Chapter 9: A Fated Meeting
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11/2/2030
4:41
Successfully, summoning a Shadow Servant, I manage to repel Karna, Medusa, and Eli's assault, but, knowing them they can get accustomed, in a matter of minutes, so I need to carefully think through my actions.
My main objective here is to get away, not defeat them, that's what I need to do. But I need a distraction right now.
"Attack."
I commanded and engaged in combat with a single word, Dante's Shadow Servant form.
He attacks Karna as he is the most dangerous right now, reads my sword, and runs.
"No, you don't!"
Eli yelled, before rushing to me.
But, this was part of the plan.
I stop my acceleration just early enough for Eli to miss me.
"Gah?!"
And as I stopped, I readied my sword, because in this moment of absolute weakness coming from behind is!
CLANG
…Medusa attacks at my blind spot, as I parry her nail-like weapon.
This is all part of the plan.
Even if you don't know me, I've known you guys for almost three years now, I know how you fight, your habits, weaknesses, and strengths.
Don't underestimate my bond with you!
"Don't screw with me!" Eli after getting her footing, angrily yells at me, because of course, she does.
And after getting her attack parried, Medusa would leap back up making distance, preparing for another attack, while Eli rushed at me recklessly.
The same trick would not work on her again, stubborn she might be, but Eli can still know when to attack and eliminate her opponent. Then what I need to do is. clash my sword against her.
CLANG
My sword clashes against her as we lock
"Don't underestimate me, you might have tricked me once, but not again, know your place human!"
She said and began to overpower and push me back.
"I know it's precisely because you were stronger than me and because you are the one overpowering me that I can do this."
I said to her, making her confused.
As she overpower me I pulled back my sword and immediately jumped to the side reinforcing my body, while letting gravity do the work as she came crashing to the ground.
A servant she may be, but Eli is the kind of person who would show dominance to anyone who she thinks belittles her. I pried on that trait of hers to outsmart her.
And once again, at the moment's notice, even faster than before, Medusa came attacking me.
I swing my sword at her, but she evades it.
"Nice try, but it won't happen again."
Shit!
And just as fast I suddenly got wrapped around with her chains, pinning me on the ground.
"I got you now." She said calmly.
I anticipated for her to be faster, but not this fast!
I miscalculated, my only way of getting out of this is if that happened, but I need luck to get it.
Trusting my luck, I began to prepare by reinforcing my whole body.
"Trying to escape? My apologies, but it won't be that easy for you to escape my chains."
Medusa said after tightening the chains around me.
Any minute now…!
And just as I began to lose hope. She finally came.
"YOU BASTARD!"
I see Eli rushing at me and Medusa, blinded by rage.
"Wait, Lancer, Stop, we got him now!"
Medusa tried to plead but Eli wouldn't budge.
Eli is always like this, when she feels she is humiliated she begins to go on a rampage. That's why you need someone that knows how to calm her down by compliments and cheering her up.
But right now, I don't need to calm her down, Medusa might sometimes act like an assassin, but she has integrity, she won't attack her comrades blindly without talking to them first, only then will she try to neutralize them. And she can't also bind her as she already got me bound.
So right now her only option is…
CLANG SCHLING
…is to unbind me and jump back to avoid Eli's rampage.
I also jumped back due to the Reinforcement earlier.
To be honest, that last one was luck, if it weren't for Eli being angry at me I wouldn't be able to escape and get captured, so thank god I got lucky.
When I suddenly feel Dantes Shadow get killed.
"It's a bit surprising, but they won't work on me again." Said Karna as he walked, assuming from his fight against my shadow servant.
Now I'm sure they'll step up their game now.
"Come then."
I proudly said.
That might have been a mistake, honestly but whatever, it sounds cool.
I rush at them with my sword being filled with mana and swing at them but they avoid it creating a cloud of smoke.
After making a smokescreen, I make a run for it.
Hey, I'm not stupid enough to take on servants, let alone 3 at the same time.
After escaping through the cloud of smoke, I run as if my life is dependent on it, occasionally looking back to make sure I won't gang up.
And from the smoke, Medusa's chain emerges as if catching up to me.
I swing my sword blocking the attack.
And Eli, also emerges from the smokescreen, letting out a battle cry, and charging at me.
Using the same tactic as the last time I block the attack and let it slide through the side of my blade, and let gravity do its work.
Until I notice that Karna is already on my back ready to immobilize me. Shit, I can't react in time.
FWOOSH
Once again from my shadow emerges another male figure but this time a dark-skinned buff guy wielding what appears to be a giant metal wheel.
Seeing his figure, Karna's eyes widened.
"You're…!"
"Ashwatthama!"
The Indian hero summoned himself from my shadow, it's not like I summoned their version itself, it's more like their shadow itself is what I summoned as part of their consciousness is connected to me.
I guess that he summoned a part of himself because he sensed that I was in danger, or that I was facing Karna, I was going more for the latter.
But thanks for the save Ash!
I can summon only up to six servants before I need to recharge, and I already summon 2 of them.
I look at Ash as he looks at me.
I nodded, no more words are necessary, with one look he already knew that I gave him my permission to fight.
I began to run and let Ash fight Karna, knowing that I can't defeat him.
I mean it's FREAKING KARNA.
As I once again ran, in a matter of seconds Medusa already caught up to me.
"You won't get away!"
Medusa roars, before once again deciding to use my summonings.
"Come, Pollux! Castor!"
And from my shadow once again, come the Dioscuri twins.
Castor uses his shield to block the attack, while Pollux swings her sword at her.
Medusa, who is no longer surprised by my summoning, uses her inhuman speed to get behind me.
Sensing the danger behind me I immediately blocked the incoming attack from behind, but I got blown away by the impact of the attack.
"Ghkk…!"
"...!" I see Pollux make a surprised expression before leaping to catch me.
Before I landed roughly on the ground, Pollux caught me, hugging me to shield me from getting hurt.
"..."
I look at Pollux who is looking at me with a worried face.
Despite saying no words, I understand her clearly.
I smile at her and said:
"Don't worry, I'm alright."
Saying that Pollux smiles in relief before hugging my face again, as if protecting me.
"It's ok I'm alright really, now go help your brother, okay?"
Pollux released me from the hug before nodding back from the battle.
Caster jumped to us, and looked at me, before…
SLAP
…slapping me from the back of my head.
"Ow! What was that for?!" I exclaimed while rubbing the back of my head.
"...hmph!"
Castor scoffs at me before joining Pollux in fending off Medusa.
Even as a shadow servant, you're still that protective.
I shake my head before readying my sword and once again run, while Pollux and Castor are distracting Medusa.
"I GOT YOU NOW!!"
I hear a loud voice coming from behind.
I look back to see Eli jumping on top of me.
I stop in my tracks, grip my sword and swing at her at the last second, only to once again be blown back by the force.
I roll down on the ground before getting my footing and balance and look straight, but Eli is no longer there.
"I'm right here human!"
I hear a voice behind me, and see Eli readying her weapon.
"You underestimated me, human!"
Eli proudly proclaimed with a hungry smile, before…
SLASH
…She slashes me.
Eh..?
I become confused for a moment before…
ah..ah..ahhh…aaaaaaaaaaaaahhh….AAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHH!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!
I feel the side of my stomach getting opened and a massive amount of blood spilled. And from there, I feel a massive amount of pain.
It hurts It hurts It hurts It hurts It hurts It hurts IthurtsIthurtsIthurtsIthurtsIthurtsIthurtsIthurtsIthurtsIthurtsIthurtsIthurtsIthurtsIthurtsIthurtsIthurtsIthurtsIthurtsIthurtsIthurtsIthurtsIthurtsIthurtsIthurtsIthurtsIthurtsIthurtsIthurtsIthurtsIthurtsIthurtsIthurtsIthurtsIthurtsIthurtsIthurtsIthurtsIthurtsIthurtsIthurtsIthurtsIthurtsIthurtsIthurtsIthurtsIthurtsIthurtsIthurtsIthurtsIthurtsIthurtsIthurtsIthurtsIthurtsIthurtsIthurtsIthurtsIthurtsIthurts.
As the pain keeps continuing to cloud my mind, I see Eli walking towards me with her spear being covered with my blood, before finally stopping at my side.
"This is what you get, for belittling me."
She said with anger in her eyes.
Ahh, that's right, I always find Eli silly because of her antics, and I keep forgetting that she is Elisabeth Bathory, the maiden who killed hundreds of girls and bathed in their blood.
"...ah…"
"Now, Die!"
Before she can strike me, she suddenly got bound by chains
"What?! Medusa!"
The last thing I saw is Medusa binding Eli using her chains.
11/2/2030
7:35
I slowly open my eyes, I try to move but I can't.
CLANG CLANG
I hear a clunking noise, getting my senses back I become wide awake.
Looking around, I was in what looked like an interrogation room, being bound by chains.
I try to break it free but suddenly the chain becomes tighter.
"I wouldn't try that if I were you."
I heard a feminine voice from the side, looking in that direction I saw Medusa.
"The more you struggle, the more the chains tighten."
Medusa said calmly.
"Don't worry, we would not hurt you, at best we would just put you in jail."
I heard Karna's voice as he entered the room and sat in front of me.
"That is, if you would be willing to comply, we just want to ask you some questions, is that okay with you?"
Karna calmly said, knowing him he would not let me get hurt.
Karna is that honest of a man.
"Okay, let's start simple; what is your name?"
"...Ritsuka, Fujimaru Ritsuka."
"I see, then Fujimaru, do you know why you are here?"
"Honestly, I don't, one day I just got to the Millennium Capital, when I suddenly become a wanted man."
I answered honestly, while Karna nodded and I continued.
"...but if I were to guess, it's because of this ring isn't it?"
I said, and Karna simply nodded.
"Yes, that is true, stealing the Regalia is a crime at the same level as trying to assassinate the Sovereign, which means we have no choice but to execute you."
Karna explained, and I gulped.
"But we are not going to do that, the Sovereign's order is to capture you alive, I guess that she would want you to talk to her face to face."
"Yeah, as a matter of fact, I want to talk to the Sovereign."
"Oh really?"
Karna raised his eyebrow, and Medusa became interested.
"Yeah I would like to explain to you now, but I think it's better that the Sovereign, including all of you, to know at the same time and save the trouble of repeating it over and over.
"And how do we know that you are not lying?"
Medusa suddenly asks.
"His not"
Karna immediately answered, making Medusa raise her eyebrows.
"I know, I can see it in his eyes, he's telling the truth."
"If that's what you think then."
I also nodded, when suddenly.
THUMP THUMP THUMP THUMP
I feel my heart begin to beat faster.
"Ah…AH!"
Karna immediately notices it and tells Medusa to loosen the chain.
"My chain is not the one doing it."
My head begins to ache, I see an image of Emiya and Cu fighting some monsters, and I see a male figure, trying to capture me.
That's…that's…
I'm going to die
I don't want to die
Someone, anyone.
Please Help me…
"...She needs my help!"
I try to struggle again.
I don't know why, as if I was consumed by something but there's one thing I know.
I need to help her, I have to help her.
I NEED TO SAVE HER!
Channeling the power of the regalia I use it to reinforce my body until…
CLANG
…I break free of the chains that bind me.
"Sorry."
I said before taking off in the sky.
I don't know how I can do this.
It feels like I'm on autopilot, and letting my body do its thing and in a matter of seconds, I'm already at my destination.
Seeing my target. I unsheathe my sword and slash the guy, but he blocks it and not letting a moment pass I slash at him again, but this time it hit him.
"Aghk!!"
The man groaned painfully.
And at that moment the man's appearance glitched out.
What..?
"Kahh! Damn it, I can't maintain this form much longer!"
Said the man.
Form?
"Well no worries, I can just get some rest and everything should work out. You."
He suddenly pointed at me.
"You're the star that fell into this world, are you? The star who shines so the other star will lose its glow right?"
He suddenly said it to me. Star?
"Well, strangely, you are supposed to fall here 14,000 years in the future, I wonder why you fell early? Well, whatever, it makes my job easier."
He said before taking his leave.
"Wait who are you, and what do you mean by that!?"
He stopped and looked at me.
"Don't worry it's only a matter of time before you face me and know who I truly am, as for your other question, what I can only say is that, you're falling here into this world, speed up the process of an upcoming storm, so my only advice is to get ready, because if this world falls, its because you come too early."
He said before disappearing.
"Hey! Wait!"
I shouted but he was no longer there.
The dust began to clear away.
I sigh before turning around to the girl behind me
"Are you okay?"
I ask before suddenly I gasp.
It's almost like I lost my breath for a moment.
As if, time suddenly stops, as this moment etches in the deepest part of my mind.
As the girl looks up at me with an awe expression.
I've already seen her in my dreams, in a way you can say that I'm a bit more familiar with her. But meeting her for the first time and facing her feels completely different.
She looks average, but at the same time for some reason…
She is one of the most charming people I've ever met in my entire life.
As I examine her face, she looks oddly familiar.
I shook my head before once again asking:
"Are you ok?"
"huh? Oh yeah, you're…"
On November 2nd in the year of this world being 2030, one of the most eventful events I have experienced in my career as a master, has begun.
Next Chapter: Becoming One as a Blinding Light
