to Rin. "So what do you know about Lancer?"

Nodding, Rin answered, "I know that she is certainly skilled with her namesake weapon, she was able to outmaneuver Archer quite easily."

Kazuma nodded in understanding. "I see, so she uses a long, close-combat weapon and is also agile. Though I'm surprised she was able to outmaneuver you Atalanta."

Atalanta folded her arms in a huff. "Rin misspoke, that blonde bitch isn't faster than I am, she's fast enough to deflect my arrows is all."

Kazuma raised an eyebrow but then nodded. "And I can tell you firsthand that Berserker is powerful, he, she…I don't really know…has a lot of force in that swing and a large sword to back it up. It also seems he is no slouch when it comes to speed either."

Arturia nodded in agreement. "Yes, I also cannot say but Berserker gives me a very uncomfortable feeling."

"Yeah, so you felt it too, huh?"

Rin interjected, "Of course he does, the guy's a howling freak covered in red smoke."

Kazuma chuckled slightly. "Yeah, I guess you have a point."

Arturia then asked, "So what do we do now?"

"For now, I'd say keep doing things the same as we have been. I'm certain there are people out there watching us, plus if we do anything too drastic it has the potential to get civilian involved."

"And that presents a large issue," Medea interjected.

Kazuma narrowed his eyes and asked, "Why? I know they would be in danger, but you seem to mean something bigger."

Medea nodded solemnly. "Yes…whenever an unaffiliated person stumbles upon a Grail War battle, the rules state that person must be killed immediately."

Kazuma tensed angrily. "That so…?"

Rin frowned and added, "That means that even if you don't want to, if someone sees you in a battle-"

"Then whoever oversees this damn farce, Kirei or otherwise, can kiss my ass. There's no way I'm killing people, over a War based on a lie that they didn't ask for. And if you think that I'm wrong I extend the same sentiment to you."

Rin snarled and snapped back, "You know, for as charming as you sometimes can be you have a knack for being an asshole!"

"I don't take kindly to people who hurt, endanger, or threaten innocents just because of their own selfish desires or gains."

"And what if it were a friend of yours doing something like that?"

"No friend of mine would. Not unless they were being controlled."

"But let's take this thought experiment to the extreme, what if they were?"

Kazuma sighed and then stared at Rin plainly. "I'd kill them. Unless they had a damn good reason to explain it I would treat them no differently."

"You can be very biased. You claim you want to dismantle the War because it endangers people, and that you'll kill those who hurt innocents. But if it's someone you care about you'll spare them if they give a good enough reason. You don't see the circular logic in that?"

"Listen human, I won't sit here and be talked down to like I'm some child. When I say good reason, what I'm referring to is purpose. I may be forgiving if the people they kill are themselves evil. Hell, if I found someone going around axing criminals I'd pin a damn medal on their chest. But I know the kind of situation you're talking about. You're talking about if one of the people I know ends up being a Servant and is killing people. If that scenario turns out to be true, I stand by what I said. Unless their reasons are justifiable I will kill them."

"And just what would be a justifiable reason to kill a person?"

"You're twisting my words around. But if you must know, you yourself should know about the Command Seals, it would be quite simple for a Master to compel their Servant to kill people with a Command Seal. I also know a few people who would be willing to kill those they know to be criminals. Now if you don't mind, this conversation is grating on my nerves as the situations you're talking about are statistical impossibilities."

Rin nodded as she stood up and walked out of the doorway as Atalanta disappeared with a frown. "This is true. I simply want to know you won't falter if one of your old bedmates turns out to be an enemy."

Kazuma narrowed his eyes angrily at Rin as she left. With a heavy sigh he remarked, "I really don't like that girl."

"Then why do you help her so much?" Akeno asked.

Kazuma sighed and responded with a shrug. "I don't like her, but I can also say she's not a bad person. At any rate, you and Arturia should probably get going as well."

Akeno stood and bowed before walking towards the door.

Arturia turned to Kazuma and frowned before smiling slightly and bowing as well.

Kazuma nodded with a smile and stood to walk her to the door.

"You know, I find this arrangement most intriguing, do you agree, Abra-…Kazuma?" Arturia asked.

Kazuma chuckled in response and answered, "I can say it's one of the weirder things that's happened in my life, and I've met numerous gods and goddesses to boot."

Arturia laughed slightly. "Yes, I do suppose something of this type is quite unusual." Arturia then left with Akeno.

Kazuma sighed as he sat back down at the table. After a few seconds Kazuma broke out in ecstatic laughter.

Kuroka looked at him puzzled and asked, "Erm, Kazu-nya, are you okay, nya?"

Kazuma wiped stray tears from his eyes as his laughter calmed down. "Yes…I am quite fine. It's just…an event like this…I can't decide if it should be a dream or a nightmare. Heh, heh, it's all just so ridiculous…"

Medea looked at him confused and asked, "Why do you say that?"

Kazuma looked up with a mirthless smile. "You're telling me you look at this situation and don't see how insane it is?"

Medea shook her head with a smile. "No. I merely look at the chance to be with you again. I am certain Atalanta and Arturia feel the same way. Do you…not agree?"

Kazuma shook his head. "That's not quite what I mean…it's just that…even though I'm trying to destroy it…it's because of the Sephiroth Graal that I've gotten to see you all again. It simply makes the entire situation feel rather…ironic. It's also just a matter of coincidence that I am allies with each of the others' summoners since…if I wasn't…"

"You would need to fight them," Medea finished.

Kazuma nodded slowly. "And I don't think I'd be able to do it."

"So then what about what you told Tohsaka earlier?"

"I was merely assuaging her concerns. The old me may have been capable of doing that, I did kill four gods after all, but I don't think I'd have the nerve anymore."

Medea was about to say something to him when Kazehana suddenly exclaimed, "Love! It's so amazing!"

Kazuma and Medea looked at her completely confused.

Medea asked puzzled, "Uhm…what is this about?"

Kazehana replied happily, "Kazuma's love across centuries has brought you and the others back, isn't it romantic?"

Kazuma sighed in exhaustion. "I suppose you could see it that way, but I highly doubt I had anything to do with the Servants who were chosen in this War."

Medea chuckled lightly in amusement.

Kazuma raised an eyebrow and asked, "What's got you giggling?"

"I merely think that Kazehana's idea is rather amusing. It certainly puts our situation in a brighter light, don't you agree?"

Kazuma raised his eyebrows in thought and then smirked weakly. "I suppose it does. With that said I think it best I get to bed, I imagine that with everything going on life is about to get a lot more complicated."

The girls nodded as Kazuma vanished into his room.

Kazuma awoke the next morning to find Erza outside his room. Raising an eyebrow he asked, "Need something?"

"Why were there so many people here last night?"

Kazuma blinked curiously. "Pardon?"

"There are traces of foreign mana all over the apartment. Mind explaining?"

"I had an orgy," Kazuma deadpanned.

"Answer me seriously dammit!" Erza rebutted with a deeply reddened face.

"Unfortunately I can't tell you that."

Erza twitched an eyebrow. "If it's about the Holy Grail War I'm already well aware of it."

Kazuma looked at her puzzled. "How?"

"People meddling with the souls of the dead, you think that's not something the Soul Society would check in to? Every time one of these things happens the rate of pluses migrating to the Soul Society spikes."

Kazuma narrowed his eyes and asked, "Pluses?"

"It's what we call the lingering souls of the deceased."

"Oh…well that makes things simple. However, back on topic, yes. I had a meeting with a few other Masters last night. But if you don't mind the details are something I'd rather keep to myself."

Erza tensed and asked lowly, "Is it because you don't trust me?"

Kazuma sighed and folded his arms. "No, that's not it at all. It's just that the rules of this perverted War are that outsiders can't be involved. So, if I get you involved then you might…" Kazuma trailed off as he looked off to the side unsurely, a light tinge to his face, "you might get…hurt, and…I don't need that on my conscience." Kazuma looked off to the other side defiantly, though his face was still slightly reddened.

Erza looked at him puzzled before bring a hand to her mouth to stifle a light chuckle. With a small smile she responded, "Thank you, Kazuma."

Kazuma looked at her with a shaky smile. "Y-yeah, sure. Now, if you don't mind, I'm going to go put some clothes on besides my boxers."

Erza nodded as he walked back into his room, and it was then Erza finally realized that Kazuma's toned body was covered in scars. She frowned in thought as the door closed. 'Where did he…get them all? I guess…it must have been during his life as Abraxas. But…that many scars?'

After he finished dressing himself Kazuma prepared to leave with Erza but they were interrupted by Medea.

Erza looked at her surprised and Kazuma intrigued as she wore her newly made Kuoh Uniform.

"So, what do you think?" Medea asked.

Kazuma nodded with a smirk. "It looks good on you. I must say whoever tailored it got everything just right."

Medea nodded and said slyly, "The tailor took my measurements."

Kazuma paled.

"Don't you wish you did?"

Kazuma slumped to the floor in defeat.

Erza looked at him pathetically. "Honestly? You are truly pathetic."

"Leave me alone…" he moaned.

Kazuma twitched an eyebrow as he walked to school. 'This…is going to be hard to hide…' Kazuma thought as he realized he had Medea and Erza beside him as well as Mavis in front of him.

Medea looked to the side and noticed Kazuma's uncomfortable expression. Smirking she tapped Mavis' shoulder. "I bet I can beat you to the school."

Mavis got a twinkle in her eye before the two took off at high speeds.

Erza looked at them puzzled as Kazuma sighed in relief.

As Kazuma and Erza arrived at the school building, Kazuma noticed an odd sensation at the entrance. 'This feels like…a mana sigil…but who…?' Narrowing his eyes he looked up at the third floor where the second year students resided. "It couldn't be…Uryu…"

Kazuma managed to push the worries about Uryu from his mind and made his way to class. As he did, he ran in to someone he wasn't happy about meeting.

"You," Sakura's blue-haired brother sneered at Kazuma.

Kazuma raised an eyebrow and asked dismissively, "Sorry, do I know you?"

"Don't play dumb with me Soryu. You act like you don't know me every time we run into each other now."

Kazuma shrugged in response. "Well sometimes I wish I didn't."

Shinji smirked proudly. "You act so high and mighty. But don't you worry, someday, you'll learn where you belong."

Kazuma frowned angrily at Shinji. "You know, I considered you little more than a slight annoyance before, but as of late you've gone full jackass. I don't know who pissed in your coffee recently but you've all of a sudden gained a major ego and you're flaunting it like it's something to be proud of."

"Hmph, you simply don't have the self-respect I do, I am from a well-known family after all. It helps that I'm vice-captain of the archery club," Shinji rebutted proudly.

"Whatever, lineage and bloodline don't mean crap when you've got nothing but the clothes on your back. Go hop out into a desert for a few days alone and then tell me all the good your heritage is doing you."

Shinji clenched his fists as Kazuma walked off.

Kazuma's thoughts were dominated by the confusion about Shinji who, up until recently, had been a relatively normal student with a slight mean streak. In the past few weeks as Kazuma's life had simultaneously become hectic with Erza's arrival though, Kazuma noticed Shinji's sudden increase from jerk to jackass.

"Kazuma!"

Kazuma was brought out of his thoughts and turned and saw Orihime walking towards him frantically. "Oh, Orihime. Somethin' wrong?"

"You ran off yesterday without warning and never came back. What happened?"

Kazuma scratched the back of his head as he thought up an excuse. "Sorry 'bout that, had an issue at home."

"Like what?"

"Ah…well…Muffins got into a little scrape and-"

Kazuma was interrupted as Orihime suddenly blurted out, "Oh no, is Muffins okay?!"

Kazuma began to sweat heavily as the rest of the students looked at them incredulously. "Erm…could you keep your voice down? You're making a scene…"

Orihime instantly slapped her hands over her mouth and nodded apologetically.

Kazuma sighed and responded, "It was nothing really. She just knocked over a bowl and got herself stuck under it. She's stupid like that."

At Kazuma's house, Kuroka and Kazehana sat in front of the television as Kuroka suddenly sneezed.

Kazehana looked at her curiously and asked, "Are you alright?"

Kuroka sniffed and then responded puzzled, "Yes, nya. I think someone's just talking about me behind my back, nya."

Shaking his head, Kazuma reassured, "In the end she was alright."

"Oh, good," Orihime sighed out in relief. She then asked, "Did something happen between you and Uryu last night?"

Kazuma blinked curiously and asked, "Uhm, why are you asking that all of a sudden?"

"Because, he disappeared about the same time you did and he's really on edge today."

"You…make the most bizarre connections, you know that?" Kazuma asked with an unconvincing laugh. 'And here I thought Orihime was dumb as a post. Maybe so, but she's got one hell of an intuition.' "Besides, how would you know he's on edge?"

"Because, he and I are in the handicrafts club together."

Kazuma looked at her in disbelief. "S-seriously? That seems…odd…"

Orihime showed Kazuma to the classroom where the club met and, true to her word, Uryu sat in the club when two female students walked up to him, one holding a stuffed doll.

The girl asked Uryu to fix it, upon which Uryu effortlessly and swiftly fixed the stuffed doll to pristine conditions immediately.

Kazuma twitched an eyebrow. 'Damn…I'm…almost impressed. The kid's almost as good as I am.'

After finishing up his club activities, Uryu was making his way up a flight of stairs, he stopped midway up and challenged, "How long are you going to continue to follow me, Kazuma Soryu?"

Kazuma walked around the corner behind Uryu and rebutted. "I'm surprised, most humans, even those attuned to spirits, wouldn't be able to sense the light mana pulses I was giving off."

Uryu turned around dismissively to Kazuma. "I've been able to sense you since you and Orihime were watching me back at the handicrafts club."

Kazuma opened his eyes intrigued as he looked at Uryu. "That so? So in other words, you're able to sense even the faintest trace of mana."

"Precisely. Though could you at least give me the respect of calling it spiritual energy?"

Kazuma smirked and retorted, "Why use such a complicated name when mana works perfectly fine?"

"If you insist," Uryu remarked as he adjusted his glasses.

'Yeah, this jackass is way too much like Wingul.'

"However, I'm disappointed, with as wise about the spiritual world as you seem to be, you haven't noticed me until today."

"No, nothing quite like that," Kazuma responded. "I suppose you could say…I didn't really get my powers back until the past few weeks and even then I've been too busy to take the chance to search for anyone as insubstantial as you."

Uryu winced angrily. "I'd watch my tongue if I were you. I could very well put a hole through your head."

Kazuma opened his mouth and said, "Ahh…"

Uryu gained a tic mark. "You…are seriously trying my patience. At any rate, unlike you, I noticed your large spiritual presence quite a while ago. I had an inkling of it since I arrived at this school and was certain of it over the past few weeks when your power spiked. I'm assuming that being when you gained your Soul Reaper powers."

Kazuma clapped dismissively. "Bravo. You get a gold star. So, you done pointing out the obvious or are you going to continue in failed attempts to prove how much smarter you are than me?"

Uryu clenched his fists angrily. "Very well, I shall get to the point." Uryu pulled out a small silver ring from his pocket and held it in his hand. "I challenge you to a little contest."

Kazuma narrowed his eyes suspiciously.

"The goal is simple, see who can kill the most Hollows. It will prove which of us is superior, it will also show you…that Soul Reapers are truly unnecessary."

Kazuma sneered angrily. "You're insane. This challenge is ridiculous."

Uryu smirked. "Am I? Or are you just too scared because you're merely a Substitute Soul Reaper rather than a true one?"

Kazuma narrowed his eyes before closing them momentarily. He then snapped them open with his Mangekyo active and Uryu jumped as the spot next to him burst with black flames.

Uryu looked next to him shocked and then to Kazuma. "That power…it…is not something that belongs to a Soul Reaper…"

"You're right, I am only a Substitute Soul Reaper. But I'm also something else. And if you start this challenge, and endanger the countless lives of the people in this city, after it's over, I'm going to beat you senseless."

Uryu smirked and squeezed the silver ring before it burst to pieces and shattered.

Erza walked towards Urahara Shop with Kazuma next to her. Folding her arms in thought she asked, "Is there any reason he had to send a Thought Projection instead of coming himself?"

The Thought Projection responded, "I may be a Thought Projection, but I'm still me. I simply thought it'd be best for a Thought Projection to go with you while I trail Uryu. If you're going to see Urahara for info on him I want to also have that information, as much as I can."

Erza nodded in understanding. "Very shrewd."

As the two approached the shop, Jinta noticed them and asked. "Yo, Erza, who's this guy? Your boyfriend?"

Kazuma knocked him on the head. "Keep that kind of talk up and you'll find yourself power bombed on a street post in a few years."

Erza sighed and asked Jinta, "Is Urahara in?"

Jinta pointed to the main door to the store.

Erza and Kazuma walked in to find Urahara sitting on the slightly elevated lip at the back of the main room.

"'Bout time you showed up," Kisuke remarked.

"You were expecting us, I take it?" Kazuma asked.

Kisuke nodded. "Though…I was expecting the real Kazuma, not some kind of projection."

Kazuma shook his head. "As I told Erza, I may be a Thought Projection but I'm still me."

"Right, right. Anyway, I assume you're here…about that Quincy."

Kazuma and Erza nodded in agreement.

Kisuke explained, "The Quincies area clan of demon hunters who specialize in killing Hollows. They had originally been scattered to every corner of the Earth, going around hunting Hollows much the same way other groups would hunt demons, or, should I say devils?"

Kazuma narrowed his eyes and responded, "Say whatever you like. Whether you use a racial slur or not doesn't bother me."

Kisuke chuckled in amusement. "If you say so. At any rate, the Quincies were eventually wiped out two hundred years ago, because unlike Soul Reapers, who purify a Hollow and then send the purified soul to the Soul Society, the Quincies actually destroyed the Hollow and its base soul."

Kazuma narrowed his in disgust.

"They were quite cold about it as well," Erza reinforced.

Kisuke shrugged. "They believed that there was no benefit in sending Hollows, beings who eat multiple innocent souls, to the Soul Society. So they destroyed them completely. However…it was that very philosophy that was their undoing."

The real Kazuma stood before Uryu angrily. "You bastard, that thing was filled with mana."

"Exactly," Uryu rebutted. "It's Hollow bait."

Kazuma immediately rushed into his bag and pulled out Kon, swallowing the Gikongan and assuming his Soul Reaper form. "You're going to pay for this you bastard!" Kazuma jumped forward and grabbed Uryu by the collar. "You undo that right now or I'll chop your head off!"

Uryu smirked in response. "You fool, the city is now crawling with Hollows. Shouldn't you be more worried about those 'innocent people' rather than me?" Uryu shirked Kazuma off and fired a shot from his bow as a Hollow appeared above them. "That's number one. Let's see who can kill the most in twenty-four hours." Uryu then turned to leave but left one last piece of advice, "Hollows tend to go after those with high spirit energy." He then ran off.

Kazuma snarled and raised a hand as more copies of himself appeared in flashes of light around him. "Hunt as many as you can!"

The Thought Projections nodded and took off.

The original Kazuma, however, took off towards the school.

Back at Kuoh Academy, Ichigo and Rukia were walking back home when Rukia's cell phone went off. Her eyes widened as she saw multiple signals. "Ichigo!"

Ichigo nodded and reached in his uniform and pulled out his mother's pendant as the large shuriken of mana reformed.

Rukia then pulled out a Gikongan dispenser.

Ichigo asked, "What are you doing?"

"With this many Hollows, we need as many combatants as possible."

Ichigo nodded in understanding as the Gikongan took over her gigai.

Ichigo and Rukia nodded to each other and ran off to go after the large number of Hollows.

Kazuma jumped from rooftop to rooftop as more Hollows appeared in front of him. "Outta the way!" he shouted as he sliced them in half and they vanished.

Kazuma landed on the ground and saw Rukia and Ichigo approaching. "I was just looking for you two."

Ichigo raised an eyebrow. "Why?"

"You need to go and check on your sisters. Fisher King was after them, with this many Hollows they'll go after them too."

"What's going on?" Rukia demanded.

"Uryu. That rat bastard released a bunch of Hollow bait."

"You're kidding me, right?!" Ichigo shouted.

Kazuma clenched a fist and rebutted, "No. I'm not. There are Hollows all over the city, and they're going to target people with high amounts of mana. And I assume that Yuzu and Karin do since Grand Fisher was after them."

Ichigo nodded in agreement.

"Let's split up, we can cover more ground and deal with more Hollows that way," Rukia suggested.

Nodding in agreement, the three split up to go after different groups of Hollows.

As Uryu shot down another series of Hollows he narrowed his eyes as he looked around for Kazuma. "That fool probably hasn't even realized that there are far more people with high spiritual energy than just that Fullbringer and his family." Clenching his fist as he shot down another he muttered, "I'll defeat them all." The image of an elderly man entered his mind as he said that.

Back at Kuoh, Tatsuki was resting against a wall after her karate club and sighed. She twitched an eyebrow as two pluses that were flirting with each other floated by her. Shaking a hand at them she chided, "Get a room!"

"Arisawa!" her advisor called to her.

"Coming!" Tatsuki shouted back as she went to return.

However, she found Orihime first, whose face was scrunched with worry.

"Hey, Orihime!" she called out. Tatsuki walked up to Orihime and began speaking with her, and as she did she watched her walk by she remembered the events with Sora, though her mind only recalled fragments, such as Erza being in the room with them. 'I still can't believe that happened. I thought it was a dream but…Orihime had the same ones so it can't be a coincidence.' As more pluses floated by she groaned. 'Can't forget being able to see those things since that day too…'

As Tatsuki and Orihime continued speaking a particularly annoying plus started dragging her attention away. She managed to refocus on Orihime, however as Orihime was about to respond they both stopped when a loud crash boomed nearby.

The two ran to investigate, however, Orihime stopped and looked up, feeling an uneasy sensation towards an object in bright sky overhead.

Elsewhere, Karin was playing soccer with her friends, however, she stopped midway through when she noticed a malevolent presence nearby. 'This isn't good…'

Ichigo's shuriken sliced through a Hollow's head and killed it before returning to him. "Alright, there's another. Damn, how many of these things are there?"

Rukia slashed the head off of a Hollow as she landed on the ground. She held an all-white Zanpakuto with a white ribbon extending from the pommel and a hollow, snowflake design on the hand guard.

Another Hollow rushed at her, however she stabbed the ground in front of her and shouted, "White Tree!" The ground extending from her to the Hollow froze, including the Hollow itself, before the Hollow shattered. Turning her attention, Rukia ran towards more Hollows nearby.

As another Hollow fell to the ground and disintegrated, Kazuma landed with a huff. "That's eight. These guys just keep on coming."

Ddraig then warned, 'Kazuma, you should activate Boosted Gear. Even your stamina will run out at this rate. You should know by now you're still not at your full power.'

Kazuma hissed angrily. 'Yeah, but…I don't like using Boosted Gear when I don't need to.'

'I'd say this is one time you need to.'

"Grr, dammit, fine!" Kazuma stabbed his sword into the ground and then slammed his fists together, shouting, "Boosted Gear!"

The incomplete Boosted Gear which didn't cover his hands appeared on his forearms as a voice shouted, "Dragon Booster!"

Kazuma grabbed his Zanpakuto and continued his assault on the encroaching Hollows.

However, he stopped charging when Medea and Souji walked up to him.

"What are you two doing here?" he asked.

"We want to help get rid of these creatures," Medea answered.

Kazuma narrowed his eyes and then looked around at the large number of Hollows. "Dammit…fine, just don't get yourselves killed!"

Medea and Souji nodded in understanding before nodding to each other and going after another group of Hollows nearby.

Back at Kuoh Academy, Akeno finished pouring tea for Rias, Koneko, and Kiba when she turned around and noticed Arturia staring out the window. "Is something wrong?"

Arturia looked back to Akeno and then back out the window. "There are monsters outside."

Rias raised an eyebrow and looked out the window annoyed.

Akeno asked, "So, should we intervene?"

Rias nodded. "Yes, this is my territory. I won't allow monsters like this to mess it up."

"So we will fight then?" Kiba asked.

Rias nodded and walked towards the double doors of the room. "We will." She opened the door and there stood Sona with a large group of people behind her, her peerage. "Ah, Sona, I suppose you saw them as well?"

Sona nodded in agreement. "I did. Those monsters and making a mess of things and killing our clients."

Rias nodded and the two groups made their way to the entrance of the school where they prepared to split up. "So, shall we make a game of it?" Rias asked.

Sona smirked and rebutted, "Perhaps later."

Back at Kisuke's shop, Kazuma's Thought Projection and Erza sat listening to Kisuke explain the Quincies.

Erza interrupted as her Hollow sensor went berserk. Hollow signals would flicker off just as soon as they appear, with dozens appearing at a time.

Kazuma narrowed his eyes when the two heard a loud Hollow howl outside.

Running out to investigate, Kazuma asked, "What is that?"

What they saw was a massive black crack in the sky.

Erza shook her head in response. "I don't know, but this spirit energy is chaotic. I can't say what will happen."

Kazuma asked, "Is there anything else about the Quincies Kisuke neglected?"

Erza raised an eyebrow and shook her head. "No, why?"

"In that case I'm going to dispel and give everything I've learned to the original."

Erza nodded in understanding.

The Thought Projection then vanished in a shimmer of lights.

Kazuma tore through more Hollows as the memories of his Thought Projection entered his mind. Gritting his teeth Kazuma snarled, "That…bastard…"

Three large Hollows then surrounded him as Boosted Gear, which had expanded to cover his hands and most of his forearms, Boosted once again.

"Screw you!" Kazuma shouted as he slashed through the air, sending blades of wind to behead the Hollows.

Uryu was also busy killing off more Hollows with his bow and arrow before panting, his hands bleeding from the extensive fighting.

Another Hollow fell and disintegrated as Souji sliced it in half, a large, humanoid Hollow preparing to slam its fist into her before the ground bulged in a large trail with multiple large spikes jutting out, several of which impaled the Hollow.

Medea sighed as she lowered her hand. "I suppose Hollows don't like my Grave spell." She raised her left hand and fired a blast of mana at a Hollow behind her, killing it. "I haven't felt this enthused for quite some time."

In the southernmost area of the city, a man with short, messy, silver hair with brown eyes who wore a black, open front, long-sleeved shirt with an 'x' pattern across his midsection, black combat gloves, and long black pants, topped with a long orange scarf stood atop a skyscraper holding a long katana. The man looked out calmly as he saw the monstrous Hollows moving around the area. "If those creatures get to Mikogami, the others won't be able to protect him," he muttered before turning and slashing at a Hollow behind him. He then jumped to the adjacent rooftop and started killing off the Hollows there as well.

Ichigo continued battling Hollows around him with his shuriken before he stopped to breathe. "Damn…these things just don't give up…" After sighing he stood up and looked around. "Aw crap, now I have no idea where I am."

High in the sky above the city and the Hollows, the same, female-looking Hollow Kazuma saw after Grand Fisher's death looked out upon the chaos below calmly. It looked around for a moment then flew down to another area of the city.

On the streets below, Sado and his two friends were walking around as Sado's friends attempted to make him move quicker.

"C'mon Chad, if we don't get movin' quick I'm gunna starve!"

However, Sado stood in place, his attention drawn to a spot nearby.

"Grr…" one of Sado's friends growled before swinging a leg up to hit him but falling flat on his ass because of Sado's powerful build.

They continued pestering Sado about getting a move on, eventually getting through to him.

However, just as they started walking a large, invisible, heavy object slammed into the ground behind Sado.

"Wh-whoa! What was that?!" one of Sado's friends shouted in surprise.

The impact caused everyone to fall and as the dust cleared they looked at the spot where the object fell in confusion, as nothing was there.

Sado's friends looked around and one remarked, "Well…guess that was a gas explosion."

The other commented, "Wow…talk about lucky that we didn't get blown up."

Sado, however, was wise to what happened as he could see the shimmering form of a Hollow in front of them. He then realized it was causing destruction at several stores behind them. 'It's…after me…' Sado immediately took off running, with plans to lead the creature to a more deserted area.

Kazuma sliced another Hollow in half as Boosted Gear shouted, "Boost!" Kazuma sighed as he felt the energy flowing through him. 'So, how many times is this now?'

'Eight. Once you hit twenty the gauntlets should assume their most powerful form,' Ddraig answered.

'Good. Though, at this rate, I'm already starting to feel a little exhausted at this point. Hopefully I'm not going to Reset before this is over.'

'You shouldn't. You may not be as powerful as you once were but I'd say you should be good to at least forty Boosts. At that point you may want to release the energy so it'll restart.'

Kazuma nodded as another Hollow came towards him. However, the Hollow was hit with a powerful bolt of lightning before getting to him and evaporated. "Lightning? Then that means…"

Kazuma walked to the edge of the rooftop and his eyes widened in surprise. He saw Koneko Toujo, Yuuto Kiba, Akeno Himejima, and Rias Gremory down on the ground surrounded by Hollows.

"Shit, what are those people doing here? And more importantly, why are they together?" Kazuma snarled.

A large serpentine Hollow shot towards Rias at high speed.

Kazuma tensed in preparation to intervene, however he froze at what he saw next.

Rias raised a hand as red energy collected from the air around her and condensed into a writhing ball of red energy that looked almost like red lightning. She reared her hand back and then launched the ball of energy at the Hollow and hit it square on the head, the ball of energy exploding and killing it.

Kazuma's eyes widened in shock and confusion. "Wh-what the hell…? That was…the Power of Destruction. Why does this red-haired…Chiaki lookalike have…my power?"

Ddraig was silent for a moment as well before commenting, 'I can't say. But she's definitely a Gremory.'

'But that doesn't explain why she has my Power of Destruction.' Kazuma narrowed his eyes and watched as another Hollow made its way towards Koneko.

However, Koneko reared back her fist, which was clad with a black and blue, armored glove with cat symbols on the backs of the hands, and slammed it into the Hollow's mask shattering it to pieces effortlessly.

Two salamander like Hollows made their way towards Kiba. The blonde pretty boy smirked and crossed his arms, his hands pointing down, as he shouted, "Sword Birth!" Two swords then burst from the ground and into his hands, the teen rushing forward and slicing the two Hollows in half down the middle.

Akeno, naturally, raised her hand in front of her with a smile as a magic circle appeared in the palm of her hand and a large icicle burst out and impaled a Hollow through the head, killing it.

Kazuma narrowed his eyes further before jumping down to where the group stood.

Rias and the others turned swiftly when they heard the sound but they looked at Kazuma surprised.

Kazuma, however, was rather perturbed.

Akeno noticed this and asked with a frown, "Kazu, what's wrong?"

Kazuma demanded with a frown, "Explain. Why does Gremory have the Power of Destruction, and why are you all in this group?"

Rias frowned and asked Akeno, "You didn't tell him you were in the Occult Research Club?"

Akeno shook her head.

Kazuma walked towards Akeno and asked again, "Why? I would like an answer."

Akeno shrunk back from Kazuma somewhat, concerned by his tone. "Unfortunately these Hollows everywhere present an issue. If we can put an end to this, would you accept an explanation then?"

Kazuma narrowed his eyes but then nodded begrudgingly. "Yes, I would prefer one now but the current issues are more pressing."

A large group of Hollows approached and Kazuma decided to deal with them succinctly.

Raising his hand bright red energy collected into a ball before he cocked back his fist and punched the ball of energy, shouting, "Dragon Shot!" The ball of energy exploded into a stream of energy that shot forward and destroyed most of the Hollows.

Uryu, who was on a nearby rooftop, saw Kazuma's destructive attack. "That power…he may be a Substitute Soul Reaper now but he was most certainly something else beforehand."

In another area of the city, one of Kazuma's Thought Projections cut down a Hollow before turning to the side and noticing a strange woman nearby who immediately sliced two Hollows in half with ease.

The woman had long, light grey hair tied in a ponytail and narrow grey eyes wearing a tight, short, black leather dress that extended to the middle of her thighs, a gray haori with the a complex crest on it, long, black leather boots, a loosely tied leather belt, and a sword in one hand.

Kazuma frowned in confusion at the woman before she turned to him and looked at him curiously before walking over to him. "My, my, what's a young man like you doing out in a mess like this?"

Kazuma tensed in response. 'Well there's the first sign things aren't going to end well, she can see me.'

The woman merely chuckled at him before cracking her eyes open and swinging her blade at him at blinding speeds.

Back at the soccer field, Karin remain distracted from the presence she felt, unable to focus on the game as she missed another shot. Her attention was then drawn to Sado when she saw him nearby breathing heavily. "Hey, that's…" Karin remarked as she remembered him from the clinic. She ran over to see what was wrong with him and why he was at the field however, when she was about to speak he suddenly grabbed her and jumped forward.

An explosion of dirt kicked up behind them where Sado was standing before.

Sado managed to land safely but Karin's eyes widened in shock as she saw the Hollow, a large, bipedal Hollow with gray skin, large orange "S" markings going down his back, and a mask resembling a Guardian Lion.

Sado remarked in frustration, "If only I could see it, I could dodge better."

Karin heard this and then shouted, "It's back! What the heck is it?!"

Sado looked at her surprised. "You can see it?"

"It's behind you!"

Sado instantly picked her up and dashed to the side just before the beast's fist hit the ground.

Karin looked to him surprised as she realized Sado could barely see it. Nodding to herself she then alerted, "It's to our right!"

Sado jumped forward and slid away from the attack. Sado then perched Karin on his shoulders and said, "You watch it, I'll keep us out of danger."

Karin nodded and warned him yet again, allowing Sado to dodge once more. "This isn't the first time I've seen these things. I've seen monsters like this before. But for some reason…it seems like they're connected to Ichigo…" She then shouted, "Left!"

Sado jumped back as the Hollow's fist hit the ground. His eyes widened as he was barely able to see a piece of the Hollow's arm. Taking advantage of the situation he slammed a fist down on top of its arm with force.

The Hollow howled in pain from the blow and then swung its arm to the side, hitting Sado before Karin could warn him.

As Sado lied on the ground Karin worried that he was unconscious before she noticed several of her friends approaching her, worried about him. Acting on instinct she shouted angrily, "Get away! You're in danger!"

They looked at her like she was insane but she bolted forward and knocked the boy out of the way before the Hollow could hit him.

At that moment, Sado was himself in a dreamlike state as memories of his youth entered his mind.

Sado looked at a man chewing on a cigar. The man asked, "So, did you hit someone again today?" The man sighed and then laid a hand on Sado's head, reminding him, "You are a strong boy Sado. You were born with many fortunate gifts that give you a great advantage. However, you shouldn't use those gifts to hurt others, you should be gentle. Because the reason your big, strong fists exist, and the reason your body is big, is so you can protect others.'

'Abuelo…'

Sado reawakened and stood up, echoing, "I need to…protect…" He stood up and stood behind Karin, the other children running from the explosion. 'Abuelo, please, continue to give me strength. So that I can protect those who need help.' Sado suddenly saw the Hollow lunging at him clear as day and slammed his right arm forward at the Hollow's own arm. As he did, energy burst outward in an explosion.

The Hollow's arm deteriorates before being flung backwards, disintegrating.

Karin stared at Sado in shock.

As the dust cleared, she saw that his right arm was now covered by a black, skin-tight glove that ran from his hand to his shoulder, with a maroon stripe down the middle bordered by white lines, a tall tail-piece on the shoulder and two fin-pieces at his wrist.

Sado looked at his arm in awe when the angered Hollow howled and charged at him again. This time, he could see it fully. Lunging his fist forward, more mana burst from his fist and eliminated the Hollow for good.

Karin was in shock at what had just occurred before shaking herself awake and running over to Sado. "Hey! You alright?! What happened to your arm?!"

Sado turned to her silently and raised his left, normal, arm in a thumbs up, signaling he was alright.

Karin twitched an eyebrow appalled. 'A thumbs up? How dorky.'

Sado then collapsed onto the ground, his mind unable to fully grasp what had just happened. He weakly asked, "Are you okay…Ichigo's sister?"

Karin answered, "Ah, no, only you were hurt."

Sado responded faintly, "That's a good…thing…"

Karin angrily kicked him in the head and shouted, "How is you being hurt a good thing?!" Shaking her head she ran off to find Isshin for help.

That's the end of this chapter. Hope you guys enjoyed, be sure to leave a review telling me what you thought of it. Hope you enjoy the next chapter as well. Buh bye.