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False Prologue IV: The Eighth Servant

It was an anomaly within the system. The False Grail, even in its bolstered state, should not have supported the existence of eight Servants. However, due to using the heart of Sakura Matou to overload the Kaleidostick, Jester Karture had absorbed some of the grail mud that tainted Sakura. By taking on some of those properties himself, Jester had been transformed into a living link between the True and False Grails. It was his new and anomalous connection that had allowed the inclusion of an eighth Servant, an Avenger.

Even so, this Avenger was an abnormality. Normally, the Grail would default to Angra Mainyu for the summoning of an Avenger. Although the Third War's Avenger had long since been defeated and absorbed by the Grail, not all of him was gone. The Grail Mud, both inside and outside of the Grail, kept all of Angra Mainyu from returning to the Throne of Heroes. Thus, the Grail was forced to select another. But the other Avengers were not befitting of Jester. The vampire did not need the likes of Taira-no-Kagekiyo, Antonio Salieri, or Robert E. Lee.

The Dead Apostle desired a calamity, a bringer of destruction. That had brought the Grail to its choice. It was a total breach of protocol. Never, in the designs of the Three Families, should this have ever been unleashed. But the Grail had selected this override. This was the Avenger that Jester would receive.

It was an existence that had been cursed by humanity since the dawn of civilization, a reconstituted derivative of Tiamat and Abzu. It was a monster that opposed the Gods of Egypt, a living storm that towered over the mountains of Bakhu.

It was something the Grail, False or True, should never have allowed to manifest within the world. What Jester had summoned was something entirely removed from the moniker of hero. From evil's influence, an exception had been made within the Grail. Unshackled from Ra's yoke, this calamitous Avenger came forth into the War, ready to consume all that existed in this loathsome world.


Emiya Residence, Fuyuki City
Present Day

"Hmmm… this is indeed some fine tea."

In the main room of the Emiya household, the Dead Apostle Ancestor Valery Fernand Vandelstam took a sip of the freshly brewed tea Shiro had given him. Just as he had outside, he levitated almost imperceptibly above the tatami flooring of the room. At the far right corner of the room, Chiaroscuro stood silently, having delivered the Mystic Code from the Tohsaka household.

Once Shiro seated himself on the other side of the small table, Van-Fem put the cup down and set his eyes upon the two young magi.

It was Rin who broke the silence, "Ancestor Vandelstam, you said you had information regarding the attack, but there's something that doesn't add up. Why would you, one of the Ancestors, personally involve yourself with this? I'm sure you have plenty of middlemen you can turn to."

Van-Fem laced his hands together, "A fair question, Signora Tohsaka. Allow me to tell you exactly what my role in this situation is."

With a flick of his wrist, Van-Fem launched a card at the recording jewel. The moment the card hit the mystic code, it sprang to life. Playing out like a projector, the Magi watched with horror as the attack played before them.

As the two watched the footage, Van-Fem gestured to the gray-haired man who attacked the Matou. "That is Jester Karture. Many years ago, I inducted them as a member of my lineage. I believed Karture to be a fellow affirmer of humanity, in spite of their destructive nature. However, it would seem Jester has gone astray. I can no longer forgive their actions."

Looking at the footage, Shiro watched with horror at the sight of Sakura's heart being torn out. Yet, she had managed to stand up and transform into… something.

"What is that transformation?"

Van-Fem simply took another sip of his tea, "I am not sure myself. However, perhaps my peer will have the answers you seek. After all, Jester has angered him as well."

Rin realized what the Dead Apostle was implying, "Zelretch."

"Correct, Signora. My heretic kin intends to destroy more than just the Matou. His aspirations are far worse."

Reaching into his suit, Van-Fem chuckled. "But to learn about that, you will have to ask Zelretch himself."

From his suit, Van-Fem set a small snow globe-like object on the table before snapping his fingers.

The mystic code, which contained countless prismatic crystals, began to glow. Like a disco ball, it lit up the room with hundreds of multi-colored dots. Then, from each dot, darkness spread out, covering the entire room in an endless cosmic void. In the center of the void, like a singularity, was a wooden throne. The back of the throne seemed to be infinitely tall, and seated on it was an elderly man.

He seemed to be in his 50s, but he had a resounding presence, like a universe compressed into a single man.

Seeing his guests, the man spoke with a somewhat jovial tone, "I see the simulacrum worked as intended."

Van-Fem tilted his head, "You know, Zelretch, I'd prefer you not use me as your middleman in the future. You owe me."

Zelretch grimaced, "Yes, yes. I know. Can I explain things to my pupil before we discuss what I owe you?"

Van-Fem smirked, "Very well. I suppose I will not charge you interest given the circumstances. You are quite busy monitoring the state of things."

The Wizard Marshal put his head in his hand, "You truly are the Demon King of Finance, Valery. Hopefully, you overcharging me doesn't cause a new calamity-line."

Turning to Rin and Shiro, Zelretch's expression softened, "Now then. Young Rin, Mr. Emiya, do you know why I asked Van-Fem to locate you?"

Shiro responded, "He mentioned a Dead Apostle named Jester Karture. He said they were the one who attacked Sakura and Shinji."

Zelretch nodded, "Indeed, that is the truth. However, there is much more going on than just an attack on the Matou. That irksome Jester but has transported himself outside of the world."

Rin was shocked, "But that should not be possible! The Second Magic is your property. True Magic is not just shared like that! That goes against everyth–"

The Wizard Marshal held up a hand, silencing his apprentice before she could continue, "However, True Magic can be channeled through certain means, even by non-magicians. It would appear that a few days ago, Jester managed to infiltrate my archive in the ClockTower and steal the Kaleidosticks. How he got past all the security, even I cannot fathom, but such speculations do no good in this matter."

"He stole Ruby and Sapphire? I don't want to believe it."

Zelretch nodded, "Nor did I, but what Miss Edelfelt reported was certainly no lie. But we cannot change what has happened. Jester Karture has stolen the Kaleidosticks, and has used them to enter a world removed from our own."

Shiro looked at Zelretch in puzzlement, "But why would Karture do such a thing?"

"The False Holy Grail War."

Both of the Magi froze and Shiro muttered in surprise, "What?".

Rin cupped her chin in thought, "There were rumors about a faux Grail War being organized in America… but that would be in another country, not another world…"

"It is true that this False Grail War was to be in America originally, but it would seem an outside influence has affected the timelines."

Van-Fem was next to speak, "No ordinary being can alter the flow of the future on such a scale. However, the culprit in this instance is no ordinary being. This is the work of an Outer God."

Rin wanted to sit down. Even for her, this was getting too crazy.

"An O-Outer God? T-That's…"

Shiro looked at Van-Fem in slight confusion, "What's an Outer God?"

Zelretch interrupted the question though, "I will let Rin explain those beings to you later. For now, what you both need to know is that an Outer God has allied with a being from our dimension named Francesca Prelati. Together, they have transferred America's False Grail to another world, where they can complete their ritual undisturbed. Or at least, I suspect that was her plan before Jester involved himself."

"But I still don't understand, Zelretch sir, what good did killing Sakura do Jester? Why did he take her heart with him? Why did Sakura transform?"

"I understand you have many questions, Mister Emiya. But worry not, I will explain. The reason for the attack lies in Sakura Matou's hidden nature."

"The transformation?"

"That is a facet of it, yes. The full reality is that Sakura Matou was a Lesser Grail."

Lesser Grail. Shiro did not understand the term very well during the Fifth Holy Grail War, but in the years following he understood its meaning. A conduit, and in recent wars a living being, to summon forth the Greater Grail, the true wishmaker of a Holy Grail War.

"But I thought Illya was the Lesser Grail… there were two?"

"Indeed. After the Fourth Fuyuki War, Zouken saw fit to implant Sakura Matou with the tainted fragments of Irisviel Von Einzbern, Illya's late mother. By absorbing the power from those fragments in her heart, Jester was able to overload one of my Kaleidosticks and force a reaction from the Second Magic. The resulting burst would have been sufficient to propel him to another world of his choosing."

"But what about the transformation?"

"Unlike Illyasviel, who became a Lesser Grail via ritualistic resonance, Sakura could be described as a reconstructed vessel. The conclusion of the Fourth Holy Grail War would have bathed Irisveil's remnants in the Grail's corruptive mud. Thus, when Sakura was implanted with them, her own Lesser Grail would have been one blackened by All The World's Evils."

"The Avenger of the Third War…"

"Indeed. In a different timeline, that malice in Sakura's heart might have been unleashed. It is fortunate that Zouken was complacent in this world."

Seeing the conversation was veering away from the present issue, Van-Fem chose to interject, "Enough explanation Zelretch, let us get straight to the point, I have a gambling event to attend."

"You have a gambling event every night, you money-grubber, but I agree. Now, Shiro, Rin, listen carefully."

Zelretch cleared his throat, "Unfortunately, events have already been set in motion that will allow Jester to steal the True Grail from this world. However, there is still hope to prevent further damage in the future. This is much to ask of you both, but I wish for you to cross the worlds as well, and bring a stop to Jester's plan."

Shiro and Rin looked at each other. They would not back down from this. For Sakura's sake.

"We accept."

Zelretch smiled, "Good. Then, let us conclude this chat. I shall see both of you again soon."

With a wave of the Wizard Marshal's hand, the shadows of the Viewing Room fell away, and the Emiya Residence returned into view. Van-Fem stood up, reached into his coat, and returned the simulacrum globe, now darkened and unpowered, to his inner pocket. Without Van-Fem even needing to prompt her, Chiaroscuro walked over and set a pair of plane tickets and a pair of playing cards on the table.

Van-Fem gestured to the items, "These playing cards will give you access to the private room of the Joie de Vivre, and these plane tickets will get you a first-class flight to Monaco. The plane leaves tonight, so I suggest you pack quickly."

After grabbing his hat from a hook in the entranceway, Van-Fem turned to say one last thing, "And before I depart, allow me to thank you for the wonderful tea, Signor Emiya."

As Van-Fem walked out the front door, Chiaroscuro following behind, the two Magi shared the same thought.

'We're coming for you, Jester Karture.'


Okazaki Central Police Station, Okazaki
Day 2, Morning

Momo Yaoyorozu was dreaming. As she moved among the crowded streets of an unfamiliar city, she found herself akin to a phantom, unseen and unheard, passing through people like they weren't even there.

As she navigated the maze-like streets, which appeared to be filled with buildings of the early medieval style, she felt distinctly out of place.

Following the crowds, Momo found herself on a vast open street, leading towards an impressive-looking cathedral. Moving closer to the building, she was able to see a group of people she did not recognize.

Each was eye-catching in their own way, but one stood out from the rest. He was a younger adult man with black and white hair and sparkling blue eyes. He was dressed in a black and white tunic, and his back was shrouded by a cape. It was not exceedingly intricate, but it was clearly made of expensive materials. That, combined with his charismatic aura, made Momo very confident he was royalty.

Before she could observe the king or the small group of knightly individuals behind him, Momo's ears picked up the sounds of heavy footsteps. Turning her head towards the sound, her eyes widened at the sight of a giant moving down the road. Despite his imposing height, the giant seemed rather weary, and a thick rope was visible around his neck. As the giant moved closer, Momo could hear the crowd cheering as the puller of the giant came into her view.

Momo's eyes widened. It was Rider, that strange young knight who told them about the Holy Grail War. Rider, who had claimed to be…

'...Astolfo, one of the Twelve Paladins of Charlemagne! Which means…'

The black-and-white-haired man standing within a few strides of her was none other than the legendary King Charlemagne.

'Am I dreaming about the past? Rider didn't mention anything about this in his explanation…'

With no way to get an answer in the dream, Momo decided to focus her sight on her Servant and his monarch, trying her best to remember Astolfo's legend.

'If I recall correctly, Astolfo fought a giant in Egypt… so this must be his triumphant return home?'

Momo watched Charlemagne gaze up at the tied-up companion of Astolfo.

"I'd heard tell of your victory marches with the Egyptian Giant, but I must say, I was expecting the mighty Caligorant to be less… docile?"

The pink-haired knight gave Charlemagne a silly-looking smile, "Well, you see.."

"This is Astolfo we're talking about, he might have just annoyed the giant to this state. Lord knows he's almost done the same to us."

Before Astolfo could continue, a stern female voice had interrupted. Momo looked at the speaker and saw it was a blonde girl dressed in a rather unusual outfit that looked like a one-piece swimsuit. In her hand was an unusual shield that appeared to be crafted from solid light.

At the girl's comment, the other paladins and even Charlemagne broke out into a storm of laughs and chuckles. Meanwhile, Astolfo responded with a pout, "So mean, Bradamante! I'd like to think I'm only half that annoying! But, anyways, hey, hey, Charles!"

Charlemagne chuckled, "What is it, Astolfo?"

Astolfo leaned on Caligorant's leg, the giant flinching slightly at the contact, "Can we keep cute little Caligorant here? He and I had such a fun journey back and I'd hate to have him executed…"

Momo, like much of the crowd, sweatdropped. 'Cute and little…? He's treating a giant like a puppy…'

Momo and the crowd listened for Charlemagne's response. But suddenly, the entire memory fell silent, as if someone had muted the entire scene.

"Momo…"

Momo turned around and gasped. Only a few feet away, in the crowd, stood her parents. They were dressed in the same outfits as that night, and their heads dripped with blood.

"You failed us."

"You thief."

"You waste of space."

"You worthless child."

Momo wanted to speak but no words came to her.

'No, I didn't mean to! I was too late! I'm sorry!'

Although she tried to stay strong, the death of her parents had undeniably shaken her. Kenzo and Mana may not have loved her as parents should have, but that did not change the fact, at least in Momo's mind, that she failed to save them from their killer. Regardless of the complications of the situation, Momo felt as if her parents' blood were on her hands.

Waking in a burst of rapid breaths, Momo's body was slick with sweat. As her breathing slowly calmed, she gripped her bedsheets tightly as she quietly muttered to herself, "Mother… Father… I…"


Principal's Office, U.A. High School
Day 2, Morning

In a black leather chair sat a mouse. Or perhaps a dog. Or perhaps a bear. Regardless of what he really was, there sat a well-dressed animal sipping a cup of tea. That animal's name was Nezu, principal of U.A. High School. At the other side of the desk, stood two men, Shota Aizawa, a homeroom teacher of Class 1-A, and Naomasa Tsukauchi, a police detective.

Closing a small notebook in his hand, Tsukauchi spoke to Nezu and Eraserhead, "...and that concludes the investigative information I'm allowed to share on the Yaoyorozu case. I'll need the transfer paperwork regarding the movement of Ms. Momo Yaoyorozu to the U.A. campus before I head back to the precinct."

Nezu nodded, "Of course, Naomasa. I'll have one of my secretaries get you that before you leave. I've also taken the liberty of asking Hound Dog to speak to Momo before she moves into the guest housing. That'll also give Cementoss more time to ensure everything is shipshape."

With that, Naomasa turned and departed the office, as Nezu began to leaf through the official report with a more scrutinizing eye.

"So, Mr. Aizawa, I received a report from one of our General Studies teachers. It seems there was an incident regarding one of your students in the cafeteria."

Aizawa sighed in frustration, "Yes, I received the report from Vlad King earlier."

Nezu paused his reading and looked sharply at Aizawa, "Listen carefully, Shota. I allow you to get away with quite a lot, but I expect you to give Katsuki Bakugo a proper punishment. Miss Osano insisted on it. The aggrieved party was one of her students, after all."

Aizawa nodded. Normally, he'd have just expelled Bakugo and been done with it. But the boy was powerful, and if yesterday was any indication, a quirkist in the making.

Unfortunately, Aizawa had not exactly helped in that regard. More likely than not, Aizawa's decision to go through with his threat and expel Hagakure had caused a misconception. Perhaps as a result of his decision, the volatile teenager came to believe that U.A. shared his attitude of "might makes right".

'I'll need to ensure I don't let that attitude continue. But I need to handle this carefully, or he'll just respond negatively.'

As Aizawa pondered his options, Nezu finished reading through the report.

"Hmmm? How interesting."

Aizawa's attention turned back to the principal, "What is it, sir?"

"There's a rather interesting detail in the medical report on Miss Yaoyorozu. Seems there was a tattoo on her hand."

"A tattoo?"

Nezu handed Aizawa the file. There was a small photograph of Momo's left hand. On the back of it was an unusual set of red marks, which indeed resembled a tattoo.

Nezu put his paws together and leaned forward, "It would seem there may be something more complicated happening behind the scenes. There was evidence of third parties in the estate gardens, and also the mystery of that "Rider" individual. Perhaps we are stumbling upon something far bigger than a business-related assassination."

"Do you want me to speak to her about it?"

"No, not yet. Naomasa did not provide us with Miss Yaoyorozu's police interview, which tells me something important is in that footage. I do not know what we are stumbling upon, or what exact role Momo Yaoyorozu plays, but it would be unwise to probe at this recklessly."

"So, I should leave her be for now?"

"Perhaps she will reveal something to Hound Dog, but otherwise, we will not do anything quite yet. Let Miss Yaoyorozu reacclimate and recover, and then we can pursue this matter further."

As Aizawa departed, Principal Nezu turned to look out the windows behind him.

'What are you hiding, Momo Yaoyorozu?'


Cafeteria, U.A. High School
Day 2, Morning

In contrast to the overall solitude of the principal's office, the U.A. cafeteria was abustle with students enjoying their lunch break. As more students walked in and filed into line to get their food from Lunch Rush, a group of first-year students had already started on their meals.

However, the mood over heroics class 1-A was far from a happy one. Arriving at school this morning, they had been given a special announcement by their homeroom teacher, informing them of the attack on the Yaoyorozu mansion. Momo was alive, thankfully, but her parents were not so lucky. Although the class barely knew each other, they could understand their classmate was undoubtedly going through a lot. Further, having already lost one of their fellow girls, Toru, to Aizawa's test, this was especially tough on the female students of Class 1-A. However, Ochaco Uraraka tried her best to lift the mood.

"So… what do you think Mr. Aizawa has planned for this afternoon?"

Mina Ashido, who was a bubble of energy yesterday, picked at her food. Her mood was soured by the guilt over potentially being a cause for Hagakure's expulsion. After all, it was she who had said the activity would be "fun", inciting Aizawa's ire. Next to her, Tsuyu Asui gave a response.

"Hmmm… maybe some sort of foundational training, kero?"

Itsuka Kendo, who sat between Uraraka and Jiro, added her thoughts.

"That would make sense. It is only our second day of school."

As the four other girls talked, Kyoka Jiro's attention was focused on the lunch line. Standing between a boy with wild purple hair and a girl with short black hair in a small ponytail was a boy she had seen yesterday.

He was on the scrawnier side, with a messy head of green hair that could be mistaken for a bush. As best she could figure, she had never met him before yesterday. During their first lunch period as a class, Katsuki Bakugo had noticed the boy, Izuku Midoriya, and immediately tried to attack him.

Thankfully Vlad King, 1-B's Homeroom Teacher, had been watching and prevented the attack. Bakugo had been given detention as a preliminary punishment. The class hadn't been told much in the way of details yet, but based on the shouting Bakugo had done yesterday, Kyoka figured he and Midoriya knew each other, and Bakugo bullied Midoriya for his Quirklessness.

Yet even though she could have sworn she had never encountered Midoriya before yesterday, he felt familiar. An inkling in the back of her brain insisted she had met him somewhere. Unfortunately for Kyoka, her staring gave her classmates a wholly different impression.

"Wow, Jiro. You're looking at that Midoriya kid pretty intently."

Jiro, shaken from her thoughts, turned to see Kendo staring at her. Realizing what she had been doing, her cheeks flushed with embarrassment.

"Well, uh… you see, it's because… uhh?"

"Woah, crushing on the green dude, Jiro?"

Behind them, at another one of the tables, Denki Kaminari's comment made Jiro's embarrassment multiply tenfold. Next to him, Sero bit down on a slice of pizza as he nodded.

"Yeah, Jiro. You were staring at him and everything."

From across the table, the small purple-haired Minoru Mineta gave his own comment, "Damn that General Studies guy! How does getting almost beat up by Bakugo let him get the girl? It's not fair!"

Next to Mineta, Mashirao Ojiro looked at his perverted classmate with annoyance, "Mineta, don't make light of yesterday's incident. It's not right."

Meanwhile, Kyoka could only bury her head in her hands, her face glowing crimson. Invigorated by the possibility of budding romance right in front of her, Mina Ashido excitedly jumped up and grabbed Jiro's hand.

"Don't you worry, Jiro, Love Guru Ashido is here to help you in your quest for love!"

Ochaco raised her hand slightly, "Uh… Mina? Jiro never actually said she was in love with him."

Tsuyu nodded, "Jiro was staring at him pretty intently though, kero."

Jiro put her head in her hands again, "Is this what I'm stuck dealing with for the next three years?"

Meanwhile, in the lunch line, Chikuchi Togeike gave her classmate a sly smirk, "Seems like dating a heroics student could be in your future, Midoriya~"

Izuku, who had noticed Jiro staring at him, blushed at his black-haired classmate's remark.

"N-no way, Togeike! I-It's not like girls would be interested in a Quirkless guy like me anyway."

In reality, more than one of his female classmates in 1-C, as well as some of the other first-year classes, had begun to notice him. When Izuku Midoriya was attacked by Bakugo on his first day, this sparked a strange form of admiration among his classmates. Chikuchi Togeike personally harbored no romantic interest towards the green-haired boy, but she could not resist the chance to tease her new friend.

"Not even me?"

"H-huh!?"

Togeike giggled, "Just teasing you, Midoriya! But don't worry, if you want to woo that earphone-eared girl, I'll be your wing-woman!"

Midoriya gave a weary sigh, "I'm not trying to woo her…"

"Yet."

"T-Togeike!"


Detnerat Building, Deika City
Day 2, Morning

The Detnerat Support Company.

One of the leading figures in quirk support item manufacturing, this company by all appearances seemed to be relatively scandal-free.

But it was ultimately a facade. Like almost everything in Deika City, Detnerat was merely a public face of the Meta Liberation Army. However, a majority of its employees were still wholly unaware of Detnerat's true nature. Thus, the meeting that was presently occurring was by necessity a secret.

At the head of the large conference table was an orange-haired man in a black pinstripe suit. His name was Rikiya Yotsubashi, the president of Detnerat. But to the Meta Liberation Army, Rikiya was Re-Destro, a descendant of Destro and the current Grand Commander of the MLA. Using Detnerat's resources, Rikiya had continued his father's efforts to spread Destro's ideology and acquire new followers— all under the nose of any pesky heroes.

Most recently, Rikiya had chosen to enter into Francesca Prelati's Holy Grail War. With the wishing power of the Grail, soon all of Japan would share Destro's ideology of unrestricted Quirk usage. That is why he had gathered the executives here today. It was the second day of the war, and an incident had already occurred at the Yaoyorozu estate. Deciding the next course of action was a necessity.

Split across each side of the table, three of the four executive officers in the MLA were seated.

First was Tomoyasu Chikazoku, aka Skeptic, a board member at Feel Good Inc.

Next was Rojuro Yasutori, aka Sanctum, a leading figure in the transportation sector.

Lastly was Koku Hanabata, aka Trumpet, a politician from the Hearts and Mind Party.

In addition to their shared MLA allegiance, there was one more commonality between the three of them. Every single one of the executives had three red Command Spells engraved on the back of their left hand. Two more members of the MLA, Iceman and Slidin' Go, also had Command Spells, but as non-executives, they were not present.

However, there was still one executive missing. Sanctum glanced at the empty seat across from his own.

"Hmmm… Curious is late. That isn't like her."

Skeptic scoffed, "How lackluster. If she was at Feel Good, I'd have threatened her with demotion for such sloppiness."

Trumpet responded with a calmer tone, "Now, Skeptic. Perhaps she simply caught wind of a good story. Let us wait a while longer."

As Re-Destro watched in silence, Skeptic grumbled, "Hrmph, fine. However, I'll still—"

Before Skeptic finished, he put his hand up to a small earpiece. Seconds later, the lanky black-haired man stiffened, causing his fellow executives to look at him with curiosity. Looking at Re-Destro with a shaken expression, Skeptic did his best to stay calm.

"We've got a situation on the outskirts of town."

Re-Destro turned slightly to gaze at his executive, "What is this 'situation'?"

"Curious has entered combat in that location…"

Skeptic's next words made everyone in the room pause.

"And her opponent is Berserker."


Deika City, Aichi Prefecture
Day 2, Morning

Dodging a mailbox flying straight at her, "Curious" laughed as she leaped backward from the raging Servant in front of her.

With a crash, Berserker's armored fist slammed into where she stood only a moment ago. The sheer force of the blow made the street's concrete shatter.

The Berserker summoned by the MLA was not wholly unfamiliar to the Dead Apostle masquerading in Chitose Kizuki's form. Although Jester had never personally observed any of the five Holy Grail Wars of Fuyuki, he had done some basic research into the conflicts. It would seem the MLA summoned the same shadowy knight that had been called forth by Kariya Matou during the Fourth Holy Grail War.

Narrowly dodging another improvised projectile, Jester activated Curious's Quirk, Landmine, causing the ground beneath Berserker to explode.

"Not half bad, Servant. That enchantment Noble Phantasm of yours is pretty interesting. To think I, a Dead Apostle, would have to dodge man-made objects. How infuriating, how interesting!"

Glancing around, Jester observed various groups of MLA-loyal civilians gathering to block any escape routes. Seems they had already caught on that he was not the "real" Curious, and intended to bring him down.

'Foolish humans.'

As Berserker lunged, the citizens of Deika City simultaneously unleashed their Quirks at Jester. Right as it seemed "Curious" was merely going to let them land, the air around the Dead Apostle filled with a burst of red sand. The localized sandstorm instantly shielded the vampire, blocking any Quirk projectiles and sending Berserker flying back several feet away. Within the cloud, the citizens could see the hazy outline of a serpentine creature. When the storm finally cleared away, Curious's doppelganger was accompanied by a real-life monster.

It was a colossal blood-red cobra, roughly two stories high. Its eyes glowed like plasma, and emblazoned on its head was the Egyptian Hieroglyph for Isfet. When it hissed, the MLA members wanted to clutch their ears, pained by the grating sound. But more than anything, the serpent's very presence made even the bravest of the MLA's front line want to run away and hide. It was a sort of primal fear, the feeling of being in the presence of an apex predator. To this serpent, humans were truly nothing more than insects to be swatted.

This was the anomaly the Grail had brought forth. This was the Avenger that would bring ruin to the world.

The serpent's name was Apep. An incarnation of malice, it had long opposed Egypt and her Gods. Given the epithets "World-Encircler" and "Evil Dragon", it was a creature that existed to oppose Ma'at. It was a monster far removed from the concept of a Heroic Spirit that should have never become entangled in the Holy Grail War and yet had anyway.

Crawling out of the rubble of a nearby home, Berserker growled, wielding another improvised spear, but now also armed with a slightly broken door. In this maddened state, Berserker could not analyze his opponent like when manifested as a Saber, Lancer, or Rider. However, the Servant's instincts could still urge him to be cautious, a trait rarely exerted by its class.

"So, you've got yourself a shield? Seems you are still able to fight, Berserker."

Berserker offered no response to Jester's jab, choosing instead to rush forward. With skill matching an Olympic javelin thrower, it flung the impromptu spear at its opponent. Jester once again avoided the attack, but this spear had not been aimed at him. Crashing into a nearby telephone pole, the shattered pole began to fall towards Jester and his Servant. Avenger batted the pole away effortlessly, but the momentary distraction allowed Berserker to rush forward and slam into Jester with its faux tower shield. Stunned by the shield bash, the Dead Apostle lost his balance as Berserker slammed him into the ground.

Utilizing Landmine again, Jester blasted the Servant and its door-shield away. However, the proximity of the explosion had not left Jester unscathed.

When Jester created his concept cores, he was capable of deciding how much of his Dead Apostle carried over. However, due to wanting to retain Chitose's Quirk, Jester had been forced to sacrifice this form's durability. As a result, Chitose's outfit was now in tatters, and "her" skin was dotted with blood and burns.

"You know, I really would like to not lose this form as soon as I've acquired it. You Berserkers have no sense of tact."

Turning the concept cores in his chest, Jester's form began to change as Chitose's body melted into the form of a young man with gray hair. The tattered clothes changed as well, becoming a spotless white suit.

Cracking his neck, Jester glared at the agitated MLA members.

"Such overconfidence. Seems Avenger and I will need to put you foolish humans in your place."

Before any of the MLA members could react, Jester launched a massive blade of screaming wind at the right-most group. Struck head-on, the line of civilian soldiers suddenly found themselves sliced right in two. The other groups, seeing an entire quarter of their number be killed in an instant, began to scream in terror. Some ran, while others were frozen with fear. There were a few who had managed to survive amongst the right-most group, protected by their own compatriots' bodies. But they too would meet their end, as Jester extended his shadow and swallowed every last drop of their blood and flesh. Moaning with satisfaction, the Dead Apostle turned towards Berserker. Despite dozens of its allies being killed, the Servant of Madness did not shout in anger. Yet, there was a change in it. Perhaps an inkling of that splendid knight still resided within that armor.

As Jester simply watched the Servant with curiosity, the Serpent of the Nile deigned to act. With a bone-chilling roar, it slithered towards Berserker. The battle between Knight and Serpent had only just begun.

AVENGER: APOPHIS


Nagoya, Aichi Prefecture
Day 2, Morning

On principle, Francesca Prelati always tried her best to remain cheerful, even when things did not go as planned. However, the current situation was truly testing the heretical girl's ability to remain calm.

Although none of the other Masters would be aware of what was going on in Deika City, Francesca was observing the battle. Utilizing the eyes of a familiar, Prelati had been observing the raging bout between Jester and the MLA. Francesca already recognized Berserker, having witnessed Lancelot's actions during the Fourth Holy Grail War. Meanwhile, Avenger's identity was just as obvious. Although no Noble Phantasm had been used, Francesca was certain it was Apep, the Chaos Serpent of Egyptian Myth. Such an existence was not something Francesca had been expecting in her war. A mere day ago, Francesca had thought her biggest problem would be Zelretch. But this Dead Apostle and his Servant, invaders of the War, were becoming an increasing threat to her plans. Jester's Servant would almost certainly be the strongest Servant in the War. It was an existence that possessed the potential to be on the same level as Asgard's Bane or Altrouge's Demonic Dog. Ordinary Heroic Spirits could never hope to compete on equal ground with it.

'Which means it's toying with Berserker, so I can't even gauge its proper power level!'

Unable to contain her frustration, Francesca kicked a nearby table, sending it to the floor with a crash. She paid no heed to the mess. She would just tell Sigma to clean it up later.

Doing her best to collect herself, Francesca went to lie on her bed, gazing up at the purple Command Spells on her hand.

"Don't worry, Foreigner", Francesca whispered.

'I won't let that vampire bring our dreams crashing down. We will see your world's voided state be imprinted upon my own, no matter what it takes.'

Although she received no response, Francesca could feel the distant tingle of Foreigner's observance. It was an unusual feeling, like centipedes crawling on one's skin. It was a feeling Francesca had experienced for the first time less than a year prior…


Francesca's Workshop, North America
Several Months Ago…

With a gasp, Francesca Prelati was born, or perhaps it would be better to say she was incarnated.

Just as she had done for centuries, Francesca had reincarnated into a new body, evading true death yet again. It was an ingenious, but undeniably twisted achievement of magecraft. The price of reincarnation was a steep one, turning Francesca into a being that could be said to feed upon humanity. Of course, its vile nature was of no concern to her, one whose soul was already twisted beyond repair.

This particular death had not been worth remembering, and the newly revived Francesca barely gave it a moment's thought as she began prancing about her workshop.

Very soon, the groundwork for the False Holy Grail War could begin. At last, she could make a proper attempt at acquiring the microcosm within Alcatraz's Great Labyrinth.

Regardless of whether this attempt was unsuccessful, the foundations of the Snowfield ritual would let her continue her work. Even if it took hundreds, thousands, or tens of thousands of tries, she would never stop her pursuit.

As Francesca reveled in her excitement, she noticed something strange on the back of her hand. Something that had not been there in any prior incarnations– a set of purple Command Spells in the shape of tentacular arcs.

Before Francesca could ponder on their existence, a strange buzzing sound filled her ears and her skin tingled like something was crawling all over her.

From the buzzing came a voice that was not of this world. It was an alien sound, like a color twisted into the form of noise.

|::| BEAR WITNESS, FRANCESCA PRELATI.

Francesca watched as strange alien tendrils clouded her vision, like a new layer of reality unveiling itself. Francesca knew what she was in the presence of, her fabled Spellbook had utilized their twisted magicks after all. The voice invading her mind was that of an Outer God.

Even in the Moonlit World, Outer Gods were something that lay on the periphery. Existences from the "Outer Universe", a living fabric beyond infinite parallel worlds, they were entities truly alien to the world of man. Although still creatures of flesh, Outer Gods were beings of a higher dimensionality. They were mortal beings, yet the human concept of "a living being" could not properly define them.

As Francesca continued to get bombarded by mental noise, soot-like strands began writing themselves upon the air. The strands ultimately began to form dozens of elaborate eye-like structures. Then one by one, the eyes opened and Francesca felt their gazes pierce her soul. Prelati knew this was not this Foreigner's true form, for Outer Gods could not truly manifest within only three dimensions. This was but a sliver, a single frame of an infinite picture.

|::| I AM THE ONE WHO SET THOSE SPELLS UPON THY HAND.

|::| THE CELESTIAL ARCS HATH CAUGHT THY DREAM.

|::| YOUR DREAM HATH ECHOED UPON MINE.

|::| I AM OLKOTH, AND MY EYES HAVE FELL UPON THEE.

With the sound of wailing souls, Francesca felt the world fall away as she passed through the divide, to a world that would see her dream transformed.

It was a world egg formed from the whims of an Outer God, a fiendish experiment of a reality. A world where humanity wielded a power unknown to the Mage's Association.

A world… of Quirks.

FOREIGNER: OLKOTH


To be continued in Chapter 5: Bad Element

Servant Profiles: False Berserker
Bio:
Class: Berserker
Master: Meta Liberation Army
True Name: Lancelot
Gender: Male
Alignment: Lawful Mad

Stats:
Strength: A
Endurance: A
Agility: A+
Mana: C
Luck: B
Noble Phantasm: A

Class Skills:
Mad Enhancement: C
Magic Resistance: E

Personal Skills:
Eternal Arms Mastery: A+
Protection of the Spirits: A

Noble Phantasms:
Arondight
The Unfading Light of the Lake
Rank: A++
Type: Anti-Unit

For Someone's Glory
Not For One's Own Glory
Rank: B
Type: Anti-Unit

Knight of Owner
A Knight Does Not Die With Empty Hands
Rank: A
Type: Anti-Unit