Sorry for the kinda late chapter release, first week of University came along and ran me over like Truck-kun, completely fucking up my schedule for a bit. But I'm back, babeeeeey, and so enjoy the Review answers first!

cf464004, SenseiZero72, TedTheRabbit, xXwolfsterXx644, Guest(s):- Thank you all sincerely for your kind words and encouragement!

Kleave guy:- The base-est of them all, literally, his only wish is to be noticed by his Senpai. He also writes erotic BL fanfiction in his spare time, because that's what a chad does.

JustBazik, JackL795, Rakster, alyousifahmed4, ericmw8, TheActualDudeManBro, Xero the Reaper, Zet4, GodOfDeathAndUndeath, Kolt999:- Thank you all for answering/giving me your own interpretations on Nero(Bride), Archer's Aria, and Hassan. It's been really interesting to read your thoughts, and it's also given me clarification and ideas on certain things. So again, thank you all! Also loving the Asako love I'm seeing, it's what she deserves!

Zet4:- You know you've fallen deep into the Fate rabbit-hole when a phrase like "the two are 'one same person' but 'two different characters'" actually starts making sense.

GodOfDeathAndUndeath:- Yeah, child servants like Jack the Ripper, Child Assassin (the one currently in the fic), Nursery Rhyme, etc. are not there to be romanced; Only to be head-patted!

Kolt999:- Ritsu's got that Positive Father Figure rizz on his side.

Pannenkoekenrage:- Thank you for your kind words, I'm glad to hear you're enjoying the story so far. And for cross-posting it on Questionable Questing... I'm going to be honest and admit that I didn't even know such a site existed before you mentioned it. I don't really have any issues with posting this story on other sides, but you have to give me a pitch on exactly how it works and stuff, my dude.

As for the underrated Servants, Liz and Kiyohime are definitely going to get proper screen time and development in my fic, alongside the comedy bits. As for Mata Hari, I honestly haven't thought much about her. But you can see that as a good thing, after all, a blank slate is there to be filled in after all! Give me some ideas on her interactions/dialogue/scenes/etc., I'll add it in if I find it interesting enough!

And that's all for now! Check out end of the chapter for the Author's Notes; And now without further ado– Please enjoy!


"Being a Mage means to walk alongside death... NOT TO JUMP RIGHT INTO IT'S WAITING EMBRACE!"

"Ouch, my ears... Surely it's not that bad, right?"

"THAT BAD!?" The white haired girl shrilly shouted once again, causing the kiddo Assassin to flinch and hug me tighter while attempting to bury her face deeper into my shirt. I simply stay quiet and bear the brunt of her ire as I stroke the little girl's hair soothingly.

Poor Mashu, however looks panicked and distressed by the Director's sudden loss of temper. She opens her mouth to probably try and defend me or attempt to sooth the indignant maiden– But as she catches my eyes, I subtly shake my head to reject that course of action.

I don't need a Dating Sim System to tell me that interrupting/arguing against a justifiably mad lady is something you're not supposed to do.

"This was your first time using Magecraft, wasn't it? Why am I even asking!? I know it was; I read your report! Listen here– Your magical circuits have, until now, lain dormant and atrophied! But your little stunt forced them open. And you immediately flooded them with your Od like an idiot! That's like running a marathon before learning how to walk! I bet you didn't even use a Trigger to activate your circuits! Listen, to invoke your magical circuits, a mage needs a mental trigger, a cognitive visualisation to symbolise their channeling There are even more procedures, rituals, and exercises you have to perform before it is safe for someone to even attempt to activate and use their circuits. Otherwise, the results can be catastrophic!"

As Olga Marie stops her scolding to catch her breath, I let my eyes briefly roam over her. And I had to admit that even with all the venom she was verbally spewing my way, her looks helped to somewhat soften the blow of her harsh words.

She is a sight for sore eyes in this current dark and gloomy city of Fuyuki- With her fierce golden-amber eyes and long snow-white hair, and even the scowl on her face couldn't diminish how pretty her fair face was.

And dressed in her black and orange uniform over her white dress along with red stockings and black heels (how the hell was she sprinting in those?), an outfit that complemented her looks quite nicely, she definitely looked a lot more graceful and presentable than I did, even though we had both apparently been running for our lives for the last few minutes.

"It could have been way worse if not for Mashu's immediate first aid! Small-scale necrosis is just the first step, such reckless use of Magecraft could have permanently ruined your magical circuits! And then the damage would have spread to your nerves, which, like a cancer, would have shut your brain down slowly. You can't even comprehend how lucky you are to escape such a fate, you damn idiotic commoner!"

"Hey now, you're scaring the kid!" I feel the child hugging me start shivering at the vivid and gruesome imagery Olga-Marie painted, and I kneel down and grasp the young girl by the shoulders and look into her concerned and scared eyes. The kind of look that tugs on your heartstrings and refuses to let go until you've changed that expression into a smile. And so that's what I attempt to do.

"It's okay, kid— See, I'm completely fine!" I give her a smile and playfully poke her nose, which causes her to look confusedly at my finger for a few seconds before she covers her mouth with her tiny hands and starts giggling as I 'boop' her once again.

"You heard the loud lady, Mashu showed up just in time to sort things out! Would I be able to do this if I was not feeling well? Tickle Demon Mode: Activate! Wigglewigglewigglewiggle~!"

"Hehehehe––!"

And as my words indicate, I start aiming for her armpits and neck in an attempt to tickle the sadness out of her, while making monster sounds from the back of my throat. Was I being excessively silly? Yes. Was it worth it to see the otherwise gloomy-looking child smile so widely and laugh so loudly? Absolutely yes.

[You have gained 2 Affection Points with Mashu Kyrielight!]

[You have gained 10 Affection Points with Asako of the Hundred Faces of Hassan! Asako's route has been Unlocked! You can now check on your Bond with her and her AP levels in the Heroine Bonds screen!]

"WERE YOU EVEN LISTENING TO ME!" But as you might have expected, somebody did not approve of my actions. "Stop making a fool out of yourself and playing around! You could have died–"

"But I didn't, because I've got Mashu watching my back." I interrupt her words as I finally stand up and focus solely on the Director after giving the kid one final head-pat. Out of the corner of my eyes, I see Fou approaching her and breathe a sigh of relief. Now I can face Olga-Marie's wrath without worrying about how it might affect the kid, with the little guy distracting her with his inherent cuteness.

... Is that just a coincidence that he distracts her at the exact moment needed? Or is he actually intelligent enough to understand the situation going on around him? What's this smart little critter's deal...? Anyways, those are things to ponder on later, I've currently got a pissed off tsundere to confront, so I push those thoughts to the back of my brain and continue my previous statement.

"And I'm afraid that if I hadn't Reinforced my arms, I'm pretty sure I wouldn't have any arms left to be damaged."

"You, You- ARGGH!" Olga-Marie throws back her head in apparent intense annoyance at my sound logic, and then stops up to me with a glare and starts violently poking at my chest with each word.

"You bullheaded, foolish, inattentive, infuriating... COMMONER! Give me your hands!"

And without waiting for confirmation, she bluntly takes off her gloves and grabs a hold of both of my hands. I can barely process the sudden contact and pleasant softness of her palms before she swiftly and melodiously whispers out words that I would not have caught if not for our close proximity.

"Stars. Cosmos. Gods. Animus. Pulsus. Anima. Sanus fieri, Animusphere!"

A glowing golden pink circle with flower-like designs forms briefly in the middle of her forehead, and immediately I feel a pulse of warm energy flow into me, originating from the tip of my fingers and resonating throughout the entirety of my body. The sensation was something along the lines of the comfort of getting my whole body doused in warm water after spending prolonged time in the cold, like stepping into a warm bath at the end of a long and tiring day. In other words, it felt good~

"Whoa! Woho... Hooh~~!"

"S-Senpai!? Are you feeling well? You're making strange noises!"

"Well? I don't feel 'well', Mashu; I feel fuc–*ahem, flipping fantastic!" There's a child around now; I've gotta be a bit more careful with my words. But I can't help but let out a laugh as I feel aches and pains in my body that I didn't even realize were there fade away. "It's like someone rubbed VapoRub into my nerves! I feel like I just got a full-body massage!"

"That was a Mana Pulse and a minor healing spell combined." The white haired Director spoke up, the scowl still present on her face. "I flooded my own Od directly into your Magical Circuits, a lot more skillfully than you will ever be able to do, to properly open them up. The soothing sensation you must be feeling is coming from your circuits, healing them from the inside out. So be grateful for my generosity, you useless commoner!"

[Charisma Check... Passed! Gained Passive Skill:- Soothing Presence! First Mashu, then Child Assassin, and now the grumpy Director herself! Calming them all down one after another- You're on a roll! Good job as always Player, Gain 1 to all Stats!]

Huh? Where did this notification come from? What does it... oh. Oh... I think I get it. Hehehe, this is some prime teasing material right here.

"Ah... Despite your harsh words, you do care~!"

Okay, maybe I'm pushing my luck a bit, but how do I let go of such a perfect opportunity and not tease the straight-laced Director!?

"Wha...? I would ask if your head injury hasn't healed properly, if not for the fact that you used my personally created Healing Scroll, which I know for a fact cannot be anything less than perfect. So that leaves the only other explanation: That you are an even bigger idiot than I had initially imagined!"

"D-Director!" Mashu, bless her heart, tries to speak up in my defense. "That is a bit harsh on Senpai; I'm sure that he–"

Key word being 'try'.

"Silence Mashu!" Aaaaaaaand as expected, with a single command, the timid pink-haired girl is silenced by her superior as she flinches away from Olga-Marie's harsh words. Still, the fact that she even tried to stand up against her superior for what she believes in (in this case, that thing being me, which makes my heart swell with warmth) is a sign of her growth. Keep it up, Mashu! Positive character development is what I love to see!

"The only reason I bothered healing you despite your great incompetence is because of the situation I have found myself in! You, being the only Master in sight, are nothing more than just a tool that I fixed for my personal convenience! ... But I suppose as the Director I am obligated to try and understand the thought processes of my staff, even the stupid ones. So tell me, you foolish low-born, what made you come up with such an idiotic idea that someone like me could ever care for someone like you?"

I try to contain myself. I really do. But as I look into the Director's serious eyes, I feel my will falter, and against my better judgment I feel my lips upturn into a shit-eating grin as I utter my next words.

"... The fact that you are still holding my hands?"

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[You have gained 1 Affection Points with Olga Marie Animusphere! Olga Marie's route has been Unlocked! You can now check on your Bond with her and her AP levels in the Heroine Bonds screen!]

Never before have I seen a face undergo so many different emotions in such a short span of time. First comes confusion. Then she tilts her head down to look at our hands, her fingers still grasping mine firmly. That's what the pop-up screen was informing me about. Look's like I was not the only one who was comforted by our interlocked hands.

Makes sense, honestly; Of course she would be relieved to find another living person and a link to Chaldea in this dead and burning city after being chased around by who knows what kind of monsters.

Olga Marie simply looks on for a few seconds, as if bewildered and not understanding what she was seeing, before her pale face erupts violently into a deep shade of red. I swear I almost caught steam being released from her ears, before she let out a squeal of embarrassment as she jumps away from me as if my hands were burning to the touch.

I would have been offended, if not for how funny the uncharacteristic action of the, until now, strict and proud Director was. Adding to the fact that Child Assassin was now clapping her hands like she was applauding a circus performance and making a "Whoaaaa" sound at Olga's impressive standing jump, I had to put all my willpower into suppressing my smile.

But looking at the way the white-haired Director was glaring (read as: pouting) at me with her still flushed face, my efforts must have not been entirely successful.

"Th-That– D-Don't– Y-You... Firstly, order your third-rate brat of a Servant to stop doing that!" She stomps her foot and points at the still clapping kid, who yelps in alarm at the focus being shifted onto her and promptly disappears– Only to appear a second later, now hiding behind Mashu.

"Hey now, that's not a nice thing to say to a child! You could hurt her feelings! You're lucky Asako's out patrolling; She wouldn't have appreciated your words." I chastise Olga-Marie, and look at the kid to see if she's affected by her words in any way.

But it looks like I was worrying for naught, as Mashu was now keeping her distracted by simply being herself. Which stands for, being unbelievably wholesome and adorable. The two girls appeared to be in the middle of a heated debate on which part of Fou was the fluffiest, his ears or his tail. As expected of my cute Kouhai, Child Assassin's yet to utter a single proper word to me, and yet she's holding a full (albeit whispered) conversation with the pink-haired Shielder!

As the main topic of their conversation trots up to the girls to presumably be pampered (lucky bastard) I shift my focus onto the still fuming Director instead. Gonna have to soothe our resident tsundere first, then focus on the wholesomeness happening behind me.

"Why should I care for or be considerate about the feelings of one who is already dead?" Olga-Marie answers flippantly while using her left hand to haughtily flip her single white braid, standing out from the rest of her long flowing hair.

"Servants are the summoned quantum bodies of the very memories of the planet, but at the end of the day, they are still nothing more than a glorified Ghost Liner– An admittedly most powerful familiar, but still nothing more than a tool for humans to use. BUT––"

She loudly exclaimed the last part, while pointing at me with her index finger. I notice that her face is, once again, beet red. "This conversation can be continued later! W-What's more important is to address yo-your delusions! The only reason I was holding onto your hands was t-to ensure my Od had properly seeped into your circuits, a-and nothing more! Y-Your personal well-being is something I couldn't care less about; Do you understand, you ignorant fool!?"

If that was the case, why'd you jump like a startled rabbit when I pointed it out? I think wryly to myself. Luckily, I'm saved from having to come up with an immediate answer by the familiar feeling of the world coming to a halt, as my surroundings turn gray and three choices appear before me.

A - [Well, excuuuuuuse me, Director!]

B - [Thanks a lot for healing me, Director! I really appreciate your help even if it only came because of the circumstances we find ourselves in!]

C - [Hey! Who the hell do you think you are!? We're all in the same boat here, there's no reason to be so fucking rude!]

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Ah, shit. Here we go again.


[HEROINE STATUS BONDS]

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[Mashu Kyrielight: 'Best Kouhai']

[Relationship status: Master and Servant (Bond Level: Strong)]

[Affection Points: 157/200]

[Mashu sees you as: Trusted and Admired Senpai]

[Heroine Summary: A Demi-Servant human fused with a Heroic Spirit, Mashu herself does not know the identity of the Servant fused with her. In the year 2000, Mash was created through artificial fertilization and genetic editing, i.e., she is actually a Designer Baby, a magus genetically engineered under the orders of Chaldea's late director, Marisbury Animusphere, to be a prime vessel for a Heroic Spirit's soul.

However, the Heroic Spirit itself detested the inhumane experiments conducted by Chaldea to create Demi-Servants and refused to cooperate, only recently forming a contract with Mashu after responding to her dying wish; To live and to protect the one who gave her hope. Her only objective now is to protect and be of use to her Senpai, even though she considers herself to be inferior and near useless when compared to other Servants because of her inability to tap into the full power of the Spirit Origin gifted to her by the Heroic Spirit or use their Noble Phantasm.]

Yep, here I am. Finally going through the newly unlocked screens of my Menu. The first thing that I had wanted to do upon choosing my Skills and branch of Magic, but had to postpone because of, ya know, having to escape from a bloodthirsty Servant and then getting fucked up because of my incorrect channeling of magic. But now with my body no longer on the verge of collapsing, I take a break in the Gray World and go through all the stuff I've yet had time to check on. Namely, the Heroine Stats screen.

And as I look at the 'summary' in front of me, a myriad of emotions go through my mind. The first and foremost among them being anger. No, that's too tame a word. Rage would be a more apt description for what I am feeling. What kind of horrid and inhumane experiments had they committed on Mashu for a Heroic Spirit to have renounced the organization all together...

I kick a clump of dirt to release some of the frustration I feel, before releasing a big sigh. No, it is not my place to get mad. Mashu would probably not want me to get worked up over this or to pity her for it, and I shouldn't let this affect my perception of her either.

In the first place, I'm the one in the wrong here, this is Mashu's past and her secret to share, that I so insensitively looked into without any thoughts on what she might want. I'll just have to store this information away for the moment and confront her about her feelings when she chooses to confide in me about this matter. That's the least I can do for her sake.

But at least I learned something productive from this unintentional peeping. Feeling 'inferior' my ass, as long as I take breath I'm gonna work towards erasing such stupid thoughts that plague my Kouhai's head! Just you wait Mashu, I will make you appreciate yourself, no matter how many head-pats it takes!

[Asako of the Hundred Faces of Hassan: 'Assassin Mama']

[Relationship status: Temporary Alliance/Protection Target]

[Affection Points: 35/50]

[Asako sees you as: Potential Contractor]

[Heroine Summary: One of the personalities created by the use of the Noble Phantasm Zabaniya: Delusional Illusion, Asako is one of the stronger Assassins among the hundred in terms of physical strength and skills. She is also one of the most well-spoken amongst them and hence is a leader of sorts, and so is used to acting as a liaison between the Master and the other personalities.

Asako however, has trust issues and is hesitant of forming contracts with potential Masters because of her experiences in the Fourth Holy Grail War and a certain heartless priest. She however, has a soft spot for children, and has become a sort of role model/mother figure for the young Child Assassin personality. So a sure-fire way of gaining her trust and winning her over will be to win over the kid first! Do so, and you will find yourself with an immensely loyal protector who will be willing to do whatever it takes to protect you from the shadows.]

As for Asako, there's not really that much new information to gather here. This 'Holy Grail War' and 'Heartless Priest' really sounds familiar and tugs on the good ol' noggin, but the more I focus the sharper the headache I receive, so I ignore that line of thought for the moment. Glad to see that I'm already making strides on gaining her trust with how close Child Assassin's already seems to have gotten with me and Mashu. Adding to the fact that she sees me as a 'potential' contractor, I'm happy in the direction our relationship is going!

[Olga Marie Animusphere: 'Tragic Tsundere']

[Relationship status: Boss and Lackey]

[Affection Points: 1/25]

[Olga Marie sees you as: Incompetent Subordinate]

[Heroine Summary: Olga Marie is the sole member of the prestigious Animusphere family of magi. As one of the top ten families in the Clock Tower, she has a reputable name. Olga Marie took over Chaldea in 2013, one year after her father was found dead in his office. A person who believes it is the Animusphere's pride to serve the very best under any circumstances, regardless of trouble or accident, Olga Marie is dutiful in her role and takes full responsibility in Chaldea.

She is an earnest and hardworking person who cares for her subordinates even as she tries to act as if it was not the case. But behind her bad attitude and haughty demeanor, Olga is a deeply tormented individual; She never saw herself as being able to fulfill her father's place as Director of Chaldea and believes that her inability to Rayshift makes her even more of a failure; additionally, the lack of praise or acknowledgement of her efforts by anybody has convinced her that everyone she knows hates her, such that even the most innocent of comments directed at her take on the worst possible interpretations in her mind.]

Now this, though... is kinda heartbreaking. Trying to live up to the legacy of your deceased parent with practically no support or help at such a young age in the cutthroat world of Mages... Well, it's no wonder then that Olga Marie seems to have such an explosive and volatile personality.

It's nothing more than a mask- A form of self defense to protect herself from getting hurt. Peel back the shell and what you have left is just an ordinary girl like any other, buried beneath the burden of responsibility placed upon her shoulders too quickly for her to manage it without suffocating under it's weight.

Haaaaaah, I didn't sign up for the tsundere character to actually have trauma that made her get a twisted personality in the first place! Now I'm going to feel bad if I tease her too much! I could just ignore whatever I read and just carry on like normal, I guess– But damn it.

I can't just ignore her now that I know that she's hurting. That all she wants is someone to acknowledge her. She even healed up my Magical Circuits, while cursing me the whole while yes, but she did help me out. Not returning the favor will just put a bad taste in my mouth.

Sorry for the intrusion, Tsundere-chan, but I'm going to now be meddling in your affairs until you too learn to stop seeing yourself in such a negative light! Resistance is futile, just give up and let me head-pat you as well!

Though I should probably save the pats until I manage to gain some more affection points with her. Firstly, I gotta get her to see me as more than 'incompetent' and the first step to achieving that result is to make a good first impression by properly choosing a good Dialogue choice for this current situation!

... Which I will get to, in a moment. I still have to check out these now Skills that I have unlocked afterall. Better check them out before some unexpected occurrence causes me to run for my life again.

... I just jinxed myself, didn't I? FUUUUUUUUUUUUCCCCCCCCC-


[Charm: 18, Once in a blue moon, your words make sense]

[Charisma: 20, The side-est of side characters]

[Wisdom: 23, Smarter than he looks but not by much]

So the Skills are increasing slowly but steadily, while still keeping their annoyingly condescending descriptions. No major changes here. But the big changes and new stuff have appeared in the [Skills] screen. My new Skills namely being;

[Blessing of the Shield; Rank D :- A Partner Skill awarded from forming your first contract with the Demi-Servant Mashu Kyrielight. It increases the natural resilience of your body to a limit beyond what is humanly possible. Your entire body– Your skin, muscles, bones, and every cell that makes you you, is now tougher and more durable than ever before. This Skill not only affects your physical body and makes you more difficult to damage, but your mind as well- strengthening it against mental based attacks, while also increasing your body's immunity, making it more difficult for diseases and poisons to affect you. Potency of self-based Reinforcement Magecraft is also increased by 22%. Increase your Bond with Mashu to gain a higher rank in this Skill!]

Brilliant. Absolutely brilliant is what this Skill is, thank you System for giving me a lucky break for once. Another reason to spoil the crap out of Mashu, she's helping me out over here without even knowing about it. I couldn't have wished for a more perfect Skill to pair with my goal of surviving, and the added bonus of getting a boost to my Reinforcement magic is just the icing on the cake! Being a "weaker than novice" mage, I'm going to gladly accept any and all help I can get my hands on to improve my magic.

And the very concept of Partner Skills opens up a whole new can of peaches. If this is the kind of benefits I can get from forming contracts with Servants, I may have just underestimated the power of this Dating Sim System of mine...

[You've gained 1 Wisdom from having finally come to the correct conclusion and acknowledging the greatness of your System!]

... I take back what I just thought. Don't get a big head now System, I'm still mad at you for dropping me in the middle of this world-ending apocalypse out of nowhere. Scrolling down, I check out the second Skill I unlocked, which is:-

[Soothing Presence (Passive); Rank E :- Simply being in your immediate vicinity helps in calming people down and relaxes them. Works best on allies and people who trust you or have a neutral opinion about you, hostile individuals will not be affected by this. Effectiveness varies depending on the individual, and how you choose to go about trying to comfort them. Increase the Charisma stat to gain a higher rank in this Skill!]

Hmmm, not bad! Certainly not a game-changer like the previous Skill, but honestly I'm quite happy with this particular one. Panicking in the middle of a life or death situation is the perfect way to end up as the latter; And being able to help out my allies in such times is a power I'm glad to have!

Okay, that's enough Stat checking for now, time to finally return back to the waking world. And so I finally turn and go through the choices presented to me once again. Now, the first option is immediately out. Not even I'm dumb enough to try and out sass a tsundere. And while I agree with what the third option, that Olga-Marie should stop being such a hard-ass... Again, tsundere. Need I say more on why I do not want to confront/challenge her right now, especially with such a low relationship score?

And knowing more about Olga's mental state, well, some positive reinforcement is going to do wonders for her. Especially when she genuinely deserves it, after all she did heal me up no matter how much she may have berated me before and after the treatment. So, option B, looks like it's finally your time to shine! Do papa proud!

I press on the middle choice and once again as colour returns to the world, I lower my head in her direction as a gesture of respect and let out a small chuckle at the still frowning/pouting expression on Olga's face. "No matter the reason Director, you still healed me up and for that I'm really grateful. So thanks a lot, Boss, for looking out for me"

And as I raise my head and genuinely smile at her, I catch a look of surprise cross her face, as if she was not expecting me to actually thank her for her help. It was short lived though, as she turns her head away from me, letting out a cute "Hmph!" as she crosses her hands akimbo and speaks in a haughty tone of voice.

"O-Of course! I am glad to see that you know your place as my subordinate; Be grateful that I used the barest hint of my powers to heal you, so you better not let me down and fulfill your duties as a Master adequately!"

[You have gained 5 Affection Points with Olga Marie Animusphere!]

Yeah... you ain't fooling nobody Boss, with just that half-assed condescending manner of speakings. Even without the notification I would have been able to tell that Olga's not quite as cold as she's trying to show herself to be. After all, her white skin is much too pale for me to miss the hint of red that had crept up her neck and cheeks. But seeing as I've already teased her once, I guess I'll let this slide for now.

But apparently, Mashu had other ideas.

"But Director, wasn't the glowing magic circle that appeared on your forehead the Animusphere magic crest? So that means you must have called upon all your magical resources to heal Senpai, not your bares-"

"WAH HAH GAAH-" Making incoherent sounds the white-haired director flails her hands around for a second before practically pouncing on Mashu, covering her mouth with her hands before looking back at me with wide eyes and furiously blushing cheeks.

And I of course, do the gentlemanly (read as: cowardly) thing in this situation, and pretend to be greatly distracted by turning to Child Assassin who was currently holding Fou in her arms and cuddling him like he was a stuffed animal.

"Long time no see, Fou! Are you having fun playing with your new friend? What about you, kid?"

"Fouu, fou!/Hmmm, hmm!" Both the cute little creatures nodded their heads twice, while letting out adorable grunts at the same time.

"... For your sake, commoner, I will assume you missed Mashu's last comment... Now enough slacking around! Tell me immediately-"

But the Director's words gets interrupted by the sound of stuttering static which comes from my Chaldea issued band. I have barely the time to raise it up to eye level before a flash of light is emitted by the device and a hazy and highly pixelated projection appears in thin air.

"Thank goodness the signal finally stabilized! Kinda! Please explain the situation, Fujimaru-kun, are you okay!? Did you manage to escape from the Assassin? ... And Mashu!? Why are you wearing such a shameless outfit!?"

"Gah! ... Sh-Shameless..."

*Pat*...*Pat*...*Pat*

"... Thank you for trying to comfort me, little Assassin-chan, but I'm afraid this damage I've received from Dr. Roman cannot be healed simply with head-pats..."

"ROOOOOMAAAANIIIII!"

"Eep! I-I-Is that the D-Director!? S-she alive? H-How sturdy of her! And how unfortunate for me..."

"I HEARD THAT LAST PART, YOU USELESS DOCTOR! EXPLAIN THE SITUATION IN CHALDEA NOW, ROMANII! YOU BETTER HAVE SOME ANSWERS READY FOR ME!"

Welp, nothing left for me to do, but to sit back and watch get grilled alive by our resident foul-mouthed Director. Come on Doc, weather through this tsundere storm and come out alive, I believe in you! Ganbare, Doc, ganbare!

But suddenly in the middle of this light scene, without any prior warning or sign, my Instincts suddenly to completely haywire. Like a never-ending echo, a single message repeats in my brain endlessly.

—–DEATH APPROACHES

I am hit by an overwhelming sense of death, stronger than anything I felt from Assassin, even as I was running for my life. I feel my heart beat faster than ever before, like it is trying to pump up all the blood it can before it is soon stopped by whatever is coming towards me. The certainty of my demise is unquestionable, and the feeling of hopelessness rises in my chest as I realize that what I'm about to face is something unbeatable. I haven't even seen it yet, and I feel all of my muscles tense up in terror, unlike anything I've ever felt before. The instincts within me scream out again, and the words are easier to understand the second time.

—–GET AWAY!

I force my body to respond, ignoring my despair and fear for the moment and focusing every bit of my willpower to Reinforce my whole body. The same pain that previously paralyzed me from just being in my arms is now fully enveloping my body; But it's not as bad now. Knowing the pain is coming and bracing for it helped, and it feels a little less agonizing than the last time. It must be because of Olga's healing, that the mana within me is flowing more smoothly through my magic circuits now. But the agony is still there and is so great that I feel light in my head and feel like I'm going to pass out– But by focusing on the fear, I can still move.

Because if I don't move, I will absolutely, undoubtedly, unquestionably die.

"W-Wait a second, a Divine Spirit Origin is moving at great speed towards you–"

I ignore the words, which I already know to be undoubtedly true, and correct instead focus on the second Assassin that just appeared and is currently kneeling in front of me.

Asako looks to be in terrible shape, with multiple bleeding gashes all over her body, and even her skull masked is half broken– Letting me look at the single violet eye conveying to me the emotions of fear and concern in ample amounts very clearly.

"Fujimaru-sama! He is too powerful to be stopped, you need to–"

"What are yo– Yah! U-Unhand me at once, common– Woah!"

Ignoring her protests, I grab hold of a surprised Olga Marie, and with all my extra strength I practically toss the light woman away from me and into Ayako's arms. "Take her and ru–"

The rest of my words were drowned out as we all hear him for the first time.

.

.

"̷̧̢̧̨̨̗̼̗̗͙̠̘͔͍̰̖͚̫̹̓̈̎̔̾̒̔̏̈́̒̑̍̈́̐͆̈͑̀̓̕͝R̶̢̡͙̰̻̤͕̰͍̦̰̤̣̾̎̓̆̄̎̓̍͑͘̚Ą̶̨̡̛̖̣̼̲͙̥͉̟͚̲̤̫̳͕̘̬͙̌̀̒̀̀͌͋̿̀͒̆͗̐̿̄̽͘͜͝͝A̵̡̨̡̛͓͉̗̦͙̰͎̼̭͎͕̱͔̟͔̓̉̐̆̈́̌̾́̂͋̿̃̀͗͒̽̃̓̄̚̚͜͜͜͝͠ͅͅA̴̩͉̖͎͇̝͉͙͙͇̬̬͎͚̯̗͂͑̿̉́̾͊̐̈́̂̄͌̍̃͗̓̆̐͌̍͘̚͝ͅR̸̡̧̡͍̝̹̫͉̈́̏̆́̓̈́́̏̅͛̿R̵͔̥͇͕̹͚͚̱̐́̓͛̒̆̆̔̈́́̈̾̀͂̔̒̃̀̋́̓̚͝ͅR̴̰̖̣̗̼͈͚̍͌͊͑̈́͛͂̏̒̈̆̽̆̑͂̔R̵̬̯͔̄̀̽̐͑̐̚̚͠͝A̶̢̡̦̯̟͉͎̼̠̣̥̳̳͍̝̩͌͒̉̀̊́͆̒̓͊́̅̊̈́̈́̚͜͝͠A̶̧̨͙̜̦̭̲̯̬̻̹̦͈̹͖̱̯̟̱̋̈́̓̅̐̏̂̀͋̈̏̕͜͜͠G̵̡̢͚̯̘̖̣̮̱̖̹͕̱̗̮̮̗̳͈̳̖̳̈͂́̈́̌̇̀̄̐͑̀̓̄̄̂͂̀̽̕͘͜G̴̝͖̖̺͇̞̉̈̀͊̅̈̒͊͂̇͑͐̀͐̽̃̚̕̚͝G̴̠̭͎͉̗̞̱̈́͛̀̀̈̅̈́̐͒͌́͘͠ͅH̶̡̧̛͍̳̬̗̱͚̖̤͉̍̎͗̈̒̂̇́̓̑́͆̅͊̅̅̽̀̇͠͝H̷̺̘̙̺͓̳̤͉̯̃̿̈́́̋̅̑̂͛̅͌͂̄̌̋͝Ḩ̴͓̰̖̙̥̤̭̠̞̱̖̱̳̼̗͈̗̤̜̜͂́̀̽̔͛͑̈́̆̃͛͂̉̋̎͜͠͝"̶̨̺̱̩̖̈́̄̑͂͊͌̎̈͠

.

.

And a split second later, he is in front of me, more mountain than man. And all I see is the flash of roiling black and a flash of gray, before miraculously, Mashu moves in front of me with a yell and digs her giant shield into the ground to block the upward swing of his jagged sword–

*CLANG*

–but it's a futile gesture. The sword, rather, the giant hunk of stone pretending to be a sword, tears through the ground on its way up– And hits the shield with the speed, strength and ferocity of a whirlwind. The impact of the blade is solid, but edge does not reach me or Mashu, blocked by her powerful shield.

However, just because Mashu's shield didn't give in, does no mean that she had the inhumane strength required to stop the storm of death that is his swing.

I feel Mashu's body hit mine with quite a bit of force, knocking the air out of my lungs– And my feet leave the touch of solid ground as three feet of solid asphalt, Mashu's shield, she herself, and I all go flying up high into the sky.

The shield dematerializes up in the air, having protected us from the brunt of the damage but unable to keep its shape from the great force behind the attack. The fatal attack had been blocked, but even the dampened impact of it was enough to send me reeling. I feel like the very air-pressure from that blow would have flattened my internal organs had I not Reinforced my body to the max.

And the giant with red and gold eyes had only used a single hand to swing the hunk of stone that was shaped like a sword.

And as I tumble up in the air with the wind completely knocked out of my body, I feel my consciousness leaving me. The last thing I hear is Mashu's concerned voice calling out to me and another deafening roar released by the monster who just sent the both of us flying. And but a single thought passes through my head before darkness claims my thoughts.

... Isn't this guy a little too strong to be in the tutorial area?


Kinda need you peeps to help me think up of a trigger to cast magecraft, for Protag-kun. Much like our resident tsundere explained, we can't have our main boy risk his nervous system shutting down every time he attempts to use magic. And as the end of the chapter probably shows, he's gonna need to use it sooner than Olga Marie would have liked. Some other example of mental triggers include a gun cocking, for Shirou, and stabbing herself in the chest, for Rin. So give me your ideas on what it should be for our MC!

Also, just finished watching "Lord El-Melloi II's Case Files {Rail Zeppelin} Grace Note", and now "Magic Detectives" just became my new favorite genre. It is a criminally under-rated Fate anime, and frankly very much worth a watch, please give it a chance. The OST, the opening and the ending are unique and beautiful to listen to, the side characters are all interesting, have distinct personalities and don't feel bland or boring in the least. Tsukihime references, Fate/Apocrypha references and even Fate/Grand Order references galore; kid Olga is still the same adorkable affection-starved tsundere suffering from daddy issues we know and love.

I mean like 90% of all the Nasu-verse problems would be solved by addition of a decent father/mentor figure in the lives of these characters. I'm not even asking for good, just be decent and do the bare minimum, like ya know, not selling off your younger daughter to creepy old men with worm fetishes (you all know who I'm talking about, honestly one of the few good things Kirei did in canon was back-stab Tokiomi). Like the best candidate we got for a good dad is Kiritsugu... and oof. Love his character, but even he's got enough red flags to make a shroud for every single person he's killed.

And if all this and Waver's impeccable character development is still not enough to convince you to give this anime a try... Well, do it for the waifus! We've got best girl Gray, essentially Mashu if she was a Saber-face! The sadistic loli step-sister of Waver who's also a raging alcoholic! The blond noble chick who threw hands with Rin at the end of UBW and is a fan of pro-wrestling! A lady who could pass off as Kotomine's twin sister! And more, so check out this anime right now if, like Waver, you too want more of Iskandar!

Thank you for reading so far, and hope you enjoyed it! Hope to see you in the next chapter, until then- Adios!