Humanity's Last (Master) Counsellor

by Morii Hikikko

Chaldea safeguards the world from all kinds of threats however, with the surge in the number of Servants, it became clear that the biggest danger at the moment are the relationships between these Heroic Spirits. In order to avert this crisis, Humanity's Last Master is assigned a new mission. New cover by my good friend criselda.

14. Chapter 14

This chapter is entirely a product of my imagination and has no implication to the main story of FGO.

Any event/s written here that may correspond to the source material or reality in the future is nothing more but coincidence.

That being said, FGO and other Fate franchises may still be referenced so please be careful of spoilers.

---

Chapter 14 – Humanity's Next Enemy

Humanity's Last Master.

It's a title held by a young man who, unbeknownst to majority of the human race, saved the world on multiple occasions by removing the cause of humanity's demise before the effects manifested in the current timeline.

Even though there are no public records of his exploits to prevent panic, it cannot be denied that each and every one of his achievements are worthy enough to be its own legend.

Sufficed to say that with this kind of track record, Hachiman Hikigaya may very well become a Heroi-

"Master to Command Room, come in. Do you read me?"

A husky voice, one that sounded like it came from a person who was exhausted yet still continued doing his job properly, rang inside the Command Room.

Following that, an image of the caller was displayed on the main monitor. Despite the high resolution it supported, the other party's location did not seem to have the best illumination so his physical features could not be clearly seen aside from his messy hair which has some partial discoloration as well as his eyes that looked even more terrifying than usual due to him being on high alert.

He may have aged a bit over the years but this was still the same Master who tirelessly fought for the entire human race, Hachiman Hikigaya.

As it was in the middle of the night and the current operation's danger level was relatively low, there was only one person manning the Command Room.

The Universal Genius. The Mona Lisa.

Caster Class Servant. True Name: Leonardo Da Vinci.

"This is Da Vinci from the Command Room. I can read you loud and clear, Master," the genius who is currently sporting the appearance of a little girl saying that it's her low power mode saluted.

Used to most of her antics, Hachiman didn't bother reacting and just went on with his status report.

"The location hinted to us was a hit. I'll be inspecting it more closely shortly after this…" he waited for a confirmation from Chaldea's side but upon not getting a reply after almost half a minute of dead silence, the now veteran Master had no other choice but to call for the Command Room's attention once again. "…Da Vinci?"

"Oh, right. Sorry about that. I spaced out a little while I was finishing up what I was doing," Da Vinci finally snapped out of her daze and replied. "So is there anything in particular that you found strange?"

"That's…"

Growl.

Hachiman's train of thought was interrupted by an unpleasant sound that made him frown.

"…I'll come back to you in a bit."

Beep.

The boundless sea and a rich variety of seafood. Such were the things one would normally associate with the word Mediterranean.

What was in front of Hachiman Hikigaya's eyes however was far from that.

It was a dark corridor that hasn't seen the light of day for who knows how long.

In this darkness, several shadows squirmed in ways that couldn't possibly be how a living being would normally move.

With his eyes now used to the absence of light, Hachiman could clearly see the masses of flesh that were hoarded in this place like they were livestock.

Those things all came in indistinct shapes but their most common trait is how they were around three times the size of an average person. It had two to four limbs and the places where they are attached on the main body varied from one another. Some of them looked like they were inflated like balloons and others were as thin as twigs but none of them seemed to be able to carry the weight of their central body so every time this thing moved, it ended up scraping the ground, making a similar sound to when you spread jelly on a slice of bread. This, along with their incomprehensible cry which was like a dirge, can be heard all throughout this dark chamber. These grotesque bodies leave behind a trail of liquid which, because of how much has been accumulated in this place, could be picked up by the nose even from afar whether one intended to or not. It smelled of iron, lactic acid and ammonia at the same time which translates to this fluid being a mixture of blood, sweat and urine.

These were the failures of the Demi-Servant Project; a process of artificially implanting the Saint Graph of a Heroic Spirit into the body of a human to make them function as Servants. Through this, a Demi-Servant is granted the abilities of the Heroic Spirit within them. Unlike Pseudo-Servants, the Heroic Spirit has minimal control of the shared form; instead, the human merged with the Heroic Spirit uses its abilities as if they were their own.

In other words, it skips the whole bonding process between Master and Servant and fuses them into one entity. It can be said to be a direct upgrade to the system because of this except... The success rate for this experiment is abysmally low, practically equal to zero even.

As species capable of logic and reason, what humans should do here next after seeing that the odds are not looking good in theory is to conduct more research or perhaps look for other alternatives, maybe even stop considering this idea altogether. Literally any other option is better than proceeding with the current methodology.

And what choice do the humans decide to make?

The absolute worst one of them all.

It was to offset the odds by using sheer numbers.

Hence, away from the eyes of the public, countless lives are sacrificed every single day because of this Demi-Servant experiment.

No matter how many times Humanity's Last Master witnessed such a sight, it still sickened him, not just in a literal sense but in a moral sense.

To think he worked his entire being off to the bone for the sake of all humanity and a minority of them could choose to use their own brethren for the sake of their personal goals… Sometimes, he couldn't help but think that maybe some part of humanity deserves to be erased… But of course, given who he is and what title he held, he could never say such an outrageous thought out loud, without the proper setup, that is.

"I'll put you all to rest soon," Hachiman said to no one in particular as he began to walk towards the middle of this place.

Nearby civilians have already been evacuated and Hachiman has already confirmed with his enhanced senses that all involved personnel in this factory have been dealt with one way or another so all that's left to do was the actual clean-up.

He let the magic power dwelling on his body run wild to the point that it now surrounded his body like a suit of armor.

Growl. Growl. Growl. Growl. Growl. Growl. Growl. Growl. Growl. Growl.

The fight-or-flight instincts of the lumps of flesh triggered and they all noticed the intruder approaching them.

Though they may look like this, in the end, these things too want to live… Unfortunately, Hachiman Hikigaya cannot give them that option. If beings like these go rogue en masse all of a sudden, who knows what kind of disaster will befall upon this world?

For the sake of the people living their life to the fullest everyday and so that the owners of these bodies who were simply victims in all this do not end up bloodying their hands, they must be purged from this world. This is their only path to salvation. Needless to say, once the masterminds have been identified, he swore he will make them suffer an even crueler fate.

"Stab and penetrate. Thrust and impale," his eyes which were like that of a dead fish suddenly turned scarlet and along with that, an eerie glow was being emanated by the blood-red spear on his hand. "Gae Bolg Alternative."

Red light flashed multiple times a second and along with it came the sound of flesh being gouged apart. In the pitch-black darkness it looked like crimson thunderbolts descended from the sky to purge all the evil in the land.

The Soaring Spear Of Piercing Death.

As a weapon that could even slay Gods, there was no need to check whether anything was left alive after that onslaught.

Annihilation was all but assured.

Beep.

"Done?" Da Vinci's cheerful voice echoed on the terminal that was set to loudspeaker.

"More or less," Hachiman flicked the spear that was held with his other hand to get rid of the fluid that got stuck on it. "This location is indeed brimming with materials that is used for the Demi-Servant Project like we expected however..."

"There is no clear evidence on who's pulling the strings behind the shadows, I presume," the little girl in the Command Room supplemented.

"Exactly. It feels like we're just being led around the nose. For all we know, they could be cooking up a different scheme right at this very moment while I'm still stuck here," Hachiman brought a hand to his temple and began massaging it. "Also, this is like the seventh time that I had to travel so far this week. I can't deal with this anymore. That's it. I'm done. It's over. I quit. I want to retire."

Da Vinci ignored the cynic's monotone protests which she's heard countless of times in the past years they've worked together.

"It seems like your predictions are really coming to pass."

Hachiman wasn't offended by his Servant's response at all and just shrugged.

"Now that virtually every foreign enemy to humanity has been dealt with, who else are we going pick a fight with next but ourselves?" he grumbled as he walked out of the dark corridor. Upon reaching the exit, he stood guard on that spot and waited for the support staff from Chaldea who he's asked for earlier while harboring a faint hope that these trained professionals might be able to find something valuable that he missed. "Anyone would come to that conclusion as this is nothing more than human nature coming into play. It's no rocket science just pure and simple logic."

"In the same way that wickedness exists in people, so too does kindness," Da Vinci casual remark made her Master flinch. "I'm sure there are people still out there who we can put our faith in and help us offset things."

Slightly embarrassed, Hachiman scratched the back of his head and turned away, kicking a random pebble in the process.

"They should hurry up and show themselves then," he raised his head up high and looked at the foreign country's sky which was dyed with the colors of twilight. "The world can only wait for so long."

"Don't worry. Chaldea is recruiting a lot of people even as we speak," Da Vinci tried to reassure him with a smile.

"I really do appreciate the support but given the circumstances we have at our hands, I'll still be the only one we can send out on the field," Hachiman scratched his head roughly and sighed for the nth time today. "If those people at the top are so afraid of us because of our power then why are they trying so hard to piss us off? It's very counterproductive in my opinion."

Just as Da Vinci was about to give her own take…

Beep.

…A notification popped out of her terminal, prompting her to go check it first.

"Master," all traces of the genius' playfulness disappeared and in its place, was the visage of the Special Honorary Advisor of Chaldea's Tech Division who was acting as support in almost every single battle faced by her Master and her fellow Servants. "It seems like you have another mission on your hands. From what I've read so far, you need to get ready to depart as soon as you can. You should be receiving your own copy of the mission shortly."

Reading the air, Hachiman's lax expression was also replaced with that of the stoic demeanor of Humanity's Last Master who kept on walking forward while carrying the fate of an entire race on his shoulders.

"Understood. I'll head out immediately once I confirm the arrival of at least one member from the support staff. Please tell them to send an advance party so I can stay in schedule."

"Will do."

While the two of them had that exchange, Hachiman's portable terminal alerted him to a new message it just received. After blitzing through its contents, he couldn't help but frown.

"I don't like the sound of this," he sighed. "And I don't mean that in just a personal level but fundamentally this is just asking for trouble. Just what are they thinking?"

Da Vinci nodded her head and agreed.

"Bigshots in the world of Magecraft all gathered into one place," a bitter smile was plastered on her face. "It sounds like the perfect time to cause an incident."

"It feels like you shouldn't worry about anything as this gathering is extremely top-secret and it's impossible for the likes of even the most elite of terrorists or syndicates to get their hands on this kind of information but…"

"A traitor, is it… Or shall we say, an opportunist?" Da Vinci corrected herself and turned towards her Master who was wearing the same wry expression as her.

"It's the most likely scenario," Hachiman nodded in resignation before scratching the back of his head. "I for one, would like nothing more than for my concerns to be unfounded but if I put myself on our enemy's shoes…"

"It's impossible to ignore such a juicy opportunity, I agree," Da Vinci took out her own portable terminal and began quickly drafting a proposal. "I think I'll have some people look into all the guests who will be invited beforehand. We might be able to find some kind of connection there."

"Yes, please do. Oh and by the way," Hachiman was about to end the transmission then and there when he suddenly recalled something. "Do we already have a branch office near where this gathering would be held?"

Leonardo Da Vinci was a little confused about the Master's strange inquiry out of nowhere but still answered him regardless.

"The site itself is a work in progress but rest assured the people we've sent over are all skilled and trustworthy."

Hachiman gave a satisfied nod. If these people could earn such words of praise from a person with standards as high as Da Vinci's, then he could put his faith on them as well.

"In that case," a genuine smile graced Hachiman's features which made Da Vinci subconsciously press the capture button. It was a rare enough expression for this jaded cynic to make nowadays that she was certain some of her fellow Servants would wage a civil war just to get a copy of it from her. Needless to say, she kept such thoughts to herself as she listened to her Master's request. "Can I ask them to make a relatively big transaction on my behalf?"

…

In order for any organization to prosper, manpower is an absolute must, doubly so for Chaldea whose ultimate goal is as grand as identifying and eliminating threats that endanger the human race.

Having gotten a relatively later start compared to other magi societies, it's safe to say that the cream of the crop has already been taken so Chaldea couldn't afford to be too choosy with their personnel selection.

Those from families with meager history, those who cannot inherit or are not compatible with their family's magic crests and of course, those who just happened to stumble upon Magecraft… More than 50% of Chaldea's newest recruits fell on either of those categories.

Magi raised through the traditional manner may brand these individuals as rejects, failures of incompetent but all of them are welcomed with open arms here in Chaldea.

After all, the very person which allowed Chaldea and humanity itself to get this far was the same kind of person.

Having learned from previous occasions, the various brilliant minds which serve as the organization's think tank figured that it was best to have a mobile ship serve as their headquarters as it can provide a more direct support to its Master over a stationary base.

With that in mind, the Interdimensional Mobile Stronghold: CRADLE was constructed.

It is a humungous ship that makes the likes of the Storm Border look tiny in comparison. In fact, it had the capacity to dock two of those kinds of ships and still have room for more. In other words, CRADLE performed the function of a base, carrier and battleship at the same time.

Its colors are very similar to that of the Storm Border with its white and gold theme but it put much more emphasis on capacity rather than mobility with its overall design concept closer to that of the Hanging Gardens Of Babylon rather than something like Bright Ehangwen.

This behemoth of a machine is an amalgamation of all kinds of technologies that Chaldea picked up from the Singularities and Lostbelts it has fixed so far and is therefore has exclusive use to it and is not allowed to share its specifications to any country or organization so as not to upset the world balance.

Yes, despite doing everything they can in the past few years for the sake of humanity, Chaldea, is now under careful scrutiny by the entire world as a global threat.

As unfair as it sounds, their concern was a little understandable. Imagine waking up after a long sleep and being told that the world ended during your slumber and a group of people somehow prevented that from happening so it's all fine now... Anyone with a decent head on their shoulders would immediately press X to express their doubt. After all, it is oftentimes the truth that is the hardest thing to believe.

As such, much explanation has to be given to Chaldea's new recruits in order for them to get a better grasp of what this organization has achieved so far.

This important task is delegated to the trustworthy Nemo Marine.

"The Chaldea Security Organization is a secret agency founded by Marisbury Animusphere with the purpose of preventing the certain extinction of the human race. Its battle for humanity's survival earnestly began when an accident during their first official operation sent all the other Masters into a coma and the only Rayshift-compatible magus remaining in the base became Hachiman Hikigaya, the one we now know as Humanity's Last Master."

Cheer. Cheer. Cheer.

"Wow…!"

"To work alongside such a wonderful person…!"

"I'm gonna try my hardest…!"

"I wonder if I can ever get his autograph…"

The monitor behind Nemo showed pictures of all mentioned personnel so far, each profile garnering a certain level of applause with the rookie Master back then reigning on the top.

Was it in respect to his achievements or due to them having a similar starting point? Regardless, Nemo was happy for the recognition her Master is getting.

"From then on, Chaldea went against threats to human extinction of all kinds like Singularities, Demon God Pillars, Beasts, Sub-Singularities, Lostbelts, Machine Gods among all others and triumphed over them all. Had we lost to either one of these, neither of us would be standing here today and having this discussion."

Images of Chaldea's fallen adversaries were now pasted on the screen and as if their appearances weren't terrifying enough already, their corresponding data was placed right beside them to better showcase just how powerful they really are.

"Oh! He fought something like that?!"

"That… Should look even worse in real life right…?"

"No matter how you look at it, isn't this impossible?!"

Instead of addressing their doubts, Nemo just let the next part of her presentation play which contained short highlights of how Hachiman overturned such hopeless odds time and time again.

"Amazing!"

"Unbelievable!"

"They really did it…"

The hype battle BGM was then replaced by a more mellow tone after the end of a clip of Chaldea's most recent decisive battle.

This was Nemo Marine's cue to talk to her mic once again.

"Of course, the road we've taken is not all flowers and rainbows. As some of you may already know, a lot of sacrifices had to be made in order for us to get this far..."

The names of the staff who were taken out back from the assassination attempt of Lev Lainur and the raid of the forces from the Russian Lostbelt were put on screen one-by-one.

"…"

The air around the newly recruited group became somber, with some even brought to tears as they happen to be relatives of the deceased. At the same time, they also felt afraid as given the positions that they've applied, those personnel could easily be them in the future if they were unlucky.

"…As such, Chaldea will keep moving forward," Nemo's firm declaration dispelled the gloomy atmosphere. "The best way for us to properly honor our fallen comrades is by striving towards the organization's objectives as much as we can."

The inspiring message made the youngsters clench their fists with passion and those who cried hastily wiped off their tears with their sleeves.

"I'll do my part too!"

"I as well!"

"I'll make sure to not be a burden at the very least."

Their responses made Nemo nod in approval.

"That's a good attitude to have everyone," she made a thumbs-up gesture before proceeding. "As much as I would like to tell you all of Chaldea's exploits so far, I think my meager storytelling skills are nowhere near enough to convey the details properly so for those who are curious, please peruse the available records in your earliest vacancy. I highly encourage you to do so. For now," the screen behind her turned off as the orientation moved on to its next part: a question-and-answer segment. "Can anyone tell me what is the current Chaldea's structure and goal?"

"Yes!" one of the recruits, a passionate guy brimming with the youthful energy of a competitive sports club member raised his hand to answer. "The current iteration of Chaldea is called Neo Chaldea, a neutral organization that primarily focuses on researching ways to prevent the collapse of humanity by looking at various significant points in our timeline."

Nemo didn't quite say whether he was right or wrong in order to stick to the same topic for a while.

"Anyone else has something to add?"

"Excuse me!" the one who called out was a bespectacled girl with a reserved aura around her oftentimes associated with a library committee member. "Neo Chaldea is also looking into ways to help solve all kinds of global crisis like food shortage, environmental damage, animal extinction and housing of refugees which are taken care of by its corresponding subsidiary companies…"

Before Nemo could say anything else…

"But in order for other countries and organizations to continue to honor Neo Chaldea's stance in neutrality, the only weaponry it must possess are the defense systems mounted on its base and they must also, under no circumstances employ any magus with experience or specializes in combat arts."

…Another interjection came from a young man with an intelligent but cold gaze. In other words, the misunderstood honor student type.

After waiting for a while and seeing that no one else wanted to pitch in, Nemo Marine clapped a few times.

"I see that some of you have already done their research. Very commendable. That is all correct but there is however one other exception to the last rule that was mentioned and that is none other than," she raised her index finger for emphasis before pointing towards the monitor which now displayed a more mature version of a person that was shown just earlier. Besides his profile was a contraption that can be considered Neo Chaldea's secret weapon. "The Guardian Heroic Spirit Summoning System FATE, the core of which is currently fused with the body of Humanity's Last Master."

…

Chiba.

In a company where only the most elite could even hope to apply, a grand surprise was waiting for one of its employees.

"Is Hikiga-… I mean, Kawasaki-san present?"

"Yes?"

The one who answered was not a woman with long bluish-silver hair tied in a ponytail but one with shoulder-length black hair instead. She wore a plain white dress shirt underneath her blazer and pencil skirt which both shared the same shade of gray. Despite her plain getup, this woman still stood out in the office because of her cheerful demeanor and competence in her work.

Her name is Komachi Kawasaki, formerly known as Komachi Hikigaya.

"Someone dropped a parcel for you downstairs. Strangely enough, it was still addressed to your name before you were married so it might have been a blunder of theirs in the past that they've only managed to deal with just recently."

Huh? Was there ever a package in the past that was never delivered to me? I wonder…

"Ah, understood. I'll be there in a second."

Despite harboring such doubts, Komachi decided to receive said item so as not to trouble her coworkers.

She rode the elevator down to the ground floor where the lady serving as today's concierge was expecting her.

"You're here, Kawasaki-san. This is the parcel in question," she pointed towards a small box that was just sitting on top of her worktable which looked completely out-of-place in this elite company's front desk. "I asked the delivery guy to wait for you but they insisted on just dropping it off and leaving instead."

"Is that so? Did you ask who or where it was from?"

The receptionist shook her head.

"I did but all he said was that you'll know once you open it."

"Ahahaha. I'm not sure if I should feel more nervous or more relieved."

Even the bright and optimistic Komachi couldn't help but be concerned after hearing such a cryptic statement.

"No need to worry too much Kawasaki-san. Our building's security personnel are really reliable so something that is even remotely dangerous won't be allowed entry," the woman assured Komachi with a smile. In the next second, reluctance clouded over her expression. "I know it's a little sudden but if it's not too much trouble, may I ask you for a little favor, Kawasaki-san?"

Komachi felt that this request was probably the real reason why this woman kept encouraging her but decided not to say it out loud.

"Yes. How can I help you?"

The lady receptionist put her hands together and pleaded.

"I'm supposed to be on my morning break now and I haven't had breakfast yet so can I ask you to watch the lobby for a short while? Don't worry, nothing usually happens around this time of the day but you know, just in case."

Since the request wasn't inherently harmful or too troublesome, Komachi decided to accept it.

"No problem. I'll look at what's inside the package while I do so."

"Thank you, Kawasaki-san. You're such a lifesaver!"

The woman grabbed her hands and bowed to Komachi several times in appreciation before finally taking her leave.

What Komachi didn't know however was the person she just talked to was the very same individual who delivered the package. At the moment, this operative from Neo Chaldea was relaying back a message to headquarters to confirm that she completed her delivery.

Such a development couldn't be helped really as Komachi's full attention was on the item that was allegedly hers, not out of greed but purely because of curiosity.

"Eh? This is…!" her hands were immediately drawn towards a letter which came with the package. She could already tell who wrote it just from one glance of its distinct handwriting and without her knowing, tears began to form on her eyes. "…Onii-chan?!"

Dear Komachi,

(Condolences) Congratulations on your wedding, which would probably never happen if I was around so to a certain extent it's a blessing in disguise that I was away but that's beside the point.

This is a little something from me. I hope you continue to live your life with a big smile on your face like you always did even though I can't stick so close to your side all the time anymore.

Just in case you misunderstand, I'm still alive by the way. Sorry that I've only been able to reach out to you now. My current job keeps me working around the clock and moving from place-to-place so I did not have the luxury to sit down and send you a message. Before I knew it, several years already went by but better late than never, I suppose.

My current circumstances aren't so different from before meaning that far from meeting you face-to-face, I still won't be able to contact you as often so don't look for me (you probably won't listen but don't say I didn't warn you). Please tell Mother, Father and to anyone else that still remembers me that I am well.

Sincerely,

Onii-chan.

P.S.

If you ever catch that bug cheating on you or he just made you sad in general, I left a little special something in my gift which should help you deal with the problem instantly. You're welcome.

After reaching the end of the peculiar letter however, Komachi just ended up smiling bitterly. She thought she would be more emotional after reading the first letter he's gotten from her stupid brother in the longest time like letting out a river of tears at least or be furious enough that she will end up unintentionally tearing it apart, only to regret doing so afterwards but the contents and the general mood of his message just prevented her from doing either. As always, that brother of hers was extremely skilled in strange areas but utterly helpless in something basic like calling back home more regularly for instance.

After neatly folding her brother's letter while carrying the intention to read it again when she got back to her apartment, Komachi began checking the rest of the contents of the parcel when…

Jingle.

"Eh?"

…A pleasant metallic sound was picked up by her ears after she set aside some of the contents of the box.

"This is…!"

She blinked twice in surprise before picking up the small item and dangling it close to her eyes.

"…A house key?!"

Still skeptical, Komachi checked out the items she just set aside earlier only to find out that they were all the relevant documents one must have to claim the rights to a property. Notably enough, everything was under her name and the only thing that was lacking is her signature.

"!"

Komachi wanted to scream out loud but as she was still in her workplace, she held herself back for now.

Everything she saw in these past five minutes was just so unbelievable that she couldn't help but think that everything was just a dream.

She returned all the papers as well as the key into the parcel and closed it. She took a deep breath, closed her eyes and stayed in that position as if she was meditating.

Once she opened her eyes again, the box was still right in front of her and its contents were still as shock-inducing as ever.

"EHHHHHHHHHHHHH?!"

This time around Komachi didn't restrain herself anymore as that ear-piercing scream of hers resounded across the entirety of the building that morning.

Later that day.

"President!"

Komachi Kawasaki cried out as she marched inside one of the most important rooms in this company like one would when they are visiting a close friend's home.

Well, in a way, this comparison did indeed apply to these two people.

A sensual woman instead of a middle-aged man with a receding hairline was waiting behind the doors which was labelled President/CEO. Said executive officer is wearing a white ruffle blouse, black skirt and black tights. She hanged her black blazer at the back of her chair and crossed her legs as she looked into the contents of one of the files on her table. Her hair was of a similar length to Komachi's though a closer inspection would reveal that it possessed a slight tinge of violet.

She is the quintessential example for the phrase beauty and brains…But despite being the perfect woman, she was still single, a fact that made her miffed and a topic that the people working under her tread around carefully whenever she's nearby.

She is Haruno Yukinoshita. Current CEO and President of Yukinoshita Corporations.

"What is it, Komachi-chan?" Haruno tilted her head a little playfully while asking before she remembered something a little important. "Wait, we're still at work so I guess I should be calling you Kawasaki-san instead."

"I'd like to take a one week leave of absence," she practically slammed the said document on her boss' table. "Please approve it!"

Rather than offended, the gorgeous CEO was more intrigued instead.

"I certainly don't mind given how Kawasaki-san has contributed so much to the company recently but," she put a hand to her chin and sighed. "If it's a one-week break, you'll miss out on the celebration for the successful deal you landed us on our newest business partner. They seem to be looking forward to meeting you again too," she waved a file around which was labelled with the name of the company they would be working with a lot in the near future. "Our associates in Neo Chaldea, I mean."

"Ah, it can't be helped, President," Komachi scratched the back of her head and smiled apologetically. "I or rather Komachi has a more important event coming up that Komachi just can't miss."

If Haruno wasn't already curious before, she sure as heck was curious now although she didn't let it show on the surface.

"It's fine. I'll approve it no problem," the boss waved off her employee's concerns with her hand. "Now this is nothing more than for the purpose of documentation but for what reason are you taking leave exactly?"

Depending on the answer that Haruno we'll get, she might even consider hiring someone to spy on her employee.

Komachi's professional demeanor all but melted and she flashed a thousand-watt smile. Despite already being married, it was an expression that didn't look too out-of-place on her.

It seems that even now, she was still the world's cutest imouto.

"Komachi is going to move to a house Komachi's Onii-chan gifted to Komachi!"

Slam.

"Huh?!" Haruno unconsciously hit the table hard as she suddenly stood up. "Say that again! Who gifted you what?!

…

The Throne of Heroes.

A place existing outside of both the World and the time axis.

This is where Heroic Spirits from various regions and timelines gather in the hopes of being called to fight for the Holy Grail or for when humanity requires their aid.

It can be thought of as a place similar to Valhalla in Norse Mythology except that the Valkyries here are not guides but a part of the many heroes themselves.

After a certain series of events, one human now has the capability of going in and out of this place by diving deep into his sub-consciousness.

There is a possibility that he is now very close to the existence of a Heroic Spirit but he personally thinks it's a perk he got after becoming the Master to every single Servant in here.

Whether he arrived at such a conclusion through pure logic or him being in denial remains to be a mystery however.

Regardless, that particular individual has once again come to the Throne in order to make a request to a certain Hero who apart from those who hold the Grand title can be said to be one of the most powerful beings here.

As if to show off his wealth, he is a man kitted from head to toe entirely in gold.

The King of Heroes and the Wedge of Heaven.

Archer Class Servant. True Name: Gilgamesh.

"Quite another nasty thing you humans have thought of. And this is partly why we Heroic Spirits remain contracted to only you even after the most recent threat to humanity has come to pass. Some of you just can't be trusted with power," Gilgamesh sneered while resting his head on one of his hands. "Now tell me, do you already know who thought of this atrocious idea?"

His conversation partner was none other than Hachiman Hikigaya who back then, would have knelt on the ground and bowed his head without daring to make eye contact with Uruk's King, is now sitting on the same table with him as equals.

"Unfortunately, it's the very same person who gave humanity the means to avoid extinction," Hachiman admitted somberly.

"Heh, I see," the Gold Archer sent a wave of killing intent to his very own Master. "But then what does this have to do with you, mongrel? And consequently, me?"

"As a representative of the organization which started it all, I must put a stop to this myself," Hachiman put his right hand to the left side of his chest and lowered his head slightly. "And from the information we've gathered so far, I think that it would be difficult to resolve this situation without strength of your level, Your Majesty."

The demigod sighed in disappointment both because of his Master's predictable behavior as well as humanity's greed in general.

"And just how long are you planning on cleaning up the mess that your race keeps on making?" he scoffed. "Didn't you want to live quietly as a househusband?"

"Even if I choose to do that now, I won't be able to fully indulge in that luxury knowing that the masterminds of this project are still at large," Hachiman smiled bitterly.

"This King has an idea," Gilgamesh chuckled. "Why don't you just conquer this world and rule the entire world? Perhaps with you at the helm, humanity might just proper for an eternity," he extended his hand out to Hachiman as he continued to whisper the words of the devil. "How about it? With your current power, it should be laughably easy."

"I agree that world domination would be a piece of cake with everyone's help and I'd be lying if I said that I hadn't thought about it before however I don't think I'll be able to achieve something you of all people failed to do, Your Majesty," Humanity's Last Master admitted without a hint of embarrassment. "Besides, doesn't that sound way too troublesome? I technically haven't given up on my dream of becoming a househusband just yet," he shrugged nonchalantly in the end.

Gilgamesh glared fiercely at his Master who met that vicious look of his with a lax smile.

The two were in that kind of a deadlock for a while and no matter how much pressure the King of Uruk applied with his gaze, Hachiman Hikigaya's countenance remained unmoving, wordlessly saying that he has already made his decision and that he won't budge no matter what means are used.

In the end…

"Ah! Whatever! I give you full permission to use my powers so vanish from my sight now before I change my mind," he sighed in resignation and ruffled his hair in annoyance.

…It was the King of Heroes who yielded first.

"I thank you for your magnanimity, Gil," the nature of Hachiman's smile changed into that of appreciation with a small hint of mischief.

"You cheeky little…!" Gilgamesh tried to act offended but the edges of his lips which were curled a bit upwards suggested that he was a little delighted to be called by that nickname. "Quickly settle this so I can come back to perusing the latest treasures that this world has to offer!"

Chaldea's Master bowed in appreciation one last time before taking his leave not just in Gilgamesh's presence but the Throne entirely… At least that was his original plan before he stumbled upon a certain Heroic Spirit who he probably owed more from something else aside from them fighting on his behalf.

While their relationship is that of Master and Servant, they also happen to be Disciple and Mentor respectively.

"I don't remember raising such a rude disciple who would not greet his Shishou if he was visiting nearby," a gorgeous lady in a dark purple bodysuit complained in a sullen mood.

She is a God Slayer and the Queen of the Land of Shadows.

Lancer Class Servant. True Name: Scathach.

Hachiman immediately bowed to greet her.

"This unworthy disciple figured that Shishou was busy with her own training and didn't want to disturb her."

Seeing her Master's response made the Lancer feel a little guilty.

He isn't really obligated to come see her like she just said, it was more like she was the one who wanted to see him. After all, as his Shishou, it is imperative that she regularly checks in on her student's current well-being and what better way to do so than meet him personally… Or so goes the excuse she repeats to herself.

"At ease. You're only ever this respectful to me when you're in trouble," Scathach took a brief glance at Hachiman's current physique and nodded in approval like a proud sister, mother or lo-… Teacher. "Still hard at work?"

"Yes. I try my best every day," Humanity's Last Master clenched his hand and proudly showed off some of his arm's muscles in response.

"You've already worked hard enough for several lifetimes," the teacher voiced out her concerns for her beloved pupil. "Wouldn't you say it's about time to call it quits?"

"This particular case is a personal responsibility of mine," he pointed his thumb to the center of his chest. "My current existence gave birth, no, brought this disastrous project back to this world after all. Just the fact that a rookie Magus such as myself suddenly became one of the most powerful individuals to ever walk this planet would probably tempt even the most ascetic of monks."

Scathach shook her head, put a hand to her student's shoulder and unconsciously gripped it.

"That was beyond your control. If you hadn't done such a thing you would…!" the Queen of the Land of Shadows realized she was overstepping her boundaries and pulled back her hand. "I said too much… Now that you've decided on what you want to do, see it through to the end. You may always call upon my power whenever you wish."

"Thank you very much, Shishou. I will do my utmost in order to live up to your expectations," remembering the fact that he had to do something in exchange for permission to use Gilgamesh's powers, Hachiman thought it was only proper to do the same for Scathach and knowing her, there was only one thing she desired, not counting her own demise that is. "It's been a while so shall we spar together when I get back to the base?"

The God Slayer sighed but that gesture of hers failed to completely hide the slight coloration of her cheeks, a sight which Hachiman noticed but didn't comment on.

"Hah. My disciple, isn't it about time that you've gotten over this nasty bad habit of yours?"

Hachiman blinked twice in disbelief.

"Eh? Wait, don't tell me that was an out?"

The sight of her usually stoic student panicking made the Mentor chuckle.

"Haha. Well, I guess I am to blame too so just for today, I won't say a word to anybody else."

In a rare playful mood, Scathach put her index finger to her nose and winked.

You say that and all but isn't what you're doing borderline illegal too?

Was the last thought in the head of Humanity's Last Master before the Throne sent him back to reality.

Tokyo.

Inside a VIP room of one of the most expensive hotels of Japan.

"I'm back, huh…:

Hachiman Hikigaya commented after seeing the… Not even the ceiling but a large chandelier that was mounted on the bedroom of all places where one is supposed to go sleep and rest. He really didn't understand what is even the point of it being there. The bed was soft and fluffy though so he couldn't really complain about this room too much. Such articles are probably what you would expect from such a luxurious hotel.

As a side note, the staff at Chaldea will always arrange his itinerary in the grandest manner possible every time he is dispatched on a mission: a first-class flight, a suite in a five-star hotel, meals on the finest of restaurants and if the time permits it, reservations for miscellaneous services like museum tours, massages, theme park tickets and etc.

He would be lying if he said he didn't like it but sometimes, it does get a little excessive.

In other words, it is a case of suffering from success.

Despite supposedly being jetlagged and the fact that he had to hop on a plane immediately after completing his previous assignment, Hachiman felt strangely refreshed after waking up. This was most likely a little bonus that either of the two or even both of the Servants he talked to back at the Throne did for him which is very much appreciated.

Like any other person living in the middle of modern society, the first thing that Hachiman checked upon waking up is his phone, which in his case is equal to the portable terminal.

As expected, a message was waiting for him after he opened it.

Call me once you're available.

Following the instruction, Hachiman clicked on the sender's name and selected the call option.

The call went through almost instantaneously, as if the other side has been waiting all this time for him to do so.

The holographic image generated by the device showed a plump middle-aged man with blond hair, blue eyes and an impressive mustache.

He is Goredolf Musik. The current owner and director of the large corporations supporting Neo Chaldea.

Now while he may give off the airs of your typical arrogant noble, twirling his mustache with one hand and holding a wineglass in the other, deep inside, he's actually just a big softie.

The fact that he allocated some time off of his hectic schedule to check up on his subordinate is proof enough of such a fact. He just has a little trouble in expressing himself.

"Good morning, Hachiman or should I say good evening?" [1]

"It's dawn here at Japan, Director Goredolf," Hachiman corrected his superior while smirking. "So yeah, good morning."

With how the scale of Neo Chaldea has expanded throughout the years, Goredolf now didn't have any leeway to stay cooped in the base but instead have to fly around the world to act as a representative on the corporate side of Neo Chaldea.

In a way, they are two sides of the same coin.

"I already told you to please stop calling me that," the old Magus complained while frowning, revealing some of the wrinkles on his face that came with his age.

"Sorry, it's a habit," Hachiman shrugged. "At this point, it's more like a nickname so it still expresses just how close we are."

"Bah! Whatever, I can never seem to win in an exchange of words against you but that's enough with the pleasantries, I suppose," he cleared his throat. "We just got some brand-new information this morning. I'm sorry. I know you have an important meeting to get to later but I need you to deal with this as soon as possible."

Hachiman waved Goredolf's concerns away with one of his hands.

"Don't be. This is my main job after all."

The director sighed, fully expecting this kind of reply from his employee.

"Our staff nearby will support you with every resource they can muster. It might be a trap so be doubly careful. Lastly," Goredolf leaned forward, his holographic image as displayed by the portable terminal made him look taller than Hachiman. "Don't overdo it."

"That goes without saying," Hachiman nodded earnestly. "You take care of yourself too, Uncle."

Goredolf coughed to hide his embarrassment.

"…Then, I'll be waiting for the good news. Until then."

The transmission ended there and an email notification arrived shortly afterwards with the details for Hachiman's brand-new mission on top of the one he is currently undertaking. Not only that, Goredolf himself attached an entire compilation of the history of his current target to help him conduct his mission in a more effective manner.

"The Matou Family, is it?" Hachiman grumbled before grabbing a towel and heading straight to the bathroom. "Sounds very familiar."

…

Several hours later.

"For what reason would the esteemed Humanity's Last Master visit the humble residence of my family?" the grandiose greeting was made by a middle-aged man who introduced himself as the current Matou Family head. His most prominent feature would be his curly hair which despite having a dark blue hue reminded one of seaweed. Like most magi, it was hard to determine what his actual age might be but outwardly, he looked to be around his late thirties or early forties.

As expected of a magus family with a rich history, current prowess notwithstanding, the mansion was laden with furniture and magical apparatuses one cannot ordinarily buy even with an exorbitant amount of money.

That is not to say that these items are gaudy or flamboyant for no reason. Each and every single one of these articles have their own rich history that even the most avid of collectors will not be able to recognize their value as they are not oriented with Magecraft.

"I'm sure you've already received a notice in advance but," Hachiman showed off all relevant documents and placed them on the table. "I have full authority to conduct an investigation on the entirety of your estate so I would like one of your personnel to give me a tour," he put on an uncharacteristic overbearing air and purposely laid out an unreasonable demand to test the waters however…

"Understood," the Matou head bowed. "It may be a little presumptuous of me but this family head will personally serve as your guide."

…The prey wasn't taking the bait so easily.

Then again, it's not as if he only prepared one way of infuriating them.

"Oh! You seem to have a lot of time in your hands, family head," Hachiman sarcastically jabbed.

"Well, if you were to put the words occupied and vacant in a scale then I would definitely be leaning towards the former however," he smiled craftily. "It's not to the point where I would not be able to entertain a distinguished guest such as yourself."

The first part of the inspection/tour was largely uneventful as it only involved the multiple floors of the mansion and its gardens. Turns out, the spells cast around the valuables there were only limited to protection and preservation. Despite the presumed value of all the antiques present inside the mansion, it was still nothing more than what it presents itself on the surface, a luxurious house.

The main event came when Hachiman Hikigaya was brought to the large underground basement of the Matou Estate and what waited for him down there was a sight that was sure to scar a child for life.

"…"

"Right here Chaldea's Master, is none other than the pride of our family."

Squirm. Screech. Squirm. Screech. Squirm. Screech. Squirm. Screech. Squirm. Screech. Squirm. Screech.

A cacophony that made one wish they were deaf replaced what should have been the applause or cheers present after such a grand introduction.

In what seemed to be a bottomless pit that was dug on the middle of this hidden chamber, countless small entities, around the size of an adult's index finger, wriggled and cried out endlessly. They are dark green in color and if it weren't for the antennae, the tail and the spikes protruding around their backs, their overall shape would resemble that of a phallus.

These are called Crest Worms, a Magic Crest unique to the Matou Family and is currently the only known example of a Magic Crest that can be passed down to someone outside of the bloodline. Once implanted to an individual, these worms can not only expand one's natural magic circuits but also act as artificial ones after a certain incubation period is completed. They feed on magical energy and can continuously channel it even when their host is no longer alive.

As eerie as all this sounds, there virtually isn't anything wrong with it as this is strictly nothing more than a Magus Family's legacy. For a family of mages with a long enough history, you were bound to find a couple of the messed-up things their ancestors did in the past once you dig deep enough. That's pretty much the norm and most families would turn a blind eye to such atrocities because they have their own hidden agenda that they didn't want to be disclosed to the public.

The problem comes from how these worms are being used very recently.

The Hosts, dead or alive, with improved magical circuits via application of Crest Worms are now being used for the accursed Demi-Servant Project and according to Chaldea's sources, it has shown an improvement in results. It wasn't significant enough to quantify it in terms of a numerical figure just yet but it was a slight upgrade nonetheless.

This is where Neo Chaldea drew the line.

Having already read through their information before coming here, Hachiman let the family head's explanation go through one ear and out the other, majority of them were a super sugarcoated version of what he already knew about and the rest were borderline lies.

"…And this concludes our tour for today," the family head bowed. "Is this sufficient enough to show you our sincerity, Master from Chaldea?"

"I guess," Hachiman shrugged before smiling impishly. "But I find it hard to believe that such a large space is only housing this singular pit."

The patriarch put a hand to his chest and bowed.

"I'm begging your pardon but what we've kept hidden away from your eyes are scenes that I don't think an average human can handle."

"Even more appalling than all those things down there?" the younger magus shot back instantly.

Despite being asked in such a rude manner, the Matou head answered patiently.

"If I had to describe them in words then they are something like the applications of our theory. I hope you understand after I've said this much."

"I see," Hachiman kept smiling but the light dwelling on his eyes was hostile. "And would those applications happen to be called Demi-Servants?"

"D-D-Demi-Servants?! Surely you jest. Of course, we have no such thing!"

The patriarch feigned ignorance and it might've worked too if he was dealing with anyone else except for Hachiman Hikigaya.

"As Humanity's Last Master, my life is intimately tied with Heroic Spirits so from the moment I stepped into this room, I could tell albeit vaguely that you're hiding countless of them," the cynic's glare with his bottomless orbs frightened albeit briefly, the much much older magus in front of him. "The jig is up Matou Family Head!" he smirked. "Or should I say Zouken Matou?"

"A pity," the expression on the family head, no, on Zouken Matou distorted into something monstrous. "You would have had a far less painful death if you just kept quiet."

Twitch.

The Hikigaya ahoge sensed the danger and sent its warning and at the same time, two figures approached Hachiman from behind him.

Boom.

An explosion swallowed the figure of Humanity's Last Master.

With that much firepower and at such a close distance, ashes would be all that's left of an ordinary human… Yes, an ordinary human.

Hachiman Hikigaya however is far from one.

In the split second that Zouken's lackeys tried to restrain him, he subconsciously began weaving the spell words for the ritual that earned him his current moniker.

"Come forth from the circle of restraint, Guardian of the Heavenly Scales, Caster!"

In an instant, the trademark white of the Standard Chaldea uniform, which also functioned as a Mystic Code, that Hachiman wore turned into purple as if it was dyed. A shroud which is green on the outside and had a purple shade on the other then manifested over the shirt.

While it may appear as nothing more than an elegant piece of clothing to ordinary civilians, ancient energies like that of an artifact from the Age of Gods dwelled on the robe. Aside from the article of clothing, a part of Hachiman's hair became blue violet and his eyes also glowed with the same color.

Caster Class Servant. True Name: Medea.

The unassuming magical garment enveloped Hachiman from head to toe, shielding him from the surprise attack. Such a move was simply insurance however as possessing a Rank A+ in Mana stat basically meant that he is impervious to pretty much anything a modern Magus could throw at him.

"So it turned out like this in the end, huh," Hachiman remarked as he got out of the smoke. "But did you really think an attack of that level would take me out?"

Hachiman gathered mana to his hands as he took one step forward in an attempt to confront Zouken however…

"I advise you not to proceed any further," the Matou patriarch smiled dastardly as he pointed his transfigured hand that looked like that of a beast's towards the neck of one of the people who supposedly worked for him. "Lest you want to see me murder all these people."

Chaldea's Master cast a disgusted look at the old man because of his underhanded scheme before dispelling his magic and raising both of his hands in surrender.

"Let those people go, Zouken. I'll hear out your demands."

As he stands in the side of humanity, Hachiman could not dare to forsake anyone that can still be saved.

The lips of the patriarch of the Matou Family twisted in glee although by no means did it look like an expression a human could possibly make no matter how elated they are.

"Here!" he tossed a crest worm that was around twice its average size and gave off a more ominous aura than others. "Swallow this worm and I'll let these people go."

Hachiman glared at Zouken as he approached the said worm and…

Snap.

…With a flick of his fingers, burned the cursed thing into cinders.

"Is this it?" he said disappointingly. "Taking hostages? That's the best scheme you can come up with to fool me? Naïve. Isn't it obvious that you will have no need to keep your word once I'm under your control?"

The Crest Worms are not only the Matou Family Crest, they are also Zouken Matou's familiars. As such, those who take one of them into their bodies, will fall under his control. Furthermore, if their sense of identity is lost in the process, Zouken can even take over their bodies completely, turning them into his body-doubles.

"So you didn't fall for it. Still, do you not care what happens to these people?"

Hachiman raised one of his brows in doubt.

"I've long accepted that I can't save everyone because of how lacking I am. If people have any complaints about it then by all means, they should take my place," Humanity's Last Master resolutely answered while taking another forward. "Besides, those hostages of yours are beyond saving," his eyes gleamed purple as he pointed at the people on Zouken's grasp. "Do you really think you can fool the eyes of the Witch of Colchis with Modern Magecraft?"

While he technically possessed the means to remove the magic binding the captives, it will not bring back the wills that have been corroded from their long exposure to the crest worms.

It was the same with the victims from the Demi-Servant Project. Death was their only true salvation.

"Curses!" Zouken's arms enlarged, grabbed his so-called hostages, infused them with his magic power beyond the limit and tossed them right towards Hachiman. "Die!"

Their bodies expanded like balloons filled with excess air and pale blue lines began to appear on their skin. The moment when they were about to make contact with Humanity's Last Master…

Boom.

…Another explosion shook the underground workshop, twice as strong as the previous one. Had this structure not been magically reinforced then everything here would already be buried to the depths of the earth.

That being said, Humanity's Last Master walked out of the dust cloud without showing a single speck of damage on him.

"My turn," the edges of the Caster's robe rose upwards in response to Hachiman's remark, turning into purple wings that gave him the ability to fly.

Snap.

With a flick of his finger, countless magic circles instantly manifested out of nowhere. The mystical light those formations emanated was enough to turn the dark underground as bright as a city's busy capital.

"Vanish."

Following that command, arrow-like projectiles came raining down upon Zouken akin to a carpet bombing. While this barrage might seem a little excessive to do such a thing on only one target, not all of them were actually aimed towards him in the first place.

Screech. Screech. Screech. Screech. Screech. Screech. Screech.

Some of the magical arrows curved in complicated angles and went towards the pit where the crest worms were being cultivated.

As all of those larva-like creatures were stuck in that large hole, they could do nothing as they were being one-sidedly bombarded from afar. All that was waiting for them was extinction. The only ones excused would be those that Hachiman preemptively set aside to serve as research samples.

"The research team only needs a scant few so I'm more than free to exterminate the rest," Hachiman coldly commented as he conjured more and more magic circles behind him.

Having casted so many spells at the same time, it would be natural for him to be unable to focus on anything else so that the flow of magic is not disturbed.

In other words, he is completely vulnerable…

"!"

"Nice try."

…Is what you would assume if Hachiman Hikigaya is a Modern Magus.

A mutated Zouken came rushing towards Chaldea's Master with claws as sharp as swords while he was distracted with the crest worms but this attempt was easily foiled by Hachiman.

Since he is using the power of Medea, a witch from the Age of Gods, putting up a barrier to protect himself on top of raining down judgment on all his foes is nothing but child's play to him.

"Tch!"

"Ah ah ah, not so fast."

"!"

A pale blue magic circle appeared in Hachiman's hand. Following that, ice began to wrap around Zouken's body, starting from his legs to prevent him from escaping. In no time at all, his entire body was encrusted in a coffin of ice although it technically is still alive.

"Mission accomplished… Is what I want to say but…"

Several figures of the blue-haired Matou family head appeared wearing the same clothes he used when he greeted Hachiman earlier and began to surround the much younger magus.

"!"

Each Zouken conjured a large magical circle before unleashing a beam of magic…

"It's useless."

…When the light came within a vicinity around Hachiman, the beam was reflected back to the attackers, taking them all out instantly.

Didn't he already know that it's useless?

The doubts of Humanity's Last Master were quickly answered in the next interval.

Growl. Growl. Growl. Growl. Growl. Growl

Countless figures appeared from all corners of the room and moved to surround Hachiman Hikigaya. Unlike the indistinguishable abominations that Hachiman has purged so far, most of the ones in front of him at the moment now had a general shape to their body. They closely resemble quadruped beasts and while it might seem appropriate to call them a Chimera, a couple of key features would make one reconsider.

Claws that curved like swords, a snout as pointy as a spear, a tail that extended out like a whip, long black cylinders protruding on their body which looked like cannons… It varied between beast to beast but from how these parts resembled manmade weapons, it was obvious what these things are or rather what they were meant to be.

Demi-Servants.

They were still far from taking human shape but as combat potential they would do, especially if they were at such large numbers. Furthermore, an alpha was present for each Class and all these had the same crazed expression that Zouken had, likely because he added a part of himself into their bodies so he could control them manually.

"This is far from over!" the alphas all said in Zouken's voice, reverberating very loudly in this underground chamber where sound couldn't easily escape.

Despite how dire the situation looked; Hachiman's expression remained neutral but deep inside he was as furious as an erupting volcano.

As things looked like it was going to develop into all-out brawl, Humanity's Last Master decided to put his boxing gloves on.

"Class Change, Alterego."

Parts of his hair became violet tinged with a bit of pink and the color of his eyes became red. At the same time, golden metal began to coat Hachiman's hands before the change reached all the way up to his shoulders. His arm span then expanded to become twice his original height and his palms looked large enough that it could hold on to a real bus as if it was a toy.

Alterego Class Servant. True Name: Passionlip.

"!"

The Zoukens were stunned after seeing the unfamiliar form in front of them. This much was understandable as even a magus as old as him shouldn't be aware of the existence of the Moon Cell from a different timeline as well as its AI who has gone rogue and made other versions of herself to help her take control of it.

That being said, Hachiman was not going to let such an opportunity go to waste…

Smash.

…A single swing from his arms crushed several Demi-Servants at once before they could even react. Even those who weren't hit suffered some damage from the fragments that were blown away.

"Oh? Is that all you got?" he coldly looked at the alphas with his now red eyes. "With all your yapping, I thought these things could take on more than one attack from me. Sorry about that. Should I hold back a bit?"

Rather than fall for the provocation, Zouken decided to fight fire with fire.

"It must be nice to have a monopoly to this kind of power."

Humanity's Last Master smiled smugly after hearing his enemy's sarcasm.

"I couldn't agree more."

Smash.

The other arm that didn't attack earlier moved. Instead of a crushing attack, this arm traced an arc in the air, intending to hit as many of these Demi-Servants as possible.

Those who were right in its trajectory were reduced right away to mincemeat and even the ones that didn't get hit directly were blown away just from the shockwave.

True to its appearance, Passionlip's strength was nothing to sneeze at. What is misleading however is its speed which really all came down to momentum. Hachiman originally had some trouble controlling this form in the past but now, he can maneuver it around as dexterously as if it was his own body.

"Hmph! We'll see just how long you'll last," Zouken's eyes gleamed with fury. "Attack!"

The beasts came rushing towards Hachiman after hearing the command.

Smash.

One more beast was instantly added to Hachiman's kill tally.

"As much as I want to give you a gruesome death right away, I still have quite a few things to ask you so I will refrain for now. In return," the bloodstained metallic arms only made the Master's overall profile more vicious as he smiled like a demon. "Try to at least entertain me. It will be boring if this ended too quickly."

Smash.

Smash.

Smash.

Smash.

Smash.

Smash.

Smash.

A whirlwind of blood and flesh followed as Humanity's Last Master clashed with the patriarch of the Matou family and his army.

Despite the overwhelming advantage in numbers possessed by the latter, the former was steamrolling over them as if he was just swatting some flies.

That said, the ranks of the Demi-Servant failures were being replenished as quickly as they are getting defeated and eventually the rate at which they were exterminated slowed down.

"Wow… That's a lot of spare bodies you've prepared there. Just how obsessed with immortality are you, Zouken?" the cynical Master commented in-between his breaths.

Even with the powers of Heroic Spirits at his disposal, Hachiman Hikigaya was still an ordinary human at his core.

As such, fatigue was bound to kick in the longer he continued to fight.

"Hah! You were foolish to turn this into a battle of attrition," Zouken's voice came from a beast one size larger than the rest.

Its overall shape seemed to be that of a giant wolf but just like the others, it possessed its own set of distortions, most prominent of it all were the various glowing jewels scattered sporadically on its entire body. Veins spread out with those stones as the center and they connected with each other to form a complicated network.

Pale blue light then surrounded the large wolf before this glow bathed the entirety of the beast army marching towards Hachiman.

Of course, what was just cast was Magecraft which mean that those jewels and veins were equivalent to catalysts and magical circuits respectively.

"Despair! Master of Chaldea! Your life will end here! HAHAHAHAHA!"

A switch suddenly flipped inside Hachiman Hikigaya's head after hearing Zouken's cry.

"Despair? Me? From this much? Heh," the veteran Master's lips twisted into a wicked smile. "Despite living for so long, you don't seem to have much experience with this subject, Zouken."

"What?"

Smash.

The beasts who came too close to the enraged Hachiman were instantly taken out with a wide sweep of his arms.

"Tiamat, Demon God Pillars, Goetia, Kiara Sessyoin, Kama, Zeus, Chaos, Cernunnos, Koyanskaya, ORT and so many more," Humanity's Last Master took a deep breath and directed a wicked smile at the beast that Zouken seems to be using as the main body at the moment. "If you have not at least seen any of those enemies with your own eyes then don't even start talking to me about despair."

The bodies of each and every one of the failed Demi-Servants trembled in fright from the pressure being given off by their target.

It was the natural instinct ingrained in every being once they come face-to-face with something beyond their power.

Still, this old magus would have perished long ago if he let himself succumb to fear so easily.

"You don't scare me. I can't even die!" Zouken howled back in fury.

"Pfft! What a joke. Do you even hear yourself right now, Zouken?" the cynic's wicked smile turned into a savage grin. "You can't die? Do you seriously believe that?"

"What is it? Of course I haven't…!" the eyes of the wolf bulged in realization. "You don't mean…!"

"Allow me to remind you about something, Zouken," the realist chuckled before he continued to speak. "It's not like you didn't die before. You just didn't realize it but your existence has been erased at least twice already and unfortunately for me, I just had to bring you back since even though you're utterly vile, you're still part of humanity. You're welcome by the way."

"Even if that's the case, that doesn't mean you can defeat me here!" Zouken called upon more magic power from the wolf and provided it to the Demi-Servants. "Centuries of knowledge are engraved in this body of mine…!"

"Hah! By that logic, it's you who doesn't stand a chance against me as I've got the entirety of Proper Human History as well as Parallel Worlds severed by the Pruning Theoretical Phenomenon on my side!"

Smash.

Smash.

Smash.

Smash.

Smash.

The heavy attacks came down like a squall however this time around, Hachiman was not just clobbering his foes while staying in place. He is deliberately moving towards a single direction, taking it one step at a time.

Where else could he possibly be heading to except towards the pack's leader?

"By the way, from what you said earlier you seem to be having a little misconception, Zouken."

"What?!"

Gathering Of Combat Data 100% Completed.

A voice notification came from his earpiece that was wirelessly attached to his portable terminal.

"This is no battle of attrition. All this time, I've just been trying to see how well your experiments fare in real battle. And I must say that it's quite underwhelming."

"What?!"

Despite seemingly taking several hits already, Hachiman was pretty much unhurt. All the blood that covered his body at the moment didn't even belong to him in the first place.

Such was the power of Rank A in Endurance.

Unless certain conditions apply, attacks that are categorized in a lower rank have less of an effect the lower it is in comparison to the Endurance rating.

In other words, for enemies around this level, he didn't even need to block, he can just put his all on attacking.

That is why he can confidently assert that these beasts are weak.

Hachiman Hikigaya resumed his approach to Zouken with a leisurely pace while killing off more and more of the experiment failures.

"Engrave it deeply into your very being, this power of mine that you bastards so greedily desire."

Smash.

Smash.

Smash.

Smash.

Smash.

A massacre followed shortly after Hachiman dropped those words. With nothing holding him back anymore, he could now fully display the true power of Passionlip.

Somewhere along the line, the beasts themselves stopped advancing, instinctively feeling that they will all perish if they approach Hachiman any closer, making his march to Zouken go even smoother.

With that, it didn't take long before Humanity's Last Master was finally standing next to the undying Matou patriarch.

"So what! You still lack the means to truly kill me!" Zouken Matou declared out loud but rather than pride what Hachiman could sense from him was desperation instead. "I have overcome Death itself!"

"Oh, I wouldn't be so sure about that," the nature of the magic power swirling around Hachiman began to take on a different shape. "Class Change, Lancer."

As soon as he said those words, the bloodstained giant hands which has been crushing Hachiman's foes left and right vanished into thin air. In their place was a golden spear that was sharp on both ends and is shaped similar to a thunderbolt on one hand and a tall birdcage on the other. Following that, the small patches of pink-tinged violet on his hair became a radiant blonde while his eyes continued to be red although on a slightly different hue. His entire outfit was dyed black and a cloak that was red on the inside and black on the outside wrapped him around his shoulders.

Lancer Class Servant. True Name: Ereshkigal.

"You know what? I don't actually hate it, that crazed obsession of yours to hang on to your life. What I condone are the means to which you achieve said goal."

Ring.

A clear ringing sound akin to that of wind chimes rang across the entirety of this underground space.

Blessing of Kur.

As the ruler of the underworld for the longest time, Ereshkigal became the underworld itself. That means that wherever she goes, that place is slowly being converted into the underworld. At the moment, the area which that soothing melody was heard now fell under her domain and in the underworld, it is the soul that reigns supreme, not one's physical body.

Regardless of how many alternative vessels one can prepare, they only have one soul.

Growl.

Growl.

Growl.

Growl.

Growl.

One by one, the countless Demi-Servant prototypes began to collapse on their own, starting from those closest to Hachiman. Whether they fought back or ran, the result was the same.

Eventually, only the large wolf-like beast, where Zouken's ego was the strongest, was the only one left standing.

"I really think you shouldn't be too afraid of dying too much. Don't you know that there's a cute, earnest and slightly awkward Goddess always doing her best in the underworld? I personally am looking forward to seeing her again but I know that my time will come eventually so I'm in no rush though I doubt she'll he happy seeing someone like you who doggedly refused the natural way of things."

"No! What is this?! What's happening…! NOOOOOOOOOOO!"

Zouken however was not in a proper state of mind to listen to Hachiman's rant, not like he ever was in the first place given how much his soul has deteriorated from living for so long.

Something transparent was then extracted out of the wolf's body and this went towards the large birdcage that Hachiman held out.

It wasn't sucked inside immediately and tried its hardest to resist but its struggle was useless in the face of a Goddess's Authority.

Ring.

The anguished cries eventually died down and the last sound that could be heard underneath the Matou estate was that of a soothing wind chime.

…

In one of the many corners of the lobby from the five-star hotel that Hachiman Hikigaya was staying for the night…

"…!"

"Kyaa!"

…He accidentally bumped into someone on his way to the magi gathering.

It was a woman with long ebon hair which reached up to her waist. She was wearing a dark green long-sleeved turtleneck knit dress, a beige long blazer, a gold cable chain necklace and dark brown heels.

Because of her current position, Hachiman was offered a glimpse of her legs which looked like they were made for kicking and it was more than likely that she trained in some form of martial arts in the past.

Without a shadow of a doubt, this person was none other than his past homeroom teacher, Shizuka Hiratsuka.

Rather than a fateful encounter, it was more appropriate to call it an unexpected reunion. The fact that this woman was wearing a skirt or dress was rare in and of itself.

He didn't know how she was able to afford the rates of this hotel but since this is the same adult who owned an Aston Martin despite working as a high school teacher, he didn't think about it too much. Surely, she has her ways.

Although several years have passed by, she could still easily pass off as someone in her early thirties that it wouldn't even be too out-of-place for him to be her escort.

Hachiman was currently wearing a three-piece suit composed of a white dress shirt, an orange waistcoat and a black jacket; the overall contrast being further accentuated with a dark red tie. Meanwhile, his lower garments were composed of pants as black as his blazer and a pair of suede shoes. The last aspect of his getup was of course, his black gloves which hide the Command Spells on his right hand.

As a precaution because he is in his home country, he put on a brown wig and blue contact lenses as well as a pair of spectacles to serve as his disguise. The last thing he wanted was for his family or any of acquaintances to know about how extremely dangerous the true nature of his job is.

He didn't quite expect for his caution to be rewarded though.

"I apologize. I was in a hurry and wasn't really looking at where I was going," Hachiman extended his hand out to the fallen woman. "Are you alright?"

"You…!" Shizuka intended to say something else entirely, an insult or two perhaps but upon seeing how good-looking the guy who bumped into her is, she corrected herself. "…Yes… I'm fine."

Hachiman had to stop himself from smirking then and there while helping the woman up. As usual, the desires of this favorite teacher of his was written all over her face.

As it's been a long while since they last met, he decided to prod a little into her current state-of-affairs.

"That's a relief. It would've been a bitter pill for me to swallow if I ended up ruining your date because of my blunder."

Shizuka flinched but gulped down her shame and made a bold move.

"Uh… It's a bit embarrassing to admit but I actually came here alone. So," she grabbed the edges of his sleeve and leaned a little closer to Hachiman by lifting her heels off the ground. "How about we have dinner together?"

She's still single?!

Was the greatest surprise that Hachiman heard for the longest time but he made sure to show an apologetic expression mixed with only a moderate amount of surprise on the surface.

"I'm very flattered for the offer but unfortunately I don't think I'll be able to grant that request as I already have plans for tonight. Furthermore…" Hachiman opened up the topmost button of his shirt and took out something he was wearing that was hidden underneath his own clothes. Shizuka became flustered but showed no signs of averting her eyes away. What he took out was a necklace composed of a silver chain. At the tip was a ring with a deceptively simple design but was actually layered with all sorts of runes and protection spells that even top-class magi will be unable to replicate. "…I'm already betrothed."

The daring woman paled before backing away and bowing in the next second.

"I'm… Very sorry about that… Please forget I said anything."

"It's okay. Let's just say we're both at fault," Hachiman raised both of his hands and smiled while comforting his sensei. "I'm rather surprised that a lovely lady such as you do not have a partner yet, I can only think that the men around you are all blind."

The sweet remark which was uttered so naturally, turned Shizuka red to her ears.

"Uh… Didn't you say you're already promised to someone else? Saying that kind of thing now is a little…"

"Ah pardon me. It's a bad habit. I'll take my leave now before I say more inappropriate things," he brought a hand to his chest and bowed like how noblemen in the past bid farewell to a lady. "This meeting of ours was rather short but I sincerely wish that you enjoy the rest of this lovely night."

After the two were now at an appropriate distance, Hachiman motioned towards one of the hotel staff who is actually a Neo Chaldea member in disguise.

"That woman… See to it that she has the time of her life during her stay. Charge all of her expenses to my account. Also," he put a hand to his chin and thought about the few things he could remember that this sensei of his liked. "If possible, find her a trustworthy but dashing gentleman although if you had to choose which one you must prioritize, it's the latter," by the end of his request, a candidate popped out of Hachiman's head that may fit these criteria. "Actually, scratch that, set her up to meet with this particular Lord of the Clock Tower who can't come to tonight's gathering because he is still swamped with work. I'll leave the exact details to you."

Just as he finished making that request, his portable terminal suddenly gave him a notification.

Beep.

Reading the message warmed Hachiman Hikigaya's heart and made his blood run cold at the same time.

I don't know why but I felt compelled to send a message. Anyways, call me later once you're done with your work.

With both fear and motivation in him, Humanity's Last Master boarded the elevator.

It wasn't on purpose…

Was the excuse he kept saying to himself.

Meanwhile…

I can only think that the men around you are all blind.

Shizuka Hiratsuka kept repeating that line on her head as she kept her gaze at her glass of whisky.

"Now where have I heard that exact line before?"

Shizuka never reached the correct answer however as she once again drowned her sorrows with alcohol that night although she would have never expected that a big change in her life would occur on the following day.

…

Rooftop of the same building.

Stars or Celestial Bodies in general have all kinds of meanings when it comes to Magecraft.

As such, it isn't too uncommon for gatherings of magi to be conducted under the light of the night sky.

It was closely approaching midnight and majority of the guests are already present yet the event itself has not begun simply due to the absence of one individual.

"That upstart is really making us wait, isn't he?"

"We should be magnanimous as his elders since he isn't used to this kind of stuff yet."

"What are we even to expect from someone of humble origins?"

Such and so were the kind of sarcastic jabs being thrown around by the people already present while they were bored from all the waiting. Simply put, they were haters.

Click.

All eyes were locked on to the entrance when the double doors swung wide open to herald the arrival of Hachiman Hikigaya who was not donning his disguise anymore and was late by around half an hour.

Each and every single magus here without exception are distinguished people on their own respective fields in the world of Magecraft… But if you ask if they've saved the world even once then the answer is a resounding no.

Thus, if achievements and contributions are taken into account, then all of them are inferior to this black-haired magus. That is why, despite the grievances of most, they had no other choice but to wait for his arrival, despite him being many years their junior.

Before he could even greet anyone else, a group of old magi took the initiative and corralled around him.

To say that their pride was stepped on would be an understatement.

"Look who's finally here."

"I trust you have a sufficient reason for your tardiness."

"As their representative, you should know that your blunders also tarnish Neo Chaldea's reputation."

Whether they possessed magic or not, human desire will always be ugly and that is exactly why even after defeating every enemy of humanity, Chaldea's Master couldn't really retire just yet.

Hachiman met all their barbed remarks with a smile.

"I'm really sorry but I had a little trouble on the way. As an apology for taking up the time of so many esteemed individuals," Hachiman then tossed several piles of documents in the dead center of the room so that most of the people invited could see them. "I brought some souvenirs. I really hope you like them."

Was it confidence or just plain arrogance? Whichever one it was, Chaldea was able to secure a lot of solid evidence from the workshop in the Matou underground basement. Not only was their clear proof of the family's involvement with the Demi-Servant Project, it also lists the names of other individuals who supported it behind the scenes; some of which are present right in this very room and unsurprisingly, it's the same mages that had been badmouthing Hachiman earlier and are currently trying to put him in his place.

The tables instantly turned. Their pompous airs crumbled as the cruel reality came crashing down upon them.

"I request everyone's cooperation," Hachiman spread his arms out wide and called out to the other mages in the venue. "Please capture all those who are involved so that they can be questioned separately."

With all the powerful individuals surrounding the implicated magi, they were instantly restrained without them being able to do anything.

"I expected nothing less from you, Representative of Neo Chaldea."

"Hohoho. Humanity has nothing to worry about with you on our side, Hachiman Hikigaya-dono."

"No, shouldn't we start calling him Hachiman Animusphere-dono now?"

More than 50% of what they said was flattery but given how rough of a day he was having; Hachiman didn't bother complaining about it… He needed to say something with regards to the last statement however.

"That can wait until after the ceremony, oh esteemed seniors," Hachiman brought a hand to his chest and bowed. "After all, I don't want my lack of decorum to stain that prestigious name."

This other group of magi then began to applaud him and more of them, likely members of the same faction, approached Chaldea's Master.

"What a humble man you are."

"There really is no need for such modesty."

"That's right. That's right. I doubt the Animuspheres would have too much to complain to a magus who is well on the verge of being a Grand."

Hachiman put on his fake smile once more.

"Please don't make those kinds of jokes too lightly."

There was however a limit to the level of flattery he could take before it starts to make him uncomfortable so he'd rather not interact with these people much longer if he could help it.

"Ha! This isn't over yet!"

That bold declaration directed everyone's attention back to the apprehended magi.

"All of you fools will perish tonight!"

"Behold!"

A magic circle was suddenly drawn on the ground with those suspects in the middle. Once that was formed, blue light was then shot straight upwards until it reached a distance where it could no longer be spotted by the naked eye.

Twitch.

Nothing immediately happened after that but the battle-hardened Master kept his gaze locked on to the heavens, heeding the alert from his ahoge.

"Hey! Up there!"

"That's…!"

"Oh no…"

An ominous shadow blanketed the night sky.

Was it going to rain?

Would be the usual question to ask in this situation but even rain clouds in the middle of the night would not make the sky feel this bleak.

The answer to everyone's questions became clear after a few seconds.

A meteor.

The humungous mass was at the scale of a planet which is impossible to hide from the eyes of the common populace and even those on the other side of the Earth could even get a glimpse of its massive figure.

Hachiman briefly looked around him and matched the faces he could see with their respective profiles provided to him by Neo Chaldea. While more than half of the people here are capable enough to hold their ground in a fight, it was an entirely different story when it involves something that enormous. Even if they did know of a spell that can destroy that meteor, they do not have the resources in hand to prepare a ritual to execute it. The enemies were simply one step ahead of everyone else here.

"How ironic for a member of the Animusphere family like you to meet his untimely demise with a meteor of all things…"

"Whether you choose to save these people or not…"

"We will already have achieved our goal…"

Those were the last words of the foolish magi before they lost their lives after using it as fuel to cast this spell, no, neither of them had the ability to call upon that meteor so it is more appropriate to say that they were sacrificed instead. This meant that the mastermind was still somewhere but that was a problem that will be dealt with at another date.

Ally or Enemy.

Magus or not.

Rich or Poor.

Young or Old.

Righteous or Wicked.

One common thought dwelled on the minds of every single person who bore witness to such a frightening sight.

"The end of the world is coming…!"

What they did not know however was that what they call the end has come several times already and during those moments, there was one human who never lost his heart and kept moving forward to try and stop it.

Needless to say, he has a 100% success rate so far and he has no intention of sullying that record today.

"Command Room to Master, do you read me?" came Da Vinci's urgent voice from Hachiman's hidden earpiece.

"This is the Master speaking. Can I get a status report please?"

The voice on the other side was switched to that of a Nemo Marine.

"Currently, the estimated time for the meteor to make contact with planet Earth is around one hour. We've detected several protection and acceleration spells cast on the meteor but… That's pretty much it," Nemo Marine reported the group's findings with a hint of hesitation. "Frankly speaking aside from its colossal size, I don't think this is going to be a challenge for you at all, Master."

"I had a feeling that's the case," Hachiman nodded while keeping his gaze locked on the newest threat to humanity.

"I suggest using one of your many Anti-Army Noble Phantasms to demolish it into more manageable sizes and having CRADLE's defense systems take care of the rest," Captain Nemo advised her Master while ordering all of the ship's staff to be in their respective battle stations.

"That is the most logical approach but let's designate that as Plan B for now," the veteran Master stroked his chin as he tried to see through his enemy's intentions. "I have a feeling that it's a trap."

The voice then switched back to Da Vinci.

"On what basis?"

"If destruction was their goal, then with the amount of mana they had at their disposal, they could've used it to conjure a spell with a more surefire way of causing havoc, something like a series of thunderbolts perhaps and yet they've opted for something like this which also has a needlessly huge lag time," he scratched the back of his head and sighed. "The more I think about it, the more it didn't make sense to me."

As the genius that she is, Da Vinci was easily able to infer the general direction which Hachiman was heading to.

"So you're saying that they're practically begging for us to destroy the meteor? But if that's the case…" her eyes bulged in realization. "It can't be! Their goal is…!"

The Sword Of Promised Victory.

The Star Of Creation That Split Heaven And Earth.

Mountain Range-Shaking Firewood Of Venus.

The Lance That Shines To The Ends Of The World.

The Golden Theatre Praised In Song.

Each and every single one of those Noble Phantasms as well as countless others when fired at full power could pulverize that meteor in an instant but then… What comes after that?

What would humanity's opinion be about a power that could easily destroy something that they thought would spell world's end?

"...Making the whole world fear Chaldea's power and isolating it from the rest of the world," Humanity's Last Master coldly supplemented before shrugging in the next second. "Or something along those lines."

"They got us good!" as frustrated as she might sound, Da Vinci was actually impressed with their enemy's level of cunning. "And it's not like we can let the meteor just hit Earth too."

Unlike Chaldea's Special Advisor, Hachiman Hikigaya was still relaxed.

"For the time being, I have a plan. Can you leave this all to me for now?"

As much as Da Vinci disliked putting all the burden on her Master's shoulders as usual, she didn't have a choice given their predicament, especially so when he is acting this eager.

"Understood. Give us a call and we'll back you up immediately."

Once the transmission ended, Hachiman Hikigaya closed his eyes and dived deep into his consciousness.

As he did so, he could hear the passionate cries of the Heroic Spirits within him, telling him to use their power to save the world.

Restrictions imposed on his body by even the most nitpicky of Servants were getting voluntarily lifted one-by-one telling him to use their respective Noble Phantasm to deal with this problem however…

Thank you everyone but I'm sorry. There is only one Heroic Spirit that can give us the most ideal ending in this situation.

…He already decided which Heroic Spirit he'll ask help from the moment he detected the nasty scheme their enemies cooked up.

It was a young man with the visage of a perfect knight.

Surely you'll help me out if it's a disaster of this scale, right?

Hachiman could feel the Servant he reached out to reluctantly nod from within him and wasted no time in drawing out his power.

"Come forth from the circle of restraint, Guardian of the Heavenly Scales, Shielder."

Jet black armor began to wrap around Hachiman's body. Once he was fully equipped, dark purple drapes flowed down out of his shoulders and waist. Some parts of his hair became white and oddly enough, the wind blew in such a way that his bangs partially covered his left eye which were now lavender instead of the deep obsidian it usually is.

None of his physical changes however could leave as much of an impression as the huge black shield he held which is also shaped like a gigantic cross, a weapon made of the remnants of the Round Table – the place where heroes gather.

Shielder Class Servant. True Name: Galahad.

Hachiman Hikigaya, no, Humanity's Last Master took one step forward, in the same manner as he always did against every hurdle he's faced so far.

Slam.

While carrying the determination to not move away from this singular spot, the solitary Hero mounted his shield on the ground.

"As Humanity's Last Master, I shall stand amid disaster..."

Hachiman's resolute voice made the some of the surrounding magi turn towards him. An intense glow was being given off by his now lavender eyes as he unleashed an enormous amount of magic power.

If this were a movie, a goose bump-inducing melody louder than the sound of the descending meteor would begin playing in the background.

"…That which heals all wounds and grudges, our glorious homeland. Manifest yourself, Lord Camelot!"

A pure white barrier stood in the way between the falling rock and the blue planet, the latter's coverage being in no way inferior to the surface area of the former.

With how things are, this shield could also be seen by other people as some kind of monochromatic aurora.

They didn't have enough composure within themselves to think about who was selfless enough to protect the world from such a thing but rather…

Can that mystical wall really stand up against the meteor?

As the humans carried various emotions in their hearts…

Crash.

…The meteor and the shield made contact.

"Guh!"

Not even one second after the clash, cracks were already forming on the white walls of Camelot.

The damage on the shield was transmitted back to Hachiman who coughed out some blood and was brought down to one knee.

Calling the pressure he was feeling on his entire body as heavy would be an understatement. This meteor may be a little underwhelming compared to the power of a sacred sword for example but it doesn't change the fact that it has a lot of weight, especially given its astronomical size. Even at this very second, his bones were being broken and his muscles were strained to the absolute limit. Breathing itself became difficult.

However…

Humanity's Last Master had no other choice but to ignore the pain in favor of channeling more of his magic power on the shield.

In order to prevent the meteor's descent in the most effective manner possible, he had to precisely patch up the same holes that are being broken but the rate at which he was able to do so was much slower than how the shield is being chipped off.

At this rate, buying time in order for everyone else to evacuate was the best thing that he with Galahad's power could do.

But then…

Where would everyone even go?

Given the meteor's size, the damage when it crashes will be felt across the entire globe no matter where you try to hide.

There really are only two viable choices: attack or defend… And by the looks of things, the latter wasn't looking like a viable option.

"Is going on the defensive here asking for too much after all?"

While he was still conscious, he could switch to Plan B and smash this meteor to smithereens. There will be a lot of repercussions like they talked about earlier but that should be much better than a destroyed world.

He could feel some of his Servants get happy when he had that thought and he couldn't help but compare their zeal to Galahad's initial reluctance.

If only he had some way to utilize their motivation… When Hachiman's thoughts drifted along that line, he inadvertently came up with a very good idea.

By any chance, is it possible to ask for your help even when I don't use your forms?

Understanding their Master's intentions, the other Servants who were left on the bench did not sulk like they usually would and instead shrugged while going it can't be helped. Without him noticing, all three of his Command Spells were expended and shortly after that, more magical power was being pulled out of him to make the shield even stronger.

"Oh! This might just work out."

With so many Heroic Spirits backing him up, Hachiman felt the burden on his body lighten. Now while his body was completely mended, the blood he lost still remained on his lips and as a small stain on his armor so from a spectator's point-of-view, he looked like a bloodied knight who was calling out the last vestiges of his strength in a desperate bid for a reversal.

An unstoppable force against an immovable object.

While this is a fallacy in theory, the winner for this kind of showdown can easily be seen in reality through one factor.

Time.

The one to outlast the other is sure to come out as the victor and with near-limitless magic power provided by Heroic Spirits which include the likes of Gods, Dragons and Saints, victory was pretty much assured.

As a side note, the tradeoff for such a power-up is that he will not be able to use any Noble Phantasm for a long while but it shouldn't be too punishing of a cost provided that he took it easy for some time after this.

Crack.

The sound of something breaking could be heard across the Earth but this time around, its source was not the shield but the meteor instead.

There was still a long way to go but for Hachiman who has a perfect grasp of the situation, it was only a matter of time before this will be settled. The observers however are not privy to this fact so he planned on taking advantage of it.

While averting this crisis is well and good, this event might end up setting a terrible precedence where the power of Humanity's Last Master alone is used to respond to global threats. It was fine to do so during the Incineration of Humanity and the Whitening of the World but now that everyone else is alive, Hachiman Hikigaya didn't need to subject himself to such a black company-like practice anymore.

After all, an ideal future is one where the world doesn't have to rely on the power of Heroic Spirits to solve its problems.

As it turns out, the words of the King of Heroes affected him more than he thought.

Hachiman looked around him and found that not all the visiting magi turned tail and ran after seeing the meteor.

As the only person who stepped forward and took action in this hopeless situation, the eyes of the remaining people were all on him.

Regardless, if what dwelled in their eyes was awe, respect or even fear, he was going to put them to good use.

There is opportunity in every crisis, as they say.

"If it's not too much trouble, I'd really appreciate it if you guys could lend me a hand!" Hachiman called out loudly to all the magi.

There was no response at first so Hachiman decided to indirectly apply more pressure.

Crack.

He weakened a small portion of the shield just enough for it to break before fixing it in the next second.

With their newfound sense of urgency, the frightened magi caved in much more easily.

"How can we help?" one of the mages who praised him earlier asked after a quick consultation with the others.

"Please provide me with all the magic power that you can muster!" Hachiman gave an outrageous request in a matter-of-fact tone. "I intend to use all of that to further reinforce the shield."

Some of the members of the peanut gallery looked at Hachiman as if he was insane but the one he was talking to kept a stern gaze at the younger magus whose achievements speak for himself.

"Will that really change anything?" he voiced out the doubts that was harbored by everyone else.

Not really, because I've already taken care of it all on my own.

Was a response that Hachiman will never give even if his mouth was ripped open.

The irony of it all made him chuckle.

"We'll never know until we try," he shrugged nonchalantly but his current figure with the trails of blood on his lips made him look like a loyal knight who was willing to lay down their own life for the sake of others. "Besides, it's not like we have a better alternative."

The older mage instinctively looked at his own trembling hands. Realizing how pathetic he was acting in comparison to the youngster in front of him. He closed his eyes and gulped down his fears as he resolved himself to make a decision his future self won't be ashamed about.

"We're counting on you, Humanity's Last Master."

"That's not quite right," Hachiman shook his head and corrected his senior. "I need you people to believe in yourself too. After all, I'm not going to be the only one fighting this battle."

"Understood."

"Please hurry up. I'll need as much support from everyone here as soon as I can."

Following Hachiman's instructions, the remaining magi began to channel their magic power towards his direction.

The flow was sluggish at first so…

Crack.

…Hachiman did what he did with the barrier earlier to compel them to speed things up.

"Alright, keep it up!"

Chaldea's Master kept the shield stable as he felt the mana coming in from various sources.

After he absorbed around 50% of their capacity…

Crack.

Crack.

Crack.

"It's working!"

"We're doing it."

"Look!"

…He purposely increased the output of the shield such that it was now the one aggressively chipping down the meteor.

Hachiman smirked after seeing the brightened expressions of his living batteries and how they easily fell for his trick.

Now that things are stable on this side, it was time to proceed to the next step.

"Master to Command Room. I need you guys to do something from me."

The sudden transmission made the new members of the staff panic whereas Da Vinci remained firm.

"We are ready to intercept, Master. Just give us the signal."

Contrary to the tension in the air, Hachiman chuckled, an act that only made the already bewildered crew even more confused.

"Oh, it's nothing too serious," his tone was relaxed as he continued to make his request. "I just need you to make a little announcement…"

Hachiman Hikigaya proceeded to give the general outline of a speech while completely disregarding the fact that everyone was still lost.

"Yes?" even the genius was puzzled by her Master's odd thought process.

Taking it as a sign of agreement, Hachiman didn't explain any further and just made his demand even more absurd.

"…Let the whole world hear it if its possible."

The transmission was cut there and while everyone present still didn't understand what was going on…

Beep.

…Another call came from a different source, to be more specific, its origin is right on this very ship.

The infirmary.

The Command Room's screen showed the interior of a room which was filled with cutting edge medical equipment valuable enough to buy an entire country or two.

In the middle of all that machinery was a girl in a hospital gown who was undergoing all kinds of treatment. She has lilac hair long enough to touch her elbows and her skin was sickly pale yet her eyes were brimming with the light of vitality that wouldn't lose out to those who were healthier than her.

It was a stubbornness reminiscent of her raven-haired senpai.

"That task," she, Mash Kyrielight, smiled brightly. "Please let me be the one to do it."

…

A planetary-sized meteor suddenly appeared at the skies of Earth. Currently, a barrier of sorts has been obstructing it but authorities from their respective countries have advised their citizens to evacuate their homes…

This was the current news being reported in the entire world across all kinds of platforms.

Such a development isn't really unexpected as this event could very well mark the end of civilization as we know it…

But some people think otherwise.

One particular organization, in fact.

While the world's attention was on the massive rock, every single mechanical device; whether it be computers, televisions, phone or even the likes of handheld radios was taken over.

To those with a screen, the image of a crescent moon surrounded with a wreath of laurel can be seen, the symbol of Neo Chaldea.

"What the heck's going on now?"

"Really? A large-scale hacking incident? At this timing?!"

"As if this meteor wasn't a big enough problem already!"

"We are Neo Chaldea," all the complaints piped down once this fragile yet courageous voice made this announcement all over the globe. "We are reaching out to everyone right now to inform you about one thing as well as to make a simple request." Mash Kyrielight took a deep breath before continuing. "The battle is not over yet. At this very moment, one of our precious members is doing his best to stop the meteor's descent all for our sake but no matter how great of a person he is, we shouldn't let him bear this burden alone. While we may be all weak individually, I believe there is great power if our wills are combined together as one so please," even though they can't see her figure, everyone had the image of a saint putting her hands together in prayer. "Your feelings, your hopes, your wishes… Entrust it to us," the voice became a few steps softer but the emotions it carried only felt much more intense. "Please."

It started with one cheer at first.

After that, there was a loud clap.

Then there was someone who started screaming with all his might.

Some raised their hands to the sky.

Others kowtowed to the ground.

Everyone responded differently to Neo Chaldea's message but all of them were touched by the girl's earnest feelings.

By the end of it all, the people of the Earth stopped looking at the meteor with eyes of despair but instead cast a hopeful glance at the white shield that impeded its advance.

Meanwhile…

Hmm… I wonder what's for dinner…

Hachiman Hikigaya had such a vacant thought as he continued to drain the magic power from the other magi. Naturally, as no form of magic power was involved, the people's feelings, hopes and wishes provided no real benefit to him whatsoever. He estimated that it would take around half an hour for Neo Chaldea to execute his plan, so he just waited around until time was up.

The fact that he could scheme like this only goes to show that the danger has long passed but once again, no one else is aware of this development aside from him.

Once he took in 90% of everyone's magic capacity, the siphoning ritual was forcibly stopped and all the participating magi could barely hold on to their consciousness anymore.

By no means was the amount of magic resources that Hachiman got from them insignificant, it's just that when its compared to the Servants, it didn't feel like it was much.

"Good work, everyone. It was definitely cutting it close but it looks like everything will work out in the end," the armored knight finally stood up with both of his legs. He was already fine for the longest time but all the mages could see in their dazed state is the figure of a martyr, fighting through the pain. "Leave the rest to me."

The white magic power coming out of Hachiman turned into a radiant gold. This light spread throughout the rooftop making it seem like it was some kind of sacred ground.

"Oh! Now this is welcome surprise if I've ever seen one."

A temporary change occurred in Galahad's Spirit Origin.

At this time, Humanity's Last Master still had no idea about the resounding success of Neo Chaldea's impromptu broadcast so he simply thought that this is a result from him gathering the power of several Heroic Spirits and the nearby magi.

Regardless, Hachiman Hikigaya had no reason not to use it here.

"That which protects the fate of humanity, the beacon of light that can cut through darkness. Manifest the miracle of hope once more. Arise, Lord Neo Chaldea!"

Noble Phantasm Rank-Up (Temporary).

Rank EX Anti-Apocalypse Noble Phantasm: Lord Neo Chaldea.

A Conceptual Noble Phantasm that manifests everyone's common wish to save the world. If this is used against an attack that is classified as a world-ending catastrophe, it will nullify all damage.

Somehow, Hachiman Hikigaya knew the exact capabilities of this Noble Phantasm, like he could read it out in some kind of transparent menu window, even though it was the first time he invoked it.

Well would you look at that? Just as I thought, you were the perfect choice for this ordeal.

For some reason, Hachiman pictured the figure of a taciturn armored knight puffing his chest out in pride and a young girl with lilac hair who looked like his little sister giggling beside him.

True to its classification as an Anti-Apocalypse Noble Phantasm, the moment that the golden light of Lord Neo Chaldea touched the meteor, its advance was completely halted. Conversely, when the former's domain was expanded, the parts of the latter that made contact were, not reduced to fragments or dust, but just deleted.

After consciously increasing the output, Lord Neo Chaldea's light tore through the asteroid, saving the entire world in the process. Seeing the barely holding on white wall earlier now erasing the meteor as a golden forcefield, the people of the Earth cheered even louder than ever as they welcomed the dawn of a new day that they thought will never come. It felt even more impactful to them because of how they felt like they lent their aid for this miracle to happen…

"Did you… Even need… Our help at all…?"

…But just as there will always be simple-minded people, there are also those that are sharper than average in a crowd.

Even a minor analysis could tell that the ones who were still present here lacked the magic power output to invoke something that can tear that meteor apart but Neo Chaldea could just stubbornly refute them as all the witnesses on-site lost consciousness.

Hachiman ignored the mumblings of that magus since he was about to faint anyways and went for his portable terminal as he walked towards the edge of the rooftop for some privacy.

The call connected instantly. Most likely, the person on the other side had their device on hand for who knows how long. As a side note, since he didn't want other people to see the face of the recipient of this call, Hachiman opted to use the voice call option instead of talking to their holographic image.

"Marie, did I keep you waiting?" his voice contained a gentle warmth one would reserve only for the most important person in their life.

"It's not like I was waiting, I was just about to go to sleep even," the one on the other side denied the accusations made by the cynic but in the next second, worry and anxiety filled her voice. "You had to do something difficult today, right? Did you get hurt?"

She was Olga Marie Animusphere. The daughter of the founder of Chaldea but the identity that she personally held more importance to at the moment is that she is this man's, Hachiman Hikigaya's fiancé.

In contrast to her concerned tone, Hachiman was as carefree as carefree can be, enough to even tease the caller.

"Hmm… Aside from having spent most of my magical reserves, I think I'm pretty much fine," a playful glint appeared on Hachiman's eyes. "But you're more than free to personally check if you want to."

His surprise attack backfired however but by no means was that necessarily a bad thing.

"…Yeah, I guess I'll do just that. I'm your… Future wife after all."

He could already imagine his counterpart trying but failing to suppress the blush on her cheeks.

"…"

What the heck is this adorable creature? Is she trying to kill me?

Unable to withstand the awkward silence, Olga forcefully changed the topic.

"Anyways! Hurry back already, Hachi!"

"Uhm, I'm sorry but I don't think I can come back to CRADLE just yet even though I've technically completed my mission already," he scratched his cheek and apologized profusely while bearing all the intentions to patiently explain his circumstances but his fiancé's answer went far beyond his expectations.

"I never said anything about waiting for you in CRADLE… Ah…!"

Hachiman blinked twice in surprise from Olga's accidental slip-up.

"Marie, does that mean what I think it means?"

"Hmph! You're smart so figure it out yourself! Idiot!"

The transmission was cut there and without any delay, Hachiman Hikigaya pressed his hidden earpiece as he dashed towards the exit and went straight to the elevator.

"Master to Command Room, do you read me?" he tried to sound as composed as he can but he still came out a little impatient in the end.

"Loud and clear, Master! Congratulations on accomplishing your mission. We've been waiting for your call ever since the meteor was pulverized by that gold barrier. Since when did you have a Noble Phantasm like that?" an enthusiastic Leonardo Da Vinci answered from the mobile base's Command Room.

"I'll send you a detailed report later," Chaldea's Master hesitated for a few seconds before he ultimately made his request. "I apologize for the trouble but can I ask you guys to take care of the rest?"

Da Vinci was taken aback from the sudden request but was not perplexed enough not to respond. From the way Hachiman sounded, it didn't seem like he'll take no for an answer.

"…Roger."

She was actually intending to convince Hachiman to delegate this task to them as knowing that selfless Master of hers, he'll insist to do it himself. It will be much later on that this genius finds out that what caused this sudden change of heart was the interference of a third party, an option which Neo Chaldea will abuse later on in the future to force their Master to get some much-needed rest and relaxation but that is a story for another time.

"Well then… I shouldn't keep her waiting for too long."

Hachiman Hikigaya gripped the ring that was hung on his neck tightly before intending to knock thrice on the door of his hotel room but after doing so once, he was instantly dragged inside by the person lying in wait for him.

That day, Neo Chaldea's ideals were shown to the whole human race and gained an overwhelming support to the point where no other organization or country could go against them unless they want to make an enemy of the rest of the world.

It is nothing less than a happy ending… But this is simply one of the many futures in the sea of possibility and only time will tell if the Humanity's Last Master at present could bring it to reality or maybe create something even more brilliant altogether.

---

Author's Note:

I'd like to preface this by saying that I can't read Japanese and I didn't read any kind of spoilers so all I've written here are nothing more than assumptions.

Heck, I have no idea if Olga will really be saved in the end or Goredolf won't die somewhere along the line. If anything, I really want it to end happily like how I've written here but you know, TYPE-MOON, I don't think I need to say anything more than that.

I'll take this opportunity now to address what I expect are going to be what others will most likely ask in the reviews. I feel like I'm more compelled to reveal my thought process on these kinds of chapters because of how out-of-the-norm they are than my usual. So yeah, long rant incoming.

Firstly, about the Oregairu characters that didn't make an appearance.

Let's start with the obvious ones first which are Yukinoshita and Yuigahama. Well, in my first draft I had them appear instead of Hiratsuka-sensei actually but that part was really only there to showcase the fact that Hikigaya was already betrothed and I didn't think it was right to make such a short chapter with those two for such a revelation so I changed it.

As for Komachi, well, she's a family member and she appeared on the flashback chapter so she had to be here too.

The CEO was actually going to be a random middle-aged man like how I offhandedly mentioned but I was like... You know what? Let's turn that into a waifu and I went with Haruno. On another note, this is also somewhat of a nod to my other series titled Platonic (which is still on hiatus) so there's that too.

Hiratsuka-sensei felt like the only character I could put in the five-star hotel setting aside from the Yukinoshita sisters so that's why she's here. Allow me to clarify that I don't necessarily ship her with Waver or anything. Like I said earlier, this part of the chapter is just there to show that Hikigaya got betrothed. You can just say that Waver and her hit if off in their following date and became good friends if you find the implied romance uncomfortable. I left it open-ended for that reason.

Next, about the Servants that made an appearance and those Hachiman fused with.

I actually don't like Archer Gilgamesh that much but I just put him here to show how much Hikigaya's relationships has changed with his Servants over the years.

Do you really need to ask why Scathach is here?

Now I may not like Medea as much as Scathach but I am one of those that feel like she's a bit underappreciated by TYPE-MOON so I try to feature her whenever I can.

Passionlip is a Sakura-face and Ereshkigal is a Rin-face.

Unfortunately, I couldn't find room to put in a Saber-face because her traits overlap too much with Galahad so I'm very sorry to the Saber fans out there but it is what it is.

Now, last but most definitely not the least.

Why Olga?

To those who will ask me this question, I ask this to you back; why not?

Not convinced?

Alright now here's the serious answer:

Hikigaya is an upstart magus but with countless achievements on his belt.

On the other hand, Olga Marie is born from a very prestigious family but lacks said achievements.

You see where I'm going with this? No?

Well, I tried.

As to why I didn't opt for Mash, it is simply because I thought it would be too predictable or safe if I did so.

I think that should answer most questions. By all means, everyone is free to ask more. If you found this unnecessary or something then I'll go back to my shorter ANs that I default to during the counselling or Alternate Chiba chapters.

As always, if you ever have any suggestions on which Servant/s you want to be featured next, feel free to write them on your review, I'll be sure to take that into consideration for the coming chapters.

Now with that out of the way, time to get on to the reviews from the previous chapter.

Lawoi: I hope this one gets added to your list too. Cheers.

Syqadelic: There should be others who belong in the same category, no?

memoryofvirtual: I have the same comment as above to your Brynhildr guest. I didn't even drop any hints for Haruno yet but I do agree that Yukino do be giving that Morgan vibes.

ObeRun: It hurts me a bit that I have to write Hayama in this way considering all his bro moments with Hikigaya in platonic but it is what it is. The counselling chapter will be up next and unfortunately, all your requested Servants have too much overlap with the ones I've written recently so they won't be up anytime soon. I'm very sorry about that.

bluecookie420: I mean that is pretty much the entire dilemma I'm presenting with the Chiba Alternative Series.

BelowZer0: I guess I'm dead. Either way, I'm pretty sure I've informed everyone how updates of this story work already and I don't plan on changing this anytime soon. That being said, I do agree with the determination part. I'll endeavor to be more frequent with my updates this year, at least compared to last year.

NFLT: Happy Holidays to you too. Although this is a little too late for me to greet back.

PersonaNinja Lux: Whoa whoa whoa, relax. Don't go guessing the final boss like that all of a sudden. Let's focus on the others first. I think it's a little early to try and guess Yukino's Heroic Spirit. As for Yui, I think a hint in the prior chapters will discourage you from this choice once you read it again.

Fuga: I got you. Don't worry.

To everyone else who takes the time to read this fic, a huge thank you to all of you as well.

That's it for this chapter.

I hope we meet again in the next one or in another story of mine.

Reviews, follows and faves are all very much appreciated.

Until next time...

May everyone's good wishes and realities intersect.

Morii Hikikko

References:

1 – A greeting used in Spy X Family on Twilight, its main character which I wrote an Oregairu Crossover where Hikigaya is Twilight titled Loner X Family. No, I'm not updating it. It's literally completed.