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Nagoya Sublimation VI: End of the Beginning

Joie de Vivre, Monaco
Present Day

"So, let me get this straight… a reincarnating Italian madman and a rogue Dead Apostle are independently hastening potential multiversal disasters. And you are sending two Magi and one Priest to fix things without even a concrete plan. When I signed up for this transdimensional excursion, I was expecting better than this, sir."

Disregarding his apprentice's exasperation, Kischur Zelretch Schweinorg gave a mirthful response, "That's correct."

Rin Tohsaka's mood was one of clear frustration. After agreeing to her master's plan of going to another world, he did not even have the decency to formulate a strategy.

"And you don't see the slightest bit of issue with that approach?"

Before Zelretch could respond, the bang of Hansa Cervantes kicking his feet up on the table resounded through the room. The priest, raising one of his eyebrows, added his own thoughts to the conversation, "I have to agree with Miss Tohsaka on this one, Kaleidoscope. Your strategy— or lack thereof, doesn't exactly inspire confidence. Although if your goal was to make me rethink participating in this otherworldly sojourn, you've done a marvelous job."

Once again, before he could reply, Zelretch was interrupted. Sipping the unique vintage wine brewed by his daughter Lunette, Valery Fernand Vandelstam chuckled. Swirling the liquid in his glass, Van-Fem's voice carried a wind of mirth and mockery, "Should have explained it more thoroughly Numero Tre. Perhaps you should go on one of those American Game Shows… Crocodile Jeep or something? Because you clearly haven't learned how to sell a product."

As Zelretch considered how to retort, the final individual in the room, Shiro Emiya, spoke up.

"Is there some reason this can't be more organized?"

Zelretch lit up at Shiro's words.

"Ah, thank you, Mr. Emiya! I'm so glad you asked! Allow me to explain my reasoning."

Rin cut in with a voice of steel, "Which you should have included to begin with."

Ignoring his apprentice's words, Zelretch continued, "As Mr. Emiya suspected, I do have reasons for my lack of numbers and planning. Firstly, the numbers. I will let you know there is a problem with sending more forces— dimensional instability."

Conjuring up a simulacrum of two Earths as a visual, Zelretch began his explanation in earnest.

"Whether it via Kaleidoscope or some other means, dimensional travel, by definition, is an invasive event. After all, things in their dimension should stay in their dimension. Although there are rare exceptions, by and large, foreign beings remain just that… foreign. So typically, when a foreign being enters a reality, they generate a sort of 'noise' in the dimension's stability. Compound this effect enough times, and you begin to create full-fledged dimensional distortions."

Rin gave a hum of understanding, "So if too many of us were sent over…"

The simulacrum changed, showing the Earths colliding and exploding into purple light.

"The distortions would warp the boundaries between the two dimensions, and ultimately cause them to converge. This would be a catastrophic event, devastating both dimensions beyond any possibility of repair. Thus, to avoid this happening in our present situation, my– no, our interference must remain minimal."

Hansa nodded, "I see, that does explain half the problem, at least on a basic level. But what about your lack of a plan? You have stated it is inevitable that Jester Karture will steal the Greater Grail from Fuyuki. I must admit, that's a little hard to believe. Does he truly succeed in every possible future?"

Kischur sighed, "Well, it's not truly impossible, as it is incredibly unlikely. Brishisan and I did deploy a team led by Lord El-Melloi II to try and seal or dismantle the Grail… but the timelines do not seem to be steering towards an outcome where their actions could help us. At least to the best that I can see."

Hansa looked carefully at the Wizard Marshal, "You sounded rather troubled at the end, Third Ancestor. Is your True Magic not behaving?"

Zelretch's response was slower and lacked his usual positive cheer.

"I'm afraid it is not."

With a wave of Zelretch's hand, the simulacrum returned to showing two Earths, one of which became dotted with purple spots.

"As a World Egg of Olkoth, the alternate Earth is steeped in an Outer God's malignant taint. It is a veil that works outside of this world, obscuring it from even my sight. The futures I see become murky, and the outcomes are difficult to predict and control. Furthermore, the dimensional distortions mean you will be separated upon transportation, and there are thousands of possible locations where you could land. To put it simply, there are just far too many unknowns to predict the likeliest futures— even for me."

Rin's expression remained doubtful, "So, in the absence of the ability to plan ahead, we aren't going to plan at all? This still seems foolish, even for you, Zelretch."

"Well, I won't be leaving you completely helpless, my dear apprentice. Although constants are few and far between in the futures that may occur, I will still be able to provide some insights."

Shiro spoke with a hint of hope, "So there is some advice you can give us?"

Zelretch nodded, "Yes. The advice I'll be giving admittedly may not make much sense to you immediately, but I assure you they are relevant hints. Outcomes are far easier to see than causes, in the grand scheme of things."

Zelretch then turned towards Rin, "On a less temporal note, I have a gift for you, my apprentice."

Rin suddenly found herself holding a string-tied package wrapped in brown paper. Untying the string, she realized instantly what the object was.

"This… it's a catalyst."

"Indeed. And a high-quality one, I assure you. Tied to a very powerful Servant."

"Well, a good relic is certainly useful. I assume Shiro will be utilizing Avalon in his summons?"

At Rin's words, Shiro perked up. He had somehow not even considered he might be able to see Saber once again.

Zelretch shook his head, perhaps sensing Shiro's thoughts, "No, Artoria won't be your Servant this time, Mr. Emiya. I am sorry if that disappoints you. I cannot elaborate, but your Servant is to be another."

"Who?"

"Now, now. Let the future have some surprises, Mr. Emiya. I can't be spoiling everything."

Rin grumbled, "Fate of the multiverse and he's worried about spoilers."

Zelretch expression hardened.

"As jokingly as I present it, I have good reasons for withholding information. Knowing too much about the future can be dangerous, and even the smallest of choices can sway the timestreams. I have to be careful about how much information I share, even if that forces me to give you nothing but scraps of information."

Rin said nothing in reply, so Zelretch continued, "But back to my intended track— the hints I am comfortable providing. Listen carefully now, the faster I get you all to the World Egg, the better."

Chikusa Ward, Nagoya
Day 3, Morning

On a rooftop in eastern Nagoya, the Heroic Spirit Assassin spoke. His fanatical personality, along with his clown-like half-mask, made the Phantom of the Opera seem anything but mentally stable.

"Lies are a beautiful thing, are they not? For a falsehood to exist, there must be a basis in truth. For if a falsehood holds no fragment of truth, then the lie becomes something disconnected, singular. But genuine lies are a wondrous paradox of reality and falsehood. Such is the beauty of Prelati's False Grail. It is a faux Grail, an imitation, and yet… it has the potential to blossom into truth."

Putting a hand on his mask, Assassin laughed, "Avenger and its Master's methods are crude, of course, a collisional performance indeed. But they do serve a purpose. Then again, you have no idea what I'm talking about. Do you, Mr. No.3 Hero?"

"Grrhh… what the hell did you do to me…?"

Lying prone on the roof, was Japan's No.3 Hero— the Wing Hero: Hawks. The man was relatively unharmed. The only sign of damage was on the back of his aviator jacket, which had been marred by three long gashes. Despite the non-lethal injuries, Keigo Takami was totally immobile. Even his red-colored wings, the product of his Quirk, refused to move a millimeter.

The black-haired man bowed, as if thanking Hawks for observing some grand performance, "You may call me False Assassin. I suppose Assassin would be sufficient, but with the False Holy Grail War on the cusp of expansion, my secondary moniker will be more accurate."

Hawks, grappling with questions the answer brought on, was filled with frustration. Minutes earlier, he had been flying towards the Higashi Ward, on call with the leaders of the HPSC. Then, suddenly, a pain filled his back before he landed on the rooftop, paralyzed. By some miracle, none of his bones were broken, but he was still unable to move.

'Is it poison? A Quirk?'

False Assassin smiled at the struggling Hero, flexing his clawed hand as he did so, "I believe you are wondering how I immobilized you. If you guessed poison, you are correct. Although it's nothing as interesting as a byproduct of a Quirk or Noble Phantasm. With a bit of talent, the materials of modern civilization make it quite easy to concoct a potent paralyzing mixture. Spread it on my claws, and voilà, you are at my mercy. It's not on the same level as the poison from Saber's blade, but I was not aiming for such a potency to begin with."

As Assassin spoke, Hawks began to devise a plan. It was a gamble, but Quirk-wielders did not have the same biological norms as the Quirkless did. Paralyzing poisons and such tended to be less effective on Quirk humans, who were tougher, healthier, and healed faster.

'I'll keep this chatterbox talking, so work your magic, body! Get that poison out of my system!'

For a Pro Hero, it was a pathetic strategy. If the HPSC or his fans saw this, they would likely be shouting in outcry. But he didn't exactly have other options.

"So, you're some kind of mercenary, then? What's your goal here?"

The expression Hawks saw appear on the Servant's face was an odd one. It was a mix of contempt, joy, and curiosity, as well as other emotions Keigo could not identify. But the silence was the most unnerving aspect.

'Did he figure me out?'

But a second later, the Phantom of the Opera adopted a sly grin. If he did guess Hawk's plan, he did not show it.

"I suppose you can hold a conversation after all, my winged friend. Such bravery deserves an answer."

With a twist of his wrist, Assassin's gloved hand was holding a second white glove. It was so instantaneous that even professional magicians wouldn't be able to write it off as sleight of hand.

The next few seconds were difficult to follow. In the blink of an eye, Assassin was pulling the glove over his previously clawed hand. It must have turned back to normal when Hawks was not looking because that shouldn't have been physically possible to achieve.

Continuing to smirk, Assassin knelt, reaching out to clutch the Wing Hero's chin. His touch was gentle, almost sensual.

"To tell the truth… I have no quarrel with you, Mr. Hero. I came to Nagoya with the very simple goal of observing the chaos Avenger sparked. The Holy Grail War is a tantalizing performance, and you simply had the misfortune of being selected as my audience participant."

Assassin leaned in close. It was clear his goal was to make the Hero uncomfortable.

"I wish I did not have to kill you, but, like any War, this conflict has rules of its own. You are an alien element, an outsider. As a Servant, it is my role to ensure non-Masters do not learn of the Grail War. Other Servants may not care, but I pride myself on following the script… at least for now."

Moving away, the Servant's smile curved to a sharper angle.

"There is one other route for you, I suppose. The Eighth Servant and its Master intend to drag the Greater Grail into this World Egg, thereby expanding the scale of the War. New Masters, although I know not how many, will be chosen by the Heaven's Feel ritual. I wonder… will you be chosen by the Grail, and die as an enemy Master? Or will you die a nobody, a meaningless casualty to ill fortune?"

Hawks said nothing, trying to process the nonsensical ramblings of this so-called "False Assassin". Numerous strange terms had been used that Keigo could only grope blindly at the meanings of.

Reviewing in his head, the Pro Hero tried to make sense of it all.

'This villain's ramblings… there is an underlying religious theme going on. I have no idea what the heck a "Noble Phantasms is, but "Heaven's Feel" and "Holy Grail War" sound like something you'd hear from some Biblical Cult… especially with all that Master-Servant terminology. So is this "False Assassin" some sort of religious freak show mercenary? I feel like I'm still not understanding…"

As he pondered, Keigo continued trying to flex his muscles, testing for any sort of feeling. Assassin, meanwhile, turned his back to his victim as he walked to the roof's edge. Teasing his foot over the cornice, Assassin glanced back at the paralyzed Pro Hero. His mood was calm, yet eager.

'Will you receive Command Spells? Let us find out, O' Winged Hero.'

Minato Ward, Nagoya
Day 3, Morning

One day ago, Shota Aizawa had been looking over All Might's report on Class 1-A's first heroics exercise. The exercise had been sloppy and uncoordinated, mostly due to the No.1 Hero's inexperience with teaching. However, the choice to randomize the students' teams had been a good decision on Yagi's part.

Although Pro Heroes often gravitated around a particular city, especially if they had an agency, it was not unusual for them to be called on for some separate operation. Heroes with useful disabling Quirks such as Rock Lock, Fumigant, or himself were common additions to raid teams. A Hero might have allies they fight with more commonly, but any good Pro knew how to synergize with their allies regardless of the situation. It was that expectation that caused the Sludge Villain Incident to give the HPSC such a headache. Although All Might fixed the issue and the HPSC kept it as hushed as they could, the fact the Pro Heroes present were sloppy and uncoordinated led to a notable rise in tabloid articles and interviews about Hero competency.

In a fortunate contrast to the Sludge Villain incident, the quartet of Heroes facing Berserker were all skilled in coordination. After tuning their communicators to a matching frequency, the team devised a plan to deal with the knight villain they were facing.

Hyade called it "Bamboo Inferno", a choice no one bothered to waste time arguing about. It was a somewhat complex strategy, but it made good use of the groups' Quirks.

After rushing backward out of Berserker's range, Aizawa nodded to Khao Lam. It was time for Bamboo Inferno to get started.

Rehydrated thanks to the opening Endeavor provided, the Bamboo Hero's Quirk was recharged and ready to go.

Slamming his hand on the ground, Khao Lam conjured several bamboo stalks. Unlatching a machete-like support item from his back, the Bamboo Hero cut through the stalks, quickly processing his Quirk's output into a small pile of bamboo pieces.

Now it was Hyade and Eraserhead's turn. Using their Quirks, the two created a fence of bamboo around Berserker. Thanks to his capture weapon and Hyade's Star Speed Quirk, they could safely do this outside of Berserker's reach. The result was crude, but it only needed to slow Berserker's movement for a second or two.

That was all the time Endeavor needed.

'This will make my overheating skyrocket… but a Flashfire Fist won't be enough for this villain. Even if it's not enough… I'll just have to keep going!'

Gathering a massive amount of flames, Endeavor unleashed one of his most powerful techniques, an evolution of his Flashfire Fist.

"JET BURN!"

The blast of fire struck Berserker head-on. For a moment, the heroes watched, but Hyade's keen eyes realized the fight was far from over.

"Get back! He's still standing!"

With a roar, Berserker burst from the flames. Khao Lam, who was still holding his machete, was not out of Lancelot's reach. Grabbing the Bamboo Hero's arm, the Servant tightened its grip, shattering Takeshita's bones. Screaming in pain, the hero let his machete fall to the ground. With no more use for Khao Lam, Lancelot threw him to the side before picking up the machete. As Knight of Owner enhanced the support item into a Noble Phantasm, Berserker lunged towards its next target— Aizawa.

Hyade moved to intercept, but Endeavor held the white-clad heroine back. Aizawa was a resourceful man, and if Hyade interfered, she would be making a target of herself.

Left to fend for himself, Aizawa dodged with everything he had. The villain seemed even faster and stronger than when Gunhead and Gang Orca were still fighting.

The man cursed in his head, 'Dammit… was it toying with us?'

Just as it seemed Aizawa was going to be cut in two by Berserker, the Heroic Spirit suddenly flung the blade away.

Before Aizawa could deconstruct the sudden change in tactics, a dark gauntlet grabbed its true target— Eraserhead's Capture Tool. Having taken hold of the carbon fiber cloth, the power of Lancelot's Noble Phantasm seeped into the tool. Seeing the miasma, Aizawa knew he had to act fast. Just as Berserker flung the Erasure Hero toward a nearby apartment building, the Hero's mind went into overdrive. Pulling his tool off with precise time, he narrowly avoided hitting the wall of the apartment building. Crashing through the window of one of the second-floor apartments, he skidded to a halt against a coffee table. The landing was rough, and Aizawa was instantly knocked out. But although he was beaten, bloody, and out of the fight, he was alive.

With Aizawa defeated, the tide of the battle shifted even further in Berserker's favor. Only Endeavor and Hyade remained in its way. Knowing their opponent was on the verge of victory, the Flame Hero made his choice. Abandoning all caution towards overheating, he began to fire deluges of flame in rapid succession.

Despite the heat and pain it felt from the bombardment, Berserker kept charging. As a Servant clad in chains of madness, it would take true hellfire to make Lancelot back down.

Endeavor meanwhile, continued to unleash his fire, doing everything he could to turn up the heat. He knew his actions were likely suicidal, but that fact did not stop him.

'I'll be overheating myself to the extreme if I continue these attacks. I could even die with how much I've already overdone it. But I refuse to let this villain beat me. Even if it kills me, I will push my Quirk to its very limits.'

Knowing the danger this would bring to his allies, Endeavor gave one final order, "Hyade, get back."

As Silvia backed up, Endeavor let flames curl around him. Despite the intensity of what might be his final moments, his heart was calm.

'Shoto… Natsuo… Fuyumi… Rei…'

Endeavor's family, dysfunctional as it was, flashed before his eyes. Memories of all the time he had squandered, forsaking his wife and children in his quest for recognition.

A final name passed through Enji's mind, accompanied by the image of his first son, lost too soon.

'Touya.'

'I understand now… I was wrong. Children must not sacrifice everything for their parents. No, it is the parent who must sacrifice for their children. My achievements, my legacy… what do they matter if my family wishes me forgotten?'

Endeavor, at that moment, changed. He was no longer the same man, the power-hungry fool who wanted nothing but to be number one. If he survived this, he swore he would try to make things right. It might be hard, impossible even, but Endeavor was no quitter.

'This attack… may it be the spark of hope for my family's future.'

"This is the pinnacle of flames, villain. May you go to hell knowing their intensity."

Just as he prepared to unleash his ultimate technique, a voice cried out.

"Endeavor, sir! Please move to the left!"

Drawn from his recollection, Enji saw the approaching form of Hyade, her face filled with pain. On her back were Basilion and Electrophase, both of whom had their Quirks at the ready.

That was not all. Although his voice had not returned, Gang Orca used sign language to communicate with his second-in-command, Eastsound. Led by Gang Orca's lieutenant all of the Killer Whale Hero's sidekicks who weren't needed in the fight against the Sekhem were at the ready. Firing their signature Cement Guns, the Okuto Island Agency quickly covered Berserker in a fresh coat of gray muck. Even a living tank like Berserker soon found itself stuck in place.

Directing Orca's agency with a confident cry, Eastsound shouted louder than he ever had before, "ALL SIDEKICKS— KEEP FIRING!"

Before Berserker could force its way out, the second layer of attacks came, courtesy of Basilion and Electrophase. Although the inclusion of rocky scales and magnetic spheres did little to damage the Servant, they had done their part in keeping Berserker in place.

Hyade, freed of the burden of two Pro Heroes on her back, smiled at Endeavor, "You're good to go, sir. Now you can use that ultimate technique of yours— without burning yourself to cinders in the process."

Endeavor smirked.

"Thank you, Hyade— no, everyone."

Regathering his flames, Endeavor felt his body going past its limit. However this time, he felt confident he would survive the maneuver.

"I'll likely faint after this… I'm counting on you to get me to the medics, Hyade."

Saluting, the speedster readied herself. Even if her back was in agony, she swore she would get Endeavor to the Nakagawa Ward for healing as fast as she could.

Crying out, Endeavor at last unleashed his final attack. The blow that would decide the battle of the Minato Ward.

"This is the end, you monster! PROMINENCE BUURRNNNNNN!"

The massive fireball consumed Berserker, the concentrated flames powerful enough to vaporize the concrete of the street. There was a brief flash of red light within the flames, but as the conflagration died off, it appeared it had done its job. Endeavor knew the HPSC would fine him for not taking a villain alive… but he didn't care.

As he fell forward, his consciousness fading, he smiled.

'I win… villain.'

Minato Ward, Nagoya
A Few Minutes Earlier…

The moment Eraserhead crashed into the unit two floors below him, Geten knew it was time to leave. As he packed, he watched as Endeavor prepared his ultimate attack— Prominence Burn. It was a terrifying technique, one that burned through everything. Even the ash left behind by its target would be incinerated. Geten was unsure that even a Servant could survive such an attack. At the very least, they would likely come out significantly damaged.

Pressing a finger to his communicator, Geten spoke to his superior, "Commander. Endeavor is about to unleash Prominence Burn. Should I use it?"

"I understand, Iceman. You are clear to use the second Command Spell."

"Understood. Iceman out."

Pushing a bookshelf to the side, Geten revealed a hidden ladder down to the city's maintenance tunnels.

As he jumped down, Geten activated his Quirk, Ice Ply. Freezing the sewage water, he created a small bowl-shaped platform to land safely in. Still lying in the ice bowl, Geten raised his hand, emblazoned with two red symbols, skyward.

Geten knew he had to be careful about the wording of his Command. If he did this wrong, Berserker might manifest in the middle of the cubicles of the Detnerat Headquarters, or possibly Geten's own apartment. Luckily, the MLA had designated a secure location when they had done their initial summoning. That would have to do.

"By the power of my Lord's Command Spell… Berserker, this vassal orders you to return to your chamber of summoning!"

Although he had no way of confirming it visually, Geten remained in his position until a three-pip sound came from his smartwatch.

'The all-clear signal… looks like Berserker was transported successfully. Dammit… only the third day and we're already down to a single Command Spell. Which we basically can't use since we have a Berserker. Ugh, Skeptic's not gonna let me hear the end of this.'

Jumping out of his ice bowl, Geten deactivated his Quirk, letting the ice crumble back into the sewage channel. Sighing, Geten pulled his hood over his head as he began the long trek to the rendezvous point. Unfortunately for him, he would be walking several miles of sewers and steam tunnels to get there.

'Man this place smells awful… not to mention it's overflowing in places. I might need to burn these clothes when I get back.

He wrinkled his nose at the putrid stench, 'Yeah, I'll do that… right after I take a nice, long shower…'

Higashi Ward, Nagoya
Day 3, Morning

Jester Karture was angry. This whole situation had become a massive mess. He expected resistance from the Servants, but this was supposed to be a war of fakes. The quality of Servants he expected had been far lower than this.

'Could it be some fragment or mimic of the Counter Force? Or is my luck simply this poor?'

Conjuring another tempest of wind and flame, the Dead Apostle began to feel his mana straining. Because of all the lingering magical energy from the Noble Phantasms all three enemy Servants unleashed, it was difficult to assess the progress of the ritual. Deciding to limit his offensive, Jester turned his focus to the ley lines. Although his "Magus" form would be best for this, this form would have to do.

The moment he focused on the flow, Jester's face suddenly broke into a wide grin, 'One line… three lines… eighteen lines… twenty-four lines… good. it's better than I ever could have hoped.'

Jester's situation was one might pin on "protagonist luck". His luck was unfortunate up until now, but his fortunes just turned. It would cost him a Command Spell to pull the ritual into the home stretch, but that was a small price to pay.

Instead of directing his Servant, the Dead Apostle turned one of his Command Spells to pure magical energy, filling his reserves with power. As Jester pushed that energy into the remnants of the Kaleidostick, the air began to shift. Sending a mental cue to Avenger, Jester began to move towards the center of Francesca's penthouse.

On the left side of the penthouse, All Might swung his fist at the first of Avenger's summoned monsters. Instead of hitting its mark, however, his attack was met with only empty air. As Avenger converged towards Jester, all of the sand amalgams it had summoned had vanished.

The No.1 hero's expression was full of confusion, "What the…?"

Before All Might could move to stop Avenger, both he and Archer were weighed down by some sort of strange gravity. As he struggled to stay standing, he tilted his head slightly to the right. At the other side of the penthouse, he could see Saber and Rider struggling to move as well.

Glaring at Jester, Saber clicked his tongue, "Damn. We were too slow."

Jester laughed at the sight, "Such a shame, you quartet of troublemakers! Trying as you did, you were simply not good enough. Heroic Spirits… Pro Heroes… this ritual still stands, even with your interferences!"

Avenger meanwhile, focused on itself. Pulling at the threads of its Noble Phantasm, the storm above Nagoya began to rapidly recede. As the Chaos Storm gathered, so too did the sands of chaos. Within minutes, every Sekhem in the city had returned to dust.

The Anti-World Noble Phantasm had been concentrated, condensed into a singular point. Through Avenger's influence, the sand took the form of a snake-headed staff. A Phantasmal Construct that would channel all the mana Apophis and Jester had sequestered.

Grasping the newly created staff, Jester raised it directly above him. Bolts of energy, colored red, gold, and black, arced off it.

"I, Jester Karture, claim the False Grail. By my will, bring forth the truth. Call upon your origins, sublimate the truth that conceals the lie. Shatter and bring a True War to this reality!"

From the staff, a spear of multi-colored light poured upwards, blinding the city with its radiance. In the days to come, the satellite imagery of Nagoya would throw world governments into a frenzy, as they tried to explain the impossibility that was occurring.

It was as though a supernova was brought to Earth, the light of Jester's wish piercing the heavens themselves.

Jester's request was not one that fit into the typical idea of a wish. He did not want immortality, wealth, knowledge, or even power. He wanted but one thing, an uncertain and chaotic reward.

'I wish for a Holy Grail War.'

In essence, that was Jester Karture's request. Despite his seemingly idiotic wish, Jester Karture was no fool. He knew the Grail of Snowfield was not complete enough to grant his dreams of destruction. He desired much, much more. Through the power of the Kaleidosticks and a vast amount of the vampire's own mana, he had filled the vessel of the False Grail. He would not be confined to Prelati's little game. He would still need to win the True War that came with it to do so, but the False Grail's job was not to ensure his victory. Its job was only to provide the mechanism.

And so, a wish was granted.

The newborn ley-lines of this world pulsed with foreign power, as the False Grail reached beyond the boundaries of Olkoth's World Egg. Like a spacial hand, stretching out across existence, Jester's wish descended upon Fuyuki, spiraling down to grasp hold of the Greater Grail.

Mt. Enzou, Fuyuki
Present Day

The energy in the cavern shifted, even Faldeus could feel it.

"Master Rohngall, Lord El Melloi…"

The black-haired man cursed, "Shit."

Rohngall gasped as he looked at his instruments.

"This reading— Kaleidoscope?"

As part of their mission, Zelretch gave Rohngall a small crystal to resonate with the Second Magic. It was a useless trinket for the most part and would be powerless within a few days. Rohngall didn't realize why it was necessary, at least until now.

"It cannot be… these knaves who are tampering with the Grail have a hold over the Second Magic as well?!"

The statement was absurd, but Rohngall did not suggest this lightly. He could not deny the facts being presented to him. It was clear the conspiracy they came— and failed— to prevent was one of the highest magnitude.

Lord El-Melloi II could only watch in horror as the Grail was engulfed by paracausal light. Even as it was covered in a blinding veil of gold, red, and black light, Waver made sure to keep his eyes locked on the fragment of the Third Magic.

'This was not some simple sealing mission, was it? Something is happening to our world… and whatever it is, I doubt I'm going to like it.'

Faldeus, meanwhile, watched with disappointment and trepidation. Although he was assisting Rohngall and Lord El-Melloi II on this mission, he also had a secondary objective. In the ideal scenario, Faldeus would have returned to the U.S. with the necessary knowledge to create a second replica Grail. The Snowfield Plan had been a multi-decade and multi-billion dollar endeavor, and the U.S. Government was hoping their plans could still succeed.

But that would no longer be possible. The True Holy Grail of Fuyuki, like the False Holy Grail of Snowfield, was disappearing. Vanishing beyond the reaches of this world, going somewhere that neither Faldeus nor his superiors could hope to reach.

A place beyond the edges of the world.

Nakagawa Ward, Nagoya
Day 3, Morning

"We need bandages over here!"

"Code blue! They're going into shock!"

As she moved through the various temporary medical stations, Hyaka Kuchibashi felt a headache forming.

'Damn those commissioners! They said the resupply would be here ten minutes ago!'

For a ramshackle effort, the medical encampment that had been set up in an evacuated mall ended up proving rather effective. The vast majority of civilians and heroes who were taken here, while in rough shape, seemed like they would pull through. Unfortunately, it was still a rushed set-up. They only had so many supplies, and the camp was reaching its limit. If they didn't get more soon, the camp's situation would utterly collapse.

Hyaka, also known as the Medi-Stitch Hero: Stencil, weaved around the chaos and made her way to the mall stairwell. Speedwalking downstairs, the brunette heroine arrived at the offloading dock, sighing happily as she looked ahead.

Pulling up to the dock was a large black armored truck, the logo of the HPSC emblazoned on its side. Stepping out of the passenger's seat, a stern-looking HPSC worker saluted Hyaka.

"Greetings, ma'am. We've come with the resupply."

As she leaned against one of the dock's large rectangular pillars, Stencils's face was filled with relief, "Thank heavens. We're almost at our limit on supplies. We need to get your payload upstairs right away, but please be careful with it."

The man nodded in understanding as the other HPSC workers began to unload the supplies.

Hyaka glanced back at the stairwell, "I need to get back to the camp. There's an elevator and a disability access button, so you should be fine getting up. I'll send some sidekicks to lend a hand."

Not waiting for the man to reply, Hyaka rushed back to the encampment. As Stencil re-entered the mall atrium, an aged doctor with graying hair turned to the Pro Hero with a hopeful expression.

"Is the resupply here?"

Stencil smiled, "Yes. Thankfully."

The doctor sighed with relief.

"Thank Buddha. The doctors operating on Bone-T just said they needed more bandages."

"Can you go over to Bone-T's location? Nesslock and Moran were watching over her, but since they are strong, I'd like them to go down and help unload."

"Of course, ma'am. You might want to check in with the front of the camp though. You haven't gone there in a while."

Hyaka nodded, "You're right, Doctor Wakura. Keep up the good work!"

"You too, Doctor Kuchibashi."

Weaving through the crowded food court, Hyaka made her way to the front of the medical encampment, just in time to see their new arrivals burst in.

She vaguely recognized the woman as Hyade, but the man on her back she identified instantly.

The Flame Hero: Endeavor.

As several medics rushed the injured No.2 Hero onto a gurney, Stencil walked over to the panting Hyade.

"Hyade, what happened to him?"

Hyade nodded, "We were in a tough battle with some knight villain. Endeavor took them out… but he's in real rough shape."

"What about your own condition?"

"Well, my back hurts like hell… and my legs hurt too."

Pulling a thermal patch for Hyade to use, Stencil gave her fellow heroine a gentle look, "I'll get someone to look at your legs, but take this for your back pain. It's just a temporary solution, but we just got our resupply, so it's all I've got on hand right now."

"It's fine. Compared to others, I'm barely injured. Especially the others back at the Minato Ward. Hopefully, Orca's agency will get them here soon. Do you think Endeavor will be ok?"

Hyaka nodded, "He might be out of commission for a few days. I've treated more than one pyrokinetic over the years… he probably overheated his own body. His brain likely forced him to faint before he burned himself from the inside."

Hyade made a complicated face, a mix of worry and disgust, "Yikes… that does not sound pleasant."

Stencil nodded, "No, it's not. Can you tell me how the others in the south are?"

The heroine waved her arms rapidly, "The villain in the south was pretty brutal. Eraserhead, Gunhead, and Khao Lam all got thrashed, and Orca had to use Red Tide."

"Thank you for telling me this, Hyade. I'll make sure the camp is ready for an influx of injured… actually, you can help me with that."

"How so, doc?"

"We just got a resupply into the offloading dock. I sent Nesslock and Moran down to help… but could you tell other heroes to lend a hand? Anyone just standing around will do. But if your legs start to ache more, focus on yourself."

Hyade saluted, "You got it, Stencil."

Now left alone, Doctor Kuchibashi took a moment to breathe, 'This whole incident is pure chaos. It feels like something out of an apocalypse movie. If the heroes in the Minato Ward got that beat up, I can only hope the groups in other wards are alright…'

Unfortunately, Hyaka's luck wasn't cooperating today. Hearing the doors open, she turned to see another group stride into the encampment. From their dog-themed attire and the red wolf patches, Stencil instantly knew they were from Oogami's Agency. In their arms was someone else Stencil recognized.

'Kazaguruma?'

Similar to Seishin, Hyaka Kuchibashi was a latecomer to heroics. She originally was an ordinary medical student, but after saving the life of a Pro Hero during a villain attack, she was scouted by the HPSC. After a year of interning under the Kiss It Better Hero: Blush Rose (the granddaughter of U.A.'s renowned nurse Recovery Girl), Hyaka became an HPSC-sponsored Pro Hero. Her license exam had been the same one Seishin Kazaguruma, aka Native, had taken, and the two became work friends as a result.

Rushing over, Hyaka was relieved Native's injuries weren't life-threatening. Although, based on his pained movements, he likely had several broken bones.

But the most apparent problem was not one of physical wounds. The man she knew as courageous and witty looked wilted and broken.

Wanting a chance to speak to Native, she helped the sidekicks move him to a gurney. After they situated him, Hyaka squatted down to his eye level.

"Native. It's me, Stencil. It's ok. You're safe."

The man's eyes leaked tears as he whispered, his voice distant, "I… c-couldn't save t-them."

Gasping between sobs, Native continued, "I couldn't save them Stencil… she killed them both."

"Killed? Native… what happened?"

"Kamui and Ryukyu… they're dead, Stencil… and I failed to save them."

Hyaka's heart sank.

'Kamui Woods and Ryukyu… dead?'

Before she could fully process the terrible news, the windows of the mall were filled with light. It was a mix of colors— golds, reds, and blacks. It was the light from Jester's wish, shining out across Nagoya. Like the storm that sparked the Nagoya Disaster, it was a declaration. The False Holy Grail War was over— a new Holy Grail War was about to begin.

Even beyond Japan, beyond reality, Jester's declaration of war was made complete— as deep within the Outer, the God of Celestial Arcs awoke once more.

Yokohama, Kanagawa Prefecture
Day 3, Morning

"PAH!"

Expelling green slime from her mouth, a young girl stepped out of a futuristic-looking pod. Moments before detecting the arrival of a consciousness, the pod had been filled with preservative slime. It was nasty, but it was a necessary part of keeping a body preserved for resurrection. Unfortunately, the drainage mechanism had partially malfunctioned, resulting in the girl breathing in some slime as she woke up.

"Man… I don't know if it's the ley-line quality or what, but this resurrection wasn't as clean as my last one. But, then again, I had to make do without my usual materials."

The girl had a name, but as of now, it no longer mattered. Whatever her identity was before, it was overwritten by the foreign invader to this world— Francesca Prelati.

Stretching her new body, Francesca felt the lingering seeds of frustration.

"Stupid vampire… killing me like that. I didn't even get to watch whatever chaos he created. I did make thirteen backup ateliers for this Grail War, but having to use even one is still a pain. Resurrection doesn't come cheap, you know!"

Prancing over to the bathroom, Francesca spent the next several minutes washing the slime from her skin. As she did so, she pondered the various outfits she could wear. It wouldn't do to wear the same one.

'After all, variety is the spice of life! Or lives, in my case~'

"Hmmm… I'm not feeling a full-on dress, that just won't go well with my cute new accessory. Something similar to my last outfit should do though!"

Although Francesca's appearance had mostly overwritten her host body's original appearance, there was one aspect that refused to disappear. It was a purple flower-like growth on the left side of her head. Despite its floral appearance, its texture was that of octopus skin. It probably was connected to the girl's Quirk, but Francesca had no idea what that was. All she could recall in the fragments of the girl's memories was her being a victim of severe bullying. Not that she was sympathetic about such experiences. From her twisted viewpoint, it was a beneficial factor that had made the girl easier to kidnap for use as a body.

As she scrubbed the last of the slime off, Francesca came to a sudden decision, "I know! I'll go with the outfit with purple accents! It should go well with my accessory and Command Spells!"

Mind made up, she skipped out of the bathroom, not bothering to cover herself with a towel. She was the only one in the atelier, what was there to hide?

After finishing getting dressed into her new outfit, a slightly more tomboyish version of her previous incarnation's attire, Francesca headed to the atelier's walk-in pantry. Her new body had been kept in a vat for several months by now, and her stomach was craving delicious snacks.

Once inside the pantry, Francesca reached her tattooed hand towards the kernels but paused just before she reached the bag. Her Command Spells, which had been inert since she stole the False Grail, now pulsed with a faint purple glow.

The very next moment, a disembodied voice echoed through the atelier.

|::| Prelati.

Francesca jumped in excitement, nearly knocking a few items off the nearest shelf.

"Foreigner! You're back!"

|::| The Dead Apostle has succeeded in his task.

Sticking out her tongue, Francesca laughed with fake nervousness, "Hehehe, yeah! He killed me, so things have gotten a little messy!"

|::| Whilst this occurrence ist not as intended, the outcome ist still as desired. The Heaven's Feel has descended into mine womb.

"Well, that's good, at least. So, things are getting started then?"

|::| Indeed. Thy 'Holy Grail War' is no longer a mere imitation. Shattered it may be… thy War has sublimated into an unassailable truth.

"Way to look on the bright side! That stupid vampire made a muck of things, but the days ahead are sure to be so much fun!"

|::| The shattered nature of thy sublimated War shall inject chaos into its proceedings… but, perhaps it shalt be as you say. This shall be… 'fun'.

"Tehehe… now you're getting it, you Outer God you!"

Fulmo Mountains, Aichi Prefecture
Day 3, Morning

In the Fulmo Mountains, outside Deika City, lay Mount Koboh. A medium-sized mountain with an extensive cave system, it had been devoid of a human presence since long before the dawn of Quirks.

The closest thing to a "human" visitor to the cavern had been Jester Karture, who arrived into the world less than 48 hours ago. The arrival of the Dead Apostle caused a disturbance amongst the local wildlife. The bright light of Kaleidoscope had been an entirely foreign event to those who called the cavern home.

Just as they began to resettle from Jester's unusual arrival, the inhabitants of the Koboh Caves were in for another startling event. Perhaps sensing the change, the creatures fled into nooks and crannies or flew to higher levels of the cave system. Through their instincts, they knew something was about to happen.

It began with a pinpoint sparkle, a small spark of multicolored light. Then, like an inverted whirlpool, magical energy roared through the cavern. It was filled with a storm of plasmatic energy, incinerating any lifeforms too foolish to flee. The rocks of the cavern boiled and metamorphosed as a vast sphere of light began to congeal.

Descending from the light, the Greater Grail entered the world of Quirks and Heroes. It was a much more beautiful sight than it had been in Fuyuki. The passage between worlds had burnt away almost all of Angra Mainyu's corrupting essence, allowing the Grail of Fuyuki to be mostly returned to its original splendor.

It took the form of a vast orb of rock, cracked open on one side like a geode. Within that crack, which glowed with yellow-green light, was the Homuncular core of the Grail. A physical manifestation of Justeaze Von Einzbern's magic, it took the form of hundreds of golden facsimiles of Justeaze fused into one mass. Floating just above the floor of the cavern, the Grail hummed with a buzzing energy. Although it had only just arrived, it was already going about fulfilling its role.

A True Holy Grail War was beginning. Sending out an imperceptible pulse through reality, it quickly selected the Masters for the War. There were several oddities found during its surveillance, but the Grail's limited consciousness swiftly inducted them all into its framework. Reaching even beyond the bounds of space and time, it had sent Command Spells to the last existing representative of the Three Families, who was currently in transit between two worlds.

Once all fifteen Command Spells had been implanted, the Grail's energy lessened. The groundwork had been laid for the War, and now it was time to wait. Eventually, when the vessel was filled, a Master would come to it and claim their wish.

Until then, the Grail would be a silent observer, waiting to enact the continuation of the Third Magic— just as it had all those times before.

Higashi Ward, Nagoya
Day 3, Morning

Heracles only saw it for a moment.

Having opened his eyes a fraction of a second earlier than his allies, he caught a glimpse of a most unusual sight.

It was a vast sea, a bloody expanse of black and red mud. It vanished as fast as it appeared, and the world reverted to its normal appearance.

'Was that… a Reality Marble?'

It was too brief to comprehend or analyze, and Archer was not sure whether it was the work of Avenger or the Grail. As the Hero of the Bow looked around the ravaged penthouse, he noticed something much more pertinent.

Avenger and its Master were gone.

Realizing his failure, Archer wanted to throw his bow in frustration. Despite everything… despite the alliance between All Might and three Heroic Spirits, they failed. Whatever dark intentions the Dead Apostle and his Servant had for this world, they had succeeded. Despite giving it his all, he failed to keep his promise to his Master.

'I have shamed myself… and after swearing on my mother and father as well.'

Heracles's clouded mood was shared by Saber and All Might; even Rider looked more down than usual.

Saber cursed in ancient Greek, and Archer could not help but agree with the sentiment.

It was All Might who broke the silence, "So… we failed."

Archer nodded, "Yes, we did. And now Avenger and its Master are gone, free to continue their schemes as they please."

Saber grumbled, fixing a final cold look at Heracles, "My Master won't like this… I'll be heading out."

With that Saber vanished. All Might, who assumed Saber's Quirk was Hydrokinesis, was caught off guard by the sight.

"Huh? Where'd that young man go? I swore he controlled water…"

All Might was in for a second shock, as Rider chimed in as well, "I should probably head back too… my cute Master will be waiting for me! And even if we failed, I think we fought really well, so props! See ya!"

Rider dematerialized as well, and All Might realized something strange was going on. Both Saber and Rider vanished in the exact same way, displaying a power contradictory to what they showed in battle. Turning to Archer, he looked at the towering man questioningly.

"She vanished… Archer, you three aren't vigilantes, are you? Do you… have multiple Quirks?"

Archer was quiet, unsure of how much he should reveal, "I cannot give you the answers you seek. It is unfortunate you stumbled into a conflict that should have remained out of your sight. That snake Servant and its Master have thrown this whole ritual into disarray. But I will give you this much… we are not vigilantes, All Might. We are not like anything you have encountered before. If you continue to seek answers regarding the Holy Grail War… be prepared to not like what you find. Farewell."

All Might reached out, "Wait! Archer!"

It was too late. The man vanished, dematerializing like the other Servants. The No.1 Hero was left alone in Prelati's ruined penthouse, his mind swirling with mysteries and truths.

Joie de Vivre, Monaco
Present Day

When the multicolored light cleared, Shiro Emiya was surprised to find himself exactly where he started. Unlike Hansa and Rin, who vanished from the opulent meeting room, he was still in Monaco with Zelretch and Van-Fem.

"Huh— what's going on? Why am I not with the others?"

Shiro turned to the Wizard Marshal in confusion.

"I thought I was heading to the other world… why am I still in our world? Did something go wrong?"

Zelretch held up his hand, silencing Shiro's questions, "Calm yourself, Shiro Emiya. Allow me to explain."

Van-Fem grumbled, "Zelretch, we just talked about delivery… and here you are, withholding again for some weird sense of suspense."

Zelretch glared, "Well, this time, I have an extra-good reason!"

Van-Fem glared back, "Then tell Emiya that reason. You've been far too stingy with answers, Kischur."

"I'm getting to that, let me speak."

Van-Fem sighed, excusing himself, "Very well. I shall leave you be."

After the Demon King of Finance departed the room, Zelretch sat back down in one of the chairs. His eyes were shadowed by the tilt of his head.

"Mr. Emiya… check your right hand for me, will you?"

Confused, Shiro looked at his right hand… and his eyes widened. On the once bare skin was a set of Command Spells, nearly identical to those he possessed in the Fifth Holy Grail War. The only difference was these had a bluish hue to them.

Zelretch smirked, "Seems the experiment was a success. Merlin outdid himself."

"My command spells are blue."

Zelretch leaned forward on his cane, his voice steady, "So they are. I suspect you are more curious about the reason why, though. The answer, in short, is the Ruler-class Servant."

"Ruler?"

"One of the Grail's hidden 'extra classes', just like the Avenger class used in the Third War. Servants of this class are the Grail's version of overseers for unusual Wars. In particular, they are vital to the subsystem that responds to a situation where all seven Masters would be aligned for a singular goal. In such an instance, fourteen Servants would be summoned into two factions, with a Ruler serving as an impartial judge. Due to Jester Karture's rushed method of stealing the Greater Grail, the future indicates this subsystem will be activated erroneously. This would, of course, lead to the summoning of a Ruler into a bloated, factionless War. But, the two recurring candidates in the timestreams both result in disastrous consequences for the future. So with the help of a third party, the Ruler slot has been hijacked. That hijacker, the new Ruler, is to be your Servant, Mr. Emiya."

"My Servant will be this 'Ruler'? But…"

Zelretch chose his words carefully, "No buts, Mr. Emiya. This is a critical piece of the puzzle ahead. This is necessary to save the future."

As the vampire had hoped, his words resonated with Shiro's sense of justice. Just by looking at him, Zelretch could tell he had the young man's support.

"Alright."

"Good. But you seem to have another question on your mind, my boy."

"Yeah. I'm just confused by that last thing you told Rin and the priest… the last hint— 'look out for the green-haired boy'."

Zelretch smiled, "Ah, that… I'm afraid I can't say anything else about that. Don't worry, you'll understand soon enough. Now, we need to get going."

"Get going? To where?"

"Where else? To your Servant, of course. I'm sure she is quite eager to meet you. Don't worry… you won't need to retrieve your suitcase. It would get lost in the dimensional transfer anyways."

The room blurred with rainbow light, and Shiro found himself in a familiar location.

"This is London…"

Zelretch nodded, "Yes. We are just a few blocks from the Clock Tower."

"My Servant is at the Clock Tower?"

Zelretch pointed downwards, "Not quite."

Shiro gazed at the pavement incredulously, "They're… in the sewers? The Tube?"

"Nothing so mundane, Mr. Emiya. You are going far deeper than any place of mortal construction."

Zelretch grinned, "Tell me, young man. Have you heard of the Spiritual Tomb of Albion?"

To be continued in Chapter 12: The Grail Canon

Lunar Files: Heroes of Nagoya Vol.2
A continuation of the previous Heroes of Nagoya Lunar File, covering the remaining original Heroes who made appearances in this arc.

Native (Expansion on canon MHA Character)
Real Name: Seishin Kazaguruma
Occupation: Pro Hero
Quirk: Featherwind Cloak
Seishin can partially manipulate the effects of air currents and gravity on a single item of clothing he wears, allowing him to fly short distances. The object being affected gains a feather-like consistency to it.

Elytrian
Real Name: Yugure Tsukinofune
Occupation: Pro Hero, Sidekick of Ryukyu Agency
Quirk: No Data Provided

Balto
Real Name: Yukar Yasuda
Occupation: Pro Hero, Sidekick of Oogami Agency
Quirk: No Data Provided

Basilion
Real Name: Genbu Tatakura
Occupation: Pro Hero
Quirk: Rockscale
Genbu's arms produce stone scales that can launch as projectiles. The scales are very aerodynamic despite their weight.

Electrophase
Real Name: Shoku Unagi
Occupation: Pro Hero
Quirk: Magne-Orbs
Shoku is capable of generating spheres of magnetic electricity from his palms. He can also dictate the polarity of an orb when he fires it.

Hyade
Real Name: Silvia Okkotsu
Occupation: Pro Hero
Quirk: Star Speed
Silvia is capable of moving at extremely high speeds and thinking at an accelerated rate while doing so. However, proper running form and damage to her legs greatly affect the capabilities of her Quirk.

Stencil
Real Name: Hyaka Kuchibashi
Occupation: Pro Hero, Combat Medic
Quirk: Stencil
Hyaka has a needle-like protrusion she can extend from under her nails. She can stencil things together with the needle.