Foreign Blacksmith of the Abyssal Seas
DISCLAIMER: Fate Stay/Night belongs to Kinoko Nasu and Type-Moon, while Azur Lane belongs to Yostar. I do not claim credit for either of their works.
Prologue: Washed Away
Senji Muramasa, Servant Class Alter Ego, Disciple of the Foreign God, could only reminisce on the recent events as he slowly entered the inner sea of the planet, towards the sky furnace.
All in order to fulfill his final task as a Servant.
Right, it all started when his master, the Foreign God, assigned him an order after the events of the Fifth Lostbelt, the Greek Lostbelt. His objective in the Sixth Lostbelt, the English Lostbelt, was plain and simple. Assassinate this Lostbelt's king, that being the Fairy Queen Morgan. He broke into the castle where the said queen resided, passing and fighting through countless guards in the castle and even passing through Tam Lins named Gawain and Tristan. Everything was going smoothly, and his blade almost reached Morgan, up until another Tam Lin intervened, beat him up to a pulp, then finally threw him into the Great Pit below the castle.
Miraculously, he survived the fight and the fall to the Great Pit. In that battle against Tam Lin Lancelot, as short as the battle was only ranging that of 10 seconds, Lancelot managed to hit his Spiritual Core several times. He believed that a normal Servant would have died twelve times over. However, thanks to having been tempered by the Alien God, he narrowly escaped death.
The Tempering of the Alien God.
Becoming fused with several Divine Spirits was that tempering. This altered his Servant Class Origin, resulting in the type of Servant he became. The said divine spirits that were mixed into his Saint Graph are a blind god of war named Höðr, and the other is his dearest wish, his aspiration. The wielder of Kusanagi, the sword that he recreates with his Noble Phantasm, Susanoo-no-Mikoto.
After that, a lot of stuff happened, literally. He was severely injured and exhausted from his wounds, but still alive and kicking, and managed to crawl out of the Great Pit within three days. He got his memories temporarily erased when he wandered into the nameless forest. After leaving the forest, he spent his time as a blacksmith, where his feats of strength were witnessed. He was then captured, to be sold for auction as a slave by Muryan, the last member of the Wing Clan in all of Fairy Britain. It is at this time when he recovered his memories, and Muryan attempted to convince him to become hers, which he rejected.
Chaldea then appeared, buying him out of the auction where he had been sold as a "potential Child of Prophecy," as ridiculous as it may have sounded. He later proposed a truce and an alliance in order to defeat Morgan, which they happily agreed to.
Starting from there, his journey with Chaldea had occurred with each of them having their own objectives to accomplish which coincided with his as well.
That's why Muramasa is here in the Inner Sea of the World, where he believes his "duty" will finally come to an end as a Servant.
He was standing at a distance, watching a young girl forge her weapon.
"..."
The young girl's solemn expression on her face; she, the vessel needed to complete the forging of a stronger Holy Sword.
She was deeply immersed; she didn't even register his presence as he slowly approached her. Muramasa could see that the young girl's fingertips were glowing — no, rather, burning.
"I'm glad... this will definitely be an excellent blade," the young girl murmured her thoughts aloud with a serene smile. "Like the beacon in that tempest. A shining star that won't be defeated by any evil on the Earth."
Muramasa decided not to interrupt the young girl's soliloquy. Right at this very moment, the girl was laying bear her feelings, her thoughts, and her very core. It would rather be rude to just break her out of it... At least, not yet.
"—A sword that isn't mine, from a place that isn't here. A sword bearing the wishes of the masses, and hope for their happiness. A sword who can hold her head high at the Site of Selection, and become the saber fit to stay by your side," the girl paused for a brief moment as she closed her eyes. "Aah, I'm so glad. As Caster, the faerie of paradise, I may not have spring memories... But as Altria, as myself, I have such memories of my wonderful journey."
Soon, light began to slowly envelop the body of the young girl, but that didn't stop her from speaking every word aloud for the blacksmith to hear. As her body faded, it was clear that she had completed her task. With this holy blade in hand, she would finally fulfill her duty as the Faerie of Paradise, the Avalon le Fae.
The time was running out.
"I don't have a body of my own anymore. Forging the Holy Sword, the mission of the Fairy of Paradise has come to an end. My journey as Caster ends here." Her voice was tranquil as the light slowly grew stronger. "And that's fine, I haven't come this far because I didn't want to die..."
With those words, the young girl was on the final stages of forging the Holy Sword as she opened her eyes.
"—But… I just wanted to know… That light I saw, I wish I could have found out what that light was."
That light I've seen all my life. The light that's seen me all my life. I've been trying to understand it, and I knew I wouldn't be complete until I did; that's what kept me going throughout this journey...
"But alas, I thought I'd find out somewhere on my pilgrimage, but in the end, I never did."
At this point, Muramasa took another step forward; it was finally time for him to fulfill his final task.
This young girl, no, Altria, still has a bigger role to play, and Muramasa would never allow her to be left out of the bigger picture.
That's why...
"That would be my only regret—"
...he will choose this path of sacrifice.
"Yeah? Can't end things, just yet then, can you?"
"Huh…? What are you doing here?"
What are you doing here?
Why are you saying things like that?
Why did you intervene?
Those were probably only a few on the list of questions that formed in the young girl's head at that moment. Muramasa merely chuckled and gave her his signature smile.
"What do you mean, what I'm doing here? Who the hell else is gonna forge this sword? Ain't that supposed to be a swordsmith's job?" Muramasa then frowned slightly. "Who the heck do you take me for? My whole life has been about making blades that can cut through bonds, fate, causality, and destiny, and slice through the idea of karma itself. I'm Senji Muramasa!"
"..."
Regaining his grin, he continued, "Come on, move aside and get out of here. You've already brought the iron; now let the swordsmith do his job."
Yes. The components required for forging this new Holy Sword have been obtained. All that remains is the "sacrifice" needed to complete it.
"Oho, so this is the Sky Furnace of the Inner Sea of the Planet, huh? Heh, you can feel burning up just by getting close to it! Now that's what I'm talking about!" Muramasa commented as Altria stood in silence trying to convey several words out but couldn't.
"This right here? This is a job worth doing. My thanks, Altria," he smiled at her who was still in silent shock of his intrusion. "Being your bodyguard wasn't a bad gig, but you know, a tiger can't change its stripes. This is much more my kind of work," he then summoned his conceptualized hammer and moved right before the forge with her, then observed and analyzed the blade he will work with.
"If I got a say in it, I'll take a searing forge over escort duty any day of the week."
Simply put, the blade he will forge will be nothing but on a league of its own.
Muramasa let out a grin.
'...I will be the framework that will act as the pillar to support the completion of this blade.'
At that point, Muramasa understood that this might be the sole reason why he was in this Lostbelt. This job was his to take.
He suddenly felt a Deja Vu that brought a chill up on his spine with that thought.
"Really, this is more suited for me."
CLANG!
With a single strike, he felt his arms burn and ignite in flames.
It was painful.
It was agonizing.
It was excruciating.
Nonetheless, Muramasa ignored it. Right before his eyes is a blade that is needed to be forged only with his hands. This pain wouldn't be enough to dissuade nor discourage him from continuing to swing his hand to finish this blade.
"No! I mean, I'm happy, but no...! It'll turn you to ash, Muramasa...!"
Muramasa of course knew about that. Any swordsmith, heck, every single sane person would know that this endeavor that he would be taking in forging this blade will burn him down to ashes.
Many would be reluctant to take on this task, but Muramasa was a different case.
Yes, that's how it should be.
"Oh, bring it on!"
His pride both as a Servant and Swordsmith won't let him stop here.
"Striking the metal is the one real desire of a smith, and if it's a divine forge then it's worth burning my life up!"
So he'll gladly take this challenge head on.
"Of course this thing is burning me up, and besides, a forge is supposed to be hot! Even if my Spirit Origin goes up in flames, it won't stop me from striking!"
CLANG!
SHHAAA—!
With that strike, his right arm finally broke down and was burnt to ashes, but Muramasa didn't care. He had another hand as a spare.
"There we go. It's coming along nicely. The basic shape is all set, now that's left is to temper it."
CLANG!
SHHAAA—!
Once again, his left arm followed right after his right. Burned and reduced to ashes.
But this is enough.
It is time to take the final steps.
"Stop! I told you it's—wait, why am I floating?!" Altria exclaimed as she only noticed the phenomenon that was already taking place several seconds earlier.
"Oh? I took over the job for you. You're in the way now, so you're being kicked out," Muramasa simply stated much to her shock. "See you, Child of Prophecy."
"—!"
"Got more iron than I need for this sword, that means I don't need to use them all here, right? Especially if you still have unfinished business to attend to. I could use this power for the final finishing touch, but I want you to take it for yourself."
"But you will..."
"I told you, I already know. Besides, speaking of jobs, this will be the end of mine with you guys. You bought my life, so isn't it only natural I pay them back with it, right?"
"That bill was settled a long time ago! You're from the outside world, Muramasa! You're Ritsuka's enemy!" Altria shouted back with desperation in her voice. "You have nothing to do with Britain! Isn't your real job supposed to come after this!?"
That's right. That's how it was supposed to be. But not anymore.
To be honest, Muramasa was kind of touched with the care she was showing towards him. This human vessel of his, it resonates with her. He wondered if this human vessel of his has some kind of connection towards Altria.
But that would be a question left unanswered based on how things are going to be, and that's a shame, really.
"Yeah, this way I don't have to face the Alien God! I'll probably never see it again!" Muramasa grinned as he gave his reply. "Well, it's not your problem. I like it as much as you do, young girl."
"...!"
The completion of this blade is within reach.
"This was how it was supposed to go from the beginning. But what the hell..."
Looking back at it, this Lostbelt really was packed for a mere blacksmith like him. Muramasa could now feel that it will take no longer than several seconds until his saint graph collapses.
"Ah..."
With this, the sacrifice needed to make this weapon has been met.
Altria, the Child of Prophecy, could only solemnly stare at his fading figure as he slowly merges with the blade.
In his final moments, Muramasa closed his eyes. Soon, his senses would fade away. Technically, he would perish as the servant of the Foreign God, not that he liked working with her in the first place. It puts a bad taste on his mouth, but you can't choose who you're master would be in the first place, so all he could do was complete the given tasks assigned to him by the Foreign God, whether he likes it or not.
This, by extension, was still within the orders of the Foreign God if you think about it.
Now, the Holy Sword only needs one more push to be finished.
CLANG!
"I'm sorry I never got to make you that barette."
At the next second, his vision was filled with white.
O-o-O-o-O
It was weird.
Muramasa definitely knew that he should not be conscious or capable of forming thoughts after what he has done. Yet, here he was, in his mindscape, probably unconscious on the outside, forming such thoughts internally.
Was this a side of effect of merging himself to complete that blade?
Perhaps.
But he couldn't be so sure about that.
Anyway—
SPLASH!
'...'
Now that was certainly out of place. By some odd chance, he also retained his bodily senses even though he had fused himself with the blade. And another thing to point out is that he clearly heard splashes, splashes of water that is. He could also feel the cold sensation on his body.
What the hell is going on?
...
...
...
...maybe he was just hallucinating. Or else, somebody might be playing with his senses. Or maybe as a sword, Altria must be dripping him with water to clean it or something.
...
Anyway, that was a stupid thought—
SPLASH!
Or not.
'...what?'
That was clearly cold water. He could also discern it to be saltwater, or sea water. He could discern it through its scent and the touch.
However, he couldn't understand why of all things, seawater will be the one that he could feel in the afterlife.
No, he should stop kidding himself.
He wasn't dead, at least, not yet. That should explain a little bit as for why he could still feel his senses returning.
Now, Muramasa just needs to—
SPLASH—!
And with that, something snapped in his head.
Damned waves.
"...damn it! Can't you stop dumping water on my face!"
No reply came back.
All that came afterwards was the usual sound of waves crashing to where he was located.
"Ah..."
The realization soon dawned upon Muramasa that this was no dream or hallucination. Moreover, Muramasa was in a state of bewilderment as he realized that he still has his body intact. His arms that should've been turned into nothing but dust in order to forge that blade was surprisingly back, however, it was colored black. Like scorched charcoal.
His spirit origin was another story though.
This component that is essential to a Servant's well being is now in a state near-collapse at any given moment.
Even now, Muramasa could feel the phantom pain every time he makes a movement. How irritating, but it is something that he could endure.
"...heh. Miracles like this tend to happen at the most unexpected situations... I can't help but wonder why that is..."
Muramasa then started to regain his composure and set his sights to his surroundings. All he could see now was that he was on a shore. Instead of sand though, where most would expect when somebody says they were in a shore, he instead was on top of a flat land of rock.
"What an odd place."
It certainly was odd, everything in this place is. The skies are colored gray, as if a storm was brewing, but Muramasa would likely deny that statement. His guts were definitely screaming at him that there was no storm brewing above. The sea was devoid of any life form, as far as he could analyze with his eyes. He expected at least a small fish or two within a hundred meter radius estimate when he tried to further expand his senses, but there wasn't really anything here.
It was as if this was a dead sea...no, rather, this place could be said as artificial in some way.
His instincts simply states so.
"...I need to conserve strength...or maybe I could just wait for my death here..." Muramasa muttered as he soon let out an exasperated sigh.
With that, he laid back down. Every Servant needs a source to support their existence in the mortal plain. This could come in many forms such as natural leylines, a Master, or something else as long as it could function as a source. There might be some exceptions to this rule however, but that wasn't the case for Muramasa here.
Right at this very moment, Muramasa could still feel his connection intact with the Foreign God, as faint as it was at the moment. It was like a hanging thread ready to snap at any moments notice.
This meang that he was sent somewhere that miraculously saved him from his supposed end in Avalon.
However, nothing would really change. His imminent death should just be around the corner if he lets himself continue in his current state.
Still though, Muramasa couldn't help but ponder.
"Seriously... what the hell is going on?"
Was he perhaps transported somewhere within the Atlantic Sea or something? Moreover, his transportation to this place still remains as a mystery. Muramasa easily concluded that the Foreign God had no involvement in this. After all, there was no benefit in doing so, or even if there was, he doubts that the Foreign God will still do this.
The Foreign God as far as he could remember should be staying at South America where the seventh Lostbelt was located, and it should be busy doing its thing with the words of acquiring a stable vessel or something? Muramasa could only wonder.
Back to the point though. He is only receiving nothing but a miniscule amount of supply of energy. It would not be enough to support his existence. It could not even heal his already collapsing body back to shape.
"Maybe that's for the best..."
That was until somebody ripped space in the air several meters ahead of him which brought his senses into high alert. He exerted himself and jumped out from where he was creating a distance, his gaze narrowed at a certain direction.
"Oh my, oh my? I thought it was just my radar messing with me, which is most unlikely, but still has the chances to do so. But look what I found~"
A melodious voice, brimming with joy and curiosity laced in its tone. It didn't take a second for Muramasa's head to turn towards the newcomer.
It only took one glance with his eyes to conclude that this girl—no, creature, was nothing he had ever seen before.
"To be completely frank, I didn't expect to see any kind of life form in this place except for my kind. Moreover, a human...? No, you're different...?"
Slightly, his brow rose. What is this thing exactly? It is a weapon. It didn't take a while for Muramasa to discern the nature of this creature before him. He knows one when he sees one. He's a blacksmith for a reason. Moreover, this creature seemed to be a state of the art weapon that Proper Human History would never come up with as they are now. This is more advanced, his brief analysis and observation of the creature gave him a gist of how spectacular this weapon is.
Living weapon. Humanoid weapon.
If his guess was right, maybe those lot from Greek Lostbelt, Hephaestus to be exact, could make something similar or a better version of this creature given their resources, mysteries, and technology combined.
"Oh? You can't give an answer? Are you frightened perhaps? As expected, you humans, or at least, resembles one, has the probability of 99.7% of showing that kind of reaction when you lay your sights before us, fufufu," the woman giggled with a hint of dissapointment veiled on her words. "Just like the data samples had shown, it can't be helped right?"
"Scared? No, not really."
Muramasa wasn't scared of this creature right before him. Rather than being scared, he instead was curious about her and the developments happening real time.
"What an interesting answer~!" The creature's grin soon dissapeared and her expression was replaced of that of an indifferent one. "Name: Unknown. Age: Unknown. Affiliation: Unknown. Identity: Unknown. Race: Human(?), Tentative Evaluation... Error? Huh, Unknown?"
The creature then tilted its head to the side as it continued to ramble information out from its mouth. After a minute or so of sentences that often ended with the word "unknown", it then asked with a indifferent expression fading as it turned back to its old cheerful one.
"We have no information about you. The reason why are you here for. How did you even arrive here, in this Mirror Sea?" The creature asked tilting her head to the side as her eyes flashed momentarily. "Hm hm. I've been reviewing our data so far, but there is no information regarding on how somebody could enter this place, lest you broke into it, which should be impossible given the chances."
This creature resembles that of a young woman. One with white hair paired with yellow eyes that seemed mechanical. This young woman, no, creature, whose appearance could be described as of that of exotic glamour and beauty. This creature basically exudes a futuristic theme, with large mechanical extensions on its body, ranging from cannons to metal constructs.
Alongside those impressions though, Muramasa could easily judge that this creature's before him only sees him nothing but an object to be analyzed.
The nasty origins veiled under her cheerful expression could not be hidden from Muramasa's eyes.
"How strange... You are certainly no human. I could tell. There's no records about humans like you even from the Data Terminal."
Mirror Sea.
Data Terminal.
That is what this place is named based from what he had heard from this creature. Moreover, this data terminal might be something that could help Muramasa as its name suggests.
Data.
Information.
Muramasa definitely needs it. Any relevant information that would explain why he was here would be crucial, no matter how small nor big this is.
In order to do that however...
"This old man can't just take a break, couldn't he?"
The creature looked at him curiosily. "Hm? Old man? You don't look old though, rather, you look exceptionally young. It's bad to lie you know~?"
"I know what I said," Muramasa sighed. "Forget it."
"That would be troublesome~ Any data acquired could be useful in one way or another!"
The creature then snapped its fingers.
It was then he felt it. Another rift formed not so far away from him which then revealed a ship of some sorts. A black ship with lines of red that seemed like veins as it glowed unnaturally.
"Fufufu. Ah~ Great timing. Zero just entered this dimension as well! What a coincidence, I say. Introducing you to her would surely bring some kind of reaction to her ever so expressionless look!" The creature laughed, almost creepily, before turning around and gesturing to Muramasa to join her on the deck of the ship. "You wouldn't mind coming with me without any kind of resistance, right?"
"..."
Muramasa simply raised a brow before giving off a resigned sigh. With how things are progressing, even if he did show some resistance, he would obviously fail in the end. Weakened and exhausted. That is how Muramasa was feeling at the moment. That's why the answer to this creature's inquiry was obvious.
"Your answer? Non-human?"
Non-human? What a strange name to call him.
"Do I even have a choice?"
Muramasa felt stupid for asking such question.
"Yes~! Either follow me meekly, or resist and fight me before I drag you forcefully with your dead body!" the creature offered with a smile. "Good set of options, right?"
"Alright, I'll follow you," Muramasa said in a heartbeat as he raised his hands in false surrender.
He was in no state to fight. That much was obvious. Besides, even if he does fight, the result won't change being in this exhausted state as it is.
"Eh~? I expected we would rather fight it out first before I forcefully drag you to Zero... Oh dear, my calculation programs seems to be malfunctioning lately."
The creature pouted and muttered things like how boring it was. Muramasa didn't care however about what it said just now, but from that of what she said earlier.
"Also, don't call me Non-human. It feels irky, you know. I'm a Alter Ego Class Servant, Senji Muramasa. Anyway, you can call me a blacksmith as well," he introduced himself.
Normally, he would've thought and be hesitant a bit more before giving out his name, much more his class as a Servant, to this creature. Yet, he still proceeded to do so. If you ask what's the harm, Muramasa could say plenty. If there is one thing that urged Muramasa to give out such information though is simply plain and direct.
As a blacksmith, he wants to learn more about this weapon. An innate trait that courses through the veins of true weapon makers such as himself.
Heaving a berated sigh to himself, he continued. "Do you have a name I could address you with?"
"Eh~? Alter Ego? Servant? Blacksmith? What a strange choice of classification...or maybe is that your race? Servant? How peculiar, you don't seem to part of those Royal Navy insects that has a fetish for maids. Senji Muramasa though. That name resembles those of Sakura Empire's."
The creature then licked her lips. An act that seemingly made Muramasa frown.
"Oh, how rude of me. Address me with the name Observer Alpha~ Nice to meet you, Senji Muramasa~!" the creature—Observer Alpha, gave a bow out of false courtesy. "I'm disappointed though. I expected this would somehow escalate to a fight."
"What the hell? Are you a war-freak or something?"
"Fufufu. What the hell indeed," the creature repeated, amused. "And I am closet war-freak...? So you're guess is correct~!"
"Seriously?"
"Yes~ Let's move quickly, shall we? Time is running out~!" The creature called out again before adding a her last words that is nothing but a whisper but Muramasa nonetheless heard it. "Well, we could just manipulate time to an extent to turn the tides in our favor anyway."
Better to ask about that later.
Besides, this creature, or the one she calls Zero might be the on who has connection with this 'data terminal' and have information regarding his appearance here in this 'Mirror Sea' of theirs.
Also, Sakura Empire? Royal Navy?
Sounds like Imperial Japan to him. Royal Navy? If his guess was also correct, it would be the alternate version of modern Britain. This confirmed several things however. If his presumptions were correct, then he could've possibly flunged to another dimension, an alternate dimension to be exact.
How? Why?
Muramasa has no clue.
He was simply washed away here after he finished forging that blade.
"Such misfortune..."
Stating such phrase, he followed right after the creature as he jumped on top of the deck as he scratched his head.
It seems that this old man still can't take a break.
AN: This is written a few months before the official LB6 English Translation came out. So if you notice the difference in the dialogue, that would be because I used the Fan Translation that came years before the official English release. Still, I tried to fix some of them to give better clarity. Changing Fairy Knights to Tam Lins, fixing several dialogues, etc.
Well, tis was a chapter that was left alone here in the drafts section for quite some time now. Might as well release it to receive some feedback to further improve my writing.
Fix 1: Regarding about those who were confused if this was a Kancolle fic due to the use of "Abyssal Sea" term in the title, that would be my slight mistake. In Azur Lane, there is this Zones called Abyssal Zones in Operation Siren. Sure, the correct term for the seas should still be Mirror Seas, but Abyssal Seas sounds better and more apt for those that are in the Abyssal Zones in my opinion. Anyway, thanks for pointing this out.
Fix 2: Thanks for FabledLife in the review section for giving some clarification. I would admit that I was confused as well about the term of "Prana". I blame myself for reading too many Fate Fanfics for that xD. Anyway, I kind of followed his suggestion and edited that part for a bit. Thanks for pointing this out.
Fix 3: For those who are also wondering, some Characters Tags are still not updated here from. I would like to add several more, but they don't exist here in, so yeah.
Fix 4: Edited grammar typos.
Fix 5: Fixed wrong spellings that I had only realized after taking a good look on it. I blame my auto-correct function for not doing its job lmao.
Anyway, follow, favorite, and review!
Next Update: A Viper's Star.
