Hello everyone and welcome back to the chapter 33 of the story! Spring is here and...idk, I don't like nor hate it to have a clear opinion about it.
Now with that said and done, let's start it!
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.
With their brief mourning for Seneca done, the Chaldea group and the four servants climbed the stairs. They couldn't let what just happened now ocuppy their minds for too long. What would occur next was very important to still be lamenting in s situation like this. Arriving at the top of the stairs, they all saw the entrance to the palace in front of them. It was no surprise to any of them that Nero was probably on the top of the palace and that her servants wouldn't let them reach her that close.
Running alongside everyone, Ritsuka was still thinking about the philosopher's words. "We will save Rome. I promise you that, Seneca!"
"The entrance is already over there!" Boudica told them. "Don't expect that she won't try to do anything to stop us!"
"Also, we need to look out for any of the enemy servants remaining!" Peko warned. "They still haven't appeard!"
"Then let's facilitate the things for all of you traitors." A voice responded to Peko.
"Huh? This voice is-" Mash was about to tell, before an enormous slash came torwards them, spliting the gorund below.
"Watch out!" Nala said, before being picked up by Ritsuka who alongside her evaded the attack by dodging to the left while everyone else dodged to the right.
Now the entrance area was split into two zone. Both still had access to the entry gates but a big and deep ditch was now separating Ritsuka and Nala from the rest. As the dust settled, Ritsuka checked on Nala who was still in his arms.
"Are you okay?" He asked to the girl who coughed slightly from the dust in the air.
"Y-Yeah. Thank you Ritsuka." She replied back to him.
"Master! Nala! Are you two okay?" Mash yelled on the other side.
"Yes we are Mash! How about you all?" Ritsuka answered and yelled back to her.
"We are all okay too!" Peko responded. "There! I can see you now!" Peko said, spotting both Ritsuka and Nala. In return, the two could also see all of them now. And the big ditch that was dividing them.
"Wow. This was quite the blow." Nala commented, looking at the deep bottomless of the ditch.
Ritsuka looked to the entry gates. "At least the two paths still lead to the gate." He said to Nala before looking again at everyone on the other side. "Just keep going! We will eventualy met each other at the gate!"
Peko nodded. "Understood! See yo-ha!" Peko gasped as he saw something behind Ritsuka.
"Senpai behind you!" Mash yelled at him in a warning.
Looking quickly behind, Ritsuka could only have time enough to see a knife going in his direction, ready to stab him in the middle of his eyes. Thankfuly, Nala was quicker and blocked the knife out of the way with her sword.
"Those tricks aren't having much efficiency now, Jing Ke!" The girl shouted to the assassin woman who appeard walking in front of the two, revealing herself.
"Hm, looks like I underestimated your time reaction to the attack. My mistake." Jing Ke said, taking other knife out of her cloth. "I was expecting to end your life quickly and painless. Tsk! You should feel blessed for me still having some sort of pity on you traitors!" She said agressively.
"Jing Ke..." Ritsuka really couldn't blame Jing Ke reception torwards them. She was a good person to talk with who treated them well. So to have just went away all of a sudden wihtout telling her anything, must have been quite triggering for the assassin woman. But still, Ritsuka knew what Nero was doing couldn't continue. "We had to do it! For the good of everyone and humanity! We had no other choice!"
"And the only option available was to side with your previous enemy?" Jing Ke said in dissapointment.
"Don't you see what Nero is doing? Are you okay with serving someone who is causing all this pain?" Nala responded to Jing Ke. "Open your goddamn eyes! Don't tell me you are okay to be part of a genocide!"
Jing Ke closed her eyes and stood silent for a bit. "...It's not like I have other choice."
"Huh?" Nala said in confusion.
"She's right." Ritsuka told the girl. "Whatever Nero does, you will follow her because you are her servant."
"Correct." Jing Ke responded, looking at Ritsuka. "That's why all of you need to be eliminated now."
"What a load of crap!" Nala shouted. "Then you are okay with this?!"
"I think if she could change sides she would Nala." Ritsuka told the girl. "However, there's nothing we can do to make that happen."
Hearing that, Nala slightly lowered her head. "So it has to be this way..." She said with a bit of sorrow.
"Hey." Ritsuka put an hand in her shoulder, calling Nala's attention. "Cheer up! Show her what you can do." He smiled to the girl.
Seeing Ritsuka's incentive, Nala smiled to him as well. "Understood!"
"Done talking?" Jing Ke asked to the two with a cold face. "Also, to the ones on the other side..." She stared at Mash, Peko and the servants. "Don't worry. You will also get to fight."
Upon saying that, Spartacus and Lu Bu appeard out of nowhere on the other side.
"All opressors need to be killed!" Spartacus yelled, raising his weapon in the sky, still wearing the same smile as always. Meanwhile, Lu Bu would continue to do berserkerish noises instead of properly speaking words.
Romulus stretched his arm to Mash, Peko and Boudica. "You three fight Spartacus! The rest of us will fight Lu Bu!" The founder of Rome said, teaming up with Cleopatra and Caesar.
"Good luck to all of you." Cleopatra told them. "Are you ready Julius?"
"To fight? Yes. To see my dear Cleo fatally wounded again? I think I wouldn't have a strong heart to watch a second time." Caesar responded to his partner.
"Aww Julius..." Cleopatra blushed a bit when hearing that.
Meanwhile, Boudica looked to Peko and Mash. "You know this servant longer than I do. Any tips to defeat him?"
"Hum, we just did some training. He is very strong, so I would recommend avoiding his attacks." Peko told Boudica. "Do you also remember the training session with him Mash?"
"Yes. He may attack much, but also leaves many open spaces to attack his body. But still be careful Boudica-san." Mash told the redhaired woman before staring at her shield. "I'll protect you with the shield and in turn the two of you attack Spartacus."
"Alright then!" Boudica said, now facing at the gladiator servant who was in front of them. Despite his height and muscles, it was still three against one. "Now it's time to bring him down!"
Spartacus laughed and smiled, unfazed by the enemies in front of him. "Opressors don't have a place in the empire!"
Jing Ke unsheated her long knife, putting in a ofensive posture while looking at Nala and Ritsuka in front of her. Has an assassin, her entire life was based on assassinating people. Of course she got famous for her one failed assassination attempt on the emperor that ultimately costed her life. But that was the emperor. It was expected to not have been easy. Now, to kill a teen and a kid? She thought that it wouldn't last too long until they were both dead. Even if Nala was quick, Jing Ke had a good read and reaction on the enemy's movements. "You should have runned and never had come back." She sighed. "Now look at what you will force me to do."
"We just won't let thic city suffer without doing nothing!" Nala responded, pointing her sword at Jing Ke. "Now if you really wanna fight us then bring it!"
"Stay focused Nala. Be careful with Jing Ke attacks." Ritsuka warned her, staying behind Nala.
"I will! Don't worry!" Nala exclaimed to him.
Without warning, Jing Ke threw one of her knives torwards Nala. "Then pay attention!"
Nala blocked it and proceeded to sprint torwards Jing Ke. "That was a dirty move!" The two clashed with each other.
"I am an assassin. Don't expect us to always be facing an enemy face to face!" Jing Ke responded, pushing Nala away and kicking her in the stomach.
"Grgh!" Nala hit the ground after receiving the kick.
"Nala!" Ritsuka yelled worried, about to run torwards her.
"I'm okay! I'm okay!" The girl said, rubbing her neck. "I was just caught-"
"Don't you know that a fight isn't a place to chitchat?" Jing Ke told the girl, already by her said with the knife in hand.
"!" Nala blocked it just in time, altough she took a step back involuntarily due only had a small time to stop the attack. "Damn she's fast!"
"Attention Nala! Always look at her!" Ritsuka shouted to her in the distance.
"I know!" Nala shouted back, trying her best to win an advantage over Jing Ke. The assassin woman however used her legs and tripped Nala, allowing her to slash the opponent in the right side of her chest. Nala's body slightly flinched to the pain. Unfortunately, she had to pay it no mind as Jing Ke continued to mercilessly attack the girl.
"What's happening? I tought you were better than this." Jing Ke said as her attacks got faster and Nala was having more trouble to block them and was starting to sweat. "I think I should tell you this to see if you wake up. Just because you are a kid..." Jing Ke slashed Nala in her left cheek. "...does not mean I will go easier on you."
Nala took some steps back, finally getting some room between the two and getting to breath heavily. "Crap! I got hit again!"
"N-Nala." Ritsuka was not liking what he was seeing. If it stayed like this, it would be a matter of time until Jing Ke finished Nala off. And the fact that he couldn't do nothing much but watch was infuriating. "Damnit! What kind of leader just stays around seeing his friend get beaten?! I have to do something! If I don't then-"
"Is this all you got?" Nala shouted to Jing Ke, trying to keep her posture. "You just got lucky. I won't falter a second time!"
"Then try hit me." Jing Ke moved her hand, making a gesture that invited Nala to even try scratching her.
"Ya!" Nala moved fastly torwards Jing Ke, swinging her sword torwards the woman's head. Jing Ke was able to dodge without much work. "Gotcha!" Nala said, suddenly moving her leg, ready to kick Jing Ke in the face. But to her surprise, the woman moved her head away from the kick. "W-What?!" And instead of hitting a blow on her enemy, Nala got another cut, this time in her leg. Jing Ke was too fast for the girl.
"Nice trick you tried to pull. I'm willing to see if you know more." Jing Ke taunted Nala despite of the seriousness in her face. To her, what the girl was trying to do was predictable and slow for her. She never would have a chance to beat the assassin like this.
Sweating and trying to ignore the cuts, Nala immediatly went back to her feet. "I-it's not over yet!" She screamed, trying to land another hit on Jing Ke, only to be blocked as well. There was something on that scream Nala had just made. It was a scream of someone that didn't know what to do and was about to get into dispair. The pressure on her got heavy again and Nala was starting to feel dreaded as she tried to hit Jing Ke over and over again.
"N-No. This can't be happening."
Clink!
"Please. Not this again!"
Clink!
"I-I thought I had gotten stronger!"
Clink!
"Then why I am feeling it again?"
Clink!
"NO! It can't be like that time!"
Unpleasent memories came to Nala's mind to haunt her of that certain moment in France.
"I-I refuse it! I'm not scared! I CAN'T BE SCARED!"
Clink!
"My attacks are all failling! Damnit damnit damnit! What do I do?! No! I can't despair now! Not like this!"
Clink! Clink! Clink! Clink! Clink! Clink! Clink!
"I refuse I refuse I refuse I refuse I refuse I refuse I refu-"
"NALA!"
Ritsuka's scream behind her made Nala snap from her own thoughts, now visualizing Jing Ke in front of her, who still had no wounds while Nala on the other hand was sweating and panting, with blood running down from her injuries. "What...am I even doing?"
"Keep control of yourself! The more you lose it the more predictable your attacks will be for Jing Ke!" Ritsuka told her. "If you can't find an opening or manage to hit the opponent then keep trying until you do! The most important of a fight is to remain cool headed Nala!" "As a leader who can't fight, this is the best I can do!" "Watch on how she moves! If you find an opening go for it shortly after dodging an attack!"
Hearing that, Nala's mind seemed to have eased and the weight on her chest had been lifted. Ritsuka was right. Just because the things were not looking good for her, it didn't meant she should start to despair. "Like you said, no matter the times I fail, I have to keep trying!" She tightned the grip on her sword. "Fighting like this won't take me that far. I need to do better!" Nala took a deep breath and closed her eyes. "If I want to find dad with Peko and save humanity alongside everyone else..."
Seeing that Nala was with her eyes closed, Jing Ke could only feel pity for the girl. "You lose control of yourself like that and now close your eyes? That's deeply amaturish." Jing Ke took a step to the front and in a mere second was now close to Nala, ready to strike her with the knife. "Words coming from a friend means nothing while fighting!"
Ritsuka tried to alert her. "Na-"
Opening her eyes, Nala looked directly to Jing Ke's face and instantly swinged her sword at a speed so fast that when even counting with it, Jing Ke was barely able to block it. And it was with that reaction that Nala took chance and kicked the assassin in the left side of the abdomen and proceeded to slash her in the arm. "I need to be prepared for every challenge from here on!"
"You did it Nala! You hit her!" Ritsuka smiled and cheered happily.
"B-But how?!" Jing Ke demanded, not being able to believe that she had just been injured like that.
"Easy." Nala smiled to her. "Hearing the direction of your steps and sensing the wind's movement when you moved to attack me." She explained. "Using my senses basically. I remembered of you telling me how important they were in a fight while we were training."
"Good one Nala!" Ritsuka told her.
"And good one for you too Ritsuka." Nala turned her head briefly to stare at her friend behind him. "Your words helped knocking some sense into me." She smiled clumsly, rubbing the back of her friend.
"No problem! As a leader I won't stop supporting you and believing in you Nala." Ritsuka told her with confidance. "Now keep it like that!"
Nala nodded in response. "Ay ay Ritsuka!" She fixed her own composure before looking back to Jing Ke.
The fact that she had just been wounded when she was least expecting it and to an opponent that seemed lost should have angered Jing Ke. Instead, the assassin woman smiled, almost feeling proud for seeing that Nala was indeed capable to hit and fight back, by using her own advises no less. She herself admited that perhaps her dislike for their actions of sudden betrayal had cloud her judgment on Nala's fighting capabilities. Because now it showed that this was far from being an easy fight for her.
"Audacious"
Jing Ke casted a spell on herself, before entering into her fighing stance again. "I have to admit. Having targets that are hard to kill gives me quite the adrenaline."
On the other side of the ditch, Mash, Peko and Boudica were doing their best in teaming up against Spartacus. Despite all of his strenght, Spartacus wasn't a figther that cared too much about defending. Not at all. The gladiator would only attack and take the enemies blows like they were nothing but tickling in his body. The muscular man could be all injured and covered in cuts that he would still be fighting with a smile as if nothing happened. It was difficult to tell if that was due to his rebellious warrior or berserkerish nature.
"Die opressors!" Spartacus screamed as he descended his iron clad weapon torwards Mash who tanked it with her shield. With that opportunity, both Peko and Boudica went and cut the enemy on the arm and leg. But just like every other time, Spartacus didn't reacted to the pain. The agony of it didn't fazed him in the slightlest.
"Whatever we do he still fights like his body was still undamaged!" Peko said, recovering his breath from some moments. "He's almost unbeatable!"
"Almost." Boudica responded. "There must be a way to defeat him one way or another!" "And I hope I don't have to use a bit of my power that I've been storing until now. I planned to only use it when confronting Nero."
"His body and muscles are stiff and rigid! It's almost impossible to do other thing than superficial cuts on his skin!" Mash informed Boudica. "We have to deal with Spartacus fast! Unlike him we will eventualy get tired!"
Peko immediatly tought of something. "Let's see if this results!" He pointed his finger at the shoulder of the gladiator and shot a bullet of light torwards it. The bullet did hit it's target but it couldn't do more than slightly pierce Spartacus shoulder, being stuck into it until it dissapeard. The boy cursed silently. "Not even this attack resulted!" Peko looked to his own hand from where he used to shoot the bullet. "What can we even do to beat someone like him? Think Peko think! There-" He then remembered of the attack he used on that dark alley. An attack so powerful that even had created a hole in the building that were in it's way and obliterated completely the enemy. An attack like those, could do an incredible damage and even perhaps defeat Spartacus.
However, Peko wasn't sure if he would use it now. It was an attack that he saw as a last resource and only did performed it one time. He also didn't knew if by doing it, it could lead to some serious self damage. "I guess there is no alternative. Sooner or later I would have to use it again. I don't know what the effects could be on my arm but I-"
"Peko watch out!" Mash warned the boy, getting in front of him to protect Peko from Spartacus attack.
"S-Sorry Mash! I was trying to think on a way to defeat him!" Peko explained as Boudica attacked Spartacus and put his focus on her.
"I'm doing that too." Mash responded. "But I can't think of much things we can do to significantly wound Spartacus."
"I think we can find a way to defeat him, but..." Peko looked to his own arm.
"If you aren't so sure about it, then it can mean it actualy isn't the way to defeat him." Mash responded, looking at Peko. "But don't worry! We will find one together!" She cheered the boy up before charging torwards Spartacus that was occupied with Boudica. "One way or another, we will find it!"
Seeing Mash going torwards the enemy, Peko decided to do the same. "Then I'll guard this power for now. I want to believe in the possibility of finding another way like Mash said."
Boudica dodged a swing attack from Spartacus and done another cut. "He's even slow. The real problem here is his great endurance." She thinked to herself as Spartacus turned around to hit her.
"You can try all you want opressors! The justice will always be on the side of the righteous!" He exclaimed, before seeing Mash arriving with her shield ready to hit him.
"You're wrong!" Mash responded, throwing the shield torwards Spartacus face. The gladiator managed to avoid it, but not another attack from Peko that appeard behind Mash and slashed him in the chest.
"You say you fight against the opressors, don't you Spartacus?" Peko asked his enemy, staying with Mash by his side.
"That's right young opressor! My main duty is too always make sure the opressed can thrive and have their freedom come true!" Spartacus proudly explained to Peko. "And you are opressing Emperor Nero's dream to come true! Opressing someone's dream is the worst case of opression that exists!"
"Do you even realize what you are saying? Nero is the one who is opressing the people of Rome here." Mash confronted him. "You are just being her weapon to opress anyone who speaks against Nero or tries to confront her!"
"Nonsense! I, the mighty gladiator Spartacus, would never be helping an opressor in my life!" Spartacus responded. "The people of Rome oppress Emperor Nero's dreams and ambitions and so I have the mission to get rid of them in order to Imperial Highness dream can no longer be opressed!"
"It's no use to try convince him otherwise!" Boudica said to Peko and Mash. "He really believes that Nero is the one being opressed!"
"So we have to fight until he's defeated." Peko frowned. "I guess nothing will change his mind."
"Looks like it." Mash sighed. "Spartacus seems to have a good heart but not a clever mind."
"Don't think about it and just focus in defeating him! He sees you as your enemy now!" Boudica told the two.
"Right! Spartacus won't hesitate to kills us and nor should we!" Mash said to Peko. "We need to do this to save Rome Peko!"
"I know and I'll fight to prevent Rome's collapse from happening!" Peko responded to the shielder. "But...it just ain't easy to fight against someone that was once your ally."
"That's comprehensible. It's not easy for me as well. But if we want to guarantee humanity has a future, we have to fight him!" Mash told the boy before looking at Spartacus who was running torwards them, ready to attack. "Unfortunately, I wished we could have all been on the same side."
"Hahahaha! Come at me with all you got opressors!"
"Take this!" Nala said after dodging one of Jing Ke's blows and responding it to another landed hit on the woman's body.
The fight now was more balanced with Nala being able to accompany Jing Ke's quick moves and parry them while also delivering some attacks. She would still get hit, altough with less severity and avoiding the most critical attacks of the assassin. With every attack Jing Ke would do, Nala's reaction and dodging would get better and faster. It was as if this was some sort of train to her. What initialy was almost impossible to avoid, was now getting quite manageable and within her ability to evade the incoming blows.
"Not bad. But how about this?!" Jing Ke quickly threw a knife at the opponent. Nala managed to block it but that didn't meant the end of Jing Ke's assault. The assassin woman was in a short span of a second next to Nala and tried to kick her in the stomach. With her movements aprimorated and her mind controled, Nala was also able to block Jing Ke's knee strike. "Hphm!" Jing Ke wasn't over yet, summoning another knife in the exact moment Nala had blocked her knee. With the knife descending torwards her head, Nala dodged it out of the way but still got a small cut on the area right below her right eye. The girl immediatly took a step back to get some space and at the same time, Jing Ke threw the knife, scratching Nala's ear.
"You're doing good Nala! Keep like that!" Ritsuka told her while staying on the back. There wasn't much thing he could do to help her other than cheer, advise and warn her during the battle. Ritsuka admited he wanted to do more to aid Nala, but for now he could only do this. At least he was happy for seeing the girl handling the fight much better in contrast to the previous minutes. Her head was totaly focused on Jing Ke's attacks and she was now able to go toe to toe with the chinese assassin.
"I see you are skilled enough to dodge a knife." Jing Ke said, searching from something inside her clothes. "However..." Taking her own hand out, Jing Ke was now holding four knives between her fingers. Both Nala and Ritsuka gulped at seeing that. "Can you dodge and block multiple in the same time?" She asked to Nala, giving the girl a smirk.
"Bring it!" Nala said, ready to avoid as many attacks Jing Ke had in store for her.
"Good to hear!" Jing Ke shouted before throwing all the four knives at once.
Nala blocked the first one as well as the second. Dodged the third one and the last knife passed by millimiters on her shoulder.
"Good one Nala!" Ritsuka cheered.
Jing Ke grunted in reaction. "There's still many more!" She shouted, proceeding to summon eight knives in both her hands.
"Ghg!" Nala eyes widened. "Does she never runs out of knives?!" Without time to lose, Nala started to run in circles as Jing Ke would throw all her knives at the girl. Nala was fast enough to dodge some while running and block the rest that were going torwards her body. Despite seeing that, the assassin wouldn't stop summoning more and more knives to launch at Nala who continued to quickly run in circles.
Ritsuka was watching all of it happening. Amazed with what his own eyes were seeing. "T-This is insane...The two have been doing this for some couple of seconds now."
And it was true that neither of the two fighters would reach an end to this. Nala wouldn't stop dodging and Jing Ke wouldn't stop throwing. As it would continue, Nala was thinking about attacking Jing Ke at any moment now.
"She is letting herself get exposed like this. Now all I have to do is get ready and attack her in the next secon- Nghg!" Much to Nala's unluck, she didn't saw a knife coming torwards her while being in her own thoughts, resulting in the weapon successfuly stabbing her in the area of the tendon. Receiving the hit, Nala stopped running and fell to the ground, feeling the sharp pain she had just received in her feet. "Crap!" She cursed while taking the knife out from her heel. She was now opened.
"Nala!" Ritsuka came running torwards her.
Wasting not even a second, Jing Ke was ready to throw what would be her last knife of the fight. "It's over!" Proclaiming victory, Jing Ke threw the knife at Nala's head.
By the time Nala had raised her head, she already had no time to properly dodge the attack. It was destined to end her.
"Grggh!" But Ritsuka, as a leader and friend, wouldn't let things end like this. And so he put himself in front of Nala, getting stabbed in the stomach by the knife and saving his companion's life.
"R-RITSUKA!" Nala yelled in shock as she saw Ritsuka's body fall to the ground with the blood coming out from his wound. Even Jing Ke herself was completely surprised by the master of humanity's action. She almost had forgot he was even there with them witnessing the battle.
"Y-You...What the hell got you in the head?!" Jing Ke screamed angrily, not understanding how a simple and average human like Ritsuka would have the courage and dare to put his life on the line like that. A human like Ritsuka wouldn't even risk to interfere in a fight with a servant involved.
"Ritsuka! Ritsuka are you okay?!" Nala asked with urgence as she went to make pressure on his wound. The bleeding wouldn't stop and that was worrying the girl so much.
"Y-Yeah. I'm okay Nala. No problem..." Ritsuka tried to comfort her with a smile, trying to ignore the pain the knife was causing on his body. "I did what a leader does."
"By taking a hit like that?! You idiot! You can die!" Nala shouted, not feeling calm at all with the image of Ritsuka bleeding in front of her. "Please do not die Ritsuka! You understand me?! Do not die!"
"Heh. No worries." Ritsuka gently touched her head. "I wont die if there's still a promise I must keep to a friend. We are in this until the end, remember?"
Hearing that, Nala started to tear up as she grabbed Ritsuka's arm and tightly hugged it. "YOU MORON! DON'T REMIND ME OF IT IN A MOMENT LIKE THIS!" She screamed while the tears would fall off. "If you want to keep it then don't die please! Please Ritsuka!" Please...don't abandon me here."
"I won't..." Ritsuka reafirmed to her, before looking to the wound. "But if we don't do something about this quick, I fear that-"
"Here. Take it." Jing Ke said, throwing a piece of cloth to Nala and Ritsuka. "Cover and stagnate the wound with it."
Nala picked it up, and stared at Jing Ke. "Why are y-"
"You want him to live or not?" Jing Ke questioned Nala who immediatly went to wrap the cloth around Ritsuka's body, specificaly in the area of the wound after taking the knife out carefuly with the help of Ritsuka himself.
"..." Ritsuka said nothing, instead remaining silent as he stared at Jing Ke and let Nala cover his wound. He knew that talking too much with this type of wound wouldn't be the best option to do. Possibly knowing what was going through Ritsuka's mind at that moment, Jing Ke decided to explain herself.
"Your act of foolishness was quite admirable. To see you didn't even thought twice before jumping in front of my attack to protect your ally. Consider this as a sign of my respect." She told them.
"Then...why call it foolish?" Ritsuka asked her.
"Because in my opinion, it takes the most foolish of people to do the most courageous acts. That's how I see it. Plus, I want my enemy to still fight with her head in the battle isntead of being emotionaly distraught by the death of a friend." Jing Ke responded.
"Then you are liking it..." Ritsuka responded with a smile.
"Never felt more alive. And I don't want a moment like your death to ruin it. Still, I plan to kill you after the fight, so don't think I suddenly just forgave you." Jing Ke warned him, showing that she was still their enemy despite this short moment of help.
"As if I'd let you do that!" Nala, with her tears cleaned from her face now, was done wrapping the cloth around Ritsuka and responded to Jing Ke. "You'll have to beat me first for that to happen!"
"Show it to her Nala!" Ritsuka gave support to the girl as she helped him lean back against a rock on the ground.
"You're damn sure I will!" Nala responded, looking back at Jing Ke. "Let's end this!"
"Heh. I couldn't have agreed more." Jing Ke smiled to Nala. "I think that one of us will fall in the next minutes." She said before sprinting torwards Nala. "And I'll make sure it won't be me!"
"Ghg!" Mash groaned as she blocked Spartacus attack that was still powerful enough to send her back some meters away.
"Mash! Are you okay?" Peko asked concerned for the shielder's well being before having to dodge an attack of Spartacus that took a bit of skin from his head from how close it passed by. They were starting to get tired while the gladiator was with the same disposition and will to fight.
"Yes I am Peko! Don't worry!" Mash replied, going right back to him. "But we have been trying something effective for minutes and still nothing." Mash said while looking to Spartacus.
Boudica looked to her left side to see the trio of Romulus, Caesar and Cleopatra fighting against Lu Bu. It seemed they were habdling the other Berserker servant pretty well. "At least the rest is being able to handle it with no much problem." Boudica lowered her head and looked to the ground. "I wished to not have to use it now. But of the things aren't looking to go anywhere..." She cleenched her teeth in a bit of irritation.
Noticing this, Peko decided to talk with her. "Hey, if you want to go fight Nero, then do it." Peko told her, firm in his words, much to the redhaired woman's surprise. "It's clear that you want to fight her more than anyone here right now. And I don't blame you. Nero perhaps is about to do something while we are here fighting, so to make sure she doesnt try anything as we are still down here, you go and combat against her Boudica!"
"But...are you sure about that?" Boudica asked to the boy.
Ritsuka who was now resting on the rock and seeing Nala and Jing Ke fighting against each other, took a look from behind to see how the others were doing at their own fights. He caught Peko and Boudica talking with each other. His ears caughting something about confronting Nero. "What are they talking about?"
"Are you sure you want me to leave you and Mash to fight against Spartacus alone?" Boudica questioned the boy as Mash put herself in front of them and blocked Spartacus attack with her shield.
"We will defeat him Boudica-san! Don't think too much about it! Right now, Nero is the main enemy who needs to be stopped!" Mash said as she used her demi-servant strenght to push Spartacus weapon away from her shield. "You have been storing and guarding amounts of mana for that specific moment! So go there and use against Nero Boudica-san!"
Boudica couldn't believe that they wanted her to battle against Nero, her ultimate wish, with the cost of leaving them to defend alone for themselves against an incredible resistant servant that was Spartacus. They were her friends, she couldn't leave them behind despite their requests. "I'm sorry but-"
"Boudica!" Ritsuka screamed to his servant on the other side of the ditch. "As your master I give you permission to fight Nero alone! Don't worry about us! We will join you shortly after, okay?!"
"Heh. Senpai." Mash smiled at hearing Ritsuka's words to Boudica. He thought like the rest of them.
"Guss that is master's orders." Peko smiled to Boudica. "Go for it Boudica! Like Ritsuka said, we can handle this! Now go to your fight with Nero!"
Boudica didn't know what to say for a few seconds. But she eventualy ended up smiling. "Understood. I'll see you up there." Boudica told Peko and Mash before staring at Ritsuka. "Good luck to you!" She shouted before heading torwards the entry gates.
"Good luck to you too Boudica! Deliever some justice to Nero!" Ritsuka shouted back, coughing a bit. "Dang it, I forgot I'm still recently recovering from the wound."
Spartacus tried to go after Boudica. "Where do you think you are going? Opressors have no place to go in a benevolent perfect world!" He said before getting stopped in the way by Mash and Peko.
"Whatever you say, we won't let you do that!" Peko exclaimed. "You would be opposing Boudica's wish too."
"And if there is a thing that a true Spartacus would never do, would be to opress the wish of someone who was already opressed for far too long!" Mash added, getting her shield ready for the next round of the enemy attacks.
At the top of the palace, Nero was delighting herself at the destruction of Rome. After ridding of Seneca, she now was convinced no one could stop her. Her piece of art was almost done. "Just a little more time. Soon, my magnum opus will rise from the ashes of this abomination." Nero smiled with pleasure as she looked to the dark red sky above. "And it will all be wonderful once again." She chuckled to herself.
But as the emperor was entertaining herself with those thoughts, it came to an halt as she heard the sound of footsteps coming behind her, wipping out the smile from her face and change into an annoyed frown. Who would dare to interrupt her joyful moment?
"Time to settle the score." A voice of a woman talked to her. It made Nero's annoyance change into a grin. So it was true. She had came back from the death to end the emperor's reign.
"Ah, true. Long time no see." Nero turned around to face the warrior woman who was staring at her with angry cold eyes. It brought to Nero some nice memories. "Still looking as pissed as ever, Boudica." The grin in Nero's face grew as she spelled out her enemy's name. "Cant just simply forget it, can you?"
"That doesn't even needed to be answered." Boudica said as she walked torwards Nero. "You know already what I think about it you damn monster!" She insulted Nero.
"Well I don't blame you for recording it. It's just a very iconic memory if I say so." Nero taunted Boudica as she smiled more to piss the woman off. "I remember of it like it was yesterday. That pain, scream and blood. Magnificent! Worthy of applauses!"
"I'll give you something that is worth of applause bitch!" Boudica shouted in rage, infuriated by how content Nero was by talking about the destruction of Boudica's homeland. She then calmed herself down, knowing what could happen if she went for the kill. "Your madness ends here." Boudica then liberated all of her mana she had been perserving during all this Singularity. Her red hair extended to the lenght of her back and she gained a long white cape alongside a small crown. Her sword and shield also turned into a more sophiticated look. Boudica was now manifesting herself as the queen from her tribe in front of Nero, the person who took their queen and land from it's people. After years of being opressed and months of having to run, Boudica would end her tribe's suffering.
Seeing the ascension, Nero laughed with amusement. "I see you have brought your best clothes just for me Boudica! But how about you just give up and join me instead? I promise you'll like your new life." The emperor smiled and laughed evily.
Boudica's reaction was to spit on the ground. "I'd rather prefer dying horrificaly again! You don't deserve anybody Nero! Not even your own people!"
Nero frowned, bothered by the comment. "So be it!" She went back to smile, picking up her sword and grabbing the Holy Grail by her side, taking a sweet sip of it. "Die like a whore again!" She shouted, launching torwards Boudica.
"You are welcome to try!" Boudica yelled, with the two women clashing their swords.
"Ggh! The wound in my foot is turning into a problem now." Nala tried to not pay attention to the pain in her heel that was disturbing her endeavor in the fight. Now everytime she tried to run or dodge, the nerves on the wound would react agonizingly. She was getting tired, sweating and panting, her limbs and face with cuts here and there. However she wasn't the only one that was reaching her limit. Despite being a servant, Jing Ke was already using more mana than she expected to use initialy. The fact Nala caused her wounds and was making the servant sweat and making an huge effort to defeat her was something admirable.
"During our time training, I originaly thought she was just a slight above average fighter. Nothing more. But to making me sweat this much..." Jing Ke cleaned the drops from her face. "This girl surely isn't normal. Is she a servant perhaps? No. It can't be that. I don't sense a Spirit Core inside her." The assassin woman look at Nala's eyes, seeing how determinant focused they were. "Is she...even human?" Putting those thoughts to the back of her mind, Jing Ke pulled herself together. "You fight well. Never I tought a kid would be giving me so much of an hard job. I honestly would feel ashamed. More than when I tried to assassinate the emperor of my land." Jing Ke laughed a bit.
"Don't tell me I am hurting your pride." Nala smirked to the opponent.
"No. Quite the contrary. You surely evolved since the last time I tested you." Jing Ke responded. "However, as Emperor Nero's servant, I have to finish things already." With those words, Jing Ke grabbed a scroll that was inside her kimono. "Answer me Nala. Do you really expect to reach that speed that you talk so much about?"
"I am! It may take days or years, I won't stop until I can do that!" Nala replied to Jing Ke who smiled at the girl's answer.
"Really? Well then..." She started to open her scroll. "How about you try doing that now?" And in that moment, Jing Ke's scroll unrolled, it's lenght being absurdly long.
Ritsuka, who was still watching the fight after ordering Boudica to go fight Nero, realized immediatly what Jing Ke was about to do. "It's her..!"
Nala realized it as well, but instead of panicking, looking scared or acting confused, she put her feet well settled on the ground and posicioned herself, ready for what Jing Ke had up in her sleeve. "Bring it." "You are testing me right now, aren't you?"
"Well, I suppose it's time to go."
The scroll continued to unroll more and more, circulating around both Jing Ke and Nala. It was starting to cover Nala's vision of the assassin.
"From this moment, I will not fear my own death,
nor pray for my own life,
"Nala! Get out of there! It's Jing Ke's Noble Phantasm!" Ritsuka shouted to the girl, as a crow behind him landed on the rock he was resting. The scroll was covering more of Nala's vision of Jing Ke. The girl could only see a small part of her body now.
"I know Ritsuka. I know this might be my last seconds of life if I fail." Nala slowly closed her eyes. "That's why...I need to concentrate now."
Not making a sound and trying to ignore the noise around her, Nala started to hear something inside her. Her own hearbeat.
"Focus. Empty mind. Sensation of the mana."
The scroll was now circulating around Nala's entire body, leaving only a small gap that if the girl dared to open her eyes, she could still see a bit of Jing Ke. It was all happening so fast. In one second the scroll was just unrolling itself,to being covering almost of Nala's vision in the next three.
but this soul is..."
"Vision. Audition. Scent. Nerves. Reality. Speed. Reaction of Time. Movement." Nala exhaled calmly, ignoring Ritsuka shouting and everything else.
The scroll had finally covered her vision. That was the signal for Jing Ke. In a quick step, she summoned a dagger and in a fraction of half a second, she was already next to Nala's body.
"NALAAAAA!" Ritsuka screamed at the same time the girl opened her eyes.
"Only For Killing: Nonreturnable Dagger!"
The crow instantly flew away, dropping it's feathers along the way.
"..." Jing Ke stood silent. She had done it. She really did it. It was out of nowhere. So fast that the enemy couldn't even comprehend and react properly. The girl that she trained with when they met for the first time, had done it. Nala had dodged in a blink of an eye and sliced Jing Ke in the neck roughly in the same second. It really was almost like the girl moved at light speed. "Blurghg!" Jing Ke vomited blood from her mouth and fell on her knees. "C-Congratulations...you did it..."
Nala turned around to look at Jing Ke. "Thanks to you."
Ritsuka immediatly stood up and walked torwards Nala. "You did it Nala! You won!" The master of humanity patted her head frantically.
"H-Hey! Stop it!" Nala laughed as she pushed Ritsuka's hand away. "I told you I wouldn't be defeated here, didn't I?"
"You sure said. And that reaction to Jing Ke's Noble Phantasm was pretty good." Ritsuka commented.
"Hmm, but I still think it's not enough. Like, I think I can dodge attacks more easily now, but my own attacks feel somewhat slow in comparison." Nala explained, walking torwards Jing Ke. "Still, I'm grateful that you helped me to surpass my limits."
Jing Ke gave the girl a small smile. "To be honest, I wasn't expecting it. That speed is almost too fast even for a servant like me. Use it well..." She advised Nala.
Nala nodded her head. "I will."
"Sorry for having to come to this." Ritsuka apologized, feeling somewhat bad for having to defeat Jing Ke. "But we-"
"You did what you thought was right." Jing Ke giggled. "No need to feel remorse for it. I myself know what Nero is doing isn't correct. Unfortunately...it's rare for servants to get decent masters. So when they do horrible things we can't do nothing but follow them." She said sadly.
"Then how about next time I summon you to Chaldea?" Ritsuka asked her, trying to cheer the assassin up.
"Hum? Really? Is that Chaldea place...a cool place?" Jing Ke asked, her interest turned on.
"Yes! And at least there you don't have to worry about crappy masters." Nala told Jing Ke. "Ritsuka here is a great master that tries to understand his servants."
"W-Wait now! I don't think I am all that incredible. I warn you that I am quite average. Perhaps even blow it." Ritsuka said, trying to diminuish Nala's compliments to him.
Jing Ke laughed. "I don't care if you are strong or weak. I mean...there's probably servants that do but I couldn't care less about a master's magical or physical strenght. So I wouldn't mind being summoned by you. Also...does Chaldea have alcohol?" Jing Ke asked, maintaining her smile as her body started to vanish.
"Well..." Ritsuka put an hand behind his head. "It must have somewhere..."
"Then it's a deal!" Jing Ke exclaimed happily. "Until a next time, Nala and Ritsuka."
"Heh. Until a next time Jing Ke." Ritsuka smiled back.
"Hope to see you again." Nala said goodbye as well.
With her body about to dissapear, Jing Ke closed her eyes. "I envy you Seneca...unlike me...you got the freedom to pick a side in the end..." And the spirit of the chinese assassin Jing Ke had faded.
"Alright. The fight is over here." Ritsuka said to Nala. ""Now let's go-" Ritsuka stopped talking as he received a punch from Nala.
"That was for almost dying on me and breaking our promise!" Nala said angrily to Ritsuka. "You scared me to death Ritsuka! Never pull that thing again!" Nala said, making a pout with her face.
"Hehehe. Sorry, sorry." Ritsuka laughed nervously as he rubbed the back of his head. "I just wanted to save you there."
"Hphm!...I know." Nala said lowly, calming herself.
"Hey, Nala. What matters is that you did it." Ritsuka put a hand on her shoulder, smilling to the girl.
"No." Nala smiled back to him. "We did it." She said before making an expression of pain with her lips. "Looks like I can't move my foot that much with this damaged tendon." She lamented, looking at the injury she suffered during the fight.
Ritsuka offered his aid. "Want me to help you walk torwards the entrance gates?" He asked to the girl.
"Sure."
"All of the opressors must be vanquished!" Spartacus yelled as he clashed his weapon with Peko. The impact and strenght of the gladiator's swing forced Peko to fall back, feeling the impact of his weapon.
"Gah!" Peko grunted as his body hit the ground.
"Peko!" Mash yelled out to him before turning her head to Spartacus and block his attack with the shield. "Are you okay?!"
"Y-yes Mash!" Peko responded, getting up from the ground. "Strange. I tought he hitted a lot harder than this..." Peko was aware of the berserker's strenght and it was true the blow was strong enough to make him go back some meters. But Peko knew Spartacus was a lot stronger than that from what he saw in the trainings when they used to be on the same side. Perhaps Peko was just more resilient than he himself originaly tought. However, he couldn't help but find it weird that Spartacus may not be using all of his power.
"Peko..." Mash called the boy as she was tanking more of Spartacus hits. What she was about to say next, would confirm Peko's suspicions. "Spartacus blows...They are somewhat getting weaker."
"Then it's true." Peko responded.
"Is he perhaps finally getting tired?" Mash pondered as she dodged Spartacus attack and went to stay by Peko's side.
Peko tought about what the shielder said. "No. It can't be that. Spartacus was fighting with all the energy. To get tired all of a sudden wouldn't make sense." Peko told her.
"Then what can it be?" Mash asked.
"Is it perhaps..." Peko started to wonder, before reaching to a conclusion. "Spartacus!" The boy called his opponent out who proceeded to look to him. "You realize that this is not right. That you are not on the side of the opressed." Peko said, thinking that was the reason for why Spartacus was acting like that.
The gladiator's smile flinched for a moment. "That's an absolute lie! I Spartacus would never fight against the opressed but help them!" He responded, denying what Peko was trying to say.
"Does serving a ruler that is causing the suffering of common people somewhat sounds right to you Spartacus-san?" Mash called the servant out, siding with Peko. "I know deep down you don't believe in that! Spartacus fights to protect! Not to harm!"
Spartacus smile slightly diminuished. And altough his face looked the same as always, this time it appeard somewhat different. It's as if Peko and Mash's comments had hurt something inside the gladiator. "And I fight to protect! I Spartacus always fight to protect the innocent and less favorable!"
"Oh yeah? Then look around you and tell me what you are protecting here!" Peko responded without hesitating. "Everything is going to ruins! You are not saving either people or even buildings! You are destroying it by protecting someone that does not care about anyone's well being at all!"
Spartacus smile got reduced again and at this point, the gladiator was no more in a fighting position. "Emperor Nero's dream is..."
"Nero's dream is commiting genocide? Because if so then that's no dream anyone who proudly acclaims themsleves to be heroes would protect!" Mash told him. "The lives of the roman people, are what needs a hero to save and guard them!"
"..." Spartacus didn't respond, staying silent while his small weak smile was still standing.
"You don't want to do this, do you?" Peko asked the gladiator.
That was the final nail. Spartacus let his weapon fall to the ground with a strong sound and his smile that had always been there despite of the situations had dissapeard. For the first time since a long time, the incredible and famous rebellious gladiator showed saddness and remorse.
"I'm not...a hero..." Spartacus murmured, looking at the ground below him.
Seeing that the man has been convinced. Peko tried to cheer him up. "You can still change it! Make a difference here! After all, you are-"
"You are the Great Spartacus aren't you?"
"Yes I am child. The one and only right in front of you."
"So cooool! Can I get your autograph before the fight?"
"Sure! Here you have it young man."
"Thank you so much! When I grow up I want to be strong just like you!"
"You sure? To be like me it's needed something more than just pure brute strenght."
"Really? What is it?"
"To always have a mind and heart that do the right thing."
"I see. I shouldn't be saying this in public since my parent's could hear it. They dislike you."
"Well, I can't say I am surprised at all. Hahahaha."
"They think your acts to free the gladiators is lame. But in my opinion I think it's awsome!"
"Now I see why you are making sure your parents dont hear you boy. But why do you think like that? Aren't you roman?"
"And? That doesn't matter at all! Roman or not, I will always see you as a person I look up to! You are my hero!"
"..." Spartacus wandered in his own mind. He could only think of what he had become. Of what he was doing now was going against all his being. This wasn't the Spartacus that he himself knew. This destruction and chaos as the innocent people would scream and run away in fear, was something that Spartacus himself couldn't stand behind it. He couldn't stand serving someone as opressive as Nero.
And so, somethig started to echo on his mind. Something telling him that he had to do what an heroic Spartacus would in this situation.
"Do you think he is hearing us?" Mash asked to Peko, noticing the lack of expression on Spartacus face.
"I don't know." Peko responded. "Spartacus, are you hear-"
"REBELLION!" Spartacus grinned excitedly with his eyes widening. "It's time to end this opression!" He exclaimed.
Seeing the sudden euphoria in the gladiator's face, Mash and Peko put themselves on alert, thinking that another wave of attacks from Spartacus was arriving. But it wasn't destined for them.
Turning around, Spartacus saw Lu Bu fighting Romulus, Caesar and Cleopatra. "The opressors must fall!" He yelled from the top of his lungs as he started running torwards them.
"W-What is he doing?" Peko was confused by what he was seeing right now alongside Mash who was equally confused.
Lu Bu was so occupied with the other three servants, that he didn't had proper time to even notice Spartacus approaching him and fastly enough, charge torwards the other Berserker. Lu Bu's surprise and shock came in the form of noises as Spartacus wrapped his arms around him and was now taking Lu Bu and himself out of the arena with an insane charge.
"Did he just..." Caesar tried to process what was happening just like Cleopatra and Romulus.
"He is helping us." Mash said, seeing Spartacus savagely go against the walls that marked the limit of the palace area and taking the other enemy with him. In no time, the two were outside the area and were heading torwards a cliff, where nothing but huge flames awaited the two Berserkers.
Lu Bu started punching and hitting Spartacus on his back, trying to free himself from his imminent doom. But it was useless. Spartacus was not stopping until Lu Bu and himself were thrown from the cliff.
"Behold everyone! The last act of rebellion!" Spartacus shouted as he jumped from the cliff, still holding a screaming Lu Bu. And so, they started to fall torwards the burning flames. "The last act of heroism from Spartacus! Mortal enemy of opression!" With those last words, both Spartacus and Lu Bu plunged into the giant flaming fires. In his last moments, Spartacus chosed to die the way he always lived. As a rebellious and heroic gladiator.
"I cannot longer sense the presence of either Spartacus or Lu Bu. They're...gone." Mash said.
"Spartacus...died to help us." Peko said after seeing all of that happening in front of him. "Guess he was more than a simple meathead." He smiled.
"In the end he did what was right." Mash commented before asking something to Peko. "Are you okay Peko? You took a big blow back there." Mash said, seeing the bits of injuries on the boy's body.
"I am. No bone was broken fortunately." Peko replied to the shielder. "Are you also okay Mash?"
"Fine and ready for another fight." Mash said to the boy.
"Good. We are also prepared as well." Romulus speaked as he alongside Caesar and Cleopatra approached the two. They were also with some wounds and bleeding, but for a servant that was nothing but some scratches.
"I can see Lu Bu was a great foe too." Mash said to the three servants.
"I hope to not fight anymore Berserkers for a long time after this. God if they make me burn some calories." Caesar told them.
"Boudica went to fight Nero?" Cleopatra asked, noticing that there was no sign of the redhaired woman around.
"Yeah. She went up ahead." Peko informed them. "She and Nero must be fighting each other now."
"Then let's not waste time and reunite with the rest at the entry gates quick!" Romulus said as he and everyone else started to walk torwards the entry gates were Ritsuka and Nala were now waiting for them.
"Done! This should less the pain a bit." Ritsuka had just finished applying a bit of cloth around Nala's heel, hoping that could alleviate the wound.
"Thanks Ritsuka." Nala said, moving her foot a little to check if the cloth was doing it's job. "Hey! The others are arriving here!" Nala said to Ritsuka happily as the two saw Mash, Peko and the three servants reach the entry gates of the palace.
"Glad to see you are all okay." Ritsuka said to them, seeing that despite the injuries they sustained, the enemies here have been defeated.
"Same thing to you and Nala, master." Mash replied, seeing the improvised bandage around Ritsuka's area of the stomach. "Does it hurt?"
"Not more than the scare and distress he put me through by doing that." Nala commented.
"Hey! I already told you I was sorry." Ritsuka responded to Nala.
"No worries master. You took a blow in order to save Nala, didn't you?" Mash smiled to him. "I understand that."
"Me too." Peko added. "That courage to save others despite having no mana is what makes you our leader."
"Yep. Hence why I would have done the same thing if our positions were swapped at that moment." Nala told Ritsuka, who blushed a bit from the praises of all the three.
"T-Thanks guys..." He responded.
"Now, as a leader..." Romulus approached Ritsuka. "What do you think the next course of action should be, master of Chaldea?"
Ritsuka moved his head and looked to the space beyond the entry gates of the palace. Once inside, they would be closer to reach their biggest enemy in this Singularity. By defeating her and taking the Holy Grail away, the problems in this time period would all come to a stop. The final battle to save the entire Rome awaited them.
"Let's move. Boudica is already fighting Nero. The quicker we reach to the roof of the palace, the better we can help each other to bring Nero down!" Saying that, Ritsuka saw everyone nodding to his words and they all stepped inside the building, prepared for what would be the most decisive fight to all the roman empire and it's future.
To be continued...
And that's it for chapter 33! Stay tunned for the next one because it will be the great fight between our heroes and Nero! Her servants are gone and now only she remains.
As you could see, this chapter was also one were Nala got a bit of an upgrade in her fighting abilities and with the help of Ritsuka, remain composed during a figtht when things are apparently going south. In my eyes both Jing Ke and Spartacus got a fitting end while Lu Bu...well, it's Lu Bu. (No hate to any possible fans of him out there.
Now that's all I wanted to say and see you next time on chapter 34! Peace!
P.S: I have recently rewatched Asura's Wrath and man...what a game. It should be a crime of how this game still hasn't had a proper remaster or remake for newer console generations. C'mon Capcom, stop with your RE remakes for a while and give this game the love it deserves!
