My version of Naruto being a Lancer for the Holy Grail War


Summary: Naruto is a Servant brought back to fight the latest if the Grail Wars. However, legends are twisted, shaped by the world and distorted by time. How will the 5th Grail War fare when a man capable of causing cataclysmic destruction with a swing of his fist? Read and find out.

Naruto x Atlanta x Mordred x Jeanne x Semiramis x Fem. Gilgamesh


~XxX-Many Eons Ago-XxX~

It was the beginning to the era that was known as the Age of Gods, thousands of years before the birth of Gilgamesh who would become the King of Heroes. It was a time of war and strife, a era of warring nations, a unending era of blood and conflict. However, this was to be the end of a war unlike any other. The Great Destroyer Beast, the First of Humanities Sins turned to Beast-hood had been revived. A Beast of any category would be called all the evils born from "the karma produced by humanity's progress." There are two categories: beings oppressed/persecuted by humanity, and beings used by humanity for oppression/persecution

It just so happened that this was the Original Beast meaning that it was composed of both Categories, and it was nigh indestructible in both power and physical strength. It had created the World, the stars, the entirety of Creation was its tool, and beyond that, there was nothing capable of slowing it upon it fully manifesting its glorious power. This creature of rapture, this creature of wrath was a creator god of unparalleled strength. Upon its original birth it had swallowed the oceans. Hoisted up the mountains. Gathered the heavens. Scattered the earth. Sang of the stars. Screamed the moon into being. It cried of a world in which it could call home, and it had all been made.

It had created the very concept of life, the idea of death. Hope. Despair. Love. Hate. Light. Dark. It was all of these things and more.

And when it was all done, it slumbered. The ages passed and soon those who could think for themselves, calling themselves humans, were born. Wars were waged on weather or not to use the power of the Creator for their own use and lost. And in time, a woman appeared. She was desperate to save her home, so she took upon herself the dying energy that the Creator shed every thousand years, the corrupted power it would absorb from the universe, and devoured it. And in doing so, she had used the godly energy to reign in her people and ruled over them where a era of peace was established.

However, the woman was unprepared for her slow decay into madness, and so the Creator awoke to try and stop her, to save her from her own demise. In doing so, the woman's progeny rose up in unknowing retaliation to stop their Creator. While the two boys might have had noble intentions, they did not understand the full scope of their actions. By killing their mother they saved humanity. By stopping the Creator and sealing it away, the sins of humanity would run rampant and drive them to destruction. But, the Creator had already foreseen all of this coming and allowed it.

Why?

Because it knew that a true savior would arise to fix the wrongs of all his predecessors and save all of creation.

It had created a lot of things since the dawn of light. It left gifts, treasures unlike anything the world could understand, but one by one these treasures were destroyed by mankind's greed, until all that remained was a single one. So powerful was its ability that the Creator used all its remaining power to ensure its safety and deliverance upon the redeemer, and in time it all came together as it had foretold, and the redeemer was born. Ostracized due to unfortunate circumstance, the child would be handed his gift of salvation, and he would grow from boy to man. He united he world under one banner and creation was once more at peace.

Until the Creator was forced to be reborn as a force of destruction.

Now, hear the tale of how the redeemer rises up to fulfill his destiny as both Savior and Destroyer

~XxX-6,781 Years Ago-XxX~

He stood before his adversaries with none to assist him. He had commanded all his forces to withdraw and hunker down. To prepare for devastation unlike anything ever before witnessed since the age of the Sage of Six Paths. He had to stop this calamity before it could advance any further. His enemy, perched upon the Beasts head sneered down at him, "Give it up Naruto, you cannot defy me, nobody in this world can. I killed Madara, I destroyed Obito. The world must pay for its transgressions against the Uchiha! If it can't then I'll simply erase everything!" the man declared.

"But will vengeance, this worldly destruction you want to cause, avenge your clan? Think of the people your about to hurt? The amount of lives you will ruin all because of what your clan intended to originally do? The mothers, fathers, children, the innocents you will kill simply to sate your lust for blood." Naruto pleaded.

His enemy sneered, "If my clan rebelled, then they would have had perfect reason to do so!" the man responded, "We were forced into seclusion, forced to live like peasants in a village we had helped create, and what do we get? I'll tell you what we got, we got hatred, ostracism! All of this built until we could no longer sit by and abide by a fallen system! The Senju started it, but it will be the Uchiha who ends all of it!"

"Sasuke, this will do nothing but spread the hatred, the chaos and death will only continue. Stop this now!" Naruto pleaded.

Sasuke growled as his sword glowed with dark chakra, "NEVER!" he roared thrusting his sword ahead, "COME ON!" he declared as the Beast gave a roar that shook the heavens.

Naruto inhaled deeply and closed his eyes, "Then you leave me no choice!" he responded as he pulled his weapon off his back. It was his spear, gifted to him by his great friend Tenten. She had sadly died to Sasuke when he rampaged across the continent, her and Team Gai had to be transported back in closed casket's, it was here Naruto resovled to give Sasuke one chance to return and ask for forgiveness before he killed him. But he knew it was too good to be true. After all, Sasuke had killed a majority of those he known from Konoha; Kakashi... Sakura... Shikamaru... Choji... Hinata... Kiba... Asuma... Iruka-sensei... them and more... He even killed those he called ally.

Juugo...

Kabuto...

Suigetsu...

Naruto barely saved Karin, she was a few months along with their baby, Naruto was happy he put her on another continent. The discovery of many landmasses was a boon for the Ninja world. Lots of places to explore, lots to learn. Ino was with her, last he saw, she was carrying little Aurora with her, surprise that that one little tumble resulted in a child with Ino of all people he'd never know. Wait... didn't Shion also say she had a pair of twins.

Wait.

.

..

...

Ino, Kurenai, Shion, Karin, Temari, Koyuki, Konan, Isaribi, Mebuki, Yoshino, Kaori, Choma, Shizune, Mei, Guren, Kurotsuchi, Samui, Mabui, Karui, Suzembachi, Hotaru, Matsuri, Tsume, Hana, Anko, Yugao, Rin, Kasumi, Tenten before she died...who else was there, he had more he was quite sure of that?

He'd get the final count later, he was apparently very fertile when it came to the deed.

Regardless, he shook himself from his thoughts-all his kids were nowhere near this battle as they were all elsewhere in the world-and slammed the bottom of the spear into the ground shaking it in the process of burying it into the dirt. It was Basquias, the Spear of Heaven. Basquias takes on the appearance of a great spear. The head of the weapon sits on a brass bolster, decorated with a relief of what appeared to be swirling vines. The spearhead itself is a wickedly curved blade in the shape of a crescent with sharp ridges lines across its back that resemble thorns. At the very tip, there was a literal spearhead designed to look like a jagged dagger, but with carvings engraved to make it look like a leaf. It stands as tall as its master from the base up to the top of the crescent shaped blade with some extra length for the secondary spearhead.

"PREPARE TO LOSE EVERYTHING YOU LOVE AND CARE ABOUT, NARUTO!" Sasuke roared as he forced his beast of calamity to charge its attack.

"No, I'm sure they'll be fine. After all... They're nowhere near your reach." he said as he pulled his spear in front of him and grabbed it in both hands and channeled his power. His chakra, Senjutsu, all of it was going into this final strike. The plan was given no reprieve. If they couldn't stop Sasuke and the Ten Tails, then he'd destroy the world to ensure nobody won. While it was tragic, Naruto knew that there would be those that would survive the calamity and bring mankind out of the ashes once more. He was only regretting the fact he wouldn't be around to watch his family grow and prosper.

Oh well, at least they would be far enough from the destruction whenever it was all said and done.

When he had finally gathered all the power he could into the top of Basquias, the spearhead was glowing with otherworldly power, to the point it was near blinding. His eyes snapped open as he raised his weapon up, "SMASHING-" he declared loudly as he channeled his energy.

"DIE!" Sasuke roared as the Ten Tails began to slam its tails down upon the lone Uzumaki.

"POINT!"

And the world was utterly decimated unlike ever before. The sheer amount of energy was unlike anything ever unleashed in the history of mankind. The shockwave alone evaporated Naruto from existence, followed quickly and shortly by Sasuke Uchiha who was incapable of crying out as well as the Ten Tails. This was soon followed by the nearby country and cities of the Ninja. The sheer impact of Naruto's final attack left a physical scar upon the surface of the planet where it would remain for millions of years. Smoke and ash would fill the sky for three hundred years, after which a vast majority of life would die out.

When the sun finally shown through the cover, the land was barren and dead, save for the sole few who managed to barely escape through the cataclysmic destruction. Though it wouldn't be known to anyone, Naruto's crater which ended the 4th Ninja World War held a diameter of 150 kilometers/110 miles. It was 20 kilometers/12.4 miles deep. This would force the resetting of the entire planet and first notable extinction level event that would be the most known devastating as it caused the extinction of 75% of life on Earth, as it generated a ~100 million megaton blast that devastated all life.

When mankind rose from the ashes, tales of the Savior would be told, as the King of Heroes was born, tales of this great deed would spread to the people and memoirs would be written and told, and as such the Throne of Heroes held its first true Hero inits clutches. The vast majority of the survivors were the sons and daughters of Naruto Uzumaki, and those that came after were of his blood. Those who had their destiny determined and ended up as Heroes of Legend would always be of Uzumaki Heritage, they just wouldn't know it. And the world lived because of the sacrifice of one selfless man.

~XxX-Current Era; 5th Holy Grail War-XxX~

The worms writhed.

Sakura sucked in a sharp breath through her teeth and squeezed her eyes shut as her magic circuits flared with white-hot intensity. Still the worms writhed. Both at her feet and within her body, pain searing up and down the length of her spine as she sat in the pit, her body bent double in another burst of frightful pain. She would not scream. She refused to scream, refused to give grandfather the satisfaction. If she cried out now he would not stop the ritual, he would only strike her, or worse, manipulate the worms to draw more power from her.

She was a Matou now, and she had endured worse than this. Much worse.

So she would stay silent in this, just to spite him.

Another bolt of agony jolted her back.

'I won't cry,' she chanted in a silent mantra, clutching her shoulders. 'Don't cry, don't cry, don't cry...

She hadn't wanted any of this; not the war, nor the ritual, not any bit of the fighting that was to come. Hers was a gentle soul. She did not enjoy combat as most magi did. She just wanted to spend her remaining peaceful days with Senpai. Even if he didn't notice how she felt, she was happy just being around him. Yet Grandfather had been nigh on relentless, threatening that sole ray of sunshine until she finally complied. She'd thought this would be simple; summon a Servant, use that bloody book to pass them off to Shinji, and wash her hands of the matter.

She had not been prepared for the pain.

Every cell in her body shrieked at her. Every muscle clamped down as one. It made the worms writhe in agony, which in turn took ever more energy from her with each moment. She was going to die if this continued, but she had no way of stopping it. Whatever had responded had her reserves by the throat and throttled them with each passing moment. At the rate her energy was shriveling up someone had indeed answered-must've been absolutely monstrous to drain her this quickly. If this continued overlong, her magic circuits had no chance of sustaining the effort, much less her life. She didn't want to perish, but she could feel her life slipping away from her with every second that slithered by.

'Am I going to die here?'

All the while her "grandfather" hunched over his cane, sneering at her suffering.

"Don't fall apart on me now, girl." his raspy, guttural voice made Sakura grit her teeth. "It'd be such a shame after all this effort."

'Kill him.' something dark and ugly reared its head in Sakura's gentle heart as she raised her head to glare at him. 'I'm going to kill him someday. Maybe now, if I can help it.'

Zouken must've seen it too; because his once lazy posture turned stiff as a stone. He made no move to retreat, but he was most assuredly watching her now. Good. That small, dark part of her crooned like a lost lover in her ear, even as she tried to deny it. He should fear you. Once you're whole, you'll crush him like the worm he is. Let him have a taste, just a taste...

"Careful now, girl." her so-called guardian's voice rose in a rumbling rebuke. "Do you want me to throw you back in the pit again?"

She grit her teeth at him, even as her body convulsed. 'I'd rather die.'

As if sending that very thought, the pain stopped, "Do it now girl, while you have the chance!" the old worm commanded, and Sakura obeyed.

"P-please let it work...Let a base of silver and steel be the essence!

Let the stone and the Archduke of Contracts be the Foundation.

Let red be the color I pay tribute to.

And my ancestor, my great master, Schweinorg.

Raise a wall to block the falling wind that shall fall.

Let the gates in the four cardinals directions close.

From the crown, come forth and follow the forked road to the Kingdom.

Let it be filled...Again...again...Again. Again!

Fill, fill, fill, fill, fill.

Repeat five times.

Let it be filled five-fold for every turn.

But then simply destroy each when filled.

I hereby propose.

Let my will create thy body, and thy sword shall create my fate!

Abiding by the summons of the Holy Grail, if thou dost accede to this will and reason, answer me!

I hereby swear.

I am and will be all that is good in the eternal world.

I am and will be the disposer of evil in the eternal world.

Thou, clad with the great Trinity, come forth from the circle of constraint, Guardian of the Heavenly Scales!"

With a startling flash of light and laughter and sound-so much sound!-the strain on Sakura's circuits ceased. The shockwave certainly didn't. A harsh burst of red light surged from the summoning circle and cannoned into her mentor's chest to send him sprawling to the dirt in a plume of sundered stone and mangled masonry. Sakura could've laughed, but managed only a tiny gasp. Her circuits were white-hot, every breath rendered itself steam. Someone was laughing, and with an odd pang of relief, she realized it wasn't the old worm.

Why was she smiling?

"WWWWWAAAAAAAHHHHHHH~" the scream filled the air before "Oi!" a rough, drawling voice boomed from the smoke as it cleared, reverberating harshly against the walls, rippling with power, "Ten Thousand years, will give you such a crick in the neck!" Zouken's pallid brow shot up as the smoke cleared to reveal the newcomer, but he was too busy pulling his aching body upright to protest. Sakura could hardly blink before she found herself in the air and stuck on the tip of something, "Hold on a second there!" the Servant told her before he began to literally crack the entirety of his body, the loud pops echoing through the room, "Man, what can I tell you, is it great to be outta there!" he declared as he pulled Sakura down and took the item which he used to hold her up, "Hey there, nice to meet ya, Servant Lancer Naruto Uzumaki, at your service!" he declared.

Despite what some would view as an unparalleled victory, Sakura wanted to cry.

Grandfather would never let her be now; if she tried to foist this new Servant off on Shinji-and didn't a part of her cringe just thinking of him-she could never truly escape this war. She'd been naive to believe otherwise in any case. She'd proven herself capable of snaring one of the most powerful Servant classes for this war; though that hadn't been her intention at the time. On the contrary she'd hoped to summon a weakling, someone who might loose quickly and thereby remove her from the war.

Still, she could at least look at her Servant.

Grizzled but not old, he nevertheless radiated a rough sort of charm. Bandages wrapped around his forearms. A deep black cloak with red flames embroidered on the bottom, grey shirt and black pants with black open sandals. A lone eye-patch concealed his right eye and an ugly scar behind it, nor his shaggy blond hair and whiskered cheeks, his jawline framed by a careworn beard. Yet the longer she gazed at him, the more she suspected that scraggly black piece of cloth wrapped about his head served some other purpose. One she couldn't quite grasp.

Eventually her gaze shifted to the rest of him, and what she found there only further served to confirm her suspicions that this was indeed a Lancer. The massive golden spear was large, incredibly so. How did one use something so massive and unbalanced? The curvature of the front blade was crazy, add on the fact it actually had a spearhead he sizeof her upper body and it was a miracle he could lift the massive thing, and yet he hefted it with ease. A single hand grasped its worn handle, idly tapping the blunted back of the blade against his shoulders with a steady clack-clack-clack of a sound as his bare feet shifted against the stone floor. A lone blue eye flitted about the catacombs-lingering briefly on Zouken-before turning back to her. There was no anger lurking there, only a quiet curiosity. That singular azure orb creased slightly, perhaps taking pity on her and the fading tremors that still wracked her body.

His lips pursed, and she glimpsed a strange, slim metal needle-or was it a reed?-clenched between his teeth before he spoke.

"You got a name, Master? Or are you going to keep gawking all day?"

A slow heat rose to Sakura's cheeks.

His inquiry drew a startled blink from the heir and a scoff from Zouken; thankfully the latter was even now basking in her success and didn't immediately speak. He only grinned that ghastly sneer of his as he struggled up on rickety legs. Sakura wasn't fool enough to fall for the act, even when he dared to interject himself on the new arrival.

"Her name is irrelevant, Servant." the words were a laughing rasp. "She is your Master and you will-

"Wasn't talking to you, old man, now scram."

Lancer never looked at him.

He didn't even turn.

He just moved.

Swung.

In a single graceful movement he unlimbered the massive spear from his shoulders and lobbed it at Zouken as one would a Frisbee. To his credit the old man jerked back with a flinch and managed to duck to avoid losing his head. Even then the great serrated portion behind the blade sheared some skin off his scalp as it slammed into the stone above his head. The old man jerked back in a flinch, that false smile slipping from his mouth like rancid pudding. Gone was the kindly act he perpetuated, in its place she glimpsed the wretched creature within, thin skin stretching over his skull as he snarled.

"You dare strike me?!" he hissed, rubbing at his savaged skull. "Know your place, Servant!"

That one eye pulsed-Sakura could think of no other word for it-and an invisible fist laid Zouken low once more. By contrast, the hideous creature masquerading itself as a human took the blow without flinching. Wrinkled shoulders shook, but did not shatter. Bent, but did not bow. He only loosed a rattling chuckle.

"You don't seem do understand the situation." Lancer stated as he finally deigned to look him in the eye, "I understand that if one more word comes pouring out your cunt mouth, I'm going to kill you."

"Bah. Empty threats. It seems my beloved granddaughter was truly fortunate to summon you after all." heedless of his peril, Zouken cackled as the stoic Lancer continued to glower at him. "You may be strong, but your emotions rule every fiber of your being. They make you weak-"

That blazing blue eye drifted shut.

"Die."

"What?"

Matou never saw the spear move until his host body collapsed into a pile of worms. Perhaps that was meant to kill him. Perhaps not. Regardless of the fact, it sent grandfather into an absolute rage. Sakura still did not wholly understand how a rotting pile of worms could convey human speech-frankly it disgusted her-but that tepid mass still managed to howl at them.

"Tch! Cheeky brat!" the pile roared, its words a screech! "This won't kill me!"

"No." Lancer admitted freely. "But it'll humble you until I figure out what you are. Now hold still." but before he could, the old man moved. Snarling, the wretched worm pile of worms slithered away into the darkness with a snarl. Lancer didn't lower his arm until the hideous sound of their passing finally faded into the distance. It was enough to spur Sakura into speaking again. Anyone willing to so readily make an enemy of the old worm was well worth it in her regard. Still she hesitated, if only just a touch, because she knew there would be a reckoning for this. Zouken wasn't the sort to let a slight go unpunished. He'd try to hurt her with Shinji, or worse...

"I...you didn't have to do that." she murmured, almost to herself, wincing at what she knew would come.

Belatedly she realized her Servant was still waiting on a reply from her. This was not it.

"My name is Sakura." she managed haltingly. "Sakura Matou."

A spark of emotion flickered across his face.

"Sakura, you say?"

A small smile plucked at the corners of his mouth and with a rustle of cloth the blond returned his remaining blade to its resting sheathe between his shoulders. Wordlessly, he dropped to his haunches before her. At such close proximity the purple-haired girl nearly flinched, but he made no move to attack. Nor did he try to grab her face. That vague curiosity had become genuine interest now; joy tempered by a smirk that seemed almost familiar somehow. But that was absurd. She'd never seen this man before.

"I knew a Sakura once." he mused wistfully. "How ironic that I've been summoned by someone with the same name. Seems the Grail has a sense of humor."

His hand settled on her head in a gentle pat and incredibly, Sakura felt her tremors cease. No she realized, they didn't just cease, she felt...revitalized. As if someone had given her a week's worth of prana. The lingering haze that had clung to the corners of her vision for the better part of a week now. Baffled by this sudden surge of vitality, she balked up at him, but that careworn smile didn't fade. As his hand pulled away she swore she saw a mark of some sort etched into his palm. When she blinked it was gone. Surely she'd been imagining things.

"Well then, you can call me Naruto." the Servant declared. "Or Lancer. Whichever you like. Seems a fair trade."

"O-Ok...so what now?" she spoke into the silence.

Lancer seemed to consider that for a long moment, thumbing his chin. "Now, I'm not much for honor these days, but you called to me, and I answered. Suppose that should mean something."

Sakura didn't expect him to kneel.

Lancer did just that, before he bore his spear down to the floor. But not to attack. Nor to defend. A gesture sank it into the stone, but his gaze never left hers. Even as the stained steel planted itself between them, still he knelt. Even as she climbed gingerly to her feet, he remained still as stone.

"You have my loyalty, for whatever its worth. I'll keep you safe." her Servant swore. "I promise."

Despite her best efforts, the Matou girl felt her lower lip tremble. No. No tears. She refused to cry anymore.

"Don't. You can't protect me." the words sounded dead, even to her own ears. "Don't try to save me, Lancer. No one can."

His head snapped up, that lone eye blazed into her soul, and for a moment-just a moment-she believed that he could. His glare said it all; he'd go to hell and back for her. A stray smile danced across his scarred face, but he didn't budge from where he knelt. Despite the fear gripping her heart in an iron vice, Sakura almost giggled with incoherent fear. Was he trying to act like a knight? Swearing his fealty to her as if she were a lady of some sort? She was no such thing; she felt unworthy of such dedication when in truth part of her wanted nothing more than to throw everything away. What had she done to deserve loyalty like this?

She shouldn't be emotional. Yet something in his words-his smile-reminded her of Senpai. That only made it worse. Much worse.

"You can't." she repeated the words numbly, to him as much as herself. "Don't. I'm not worth it, I'm not-OW!"

Lancer's hand descended in a ruthless chop against her hair, drawing a startled yelp from the girl.

It didn't so much sting as it did startle, but it served its purpose regardless.

"Why did you hit me?" she whined, rubbing at her forehead.

"Because you're spouting bullshit."

To her mild dismay, Lancer scoffed at her and snatched up his blade. In a single fluid movement he stood, casting her in his shadow. Gods. He really was tall, wasn't he? Even on his knee a moment ago he'd easily dwarfed her but now...it was like looking at a giant. When a lone arm stretched out to her, fingers splayed, Sakura nearly flinched. Despite his earlier oath, that gruff smile had yet to waver. For a moment she glimpsed an odd hint of hope in that smirk, as though he'd just been reminded of something. Someone.

"Look at me, Master." Lancer demanded suddenly.

Something in her cringed, cowering from the sudden strength of his voice. "I...don't want to."

Sakura first instinct was to refuse; thus she turned her head away and tried to slip backwards. Naruto would have none of it. A hand snaked under her chin quick as you please, gently but firmly wrenching her face back to his. Forcing her to look up at him in spite of her fear, in spite of her hesitation, in spite of all the self-loathing Zouken had ground into her. Lancer's gaze-his very voice-burned all that away from a brief moment, leaving her emotions bare before his wild, blazing glare. Just a moment. A second. A splinter in time.

"LOOK! AT! ME!"

She complied. She had no choice. Even as his words rattled the stone underfoot. Even as he nearly deafened her. She was naked in the face of that gaze, helpless but to gaze into that lone blue orb. No, she realized with a start; it wasn't blue anymore. Or even red...but gold. Amber. That strange amphibian-like pupil saw right through her; it saw all her sins, all her degradation, everything Shinji and Zouken had ever done to her. Everything, even as she tried to hide.

Incredibly, it creased in a smile.

"Listen. I answered your summons because you wanted someone to help you." He gave her a light jolt of a shake for emphasis, just enough to jar her back to her senses. "Help me, you said. Save me, you said. That was your voice I heard. You called me. Now you listen here; I know that thing is preying on you. That person." his lips pursed as though he'd sucked on a lemon. "That...worm. I don't know how to kill it. Not yet. But I will. You are going to win this war. You are going to have your wish. And then you and I are going to have a talk. Understand?"

"I...

"Do you. Understand?"

Mute, she could only manage a timid nod as Lancer released her and took a sharp step back. Sakura almost expected another outburst from him. Another shout, or some-such. It never came. Instead all that burning anger and concern drained from his whiskered visage like a broken sieve. That rough hand descended again, gently-almost fondly-patting her head. A look of pained longing flashed across his face, but whatever emotions Lancer felt were never voiced, not here, not in this crypt.

"Good." he beamed, mussing her hair. "I said I'd help you. And I will." His smile hurt her heart. "Even if it kills me."

Once more, Naruto offered her his hand, "Take it, girl." He urged at her. "Let me help you."

Unbidden, Sakura's right hand twitched at her side. She shouldn't. She mustn't.

To be offered hope again after so long many years was more than simply surprising. It was painful. Like a sun thrust into a darkened room that had never seen the light of day. It was such a far cry from Senpai and his blissful, lovable ignorance of her situation; here was someone actually Sakura remembered the fate of the last person who'd tried to "help" her all too well. Time had done nothing to dull that memory and the wounds it had left on her heart. Uncle Kariya. He'd died right in front of her. Grandfather had fed him to the worms that night and laughed. That was the price for his defiance.

Surely Lancer would meet such a fate, Servant or no. It didn't matter how strong he was. All who dared oppose Zouken or Shinji...disappeared, one way or another.

It was simply the way of things.

"You don't have to do anything else." Naruto's voice cut through the dark haze descending on her thoughts, sharper than any blade. "Just take my hand."

Such thoughts were folly, but Sakura's trauma ran deep and instinct wasn't something so easily culled, no matter how much she might wish otherwise. Her body locked up, her hand balling into a fist even as she thought to raise it. She'd be a fool to trust her Servant; much less take his hand. Grandfather was eternal. Grandfather was absolute. Nothing could kill him. Not even a warrior of the Grail...or so she told herself.

And yet...and yet...!

For the first time in years, the voice of a little girl cried out deep in her heart, screaming out for someone-anyone!-to hear her desperate plea. To have someone actually offer her that salvation-one who had the strength to back it up!-was almost too much to bear. She thought of Senpai again; but despite her feelings toward them, despite the hope that they would one day be realized, that cold, quiet part of her reared its head. He can't help you, the voice hissed again. You know that. You love him, but you know he can't. She did. Shirou could never stand against Grandfather. It hurt her just to admit it, but there it was.

Tears swelled in her eyes. "I don't deserve it."

"Yes," that weathered face crinkled in a smile. "You do."

In the end, for better or worse, Sakura reluctantly took his hand.

There, in that pivotal moment, the poor girl's world gradually began to shift.

It was only one piece in the puzzle. A tiny fragment, a small part of the greater whole. Yet it changed her.

Some might say the world burned because of that gentle hand. That the events following could be traced back here, to this very moment. Some would argue otherwise. They would say that the world was saved because of that hand, that quiet hope looming in the dark. Perhaps it was the shadow that ravaged the world. Perhaps it was the grail itself. Perhaps it was the golden king. Tales would vary in the coming days, loud and numerous, a veritable storm of squawking cross on the wind. Who can say what end would come of this?

Regardless, Sakura would never be the same again.


Previews-

Naruto snorted as he looked at his opponent, "Lost the fight?" he asked as he looked at the small group, "Boy, you guys must be dumber than you look if that's what you think." he said turning slightly as he drew a arm across his chest, "Master, hold onto that tree next to you, I need to exterminate some pests." he said.

"Oh yea, with that weak ass stance, you'll be lucky to even backhand one of us!" Lancer of Black snarled.

"Won't need to touch ya, never will." Lancer smirked as he clenched his fist harder, muscles creaking with effort, and then, he lashed out, the world shattering much like the air had when he struck at them.


"Do you wish to die that badly, mongrel?!"

His forehead slammed against hers.

Blue bored into crimson.

"Bring it on, bitch!"

"Will the two of you cease?!"


"Hold!"

A mighty shout rent the air, causing them to close just as quickly.

"Stay your weapons!" Rider boomed a laugh as his chariot bulled forward into Archer's path, startling them all. "Its clear we're not going to solve anything like this, and the four of us are already battered beyond belief." When no one dared to challenge him, he granted them a cheery grin of his own. "It would be boring if the war ended on the first night, wouldn't it? Let us call a truce for now." Withdrawing a flagon of wine from within said chariot, he dismounted and held it out for all eyes to see. "Come! Drink with me and be merry! Let us speak of our conquests like the rulers we are!"

"Oh?" Archer was the first to break the pall of silence that followed. "And why would I deign to drink such swill?"

"Can't you just bring your own, goldie?" Rider challenged.

"How arrogant of you." Archer twitched. "Very well! I shall show you your folly...

To his credit, Lancer wasn't drawn in so easily. "What is this, a meeting of the kings or something?"

"Indeed!' Rider stabbed a larger finger at him, much to his dismay. "Join us, Lancer of Red! We've saved a place for you. As a fellow King, we simply cannot leave you alone under such circumstance!"

"A king? I never considered myself one."

"Did you lead your people through strife and peace?"

"I...well...yes, but its not like I wore a crown or anything."

"...ha! Bahahahaha! Yes! I like that attitude of yours! Come! Join us!"

"I can see that much." The whiskered warrior blew out a breath. "I'd refuse, but I really don't have much of a say in this do I-Whah?!"

His sputtering protests died a quick death as Gilgamesh opened a portal beneath him and dropped him next to her, even as she summoned a pitcher of the purest gold from her vault. Saber scowled at the sneering woman and went summarily ignored for it, leaving her bright eyes with a rare and true anger. For a moment she felt like the odd duck out, but then Rider gestured to her as well and she found herself with no recourse but to approach as well. If she refused such an invitation, she felt she would be dishonoring her kingship. And if Archer and Lancer were content to lower their guard for the time being...

"...very well. I shall consent to your truce, Rider." she forced the words through clenched teeth. "For a time."

"That's the spirit!" Iskandar cackled. "By all means, drink! There's more than enough to go around."

Saber blinked...Was it possible for a Servant to get drunk? No, surely not. These three seemed intent to try.

With a long suffering sigh, she accepted the cup when it was offered her.

It would prove to be strange evening indeed.


"Ha! You say you are not a king because you fell on the field of battle?! That makes you a true king indeed!"

Naruto palmed his face and groaned.

"For crying out loud...I'm just no good with loud people...


Archer stepped back slowly, taking her hand from his head.

...you do realize that this means war, right?"

To his credit, Naruto didn't respond; not at first. She'd credit him for that much. He knew precisely what he was getting into with her, yet he didn't show so much as an ounce of fear. Nay, he seemed emboldened by her claim. Were it not for the sword cradled lazily in her right hand she suspected he would've been more impertinent still. Sure enough, as she looked on a broad smile bloomed upon his whiskered visage. And then.

And then:

Naruto was off, shooting out the door like an arrow loosed from a bow.

"Catch me if you can, sugar lips!"

"I WILL MURDER YOU FILTHY MONGREL! TO TASTE THE CHASITY THAT IS MY DIVINE LIPS WITHOUT MY SAY SO IS ENOUGH FOR YOU TO DIE!"


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Naruto Stats-

Strength: EX

Endurance: EX

Agility: A+

Magic Power: EX

Luck: A++

Noble Phantasm: EX

Magic Resistance: A

Presence Concealment: A++

Independent Action: A+

Battle Continuation: EX

Charisma: A+

Divinity: B

Instinct: B+

Mana Burst: B+

Natural Body: A++

Independent Manifestation: EX

Territory Creation: A++

Jutsu Casting: C++

Healing/Recovery: EX

Valor: B