Hello everyone and welcome back to the start of chapter 71 of the story!

Beggining of a new year, beggining of a new Singularity! And hopefully a great year for FGO and the entire Nasuverse. That Mahoyo teaser trailer was enough to make a person start waiting for the movie. Also, good to see the servants silhouette back, giving us something to look forward into 2024 and that the devs this time have at least have something 'planned' ahead of time. And that Saber from Samurai Ramnent (Whose game I still haven't played) being the New Year's servant was definetly unexpected but a pleasent surprise.

Anyways, withouf further ado, let's start the Fifth Singularity: E Pluribus Unum!

DISCLAIMER: All the Nasuverse characters belong to Nasu and are property of Type-Moon, with the exception of the OC's that belong to me, the author


"Aah...Aah...H-How strong..."

A red-haired servant panted in fatigue as he standed injured, facing a mighty opponent in the middle of a deserted village. "Someone with such might...should use it for good!"

"Heh? Use it for good? Keh! Do you think I honestly care about any of those stupid believes?" The enemy of the red-haired servant responded, mocking his words. His figure seemed tall and muscular, a giant red spear on his hand. An intimidating and violent adversary. "If you can't stand a chance against me in a fight, you have no right to try and lecture me as the weakling that you are."

"Khh! I'll show you who has the weaker will here!" The red-haired servant shouted, a bright burning flame appearing on his sword.

"Behold the immortal blade that vanquished the Rakshasa King!

Putting into the air above him, the weapon on the servant started spinning, formating a twirling circle of fire.

Feast upon my enemy!"

With a quick movement of his arm, the servant threw the burning circle at his enemy.

"The Rakshasa-Piercing Immortal: Brahmast-

The Noble Phantasm was easily repelled.

In a blink of an eye, the flamming might of the servant's sword was overpowered by a simple yet strong throw of the enemy's red spear, destroying the red-haired servant's Noble Phantasm and piercing greatly his chest at the same time.

"G-ghuh?! W-...What..?"

"Gáe Bolg"

"AAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAHHHHHHHH!"

The wound was extremely fatal, having hit the chest and causing the red-haired servant to fall to the ground upon the destructful impact of the spear.

"So lame. Couldn't even give me a proper warm up." The enemy lamented, dissatisfied by the quick battle as he stared at the injured body of his opponent.

"Eh..Eugh..S..Sita.."

"Hm? Still breathing and kicking?" The monstrous servant with the red spear was slightly impressed by the tenacity of the red-haired servant, struggling to get back on his feet due to the lethal wound on his chest.

"Now! Get him!"

"Attack!"

Before the red-haired servant's opponent could bring any more harm to him, a small resistance group of armed people appeared from the buildings, starting to shoot torwards the spearman servant with their rifles

"Don't worry! I got you!" A dark-skinned native man with white painting on his skin came to the rescue of the red-haired servant, quickly putting the body on top of his shoulder and calling a horse with a whistle, riding the animal. "Let's retreat men! Back to the base!" The native man exclaimed to his soldiers who were trying to held the muscular spearman back.

As some went along with their leader on the escape, others valiantly stay to keep fighting the enemy, who was only bored and annoyed by their efforts of slowing him down. Not having to do much, the spearman simply teared his enemies apart as if they were made out of tissue paper. By the time he was done with them, the other half of the group had already deserted the place.

"How wimpish." The spearman servant remarked, about to go after the fugitives, believing they weren't that far off.

"Simply amazing my love! You made those losers run away with their tails between their legs!" The sounds of clapping and an energetic young woman's voice catched the attention of the spearman, who turned around to see troops of armored men approaching him, being led by a chariot from which its veils came out a stunning woman with long pink hair and dressed in pure royal white clothing. "I couldn't expect any less of the better version of Ireland's Child of Light, Cú Chulainn." The woman said with a smile.

Looking at her with his blood-red eyes and a face of disgruntlement expressed on his sharp shark teeth, the altered Cú Chulainn responded. "Tsk! You interrupted me from going on a hunt, Medb." The giant spiky lizard tail of his moved, adding more to his monster appearence alongside the dark blue and red outfit as well as some red tattos on his exposed chest and others beneath his eyes.

"Who cares? This city is ours now! You will be back to chase that bunch of nobodies in no time love!" The pink-haired woman, now known as Medb, replied. She didn't seemed very bothered by her partner's complaint.

"Whatever." Cú Chulainn told her, rubbing his own ear. "Do your random speech that you have prepared this time so that we can be done with it fast."

"Aah, you're so cold Cú!" Medb protested with a pout before giggling. "But I wouldn't have you in any other way. That's why I wished you to be this perfect killing machine warrior and my greatest allie on this entire operation." Saying that, she shifted her gaze to the troops behind the two. "Hear me brave soldiers of the Celtic Army! Listen to the words of your charming ruler, Queen Medb of Connacht! Another city has been conquered! Another step to my domination has been taken! Soon enough, we shall squeeze and burn this pathetic nation called the United States! And in its place, erect and built the new Celtic empire from the ashes as demonstration of my supreme power as queen and leader! From this wasteland, we shall create our new home!"

Throwing her troops in uproar, queen Medb saw her soldiers all yelling and raising their weapons in euphoria, being motivated by her speech. And while she might have reacted with a wide and prideful smile, Cú Chulainn stood behind her, feeling rather unchanged and not inspired by his partner's speech.


Reaching to a small camp with his remaining forces, the native man descended from his horse and took the injured red-haired servant with him, with the camp's doctor wasting no time and approaching the two the moment he saw the wounds on the servant.

"See if you can find a way to soothe his wound as much as possible. He his fundamental to us." The native man ordered to the medic.

"Yes chief! I'll try my best!" The man replied, grabbing the injured servant from his leader and bringing him to a tent nearby.

"Chief Geronimo! Chief Geronimo!"

One of the camp's soldiers came in a hurry torwards the native man.

"What is all the commotion about?" The native man and leader of the camp, Geronimo, asked to the soldier.

"The last fort of the East has fallen to the celts! The United Western States have been forced to retreat even more behind the line!"

"What?!" Geronimo expressed his shock. "Hmm, this is bad. It will only prolong this war between West and East for much longer and risk the entire existence of America." He said, contemplative.

"What you wanna' us to do next chief? If things stay like this, I doubt we will be able to make a difference in avoiding the inevitable."

Thinking for some seconds, Geronimo came with an answer. "For now, keep infiltrating on the cities and forts of the Western side. We need to keep tabs on what they are doing as well. Sneaking into their army is easier since its mostly composed of humans in contrast to the Eastern side, so the risk of suspicion will be lower." He tasked the soldier. "Spread the word to the others of the camp."

"Understood chief!" The soldier nodded.

"And one more thing." Geronimo said before his soldier could walk away. "Don't fret about the course of things." He said, with a smile on his face. "The stars have sent me a signal. Help will come."


"Hmmmm..."

Waking up from the slumber, Peko opened his vision to find himself inside a icy cavern. An ice so clean and transparent that it could be easily mistaken by crystals. Getting up, Peko was careful enough to not slip on the frost floor.

"This cavern..." Peko looked around, the echo of his voice filling the place. "It's supposed to be the continuation of that dream." He said, remembering of the previous dream he had with that strange girl and her funny language. "What I was meant to do now exactly?" Peko rubbed his forhead, having forgotten what that girl had tasked him to do. Seeing a path in front of him and an entrance to the cavern that was up high on the walls from behind, Peko made up his mind. "Well, there's only one way out of this."

Peko walked ahead, hoping that the end of this path would lead him to the exit. With a few minutes having passed, he started to feel some cold air going in the opposite direction to him, indicating that the exit wasn't that much far. And altough the temperature around him were freezing cold, Peko himself wasn't feeling any of it, with his body staying normal instead of shivering.

Starting to see the environment getting lighter, Peko turned off his ball of light has he spotted the exit to the cavern right in front of him. Stepping out, the boy was back to the outside, having reached to an enormous open field that had nothing but dead vegetation and trees covered in snow. "This place looks empty." Peko said, seeing the large area devoid of life, limited by a mountain range in the horizon.

Walking some meters out of the cavern and into the field, Peko felt a huge breath of air hit his back. It wasn't cold. Rather, it was hot. Having turned around, the boy let out a gasp in surprise as he saw from where the hot air was coming from.

Right above the cavern's exit, a giant white skinned dragon laid in sleep on top of some huge ice fragments.

"A-A dragon!?"

As if it had sensed Peko's presence, the sharp blue eyes of the dragon opened by instict, having awoken from its drowse, shakening its head and long neck as well as spreading the wings, spotting the invader.

Peko didn't hesitated and summoned his sword, prepared to fight if necessary. An action proven to be correct as the dragon stared at the boy with hostility, throwing out a large roar into the skies, causing the field to suddenly be hit by an intense blizzard storm.

"Gghnngaaaaaaaaaaah!" The winds have become violent, making Peko fly some feet away and hit the snowy ground before the boy could quickly get back up to his feet, timing up with the dragon landing right in front of him, ready to eliminate the trespasser in its lair. "Bring it!" Peko shouted, proceeding to dodge from a powerful blast of ice breath that came out from the dragon's mouth like a jet, transforming the territory behind into pure chilling ice.

Peko flanked the dragon on its right wing, going for a slash. In response to the hit, the dragon waved its tail against Peko who managed to block the attack but was forced to slide some feet away due to the impact. The dragon once again opened its wings to do a quick fly and try to land on Peko, wanting to crush the enemy with its massive weight. The boy however was quick once again, barely avoiding the dragon's agressive landing. Peko charged his arm and fired at one of the dragon's shoulders, pressing his thumb down which made the light bullet to explode upon contact, deeply hurting the fantastical creature.

Peko was able to conduct and control the battle despite the ferocity of the large enemy. All the boy had to do was be patient and time the moment of the dragon's attacks to then defend and counter-attack, with the pattern movements of the creature being easy to read. In doing so, Peko was already having a huge advantage on this fight, having the clear upper hand. Following hit after hit, he could tell that the dragon was getting weaker, about to get closer to the end of this battle. Peko decided now it was a good opportunity.

"Yah!" Dodging almost simultaneously from the dragon's tail and claw, Peko stabbed his sword into the enemy's heart, delivering the fatal blow. Struggling and letting out a painful roar, the dragon's chest exploded into a type of ice mana, with Peko falling to the ground because of it.

Getting up, he noticed the blizzard had stopped once he killed the dragon. "Phew. This took some time." Peko said, having felt a bit fatigued from his fight with the opponent. Wondering what followed next after this, the boy noticed some sort of luminous bright jelly getting out from the dragon's corpse, grabbing his attention. Slowly, it shaped into a bland figure of a girl who begun to float torwards Peko.

"What is..." Peko was in a loss for words to describe what he was seeing now. Extending her arms, the girl's lips formed a kind smile as she was about to softly collide with the boy. "H-Humm..." Not knowing how to respond exactly, Peko lifted his arms, letting the shiny girl figure land on his embrace, glowing even more. "This warm..." Peko felt the temperature around them getting hotter by the second, with the intense light coming from the girl vaporizing the snow and ice in the surroundings. The light had become so huge and powerul that eventually encompassed the entire area, forcing Peko to close his eyes in order to not go blind.

Once he felt the light had died out, Peko open up his eyes again, beeing greeted by the field that had now drastically changed. The field was now full of lively yellow crops and wheat, with the few trees regaining all of their branches and green leaves. A giant waterfall would descend on the mountains from afar and the sky turned blue with white clouds. The sun shinning through and brightly down on the field and Peko.

"How...was this possible?" Peko thought as he saw that there was no signs of the glowing girl or the dragon's corpse left. Hearing some footsteps from behind, Peko spotted the girl he had spoken to in his previous dream standing alongside some dwarfs and a small group of locals that were wearing the same type of clothes as the girl. "It's you again."

"Aitäh, jumal." The girl told Peko, bowing in respect. "Aitäh, et päästsite meid julmast talvest ja tõite tagasi meie saagi."

"Y-Yeah sure. No need to say it." Peko replied, not understanding a bit of what the girl was saying. But it was probably good stuff.

Finishing from bowing to Peko, the girl smilled happily at him, with the locals advancing. "Nüüd, mu jumal, luba meil korraldada sinu auks korralik pidu. Tähistamaks meie rahva suurt kangelast ja kuningat."

Being surrounded by the group, several hands grabbed Peko as the people collectively lifted up his body, cheering on with big smiles on their faces and baskets full of food on top of a giant table that the dwarfs built in no time, proceeding to create tall statues of wood representing Peko at the same speed.

Being overwhelmed by such comotion, Peko's brain was trying to comprehend the meaning of this as he was carried in the air by the people's arms. "They're worshipping me?"

"Sa oled meie jumala kuningas, Peko!"

"Terve jumal kuningas Peko!"

"Jumal kuningas Peko! Meie vapper ja üllas kangelane!"

The boy couldn't help to contain a smile, the joy of the small population infecting him as well. "Ah, ahahaha! Yes! I am your jumal kuningas indeed!" Peko proclaimed, laughing happily on the embrace of his admirers. All felt so good. So perfect. A paradise of a dream. Peko took the moment to look to the vast yellow fields around.

He was being observed.

Beneath one of the few trees that existed on the field, the boy's eyes noticed a person near to the tree's trunk. Even from afar, Peko could visualize some of the person's characteristics. The dark hair. The priest clothing.

"!" Peko couldn't believe it. "It's that paint-" But once he blinked, the person was gone. "E-Eh? Where did he go?"

Despite having his mind now focused on trying to find where that person had went to, the sunlight grew stronger, starting to obfuscate Peko's vision. "Gngh!" Putting his arms in front of his face by relfex, Peko felt the shine getting brighter, seeming like the sun had become bigger.

And so, when the star's shine became too bright to bare...


"Mmhnm...hnmaah..." Peko had woke up. Definetly this time as he saw himself now in his own and Nala's bedroom. The dream had ended.

"Another one of those..." Peko murmured, pulling the blankets away. "Another dream with him." It was almost becoming a routine for him. He wondered if he would discover the meaning or identity behind the painter that would appear from time to time in his dreams. This one was longer than the others he had. Nicer and happier as well. But the appearence of the mysterious painter at the end made the boy's mind go into haze again. Why would he dream of a complete stranger? Or was he actually a stranger to Peko?

With every time this sort of event happened, Peko had the sensation that it couldn't be mere coincidence. That the boy was supposed to have some sort of connection with that painter. And perhaps Nala as well, given the description she gave of one of her previous dreams.

And the more Peko's mind would dwelve onto that topic, he would feel his brain hurting a bit, as a signal he shouldn't force to provoke the amnesia in his head. Yet, he couldn't help but engage in it. Specially in the last Singularity they went to. Some weeks could have passed since then, but Peko still couldn't shake away the scene he saw at the end of it right before the Emergency Rayshift.

That clothed figure that appear at the last second to stand up against Solomon, somewhat 'protecting' the chaldeans from doom. The apparent imagery of some dark hair sticking out from the figure's hood. "Could it be?" Susbquently, Peko put a hand onto his head as it started to hurt. "Gnghg!" Taking some deep breaths, he withstood the brief pain. "Right. Better leave it for later." He said, finally getting out of bed.

Once again, Nala had been the first of the two to wake up and leave the room. But he didn't mind that. Instead, Peko decided to walk torwards a corkboard on the wall that stood in front of their beds. In it, there was afixated some memos of simple stuff in order to not let Peko and Nala forget about them. There was also some photos with the two alongside Ritsuka, Mash and the rest of the Chaldea staff, serving as memories from their time spent together in Chaldea till now, with all the pictures being of great times and moments.

But the main piece of the board was on the center. It was neither a memo nor a picture, but a drawing. A portrait of his dad. A well designed face drawned by the skilled Da Vinci herself. It was the first and only piece of evidence of his father's appearence. Someone whose son looked exactly like him but younger and with a shorter hair. There was no way to mistake it. The person of the drawing was his and Nala's father, independent of what more of their own past the two would remember by continue this journey with Chaldea.

"Good morning dad." Peko greeted the drawing of his father. "I think today we will go to the next Singularity. Wish us luck alright?" He talked, putting the palm of his hand on the drawing before removing it shortly after. Then he stared to the note on the side of the drawing.

'Finsternis'

His family name. Peko and Nala's last name. A part of their identity. A piece of who they are. Alongside the tattoo crown mana crest on his and Nala's back, their surname and father's portrayal was the most important clues they had until now. And Peko hoped he could continue to find more as well as restore humanity alongside Chaldea.


"Good morning Subj-...no. I think we are past the period of using such designation." Romani walked into a sterile room, staring to a person. "Eitherway, I have some good news for you."

"Good news?" The person asked him.

Romani smiled. "In result of the most recent analysis, you've been having a successful development. If the rythm stays like this, soon enough you will be able to leave this room and become a researcher of Chaldea with the rest of us. Doesn't that makes you happy?"

"It does a lot." The person replied.

"And when that day eventually comes, do you want me to offer you something? As a sort of gift." Romani asked to the person.

"If possible, I'd love to see the world out of these walls. One with my own eyes, where I can be present." The person replied, much to Romani's sorrow.

"Sorry, but that I can't do. It's out of my jurisdiction. Chaldea isn't in a very attractive location per say and your body is yet too fragile to go to the outside." The doctor explained.

"Ah...That's okay. I understand." The person told Romani, not trying to sound much dissapointed.

"Still, I'll try to figure something to give you. Maybe if I speak with the Director, she'll give you permission to start at least roaming around Chaldea." Romani said, trying to lift the person's mood.

And looks like it had worked. "I would like it very much! Thank you Doctor!"

"Eh, you don't need to say that." Romani told to the person, deciding to leave the room. "Actually, I will speak with the Director about that now. See ya later!"

The person happily waved at Romani as he exited. "Until later Doctor!" Now alone, the person went back to sit on the bed, a bittersweet expression on the face. "What a shame. I truly wanted to see the world..." The hands slightly thigtned into fists on the person's lap. "Still...to know someone cares about me despite of my limitations..." The person smiled. "Makes me happy enough."


"Hm!"

"Fou! Fou!"

Waking up suddenly, Ritsuka rubbed his head, getting his body up from the mattress. Staring at his right, Ritsuka found Fou standing next to him. "Good morning Fou. How are you today?" He patted the creature.

"Fu fou!"

"That's the second time I have this type of dream..." Ritsuka murmured. "Was talking to me or someone else?" Wondering about it, Ritsuka checked the time on the digital clock: 8:45 AM

"Oh! Waking up on time!" The last master of humanity proceeded to get out of bed, going to pick up his clothes for today.


"And that's how I ended up being recruited to Chaldea." Meuniere finished speaking, taking a drink from his coffee mug.

"That's...quite absurd." Ritsuka replid, taking a breakfast in the same room as him. Today he decided to spent the morning with some younger members of the Chaldea staff in order to socialize.

"Told you it was gonna sound wacky." Meuniere told to the master of humanity.

"Do not stress about it Fujimaru. I too think Meuniere likes to fantasize his stories just to impress the rockies." Another young man with a short brown hair nicely brushed to the back and round goggles speaked.

"Hehehe, true. Meuniere is such a fanciful person, isn't he?" A young woman with dark hair, two side ponytails and glasses giggled.

"H-Hey now! Believe it or not, what I'm sayins is true!" Meuniere argued back. Alongside him and Ritsuka, those two members were the yongest amonsgt the remaining staff of the Chaldea Organization. Soria Najwa and Mao Maomao

"I mean, since this world is full of strange and magical things, perhaps Meuniere's story can have some credibility here." Ritsuka commented, thinking that there could be some authenticity to it.

"Thank you so much Fujimaru! I knew someone would understand it!" Meuniere exclaimed happily, tears running down his eyes.

"If so, then Meuniere certainly has quite the 'intresting' life." Soria speaked, putting his cup of coffee down.

"I dont know if there would even be enough adjectives to describe it." Mao added, making the three laugh while Meuniere rubbed his head in embaressment.

"Quit with it guys." He plead.

"Moving that aside, Fujimaru." Soria looked to Ritsuka. "The Rayshift for your next Singularity is today, isn't it?"

"Yeah. This will be the fifth one." Ritsuka said with a shy smile. "Me and the others will do our best to get back to Chaldea with another grail. But deep down, we wouldn't have reached this far if it wasn't thanks to you all."

"Awww, you are being way too generous Fujimaru-kun. You guys are the ones who do all the heavy lifting." Mao told him kindly. "We just make sure to make it less heavy."

"And isn't that important? You are as crucial as I am!" Ritsuka told her.

"Eh, but only you are a master Fujimaru." Soria responded. "Only you and the rest of your group can rayshift to the Singularities. Losing you would be more damaging to this order than losing any of us."

"Geez! Do you really have to put it like that?" Meuniere told to his colleague. "Have some self-worth in yourself man!"

"But Soria is right. Without Fujimaru-kun and his team, humanity would be done for. They are it's last hope essentialy, not us."

"Mao!" Meuniere exclaimed.

"Altough that can be true, it doesn't mean its right to say it." Ritsuka replied, having the other's attention. "Who puts the Singularities coordinates alligned with the Rayshift and prepares its plataform for us to use? Who utilizes and checks on SHEBA and the TRIMIGESTUS to tell us of the dangers that can be around us? For all I know, it's you. And without that aid to guide us, we wouldn't have make it this far. So I don't think your lives are less valuable than ours!" Ritsuka exclaimed that last part, taken the three aback.

"...Wow. You really like to talk like a sefless hero." Meuniere said, a smile appearing on his face.

"Fujimaru-kun might as well be one already." Mao chuckled.

"What you lack in mana, you compensate on other factors." Soria took out his glasses, rubbing the area between his nose and eyes. "Quite frankly, when I first hear about you would be the surviving master assigned with the task of saving humanity, I was on the brink of panic." He said, finishing the rubbing and putting back his glasses. "But now, after four Singularities, I've begun to belief humanity's salvation for the future isn't as impossible as I originally thought. Which is why, I will do everything within my reach for you to succed Fujimaru, so that everyone here can see their families again."

Ritsuka felt a responsibility in Soria's words, but it wasn't anything he wasn't used to by now. "Heh. You can count me on that!" Ritsuka said with a confident smile. "Same goes for Mash, Peko and Nala!"

"Hmmm, Peko..." Mao whispered, a blush in her cheeks appearing.

"What's that Mao?" Meuniere asked her about it.

"A-Ah! Nothing really! I just think Peko is very cute!" Mao responded, blushing immensily while putting her hands on her cheeks. "I mean, have you seen him eating dessert? That happy smile and eyes! He is also so caring and polite to others!" She let out a long and loud frustrated sigh, still smilling and blushing. "I envy you Fujimaru! You can headpat that adorable head anytime you want when on a mission!"

"Are you honestly thinking that?" Meuniere said with a weird expression on his face.

"Exactly! How do you even dare express that?!" Soria accused his colleague. "Nala is way cuter!"

"Eeeeh..." Ritsuka stood to the side with Meuniere, both watching the debate evolve.

"What?! You can't be serious!" Mao exclaimed, indignant.

"Her hair, her ponytail, her ribbon, her face! Nala is superior in any way possible!" Soria argued.

"No chance! Peko is better!"

"No he isn't!"

"Yes he is!"

"How about we make a truce instead?" Meuniere told the two, getting between them and putting both his arms over their shoulders.

Ritsuka nodded to that. "I also appro-"

"And come to the conclusion that no matter what, Mash is a kouhai and the best of them all? Only second to femboys." Meuniere told them, turning his head around to look at Ritsuka. "Don't you think so, Fujimaru?"

No longer wanting to partake in this conversation, Ritsuka just chuckled nervously while scratching the back of his head. "I'd like to say my veredict, but I think the Doctor is calling me already." He invented. "Anyways, see you guys later on the Command Room!"

"Kay! See you later Fujimaru!" Meuniere told him, with Soria and Mao doing the same.

"See you later Fujimaru-kun!"

"See you in awhile!"

About to exit the room, Ritsuka almost bumped into another member of the Chaldea staff. A young woman of short blonde hair and blue eyes.

"Ah, sorry! Almost didn't saw you there." Ritsuka told her before going on his way to meet with the rest of his team, leaving the young Chaldea staff members behind.

The young woman stared at Ritsuka leaving and then to the room where Meuniere and the other two where. "Did I arrived late?"

Meuniere sighed. "Better later than never Sylvia."


"There's lot of stuff here!" Nala speaked, rummaging some items of a small storage room.

"It sure does. Some of these boxes must be here ever since Chaldea was created." Peko added, searching the contents of a dusty box. "It's full of newspapers on this one."

"The previous director used to be up to the current informations about the world. Not only of Magecraft but of the normal one too." Romani stood by the storage room entrance, having been the one who allowed access for Peko and Nala to enter. "He believed that being aware of every occurrence in the world was a vital thing."

"It sure looks like it." Peko said, observing the cover of some newspapers. Many of them had one thing in common. "Strange. All these newspapers are about that day...how was it called really? Day of Soundless Thunders?"

"Hey! Check what I found here!" Nala exclaimed, getting Peko's attention while she dragged some piece of furniture to the side, revealing a photo of a person in a frame. It was a photo of an adult man with pale yellow eyes and short white hair tied into a side ponytail. "Who's this?"

"Don't know." Peko said, standing next to Nala. "But that face...It reminds me of someone."

"Speaking of the man himself." Romani walked into the room, seeing the photo the twins had discovered. "The first director and founder of Chaldea Organization, Marisbury Animusphere."

"Animusphere?! You mean Olga's father?" Peko asked in surprise, having made the connection of the man's face with Olga's as well as the same name they shared.

Nala also made the same conclusion. "Welp, the genetics do check out." She said, taking a closer look to the frame. "Everything here in Chaldea is his work, isn't it?"

"The very foundation of it. Marisbury was a Lord of the Clock Tower, one of the highest positions a mage can get in the Mage Association. He was quite gifted, with his family being the one behind the concept and creation of CHALDEAS." Romani explained.

"That blue sphere of the world in the Command Room?" Peko asked, recalling it.

"Yep. A marvelous of magecraft, completed by Marisbury. You may probably know this by now but CHALDEAS is a representation of the world, its texture and body being a perfect replica of Earth, letting us know about the world's past and future status. And with SHEBA doing the the precise details to lock into a specific time-space period, we are able to do the Rayshifts. Wasn't he quite the genius?"

"Well, he does look quite scholar and intelligent." Peko commented, seeing the nice appearence of Marisbury Animushpere.

"I don't know. He is looking more like a jerk to me." Nala responded, not seeing Marisbury in the same way as her brother.

"I bet there is plenty of presumptious mages out there, but I doubt someone who Doctor used to be friend's with was like that." Peko speaked, staring at Romani. "I mean, if it wasn't for him Chaldea wouldn't exist and we wouldn't get a chance to save humanity now, would we?"

"Certainly not. Marisbury was...an intresting person to be with." Romani told him.

"You two must have been quite the friends." Nala remarked.

"Hi there people!" Ritsuka appeard from behind on the door, greeting him. "Wasn't expecting to see you here."

"Good morning Ritsuka." Peko greeted him back.

"Morning Ritsuka!" Nala also said. "Guess we all woke up early today."

"Mash must have as well. She always wakes up early." Peko commented.

"Speaking of Mash, I thought she would be with the rest of you." Ritsuka said. "Have you seen her?"

"I did not now that you mention it." Nala told him.

"Me neither." Peko also answered.

"Well, I did just talked with Mash moments ago." Romani replied, having spoken with the Shielder previously. "Checked on her physical condition."

"Physical condition?" Ritsuka repeated.

"As of late, I've got a little worried about Mash ever since your encounter with Solomon. Being her physician as well, it's my job to prevent her body to sustain any deep injuries. She's been pushing herself too hard on these Singularities." Romani expressed his concern about Mash's well being. "The same goes to all of you. I want to make sure you don't have to take any unecessary measures when it comes to saving humanity. You got to prioritize your own health first. Specially Mash."

"Eh. You're worrying over nothing here Doc." Nala replied to Romani. "Mash is not the paper flower you think she is. Despite the appearence, she's quite strong!"

"Strong enough to take care of herself. So there's no reasoning for concern." Peko reassured to Romani, being well aware of the shielder's capabilities.

"I know that too! But she's a bit different! Maybe it's because of the time I spent with her in here but, I feel like I would dissapoint myself in letting her get injured or worse." Romani confessed, looking to Ritsuka and then Peko and Nala. "I would fail as a director and doctor if any of you ended up dying. That I failed to protect you."

The room stood silent for a moment, only being broken once Ritsuka decided to give a pat on the back of Romani. "I can say that you've been doing an excellent job so far doc. You haven't failed no one."

"Do you think?" Romani asked him.

"I sure do!" Peko responded. "Taking the role of the director in such a dire situation is a job many wouldn't be up to task. But you are doctor!"

"Completely! You are the sort of glue that is maintaining this place together!" Nala added.

"Stop giving me that much credit please. I was the only person left available for it." Romani smiled a bit timid, wanting to deny the praise altough deep down he liked it.

"Available or not, you still stepped up doc. And I think that's what matters most." Ritsuka told him. "It isn't anyone who can handle such things in the position you're in! You continue to do your best liked we do."

Romani smiled, taking a breath. "Alright, alright. I guess I just let my overprotective emotions get the best of me here. If you say Mash and the rest of you are capable of continuing and taking care of yourselves, then I believe you." He said to the three of them.

And before any of them could say anything back, a voice sounded on the speakers throughout the entire Chaldea.

"Doctor Romani Archaman and rest of the Chaldea team to the Command Room! I repeat! Doctor Romani Archaman and the rest of the Chaldea team to the Command Room immediatly!" It was Da Vinci speaking. "The preparations for the Rayshift are ready! Please do not make us wait!"

"Oh, the Rayshift is already set up? That was quick." Ritsuka commented.

"That means Mash must be there already waiting for us!" Peko said.

Without losing a second, Nala sprinted torwards the room's exit. "Last one to arrive will have to clean the cafeteria dishes!" She exclaimed, starting to run away with Peko chasing after her.

"Hey! That isn't fair! Warn us first!" He protested, leaving the room shortly after his sister.

Chuckling, Ritsuka was about to follow the twins, staring behind to Romani. "Aren't you going as well doc?"

"In a minute or two. I'm just going to arrange a few things here and will meet up with you there soon." Romani explained, staying behind.

"Okay then! Later doc!" Ritsuka told, leaving the room.

"Later." Romani replied back, watching Ritsuka taking a turn around the corner, dissapearing from the hall and his vision. Being left alone, Romani's smile dissapeared, with the doctor closing the door of the storage room, still inside. Having made sure no one was nearby or spying on him, Romani walked torwards a seemingly normal wall of the room. But that wall had a secret.

Slightly pressing his hand onto a specific zone of the wall, it revealed to be fake, forming into a small rectangle that then moved away, revealing a safe with a panel that could only be opened via fingerprint. Taking one of his gloves out, Romani pressed his thumb against the panel, unlocking the safe and opening it. Taking extremely huge care, Romani's hands took out a piece of white cloth from it. It was just an ordinary cloth, but the true item of value, was the one wrapped by it, which Romani carefully unwrap it with his hand.

The moment he did so, a powerful shine lightened the entire room, coming from the object the doctor was grabbing by the cloth, not daring to touch it directly. A small but sharp fragment of what appeared to be a piece of a broken blade. It was graciously polished, gleaming and omnipotent in its small aspect. So pristine and bright that a hundred sparkling stars emanated from it, as if a part of the space was inside that small silver fragment, iluminating everything on the area. How beautiful, mysterious and unfamiliar. No one from Chaldea knew about the existence of such artefact. No one except the person who was holding it right now.

"How can I tell them about this?"


"Fu fou!"

"Are you still hungry Fou? But haven't you eaten already?" Mash asked to the creature, stretching her arm and legs while waiting for everyone else to arrive to the Command Room before grabbing Fou.

"We really need to figure out what an animal like Fou loves to eat. It's either that, or he will empty the entire fridge." Da Vinci approached the shielder, making company.

"I'm sure Fou isn't like that. Perhaps a carrot is all that he needs." Mash said, gently patting Fou.

"Fu fou! (At least make sure it's chopped before you feed it to me)"

"Ah, honestly..." Da Vinci grumbled, looking at a clock on her wrist. "I know the Rayshift will happen sooner this time, but they should be awake by now."

"You called?" Nala yelled, entering the Command Room at full speed before slowing down her velocity by full, stopping next to Da Vinci and Mash. "Right here and reporting for duty!"

Peko entered the room afterwards, exhausted and tired from running. "I-I'm...also...present and...reporting."

"Hehe. It's great to see you two, Nala, Peko." Mash greeted his two companions.

"Same for you Mash." Nala replied. "Ready to do another one?"

"Always." Mash replied, moving her hands up, causing the seashell bracelet to slip a bit down the arm, causing Nala to react immediatly.

"Eh?! It's falling already?!" The younger girl exclaimed, jumping torwards Mash's arm and grabbing her bracelet, much to Mash's confusion.

"W-What are you doing Nala?"

"Wait a bit." Nala told Mash, telling her to stay quiet as she gave a new knot on the bracelet around Mash's wrist. "There! With a new knot, it surely won't fall off that easily now."

"Thanks." Mash told her friend, checking on the bracelet. Nala had made a good knot. "I should have paid more attention to it. I can't imagine how sad you would feel for seeing me without it."

Nala giggled. "As long as it isn't broken or lost, we can always put it back on Mash." She winked.

"That's true. But I'll make sure to never lose such beautiful gift." Mash replied to her.

"How are you Fou?" Peko speaked to the animal on Mash's shoulder. "Ready for another Singularity?" He asked, patting Fou.

"Fou! Fou!"

"I'd consider that a 'yes'." Mash said.

"Good to see that you two are here." Da Vinci talked to the twins. "Now if the rest could also show up..."

"I'm here!" Ritsuka exclaimed, entering the Command Room.

"Hello sen-h-hum! I mean, master!" Mash stumbled a bit on her words, but still manage to greet Ritsuka.

"Hello Mash! First time I'm seeing you today." Ritsuka told her.

"Yeah. I spent the majority of the morning with Doctor Romani." Mash responded.

"And speaking of that tardy guy, where is he?" Da Vinci asked, crossing her arms.

"He said he would clean some stuff before going to meet with us here." Ritsuka told the inventor.

"Hmmmm, well, seeing that you are all here, I do not see why we shouldn't start with our brief resume of the next Singularity." Da Vinci said, not willing to wait for Romani's arrival. "Oh, by the way, did you liked the repairs I did on your Mystic Code Fujimaru?" Da Vinci asked with a cheeky smile.

"I enjoy it pretty much." Ritsuka said, gazing at his own Chaldea master uniform he was dressing. "It does feel less dense and more comfortable to wear. Thanks for it Da Vinci!"

"The pleasure is all mine. After the damages it took in your fight against Solomon, I saw it as a chance to make some improvements." Da Vinci replied.

"Hey! And what about us?" Nala speaked torwards Da Vinci. "I think it has past more than enough time for me to be recognized as a legitimate Chaldea member and get my own Mystic Code uniform like Ritsuka!" She protested.

"I wouldn't say you aren't wrong. You actually got a point there." Peko added. "We are part of the team and by now everyone here in Chaldea is familiarized with us. So I think we can have the right of getting a Chaldea Mystic Code uniform too."

"Hmmm, that does sound reasonable." Da Vinci said, putting a thumb on her chin.

"Then where are they?" Peko asked the italian genius.

Da Vinci smiled dumbly, knocking her own head. "We haven't actually consider that until now. Sorry."

Both Peko and Nala reacted with souless stares.

"Is this supposed to be a joke?"

"I hate jokes like that one."

Mash meanwhile tried to cheer them up. "There, there. I believe that next time, Da Vinci-san will work into a Mystic Code for both of you."

"Yep! And it will probably be nice ones too, coming from such expert and crafted hands such as Da Vinci's." Ritsuka told.

"Ben detto Fujimaru." Da Vinci replied back to Ritsuka's statement. "However, let's focus on what's important, shall we?" Da Vinci cleared her throat. "Your next Singularity shall be on North America. In the United States to be more exact."

"United States?! We're going there?" Mash said in astonishment.

"And here I thought visiting that country would only continue to be a dream of mine!" Ritsuka said in joy. "Now where exactly are we going to in the United States?"

"I heard about that country before. Is it that big?" Peko asked.

"Bigger than any place we've been to previously." Mash replied. "There is only few country that the landmass is the same or surpass that of the United States. So it's one of the biggest countries on Earth."

"That sounds quite impressive." Nala noted. "And now that I remember it, isn't those rings of light the same size as the country?"

"Yes they are. A trip from the west to east of the United States is equivalent to the entire diameter of those light rings you see in the sky." Da Vinci confirmed it.

"Which we now know they are actually Solomon's Noble Phantasm and doomday devices for his plan." Peko speaked, with Chaldea having recently acquired information about the true nature of those rings of light as Ars Almadel Solomonis, Solomon's magic and power to erase the world.

"High spiritons of mana all concentrated and with enough strong mana value to eradicate everything on this planet..." Da Vinci closed her eyes for a moment. "That's the type of might we are facing here. Our biggest enemy, the Grand Caster himself. Who knows what other type of spells he's able to pull of?"

"What if he was the one to summon that Leviathan back when we where at sea?" Peko pondered, remembering back to what happened at the end of the third Singularity.

"While it isn't very unrealistic to think so, we still have to reach to a proper conclusion about it. Analyse if the Leviathan's readings match up with those of Solomon magecraft. Until then, the sea serpent could have been summoned itself or by someone else."

"But the Seventy-Two Demon Gods are clearly hus fabrication right?" Ritsuka asked to Da Vinci.

"You can put it down to sixty-nine. We defeated three of them already!" Nala replied to him.

"That's true. Even if there's still many left, we won't have to worry about some Demon Gods already." Mash said.

"Which means if we defeat all the reamining pillars, Solomon won't have anyone to protect him!" Peko added.

"Wrong." The voice of Romani came from the entrance, with the doctor entring the room while disporving Peko's affirmation. "It isn't as simple as that. The link between Solomon and the Demon God Pillars is more unbreakable than you think. All seventy-two of them are but a single ritual spell, having many bodies but acting as one identity under the Mage King's orders." He stopped walking, standing in front of them. "As long as Solomon exists or one of them still lives, the Demon Gods will always get back up. It's useless to kill them one by one."

"Not even an 'hello' first?" Da Vinci replied, crossing her arms. "And I thought you had manners Roman."

"Sorry Leonardo. I just wanted to make a clarification." Romani said, abashed. "But hello and good day to you."

"Eh, that's more like it. Good day to you too." Da Vinci smiled.

"You took some time reaching here doc." Ritsuka told him. "Didn't expected you to stay on the storage room for that long."

"And cleaning a single storage room doesn't take that much time. Why the delay?" Mash asked to Romani.

"When you have two kids who touch and inspect every single thing on it, cleaning a room gets a lot harder." Romani justified.

"Are you throwing the blame on us?!" Nala exclaimed, affronted.

"Yes I am." Romani responded, being brutally sincere.

"That ain't fair! You just can't do that!" Nala yelled, angrily pouting while punching repeatedly Romani on the chest, with the doctor just shrugging it off.

"To be real, you did leave some things out of place back there." Peko said, giving some credibility to what Romani said.

"Are you ganging up on me or what?!" Nala protested to her brother this time.

"I think its just next time you have to learn to put things on their original place." Ritsuka said, headpatting Nala while the girl sulked.

"Sure,sure..."

"So the doctor is saying that the Seventy-Two Demon Gods will always stay the same unless we kill them all at the same tim or Solomon?" Mash questioned.

"Yep! Unfortunately." Romani responded.

"Meaning that as of now, we don't have a way to directly strike Solomon." Peko theorized.

"But let's leave that aside, shall we?" Romani told them. "Let's talk about your next Sin-"

"Excuse yourself from wasting your breath. I already told them about it." Da Vinci interrupted Romani.

"Oh...that was mean of you." Romani replied. "So yeah, United States. Big land and important nation as of our current time. And while being young when compared to more older countries, its existence is still important to human history, even if in magecraft terms the United States also aren't that developed as other nations."

"But it's quite true that a world without the United States would be very different from the one of today." Ritsuka said. "It's almost hard to imagine one for start."

"They've been central to many events of the world in recent history. Taking a nation like that out would impact humanity greatly." Mash added.

"Then we better make sure it doesn't collapse." Peko speaked.

"United States hum? The place where they produce all those movies we see at night?" Nala asked.

"That and hamburgers as well." Ritsuka repiled.

"Oh! I see..." Nala said with a serious face. "A nation like that is worth protecting."

"Okay now! Are all of you guys ready?" Romani asked, closing his hands together. "No last minute bathroom visits or doubts and questions?"

"No sir!" Ritsuka replied.

"Ready to go!" Peko also responded.

"Prepared as always!" Nala told.

"Up and ready to go doctor!" Mash then stared at Fou. "What about you Fou?" Mash asked the animal.

"Fu fou!"

"Looks like we all are!" Ritsuka smile to his team. "Let's do this again guys!"

"Yes!"
"Yes!"
"Yes!"

The three replied back to their leader.

"Alright! That's our cue Leonardo!" Romani told to the servant. "All of you, good luck once again."

"Make sure to bring another grail back home everyone!" Da Vinci waved at them, wishing good luck as she and Romani walked out of the room and went to join the rest of the staff in the zone of operations. Meanwhile, Ritsuka and his group all stood up on the plataform.

"Iniciating operation Rayshift...

Starting in 3...2...1..."


"Rayshift successful and completed." Mash reported back to the base, staring around the place where they've dropped. "How quiet."

"This zone looks quite dead and desert." Peko speaked, observing the dryness and lack of vegetation from the area, the biome being majorily arid with rocks and dust, with some cactus and hay balls.

"Soooo, this is the United States? Seems boring to me." Nala commented.

"Nah, the United States are a big place." Ritsuka told her. "I'm sure there is other places more attrac-"

"AAAAAAAAAAHHHHHHHHHHH!"

Out of nowhere, the party was caught in fright by the burning body of a man screaming in agony, dying in front of them.

"FOU?!"

"Woah! W-What the he-" Before Ritsuka could process right what they've just seen, bullets and cannonballs begun to sound and fly around on the sky, with two full crowds appearing on both sides, yelling out war screams.

"Attack!"

The area was no longer quiet, being filled with noise and chaos from the large battle that had issued. And the chaldeans were caught in the conflict, oblivious and confused to what was happening, seeing forces from both sides killing each other.

"This is a total warzone now! How could this place be so quiet a few seconds ago?!" Peko tried to understand the event that was happening around them.

"They also appeard out of nowhere!" Nala added.

"I can't believe we just dropped into an active battlefield!" Mash exclaimed, pulling out her shield as she alongside Peko and Nala tried to make sure no bullet or cannonball would strike them.

"Talk about bad luck" Ritsuka replied. "We're easy targets here!" The master of humanity tried to keep compusure and analyse the situation. "We are open to any attack here! We'll have to get out of here!" He then turned around to his team. "Everyone, we need to-"

"Ah! Get out of there Ritsuka!" Peko yelled in panic, seeing a cannonball about to fall straight near Ritsuka's feet, with them being too late to notice and react on time.

"Huh?!" Ritsuka only had a moment to slightly turn around before hearing the explosion near him as his vision was occupied by fire and smoke and his body thrown away, getting in the hit area of the cannonball. And then, the last master of humanity's vision went black.

"RITSUKA!"
"RITSUKA!"
"SENPAI!"

To be continued...


And that was it for chapter 71!

What a way to start the Singularity! In a middle of an active warzone and Ritsuka getting a near death experience. (Unless he actually did died there and the Ritsuka we see from that point onwards is just an homonculus clone. Maybe that's the big plot twist of the entire game.) Also, I wonder what was the reaction of Romani and Da Vinci for having dropped the last master and only hope of humanity's survival near a battlefield in the game. Like, did no one noticed it when putting the coordinates of the Rayshift? Not even the staff? Like, it would have been quite the blow to lose your organization's only available master because of a cannonball.

Can you imagine being the regular ass dude that accidentally killed Ritsuka Fujimaru by firing a canon during a battle? How much you unknowingly fucked up not only for yourself and family but the entirety of your species as well? Or better yet, imagine that you are Goetia, and you're on the temple making an elaborate scheme to kill Ritsuka, the most crucial player of the biggest obstacle that is opposing you and your goals. And then you learn, that he died somehow, not to a monster or magical creature, not to a servant, not even to a mage, but to a random average human named John Johnson that killed him by mistake with a cannonball! I'd honestly congratulate the guy if I was Goetia.

With that aside, more interaction with members of the Chaldea staff (With this one being directly inspired by the FGO manga) and the continuation of Peko's dreams. Also, Romani knows something that the others dont because he is the number one when it comes to keeping secrets.

But anyways, that's all I wanted to say and see you next time on chapter 72! Peace!

P.S:

Nightingale (Looking to Peko's injured arm while in the infirmary): So, can any of you two explain me how this happened?

Taigong Wang: Hum...Well...Hehe, it's a fun story. Isn't it Fujimaru?

Ritsuka: Yeeeeeah. It went kinda like this

(flashback)

Peko: Wooow. These New Year fireworks are amazing.

Taigong Wang: I know right? China's best gift to the world.

Peko: I wish I could light one.

Ritsuka: Sorry about that. All of them have been used already.

Taigong Wang: Hmmmmm, I know! Peko, why don't you use your arm?

Peko: What?

Taigong Wang: The bullets you fire from your fingers. They act like a firework, don't they?

Peko: Kinda. But it isn't the same thing.

Taingong Wang: Don't be a downer about it! I'm sure if you use your abilities to their fullest you can make the bullets look like actual fireworks!

Peko: Really?

Taigong Wong: One hundred percent. Go ahead and give it a try now! Think about the possibilities when you master it! You will be able to change colors! Make bigger explosions! Create different shapes! All the types of firework arts at your disposition just in the tip of your fingers!

Peko (In awe): That's...I'll give it a try right now!

Ritsuka: Don't you think this can end badly?

Taigong Wang: If it could, I wouldn't motivate him. Relax master. It's all under control.

Peko (Charging up his arm): Hmmm

Taigong Wang: More.

Peko: Hmmmmmmmmm

Taigong Wang: More!

Peko: Hmmmmmmmmmmm!

Taigong Wang: Charge more!

Peko: HMMMMMMMMMMMMMMMMMMMMMMM!

Taigong Wang: GO FOR IT! SURPASS YOUR LIMITS!

PEKO: HMMMMMNGRHGRAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAHH- Explodes

Ritsuka:...

Taigong Wang:...Oh,well. Fuck.