Chapter 4

The First Round

(Part 2)

-Outskirts of New York City-

Price blinked as he tried to see his surroundings as a violent force pushed him towards the wall, which broke under his weight. The Servant named, Homelander, had just blasted him with red lasers coming out of his eyes. But it did not hit him. Instead, he saw a faint but familiar image of his Servant's red coat that blocked the attack.

He was screaming as he fell. He suddenly stopped after he felt a light thud and his sight was restored. He was now lying on the road, inside a small crater that he created from his impact.

"Vash! Vash!" Price looked down and finally discovered as to why he was not hurt from the fall. Vash was lying behind him, the man was buried in the crater that he had created. He had protected him from the fall.

"Are you alright, son?" Price asked in a worried manner, but before he could ask more, Vash's blue eyes widened and quickly pushed him away.

"John, watch out!"

"There you are!" Price rolled to the left side of the road in a nick of time, avoiding Homelander's kick. Vash blocked with his prosthetic arm and slid down the road.

The Servant stood up and drew his Colt Revolver, aimed it at the superhero and fired six rounds. The bullets traveled fast. However, the superhero's eyes were much faster. Homelander watched the bullets and quickly moved his hand. He parried each of the bullets as fast as he could, with his forearm. Sparks lit up the road as bullets flew in every direction.

"Tch, not even one bullet!" Vash growled as Homelander made a belittling chuckle.

"You do realize that my character was a parody of the greatest superhero of all time – Superman. And Superman is invincible against human projectile attacks." The man said, charging towards the lanky man and making a right hook.

Vash gasped as he avoided each of the barrage of fists, only to yelp as Homelander kicked him between his legs and throwing him up to the night sky. But the man was not finished with him yet. He flew up and whipped his leg up, pushing Vash further and further away towards the sky.

The Foreigner Servant screamed in his mind. Pain crawled all over his body as the man continuously kicked him higher and higher until he felt nothing but coldness all over his body. He looked to his side and saw the light of New York below him.

"Ouch…ack!" Vash cried again and saw Homelander's face, inches away from him. The man held him by his neck as he plastered a crazed grin on his face.

"Heh, wanna know how I found you so easy, little bimbo shrimp?" Homelander snarled in a degrading manner while he tightened his hand around Vash's neck, making the man choke his words out.

"H-How-?"

"Because your left arm emits such high quantity of Mana and I detected it while I patrolling. I thought you are a stronger Servant. Turns out you're a wimp like Hughey back from my comic book."

Shit…I can't die like this. Vash thought in terror and tried to fight the man. His left limb flashed a light of green. He raised it up and made a left hook at the man. A soft thud echoed between them and Homelander merely blinked. He glanced to his cheek, noticing Vash's left prosthetic limb buried within it.

"Ha, that's your Noble Phantasm? Pathetic." The superhero said before he widened his crazy grin. "Let me show you mine!" He let go of the Foreigner-Servant and let him free fall.

"I am…a fraud of a Superhero." Then Homelander began to chant, his American cape glowing a deep red. "I have fooled millions of innocent people, turning them into sheep that worship my selfish cause." The man positioned himself downward, his eyes locked on Vash who was still falling below. "But I don't care and will never regret what I've done. And that I scream!" Homelander's eyes flashed a sharp red. The red aura surrounding him glowed more as his power surged, turning him into a red star-like.

"NOBLE PHANTASM: PRIDE OF VOUGHT!"

And then the Pretender-Class screamed and shoot down at a staggering speed.

"Shit…!" Vash screamed in terror as Homelander slammed both of his fists on his stomach. He howled in agony for a moment, a burning pain crawling all over him, making him unable to move. He looked down and his eyes widened in horror as the man ripped him apart by his waist.

No…No! He cried again and tears of despair flowed out of his cheeks, but before he could do more, his vision blackened out.

"What the hell happened, Vash!?" Price said and looked at the sky with terror on his eyes. He was running along the streets, watching his Servant fight in the sky, only to see a bright flash of red. Now, he was currently running along the empty ghetto streets.

Please, survive, Vash! Survive! The former soldier thought in frustration. He and Vash were just relaxing earlier inside their room and their temporary headquarters. And now, that place was a fiery inferno, ruined by a Servant named Homelander. He cursed his luck. He couldn't believe that he was now witnessing the first round of the Holy Grail War, and for all of the enemies that he could faced, his destiny had led him to battle with one of Superman's parody characters.

A character that was stronger as the Man of Steel himself in a quasi-level.

"Fuck, fuck!" Price cursed more as he turned around a corner and entered a derelict-looking park.

After passing an empty entrance booth and walking through a short path, Price reached a clearing. Based on what he saw, the trail of red fire should have ended somewhere here. He stopped and tried to catch his breath. Vash, where are you, son—? However, he stopped as his eyes widened after he saw a crater on the middle of the clearing…and right on the middle of it, still burning in red, was his Servant or what remained of Vash the Stampede.

"No…Vash!" Price walked slowly and got a better view of the burning carcass of his Servant. The gunman's face was completely unrecognizable, nothing but charred flesh that was slowly turning into ashes. Both his lower and upper body were completely shattered. The only thing that the soldier could identify was his left prosthetic arm that was still glowing in blue-green hue.

"Vash…" No, not again! I-I failed another one of my teammates! Price's chest tightened in horror and despair as he kneeled to the ground. History had repeated once more on the befallen captain. Another one of his men had died under his watch and it crushed the man's spirits. Tears trailed his cheeks. He gasped for air as he felt his sadness clawing its way out of him.

"Well, that was easy."

His despair, however, was cut when he heard the familiar, uncaring voice of Homelander. He turned around and saw the man hovering beside him, his lips arched in a toothy grin as he marveled at soldier's burning Servant.

Price quickly leaped back and pointed his M-16 rifle at the Servant. "You! What did you do to him?! What did you do to my Servant?!"

Homelander glanced at him, forming a ridiculing frown. "Uh…I killed him? Seriously, do you have eyes?"

"AAH!" Price could no longer contain his anger. This man, this Homelander, had just belittled his Servant. Vash, the gunman who didn't want to kill, whose smiles were brighter than the sun and gentler than the wanes of the moon, had been killed by a low-lying scum in a superhero costume. He had died a humiliating death. Price wouldn't let anyone degrade him further, not even this, poor, shoddy, fake Superman.

He pointed his gun and fired a barrage of bullets. The bullets travelled and hit Homelander in his chest, but he didn't even budge. "Ugh, do I need to explain my powers to you too?" the Servant sneered as the soldier's gun ran out of ammo.

Price threw his rifle away and swung his grenade launcher. He pointed it and launched a barrage of grenades. Explosions rocked the park and dirt flew to the air, covering the Servant.

Did I get him? Price thought as he lowered his weapon, his eyes remained sharp, looking for the familiar American cape of the deranged hero.

"Boo."

The soldier darted to his right, but before he could react, he yelped and found himself flying for a short moment before his back hit a tree after the man punched him in his chest. Price shouted as a burning pain erupted in his back. He felt his spine shake while his ears caught the sharp sound of his ribs cracking inside of him.

"Oh man, it seems you like your Servant very much." Homelander hovered above the downed soldier who was coughing up blood. Price felt his insides being stabbed by his broken ribs, but that didn't deter him from throwing a dark look at the Servant.

"But don't worry, lover boy." The Servant squatted and looked down at him. "Didn't I promise you that I would you kill you last?" He formed a kind, yet sinister smile before he closed his hand around the soldier's neck and lifted him up from the ground.

Price gagged and threw up more blood from his mouth as he choked under the vice-like grip of the crazed superhero. Is this it? Is this where I die? On the first round of this stupid war!? The soldier's mind began to play the memories before this unfortunate event – the opportunity that he got form the Mage, and then summoning Vash the Stampede, who was so kind, caring, and innocent. He began to wonder if those events were nothing right now.

No matter how much he tried to deny it, the truth was so clear to him. Vash the Stampede, his Servant and his teammate, was dead and so would he soon.

"Augh-!" Price vomited more blood and grabbed the man's forearm with his right hand. His eyes caught the sight of his command spells, the magical tattoo still emitting a bright red hue.

And then he remembered what his Servant said to him.

'John, if you cast one of it to me, I will do whatever you command me to do, regardless of my free will. However, you can only cast it three times. If you run out of Command Seals, then our contract will end. I will disappear.'

Maybe…Vash isn't dead yet. No, Vash shouldn't die like this. Vash deserves more than this…I deserve more than this! Price, with the last of his strength, moved his right hand and raised it to the air. And then, while still gagging under his own blood, he shouted a command. "By my order: Kill this man, Foreigner!" A flash of red filled Homelander's eyes as one of Price's command spells, one of the flower tattoo's petals, disappeared.

"Fool! You just wasted a command seal on a dead Servant!" Homelander laughed darkly, ridiculing what the soldier had done. Price struggled more as he coughed more blood before the man focused his eyes at him again. "You are ridiculous…I'll kill you now-" Homelander tightened his hand again, making the Master's eyes widened in doom.

*SQUELCH!*

And then Price's vision turned red. Blood? Wait, it's not mine. The soldier thought in confusion, but before he could think, he suddenly fell to the ground and then his ears were filled with a scream coming from the Servant.

"Fuck-!" Homelander cursed as he held his left forearm where blood was pouring out. His left hand was nowhere in sight. "How—the hell-!?"

He darted behind him and froze. His crazed smile had disappeared and in its place was a horrified expression. Standing in the crater of flames, with his body regenerating at a ridiculous pace, was the Foreigner-Class Servant. His red coat had turned black while silvery white wings spread behind his back. However, what was truly frightening to the superhero was his skin.

Vash's skin was filled with vein-like lines, glowing in ephemeral and holy blue. With his metallic wings and his plant-like veins, the sight made Homelander gasped in shock.

"You…Homelander," Suddenly, Vash spoke and opened his eyes, flashing the same hue of blue, just like his skin, at the man, "Stay away from my Master. Your battle is with me!"

"F—Fuck…What the fuck are you!?" Homelander screeched in terror and took a step back. For the first time, in his longest time, he felt fear beyond his comprehension.

Vash…? Price, who was currently in the ground, was startled to see his Servant standing again. Confusion set in as he tried to see more, but his vision swayed and his head felt very heavy. The blood loss was taking a toll on him, but one thing for sure: his Servant was back in action and he could not help but form his bloody lips into a smile of relief.

Meanwhile, Homelander was panicking while his feet were glued to the ground. He had killed the Servant before. He was sure of it. The Noble Phantasm had hit him and ripped him apart. So why was this Foreigner-Class Servant still standing, transformed into something else?

Something completely terrifying and beyond his comprehension.

He is emitting so much mana! This isn't the same lanky man that I killed earlier. He's much stronger than me! The superhero growled in anger. This man, this Vash, had become more powerful than before. However, he insulted him by cutting of his left hand and that fueled his fury more than his apprehension.

"I'll kill you…" Homelander said as the same familiar red aura enveloped his cape again. "PRIDE OF VOUGHT!" He charged his Noble Phantasm again and shot forward. "I'll destroy you once again-!"

The superhero pointed his remaining hand. His fist was inches away from Vash's chest. However, the Foreigner-Class moved his wings. The wings quickly covered his upper body and Homelander's fist only made a resounding thud. The feathers were made of an unknown organic material that was stronger than ordinary metal. Its strength dampened the Pretender's power. The superhero screamed as he pushed the man with his ultimate attack, but the Foreigner-Class remained standing, grunting at the force that eventually died down.

"No—No!" Homelander, terrified that his Noble Phantasm had eventually run out, looked up and saw the glaring eyes of Vash who bared his small fangs at him.

"My turn," he simply said before he moved his metal arm and made a left hook with tremendous force, sending the man up. He then moved his wings and shoot upwards, performing a high kick, hitting the man again – this time, in his groin.

Homelander grunted in pain as the man continuously kicked him up and up, just like what the Pretender did to the Foreigner before. The Servant was in so much agony as he got higher and higher. He wanted to escape from his attack, but before he could do so, he felt a cold metallic hand grab the collar of his costume.

"Homelander, I don't want to kill you," Vash leveled his eyes on the scarred, yet malevolent look of Homelander, who let out a labored breath. "You are a superhero, aren't you? I am here to negotiate with you. My Master's wish is for the goodness of this world. Everyone will benefit from it. So please…give up your claim to the Holy Grail and let us win. The world will be at peace if my Master wins."

I do not want to kill anyone in this war. Vash thought as he shifted his serious frown into a pitying one. Homelander may have killed him and almost killed his Master, but he could not help pitying this man. Despite his crazed look, Vash could sense that this man was not just a villain, but something else.

"Give up?" Homelander, however, let out a dark chuckle before he spit on the Foreigner's face, making him flinch. And then he whipped the man's hand away and hovered in front of him. "Why would I give up the wish granting device when it could fulfill my wish – my wish to have a family – to have someone love me and accept me for who I am!?" Homelander's clenched his fist, his cape glowing a menacing red aura again as he declared more. "I do not care about your Master's wish. I can do whatever I want and that includes killing you!" He let out a deafening roar, like that of an animal, before he charged at the man at full power again.

I tried my best…I am so sorry that I have to kill you. Vash was saddened with the decision of the man. He closed his eyes and moved his wings again, shielding him from the man's Noble Phantasm. "I'm very sorry, Homelander." He muttered with soft voice before he opened his eyes and flashed the same tranquil blue light.

"SECOND NOBLE PHANTASM: THE PUNISHER'S CROSS."

I'm sorry, my friend, Wolfwood, I'm going to use you. He looked down to his gun, which began to change. His gun began to grow, its barrel extended more while its handle widened into something huge. In a matter of seconds, his gun had turned into a big, metallic, silvery cross. He held it on the center with his right arm. Its nozzle began to emit a blue-green color and just as the Pretender-Class's attack ran out, he quickly unfolded his wings again and pressed the trigger.

A loud bang thundered throughout the sky as a bright beam of blue-green teal, shot out of the Foreigner's new gun. Homelander, whose eyes widened in shock after he saw the incoming beam, didn't have time to react. The laser hit him right in his chest and burst out of his back. The attack was so immediate that the Pretender-Class didn't have time to scream, the only reaction that he showed was his anguished frown turning into a horrified and doomed one.

And then just as fast as the attack happened, Vash's gun whirled down. The beam was gone and all that was left was the Pretender-Class Servant with a gaping hole in his chest.

The man stared at him for a couple of seconds with a look of denial, before the Servant began to fall. The Foreigner-class followed, his eyes locked on the unmoving Servant and just as he flew down, Vash's sad frown arched downward more.

"I'm sorry…I'm so sorry…" he muttered in a despairful tone just as he caught Homelander before the two hit the ground. Vash held the man's head by his shoulder as he landed on a large flower bed filled with white poppies.

"Please, rest easy now. Homelander." Vash said as he gently put down the Servant, the white poppies below slowly turning red as some of Homelander's blood dropped onto the petals, before he stood up. He watched as the Servant's face, displaying a grief-stricken look, slowly shifted his frown into a sorrowful defeat.

Homelander had finally accepted his defeat and just as he did, golden lights started to emit from his body as he slowly disintegrated.

And just as fast as he appeared, the Pretender-class was gone.

The first round had ended and the Holy Grail claimed its first fallen contestant.

"Aughh!" Price coughed up more blood as he lay down on the grass and stared at the night sky above. His ears were filled with the sounds of the Servants clashing, the earth beneath him rocked as each of them exchanged their attacks and power. But then everything went silent and he couldn't help but worry again. Did Vash get him?

"Vash…I'm gonna die." Price said as he began to heave his chest and tried to take more air. He knew that he was dying. His ribs must have punctured some parts of his lungs. The blood was preventing him from breathing. He did not want to die. He still had to make up for his mistakes with his fallen comrades. However, his situation was dire and he knew that his time was up.

Shit…First round…and I die. Fuck. Tears began to flow out his eyes, a regretful frown on his face. "Vash…go find a new master." He said, even though his Servant was not around. "Go find a new master…and win this war for me."

The soldier raised his right hand. His command seals began to glow again. Price knew that he was going to die. However, Vash was still standing. His Servant could win for him if he found a new master.

"That's not necessary!" the voice of man, deep yet gentle, spoke to him. Price blinked as he felt a hand enclosed around his right hand, dimming his command seals. "I'll help you. Just relax." He called again and the soldier could only moan in agony.

And then he felt a warm liquid being wiped on his forehead. Price was confused as to what was happening right now. Who was this man and what did he mean that he was helping him? He wanted to know, but his mind was burning and he kept fading into black.

However, he did see something. The silhouette of the man beside him was large and muscular. He seemed to be wearing white and red clothes.

"By my authority as the Regent of the Empire of Viltrum, I declare this man… a Viltrumite temporarily. He will have the same healing capabilities as my people had for five minutes." Price heard the man's voice, but before he could react, his vision faded completely as he fell into the darkness.

"John!" Price quickly opened his eyes and saw the face of his Servant inches away from him. Vash's face held a frown, and right after he saw his Master open his eyes, the Servant couldn't help but burst into tears of joy. "Oh, John, I thought you were dead! How are you healed? Who healed you?!" Vash hugged Price tightly and buried his face on the soldier's shoulder. Price grunted at the weight.

"Vash…you are alive. I'm alive." Price said in disbelief. He remembered everything – how he was dying and the voice of a strange man stopped him from casting his Command Seals again. The soldier glanced down to his right hand. His tattoo seals were still there, two of them glowing their red hue. And then his memory played again. He remembered how Vash resurrected from the dead and how his clothes changed into something black, his skin glowing with those strange marks.

"Wait. Help me stand up."

"Oh, sorry." Vash quickly moved away and helped the man stand up. The soldier stepped back a bit and summed him up. The Foreigner-Class was back to normal. His coat was red like always and his skin was Caucasian. The marks were already gone.

"I-I could've sworn that you had strange marks." Price began in thoughtfulness and noticed that Vash's mood changed. His happy face shifted into a disturbed one and it puzzled him more. What's with him?

"In any case, we have to move now. I don't know if there are other Servant's nearby." Vash quickly suggested, changing the topic, and flashed a worried frown as he looked around the park. Price agreed and didn't press him further. He looked down at his bulletproof vest and noticed that it was already bent out of shape.

"Great. I know a place we can hide." The soldier said as he removed his bulletproof vest. Suddenly, he remembered something else. "Vash, did you see someone other than me? Another man healed me, you see."

"Um, no. I only saw you lying there. There's no one else here."

Odd. Price thought in puzzlement, but he quickly shrugged it off as he called his Servant again. The two victors quickly ran out of the park and to the dead of the night.

-The sky above the New York Ghetto-

Fujimaru's orders were very simple to Thragg. 'Scout the night sky for tonight', it was a very simple task and one that he could do perfectly. He thought that this night would be peaceful, so he only flew high above the atmosphere and observed the city below. After all, the Holy Grail War wouldn't start until tomorrow.

And yet it seemed fate had other plans for him. The Ruler-Class paused when his sensed a familiar feeling of dread and electricity crawled underneath his skin. A large abundance of mana had been released just below him and it was followed by another and another in rapid succession. His senses detected all of it. He was confused at first. Who could release such a high rate of mana. However, he soon got an answer. It must be Servants battling each other.

And if that was so, then the Holy Grail War had officially started.

Thragg immediately went to the location of the first round and when he got there, he was startled. He quickly hid behind a rusty water tower and watched as two Servants flew up into the sky. One was a man clothed in a dark coat with silvery wings behind him and the other one was a man in a superhero costume with a cape of the flag of America.

"Homelander from the Boys and…who's the other one—?" His thoughts were cut when a flash of red enveloped the superhero. The man hit the other with his Noble Phantasm, but his attack was an utter failure. And then the winged man opened his wings and a bright blue-teal green lit up the night sky. The last thing he saw was Homelander dropping from the sky and out of the view.

"Well, that ended quickly." Thragg said in a bothered tone and was about to take off when his eyes caught something. He glanced to his towards the park. Below a tree, a man was lying down. He was coughing up blood and with one look, the Servant knew that the human was going to die.

"Civilian casualty? No, a Master." Should I help him? What if he's in league with Souren? The Ruler-Class felt pity to the man, though he stayed cautious about him. He froze as he heard a cough coming from the human. The man then raised his right hand, his command seal glowing and indicating that he was about to cast one.

The man clearly needed help and Thragg knew that the human could die even before he could cast a command. Instinct kicked in and betrayed his logic. The former regent quickly dove in and caught the man by his right hand.

"That's not necessary." I hope what I'm doing is right. Thragg thought as he got a clear view of the man. His blue eyes were out of focus and his mouth was filled with blood. "I'll help you. Just relax." I know what I can do. The Ruler Servant thought as he licked his left thumb and wiped his saliva on the man's forehead.

A part of my body is with this man. This man is connected to me temporarily. He chanted in his head before he cast a skill. "By my authority as Regent of the Empire of Viltrum, I declare this man… a Viltrumite temporarily. He will have the same healing capabilities as my people had for five minutes." I can make anyone a Viltrumite through my Authority, but only for a limited time.

The Ruler-Class watched as the man's chest returned to its normal shape, blood began to disintegrate out of his mouth and in a matter of seconds, he was saved from danger. Thragg stood up and observed the man. Half of him was glad that he had saved a life while the other half was doubting the man's identity.

"If he's one of Souren's lacky's, then I have to kill him in the end…But if he's not…then he is in a much worse situation." He stared at the Master for a moment before he turned around and quickly flew up.

I hope I did the right thing. But saving someone feels good. He thought hard again as he flew away. He had lot of things to report to his Master, including this strange Master he had saved.

-Golden Wish Hotel-

Touko Aozaki was sitting in a chair in her hotel room's open veranda. Her eyes were staring at a glass of red wine, standing on the table in front of her. The surface was playing a scene between two Servants, a Pretender-Class named Homelander and an unknown Foreigner-Class in red coat.

"Oh…nice shot, huh. This Foreigner-Class is an absolute unit." Touko said before she shifted her eyes to her Servant. Battle Beast, the Avenger-class, was sitting inside a jacuzzi tub. The Servant had arrived from his patrol and was now taking some time resting.

"Che, there's nothing to gain from watching a simple 'slap-fight' between two lowly worms." Battle Beast said degradingly before he added. "You just wasted a magic familiar to monitor them."

"Now, now. Even though they are weak, we still need to study them, so that we can know who the real enemy is, the enemy's lackey is and possibly our potential allies." Touko explained in a nice way as she took a sip of her wine.

"Allies? You mean a heavy bag that could drag me down? Heh, I don't need those. They'll get in the way of my glory."

Touko let out an exhausted sigh. Battle Beast was strong and could win this war, but he was an absolute asshole and hard to reason with. Her Servant was an absolute musclehead and a personification of toxic masculinity. Hmph…Battle Beast, you musclehead fool. Touko eyed him, sternly, watching the Servant in the jacuzzi. The Avenger, however, noticed her gaze and it made him smirk.

"Like what you seeing, Touko? So you want me to breed you right here, right now?"

Touko's brow twitched in irate as her Servant misunderstood her serious look. Battle Beast may be strong, but if she ran out of patience, she might kill him…as many times as she wanted.

"No, I'm-"

"Unlucky for you, I only bed with stronger people," Battle Beast stood up, showing his well-chiseled chest muscles and abs underneath his white fur. His proud 'manhood jewels' were large and hanging between his legs. "I accept and fuck everyone – women and even men – as long as they are stronger than me, that is. My sex techniques will make them beg me for more." He crossed his arms over his chest and proudly declared. "You maybe strong, Touko…but you are not 'there' yet. So…better luck next time."

This lion man! A vein popped in Touko's mind. She could have sworn that she had already cast a spell to rip her Servant apart, but alas, she only imagined it. The Mage made a tired sigh and shrugged her shoulders. "I'm so sorry, Battle Beast, that I'm not enough for you. But you shouldn't worry." She paused as she fixed her glasses and turned her grin into a maniacal one. "You are not enough to me too, especially where it really counts."

Battle Beast widened his eyes as a flush of red enveloped his face, brightened by his already white cheeks. He slowly sunk down in the jacuzzi and grumbled. "You're lucky that you impressed me before…bitch."

Touko snorted smugly, and walked away to retire to her bed.

-New York Port-

In a dimly-lit port, surrounded by multiple stories high containers, stood a man on top of a crane. Souren Araya stared at the far side of the city, at the ghetto part. His darkened eyes had just finished watching a battle between two Servants. His black cloak rustled behind him as a harsh wind swept passed him, but the mage didn't mind.

"Foolish, Homelander." He spoke. His voice was bitter and filled with disappointment. "You are my Servant. I kept telling you to act with cautiousness, but you kept disobeying me." He shifted his head down slightly, fixing his long hair out of his face. "Hmph, no matter. I had no expectations to him anyways. I predicted that you'd be the first Servant to die and I was right."

"So why bother summoning him then?" Souren didn't reply and only glanced over his shoulder towards the person who spoke to him. Behind him, hovering closely, was a handsome man with black hair. He was tall, muscular and was wearing a costume of white and black. A large and long white cape bellowed on his back while his chest adorned a huge letter 'S' in the middle.

The harsh wind blew harder as the man watched the Mage half-turn to him. "He's nothing but a buffer…to my Holy Grail." Souren said simply and walked forward. His feet stepped on the thin railings effortlessly before he stopped beside the man.

"I do hope you won't end up like Homelander." The Mage paused and cast his depressing yet sharp glare at the man. "Do not disappoint me…Saver-Class, Lord Superman."

The superhero, whose name was Lord Superman, stared at him. His blue eyes glared down on the Mage, as if he had asked him something that was very offensive. "I won't…if you fulfill the end of your bargain…Souren Araya." Lord Superman said before he pointed at the left hand of the Mage. "And what are you going to do with Homelander's Command Seals?"

"I'll added it to yours." Souren said before he resumed his walking again. "Let's go now. Our job here is done…The Holy Grail awaits." The Mage said before he lifted his right hand. A Victorian cross glowed on the surface of his hand, the symbol of Saver-class. The Mage stared at it before he made a small smile.

Very soon…my Holy Grail will be born and when that happens, a world where no one 'dies' will be born. He thought as he continued walking with his Servant following him behind. Eventually, the two disappeared within the darkness of the pier.

Disclaimer: I do not own the characters of the Boys, Invincible, Fate Grand Order, Trigun and DC comics Superman. Names, stories and events are fictional.

Special thanks to Pure Red Crane for beta-reading.

Woo-hoo! And thus, the sun sets for the first round! And the winner is...VASH THE STAMPEDE! Aww, better luck next time Homelander...after 68 years that is! So guys, what can you say to the first round? Come on, leave some reviews to this little ol' fanfic writer who loves to conjure stories in his past times!

By the way, most of Vash's powers are based from Trigun Trimax. Give that manga a good chance to read, guys. Its very good.

First Round:

Pretender-Class: Homelander vs. Foreigner-Class: Vash the Stampede

Name: Homelander (True Name: John)

Class: Pretender

Parameters:

Strength - A+++

Endurance – A++

Agility – A

Magical Power – C+

Good Luck – E++

Noble Phantasm – (Pride of Vought (Anti-Unit) - EX)

Name: Vash the Stampede (True Name: Vash Saverem)

Class: Foreigner

Parameters:

Strength – B+++

Endurance – A++

Agility – A+++

Magical Power – (Unknown)

Good Luck – EX

Noble Phantasm – (Unknown – EX - Second Noble Phantasm: The Punisher's Cross (Anti-Unit) - EX)

Status:

Finished

Result:

Foreigner-class wins.