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SentinalSlice- For now, I'm leaving it somewhat ambiguous. Strange/Fake has barely touched on Jester's werewolf form, so I decided to only explicitly bring up Lobera as a possibility. Since its name means "wolf-slaying sword", I figured a Noble Phantasm of it would have an advantage against wolves and werewolves by extension. So if Shiro and Jester end up fighting, that is a weapon I could easily slot into Shiro's arsenal, or I could go a silver weapons route. But I'm leaving it open-ended for now

Thank you to everyone who Favorited, Followed, or Reviewed. Enjoy the chapter!


Disclaimer: I do not own My Hero Academia or any Fate works, and they are the properties of their respective creators.


Nagoya Sublimation V: Howl of the Mad Dog

Higashi Ward, Nagoya
Day 3, Morning

Noble Phantasms; forms of crystallized mystery and the ultimate techniques of Heroic Spirits.

Manifestations of an individual's very legend, they could come in all manner of forms. Some are armaments, such as Diarmuid Ua Duibhne's spears or Billy the Kid's revolver. Others are great feats of magic or creation, such as Avicebron's Golem Keter Malkuth or Francois Prelati's Grand Illusion. Others were of more esoteric forms, existing as an innate ability or as activated skills such as Reality Marbles.

But they came at a cost. Noble Phantasms were distinctive, being major hints to a Servant's identity— and by extension, their weaknesses. They were a power to utilize either as a finisher or in secrecy, so that enemy Masters could not use their newfound knowledge to their own advantage.

As such, most Heroic Spirits would have been at least hesitant upon hearing Saber's suggestion. Unveiling a Noble Phantasm, especially with so many Servants present, was a major tactical risk. However, Rider was not normal by any measure. Due to both his personality and his Evaporation of Reason skill, Astolfo the Paladin had no qualms about Saber's bold request.

"Sure!"

Chrysaor smirked, 'Seems I've judged Rider's nature correctly. They're a fool, but that's useful to me, right now.'

"Alright then. Assuming you are who you claim to be, Rider, I have a plan. Use that jousting lance of yours. Just make sure to get out of the way after."

Rider smiled, "On it."

Running forward, Rider sheathed his sword. Holding out his hand as if to grasp something, Astolfo's face was glowing with excitement. The Servant of the Mount shouted at Jester confidently, "Let's joust, Dead Apostle!"

In their previously empty hand, Astolfo now wielded a brilliant golden lance. It had no proper name, only the careless nickname given to it after being stolen from Prince Argalia of Cathay.

In terms of Noble Phantasms, it was not a particularly lethal one. It was not capable of anything like reversing causality or passing through all magical defenses. It could still be used to kill, but only to the same degree that any high-quality jousting lance could. The power that the lance possessed was far more simplistic.

The lance's tip was imbued with a conceptual certainty, "all who are struck by the tip of this lance shall fall".

As Argalia was the true owner of the lance, its full power was limited while in Astolfo's possession. Instead of being able to affect Servants with Luck stats even in the A-Rank, it could only affect beings with low to mediocre levels of luck, and for far less time.

Fortunately, a long-term disablement wasn't what Saber needed for his plan. With Jester's luck not being particularly good, the power Astolfo could wield through the lance would be enough.

Seeing Rider approach, Jester tried to move out of the way. But, calling upon his memories of jousting, Astolfo was ready. Even though he lacked the mastery of a true jouster, the Paladin's eyes unraveled Jester's movements.

The lance tip barely brushed against Jester's furred leg, but that small amount of contact was enough to meet the Noble Phantasm's activation conditions.

Down with a Touch: Trap of Argalia!

Instantly, Jester felt the strength in his lower body leave him. As he fell, he saw Saber standing ready, his golden sword pointed forward. As the vampire locked his eyes on the blade, he heard Saber begin to chant.

The predecessors of Perseus stand entombed.

Thinking quickly, Jester whirled the revolver-like construction in his chest. With mere seconds till the attack struck, the vampire's form began to change once more. As his flesh re-knit itself into a new form, water began to swirl around Saber's sword.

Trapped in stone, the waves bear their arms.

As Rider leaped away, Jester's form had fully shifted into a metal golem. It was one of his more unwieldy forms, but certainly his most defensive. Although he pondered using its self-destruct function, the magical energy required for that would make his efforts to save magical energy pointless.

I am the wave that bears those arms.

Jester put his arms up in a defensive stance as Saber's Noble Phantasm activated. It took the form of a crashing wave, carrying upon it dozens of ornate weapons made of bronze, iron, and gold. The weapons of the heroes who had been petrified before his birth.

Shining Waves That Reach the Shapeless Isle: Stygius Kymothales!

As the wave descended upon Jester's disabled form, the vampire-turned-golem gave a monotone reply, "Damn you, Heroic Spirits. Making things continually a pain."

Saber's Noble Phantasm struck the Dead Apostle head-on, and Jester's armored body cracked from the water pressure. Despite its defenses, Stygius Kymothales tore through Jester's defense like paper. With no other way to cancel out the attack, Jester supercharged the energy in his concept core, shattering it. His golem form immediately crumbled away, the resulting force enough to counteract the wave of weapons and water.

It was merely a glimpse, but by destroying their own core, Jester had momentarily returned to their seventh, original form— Dorothea. It was that of a young girl, small in stature. However, before Saber could memorize any other details, Jester's true form was concealed by globules of biological matter. Flesh warped over the Dead Apostle, and soon, Dorothea returned to their preferred form, that of a light-gray-haired young man.

Jester, having just lost a major defensive asset, adopted an expression of unrestrained fury. His frustration and wrath overflowed, causing miniature tornadoes to begin swirling around him. Unleashing his aerokinetic power, Jester sent the windstorms spiraling toward his opponents.

On the other side of the room, Apophis felt the unrest within their Master. However, the Servant was busy with their own opponents. Of particular interest was Archer, who seemed more resilient than before.

'Intriguing… while that mortal hero's attacks have slowly been weakening, Archer's resistance to my strikes has increased. An alteration of tactics is necessary…'

With a quick whip of its tail, Avenger knocked All Might down through several floors. With the Hero momentarily dealt with, the serpent set its sight on the Heroic Spirit of the Bow. Instead of striking with its tail, Avenger focused its power over the sands of chaos. Shaping the particles into the form of a monstrous beast, Apophis crafted a monstrous Sekhem infused with over a dozen souls. The newborn construct surged towards Archer, its sandy tendrils writhing as it moved.

'He's figured out that his blunt attacks won't work as well, huh?'

Unbeknownst to everyone, one of Archer's Noble Phantasms, God Hand, had activated when he was launched into the opposing building. A manifestation of his triumphs over the Twelve Labors, God Hand granted Heracles the power of nine resurrections when summoned as an Archer. God Hand's resurrections also imbued him with resistance to attacks that had "killed" him. Having reached the damage threshold from Apophis's physical-based strikes, Archer now possessed a passive resistance against the serpent's physical attacks.

Seeing the construct approaching, Archer contemplated how to react. As a non-traditional monster, it was unlikely Heracles had a conceptual advantage over it, and taking its attack head-on would be risky. Having God Hand trigger again would be unwise.

'If I use that, I'll still be showing my hand… but it's still my best option.'

Dispelling the string from his bow, Heracles held his weapon forward like a club. As the Sekhem amalgam approached, Heracles entered a stance he devised during the second of his many labors.

For his second task from King Eurystheus, Heracles had traveled to the swamps of Lerna to slay the legendary nine-headed monster, the Hydra. Because of its incredible regenerative power, Heracles found his normal strategies only made the beast stronger.

Thanks to the observational skill of his nephew, Iolaus, Heracles determined that the beast's heads could be destroyed with flaming arrows. But knowledge alone was not enough. By the time he realized he needed this new tactic, his nine-headed enemy had become a hundred-headed calamity. With only a handful of arrows left to fire, Heracles's prospects seemed grim. But through sheer mastery of the bow, Heracles devised a technique that defined the laws of physics. The concept of "absolute extermination" was applied to his shot, turning a single flaming arrow into a hundredfold deluge that rained down on the Hydra. Dubbing the technique "Nine Lives", Heracles ultimately applied the concept to his other weapons as well.

As a Servant, the memories of his technique had been enshrined as a Noble Phantasm. Due to the skill's power, he was forced to expend magical energy to recall how to use it, but far less than a traditional Noble Phantasm's activation.

Just as it seemed the amalgam would strike, Heracles closed his eyes, letting a visual of the space around him form. There was just him… and his target.

"Shooting The Hundred Heads."

His eyes snapped open as he thrust his bow forward.

"Nine Lives!"

The red sand monster was struck countless times, dispersed by the skill that felled not just the Lernaean Hydra and the Stymphalian Birds, but even the dragon Ladon.

Apophis, distracted by the complete destruction of its creation, was unprepared for the No.1 Hero's ambush. Shooting up from the floor below, All Might gave a passionate shout as he struck Avenger with an upward punch.

"OREGON SMASH!"

Avenger was sent reeling and Heracles did not miss his opportunity. Restoring his bowstring, he shot six arrows into the spot All Might's had struck within seconds. The serpent hissed in pain as Heracles's arrows made their mark. They were not imbued with the Hydra's poison, but they would still do significant damage to Avenger.

The serpent's rage bubbled forth like their Master. Unleashing a whirlwind of red sand, he pushed Archer and All Might into the walls of the ruined penthouse. Then, the sandstorm coiled back together, and the Sekhem in the Higashi Ward were simultaneously destroyed. Their souls gathered at Avenger's location, becoming eleven copies of the amalgam Heracles had just defeated.

'So it can make more of those things? Hmph, no matter.'

Heracles glanced toward All Might, "Looks like we have some monsters to get through."

The Symbol of Peace, although he could feel his limit getting closer, smiled his signature grin.

"Right you are!"

Despite the danger, All Might couldn't help but feel excited. His heart was racing, and his mind was filled with excitement.

'Now this… is a battle!'


Midoriya Residence, Mustafu
Day 3, Morning

If Izuku Midoriya was asked a year ago what his thoughts on heroes were, his answer would be overflowing with positivity. That was, of course, after he recovered from the shock of someone caring enough to talk to him.

But after that fateful day the previous spring, the boy's outlook had become more jaded. All Might asserting that he couldn't be a hero had been the last straw, and Izuku's dream of becoming a hero died. He was left to return home broken, while All Might rushed off to go save Bakugo from the same Sludge Villain who attacked him. If fate had been slightly different, Izuku might have still rekindled his dream after trying to save Bakugo, becoming All Might's successor. But fate had different plans, and Izuku instead crashed into a black-haired teen coming out of the supermarket. Busy helping the stranger pick up his rather exorbitant amount of candy, Izuku had instead arrived just in time to see the No.1 Hero save both Bakugo and some orange-haired girl.

With his dream obliterated, Izuku found himself aimless. Although he could tell his mother was relieved by his decision to stop pursuing heroics, she had noticed his depressed state. Through repeated urging, she convinced Izuku to apply to the U.A. General Studies course, which he succeeded in doing. Why she thought that would help him, he wasn't sure, but he had gone along with it nonetheless.

When he began his high school years as part of Class 1-C, Izuku understood why his mother urged him as much as she did. Despite his worries that 1-C would treat him just like Aldera's students did, U.A. was different. From day one, the class's homeroom teacher, Haruka Osano, made it very clear that discrimination of any sort was not tolerated. He even managed to start making friends, particularly with one of his seat neighbors, Chikuchi Togeike. During the introduction activity, Izuku learned about Togeike's love of comics and retro heroes like Lariat and Smoke King. Perhaps seeing part of his old self in her, a small spark of his love of heroes was rekindled. By the end of the activity, the two had bonded over an in-depth discussion about the Float Hero: Daxia, suspected by some to be the inspiration for All Might's smiling aesthetic.

Of course, his new life at U.A. still had an underlying problem— Bakugo. On the first day of school, Izuku's lunch was ruined by the sudden attack of his childhood friend. Vlad King quickly intervened, but the damage to Izuku's sense of security had been done. Although Ms. Osano assured him Bakugo was being punished for the unprovoked attack, Izuku's nervousness had resurfaced in full force. Chikuchi's lunchtime teasing helped lighten his mood, but he still hurried home at the end of the day before Bakugo could chase him down outside of school.

Today, however, Bakugo was a mere footnote in Izuku's mind. Like the rest of Class 1-C, he had been caught up in watching the terrifying events unfolding in Nagoya. When he'd passed by Class 1-A to leave early with his mom, he'd hardly even noticed Bakugo growl at him.

Now back at home, Izuku and his mother settled into the living room, watching the broadcast on their television. The news channel was cycling between various fronts of the battle, and Izuku watched as Shishido led the charge against another group of red skeletons.

Switching away from the northern front, the broadcast returned to All Might's location— the Higashi Ward. The newscaster, a sand-green-skinned woman with brown hair, spoke with suppressed worry in her voice.

"This just in, there's been a drastic event at the epicenter of the attack. Just a few minutes ago, the Tipoca Building's penthouse suite was engulfed in flames. It is believed the Tipoca Building is the location of the villains behind the attack, and All Might is currently fighting within the building along with three unidentified individuals."

The reporter continued, "From our helicopter, we saw two of the individuals being ejected from the building. The first, a young adult male with violet hair, seemed to have stopped his descent using his weapon and reentered by jumping through a lower level window. The second, a large darker-skinned man with long black hair, was launched all the way to the opposite building. However, through what we suspect is some sort of strengthening Quirk, he leapt back to the Tipoca Building's penthouse after being immobile for a short time. The two's current status, alongside the additional individual and All Might, is not known. However, given the movements from the visible portions of the serpentine villain, our analysts suspect the battle is ongoing. This is Rumi Amane, Mustafu News."

As Izuku silently watched, Inko Midoriya looked at her son with a melancholic expression. Before, her son would have been completely absorbed as he cheered All Might on, but now, he just watched quietly.

'Oh Izuku… I… should have noticed.'

Inko Midoriya was never the most observant person. In high school, it was only thanks to Mitsuki that she avoided being roped into numerous exploitative friendships. As an adult, she had not noticed the growing distance between her and her husband until it was too late. In the end, Hisashi left their home to "work outside the country", and she had not heard from him since. And now, she had failed to realize things yet again. Her son had been hurting from his Quirklessness for years… and she had done nothing. Her friend, Fushimi had told her years ago that Aldera was an awful school for the Quirkless… and yet she let Izuku continue to attend. She believed her son when he wrote his bruises off as clumsiness, even though he was never clumsy at home.

'How long have I not been noticing? Oh, Izuku… how long have you been hurting?'

Inko knew there was still hope for her son. She had been overjoyed to hear he had a friend at U.A., and she knew people were finally appreciating her son and his talents. But yet, that did not change the damage. Izuku had lived through too much pain to simply walk it off.

Moving forward, Inko captured her son in a hug. The green-haired boy was confused, breaking his eyes away from the television to look at his sniffling mother.

"Mom? What's the matter?"

Inko's voice was hoarse, "Izuku… I'm so sorry… I never realized…"

The rest of Japan was caught up in the attack on Nagoya. But here, in this simple Mustafu apartment, Inko Midoriya's mind was not focused on the attack. Her thoughts were focused on one thing, the singular part of her life she could not do without.

Her son.


HPSC Headquarters, Tokyo
Day 3, Morning

If any group could be attributed to the Quirk-centric status quo in Japanese society, it would be the Hero Public Safety Commission.

A mostly autonomous branch of the government, the HPSC was responsible for the management of Heroes and the regulation of Quirk Laws.

Being an extremely influential organization, the HPSC was no stranger to corruption. They controlled who became heroes, cultivating a paradigm that favored powerful and "heroic" Quirks. They even groomed special agents to do their dirty work. Lady Nagant may have been a failure, but Hawks had already proven himself to be an ideal successor for her role.

Ultimately, the HPSC's goal was not a better society, but a stable one. The condemnation of the Quirkless and those with "villainous" Quirks fed their vision for society, so there was no reason to mitigate it. Even if a powerful villain emerged, All Might would defeat them. There was nothing to worry about.

It was this blind faith that caused those seated around the conference table within the HPSC's headquarters to be utterly unconcerned about the situation in Nagoya.

Sure, citizens and heroes died, but in the end, society would remember All Might's victory. The voices of those who lost friends and family would be drowned out by the praise of the Symbol of Peace's actions. It was mildly troublesome that he was being assisted by a trio of vigilantes, but the HPSC would put those lawbreakers in Tartarus soon enough.

There was one person present who was concerned, however. He was a lanky blonde man who looked perpetually exhausted, but he certainly wasn't a nobody. His name was Yokumiru Mera, one of the newest members of the commission's leadership. Due to his newcomer status, and his general lack of enthusiasm for anything but plastic model kits, Mera had a uniquely negative viewpoint on the Nagoya situation.

'It's not just Madam President. It seems no one here has grasped the severity of this situation.'

As Mera contemplated to himself, the person across the table from him caught sight of his frown. She was a scarlet-haired woman with purple lipstick and cat-eye glasses.

Her voice was high-pitched and condescending, "Mr. Mera, why the long face? All Might will handle everything."

All eyes fell on Mera, including the President, who nodded at him, "Speak, Mera."

Sighing, Yokumira spoke, "After All Might defeats the mastermind, the clean-up effort will still be massive. Not to mention… something about this whole situation has me unnerved."

The President's eyebrows rose, "Elaborate."

"Past Villain attacks of this scale… the Black Shoals Incident, the Biovalve Disaster, the Holocron Massacre… they always had a clear purpose. Yet this attack doesn't feel right. The villains here are far stronger than any of the masterminds of those three incidents. All Might still being in combat is a testament to that. And outside of Higashi, there is still the black knight and whatever happened in the Naka Ward. There's more going on here. And I don't like it. All Might might bring us victory, but I'm not sure he can bring us the answers we need."

As Mera finished speaking, a pretentious man with slicked-back black hair and thin-frame glasses scoffed.

"Your lack of sleep has clearly gotten to your senses, Mera."

The man and a few others laughed, believing Mera's worries were exaggerated and fantastical. But the laughter was silenced by the cold voice of the HPSC President.

"No. Mera's words may hold some merit."

The glasses-wearing man looked at the head of the table questioningly, "Madam President?"

"This situation is far more nebulous than I am willing to accept. It will not do for the Commission to be out of the loop. Oshari, open a call to Hawks."

The short aqua-haired woman standing behind the President nodded. As she tapped on her tablet, an electronic voice filled the room.

"[CONNECTION ESTABLISHED]"

The President spoke firmly, "Hawks."

The Pro Hero's semi-sarcastic voice resounded through the speakers in the ceiling, "Madam President! To what do I owe the pleasure?"

"No pleasantries. Tell me, what is your current situation?"

"I'm currently over the Chikusa Ward. And, like you said, I'm only dealing with the guys who attack me."

Hawks grumbles could be clearly heard through the call, but the President ignored them.

"Good. Listen up. When you get to the Higashi Ward, I want pictures of all the vigilantes and villains. Anything less will be a mission failure."

"Not just info, but graphical evidence? That's a big ask, Madam."

"Do your job, Hawks."

"Which one? Being your spy or being a Hero?"

"I won't accept any cheek from you. Do not test me."

"Yeesh, fine. Alrigh—"

The call suddenly dissolved into static. For a moment, the President lost her composure.

"Hawks?"

"[CONNECTION TERMINATED]"

The President turned to her secretary, "Oshari! What the hell just happened?"

"I don't know! His communicator seems to have suddenly been damaged!"

As the room filled with confused mutterings, Mera sighed deeply. He had a feeling something else was going to go wrong. Seems his intuition was right.

"Shit."


Guinevere's Tower, Camelot
A Long Time Ago…

The woman in the tower was beautiful but ragged. Her skin was pale, and her normally luscious rust-colored hair was messy and knotted. And yet, she was still beautiful.

The woman's name was Guinevere, the ill-fortuned wife of King Arthur.

Born to King Leodegrance of Cameliard, she had idolized the King of Knights nearly her entire life. She witnessed the unsheathing of Caliburn. She had lived through the fall of Vortigern. By all accounts, she should have been overjoyed with her marriage to her hero.

But the marriage, like the King she knew, was a shame. There was no 'Arthur Pendragon', not really. Although she carried the mask of a male monarch, the reality was that 'Arthur' was in fact 'Artoria'. Despite the hurt she felt, Guinevere had accepted the role set out for her. What else could she do? In service of a lie more important than herself, Guinevere discarded her happiness.

But then came Lancelot, a knight raised by the Lady of the Lake. At first, he had been a friend, albeit one she found handsome and charming. Eventually, the two fell to the destructive lures of courtly love, initiating an impious love affair that would lead Camelot down a path of self-destruction.

The first to learn had been Sir Agravain, Camelot's spymaster. He had threatened her and Lancelot, and her lover ultimately killed his brother-in-arms to protect their secret trysts. Not that it was successfully hidden for much longer; Mordred had made sure of that.

With knowledge of the affair and Lancelot's actions made public, the two were forced into a corner. Lancelot, ousted from the Round Table, fled to parts unknown while Guinevere was left to take the brunt of Camelot's outrage. By the order of the King, the Queen was sentenced to death. Despite the personal feelings Artoria had on the matter, she remained true to her ideals. Guinevere had committed a horrible crime against the sanctity of marriage, and the law demanded punishment.

Caught up in her anguished thoughts, Guinevere did not hear the sounds of clashing swords outside her cell. It was only when she heard the anguished yelling of Sir Gaheris that she took notice of the commotion.

Quietly, in a whisper, she called out to her guards, "Lady Gareth..? Sir Gaheris..?"

Instead of an answer, the door to her cell swung open, revealing someone she did not expect to ever see again.

"Sir Lancelot? What are you doing here?"

The disgraced Knight of the Round looked worse than Guinevere had ever seen him. His hair was tangled and ratty, and his armor was unpolished and dented. Even Lancelot's sword, Arondight, had become stained with dried blood and grime. Behind him, Guinevere could see Gareth and Gaheris, their slumped forms both sitting in sizable pools of sanguinary fluid.

"Gareth… Gaheris… oh, Lancelot, what have you done?"

The man's expression was one of shame and inner turmoil. As he reached out his hand, thankfully free of blood, he spoke with a new hollowness in his voice.

"I… we must go, my Queen."

Guinevere shook her head, "I am no Queen, Lancelot. I betrayed Camelot. I deserve this fate."

Her lover knelt, "No, milady. I am the betrayer of Camelot. I have slain many of my former comrades and slandered this kingdom's name. But even so… I refuse to let you die for my sins."

Guinevere wanted to argue, but the words failed her. Instead, she took Lancelot's hand and let him lead her to the stables. Using a stolen horse, the two ill-fated lovers rode off into the countryside.

On the journey to Lancelot's safe haven, Joyous Gard, Guinevere did not look back. She could not even bear to gaze upon Camelot's fading white walls. Falling asleep against Lancelot's armored back, tears fell from her eyes.

Glancing back at the sleeping Guinevere, Lancelot felt the hollowness within him widen. Whispering softly, the knight apologized, "My lady… I am sorry".

'Even in her dreams, Guinevere regrets the pain she inflicted on Artoria. But what about me?'

Lancelot clenched the reins of the horse tighter.

'I slew two of my dear friends today. I have left Gawain with neither brothers nor a sister to support him. I have dealt another blow to the kingdom I once swore to protect.'

As the pair rode onward, Lancelot du Lac cried. As his tears fell like rain, Agravain's last words echoed in his mind.

"You are a dog maddened by love. A swain of a disloyal Queen!"

The spymaster was right. He was nothing but a monster, a creature of mad desire. He would have been better off as a monk, dedicating his life to spreading God's will. It was no wonder Galahad succeeded in a quest that he could not. He was nothing but a failure, a destroyer whose manic desires may have sparked Camelot's end.

'A mad dog of love… maybe that's all I really am… Lady Nimue…'


Minato Ward, Nagoya
Day 3, Morning

Moments after rejoining the battle against the black knight, Takato Takeshita found himself diving for cover. With not a second to spare, a tenebrous car tire flew above him, shaving a few of the hairs off his head. Having missed its target by mere millimeters, the tire crashed into one of the ruined buildings.

'That was close!'

Seeing Berserker lunging at him, Khao Lam dodged while activating his Quirk. Pushing the emitter Quirk to its limits, he spawned a veritable deluge of bamboo to halt Berserker's movements.

'Dammit, my throat feels like it's on fire. But I don't have an opening to rehydrate!'

Unfortunately, the bamboo did little to stop Berserker, who tore through it like tissue paper. Running into Aizawa's range, Khao Lam let the Erasure Hero use his capture weapon on him.

As the Bamboo Hero was dragged out of Berserker's way, Gang Orca gathered his voice.

"Take this, you monster! HYPERSONIC WAVE: RED TIDE!"

Of all of Gang Orca's Hypersonic Wave attacks, Red Tide was both his most powerful and most costly. It was so powerful that it damaged his vocal cords. There was a constant risk that each usage of Red Tide would be his last. But the Killer Whale Hero was willing to take that risk. Even only a few seconds of stun could change the balance of this battle.

'I can hear him coming… I just need to buy us more time!'

Spitting out blood caused by using Red Tide, he gave a raspy yell, "Aizawa! Takeshita! Endeavor is-cough coming! Focus on-cough s-stall tactics!"

Eraserhead nodded, "Right!"

But it was one thing to say that, it was another to make it a reality. Against a Heroic Spirit, the fight could be decided in mere seconds. Although Aizawa and the others thought Berserker was just an abnormal villain, the problem was the same.

'No matter what we do to this guy, he shrugs it off! That was Orca's Red Tide, and it only stunned him for a second!'

"Er-r-aserhead…"

A weak voice to Aizawa's left broke him out of his focus. It was the Battle Hero, who was fighting with the unconscious state he'd been in for the recent while.

'Gunhead?! Shit, I forgot he was there! If the enemy comes this way…'

Throwing his capture weapon around Gunhead, Eraserhead slung the near-unconscious hero over his shoulder. Unfortunately, this made him a prime target for Berserker's attention.

With a desperate cry, Aizawa called out, "KHAO LAM!"

Although he was extremely dehydrated, Khao Lam unleashed his Quirk without question. From his current position, he couldn't stop Berserker from hitting Aizawa, but he could turn the strike into a grazing blow. Striking the Servant's arm with a concentrated blast of bamboo, the Servant's arm was turned off course. Instead of getting a clean grip on Eraserhead, the Servant clotheslined the two heroes, sending them flying into a nearby wall.

That left just Khao Lam and Gang Orca to face Berserker. But with Takato too dehydrated to use his Quirk and Gang Orca still recovering, they had no means to defend themselves. Yet, just as all hope seemed lost, a distinct burning smell filled the air. Something was coming… and it was coming in hot.

Jetting forward, Endeavor made his attack without even slowing down. The side of Berserker's helmet took the full force of the Flame Hero's inertia-boosted right hook.

"FLASHFIRE FIST!"

Berserker reeled from the blow, allowing a white blur to pull Khao Lam to safety, soon followed by Eraserhead and Gunhead. The blur moved next to Gang Orca as well but quickly dashed away from the hero.

Coming to a stop behind Endeavor, Hyade wiped sweat and some of her brown and blue hair from her face.

"Endeavor, I can't move Gang Orca. He's too heavy."

The Flame Hero's eyes remained set on the growling Berserker, "Get one of the others to help you, Hyade. I am busy with this insurgent."

Berserker burst forward, but Endeavor was unconcerned. Flying up with a jet of flames, the Pro Hero threw his arms forward.

"Your rampage ends here, villain— HELL'S CURTAIN!"

The cascade of fire enveloped Berserker, causing him to roar in pain. Ordinarily, flames, even of such hotness, wouldn't damage a Servant. But these weren't natural flames. As a result of Olkoth's creation of Quirk Factor, the humans of this world deviated from the expected results of Human History. For Servants, who were manifestations of the Proper Flow of History, Quirks were inherently rejective. Of course, it wasn't as though Quirk users themselves could inherently beat Servants. Individuals such as Principal Nezu, whose Quirk only enhanced his own intelligence, had no offensive bonus against a Servant. It was those with external-targeting Quirks like Endeavor's Hellflame or Electrophase's Magne-Orbs, as well as physical boosters like All Might's One For All, that truly benefited from the alien nature of Quirk Factor. The energy or force created by such Quirks held within it a portion of that altered history, producing the countering force to a Servant's existence.

Even so, there was still a divide to overcome. Just as Apophis was a level above a high-ranking Heroic Spirit like Lancelot, the difference in power between a Servant and a Quirked Human was significant. However, the battle would no longer be completely one-sided.

Watching the black knight roar within the flames, Endeavor stood poised and ready. Even if the risk of overheating loomed, Enji Todoroki did not balk. If Endeavor was to surpass the Symbol of Peace, he knew he could not back down. Regardless of the opponent, heroes fight on.

Not even if their opponent is one of the greatest knights to ever live.


Minato Ward, Nagoya
Day 3, Morning

Observing the battle from above, Geten Himura activated a small communications device in his right ear.

"Sir. Endeavor has shown up. Should I engage?"

On the other end of the line, the calm voice of Re-Destro crackled through, "No. With Curious dead, we are already down a Command Spell wielder. Especially due to your lack of combat compatibility with fire Quirks, entering would be unwise. We must show our hand carefully."

"I understand, sir. But what of Berserker? Endeavor's flame seems to have an effect on him."

In the Detnerat Building in Deika City, Re-Destro paused at this information. Turning to Skeptic, he gave an order.

"Skeptic. Verify this."

Hijacking the closest working camera, Skeptic confirmed Geten's claim.

"Iceman's assessment is correct. It seems Endeavor's Hellflame is capable of harming Berserker."

Rikiya Yotsubashi put a hand on his chin. A vein popped on his head as he felt his stress start to build up.

"How vexing…"

Seeing the black markings creeping up his leader's arms, Tomoyasu flinched. If Re-Destro went on a Stress-fueled rampage…

Luckily, Rikiya reigned himself in, and the black markings receded. Adjusting his tie, he took a deep breath before speaking.

"Iceman, for now, continue to observe. Skeptic, keep me informed of the situation. Even if we must use a second Command Spell, I do not want to risk our army's secrecy being broken just yet."

Rikiya let out another deep breath, repeating his personal mantra in his head.

'This is all… for the sake of liberation.'


Minato Ward, Nagoya
Day 3, Morning

"RAAAAHH!"

As he hurled another mass of flame at Berserker, Enji Todoroki did not bother to call out an Ultimate Move. What mattered now was power and output, not aesthetics.

But his opponent wasn't letting up. Charging through the blaze, Berserker held a partially melted car exhaust pipe it had acquired somehow. Although Enji noticed a strange aura around the pipe, he thought little of it and readied himself to block the blow.

That was, at least, until just before the metal pipe swung down. In that instant, the Hero's instincts began sending signals of danger to his brain.

From the side, Khao Lam shouted Eraserhead used his capture weapon to hold back Berserker.

"Endeavor! He turns anything he holds into a weapon! You can't let him hit you!"

Thinking quickly, Endeavor struck the knight with a blazing roundhouse kick. Even with his steel-soled boots, the Pro Hero could feel the resistance from Berserker's form. An attack that normally sent villains flying over a block had barely earned him a few feet of distance.

'Not good enough. I need to push him back further.'

Trying a different tactic, Endeavor slammed his fists into the ground, shouting as he did so.

"HELL GEYSER!"

Using a precise application of Hellflame, Endeavor sent a jet of flame running beneath the surface. When the underground line of superheated flame reached Berserker, it surfaced in a fiery explosion. The Servant's form was concealed by a cloud of fire and melted concrete, but Endeavor knew the battle was far from over.

'Will it charge, or do something else?'

As it turned out, Berserker opted for a ranged attack. From the firestorm came the miasma-coated exhaust pipe the Servant had been wielding, poised to strike Hyade.

Sending a plume of flame, Endeavor managed to push through Knight of Owner's defensive enchantments, causing the pipe to melt.

Looking at the molten puddle only a little bit in front of her, Hyade felt sweat pour down her brow— and not just from the heat.

'That… I almost died there!'

Endeavor, meanwhile, was focused on the implications of Berserker's actions.

'That villain. He targeted Hyade, our speedster. But was it intentional or opportunistic?'

Endeavor tilted his head downwards, 'No, it doesn't matter. Either way, I'll have to keep close tabs on his actions.'

Grimacing, the hero felt the heat building up in his body, 'Not to mention, my body is starting to overheat… I've been trying to focus on precision, but my body temperature is rising fast. I don't have much time.'

Perhaps it was born of desperation and adrenaline, but Endeavor's mind was undergoing an evolution. The hero who single-mindedly sought to surpass All Might… even losing his firstborn son to his zealotic pursuit, was changing ever so slightly. In the face of a nigh-insurmountable enemy, Enji Todoroki was beginning to blossom anew.

'I cannot defeat this villain alone. But… I'm not alone.'

Without turning, Endeavor shouted to his comrades, "Hyade. Khao Lam. Eraserhead."

All three heroes perked up at Enji's call. It was Hyade who ultimately spoke for the three.

"What do you need from us, sir?"

Endeavor clenched his hand, smoke curling off his fist, "Back me up. I'll bring down this villain… but I'll need your help to do so."

For a moment, the three were surprised. Although Endeavor had one of the largest agencies in Japan, the man had never been one to ask for help. But they certainly weren't going to question the change now.

With a single confident word, the three heroes expressed their will to fight, "Understood!"


U.A. High School, Mustafu
Day 3, Morning

As he sat on the cold gymnasium floor, Shoto Todoroki's mind was filled with turmoil.

For most of his life, he hated his father. The wretched man had driven his mother near-mad and destroyed Shoto's childhood all for the sake of his ambitions.

Yet, at this very moment, it was his father and his agency who were aiding in the disaster in Nagoya.

Shoto expelled the thought from his head, 'No. Just being heroic doesn't make him free of what he did to me… did to us.'

As Todoroki's thoughts smoldered, Itsuka Kendo gazed curiously at her classmate.

'I wonder what happened to him… for him to make such an angry expression even when his father is fighting for us all.'

Kendo did not know too much about Endeavor. Although she was All Might's successor and a Heroic Student, she wasn't exactly a Pro Hero fanatic. As the latest scion of the Mountain Toppling Fist School, Itsuka had been more focused on martial arts as a child. The few Heroes she idolized had always been more on the martial side, such as the Flying Fist Hero: Dragonfly, and the Rabbit Hero: Mirko.

Although All Might was certainly a martial hero, her father's constant grumbling about his lack of finesse during her childhood had stuck with her. Her experience with him as a mentor had only solidified this, his first draft of his "Aim To Pass: American Dream Plan" was messy, to say the least. Her father had helped revise it into a new plan and even kept the clean-up of Dagobah Beach a part of it, but All Might's own mentorial shortcomings had already been shown.

But at the moment, Kendo was not exactly thinking about her mentor's lack of teaching ability. Instead, she was focused on his safety.

'I hope All Might will be okay with his time limit. He said he only had a couple of hours these days.'

As she continued to dwell in her own thoughts, Kendo heard a soft cough from her classmate Tokoyami. As it turned out, the space Kendo had been staring into was incidentally where the bird-headed boy had been sitting. Blushing slightly, she tore her gaze away from Tokoyami, letting her eyes settle on Momo Yaoyorozu instead. The recently orphaned heiress was something of an enigma to Kendo. Potential PTSD aside, something was off about Momo, and Kendo couldn't put her finger on it.

'That panic attack earlier… she mentioned someone called 'Rider', I think? I wonder… who is this Rider? Could they be one of the vigilantes in Nagoya?'

Kendo had always trusted her gut. It was what helped her save a classmate from a wandering Crab Villain when she was six, and what led her to linger in Mustafu on the day of the Sludge Villain Incident. Kendo trusted her gut, and it never seemed to guide her wrong. And now, her instincts were ringing that something wasn't right about the Nagoya situation… and that somehow, Momo Yaoyorozu was involved.


The space was black, a void of infinite dark fog. Within the fog, the only source of illumination was seven lights, each a different color of the rainbow. There was an eighth light, but it was barely illuminated, its glimmer muted and weak.

But these were more than simple lights, and the place was more than a dark fog. It was a repository of seven brave souls, heroes whose destiny stretched across time. Born out of the layering of Quirk Factors over several generations, this mental space connected all who wielded the power of One For All.

It was a conceptual phylactery, a place born from the Quirk known as One For All.

Even though the true versions of themselves were long dead, through their Quirk Factors, the previous users lived on. In this space, they could converse, analyzing the world through the eyes of the latest successor of the Quirk, Itsuka Kendo.

Beginning their latest discussion, the magenta light gave out a hum of approval, "Seems the Ninth has good senses. Wouldn't you say, En?"

The purple light was silent for a long moment before responding, "Hmmm… yes. Seems Ninth has similar suspicions to our own. That Momo girl is hiding something."

The green light spoke next, "It's a shame we cannot link to Eighth's soul in the same way. Ever since he transferred the Quirk, we haven't been able to observe his view. But the vision through Itsuka Kendo's eyes is certainly muffled. Sometimes we become totally blinded. That's notably worse than it was with Toshinori."

The white light spoke next, their voice tired yet soothing, "One For All may be about to reach its limit, I'm afraid. Eighth was Quirkless, but Ninth isn't. There's only so much Quirk Factor that can be layered without removing individuality. If she isn't careful, she might suffer a fate similar to you, Hikage."

The green light sighed, "That's what I fear. The accelerated aging side-effect of this Quirk affected Eighth, even if he did not notice. It would have been better if his choice for the Ninth was Quirkless. Then maybe they would not have been caught between dying young or being killed young."

The blue light interjected, "Unless, of course, she wins."

The orange light spoke with incredulity, "You're being positive, Kudo? You're usually the doubter here, ya fool. What changed?"

The blue light spoke up again, "Ninth has spirit… and something in my gut tells me All For One is linked to all this. Momo Yaoyorozu, 'Rider', and now this attack on Nagoya? Somehow, this connects to him. All For One may be coming out of the shadows faster than anticipated."

The white light spoke up, "You're confident in this possibility, Kudo?"

The red light interjected before the blue light could respond, "If I know one thing about Kudo, it's that his gut is rarely wrong. But to add my own thoughts… Momo Yaoyorozu certainly doesn't seem like a pawn of All For One, but there's something off about her situation. She's clearly involved in something."

The purple light spoke quietly, "Bruce, this isn't like your era. There are other players behind the scenes. All For One is no longer the only power in Japan."

The red light muttered, "That is true…"

The magenta light jumped back in, "Hey now everyone… let's calm down. Not like we can do anything as mere fragments."

The green light pulsed slightly, "Yes, indeed. So let's focus on what we can be certain of… and see if we can convey it to Ninth somehow."

The white light glowed brightly, "I agree with Nana and Hikage. Let us observe for now. One For All is still blossoming within Itsuka Kendo. As the previous holders, it is our role to support her, and we must be united in such efforts."

As the lights faded back into the darkness, the white light had one last lingering thought he kept to himself.

'Even if he claimed otherwise, being the puppetmaster never suited Mukuro. He always stepped in to do things himself. And this will be no different. My brother will make a move soon— if he hasn't already. Whichever it is, I have the feeling I'm particularly not going to like what he has planned.'


Mt. Enzou, Fuyuki City
Present Day

"Hmmmm…."

As he knelt down and caught sight of something on the ground of the small tunnel, Waver Velvet stopped.

Looking down at his ally, Rohngall spoke, his curiosity piqued.

"What's the matter, Lord?"

Picking up the object, Waver turned and showed it to his allies. It was a bug, but certainly no natural one. The disgusting shape of the bug helped all three Magi recognize the handiwork instantly; it was the work of the Matou clan.

"One of Zouken Matou's familiars it would seem. Although, it seems to have died without a connection to its creator."

Rohngall put a hand to his chin, "So Zouken Matou really is dead…"

As the two men looked at the bug, Faldeus did his best to hide his contempt. The bugs of the Matou were a perfect example of the limitations of the old-world Magecraft.

'The Kuruoka's bacteriomancy… I found that far more intriguing. A far less degradational application of Crest Enhancement Magecraft. Although given that the Kuruoka's first experiment led to the hospitalization of their daughter, I suppose I shouldn't be praising them too much.'

Faldeus, realizing he wasn't properly masking his emotions, spoke to change the subject, "Excuse me, Master, Milord. Should we not hurry to the Grail Cavern?"

As Rohngall grumbled under his breath, Waver nodded appreciatively.

"Thank you, Mister Dioland. My own investigative nature distracted me from our primary goal."

Faldeus put his hand on the back of his head, and laughed, "No problem sir! Just doing my job!"

Moving quickly down the tunnels, the trio passed through a large cavern before reaching the heart of the caves. It was a colossal space, even larger than the one prior. For the most part, it was filled with empty air and cave formations, but at the center of the cavern lay a single monolith of corruption.

The Grail, situated at the center of the structure, was rather beautiful to behold. A geode-like orb, filled with the transmuted flesh of Einzbern Homunculi. The rest of the monolith, however, was disgusting. To suspend the central orb, two vaguely fungal stalks connected it to the cavern floor and ceiling. The stalks were covered with pulsing cancer-like growths of various sizes. From the bases of each stalk, roots made of some sort of black and white pestilence had spread across the cavern like a virus.

Due to the presence of the monolith, the entire feel of the cavern was soured. The air felt fetid and wrong, and the magic in the space irritated the three Magis' senses.

In a rare show of honesty, Faldeus put a hand to his mouth, trying to hold in his disgust.

"This is the Holy Grail of Fuyuki?"

Waver nodded, "Its current state is abhorrent, yes, but this is indeed the Greater Grail."

Rohngall hummed in agreement, "Yes, although none of us have seen it in person before, this could not possibly be anything else. True Magic is unmistakable."

Kneeling down, Waver touched a Mystic Code shaped like a thermometer to one of the roots extending from the wretched monolith. As he pulled it back to analyze, the acrid odor of burning metal filled the air. Looking at the magical tool closely, El-Melloi II could see the Mystic Code's tip was melted, like it had touched acid.

Rohngall narrowed his eyes, "So, it is as you feared, Milord?"

Waver nodded, "Yes. Although the Grail is still in a dormant state, the corruption is active. Sealing will be our only option after all."

Although it might lead to a war with the Einzberns, the trio had been given instructions from Brishisan to assess the possibility of destroying the Grail. This was not made known to the Lords, who Brishisan was sure would desire to continue the Grail War Cycle. However, given the reaction they just observed, Waver and Rohngall knew that Brishisan's hope would not be possible. They could not dismantle the Grail, not with the tools they had.

Faldeus was less certain, "Are we sure we have to seal it? Couldn't Rin Tohsaka or one of the other founding families help us dismantle it?"

Rohngall grunted, "If two of the three families collaborated, we might be able to. But Jubstacheit will not help us end Justeaze's wish, and the Matou family is dead. Given the reaction we've observed, dismantlement would require a monopoly on the invocation site for several days. This mission is nowhere near long enough."

Waver nodded, "Precisely. Thus, we are going to seal it for now. Given that the next Grail War shouldn't occur for several decades, a short-term sealing shouldn't cause as much political stir."

"But, why short-term? Why not just leave the Grail alone?"

"Zelretch didn't say much about why, but I have suspicions there is a group who is trying to replicate the Grail. Rumors were beginning to circulate in the Clock Tower about a 'False Holy Grail' in the United States. Although those recently ceased, I suspect the False Grail, if it exists, is still out there."

Waver shook his head before continuing, "Regardless, we don't have much time. If Zelretch sent us now, that means the reason behind sealing the Greater Grail could happen at any time. So let's hurry and complete our mission— before it is too late."


To be continued in Chapter 11: End of the Beginning

Servant Profiles: False Saber [Incomplete]
Bio:
Class: Saber
Master: Umi Yamane
True Name: Chrysaor
Gender: Male
Alignment: True Neutral

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

Class Skills:
Riding: C
Magic Resistance: B

Personal Skills:
Divinity: C
Golden Son of the Gorgon: A
Ocean's Beloved: B

Noble Phantasms:
Stygius Kymothales
Shining Waves That Reach the Shapeless Isle
Rank: B+
Type: Anti-Army

Kapros Aor
Golden Sword That Gouges Life
Rank: C
Type: Anti-Unit

Chrysaor's Third Noble Phantasm
[No Data Available At Present]