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Wizardwolf 1020- Jiro and Richard being a team has its roots in my earliest ideas for fusing Fate and My Hero Academia, way before the idea to write Mysterious Night even came about. At that time, I paired them pretty much on a whim. However when it came to Mysterious Night, which I knew I wanted to include Richard in, I bounced around a few characters (including Izuku) before settling back on Jiro. I found that there were interesting synergies and plot developments I could create between them that I just didn't envision with other characters.
Thank you to everyone who Favorited, Followed, or Reviewed. Enjoy the chapter!
Disclaimer: I do not own My Hero Academia or any Fate works, and they are the properties of their respective creators.
Summoner's Banquet V: Servile Momentum
Midoriya Residence, Mustafu
Day 5, Morning
Oda Nobunaga, the Second True Archer of the Holy Grail War, found herself in a vast white void.
'The Dream Cycle, huh?'
After walking through the thick fog for a short while, Nobunaga came across the first memory. As the mist dissipated, she found herself in some sort of children's garden—a playground, if she remembered correctly.
The playground was mostly empty, with only five young boys present. They were divided into two groups. One group included a younger version of her Master, as well as a brown-haired boy crying from a minor injury. The other three were the aggressors who had injured the boy.
Two of them, a bald boy with red bat wings and a boy with elongated fingers, were clearly lackeys. The true antagonist was the boy with sandy blonde hair and red eyes.
"Enough, Kacchan!", her Master cried, "Y-you already made him cry… stop it! I won't let you hurt him anymore!"
While his words were willful, his act was far from convincing. Her Master was quite literally shaking in his shoes.
The sandy-haired boy and his lackeys weren't fooled. Slamming his fist into his palm and making a small explosion, the dream version of Katsuki Bakugo laughed at the pathetic sight.
"So Deku, the Quirkless wonder, thinks he can play Hero again, huh? I'll beat you up, just like when you tried playing Hero with that weak-ass girl!"
As Nobunaga watched, the younger Bakugo leapt at Midoriya, slamming his still-smoldering fist into the boy's face.
As the four-year-old version of her Master was beaten to a pulp, the fog of memory rapidly thickened. Again, Nobunaga was left in a white void.
As time passed, the memories continued. One by one, Nobunaga was shown scenes from her Master's life.
She wasn't impressed.
Her Master certainly lost in the genetic lottery, that much was a fact. But that did not change the fact that despite his dreams of being a Pro Hero, Izuku Midoriya never did anything to ensure those dreams.
If Nobunaga had a type of person she disliked, it was those who did not believe in themselves. From what the Dream Cycle was showing her, her Master was one of those people.
'I mean seriously— he never did the slightest bit of training. Is it any wonder the shrub's dream had no future?'
Even when that sandy-haired boy, Kacchan, told him to throw himself off the roof, her Master did nothing to speak up for himself.
As the fog cleared away once more, Nobunaga found herself on a rooftop. In this memory, her Master was speaking to a buff blonde man.
Speaking with desperation, Izuku pleaded to his idol, "Even without a Quirk… can I still be a Hero?"
Nobunaga's assessment of her Master had again been confirmed, 'To rely on others for affirmation, and to not trust in his own wishes… pitiful.'
Her Master continued begging, even as the No.1 Hero looked oddly nervous. The sight of steam coming off the man was too attention-grabbing to ignore.
'What sort of human steams like a hot spring?'
Even Archer was caught off guard by what happened next. The muscular man deflated, becoming a veritable skeleton.
For a second, Nobunaga shared the same thought her Master had.
'What the—?!'
"WHAAAAT?!"
As the conversation progressed, her Master talked to the skeletal man about the man's injury. Nobunaga only half-listened, catching snippets about the man's respiratory system and some guy called Toxic Chainsaw.
But the man's words suddenly turned serious, recapturing Nobunaga's attention. Seems he was finally answering her Master's question.
"A Pro should always be ready to risk his life. Without power, can one become a Hero? No, I think not."
Her Master's face was one of despair, and it didn't improve as the skeletal man gave empty platitudes about being a police officer.
The man left with a final parting shot, "It's not wrong to dream, kid. However… you need to be realistic."
Instead of refuting the man or standing up for his dream, Izuku Midoriya simply stood in shock.
The white fog thickened yet again, and Nobunaga felt her time in the dreaming world ending.
Moments later, she woke up in the guest bedroom of the Midoriya home. It was a quaint room once used by Izuku's father as a home office— at least until the divorce.
'The Dream Cycle… if it's trying to show me why I was summoned as the shrub's Servant, it didn't do a good job. If its goal was to make me regret my summons though, it did so remarkably.'
In Nobunaga's current opinion, her Master was a liability. He was weak and spineless, and her increased awareness of his lack of mettle irritated her.
'Why the hell did the Grail think we would be compatible? If there's one thing I've learned from this… it's that Izuku Midoriya isn't worthy to be my Master.'
Glaring at the wall she shared with Izuku's bedroom, Archer clenched her fist, 'I'll give you one last chance, shrub. I'll shadow you at that school of yours. If I don't like the life you have to show me… then I might have to take drastic measures.'
Gujo, Gifu Prefecture
Day 5, Morning
At the headwaters of the Nagara River lay the humble city of Gujo. The residents made good use of the river, carefully maintaining the waterways they had used since the 17th century.
But the Phantom of the Opera wasn't here to marvel at the city and its infrastructure. He had a far different mission— tracking down the vampire, Jester Karture.
Normally, he would have no chance of locating the Dead Apostle. He was better than some Servants at sensing presences, but his skill was nothing remarkable. However, his Master had some remarkable abilities. While he was unsure of the limits of their powers, his Master seemed able to imbue and manipulate Quirk Factor. Although it was only going to last for a day or so, the Phantom of the Opera had been granted a Quirk that was able to perceive concentrations of death. Even though there were countless murders in Japan every day, Erik had been able to find a trail that only a Dead Apostle could leave.
"I doubt he'll be in the form described in the HPSC's report… but you never know."
Following the trail of death energy, the Phantom of the Opera continued his pursuit. As he tracked his quarry, the Assassin quickly realized his presence had been detected. Jester had ceased moving on the roof of a small two-story building.
'Well then, time to put my talking skills to work. It's time for a dialogue.'
Leaping on the building, Assassin greeted his target.
"Greetings, Master of Avenger. I am False Assassin."
The Dead Apostle raised an eyebrow, "An Assassin revealing themselves to an enemy Master? A bold move, Ghost Liner."
Although he was suspicious, Jester wasn't worried about an impending clash. His vampiric instincts weren't sensing any hostility from the well-dressed Servant.
'This Assassin… they certainly aren't one of the Hassan.'
But something else was drawing Jester's interest— the aura of this Assassin. Jester had sensed something off with the presence following him. It was the same creeping, alien aura he got from Francesca Prelati's Quirk. Looking at Assassin's parameters, he was surprised to find a skill he couldn't read. It wasn't like Berserker, where the profile had been obscured. This was an alien ability, something foreign to Assassin's Saint Graph.
As Assassin bowed with a smile, Jester thought to himself, 'I've heard tales of Masters in Grail Wars bolstering their Servant's Saint Graphs… but this is something more like the forcing of Mad Enhancement. An ability that latches and twists a Servant's Saint Graph. What sort of Master do you have, False Assassin?'
Speaking slowly, Jester interrogated the odd Servant, "However, I can tell you aren't here to battle me. So, why are you here, False Assassin?"
The Phantom of the Opera laughed, "Perceptive, as I expected. I won't waste your time. Jester Karture… I propose an alliance between my Master and yourself."
If Jester was shocked by this statement, he hid it well. As Avenger's sand churned around him, the Dead Apostle observed False Assassin.
"An alliance? Well then… make your case, Servant of Murder."
Assassin's smile widened, and he bowed again, "Of course. I think you'll be quite pleased by my Master's terms."
Yokohama, Kanagawa Prefecture
Day 5, Morning
"Man… what a wild past few days. I'm glad I scattered familiars all over."
As she lay around her backup atelier, Francesca Prelati stifled a yawn. She had stayed up all night watching her familiars, and the exhaustion was getting to her.
'That's another downside of this rushed reincarnation… I never got the chance to install any supplemental organs in my bodies here.'
Normally, Prelati implanted specialized "secret" organs inside her host bodies, allowing her to ignore mundane bodily necessities like sleeping or eating. But the creation of those organs required specialized Mystic Codes, all of which had been destroyed by Jester's attack on her penthouse.
It was a jarring transition for Francesca, who had long since gotten used to not needing to care for her body's condition.
Not being one to dwell on negative things, Francesca did her best to shift her focus onto the Grail War. Although her familiars hadn't found everyone, numerous Servants certainly weren't afraid to make themselves seen.
"Man, there really was no gray area! Either the Servants stayed close to their Masters, or they went bounding across the city like acrobats!~"
On the third day, her focus had been on Gilgamesh and Enkidu, who had fought over the seas east of Mie Prefecture. Foreigner had interfered in that particular clash, stopping the battle before it got too extreme. But it seems Foreigner's worries weren't over yet, as the Outer God immediately departed elsewhere, investigating some unknown disturbance.
The next sightings had occurred yesterday afternoon, when Francesca caught sight of two of the seven False Servants. The first had been False Assassin, who momentarily fell into her sights. But befitting his class, the Phantom of the Opera escaped her view soon after. Where he was going and why remained a mystery. The other was False Lancer, who had flown at high speeds somewhere in the mountains. Lancer's sheer wind force had disrupted Francesca's connection, and Prelati never learned for sure where the dragon was headed. Although given the reports of an obliterated mountainside, she had a pretty good guess.
The next sighting hadn't happened till that evening, with two more Servants being caught by Francesca's observations. The two had also been carrying their Masters, although Francesca hadn't bothered to investigate who they were.
The first was probably a Saber, although there was a chance he might have been a Rider. He was a blonde-haired man dressed in white knight's armor. He seemed to have an incredible degree of agility, from how fast he moved through Shizuoka Prefecture. In his arms had been his Master, a purple-haired girl with earphone jacks extending from her earlobes.
'Even after months of being here, Quirks still surprise me. That girl was pretty cute… I hope she puts on a good show.'
The Servant, however, remained Francesca's main focus.
'To be honest, he reminds me of Arty. Maybe he's a Knight of the Round? Heck, he might even be Kay!'
Then there was the other Master-Servant pair. The green-haired boy and his summons, the black-haired woman. Francesca's knowledge of history was impressive, but she still couldn't recall anyone matching that Servant's description. There were several explanations; one was that human perception or the Servant's own desires had warped their original gender. The other, and more plausible idea, was that this was another Artoria situation. A figure who history perceived as male, but was, in fact, female.
'I have no clue what class they might be. Saber and Rider feel like plausible guesses, but heck, they could be an extra class. They do have an Avenger-ish feel to them.'
"Hmph, I don't like being in the dark! If only Foreigner were here! I bet they'd give me all the juicy info!"
Francesca's complaint was well-timed.
|::| PRELATI. HEAR ME.
"Oh, speak of the eldritch horror! Got some intel for me, Olky?~"
Foreigner, seemingly unperturbed by the nickname, continued.
|::| I hast uncovered a great disturbance. One not even I hast the ability to correct.
Francesca raised an eyebrow, "Whadda mean?"
|::| The threads of True Archer and True Lancer have incurred the wrath of a goddess's echo. The True Rider of thine war has been taken, acquired by the fragmentary reverberation of a divinity.
Francesca paused, her voice cold and serious, "A goddess's echo… so Gilgamesh and Enkidu inadvertently called Ishtar into this world? How unpleasant. She must have cursed the planet itself to achieve that."
|::| Indeed. I didst intend to expel her, to ensure the smooth continuation of thine ritual. However, the goddess ist crafty. She hast entangled her Saint Graph and Authority with a human of mine world. She ist no longer removable by mine powers.
"Another one of Yog-Sothoth's shackles… that living universe sure doesn't like you, huh?"
|::| I didst defy the One-In-All's decrees… mine fate is as unfortunate as it ist expected. But no matter. The overarching problem remains. The Echo of Ishtar has rooted itself into thine War.
"Hmm, yeah that's certainly gonna be trouble. The gods love to make a mess, but maybe we have nothing to worry about with all the crazies in this war."
|::| Unlikely. Naught but existences such as the Second Velber couldst contain the gods of thine world. Even as an echo, the goddess's wrath shalt be most terrible.
"That's true… with both Gilgamesh and Enkidu here, she's not going to stay silent for long, if at all. And yet…"
Prelati bit her lip, "There's not much we can do. My Magecraft won't work on the likes of a goddess, even if it's just an echo of one. Hah… I guess we'll just have to put faith in the summoned Servants. Maybe they'll be able to bring her down…"
Francesca sighed, "Man… it's just one thing after another with this War, isn't it?"
Ota Ward, Tokyo
Day 5, Morning
In her life, Toru Hagakure had experienced some pretty crazy dreams. But this was different from any dream she had experienced before. It felt like a memory— just not her own.
She found herself on the floor of a forest of ash trees, staring up at a veritable sea of stars. As Hagakure picked herself up, she noticed something strange about the forest.
'Everything's… gray.'
In contrast to the wondrous purples and blues of the night sky, Hagakure's surroundings were devoid of color. Everything, from the leaves to the flowers, was grayscale. The only source of color were strange purple will-o-wisps, some of which looked vaguely like people.
As she looked around, her eyes fell on a small pool of water, gray as everything else. To her surprise, when she looked into the water, she saw a face staring back.
"Is that… me?"
The reflection had messy chartreuse hair with pink speckles. Her teal and yellow eyes were doe-like, framed by a pair of bushy eyelashes.
For a second, Toru didn't believe what she saw. Maybe this was just her brain projecting her memories of her mom. Yet, the girl in the reflection was dressed in the same ProtoCure Pajamas she had worn to bed.
'Am I lucid dreaming? No, not even that makes sense.'
Deciding there wasn't anything she could do, Hagakure kept moving. Following the overgrown footpath leading through the forest, she soon found herself at the edge of the woods. Beyond the last few trees stretched a colorless plain dotted with black rocks. But dominating the landscape, set upon a colossal black boulder, was a castle. Funnily enough, it reminded Hagakure of the evil lairs she'd seen in childhood cartoons. It was mostly as colorless as the landscape, made of light gray stones, but Hagakure could see warm light coming from the windows.
The castle was such a marvelous sight that Hagakure almost missed the battle going on in front of her. However, the sounds of striking spears and battle cries managed to draw her attention.
There were three fighters in the plains below. The first, the lone female fighter, was someone Toru immediately recognized. It was Lancer.
Scáthach looked very similar to how she looked when Toru had summoned her. Her attire primarily consisted of a semi-translucent dark purple bodysuit, although the sides of her torso and her private areas were covered by black cloth. Like Toru's version of Scáthach, the warrior woman in the memory wore pauldrons on her shoulders, although these were gold instead of platinum-gray. She also wore a black veil over her head, adding to her overall regal feel.
But most striking was her weapon. Scáthach had not yet deigned to show Toru her weapon, so this was the first time she had seen it. It was a red spear, its shaft covered in pulsing, vein-like structures.
Moving with incredible speed, Lancer danced across the battlefield, batting her two opponents back like flies. Curious, Toru headed down to the plain.
As she got closer to the battle, Toru's focus was drawn to Scáthach's opponents. The pair were both young boys, likely no older than twelve. The first had blue hair and red eyes and reminded her of the videos she'd seen of the Rabbit Hero, Mirko. The second, more serious-looking one, had auburn hair and lime-green eyes. Both boys had their hair braided back into ponytails and wielded wooden spears.
They were also arguing with each other.
The auburn-haired boy yelled in frustration at the blue-haired boy, "Dammit, Cú! I told you, we need to coordinate if we're gonna land a hit!"
The blue-haired boy, Cú, stuck out his tongue, "Aw shut it, Ferdiad! I'm gonna bring down the old hag, and I'll do it all… by… myself…?"
As Cú stiffened from the feeling of hostility behind him, his voice became a whisper, "Teacher's behind me, isn't she?"
Scáthach, her eyebrow twitching, spoke with a tone cold enough to freeze Balor's Pits of Starfire, "So… I'm an old hag, am I, Sétanta?"
Cú trembled, "Teacher, I—"
The blue-haired boy didn't get another word in before Scáthach kicked him into a nearby rock. Ferdiad, doing his best to stand firm, was drawn into another bout with his teacher.
Smiling at the boy's form, Scáthach praised her more controllable student, "Good, Ferdiad. I see your control is improving. However…"
Scáthach spun her spear, causing Ferdiad's own to get knocked from his hand. In an instant, she pounced, pushing the boy into the ground, her spearhead poised to slice his throat.
"... a spearman must always have a firm grip. Treat the spear as an extension of your body."
Ferdiad, although saddened by his defeat, spoke confidently, "Yes, teacher!"
Scáthach nodded, "Now, stay there. I'm going to discipline your battle-brother."
Ferdiad and Toru watched as Scáthach walked over to Cú, who was pushing himself up.
"Sétanta. I'm disappointed."
Growling, the blue-haired boy wanted to yell, but held it in.
Scáthach picked Cú up by his shirt and threw him against the ground.
"When you first came to me, you were a swift learner. But today, I'm not seeing that boy I welcomed into my lands. Out with it. What nonsense did my sister spin for you?"
The boy flinched, "I don't know what you're talking about."
Scáthach glared at him, and muttered in frustration, "Very well. We'll do this the hard way."
Around the spearwoman's wrist, purple runes began to rotate in a circular pattern.
"Naudiz Thurs Ēar."
The moment Scáthach spoke, purplish vines sprouted from the ground of the Land of Shadows. Cú Chulainn was hoisted into the air, his neck caught in a purple noose.
"I'm not training a liar. Either speak… or choke."
After struggling for a few seconds, the boy gave in, "Alright, fine! I talked to Miss Aífe!"
Releasing the boy with a wave of her hand, Scáthach looked expectantly at her student, "So… that manipulative wench did get her claws on you. What did she say?"
Cú spoke with vitriol, "She said you weren't training us properly! That you just wanted to abuse us!"
Scáthach sighed, "That Aífe… do you know why I'm hard on you and Ferdiad, Cú?"
"..."
"It is because the path of the strong is not easy. You and Ferdiad both asked me to train you, and that is what I am doing. The life of a warrior is a life of hardship. As your teacher, I must ensure you are strong enough to overcome anything… perhaps even me."
Ferdiad, who had walked over, spoke hesitantly, "Surpass you, Teacher? You really think that?"
Scáthach dispelled her spear before patting both boys on the head, "Yes. I sense incredible potential in both of you— I would not have made you my students otherwise. I will not promise that you will become stronger than me… but I am certain I will be able to see you both as peers one day. Now, are you both ready to train more?"
The two boys shouted excitedly, "YES, TEACHER!"
Hagakure continued watching, mesmerized by the dance of spears in front of her. Distracted as she was, she was startled by the sound of a voice behind her.
"Ah, such a nostalgic scene."
Spinning around, Hagakure was met by the sight of her Servant.
"Lancer?! Isn't this… a dream?"
"It is. But through the power of runes, even infiltrating dreams is a simple matter. But that is to be expected of a goddess's Runecraft."
"A goddess?"
"The art of Oneironautics— dreamwalking— is ancient, even older than Runes themselves. In the northern lands, it was the Vanir goddess Niorun who was first to master dreamwalking, transcribing the runes that would become the basis for this spell. It even allowed her to escape Ragnarök, for a time. But with the tapestry of Norse mythology in tatters, Niorun became trapped within the dreams she walked, and she faded, leaving her techniques to be appropriated by alps and succubi."
Before Toru could comment, Scáthach waved her hand, "But that is neither here nor there. Let us focus on this memory."
After they observed the training, Scáthach turned again to Hagakure, "What are your thoughts on what you have seen, Toru?"
Toru took a moment to think, "I… you really cared about them, didn't you?"
Scáthach gave a thin smile, "Hmph… I would have never told them it so plainly… but I did. They were the only two warriors I ever truly trained. It is a shame neither was able to surpass me in the end."
"What happened to them?"
"The schemes of a cruel queen."
"Do you mean Aífe?"
Scáthach shook her head, "No. While my sister was certainly irritating, she was merely a pervert with a taste for little boys. Medb was far more troublesome."
"So… this Medb killed them both?"
Scáthach shook her head, "Not directly. She was far more cunning. By having her daughter seduce him, Medb forced Ferdiad into joining her invasion of Ulster. Cú, who was Ulster's lone defender, was forced to duel his battle-brother."
"That's terrible… but who won?"
"Neither, although Cú was the last to fall. Even Ferdiad's prized armor could do nothing against the spear I carved for Cú. But Medb's army soon overwhelmed him, and he died as well. An unfortunate end to both of my pupils."
"What happened to Medb?"
"She retreated from Ulster in the end, but had brought many heroes to ruin in the process. It was Furbaide, son of Eithne, who finally defeated her years later. Catching her unawares during a bath, he struck her with his sling and poisoned her with cheese."
Toru's voice was more than a bit incredulous, "Cheese…?"
"She went through a great deal to hide it, and I believe human history misremembers it, but Medb was greatly allergic to dairy. Even that small bit of cheese was enough to make her breathing falter. She died, drowned in the pond she bathed in. A fitting end to a scheming wench."
"She sounds terrible."
"Oh, how I wished to exit the Land of Shadows and impale her on my spear. For her to bring ruin to not one but both of my pupils… she truly is the one I revile most in this world."
The two stood in silence, as the vision slowly began to fade back into the mists of memory.
Without turning toward Scáthach, Toru whispered to her Servant, "Lancer… can you train me?"
The Queen of Dún Scáith looked quizzically towards her Master, "Oh? You saw how rough I am with my pupils. You want such training?"
Hagakure trembled, "Mr. Aizawa expelled me because I was weak… I don't want to be weak anymore. I want to be a Hero."
Scáthach's expression remained neutral. When she had been summoned, her Master's mental state had been tumultuous. She had used Forseti's runes to mitigate Toru's negativity and enhance her focus, but runes weren't miracles. The underlying problem was still there— her Master's sense of self-worth and confidence had been shattered.
'I told myself that if I was summoned, I would not associate too closely with my Master. I thought I would wave them off… but this girl has no teacher. Her only guide, this Aizawa, threw her aside. She may be a far cry from Ferdiad, Sétanta, or even little Connla, but she's not worthless. There is not much for me to sharpen in her, but I can do something. If nothing else, it should improve her chances of survival.'
Although it wasn't true precognition, Scáthach possessed a degree of foresight due to her skill, Wisdom of Dún Scáith. Even muddled by the alien influences of an Outer God, she could still predict the future to a limited degree.
'If I leave my Master be, her fate is surely one of death. I cannot see what befalls her exactly, but The Morrigan's shadow looms clearly. This cannot be allowed. Even if I cannot change her fate… I can try and grant her a warrior's death.'
With a cold smile, Scáthach turned to her Master, "Be ready when you wake, Master. Your training starts immediately."
Hagakure, slightly surprised by Scáthach's acceptance, nodded rapidly, "Yes!"
The mist of consciousness obscured them both, and Hagakure slowly opened her eyes. She was back in her bedroom as she watched a faint rune appear on her skin.
Instantly, she became aware that Scáthach would be waiting for her to train. Despite the daunting journey ahead, Hagakure grinned. This might be even better than U.A.'s training— if only her former classmates could see her now.
'This is it! This will be my starting line!'
Shie Hassaikai Compound, Hosu City
Day 5, Morning
Standing in the entrance hall of the Shie Haissaikai's Hosu Compound with Archer by his side, Ryumatsu Nagamasa regarded his former right-hand man with veiled contempt.
"Chisaki. You're lucky this incident was out of your control."
The crow-masked man stood his ground as he greeted the two imposing men, "Boss, Archer."
"Tell me the situation. I got Kurono's report, but I want to hear it from you."
"Yesterday morning, Shishigawara, the guy I assigned to meal duty, went to the location of Eri's room. He arrived to find the door gone, replaced with a strange wall that recedes into a staircase when approached. I investigated later with Kurono and Irinaka and had Irinaka try to scan it. He failed and fell unconscious for eleven hours. After he awoke, he reported the passage screamed at him, but he couldn't recall anything else."
"And you believe this to be the work of the Holy Grail War? I thought all the Servants had been summoned…"
A new voice interjected itself, "Ah, I believe I can shed some light on that."
Manifesting, Second Caster confidently strode up to the three men.
"Greetings, Master of False Archer. I am Kai's Servant, Second Caster."
Archer and Ryumatsu tensed as the elderly man spoke with surprise, "What!?"
The elderly yakuza whirled towards his underling, "Chisaki! You—"
Agrippina raised her hand, "Hold. Do not blame your underling. I have no doubt he intended to reveal my existence. Is that not right, Master?"
Although he hadn't planned to do that, Chisaki nodded, "Yes. That was my plan."
Ryumatsu calmed, "I… I apologize. I was rash. But, Ms. Caster, how do you exist? There should only have been seven Servants summoned, eight if we count that Avenger in Nagoya."
"It is quite simple. This whole ritual has been a farce from the moment you entered it. The conflict you know as the 'False Holy Grail War' was nothing but a primer for the True Holy Grail War. It is that conflict I have been summoned into. Albeit in the second of the two True Caster spots."
Heracles spoke softly, "You mean to say…?"
"Indeed, Archer. This War has become threefold. Three of each of the main classes, as well as whatever extras have seeped in."
Ryumatsu muttered quietly, "My god… and you believe my granddaughter was taken by one of these new Servants?"
"Yes. I analyzed the magical energy of the threshold Chisaki spoke of. Its energy is that of a Servant. I know not if that maze is the work of a Noble Phantasm or an innate power… but I believe your granddaughter summoned a Servant that wields the power of the Labyrinth."
Archer froze, "The… Labyrinth?"
"Yes, the Labyrinth of Crete is where Eri Nagamasa seems to have been spirited to. I believe it was still under construction during your Labors?"
Heracles was about to corroborate, when he stopped, "I… hold on. I never told you, or Chisaki, my identity. How do you know who I am, Caster?"
Caster chuckled, "Well, I was not certain… but that reaction of yours confirms it, Heracles. Or would you prefer I call you Alcides?"
"Call me Archer. Still, I must admit, before we continue on the Eri matter, I am suspicious of you, Caster. If you want me to trust you, I will need nothing less than your true name."
Agrippina paused, before replying, "Of course. My name is Agrippina of Rome. Agrippina the Elder to be more precise."
While this answer seemed to satisfy Ryumatsu and Archer, Chisaki knew better. After summoning Caster, he had spent time researching his Servant's identity. She was Agrippina, that much was true, but she wasn't the moral and well-respected Agrippina the Elder she claimed to be. She was one of Agrippina the Elder's daughters. A poisonous witch of a woman better known as Agrippina the Younger.
'She agreed to help me overthrow the Boss… but I still don't trust her. Even if she claims to be my "Servant", she may easily betray me for her own ends.'
As Chisaki mused, Ryumatsu continued his inquiry, "You believe my granddaughter has been taken by the Labyrinth?"
Agrippina put a hand to her chin, "Well, there are several possible Servants she may have summoned who have ties to the Labyrinth. Pasiphaë, Minos, Asterios, and Daedalus are all possibilities. Ariadne and Theseus theoretically as well, but they probably would not have the Labyrinth as a Noble Phantasm."
Archer interrupted, "Well, it's not Ariadne. Due to the events in Nagoya, she's been outed as the False Caster, and her Noble Phantasm was showcased."
"Oh, is that so? That is certainly interesting. But in regards to the Labyrinth's origin, I believe the most likely candidate is Asterios, the Minotaur. Of all them, he alone would be capable of a large-scale recreation of the Labyrinth."
Ryumatsu's brow furrowed, "The Minotaur… Heracles, do you think you could traverse the Labyrinth and rescue Eri?"
Heracles released a deep breath as he glanced towards Agrippina who nodded, "I likely could, however…"
Caster, who had come to the same conclusion as Archer, finished his sentence, "...is that truly the best option?"
Ryumatsu's voice rose, "What do you mean?! Archer, you would leave Eri alone in the Labyrinth? After promising to protect her with your life?"
Archer flinched, "Master… if you wish me to pursue Eri, I shall. But I have no way of navigating the Labyrinth. In addition, telepathy would most likely fail within its halls."
Caster nodded, "Indeed. The nature of a phantasmal structure means that the connection between Master and Servant— even the magic of Command Spells may not work as intended. Not to mention, sending Heracles into the Labyrinth will leave you defenseless, Master of Archer. A Master without a Servant is a prime target for many."
"So you just want me to stand around and do nothing?!"
"Well, if you are adamant we verify she is down there, Ryumatsu… I may have a way to help."
Ryumatsu said nothing, but his eyes urged Agrippina to continue.
"There is an Overseer to this war, yes? Kai was telling me about an individual called 'Francesca'. Perhaps we can seek her out. She may possess a way for us to locate Eri."
Ryumatsu ground his teeth in frustration before hardening his expression, "Three days."
Agrippina raised an eyebrow, "Hmmm?"
"I will allow you three days, Archer, Caster. If no hints have been found by then… I will order Archer to enter the maze."
Archer nodded, "Very well, Master."
Caster held back her urge to click her tongue. Three days… that wasn't much time. Her Noble Phantasm, especially if she wanted to use it on a target like Heracles, would need more than that.
'I'll have to make him extend the deadline. Perhaps I can use Kai's connections to sow chaos in his organization. Make it so Heracles cannot leave his side. Yes… that should work. Men are easily corruptible after all. After a couple of nights in their beds, they all become my puppets. Now that probably won't work for this sentimental old fool… but he has traits I can manipulate.'
Holding in a smile, Agrippina wanted to laugh.
'I won't settle for failure. I will complete my Noble Phantasm within that delectable Archer… and turn him into my greatest pawn.'
Horikoshi Apartments, Tokyo
Day 5, Morning
"Mhm~Mhmm~"
Humming a small tune, the Pro Heroine Uwabami enjoyed a nice warm shower.
She had an arduous day ahead of her, but at the very least, she had this one moment of bliss. Normally, her schedule was not so packed, but the upheaval in Nagoya had postponed dozens of commercial shoots and photo-ops. Her free time was all but gone for the next several days.
'I didn't get that much sleep last night… but a shower always washes the exhaustion away~'
After rinsing the last of the soap from her body, the Pro Heroine exited the shower. Wrapping herself in a teal bathrobe and bundling up her hair, she stepped out into the main room. Even though Saber should be out there, she didn't care about just being in a bathrobe. He didn't seem to care how she dressed, and her dreams had proven he only had eyes for his wife. But when she looked around the main room, she was surprised to see Saber was nowhere to be found. Normally, he'd be watching sports on the TV or meditating.
'Did he decide to meditate somewhere else…?'
Saber had been acting differently the last day or so. After returning from Nagoya, he seemed to have developed some sort of vendetta against Archer. But he refused to talk about it, and Uwabami wasn't going to waste a Command Spell forcing an answer out of him. At least not yet.
'Well, hopefully, he'll turn up soon. And if not, I'll force him to fix his behavior.
On the roof of Uwabami's apartment complex, False Saber looked down at the city streets in contemplation.
'Archer is Heracles. There's no doubt about it.'
In Nagoya, his frustration towards Avenger and Jester had been able to redirect his focus. But with that battle behind him, the knowledge of Archer's identity was filling him with rage. He wanted vengeance for his son.
However, he couldn't let that rage completely consume him. If he activated that Noble Phantasm, he'd just end up burning his life out.
'I might hurt Master in the process as well. Speaking of which, she's probably done with her shower… I should head back.'
Clenching his fist, Chrysaor made his decision.
"I'm sorry, Callirhoe. Try as I might, I can't sit idle with our son's killer in front of me. I need to find Archer— and bring him down."
U.A. High School, Mustafu
Day 5, Morning
Standing in front of his prized institution, Principal Nezu kept a sharp eye on the streets. By his side were two members of his faculty— Toshinori Yagi, aka All Might, and the masked cowboy-like Hero, Snipe.
Spotting movement, Nezu smiled as he saw the Midoriyas approaching, escorted by a disguised Midnight. A far cry from her Hero Outfit, the R-Rated Heroine was currently dressed in a large sweater that hid her voluptuous figure along with faded jeans, thin-frame glasses, and a newsboy cap.
Seeing Nezu waving, the trio picked up their pace, soon reaching U.A.'s gate. Getting a closer look at the three, Toshinori flinched. Nezu had already told him that a student named Izuku Midoriya had been embroiled in this "Holy Grail War". But he wasn't expecting it to be the boy from before the Sludge Villain Incident. He could see Izuku meet his eyes momentarily, but the boy quickly looked away.
The No.1 Hero winced, 'I… I was harsh on him. Hopefully, I can get the chance to apologize.'
As Midnight nodded to Inko Midoriya, the woman moved to greet Nezu. Bowing slightly, she spoke with a nervous tone, "P-Principal Nezu. Thank you for housing us."
Nezu bowed as well, silently observing that Archer was nowhere to be seen, "It's no trouble at all, Mrs. Midoriya. Let me offer my condolences for all the trouble you're going through."
"I-I see. Do you need anything from me? The Detective mentioned a meeting, I think?"
Nezu nodded, "Yes, while our last few guests aren't here yet, I intend to have a meeting with everyone wrapped up in this 'Grail War'. However, as the principal of U.A., it wouldn't do for me to have Mr. Midoriya and the others miss their school day— we'll hold the meeting this evening."
"A-Alright. Are we going to go see our new a-accommodations then?"
Nezu nodded, "Yes. Ms. Kayama and Mr. Yagi here will help you with your move into our temporary housing unit. I should let you know you'll be sharing the facility, however."
Inko and Izuku looked confused as Nezu continued.
"We constructed our temporary housing unit due to the circumstances of one of Class 1-A's students, Momo Yaoyorozu. You may have heard about the unfortunate attack on her family's estate. Until a more permanent arrangement is reached, she's been staying on campus."
"Ah, yes… I heard about that on the news. That poor girl…"
"Quite. Now, I am a busy man, so I unfortunately must be getting back to my office. Please, let my staff know if you need anything."
Turning to Snipe, Nezu nodded. As he had previously discussed with the man, the gun-toting hero would be on watch for Hansa Cervantes and the Shiozakis.
"All right, then. I welcome you to U.A., Mrs. Midoriya. I hope you settle in well."
Temporary Housing Unit, U.A. High School
Day 5, Morning
"Ah!"
Exclaiming in surprise, Momo Yaoyorozu sighed dejectedly as the familiar smell of smoke filled her senses. While U.A. provided her with the option to get breakfast delivered, Rider's suggestion of cooking her own meals intrigued her. But as a sheltered rich girl, she had no experience with cooking, and for the second morning in a row, she had ended up burning her omelet.
'I followed all the instructions in the cookbook… what am I doing wrong?'
The last few days were strange ones for Momo. After her partial panic attack on the day of the Nagoya Disaster, she spent much of the day speaking with Hound Dog. As for the day after the Disaster, classes had been canceled, so she had found herself with plenty of free time. She ended up spending much of it talking with Rider, hearing the Paladin's stories about exploring an alien tomb in the Alps, jousting with Argalia, and even traveling to the Moon. Momo's dreams hadn't been able to verify everything, so she remained a little skeptical about Rider's exploits, especially the last one.
Like he had the last few days, Rider was staying up in her room. Given that teachers came to check on her daily, it wasn't wise for him to be up and about in the main room. As she scraped her failed omelet into the trash can, Momo's thoughts were interrupted by the ding of the doorbell.
'That's odd, they are a bit earlier than normal– ah right, they said I was getting roommates.'
Heading to the door, Momo opened it and saw four people. She initially didn't recognize any of them, but upon closer inspection, she realized the black-haired woman was Ms. Midnight.
'She's dressed so differently… I didn't recognize her.'
Midnight waved with a smile, "Hello, Momo. We'll be coming in. Mr. Yagi and I are helping the Midoriyas move in here with you."
Walking forward, a plump green-haired woman shook Momo's hand, "Nice to meet you, Momo. I'm Inko Midoriya, and this is my son, Izuku."
Turning to Izuku, Momo bowed, and greeted her new roommate, "Hello. Nice to meet you both."
A somewhat red-faced Izuku sputtered a greeting back, "Ah–H-Hello. I'm Izuku Midoriya, nice to meet you."
Midnight chuckled, 'That Midoriya boy is so adorable, getting worked up by a little cleavage. No wonder he practically combusts in my classes~'
Nemuri continued her romantic train of thought, 'But then there's the budding romance Momo's having with the Ojiro boy. Ahh… I just love a wild teenage love triangle!'
Seeing Nemuri squirming in place, Toshinori coughed, "Ms. Kayama… we need to help the Midoriyas move in."
Kayama blinked, "Ah… apologies, Toshi~"
"Now then… Miss Yaoyorozu, would you be willing to lend Mr. Yagi here a hand? I don't know why Nezu assigned him for move-in, honestly. He's rather frail~"
Momo, a bit surprised, responded quickly, "Of course! But only if Midoriya is okay with it…"
Izuku nodded, "I-It's fine! I'd appreciate the help!"
Inko watched the scene, her motherly instincts having sensed what Midnight was trying to do. Turning and seeing the R-Rated Hero wink at her, Inko's feelings were mixed. Yaoyorozu seemed like a nice girl, but Kayama's efforts seemed too forward.
'Oh, Izuku… are you going to be growing up even faster?'
U.A. High School, Mustafu
Day 5, Morning
As he stood at the U.A. Gate, the Pro Hero Snipe was lost in thought. Yesterday, he received a report that shocked him.
Kaina Tsutsumi, aka Lady Nagant, had escaped from Tartarus.
Normally, he wouldn't be privy to such information. But since he and Kaina had worked together in the past, the HPSC hoped he might have input on her possible hideouts.
'They overestimate me. I don't have a clue where Kaina might go. Do they really think she'd share such things with me?'
"Ugh… I just hope I'm not asked to capture her. I don't stand a chance, even if she's light on gear."
"Mr. Snipe!"
Hearing the voice of Ibara Shiozaki, the sheriff-esque Hero refocused.
Coming down the road was the trio he was waiting for. The vine-haired member of Class 1-B, Ibara Shiozaki, her father, Piero Shiozaki, and the man Nezu had been particularly wanting to talk to.
'His name was… Hansa, I think? Sounds foreign. Looks foreign too.'
Snipe wasn't privy to all the details about the situation with the Shiozakis, Midoriyas, and Hansa. But as he looked at Hansa, he shivered. Having been a Pro Hero for two decades, Snipe had grown accustomed to gauging people's strength. If Piero, a civilian, was a stream, Hansa was a roaring river.
'This guy… he's strong. I feel he could even give All Might a solid fight.'
"Welcome to U.A., and er—welcome again, Ibara. I'll be leading your father and Mr. Cervantes to Nezu's office."
Piero nodded, "Is everyone here already?"
"Nezu wants the full meeting to be this evening after classes, but he wanted to speak to you ahead of time."
"What about my daughter? Will she be heading to her class? It's still rather early."
Snipe nodded, "Power Loader has agreed to chaperone. Head to your usual classroom, Shiozaki."
"Alright."
As Ibara walked off, Snipe turned to Piero and Hansa, "Well, shall we get going?"
Hansa smirked, "Go ahead. It's kinda cliche to say this, but take us to your leader, will you?"
League of Villains Hideout, Kamino
Day 5, Afternoon
As he and Tomura sat at one of the tables of the League of Villains's bar, Kurogiri looked cautiously at the man seated at the counter— the Servant Berserker.
He was an imposing man with blue hair and red eyes, although much of his hair was concealed by a hood. His body was mostly covered by a black and red bodysuit, although his chest was exposed, revealing red tattoos. Around his shoulder and ankles were masses of red coral-like matter. The shoes of his bodysuit were high-heeled, and both boots were decorated with black bone-like armor. Similar to Lancer, he possessed a large tail that was made of the same bony material as his armor.
Despite him being Tomura's Servant, Kurogiri couldn't help but be cautious. Francesca said the Berserker class was particularly volatile, and struck out at their Masters more often than not. This particular Berserker seemed on the saner end, but he seemed like even more of a battle junkie than Lancer.
'Well, at least that will benefit our attack on the U.S.J. Facility. Only a few minutes left till we go.'
As Tomura stood to pace for the fifth time, an oval of slimy black matter appeared in front of him. Berserker turned away from his drink, growling at the slime gateway.
Kurogiri stood up quickly, "It's alright, Berserker. It's an ally."
Moments later, the draconic False Lancer stepped into the bar, "Hello, Kurogiri. I'm back."
Turning to her right, Vritra's eyes appraised Second Berserker.
"And you… you're a new face. You seem like a Berserker. Might you be the worm's Servant?"
In response, Berserker growled challengingly.
Vritra chuckled, before seating herself on the couch in the corner. All For One's radio wasn't active, so Kurogiri supposed it was his role to debrief Lancer.
"Lancer, how did your battle with Gigantomachia go?"
Lancer inspected her nails as she spoke, "It went pretty well. Mukuro certainly had a wonderful treat waiting for me."
"I thought you would have ended later than this. Did something happen?"
Vritra sighed, "Yeah. A weird Servant showed up and ruined things. Not even I could hurt it."
Kurogiri stiffened, "You couldn't hurt it?"
"Nah, it just absorbed all of my attack's mana. But regardless, what's going on here? Are you all about to go do that 'U.S.J. Attack' thing?"
Her eyes were set on the large Nomu standing quietly in the room's opposite corner.
Kurogiri nodded, "Yes. Will you be joining us, Lancer?"
Lancer shook her head, "Nah. My Vajra's still recharging."
Kurogiri breathed a sigh of relief. All For One didn't want Lancer to join the attack. Although successfully killing All Might would be a huge boon, the Symbol of Evil merely saw this as a chance to expose Tomura to the real world and lure out enemy Servants. He didn't want to show the League's full hand just yet.
"Very well. Speaking of the attack, we should be heading out now, Tomura Shigaraki."
Shigaraki grinned, "About time. Nomu, Berserker— let's go."
Both Nomu and Berserker said nothing, falling in line behind the gray-haired man.
"Fire up the teleport, Kurogiri. It's time to start the surprise round."
SECOND BERSERKER: CÚ CHULAINN
Ancient Heart, Spiritual Tomb of Albion
Present Day
"Hah… hah… I think I made it."
Looking ahead, Shiro could see the crystalline tunnels opening up into a large open cavern. At the cavern's center was a massive sacrificial hearth, ringed by solidified dragon's blood. The floor was painted with depictions of numerous ancient beings, including a white-furred and antlered being Shiro didn't recognize.
Sensing he was safe, Shiro dispelled Kanshou and Byakuya. As his magic circuits cooled, he took a moment to better observe the space around him. Interestingly, as he looked around, he felt a strange compulsion to unleash the full force of his Reality Marble on the Bounded Field walls.
"It's quite an interesting set of spells, no? An enchantment to try and make intruders reveal themselves to the Association. Fortunately, it isn't effective as long as you have sufficient willpower."
Turning, Shiro saw a woman approaching him. She was pale-skinned and had silvery blonde hair that complemented her light blue eyes. She wore a black dress decorated with blue thread and bows and carried a large black iron staff. She reminded Shiro of that witch from that fantasy movie Flat had made him watch. But most intriguing was her familiar-looking face.
"Saber…?"
The woman shook her head with a smile.
"I am not my sister, Shiro Emiya. I am the Ruler of this errant Grail War, the one who chose you to be my Master."
Bowing, the woman finished introducing herself.
"My name is Morgan Le Fay. Shall we complete our contract, O' Master mine?"
RULER: MORGAN LE FAY
━◈━ ARC 3: SUMMONER'S BANQUET ━◈━
━[ END ]━
To be continued in Chapter 18: The Invaders Dialogue
Lunar Files: Master/Servant Teams of Fate: Mysterious Night
With the completion of this Arc, all 24 Servants partaking in Mysterious Night's Holy Grail War have been revealed. Since there's a lot to keep track of, here's a list of the pairs across the two halves of the Grail War.
- False Holy Grail War -
:: Foreigner: Francesca Prelati & Olkoth
:: Saber: Umi Yamane & Chrysaor
:: Lancer: Mukuro Shigaraki & Vritra
:: Archer: Ryumatsu Nagamasa & Heracles
:: Rider: Momo Yaoyorozu & Astolfo
:: Caster: Ibara Shiozaki & Ariadne
:: Assassin: ○○○○○○○○○ & Phantom of the Opera
:: Berserker: Meta Liberation Army & Lancelot
:: Avenger: Jester Karture & Apophis
- True Holy Grail War -
:: Ruler: Shiro Emiya & Morgan Le Fay
:: Saber I: Kyoka Jiro & Richard I
:: Saber II: Itsuka Kendo & Musashi Miyamoto
:: Lancer I: Sigma & Enkidu
:: Lancer II: Toru Hagakure & Scáthach
:: Archer I: Bazett Fraga McRemitz & Gilgamesh
:: Archer II: Izuku Midoriya & Oda Nobunaga
:: Rider I: Ishtar (No Master)
:: Rider II: Rin Tohsaka & Hippolyta
:: Caster I: Keigo Takami & Xuanzang Sanzang
:: Caster II: Kai Chisaki & Agrippina
:: Assassin I: Forest of Einnashe (No Master)
:: Assassin II: Kaina Tsutsumi & Hassan-i-Sabbah
:: Berserker I: Eri Nagamasa & The Labyrinth
:: Berserker II: Tomura Shigaraki & Cú Chulainn