The Chaldea Incident
Chapter 1: The Invisible Man
24th July, 2015 – Five days before Grand Order and Incineration of Humanity
''What's this about, Toji? Haven't heard from you in nearly ten years and suddenly you're saying you won't be taking jobs anymore?'' Shiu Kong said as cigarette smoke drifted from his nostrils. The man beside him stood in contrast to himself. Where Shiu Kong wore a suit – albeit a cheap one – and had begun showing his age in recent years, Toji Fushiguro hadn't aged a day since they'd last spoke in 2006. No wrinkles or grey hair, if anything he seemed healthier than ever. He still dressed like a jobless bum in Kong's estimation, wearing a black pullover and grey sweatpants. Kong also noticed that Toji still insisted on wearing flip-flops when he wasn't on an assignment.
''Got a new job. A long one. Figured I'd come tell you myself,'' Toji said. Kong snorted.
''What, not a fan of phones, now? You could have just called me.''
''Well, you're the closest thing to a friend I've had since I left the clan. Figured I owed it to you. After this job, I'm quitting the business. Gonna live an honest life for a change,'' Toji replied. Kong looked surprised.
''Well, ain't that something. Finally settling down, huh? Does Shizuka know?'' he asked. Toji grinned.
''I was gonna surprise her. This job's huge, and the pay'll set my family for life. She knows I'm going, but she doesn't know it's the last time I'm leaving home for long stretches. I can finally raise Megumi and Tsumiki with her like a proper family,'' he said, unable to keep he genuine smile from his scarred lips.
''Well, I'm happy for you. Really. But I gotta ask, what's the job? And who's the employer?'' Kong questioned.
''Figured you'd be curious. Can't say too much, but I guess you could say it's a security job. But what might be more interesting is that the U.N and our magical friends are the ones paying me.''
That made Kong pause. Magical? He thought for a moment, then his face became tense. ''Magi?''
''Uh-huh. Clock Tower. Got a massive joint project with the U.N, but I'll leave it at that. Probably already said too much, and I don't need to lose this gig 'cos of loose lips.'' Both of them knew that anything involving a Magus institution was bad news. Jujutsu Sorcerers and Magi rarely crossed paths knowingly. Most on both sides were completely unaware of the other's existence, and those who did avoided each other like the plague.
''Sure this is a good idea, Toji? I don't know much about Magi, but years in my business have let me hear a few things. They're nuts. I mean, yeah, Jujutsu Sorcerers are hardly any better, but I've heard some disturbing things about them.'' Kong said, taking an uncertain drag on his cigarette.
''Relax. They already know who I am, so they know not to try anything. Whatever shit they're up to, I'm just there to make sure nothing goes wrong. Like I said, I'm security,'' Toji said, purposefully omitting as much detail as possible.
''Hmm. If you say so,'' Kong said, deciding not to push it further. He was just grateful Toji showed him this much consideration. They weren't exactly friends, but they weren't just occasional colleagues either. Though, he supposed, being able to shit-talk someone like Toji to their face without consequence counted as close to being friends as their lives and professions allowed. ''Oh, right, I meant to ask you. How's the family, anyway? Haven't seen the kids since they were little.''
Toji fished his phone from his pocket and showed Kong some pictures. One was of Megumi just before graduating middle school, while the other was of Tsumiki on her first day of high school. The former held his usual overly serious expression, while the latter wore a gentle, reserved smile.
''Ah, good,'' he said with exaggerated relief.
''What?''
''Megumi took after his mother. I was worried about him having your ugly mug,'' Kong chuckled while Toji just narrowed his eyes at his sort-of-friend. ''And Tsumiki looks like a proper young lady. You did good, taking her in back then.''
''It was really Shizuka's idea. Don't get me wrong, that girl's one of mine no matter what, but I didn't really factor into it. Tsumiki's mother up and left her after hooking up with some guy. Shizuka ran into her one day and just couldn't leave her alone. She brought Tsumiki back with her and... that was that,'' Toji shrugged. At first, he hadn't been too enthused with the idea of taking in some stranger's kid, but Shizuka had insisted, twisting his arm in her own unique way.
''Shizuka gave you the puppy eyes, didn't she?'' Kong grinned slyly, knowing that was the case. Toji had told him on a few occasions about how he just couldn't say no when the puppy eyes came out. Slaughtering Cursed Spirits? No problem. Hunting and securing Curse Users dead or alive? Light work. Saying no to Shizuka when she really wanted something? Impossible. As if to confirm it, the Sorcerer Killer looked away and grumbled under his breath. ''Heh, knew it.''
''So, what'll you do?'' Toji asked after a brief silence. Kong had taken another cigarette from his pack and lit it.
''After you slip off into a normal life? Probably just keep mediating. Work always needs doing, calls need to be made and money needs to change hands. It's not glorious work, but it's work I'm good at. Maybe I'll retire in a couple of years. Got the savings for it. Just don't have the same vigour I used to. Unlike you. I knew you were different, but look at you. You look like you're barely outta your twenties.'' He said this with no small amount of envy. The Sorcerer Killer just seemed like he'd been frozen in time compared to him.
''You're a crafty bastard, so you'll figure something out,'' Toji turned and walked a few paces away, ''once I'm done with this, take me to one of those restaurants you use to meet with clients.''
''If you're paying, sure,'' Kong replied.
''Whatever. Just don't die before then, you hear me?''
''Same to you, Toji.''
27th July, 2015 – Two days before Grand Order and Incineration of Humanity
Toji stood in the entry way of his home. Three bags and a large suitcase sat beside him as Shizuka, Megumi and Tsumiki had gathered to see him off. The elder Fushiguro looked at his family. He didn't want to be away from them, but he knew that this job would secure their future and they'd never want for anything again. They could leave Japan, leave the ever-lurking world of Jujutsu behind and make a life somewhere else. Toji had always thought Malaysia was quite nice. He wasn't one for sentiment or big emotional displays, but he wanted to make some things clear before he left.
Moving towards his wife, she opened her arms and hugged him. He reciprocated, burying his face in her hair. ''You stay out of trouble, alright?''
''Same to you, mister. We'll miss you,'' Shizuka said, her voice cracking. The job would only last for a year. She was sure he'd be back before she knew it, but it didn't make her feel better. She sniffed, kissed him on the cheek and stepped back. Toji then turned his gaze to Tsumiki, who also hugged him.
''I'll keep Megumi in line-'' the boy rolled his eyes, ''so don't worry about us. Be safe, dad. And if you can, bring back a souvenir.''
''Sure. Make sure you keep your grades up. But look after your mom. She gets weepy when I go away for too long,'' he grinned. Shizuka pouted.
''Do not...'' she muttered and crossed her arms.
''Megumi,'' Toji called to his son, ''I know you won't be here most of the time, but you're the man of the house while I'm gone. Look after them for me. And I wanna see what your Cursed Technique can do in a year's time. So study hard and train harder.''
''I will,'' Megumi said, serious and to-the-point.
Toji effortlessly hefted his luggage up and gave a crooked smile before leaving. He didn't say he loved them, but they knew he was just shy about displaying affection openly. They knew how he felt, regardless. As agreed, the U.N vehicle parked up outside right on time. He loaded his belongings in the back and entered the car. Through the blacked-out windows, he looked at his house one last time before the car began to move and his home was lost in the distance.
29th July, 2015 – Three hours before Grand Order and Incineration of Humanity
Olga Marie Animusphere waited tensely for the new arrival. She had been made aware of Toji Fushiguro – and by extension the world of Jujutsu Sorcery – weeks ago, and to know that there was an entire branch of magic inaccessible to Magi in this world stirred feelings of apprehension in her. The Lords of the Clock Tower were aware. They had to be. The gulf of difference between Magi and normal humans was massive, and it was greater still with Sorcerers. They both experienced aspects of the world obscured from ordinary people through great effort, operating on entirely different principles. In all the millennia that the two had coexisted on this world, neither had begun to understand the other. Not through lack of trying, but through a complete and utter lack of comprehension.
Magi manipulated mystical forces via their magic circuits – a metaphysical mechanism within one's soul – to enact Magecraft. Each Magus was unique. The number and quality of circuits, as well as the type of Magecraft they used. Jujutsu Sorcerers operated on paradoxically similar yet radically different systems. They channelled negative emotions, generating so-called 'Cursed Energy' to manifest wildly different phenomena and techniques. Just like Od, Cursed Energy flowed within the individual, yet just like Magi, individuals had to be biologically gifted to call upon Cursed Energy. The two, while walking similar paths, were incompatible with each other. There had never been a recorded case of anyone being both a Magus and a user of Cursed Energy. They were, for all intents and purposes, two different species.
And then there was the curious case of Toji Fushiguro. An infamous assassin known as 'The Invisible Man' and 'Sorcerer Killer'. A man who reportedly had no Cursed Energy, yet possessed physical abilities that could only be called superhuman. He held little connection to Jujutsu society, operating in the shadows and working for those who'd pay generously for his services. Strangely enough, his activity had been at a lull in the past decade, and it was only through thorough research and finally locating him that she'd been advised to extend an offer of employment to him. He was to be a form of security. A trump card in case any of the Master candidates failed in their duties during Rayshifts. He would either be sent into a Singularity, or as a last line of defence within Chaldea itself. Having someone with the physical capabilities of a Servant without the caveats and constraints of being one was an advantage that couldn't be ignored.
Still, that there were people out there that called themselves Sorcerers without even knowing about True Magic was insulting. It was when she'd learned that she decided that Jujutsu Sorcerers were detestable. The sheer arrogance was infuriating.
The door to her office slid open, and stood there was the only person Olga genuinely cared for in Chaldea. Lev Lainur was a tall man, dressed in a dark green coat hemmed with black fur. He had long, shaggy brown hair with a tall top hat on his head, the same shade of green as his coat. His attire was otherwise formal, with puffy black trousers, tall black boots, a white shirt and a purple tie. The structure of his face was narrow, and his eyes were perpetually on the edge of being closed completely. He wore an amicable smile that only widened when he saw Olga. But as his smile widened, hers shrunk as she saw the other man behind him, looking around with an air of disinterest.
''Lev! You're back!'' she said happily upon seeing him, pointedly ignoring the other one.
''And with company. Olga, I would like you to meet Toji Fushiguro, The Invisible Man,'' he stepped aside, giving her an unobstructed view of the Sorcerer Killer. He was dressed in a grey parka with faux-fur lining the hood. Beneath was a black compression shirt that fit his form tightly, while on his legs were white cargo pants and black snow boots. The man's narrow, blue eyes wandered around the office, taking in the various objects and instruments on shelves that he had neither the intent or ability to understand. Then those eyes settled on her, and Olga felt an unsettled shiver run through her. It only really hit home in that moment. Toji Fushiguro – by his reputation – was as fast and strong as a Servant, physically at least. He surpassed all human limits. Should he want to, he could kill Lev and be across the room and have her at his mercy in a single heartbeat.
''So you're my boss, huh? Nice set-up you've got. Magi don't do things by halves, do they?'' Toji said. Olga resisted the urge to scoff. Any Magus worth their salt gave everything to their endeavours. But his ignorance was to be expected. His kind didn't even make Workshops, yet dared to call themselves Sorcerers.
''As is proper for any Magus of good standing, Mr. Fushiguro. I'm sure you're aware of why we've hired you for operations here at Chaldea,'' she replied haughtily, trying to hide her unease.
''To keep... what was it? Servants? To Keep them in line, right?''
''More than that. Your primary duty is to safeguard not only Chaldea, but the staff and the Master Candidates. We understand that the unusual methods we'll be using for summoning Servants might welcome some... unsavoury characters from human history into this place, so you'll be there to handle them should the worst happen,'' she explained.
''Might as well just say it. You're worried about any Jujutsu Sorcerers or Curse Users being summoned. You might have trouble if any from the Heian Era show up. Might even cause me problems,'' Toji said.
''Why? What's so special about the Heian Era?''
''Glad you asked,'' he smirked, ''the Heian Era was the golden age of Jujutsu Sorcery. Some real monsters were around back then. Ashiya Douman, Ryomen Sukuna, Michizane Sugawara, Taira no Masakado and Emperor Sutoku, just to name a few. Any one of those go unchecked and you're in for serious problems. And because I don't have Cursed Energy, you're hoping I can counter them.''
''That's correct,'' Olga said.
''It also makes sense that you'd want me around to deal with any Cursed Spirits. They're created by and attracted to sources of negative emotion. And the further back in history you go, the more suffering you'll find. So logically, you're worried about powerful Cursed Spirits interrupting Chaldea's work. And since Cursed Spirits operate differently to anything you're familiar with, you don't know if your Magi can even deal with them.''
Lev chuckled and Toji's eyes snapped to him, narrowing. ''He has us figured out, it seems. You're as sharp as they say, Mr. Fushiguro.''
Something about Lev Lainur set all of Toji's superhuman senses on edge. He could see the shape of souls, whether in the living or the inanimate. But Lev Lainur's seemed distorted. Wrong. Nothing about it seemed immediately strange, but Toji had learned to never ignore his senses. However, trying anything now would be a bad move. Olga was the head of the organisation and clearly held Lev in high regard. Toji was a fresh outsider, and one brought in out of necessity rather than trust. To act now would be to make himself look like the Sorcerer Killer boogey man they'd heard about. He needed them to trust him – as much as Magi could trust a Jujutsu Sorcerer, anyway. All he had to do was play nice and get paid. He'd still be watching Lev like a hawk, though.
''Wouldn't have hired me if I wasn't,'' he said curtly, ''so, Servants. What am I dealing with?'' Olga breathed in, ready to give a lecture before Toji cut in. ''Keep it brief.''
''Put simply, individuals from human history. We call them Heroic Spirits because they're figures of legend, summoned into our world into spiritual containers. Each one is different, their abilities dependent on their legends. Some are figures of good, while others are evil. They can be kings, gods, saints, monsters and everything in between. All are immensely powerful in their own ways, with abilities that defy Magecraft as we understand it. If one were to turn against us, there's very little most of us could do to stop them.''
''Okay. Spiritual beings. That makes things much easier,'' Toji said with a grin.
''Care to explain?'' Olga said with a suspicious.
''Aren't you Magi all about secrecy? You'll know when you need to know.'' This was something he'd need to get used to. Revealing One's Hand was a binding vow that would still strengthen Toji, but he was unsure of how well that would work with Magi. Until he was sure of their capabilities in a general sense, keeping his Cursed Tools a secret was the best course of action. The Split Soul Katana seemed like it would be his ace-in-the-hole against Servants.
''A fair point, I suppose,'' Olga said through gritted teeth. She really didn't like this guy's attitude.
''I believe the last of the Master candidates has already arrived. I suggest we get the orientation underway, Olga,'' Lev said, that smile never having fallen once. If anything, it widened again, setting Toji's senses into a fit once more. Something wasn't quite right.
In one of Chaldea's observation rooms, Olga stood before Sheba. It was a massive device in the shape of a holographic globe that shifted and changed second by second. A multitude of large metal rings encircled the globe, turning slowly as the holographic planet rotated. To say it was a marvel of Magecraft and engineering would be an understatement. The surrounding chamber was huge, with the back wall being a towering edifice of precisely cut stone with deep ridges hewn into it.
The young head of the organisation took some steadying breaths as the Master Candidates began to trickle in and find their seats. Arranged in long rows, green chairs faced Olga and filled up one-by-one. She looked at Lev, standing near the large pneumatic door. He nodded encouragingly, while Toji stood a few feet away from him with his hands in his coat pockets, staring at the ceiling panels as he leaned against the wall. His face said it all. He would much rather be doing almost anything else.
Soon, every seat save one was filled, and she couldn't begin the orientation until all Master candidates were present. Olga put her hands on her hips and tapped her foot impatiently, then idly brushed some of her white hair from her face. After several minutes, as the present candidates grew restless, the door opened once more, giving entry to Mash Kyrielight and the Forty-Eighth Master candidate.
'It's fine, Olga. He probably just got lost. Let it go this time,' she thought as she resisted the urge to just throw him out. Her irritation must have shown on her face as she spied Toji smirking at her. When everyone was finally seated, she began.
''Welcome to the Chaldea Security Organisation. I am Olga Marie Animusphere, and I am the Director here at Chaldea. Each of you has been selected because you possess a special talent,'' she quietly praised herself, she was doing well so far, ''but don't let that go to your heads. You may be special because you can do what others cannot, but that doesn't make you special. Each of you is merely a tool for the defense of mankind.''
At the back of the room, Toji cast a flat, disbelieving look at Lev. ''Is she for real?''
''That's just her way, I'm afraid,'' the strange man said with a shrug. Toji scoffed and shook his head.
''She's trying way too hard.'' She was just a kid, he supposed. In her twenties, sure, but a kid to him.
Meanwhile, Olga continued. ''While you're here, your lineage as Magi doesn't matter. I don't care what families you come from. All that matters is your Magic Circuits and whether you can contract with a Servant. That and your ability to perform Spiritron Dives is why we scouted you. So don't go thinking you're important. You may die, but if that's what is required of you, then so be it.'' Hands still on her hips, she stared the entire room down.
During the silence, Toji took a moment to appreciate what she'd said. Lineage and pedigree didn't matter to her here. All that mattered was ability. That sentiment resonated with him. In the Zen'nin clan, ability mattered, but so did being a Jujutsu Sorcerer, period. Normal people were barely human in their eyes. But here, he'd passed plenty of normal humans who were on equal footing with those gifted with magical ability. Still, being the Director with morale as a core responsibility, she should have picked her words better.
Then hushed conversations broke out, with accusations of being insane or on a power trip peppered in. Olga scowled.
''Enough! Be quiet! If you don't like my words, then feel free to leave Chaldea right now! There's no time to waste on sugar-coating the reality of the situation you're in.'' That quieted them down. She took another breath. ''Good. Things are actually quite promising, as Chaldea has never seen so many-''
There was a snore. Her amber eyes immediately flicked over to Toji, thinking that disgraceful Sorcerer would have the gall to sleep at a time like this. Instead, he was yawning. When he spotted her looking at him, he shook his head and pointed to the left-most end of the back row. Slumped in his seat, she saw the same candidate who'd arrived late sleeping.
'There's no way. Am I seeing this?' she straightened and cleared her throat, choosing to ignore it for now. This was far too important.
''As I was saying. Chaldea has never seen so many-''
A louder snore, followed by someone sounding like they were desperately trying not to bust their guts laughing.
''Please try to be more professional, Mr. Fushiguro,'' Lev said with a sigh. The sound of heels on steel decking was like thunder in the silent observation room as Olga marched up to the sleeping candidate, her face torn between bafflement and furious outrage. A holographic display popped up in front of her as she inspected him. His picture was of a black-haired teen with friendly blue eyes, smiling somewhat awkwardly for the camera.
''Ritsuka Fujimaru, Master Candidate number forty-eight,'' was all she said before roughly grabbing him and hip-throwing him towards the door. There was a startled yelp as the heavy door opened, followed by a body hitting the deck.
'That's my cue to escape,' Toji thought. Nobody even saw him leave. The speech went on, and Lev took a moment to look to his side, seeing that nobody was there. Confused, he tilted his head slightly.
''When did he-''
''And I would like to introduce our new Head of Internal Paranormal Security, Toji Fushiguro.'' Dead silence for an uncomfortable stretch of moments. Olga grit her teeth. ''I said I would like to introduce-'' when her withering stare met nothing but a confused Lev Lainur and some bare steel wall. Lev's smile turned awkward and he gave an exaggerated shrug.
The following rant was, safe to say, one of epic proportion.
It was some time later when the call to enter the Rayshift coffins was issued. Toji decided to snoop around, letting his curiosity guide him around the immense complex that was Chaldea. Endless amounts of hallways, white doors and service hatches were everywhere he went, but his keen senses made it easy to navigate without getting lost. So far, he'd seen nothing interesting, but getting to know his environment – even the boring parts – was key to his role. Should anything get into Chaldea that shouldn't, he wanted to know every shortcut and every patch of shadow so he'd always have the territorial advantage.
He felt the changes in the air before he heard it. The lights flickered tremors ran through the structure as an explosion ripped through another part of Chaldea. Turning, he mustered all of his speed in a full tilt sprint through the hallways. He was moving so fast that his surroundings lost all definition, melting into a blurry mass of white and grey. He spotted an elevator door some two-hundred meters ahead and had covered the distance in less than a second. Jumping up, he kicked through the window that was its outer shell and began scaling the immense sloped wall back up towards Sheba. It was the most logical place to launch an attack, and he had a good idea of who was behind it.
As he climbed, he flexed his core muscles and sent his stomach into spasm. The Cursed Spirit he stored within himself shot up his throat, causing him to gag as he spat it into his hand. It was a small thing, no bigger than a golf ball. Its skin was purple like a bruise, and a face with puffy eyes and thick lips looked back at the Sorcerer Killer. Responding to its master's needs, it rapidly grew in size, fattening and lengthening until its caterpillar body wrapped around Toji with its head coming to rest over his shoulder. Toji sped up, gaining momentum as his climb became a run. He reached up to the Inventory Spirit's face as a sword hilt was vomited up by the creature. Toji grabbed it and pulled it free, revealing a thick, single-edged blade with a tuft of white hair where a guard would be on an ordinary sword.
Once he was sure he was in the right place, he unleashed a series of blindingly fast slashes and carved his way through a wall. What he saw was destruction. Purposeful and calculated. Massive slabs of stone had been blasted from the ceiling as fires raged across the entirety of Chaldeas' chamber. Rayshift coffins were smashed and crumpled, the heartbeats of their occupants faint even to his superhuman ears. He heard a cough somewhere to his right and moved to find the source.
Covered in blast residue with her clothing singed, Olga Marie Animusphere knelt in a puddle of water with debris strewn about her. Smoke was filling the room, and even from some distance away, Toji could tell she was dazed. He was beside her in an instant, so quickly that his arrival startled the Director.
''Hey, you alright?'' he questioned her as he gave her a quick once-over. She didn't seem injured, just in shock with some minor cuts and abrasions. Compared to the ones in the coffins, she was completely fine.
''Mr. Fushi-'' she coughed again, ''Mr. Fushiguro? Her eyes widened and she scrambled back away from him. Olga spotted the sword in his hand and the... thing on his shoulder, having reinforced her eyes to better see with all the heat and smoke. ''You! Did you do this!?'' The Sorcerer Killer stared at her flatly. He could imagine why she'd think that, but it would be a pretty stupid thing for him to do. Did she forget she was his employer and ultimately the one who was paying him?
''Relax. This isn't my style. Besides, I was searched. I couldn't smuggle anything like bombs in here if I wanted to,'' well, he could, but he wasn't going to tell her than. That seemed to calm her down, but not by much.
''Then who? Do we have a traitor?'' she asked as she desperately sought answers.
''I have my suspicions. But you're not gonna like it,'' he replied. Without invitation, he took her by the arm and pulled her up. Olga stepped away and straightened her jacket, not taking her eyes off him. ''The funny-looking guy with the top hat. He's rubbed me the wrong way since-''
''Not another word!'' she snapped harshly, ''how dare you insinuate Professor Lev had anything to do with this! When we find him, we'll figure this out and you will apologise!''
''Whatever you say,'' he said dismissively, in no mood to argue. He didn't know what attachment she had to Lev, but it was clear to him that he'd get nowhere pushing it further. ''Suppose we'd better look for survivors. Can't run this operation if everyone's dead, right?''
''Warning to all observation staff: Chaldeas' condition has changed,'' an automated voice spoke. A warning chime sounded, and both Toji and Olga looked towards Chaldeas' structure and saw that the once-blue orb had become a burning orange like a main sequence star.
''What?'' Olga gasped, eyes widening as things were getting worse. This possibility had only been discussed as a hypothetical, almost impossible occurrence.
''Doesn't look good,'' Toji said, though he was clueless of the true extent of what was happening.
''Sheba's near-future observational data is being overwritten. Humanity's survival on Earth for the next hundred years cannot be confirmed. The future of mankind cannot be guaranteed.''
''Can we stop it?'' Toki asked as he looked around. He didn't know anything about any of this stuff functioned, and if it wasn't being stopped, then that could only mean that the staff responsible for operating Chaldeas had been taken out as well.
''Not on our own. All of the staff are specialists, and Rayshifting is a complex process. We need find anyone we can and escape,'' Olga said and began moving towards Chaldeas. She clambered and stumbled over debris, looking for anyone that might have survived.
''Seeking qualified Masters. Seeking qualified Masters.''
''We're running out of time. If Chaldeas locates a single Master Candidate, the Rayshift will start. For all we know, any it finds might be half-dead already. And if that happens..'' Olga bit her lip as her mind raced. How had everything gone so wrong so quickly? The logical parts of her brain were screaming at her, roaring that Toji Fushiguro was the one responsible. But it was true that he'd been searched and found with nothing on him. And he'd never been to Chaldea before. But what if that was just something that Jujutsu Sorcerers could do? They were such an unknown quantity in the world of Magi that nothing could be left out of the equation. Why couldn't Lev be there? He'd know what to do. He'd make sure everything turned out okay.
''Got a live one,'' Toji's voice snapped her from her thoughts.
''Huh? Who-''
''Re-establishing contact with Master Candidate number Forty-Eight. Emergency contact established with Master Candidate Zero. Rayshift protocol is in effect. Beginning Spiritron conversion.''
''We're too late,'' Olga's heart sank. Anything could happen now. Most likely, their bodies would be obliterated and scattered across the ether during the Spiritron conversion process. The coffins were meant to be a stable environment for Rayshifting, but out in the open, they had no protection against anything. They'd be ripped apart at the atomic level.
''Starting Un-summon program.''
''Lev... help me...''
They were scattered. The Olga Marie Animusphere, Toji Fushiguro, Mash Kyrielight and Ritsuka Fujimaru found themselves in what looked like a battlefield at the end of the world. The sky was dark and choked with smoke as fires raged and buildings teetered on the edge of collapse. Vehicles were burned out husks that lined the cracked and broken streets. Fuyuki City was a place that reeked of death, where the final moments of every man, woman and child were of terror and agony. It was, in the most literal sense, a necropolis. A city of the dead.
Toji looked as the main river of Fuyuki ran red. Dark shapes swam beneath the surface. Swarms of Fly Heads buzzed in the sky, moving like living clouds. The massive bridge that joined the two halves of the city was battered, with a good number of its suspensory wires hanging lank from its sides. He'd seen a lot doing his job, but he'd never seen anything on this scale before. Around him was what seemed like a garden's display of life-like statues, their final moments of horror frozen in time. He wandered between them, his eyes scanning for movement while his other senses extended outward. Something was here. The Inventory Spirit over his shoulder squirmed as it sensed something.
He reacted instantly. Chains lashed at him from all directions to ensnare him like a fly in a web. He brought the Split Soul Katana up and slashed wherever he perceived the chains coming from. They shot from walls, lamp posts and from around the statues. The chains moved with unnatural fluidity as if possessed of their own will, changing direction on a dime to counter Toji's movements. But the Sorcerer Killer was rapid in his movements as his superhuman senses guided his defense. As quickly as they appeared, they vanished.
''Fascinating,'' a voice purred from behind him, ''you're not a Servant. And the lack of Od I feel leads me to believe you're not a Magus, either. A Homunculus, perhaps? No, even then, I'd still feel something. Hmm, is it possible that a mere human has wandered into my domain?''
Toji turned and rested his blade on his shoulder. ''You one of those Servant things? Never seen one before.''
''You don't know what I am? My, how unfortunate to be here without the slightest clue of what has found you, little human.'' The figure before him was a woman, fairly tall as women went. She wore a black hood with a dark, tattered cloak. Long, pink hair snaked from under her hood, while strange, yellow eyes leered at him with rectangular pupils. In her hands was a scythe, similar in shape to a shepherd's crook. Her skin was corpse-pale, like milk had been mixed with ash.
'She has a ranged attack. The way it reacted when I reached a certain spot probably means she can set traps with those chains, too. I'm not too worried about her scythe, but if she's fast, that might be a problem,' Toji thought, 'I have to try and figure out what person from history she is. Maybe that'll help. Too bad I was never interested in history or mythology.'
''How about you show me, then. Heard you Servants were strong,'' he replied. He unzipped his coat and flung it off to the side. The Servant licked her lips with a long tongue as she eyed his form.
''Very well. And once I'm done with my demonstration, I'll add you to my collection. You'd make an excellent piece, like the statues from my homeland,'' then she grimaced as she looked at the Inventory Spirit, ''but not that thing. That will have to go.''
Toji's eyes narrowed. 'That seems like it should be a clue, but I'm drawing a total blank.'
''Here I come!'' the ground at her feet was ripped apart by her sudden acceleration. A malevolent grin split her face as her scythe swung out, its deadly, curved blade primed to slice the man's stomach open. Except it never connected. He was gone.
'What-' her sight was taken as she felt something land on her head, and then pain shot through her side as she was kicked and sent hurtling through the air. Her body crashed into a battered and bent railing by the riverside with the sound of a tolling bell as it crumpled and warped with the impact. The Servant ripped the object away from her head, seeing it was Toji's discarded coat.
'A human managed to evade my attack. Not only that, but he managed to land a blow on me?' her keen senses warned her of the imminent danger. Toji wasted no time, launching at her with his katana aimed to pierce her chest. The blade passed between the bars of the railing as she rolled away, then was forced to roll again as he stabbed down at her again. Transforming her hair into a series of long, metal nails, she shot them towards Toji's head, controlling her hair like prehensile limbs. Their sheer speed released a whip-crack at full extension, but they failed to hit their mark.
'There's no way a human could be fast enough to evade that at such close range. What's going on here?'
''The look on your face is a dead give-away. You've got no idea what's happening right now, do you?'' Toji looked down on the servant from atop a lamp post with a vicious grin. He always enjoyed seeing the looks on the faces of people who underestimated him. Cursed Spirits, Jujutsu Sorcerers, Curse Users, and now Servants. In the end, they were all the same.
''You had the element of surprise. Were you smart, you'd have killed me before allowing me to adjust. But now I know what I'm dealing with,'' she snarled, her weaponised hair and her scythe rising as she stood.
''Do you now? We'll see,'' he said before vanishing again.
'How is he doing that? Some sort of Mystic Code? But surely I'd notice the magical energy being used, and yet I'm not sensing anything.' The Servant turned just in time to see a small vehicle careening towards her. She spun her scythe, the blade passing through it and cutting it to pieces before it could hit her. And as if he'd been there the whole time, he was there again, crouched low with his katana ready for a killing strike. He slashed upwards and she brought the shaft of the scythe down to meet it, then twisted away while lashing out the nails of her hair to gain space. The ground was punctured as if shot with high-calibre rounds. She retracted her hair, but Toji grabbed on and braced himself as he yanked her forward.
The Servant transformed her hair again, this time into a multitude of snakes that all hissed and wrapped around Toji's arm, then sunk their fangs into his flesh. He let go as a magical, fast-acting venom made his arm feel like it was on fire. She took advantage of the opening and took her scythe in a short grip, then drove the metal butt of the weapon into his ribs so hard, his feet left the ground.
'I have him! If my next strike doesn't kill him, then my venom will! The longer it is in his system, the more of his bodily functions will fail. He'll die paralysed and in agony!' She kicked out, planting her foot into his chest with a devastatingly powerful blow. His body flew back, crashing through a building and sent a cloud of dust and debris drifting from the hole he made.
''Well, you were impressive as far as humans go, I suppose. But you should know that you are nothing to a Servant, especially of the Lancer class,'' she spun her scythe idly, ''I guess I should see if there's anything left.'' The Lancer took a step forward, but she stopped. Something wasn't right. There was something she'd noticed during their brief fight. She couldn't sense any form of energy from him, meaning that she could only rely on her senses to keep track of his movements. She'd only gotten hit whenever she'd let him out of her sight, and his ability to move silently was uncanny.
'It's like fighting an Assassin-class Servant. He's an oddity for a human, so maybe I shouldn't let my guard down yet.' Lancer's eyes scanned her surroundings. She stilled her breath to eliminate as much noise as possible as she focused. 'It's best to wait for my venom to do its work. All I have to do is bide my time.'
''Hey.'' The voice came from beside her. Her head snapped to the side, eyes wide as she looked Toji in the face.
''Wha-'' 'Again!? How can he even move!?' A sudden, bone-shattering impact sent her flying. Walls collapsed and buildings shook as one-by-one, she smashed through concrete, brick and plaster. She exited like a bullet, righted herself mid-air and dug her scythe into the ground to slow down. Blood ran down the right side of her face as her vision swam. The hit she'd taken had shaken her brain with its power.
''I see you're finally figuring out a few things. It's not gonna help you, though,'' Toji was already there, standing casually some distance away. His katana was gone, instead replaced with a three-section-staff.
'Did that weapon hit me? I can't feel any power from that, either. I don't understand. He's not a Servant or a Homunculus, yet his physical prowess is at least on par with my own. And his arm...' The arm that had been bitten by her snakes was blotchy and bulging with veins as his body combatted the venom, yet the puncture marks were already mostly healed with no bleeding. Her venom was supposed to destroy the body's ability to coagulate blood and shut down the respiratory and nervous systems.
''Your venom's a bitch to deal with. Had to take a quick breather. Still can't feel my fingers,'' Toji said. He was learning a good bit about fighting Servants against this so-called 'Lancer'. He'd been pulling his punches so far to gather information on what to expect. This one didn't seem like anything special. Looking at her, a medium-strength hit from Playful Cloud had her legs wobbling.
''I've made the mistake of taking you too lightly. Now, I'll make sure you can't leave my sight!'' The Lancer's eyes flashed, and Toji suddenly felt an unsettling coldness fill his being, followed by a creeping, heavy stiffness. He looked down at his body and saw what looked like stone forming over the surface of his clothes and progressing slowly up his fingers.
'Shit! Petrification?' Now he needed to act fast. He didn't know if this was Cursed Technique or something related, but there was a chance that he could stop the petrification process if he killed the Servant. It was manageable for now, but he couldn't let it continue unabated.
Chains suddenly materialised around the battlefield, wrapping around lamp posts, anchoring to buildings to create a web of chains in the air. 'So that's her game. She's going to maximise her movement options while limiting my own. Alright, then. It'll be a pain, but I think I can crack the stone off me while I fight, and Playful Cloud will be perfect for that.'
Playful Cloud set into motion, spinning in Toji's hands until it was nearly an invisible blur of black. It clattered against Toji's legs and arms, cracking the stone forming on him. It was temporary, as she could use it on him whenever she wished. He needed to figure out the mechanism behind it and fast.
''Yet again, you surprise me. Humans normal petrify within seconds. How annoying. You really are-'' she moved blindingly fast, seemingly vanishing as she bounced from chain-to-chain before rocketing towards Toji with her scythe at the ready, ''-a pest!''
Three-section-staff met scythe in a hurricane of attacks. Sparks shot from every impact as the two evaded, strafed and weaved around each other, striking wherever openings presented themselves. Lancer pressed her advantage by using her petrifying gaze on the Sorcerer Killer again. His movements slowed momentarily, but he powered through enough to stop a lethal slash to his throat with the middle section of Playful Cloud. But even with reduced mobility, his efforts in slowing the petrification were keeping him in the fight. They took to the air, two untraceable blurs bouncing between the Lancer's chains and mach speed as they launched flurries of attacks that shook the ground, with weapon clashes so loud that miraculously unbroken windows were shattered to pieces.
'Come on, Toji. Think. Statues, snakes, petrifying gaze. Who the hell was that?' He was able to block the incoming attacks, but constantly smashing the stone creeping up his body was hindering his ability to attack.
''Aww, slowing down, are we? Did you think you stood a chance because you landed a couple of hits? Fool!'' Lancer taunted. ''Even if you somehow stave off my petrification, you can't keep up your defence forever. My scythe is cursed, able to strip the immortality from whoever it strikes. Any wounds you take will never heal. Still think you can keep this up?''
''Cursed, you say? Thanks for the tip,'' he intercepted a downward slash, catching it with one of the chains on the staff. He wrapped Playful Cloud around the scythe, and with all of the mobility he could muster in his legs, he brought his legs up and drop-kicked the Lancer in the gut. Blood shot from her mouth as her body skipped across the ground like a stone on a lake, sending up plumes of destroyed earth. Toji reached up to his Inventory Spirit, knowing which Cursed Tool he needed. He gripped one of the chains and swung himself up, standing on it. Storing Playful Cloud away, he withdrew the item he hoped would be a counter to the Servant.
The Inverted Spear of Heaven. Despite its title, it was anything but a spear. Rather, it was a dagger shaped like a jitte, with two blades of odd lengths with a deep notch for catching incoming weapons. This Special Grade Cursed Tool was unique in its ability to nullify any and all Jujutsu upon contact with the weapon, cancelling out techniques. Toji was aware his gamble was just that. A gamble. But he had to win at least once, right? He stabbed at his petrifying body parts and watched as the stone crumbled to dust and didn't reform again. Even the effects of the venom dissipated, returning feeling to his right hand. The grin he wore was savage as he took the Split Soul Katana out again.
'Just using my body is enough to damage her. Should be light work finishing her off.'
Chains rattled and Toji noticed the subtle changes in the air current, his ears picking up the precise location of the approaching threat. He side-stepped the first attack. It was a thick mass of chains wound together and sharpened to a point. It squirmed and writhed like a tentacle, but it was able to seek him out as if it had a mind of its own. The second came, impaling the ground where he stood, the shot up, tearing chunks of dirt and stone up with it. Toji jumped high in the air and the chains followed. His feet found purchase on one chain as he slid down it, then jumped away as the other chain speared across the first towards him.
The Lancer's lips were curled into a snarl. Her body ached, but she was durable enough to take more punishment if needed. However, this human had an answer to everything she'd brought to bear so far. But she was a Servant, and every Servant had a trump card. She growled, feeling insulted at the thought of using this class container's crystallisation of her legend on one measly human.
'But if I don't use my Noble Phantasm, there's a chance this human might kill me. I refuse to bear that shame. No human has the right to defeat a Servant! So while he's occupied with my chains, I will have to time to activate it.'
The Lancer set into a low stance, her back arched and her hands on the ground as her eyes glowed intensely. Her hair writhed, rising up as the various strands wove together and formed red-eyed serpents that hissed and drooled curse-laced venom. Whispers in ancient words passed her lips as she prepared to project her inner world of loathing onto the world. In the colour of drying blood, a complex magic circle expanded beneath her, several meters in diameter. Electricity of pink and purple crackled and whipped around her body as she focused all of her magical energy reserves into this final measure. The serpents shot into the ground, spreading darkness like spilled ink across the surface as the area around her began to warp and change. The sky brightened, though it was merely lightning flashing in a sky of storm clouds. Rain lashed down as what had been a burning city became a crumbling temple on a lonesome island surrounded by a dark, raging ocean.
''Sullied Sanctuary of the Punished Goddess: Cursed Temple Athena!''
The chains that pursued Toji suddenly changed, transfiguring into coiling serpents. With new-found agility, they chased him through the air with greater precision and ferocity. He sliced the head off of one, then stabbed the other, dragging the Inverted Spear of Heaven down it, splitting it open as it's immense length fell in two halves.
'The hell is all this?' he looked around at the drastically changed environment. Lighting flashed and thunder rumbled above as rain came down in a heavy downpour. He stood on a craggy precipice, where furious waves battered to coast below him so hard, sea spray soaked his back. 'A Domain Expansion?' Up ahead, dominating the island, was a massive temple. Its multi-storey marble columns were cracked and chipped, while the likenesses of gods and goddesses were carved into the triangular pediment above the columns. Limbs and heads were missing as if purposefully desecrated in rage. Braziers at the top of a bone-littered staircase burned high and hot despite the rain and whipping wind. At the foot of the steps, a series of statues like the ones he'd seen in Fuyuki were posed running away or with weapons raised. Some wore armour and helmets, while others were dressed in simple robes or linens.
He was at the top in a second. One look into the temple revealed a forest of petrified people. While chains hung down from the ceiling, others were suspended from one end of the temple to the other. In the centre of the temple was his enemy, transformed into a creature of golden-scaled arms and legs, her hair alive with eyeless serpents. Much of her skin was exposed, with her only clothing being flowing black silks around her waist and a gold-trimmed black harness around her chest and shoulders. Her overall size had increased as she was at least twice as tall as she had been before.
Inhuman crimson eyes locked onto him. ''Welcome to the birthplace of my legend, human. As ever, just as this place served as where I was humiliated in life, so too am I humiliated by being forced to use it on you. I should congratulate you for managing to push a Servant this far, but I think I'll just rip you apart instead!''
The serpents around her rose up, and beams of lurid purple energy streaked towards the Sorcerer Killer.
It was then, like a lightning strike in his mind, he remembered the Lancer's name from a shitty B-movie he'd watched with his wife. The statues, the snakes, the petrification, the temple of unmistakable Greek design. It all came together like a puzzle. His scarred lips turned up slightly.
''Decapitation it is, then.''
Something new. For JJK and Fate people, you may have noticed a few things are different. So it's a bit of an AU. One thing I'd like to do throughout the story is explore how the worlds of Magi and Jujutsu Sorcerers might have overlapped while keeping them as their own things, so Toji won't be getting Magic Circuits or anything. At the moment, I'm deciding if he gets a Servant, but I'm leaning towards not giving him one. He doesn't need it. If I was going to do that, though I believe the method would be an ass-pull of immense proportions, it would be a Servant that could just support him. Kind of like Medea did by reinforcing Kuzuki's body with Magecraft. But right now, I seriously doubt I could work him getting a Servant believably. But we're primarily in the Fate world now, and it's not exactly a verse known for respecting its own rules. I'm still figuring out how Cursed Energy/Cursed Tools are going to interact with the Fate side of things, so things may be a bit shaky right now. Also, I've got an idea for Alter Servants, but I'll go into that later in the story. Other things will change further on, like how events play out with the addition of Toji.
Hopefully I managed to get Toji's personality right, though because of the the change of his wife still being alive, he's a bit more chilled out.
So with that said, by all means I would appreciate favs, follows and reviews. Reviews will be especially helpful since in my research, things in JJK tend not to be agreed upon a whole lot, so clarification on things would help if I get things wrong. I'm more familiar with Fate, but we know how complicated and wishy-washy that can be at times. Until next time.