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Summoner's Banquet II: Monarch Overload
Pacific Ocean, Off the Coast of Mie Prefecture
Day 4, Night
On the deck of a JMSDF vessel, a woman in military attire yelled at two men in diving gear.
"Alright boys. That's all mechanical and gear checks complete. You two ready to enter the soup?"
"Wayfinder-01, ready."
"Wayfinder-02, ready."
The woman nodded, "Good. Let's get this mission going."
Yesterday night, the same day as the Nagoya Disaster, a massive undersea shockwave had occurred off the coast of Mie Prefecture. An aerial investigation had discovered an anomaly in the oceanography. Near the epicenter of the quake, a small uninhabited island had mysteriously vanished. Deep sea scans had also noted inconsistencies with the current maps of the ocean floor.
Government higher-ups, worried the shockwave might be from a weapons test of an enemy country, ordered the Japan Maritime Self-Defense Force to dispatch a vessel. Thus, to get answers, the JMSDF dispatched the Ikaruga with divers and soldiers.
With a whistle from the commander, the two divers dropped into the sea. Walking away from the edge, she moved into a nearby control room. On a large screen, the two divers' camera feeds were displayed.
"Alright, how are things looking?"
A glasses-wearing operator responded, "All good, ma'am. We have clear audio and visuals."
"Wayfinder-01. Wayfinder-02. Do you copy? Over."
A crackle came through the speakers.
"Wayfinder-01. Hear you loud and clear, commander. Over."
"Wayfinder-02. Audio is good on my end. Over."
In the depths of the Pacific Ocean, the two divers continued their descent.
Noticing odd lights at the corner of his vision, Wayfinder-01 signaled to his partner.
"This is Wayfinder-01. I'm seeing some light anomalies. Permission to investigate? Over."
The commander's voice echoed through the comms, "Granted. But be cautious. Over."
Moving closer, the two divers saw the source of the light. It was coral… but something was off. From the tops of the coral tubes, were orange flames.
"What the heck?"
To his right, Wayfinder-01's partner cut into the comms.
"I've caught sight of another anomaly."
Back in the control room, the commander's jaw dropped slightly. In Wayfinder-02's feed was a school of fish… but each was slightly off. One had two spikes on its back; another had rings of light spinning around it. A third was trailing a misty cloud behind it.
The operator in front of her gulped, "Are those… Quirks?"
The commander's expression was one of restrained concern, "I need to report this to my superiors."
Before she could make the call, the voice of Wayfinder-01 crackled through once more. It was shaky and nervous.
"C-Commander. We've… found the island. Or where it should be."
The screen displayed a harrowing sight.
"What the hell…?"
Instead of a gentle upward slope to an island, the seabed had become a colossal underwater crater. The ring of the crater was somewhat jagged, and it glowed in several spots due to melted mineral veins.
The commander made the realization as she stared at the desolate sight. The island disappearing, the quakes and waves in Mie… this was the source. It had to be.
What she didn't know was that it was the source of even more. The crater, the Quirk-wielding coral and fish… they had all appeared on the previous night.
Instead, the commander was left to speculate on the origin of the crater. Was it a bomb? Was it a volcano? She didn't know… nor could she have known.
After all, how would a normal person recognize the results of a battle between Servants?
Shie Hassaikai Compound, Hosu City
Day 4, Afternoon
"Tch, disgusting. Absolutely filthy."
Standing in front of the former door to Eri's room, Kai Chisaki regarded the foreboding portal with clear disdain. As a mysophobe, the sight of the dusty and grime-caked brick tunnel was anything but a pleasant sight. But beyond its unclean nature, Kai was simply annoyed it existed in the first place. Eri's presence was a delicate situation to begin with. Her disappearance was a massive wrench in his already fragile plan.
Chisaki's displeased mood was palpable, and the two men beside him could sense it.
The first man was muscular, with spiky blonde hair and a sharp-looking face. He wore a brown dress shirt and pinstripe pants with suspenders. His name was Joi Irinaka, codename Mimic, General Manager of the Shie Hassaikai.
The second man was dressed in a long white raincoat that covered his entire body. His face was similarly obscured, concealed by a black plague doctor mask lined with gold trim. His real name was Hari Kurono, but most knew him as Chronostasis, Overhaul's right-hand man.
After Chronostasis received the report that Eri had disappeared, the trio quickly convened at the former location of her room. Overhaul, if possible, did not want to inform the Boss. Chisaki was already in poor standing with Ryumatsu, and his granddaughter disappearing under his watch would bring unwanted attention to the Hosu operation.
Turning to the muscular man to his left, Chisaki scowled lightly at Irinaka.
"Mimic. Use your Quirk on that passage."
The man raised an eyebrow, "I don't think I can fuse with that, boss. I'm not on Trigger right now."
Chisaki growled, "You imbecile, I want you to use the secondary property of your Quirk."
Although Joi's Quirk was limited to merging with only small spaces, it had a side effect when unsuccessfully used on large spaces. Although he wouldn't be able to fuse, his Quirk could still provide him information about the space he tried to fuse with.
"Oh, right. Well, here goes."
Placing his hands against the brickwork, Irinaka tried to fuse himself into the archaic construction.
'What the… how deep does this go?'
For the first time in a while, Irinaka was truly bewildered by what he was sensing. The space below… it was spreading. Even as he tried to unsuccessfully merge with it, he could feel the impossibility growing. But there was also something else. As he strained to try and get more information, Irinaka's ears began to fill with a strange roaring sound.
περιπλανώμαιχαμένοςπεθάνει
περιπλανώμαιχαμένοςπεθάνει
περιπλανώμαιχαμένοςπεθάνει
περιπλανώμαιχαμένοςπεθάνει
It was at first in some language that Irinaka didn't recognize… but then it was in Japanese, clear as day.
WanderLostDieWanderLostDie
WanderLostDieWanderLostDie
WanderLostDieWanderLostDie
WanderLostDieWanderLostDie
With a final sound, a strange cross of hissing serpents and bull-like bellowing, Irinaka was thrown out. As Chisaki and Kurono watched in bewilderment, the man was launched back by an invisible force. As he crashed into the opposite wall, blood could be seen dripping from his ears and nose. Kurono moved forward to check on Mimic and nodded at Overhaul gravely.
"He's unconscious, sir. Whatever caused Eri's disappearance… it's capable of rejecting Mimic."
Chisaki growled in frustration, "Dammit… Chrono, contact the Boss. And get someone to come pick up Mimic."
The man raised an eyebrow under his crow mask.
"Are you sure, sir?"
Overhaul nodded, "If it's capable of kicking out Mimic, it's not just some creepy passageway. It's probably the work of that 'Holy Grail War' the Boss got caught up in. Let him clean up his own mess."
"Understood. What will you do, sir?"
"I'm going to my office. Don't disturb me."
Chronostasis nodded before leaving.
Kai, meanwhile, stalked over to his office down the hall. Nearly tearing his door off the hinges, he slammed it closed with wrath clouding his mind.
"DAMMIT!"
Dropping his calm facade, he tore off his gloves and unleashed his Quirk upon his desk. The wooden furniture was broken down and reconstructed, turned into a strange piece of modern art. With a grunt, he unleashed his Quirk's power again, reducing the wood into sawdust.
"Hah… Hah… Goddammit."
As he was about to pull his gloves back on, he stopped. Emblazoned on his hand, seemingly having formed without his knowledge, was a set of red marks. They were similar to the ones the Boss had but were still subtly different. Whereas Ryumatsu's marks vaguely resembled doric architecture, Chisaki's marks were reminiscent of a spinal cord shaped into a helix.
Before he could analyze them further, a feminine voice echoed inside his head.
'Ah good, they finally manifested. Don't worry, I'll handle the rest.'
The Command Spells glowed briefly, and Chisaki felt his Quirk shift. Without his consent, his Quirk Factor had linked to… something. Blinking in confusion, he noticed a sudden change in his office.
In the corner, where there had previously been nothing but air, was a woman.
She had the appearance of what many might consider a "femme fatale". Her long yellow hair was decorated with a Dutch crown braid, and her eyes were a muted olivine. Her pale skin contrasted with her clothing, a red short-sleeve toga that exposed her stomach and much of her neckline.
"Why, hello there, my Master."
Although Chisaki considered attacking, he chose to be cautious. If this person was like Ryumatsu's new bodyguard, Archer, they could be trouble. He let the woman continue speaking.
"I apologize if my arrival was a bit sudden for you. I could hear the Grail's beckoning and decided to lend a hand in my manifestation. Make things a bit simpler on your end."
Chisaki continued to eye her warily, "Who are you? Are you one of those 'Servants'?"
The woman smiled seductively, "Indeed, Master. I am Caster. By your stigmata, I have come forth to partake in this Holy Grail War."
Unfazed, the crow-masked yakuza crossed his arms.
"So, you're like that Archer the Boss summoned. What's your true name, woman? I know Caster is nothing but a moniker."
Caster chuckled, "Seems I have been summoned by quite the belligerent Master. I will give you my True Name after you answer a question of mine."
"What is it?"
"The Grail seems to have been insufficient in informing me of the present situation. You spoke of Archer, no? What of the other members of our faction?"
Chisaki tried to keep his face neutral, but his furrowing eyebrows were not missed by his Servant.
"You are confused. So it is as it seems? The Grail War has spun out of control? Which begs the question…"
Not wishing to indulge Caster's curiosities any longer, Overhaul spoke curtly, "Enough. I answered your question, woman. Now, reveal your true name."
Posing with poorly veiled arrogance, Caster huffed, "It was a half-answer at best, but I suppose my full appraisal of the situation can wait. A promise is a promise."
Crossing her arms over her chest, Caster's stance exuded an even greater level of pride.
"I am Julia Agrippina. Daughter of Germanicus. Sister of Caligula. Mother of Nero. Empress of Rome."
SECOND CASTER: AGRIPPINA
Mustafu, Shizuoka Prefecture
Day 4, Afternoon
"Whoa! They have some genuine Lieutenant Unity comics! These were discontinued a century ago!"
Putting her face against the display case, Chikuchi Togeike marveled at Comics Odyssey's pride and joy— a collection of original print American superhero comics.
Izuku, meanwhile, did his best to pull his new best friend away from the glass case.
"H-Hey, Togeike. That employee is glaring at us!"
Behind the counter, a punk-styled woman with forest green hair fixed a stern look at the two teenagers. They weren't trying to break the glass, but there was a very clear "Please Do Not Get Too Close To The Display Case" sticker in Togeike's line of sight.
Dragged back, Togeike pouted, "Oh boo. You're no fun!"
"And you're breaking the shop's rules! We'll get kicked out!"
"Well, I guess it's true our little date would be troubled if it ended so soon!"
Izuku blushed, "A d-d-date?"
It was easy to mistake the two as a bickering couple. Izuku wouldn't deny he had developed a strong fondness for Chikuchi, but it was purely platonic. In just a few days, the rambunctious classmate had managed to worm her way into his heart, becoming his best friend. And for the first time in a long while, he had been invited out for a fun afternoon.
"Sigh… you're so easy, Midoriya. Listen, think of this like training. That jack-eared girl seems like a teaser. As a teaser myself, it falls on me to prepare you for her teasing."
"Togeike, I think you have the wrong idea. She was probably just looking at me because of that incident on the first day."
"When that blasty freak attacked you? What was up with that guy anyways? Ms. Osano said not to pry but I'd hope I could know a little more."
Midoriya shuffled in place, "His name's Kacch— Katsuki Bakugo. We were childhood friends who went to the same school."
"Childhood friends? That certainly didn't look like friendship to me."
"Kacchan started hating me a long time ago… but I'm Quirkless. I can't blame him."
Chikuchi grabbed Midoriya's shoulders and looked him directly in the eyes.
"Midoriya, listen. I don't know what people like that Bakugo asshole have told you, but Quirklessness doesn't make you any less important. So what if you don't have a power? You're still a person, and my friend."
Midoriya felt a tear slide down his face, "Togeike, I… I really needed to hear that."
"Anytime, bush-head. Listen, I tease you a lot, but know that doesn't mean I dislike you."
"I know. Thanks."
"Hehe. Now, let's go look at more comics."
"Right!"
Fulmo Mountains, Aichi Prefecture
Day 4, Afternoon
"A new scent… and strong."
As he ambled through the Fulmo Mountains of Aichi, the colossus known as Gigantomachia mumbled quietly. Through one of the six Quirks his Master had given him, the living cataclysm could smell the approach of an unknown being.
A veritable mountain of a man, Gigantomachia was truly a modern-day monster. His beastly appearance and gigantified stature combined to make him truly reminiscent of the Grecian legend his name invoked.
And now, the giant of Mukuro Shigaraki was about to meet a true myth brought forth by evil— the False Lancer, Vritra.
Landing with meteoric force, the deceptively beautiful Servant of the Spear beheld Gigantomachia with an almost bored look on her face.
The colossal villain, in turn, assessed his visitor. "Why are you here, woman? I have no interest in anyone besides the Master."
Vritra grinned maliciously, "You're more talkative than I expected, beast. Garaki's description of you was lacking, I can see."
Gigantomachia's voice rumbled, "Garaki… the Doctor. Master's Doctor. You know Master?"
Lancer conjured a trishula into her left hand, "Yes, I do. He summoned me after all. I am Lancer."
"Lancer… and you say you were summoned? Ridiculous. Magic is not real. Quirks are the only power in this world."
The dragoness sighed, "Believe what you want to believe. But the fact is, Mukuro really did—"
"DISRESPECTFUL!"
Gigantomachia's cry was deafening, spooking wildlife for miles around. Even Lancer found it excessive.
"OH, MASTER! THIS WOMAN, THIS LANCER, SHE DISRESPECTS YOU! CALLING YOU BY NAME! NONE SHOULD BEAR THAT RIGHT! FOR NONE ARE EQUAL TO YOU!"
The giant sobbed harder.
"OR IS SHE TRULY SO GREAT? HAS THIS WOMAN MATCHED YOUR POWER? HAS SHE STOLEN YOUR HEART? OH, MASTER—"
Lancer had enough, "RAAAAGGGH! QUIET!"
Accompanying her rage, several Vajras pierced the giant's right hand. However, Gigantomachia didn't seem to even notice them.
"Listen here, you delusional mutt. I came here for a battle. I have not come to hear your asinine blatherings. I don't care if you see Mukuro as a god. He assured me that you could give me a good fight… so give me it."
Gigantomachia was quiet. Although his mind wanted him to continue berating the disrespectful woman, something in her words stirred his heart. He was Gigantomachia, the Titan of All For One. A villain who had become a folktale, the legendary "Mountain Crusher". Before he had become the Symbol of Evil's bodyguard, he had been a villain of his own. One who had fought his own battles and crushed countless opponents.
Using Fierce Gains to harden his muscles and Gigantification to expand his body to 25 meters in height, the colossal villain growled in challenge. Throwing his hand down, the ground splintered from the force, causing several landslides to begin. As the rock and dust poured out from the mountain, the veteran villain made his declaration.
"Very well, wench. Then be crushed by my strength. The strength I have honed for the Master!"
Lancer smiled, conjuring a circle of Vajra spears behind herself, the sixteen trishulas forming an image of a heavenly wheel.
"Good! Let us see what you are capable of, giant!"
Mustafu, Shizuoka Prefecture
Day 4, Afternoon
On the street outside of Comics Odyssey stood two men.
The man on the left was tall and dressed in a butler's outfit. His head was shadowy and gaseous. Even though he wore a fedora to hide it, the strangeness of his form was still noticeable.
The second figure was hunched, so his exact height was unclear. He looked out of place in his own way, his black sweatpants and hoody befitting of a burglar. But the hood did its job of concealing the man's most distinctive feature— his face. The man was pale with chapped lips and permanent wrinkles around his eyes. He resembled a castaway after months of isolation and was undeniably disturbing to behold. Looking through his messy light blue hair, his red eyes gazed inside the small comic book store with an underlay of hate.
But these people were not a butler and a castaway. They were part of the scourges of hero society, members of the budding "League of Villains". They were not yet known to be villains, but soon their names would be part of the HPSC's villain database.
They were Kurogiri and Tomura Shigaraki.
Scoffing at the customers milling inside the small store, Shigaraki spoke with clear disdain, "So this is where the kid is at? What's the quest requirements again, Kurogiri?"
As he took a look around as well, Kurogiri focused on the customers visible from the outside. Since only a few schools, such as U.A., had declared a day off, the shop was mostly empty. As for employees, Kurogiri could only see a punkish young woman manning the register.
"Our goal is to capture Izuku Midoriya alive. As for the other citizens, it is for the best that we take as few lives as possible. A commotion could alert nearby heroes. Might I suggest a hostage strategy?"
Tomura looked at his companion, "Hostage? What, he got a friend with him?"
Kurogiri nodded, "Our surveillance of Izuku Midoriya saw him enter with a girl, likely his girlfriend or classmate. I suggest we threaten her safety and force Midoriya's compliance."
Shigaraki giggled unnervingly, "As much as I'd love to see his face when we kill his girl in front of him, I like your idea. That shopkeep's gotta go though. Damn employees love alerting the guards."
'Ah good, he accepted.'
Internally sighing in relief, Kurogiri nodded.
"A good call. A mere schoolgirl would not know how to trigger the silent alarm, but an employee would. Now let's go. Loitering any longer will gather suspicion."
Shigaraki smiled, "Quest start."
Walking into the store, Kurogiri heard the distinctive jingle of an entry bell. Hearing the sound, the green-haired employee turned to look at Kurogiri and Shigaraki. With a smile, she greeted them.
"Welcome to Comics Odyssey! Anything you're looking for in particular?"
As the two moved forward, Kurogiri nodded duplicitously.
"Ah, yes. My ward here is a bit of an artist. We're looking for horror comics to get some inspiration for his work."
The woman flinched slightly as she caught sight of Shigaraki's face, but kept a facade of professionalism.
"A horror artist, huh? I have to say, I'm a big fan of the creepy stuff myself. Here, I'll take you to the horror section."
Following the employee to a back corner of the store, Kurogiri watched closely, listening carefully to each row they passed.
"Hey, Midoriya, what about this one? It's got Crystalline Enforcer Kyaknight in it!"
After they moved, Shigaraki turned to Kurogiri, who nodded. There was no one in view; now was the time to act. Carefully removing his glove from his right hand, Shigaraki struck with lightning speed. Before the employee could react, her throat began to disintegrate from Shigaraki's Quirk. Unable to scream, she tried to run for help. But Shigaraki was faster, grabbing her arm and initiating a second wave of decay. Holding the employee to the ground, the villain cackled quietly as the pinned woman was reduced to nothing but a pile of fleshy dust.
Shigaraki turned to Kurogiri, "So, where are they?"
"Five rows back. They are on the far side, so I will go from the direction we came, while you go from the other end."
"A pincer attack, huh? I like it."
Of the two, Shigaraki was the first to reach the aisle where Midoriya and Togeike were. Moving down the aisle quickly, Tomura slung his arm over Togeike's shoulder, causing the two teens to jump in surprise.
Togeike shouted with discomfort, "Huh, who are you? Get your arm off me!"
Midoriya, meanwhile, tried the polite approach, "Sir, why do you have your arm on Togeike? I don't think she knows you."
Kurogiri, who had just arrived, responded in Tomura's stead.
"If you do not want to get hurt, I suggest you both stop resisting."
Midoriya's eyes widened.
"You're… the guy from the grocery store! What do you want from us?"
Kurogiri's face looked far more intimidating than Midoriya remembered as he loomed at the aisle's end.
"Who are we? It is not clear? We are villains, of course."
Both teens flinched. Togeike exclaimed in surprise from within Shigaraki's grasp, "Villains!? What the heck are villains doing in a comic book store?"
Tomura pulled his arm harder, almost choking Togeike, "Oi, girl. If you don't want to have your boyfriend here watch you die, stay quiet. As for what we want? Tell them, Kurogiri."
"Of course. What do we want? We want you, Izuku Midoriya."
Izuku was confused, "You're here… for me? I'm just a Quirkless nobody…"
Even as he spoke, Izuku was hesitant. Could there be something more to this?
'The supermarket guy… he saw my notebook. Could they want me because of that?'
Tomura scoffed, "Ah, this is taking too long. Let's get on with it."
"Indeed, Tomura Shigaraki. Now then, Izuku Midoriya, you will be coming with us. You can do so peacefully, or we can kill your companion here."
Izuku was silent, before nodding, "Alright. Let my friend go, and I'll come with you."
Togeike's eyes widened, "No! Izuku! Don't do it!"
Midoriya shook his head as he walked up to Kurogiri, "I'm sorry Togeike. I can't risk your life."
After Kurogiri put his hand on Izuku's shoulder, he activated his Quirk. Meanwhile, Tomura, seeing the warp villain nod, shoved his hostage away. In a show of mockery, he flipped off the black-haired girl.
As she pushed herself up, Chikuchi lept in desperation, trying to grab Izuku's hand. But she narrowly missed, only centimeters between her and her captive friend. As she stumbled to the floor, the warp gate closed, swallowing up Izuku and his captors.
Drawn by the commotion, several customers of the store gathered in the aisle. One of them knelt by the sobbing Chikuchi.
"Miss, what's wrong?"
Through her sobs, Chikuchi Togeike muttered to herself. Her mind was encapsulated in anguish and fear. She barely even registered the presence of the concerned stranger.
It was too late for them to help anyway.
Izuku Midoriya was gone.
Kosai, Shizuoka Prefecture
Day 4, Evening
Of all the ways Kyoka Jiro was hoping to wake up, being tied up in a warehouse was not one of them.
In front of her was a large man in a purple hoodie.
"Heh. You boys picked a good one. We'll have fun with her, even if she's a little on the flat side."
Although she didn't consistently follow the news, Kyoka knew what was going on. Recently a small-time gang had started abducting and assaulting high school girls in western Shizuoka. Evidently, having been chloroformed just blocks from her favorite record shop, Kyoka was their latest victim.
However, despite the fear encroaching on her heart, Kyoka did her best to remain calm.
'I'm a heroics student… I can do this!'
Putting a hand on her chin, the gang's boss smirked at her glare.
"Heh, I can tell you've got spunk. I like that. A woman who doesn't fight back is boring."
As he bared his tongue to lick her cheek, Kyoka struck. Extending her jacks, she stabbed the man in the eyes. While it wouldn't cause permanent damage to the gangster's vision, it would hurt like hell.
"AGGAHHHH! FUCK! MY EYES!"
"Boss!"
"Big Bro Tatsuro!"
Seeing their boss stumble, the gang members closed in on Kyoka, who vibrated her rope bindings to shreds.
'Facing Sero in the Battle Trial taught me something… bindings can be broken with vibrations!'
Dodging to the side, Kyoka tried to make for the exit of the warehouse. But before she could, an arm grabbed her by the throat. It was the gang leader, who had encased his right arm in gray rock.
"Rebellious bitch… I'm going to enjoy breaking you. You'll never feel clean again when I'm done with you!"
Spitting in the gangster's face, Kyoka tried to extend her jacks again. But the man was faster. Grabbing her jacks with his free hand, he yanked them.
"I bet you're one of those heroics students… I wonder, will they want you after I've raped you and torn off these jacks of yours?"
Kyoka began to feel panic setting in.
'No! It hurts! I don't want to be raped! I'm scared! Someone, anyone— SAVE ME!'
Just as he reached to tear Jiro's blouse, light filled the warehouse. It was so blinding that the formation of three red seals on Kyoka's left hand went unnoticed by everyone.
Staring into the cloud of dust somehow kicked up by the burst of light, the gang and Kyoka could see three vague humanoid figures kneeling. But the figures quickly vanished as a darker humanoid shape appeared within the cloud. Several seconds later, when the dust and light faded, the new arrival was properly visible.
He was a young man, possibly still in his teens. His golden-blond hair was streaked with red, and his expression was a mix of seriousness and curiosity. His attire was the strangest thing though. He wore a set of white knight's armor and a red mantle, reminiscent of old European aristocracy.
"Oh my… this is quite the situation I've wandered into. I wonder, who in this shakedown is my Master? This fine young lady, perhaps?"
The gang leader threw Kyoka to the floor and stalked up to the stranger.
"I don't know who the hell you are, hero, but this is our turf!"
The man's eyes gleamed, "Ah, I think I understand. So you are the miscreants of this age? Then it falls to me to correct your behavior."
Saber's response only aggravated the man, "Fuck this— I'll just kill you!"
However, Saber was busy talking to… someone.
"A strike from the left? I figured as much."
The thug leader, who did indeed swing from the left, met nothing but air with his punch. Thrown off balance, it was an easy matter for Saber to punch him in the gut.
As the other thugs drew their guns or activated their Quirks, Saber moved like lightning. With deft precision, his sword knocked out every member of the gang.
Once again speaking to seemingly nobody, Saber grumbled.
"Was that warning truly necessary, my dear abbot? He hardly could have hurt me, even if he'd struck."
Saber adopted a softer expression, "And what's that, William? Right, my Master, of course."
Sheathing his sword, the Servant knelt by Kyoka.
"Greetings, Master. Allow me to introduce myself. I am Servant Saber. By your summons, I have come forth."
The man winked, before seemingly talking to himself again.
"What are you snorting at, Mercadier? I thought it was a nice touch!"
Seeing Kyoka's perplexed expression, Saber mused, once again to some sort of imaginary audience.
"You're all in agreement? How unusual. Well, you may be right. Perhaps my Master is unaware of her circumstances. Tell me, Miss, what do you know of the Holy Grail?"
Kyoka's response was one of honest confusion, "I-I don't know what you're talking about, Mister Vigilante. I'd just like to go home, please."
Saber blinked, "Are you mistaking me for law enforcement? Since you are unaware of the Grail, that would explain a lot. However, I'm much more than that. I am a Servant. A Heroic Spirit who has been summoned forth from history to fight for the Holy Grail. And you, Miss, are my Master."
"Heroic Spirit? You're saying you're like… King Arthur or something?"
Saber grinned, "Well, I am a massive fan of King Arthur… but I'm not the wom—excuse me, man, myself."
'Was he about to say King Arthur was a woman?'
Saber continued, "I'll get to my True Name in a moment… but for now, I'll provide a veracity to my claims. Allow me to showcase my ultimate skill— my Noble Phantasm. Well, one of them, anyway."
Kyoka watched silently as Saber redrew his sword. Light began to gather around the blade as Saber pointed the weapon skyward.
Although Kyoka was only able to make out the very end of Saber's words, she could hear the passion in his voice as he yelled.
"—CALIBURRRRRR!"
From Saber's sword, a massive blast of light erupted. In an instant, eighty percent of the warehouse's upper regions were obliterated.
The remaining portions of the structure creaked and groaned as they threatened to collapse. Saber quickly realized his mistake.
"Ah, I suppose doing that indoors may have been unwise. Hmm, what's that, Joachim? Another premonition, you say?"
Kyoka's legs felt weak, "What the hell..?"
Before she could process the scene further, Kyoka felt herself being swept up into Saber's arms. Not expecting the sudden princess carry, she yelped in surprise.
Saber looked to Kyoka with a semi-serious expression, "Master, an ally of mine foretells that the authorities will be here soon. I wish I could promise reparations… but I cannot be arrested! So, let us away!"
Bounding through the warehouse door in a single kick, Saber shot off like a jet. Kyoka felt the wind battering her as they rushed away. But as they continued to build up speed, Kyoka's mind suddenly caught back up with her.
'Wait… does he even know where he's going?'
Tartarus Prison, Nagasaki Prefecture
Day 4, Evening
Where do criminals go when the death penalty is not enough?
The answer is Tartarus.
Lying five kilometers off the coast of Nagasaki Prefecture, the maximum-security prison was a veritable fortress. Its task was to ensure the worst villains of Japan never again saw the light of day.
The deeper you went into the prison, the more extreme the inmates and security became. The prisoners left to rot on Level 10, the lowest floor, were always at the precipice of execution. A single twitch of their Quirk and their straight-jacketed bodies would be bombarded by the automatic weapons built into their cells.
For prisoners on Level 6, there was a relatively low degree of freedom. Depending on their Quirk and behavior, some prisoners were granted the privilege to walk around their cell, although the Quirk-sensing guns remained.
It was here, in Block 5, Level 6, that prisoner No.656698 resided.
Even in a bog-standard orange jumpsuit, the prisoner was undeniably beautiful. She was a tall and hardy woman with sharp mauve eyes. Her shoulder-length epoxy-like hair was indigo in hue, broken up by streaks of pink.
The prisoner's real name was Kaina Tsutsumi, formerly known as the Pro Heroine Lady Nagant. To society, she was an oddity, a Heroine who killed another hero in an argument. If only the truth was so simple.
Kaina, formerly a bright young girl with a Quirk perfect for sharpshooting, was a victim of the dark side of the HPSC.
Groomed by the HPSC as their personal assassin, she had her view of society shattered with bullets and blood. When the HPSC's former President started sending her after corrupt Heroes, it became too much for Lady Nagant. She had stormed the HPSC's headquarters, executing the former President in revenge.
Obscuring the truth, the new President made Lady Nagant into a scapegoat, an example of why heroes needed to work together.
And now, she was left to bemoan her existence, largely forgotten by the world.
'Another boring day in this iron hell. At least I finally got that straitjacket off.'
Thanks to her good behavior, Kaina was granted the ability to walk around her cell, although her situation could hardly be called comfortable. Staring up at the security camera, she sighed in annoyance. However, she didn't vocalize her discontent further. That was a recipe for the return of her straitjacket.
Yawning, Kaina cozied up into one of the corners of her cell. Although the fluorescent lights made sleep a difficult task, she figured she might as well try and nap. She had nothing but time, after all.
Her attempt at shut-eye, however, was interrupted by a sudden pain in her hand. The strange bruise she noticed yesterday glowed softly as three marks emerged from the bruise. Together, the symbols resembled a blade of some sort.
Kaina's eyes shot up to the room's gun turrets, but they remained inactive. Whatever just happened to her hand, it wasn't her doing. This was something else.
Then the lights went out.
Kaina cautiously pushed herself up, "What the hell? A power outage?"
⊣∄⊢ Nay.
The former heroine whirled around, "Huh? Who said that?"
⊣∄⊢ Greetings, o' summoner mine.
Looking into the darkness, Lady Nagant froze. Within the black void of her cell, was a skull mask. It was scarred and pitted, but the eye sockets glowed with a faint blue light. The mask was attached to something tall, although Kaina couldn't make out anything concrete. She was about to squint, but the skull in the dark was gone.
⊣∄⊢ Do not concern thyself with mine form, Kaina Tsutsumi.
"What the fuck…? What the hell is going on?"
⊣∄⊢ By the request of the Grail, I hath come forth as the third of the Assassin class. By the will of my own, I hath come to judge your soul.
"Grail? Assassins? Judgment? Listen, I don't care if this is a dream or what, I don't need nonsense right now!"
The voice did not respond, but suddenly, Kaina felt a presence behind her. She was unable to turn, as a greatsword had set itself against her neck.
"So that's it? You're just going to kill me without explaining properly?"
The voice chuckled. Despite the figure being behind her, the words seem to come from both everywhere and nowhere.
⊣∄⊢ Haha… thou hath heart, Kaina Tsutsumi. Heart worth mine deliberation. Thy sins are chains upon thy neck. To mine blade, they doth beckon. But I shalt offer thee a chance. But first… you shalt learn.
Suddenly, Kaina's mind was flooded with strange knowledge. Of Magecraft. Of Servants. Of the ritual of Heaven's Feel.
Panting from the assault of information, she spoke slowly, "What's your offer, Assassin? Something tells me you aren't like those other 'Servants' that I learned about in that mind-blast of yours."
⊣∄⊢ Indeed. I am no ordinary Servant. While I hast relinquished such titles, I hast witnessed the zenith of the Throne. I will not obey the whims of a sinful Master. As such, I shall make mine decree. Upon thy hand lies the three stigmata of compulsion— the Command Spells. Through them, you may call upon my aide… but know thus. Should the final spell fade, and your sinfulness remain unchanged, the evening bell shall toll for you. Your head shall be cut from your shoulders so that you might enter Allah's gate.
"So, I only get three uses out of you, and then I die? Well… shit. I don't suppose I'll have to use one to get out of this freaking cell?"
The moment she stopped speaking, Kaina felt Assassin vanish, the blade gone from her neck. The shadows in the room thickened, and soon, not even the walls were visible. When light began to return, her cell was gone. In place of it, was a trash-filled alleyway on the mainland.
⊣∄⊢ Mine extraction of thou from thine imprisonment shalt be mine only favor to thee. Thou hast thine freedom. Now thou must show me thou art capable of absolving thine own sins.
The voice of Second Assassin ceased, and the shadows lightened, leaving the escaped prisoner alone in the alleyway.
"Man… this is crazy. But I suppose I don't have time to argue about a death game. I need to get moving."
Kaina didn't know exactly where Assassin dropped her, but she doubted it was very far from Tartarus. Staying here was unwise. Spying a jacket in a dumpster, she fished it out and threw it over her jumpsuit.
'Best not to think about what those stains might be… or how this makes me smell.'
Wrinkling her nose, Kaina Tsutsumi took off into the night. Her destination was uncertain, but she knew she wasn't truly free. Not while Assassin's threat loomed above her.
After she turned the corner, a shadow in the alleyway elongated, rippling as a bearded man clad in a gray hood emerged. To any who might have looked in, he looked like a homeless man. But he was far more; he was the Servant of Murder, Assassin.
⊣∄⊢ And so, I wait. Mine form from that failed derivation of Babylonia shall suffice as a guise amongst the public eye.
⊣∄⊢ Still, it is intriguing. Although I no longer hold the title of Grand, the Grail should only have managed to beckon forth my shadow. Could it be an element unperceived by even those who dwell beyond the rules? A cry of an invented world, clinging to a tainted Human Order?
⊣∄⊢ Although I am far from the only oddity within this conflict. Such familiar presences… dost this world intend to recreate the epic that lay within that Singularity? And then there is this newest presence… how intriguing that it would be a soul who once fought alongside one of my successors. And that he would be summoned with three others in his service, as well.
⊣∄⊢ But whether we were all called by intention or circumstance, mine task remains the same. I shalt watch the world from the boundary itself. And mine vigil over mine Master shalt remain… until the casting of the third seal ensures the tolling of the evening bell.
SECOND ASSASSIN: HASSAN-I-SABBAH
Kosai, Shizuoka Prefecture
Day 4, Night
Leaning on a water fountain, Kyoka Jiro tried to catch her breath.
Due to his impulsive rush, Saber had carried her off in a random direction. It had only been Kyoka's rapid shouts to stop that had ceased his dash, landing them in a small park in northern Kosai.
Nearby, Saber sheepishly scratched the back of his head.
"I suppose I was a bit too eager. To dash off without even a thought to my destination…"
Kyoka muttered softly, "It's fine…"
To be honest, Kyoka's emotions were anything but clear. She still didn't trust this Saber individual, even if he did save her from being raped.
'Why isn't he taking me to the police station? Should I really be having this guy take me home? He seems earnest, but I still don't know anything about him.'
"Hey, Saber…"
The gold-haired man perked up, "Yes, Master?"
"Who are you? You said you were some legendary spirit or whatever, so explain things properly."
Saber nodded, "I suppose my introduction was a bit rushed. I am what is called a Servant; a spirit enshrined in human history, summoned to take part in the Holy Grail War."
"And what's the Holy Grail War?"
"As the name implies, it is a conflict for a great magic referred to as the Holy Grail. A magic capable of granting any wish imaginable. The Grail has judged you a worthy participant, and thus has granted you Command Spells."
Kyoka looked at her hand, "I'm guessing it's these? I noticed them a few minutes ago."
"Indeed. Through those spells, I am compelled to follow your commands, at least on a basic level. But you should be careful with them, Master."
"What do you mean?"
"Those three marks each contain the power to unleash an 'absolute decree' that neither reality nor myself can resist. You could bend space to call me to your side, force me to retreat when I did not wish to do so, or push my strength to its limits. You could even order me to commit suicide."
Kyoka's eyes widened, "That's…"
Saber nodded, "Awful, yes. But there are only three of them, and without them, I cannot maintain my form in this world."
'I see… so he obeys me because of these? Still, why was I chosen to get these, if what he claims is true?'
As she thought, Saber talked to himself, "How was that? Did I forget anything, everyone? Ah, right. I should mention those things."
Turning back to Kyoka, Saber pointed at the Command Spells, "There are two more things I should mention, Master. Firstly, your Command Spells. You would do well to obscure them."
"Is it because Masters have them?"
Richard smiled, "That's correct, Master. As the spells are stigmata that only Masters wield, having them on display risks exposing your participation in the Grail War. I suggest using a glove or a bandage."
Kyoka nodded, "A bandage, huh… wait."
Saber tilted his head, "What's the matter?"
"One of my classmates… she started wearing a bandage a few days ago. Right before that crazy incident in Nagoya."
"Incident? Tell me more."
"Some villains attacked the city of Nagoya yesterday. There were a bunch of unknown vigilantes at the scene too."
Saber muttered, "Could it be… Joachim, you're a Ruler, what can you sense? Hmmm, I see."
"Saber?"
"It's not inconceivable that Servants may have been involved… after all, this War is far from normal. It's far too large."
"What's the War supposed to be like?"
"That is the second thing I was going to bring up. A Holy Grail War usually involves seven Servants— Saber, Lancer, Archer, Rider, Caster, Assassin, and Berserker. But through an ability of mine, I have access to deeper information about the War's workings. I believe there may be multiple sets of Servants that have been summoned. Your classmate may be the Master of one of them."
"I see… can I ask you one more thing? You said you weren't King Arthur earlier, but then who are you? Saber's a title, right?"
"I am not the King of Knights, no. I am a different member of the Saber class, another individual who history remembers via the sword. However, King Arthur was a good guess. They are my distant predecessor and my aspiration for kingship."
Flourishing his cape, Saber gave Kyoka a glorious smile.
"As is only proper, I shall reveal my True Name!"
Kyoka listened intently. His voice, alight with charisma and confidence, had drawn her complete attention.
"My name is Richard! Duke of Normandy and King of England! By the Grail's power, I have come forth under the class of Saber!"
Saber calmed before he continued, "Although by now, I suppose they'd be calling me 'Richard the First' or by my nickname, 'Richard the Lionheart'."
Kyoka was surprised, although that was to be expected. The thought of a genuine legend, one of the more infamous kings of English history standing in front of her… it should have been impossible. But, as she was beginning to learn, when the Grail War becomes involved, almost nothing is impossible.
"Now, there is still something I have yet to know. What is your name, my Master?"
Jiro, who held a strange newfound trust she could not explain, answered.
"My name is Jiro. Kyoka Jiro."
As Kyoka watched with puzzlement, Saber nodded to himself.
"Ah, Kyoka, is it? A wonderful name, don't you think, you three? Now then, let us get you home, Master of mine. And properly this time, I assure you."
TRUE SABER: RICHARD I
Midoriya Residence, Mustafu
Day 4, Night
Walking up the stairs of the mid-sized apartment building, Naomasa Tsukauchi kept pace with his partner, Eizo Tanuma. Accompanying them was Chikuchi Togeike, still dressed in the same clothes from her ill-fated outing.
Walking behind Togeike, Naomasa turned to his partner.
"Eizo… you've been unusually quiet since we got called in here. Is something bothering you about the case?"
Tanuma, an older man with short dark receding hair and a thin beard, nodded, "Yeah. Villains kidnapping a child from a store while murdering an employee to do so? For some reason, I'm getting reminded of the Instant Villains cases."
Naomasa was skeptical, "It doesn't match the Villain Factory's MO, even if they were still extant. But there's certainly something off about the case. There's been something off about these last few days, in fact. Ever since the Yaoyorozu mansion got attacked, the whole of Japan seems to be experiencing incident after incident."
"You can say that again. By the way, I heard you had lunch with All Might. Did he give you any good info about Nagoya?"
"There was something, but I'll tell you later."
"Right. Oh, it seems we're here. Excuse us, Miss Togeike."
Ringing the doorbell of the apartment, the two detectives were greeted by a woman with dark green hair.
"Hello? Can I help you?"
Naomasa spoke up, "Excuse me, Ma'am. Are you Inko Midoriya? Mother of Izuku Midoriya?"
Inko looked worriedly at the three, "Y-yes, that's me. I thought you were my son… oh, no, did something happen to my son!?"
Perhaps it was a mother's instinct, but Inko could tell these two men were here to talk to her about Izuku.
Naomasa's eyes became shadowed as he dipped his head, "I'm afraid so, Ma'am. Your son was kidnapped by villains this afternoon. We tried to reach you, but…"
Inko instantly fell to her knees, tears pouring out of her eyes like a fountain.
"I… my baby… MY BABY! IZUKKUUU!"
Togeike stepped forward, "Mrs. Midoriya, Izuku saved my life… the villains were going to kill me, but he surrendered himself to protect me."
Naomasa and Eizo nodded, "Excuse us, but let's take this inside."
A few minutes later, the four were seated at the apartment's dining table.
"Mrs. Midoriya… this afternoon, while at Comics Odyssey, two unknown villains entered the store. They killed an employee, one Itoha Barasawa, before taking Miss Togeike hostage. They then demanded Izuku Midoriya come with them, for reasons undisclosed, threatening Miss Togeike's life in the process. He complied with their demands, and one of the villains' warp Quirks transported them to an unknown location. We've been keeping an eye out, but we've got nothing concrete."
Inko tried and failed to hold in her emotions, "Ohhh… my baby, my precious baby… come back, Izuku…"
Naomasa and Eizo exchanged glances. This truly was one of the hardest parts of the job… the bad news always hurt the families and friends of the victims.
Tsukauchi tried to be encouraging, "Mrs. Midoriya, we have no reason to believe your son is dead. Given his Quirklessness and the villains' choice to take Miss Togeike hostage, we suspect the villains want him alive. And I assure you, we have multiple heroes and officers looking for him as we speak. Togeike did inform us of an odd tattoo on your son's hand, though. Do you know anything about it?"
"A ta-tattoo? My Izuku? No, I didn't see anything of the sort in the morning."
Naomasa scratched his chin, "Interesting. Eizo, do you have anything you wanted to say—"
DING-DONG
The sound of a doorbell resounded through the apartment, and Naomasa stopped what he was saying. Moving to the entrance of the apartment, he slowly opened the door. But when he saw who was on the other side, his jaw dropped slightly.
"Izuku Midoriya?"
On the other side of the door, looking slightly ruffled, was Izuku Midoriya. The boy was unharmed, and the tattoos Naomasa asked about were still visible.
Rushing past Naomasa, Inko caught her son in a hug, "MY BABY! OH IZUKU, I'M SO GLAD YOU'RE OKAY!"
"Hey mom."
Izuku looked exhausted, but also unbalanced— like he had just landed from a long jump.
Ushering the two back inside, Togeike lit up at the sight of her friend.
"Midoriya! You're okay!"
As Togeike hugged him, Izuku smiled tiredly, "Yeah, I'm okay."
Eizo coughed, "Apologies for breaking up this moment. Izuku Midoriya, my partner and I have more than a few questions for you. So, could you start by telling us how you got back here?"
Izuku sat down in the free chair, putting his hands face down on the table. He glanced behind him quickly, an odd action Naomasa didn't miss.
'It almost was like he thinks someone is there… some lingering paranoia, perhaps?'
Turning back to the detectives, Izuku sighed heavily, "Well, it's kind of a long story…"
Hidden Vein, Spiritual Tomb of Albion
Present Day
As he walked through the crystalline tunnels beneath London, Shiro Emiya felt as though he had descended into an alien world.
But, then again, that description wasn't far off.
When the Age of Man encroached upon the Earth, the phantasmal species of the world began to migrate to the Inner Sea of the Planet, the Reverse Side of the World. But one, a dragon known as the Dragon of Albion, refused. Whether it was out of pride or some other reason, the White Dragon of Britain stayed behind, resisting the Age of Man. But ultimately, it was forced to migrate. But there was a problem. With the receding of Mystery from the surface, the Dragon could not pass through the land of fairies. So, it dug ever deeper, clawing meter by meter toward the Reverse Side. However, it would never reach there. Beneath the Earth, the 4.6 billion-year-old dragon perished. Its corpse fused with the tunnels, becoming the thaumaturgical labyrinth dubbed "The Spiritual Tomb of Albion".
The Mage's Association, when it settled into London, took full advantage of the caverns below. With the Association having mapped most of the caverns, the area Shiro was traversing was one of the few secret ways through the upper levels. Virtually every other route had been discovered or was being mined by the Mining City of Magisfair. This particular path was a secret known only to the druidic orders, its existence was passed on to Zelretch by Merlin.
After walking for what felt like half an hour (although time was near impossible to tell underground), Shiro saw the tunnel widen. As he stepped forward, he gazed out upon the second layer of the tomb.
Od Vena, the Great Magic Circuit.
As Zelretch had warned, Shiro could see numerous magical beasts milling about the larger cavern. If he was going to make it to the heart of the tomb, he was going to have to fight.
As Shiro leaped down, reinforcing his body, he began the process of self-hypnosis. Visualizing the loading of a gun, Shiro fired off his magic circuits. As they activated, blue lightning danced in his hands.
"Trace… ON!"
Hearing Shiro's yell, the magical beasts growled and turned towards him. Undeterred, Shiro landed, a pair of twin falchions in his hands.
The married blades, Kanshou and Bakuya. Once they were Archer's signature weapons. Now, they were Shiro's.
Given their Anti-Monster properties, the blades would be his ideal weapons in the battles ahead. This wasn't going to be like the smaller missions he did for the Clock Tower, but Shiro knew he wasn't going to be stopped here. Rushing toward the small army of magical beasts, he flung the blades with marked precision. As the blades whirled forward, Shiro was already making a second copy in his hand.
The only way through was to fight, and his blades were ready and waiting for whatever the tomb would throw in his way.
To be continued in Chapter 15: The Undead Warriors
Servant Profiles: Second Assassin [Incomplete]
Bio:
Class: Assassin
Master: Kaina Tsutsumi
True Name: Hassan-i-Sabbah
Gender: Male
Alignment: Lawful Evil
Stats:
Strength: ?
Endurance: ?
Agility: ?
Mana: ?
Luck: ?
Noble Phantasm: ?
Class Skills:
Presence Concealment: A
Independent Action: B
[No Further Data Available At Present]
Personal Skills:
[No Data Available At Present]
Noble Phantasms:
[No Data Available At Present]