"...And that's our current situation."
The blue haired caster, Cu Chulainn, nodded along as Olga Marie finished her explanation of Chaldea's situation.
"So, I assume you are the sole survivor of this Holy Grail War?" Olga asked the mage, sizing him up with her eyes.
"In a way. It would be more accurate to say that I'm the only one who hasn't lost yet." Cu Chulainn replied, standing up from the rock he was sitting on.
"I don't know how it happened, but our Holy Grail War changed into something else entirely, the city was engulfed by fire and the humans vanished, and only us servants remain."
The caster then went on to explain the events that followed the Holy Grail War's abrupt change, with Saber continuing the war on her own and defeating every other servant besides himself, corrupting them.
"...and now they seem to be looking for something, including me, because the war won't end until I die." Cu Chulainn pointed to himself, finishing his report.
"So, I'm guessing you want us to team up, right? If only so you could defeat Saber, since you don't stand a chance by yourself." Olga concluded, a slight accusatory glance sent to the servant.
"Well, that's a way to put it, but yeah. Not a bad deal, right? Our goals align after all." The mage replied, offering his hand to the director.
Olga looked at the hand cautiously, slowly putting her hand out to accept.
"I object."
The hands of the two mages stopped just short of meeting, the voice prompting both of them to look at the source of the objection.
"This man is not a trustworthy ally." Archer reinforced his opinion, pointing his finger at Cu Chulainn.
"Oh, come on! First you interrupt my introduction, then you go and refuse my help? What's your problem with me?!" The caster walked up to the dark skinned man, confronting him.
The archer does not budge before the caster's invasion of personal space as the two glared at each other, sparks visible between their eyes if one were to observe close enough.
"N-now Archer, let's not fight, alright? I think we need all the help we can get right now." Ritsuka said to his servant, trying his best to separate the two servants.
"Master Ritsuka is right, Archer. This is no time for internal conflict." Karna joined in on the mediation, stepping in between the two servants.
After another few seconds of glaring, the two looked away from one another, going back to their respective positions before.
"A-anyway, if you're going to join us, pick a master to make a contract with, then!" Olga quickly said, before another confrontation could ensue.
"Hm, let's see, here… You have no aptitude for this, right? so it's between these two." Cu Chulainn deducted, before comparing the two masters.
"The kid here has more servants than the big guy, but after seeing both of your works back there, I'll help you out, kid."
Cu chulainn approached the younger master, holding his hand out.
Ritsuka's command seals glowed as the two shook hands, signifying the contract between them.
"It's a temporary one, but I'm counting on you." The caster said, taking his hand off Ritsuka's.
"Oh, and one more thing, the source of this singularity? I'm willing to bet it's the greater grail."
"The greater grail?" The director asked.
"Yes, I suppose you could call it the true "heart" of this land." The mage explained his words further.
"That being said, Saber is guarding it, along with the remaining servants, which should be Archer, Assassin, and Berserker after the fight you guys had." He counted along the remaining corrupted servants with his fingers, his eyes darting to Archer for a very brief moment.
"About that, I'd like to ask about Berserker." Karna asked, stepping forward to the caster.
"Him? Yeah, he's crazy strong, even Saber had a hard time defeating him."
"I landed a lethal blow on him, but he rose up and tried to attack my master, do you know why that is?"
"His true name is Heracles. It's one of his Noble Phantasms, God Hand. It allows him to revive up to 12 times." Archer said suddenly, interrupting what Cu Chulainn was about to say.
"That so? Thought I saw him die a bunch of times during the war, so he just revived, huh?" The caster rubbed his chin, contemplating the newfound info.
"Every time he's killed, he gains a resistance to whatever killed him, so be careful, Karna." Karna merely nodded at his fellow servant's warning.
"Hmph, you sure know a lot about the servants here." Archer ignored the blue haired man's attempts at provoking him, prompting him to sigh.
"Anyway, let's go to the greater grail now, the sooner the better, don't you think?"
The group walked again, now led by Cu Chulainn.
Mash looked around her.
Three mighty heroes stood by her side, heroes who have claimed their right to be a servant by doing various incredible deeds throughout history.
Looking down on her shield, she now just realized how inferior she is to true servants.
Was she so undeserving of the power of the servant she fused with? So much so that they are unwilling to give her anything beyond physical strength?
Was she so weak that her master needed to protect her?
Try as she might, the intrusive thoughts eventually wormed their way into her head.
"Mash? Is everything alright?"
Her master's voice broke her out of her stupor, making her notice that she had slowed down, now at the rear of the party.
"A-ah no, senpai, it's just-"
"Please, Mash. I want to know if something's bothering you."
Mash bit her lip. "It's just that, even after fighting with you and Archer, I've yet to gain anything as a servant."
"Even back then, you almost died protecting me, even though I'm your servant, a shielder no less."
"Even when you needed me the most, I can't even use my Noble Phantasm" Mash looked to the ground, she could feel wetness behind her eyes, threatening to spill.
"Mash…"
"Ah, so that's what it was." Cu's voice surprised Mash and her master.
"I was wondering why you seemed off during your fight with Lancer. So you can't use your Noble Phantasm, is that it?" The caster asked the shielder rhetorically.
"Yes, but it's not just that, I don't know the true name of the servant I'm fused with, let alone their Noble Phantasm."
"Hm, I can't really help with your servant's true name, but using your Noble Phantasm shouldn't be impossible for you to learn."
"Really?!" The caster's statement made Mash jump towards him, her sadness replaced with enthusiasm.
"If you can fight as a servant, then you can definitely use your Noble Phantasm. Is it possible that you're too reserved? Maybe you can try yelling when you practice?"
"A-alright, WOOOO!" Mash took the caster's advice to hear, yelling her heart out in the middle of the burning city.
…
Mash could feel blood rushing to her cheeks as everyone stared at her with varying reactions.
"...I meant that as a joke, but at least now we know that enthusiasm isn't the problem."
Cu walked towards the director and made some gestures on her back, before nodding and turning to Mash.
"See those skeletons over there? They're going to start gunning for the director here any second now." The mage pointed to the group of bones in the distance, stopping their aimless wandering before looking at Olga.
"W-what?! What did you do to my coat?!" Olga yelled, panickedly trying to look at her own back.
"Don't worry about it too much, just some misfortune runes. Now Mash, your Noble Phantasm isn't something you could do by just thinking about it, so get out there and fight until you can't. I'll handle the healing since I'm a caster now." Cu instructed Mash, ignoring Olga's shouts of 'You what?!'
"H-hey, Archer, tell this bastard something would you?!" Olga said to the other servant, still panicked.
"Hate to say it, but he's not wrong. Mash needs to train if we're going to face Saber, even if he's going about it in the most idiotic way possible." Archer replied, sitting on a nearby rock.
"She's going to need to do this by herself, so you all can just stand back for now." On Cu's cue, everyone other than Cu, Mash, and Olga all found a place to observe the upcoming fight.
"Now, are you ready, Mash?"
"Y-yes! Let's do this, mister Cu Chulainn!"
Mash rushed the skeletons while Cu readied his staff, both ignoring Olga's shouts of disbelief.
Ritsuka watched as Mash tore through the skeletons digit by digit, any wounds she might sustain were immediately healed by their new ally.
A determined look graced her face, the pain from the numerous slashes and thrusts barely registering.
But even though Ritsuka had only known her today, he could see something else in her eyes.
'She is… kinda desperate, isn't she?'
"Fou!"
The sound made him jump as a white critter revealed itself from under his sleeve.
"Fouuuu…" The furry animal made a displeased sound, making Ritsuka realize that he rested on his arm watching the fight, squishing the poor thing.
"O-oh, right! Sorry, Fou!"
Man, the shit that happened after summoning Archer and Karna made him totally forget about Fou, the white… animal? that got rayshifted along with him and Mash.
In his defense, the creature had been pretty much silent, ever since meeting King.
"Hm, who's this, master?"
Ritsuka looked to his left to find that the rest of the audience had taken notice of his furry friend.
"Oh yeah, this is Fou, he's a… I'm not really sure what he is, but he got rayshifted with me and Mash." The creature in question is currently perched on his shoulder, observing the servants and the other master in the group.
Unnoticed by the rest, Fou's gaze lingered on King briefly.
"Ohh, so that's why our systems detected another presence! It was an animal, after all!" A different voice made Ritsuka jump again, now coming from a hologram of a familiar man.
"Dr. Roman! You're back!"
The doctor smiled at his reaction.
"...And who is this, now?" Archer asked for the second time in a few minutes' span.
"This is Romani Archaman, he's the doctor that the director mentioned when you two were summoned."
"Nice to meet you, Archer, Karna. I am Doctor Romani Archaman, currently the highest commanding officer in Chaldea." The doctor introduced himself to the two servants, fiddling with commands as he did.
"I've been watching your investigation from the command room. I wanted to answer some of your questions on the way, but mister Archer here is pretty knowledgeable isn't he?" The servant merely nodded in acknowledgement.
"But man, you two sure summoned some strong servants! You guys sure are lucky." Romani said, looking at the two masters present.
"...Yeah, guess we are." Ritsuka said absentmindedly, looking back to the battle.
Sweat glistened on the purple hair of his kouhai as she gasped for breath. Her legs quivering from fatigue, barely able to stand.
She yelled as her shield shattered yet another skeleton, its remains falling onto her armor.
Her respite did not last long as another carcass charged at her, only to be cleaved in two by the edge of her weapon.
A mixture of sweat, spit, and bone dust decorates her skin as the seemingly endless horde of monsters meet Mash's own endless barrage of attacks.
Ritsuka's gaze was fixed on the young girl, unable to tear it away.
"A-ah, sorry! It was insensitive for me to say that when I'm sitting behind a screen and you guys are risking your lives." Roman's voice blared through Chaldea's system, finally breaking the boy's gaze.
"No, that's not it, doctor. It's just…" Ritsuka trailed off, his focus going back to the purple haired girl.
"Ah, I see."
Silence followed from the observers. Clashes of steel and bones accompanied by occasional grunts and shouts fill their ears.
"...You know, this is the first time I've seen her like this." The doctor's voice once again captured Ritsuka's attention.
"Mash… she had never been someone who had a strong will. She grew up here, you know? Never left, in fact. Even when she would be curious about things, she would limit herself to reading the books in the library, never once asking to go outside."
"But right now, she's doing everything in her power to be strong enough to protect you, Ritsuka."
Ritsuka looked down on his right hand. Three glowing red marks signify his role in this mess, a master. Mash's master.
"It might be presumptuous of me to ask you this, but please take care of Mash. She's never had a friend her age, or any friend for that matter, so I'm counting on you, Ritsuka." Romani requested.
"...I'll try my best, doctor, but I don't feel like it would be enough."
"She's been saying that she feels lacking as my servant, but I feel the same way. I was just hired to fill out the quotas. If she's a defective servant… then I'm an inept master." Ritsuka said, his eyes going back to his servant's training.
Romani briefly opened his mouth before closing them, unable to come up with a good retort.
"...Why don't you use your mystic code, master?"
"Mystic code?" Ritsuka turned to Archer with a confused look.
"That uniform you're wearing, it's a mystic code. They're tools made to help with magecraft, typically by storing some spells that can be fired off instantly." Archer further explained.
"I don't know the spells your uniform houses, but seeing as it's an outfit for masters, I'm willing to bet it has some support capabilities. It won't instant;y make you a better master, but it should help."
Ritsuka fiddled with the sleeves of his clothes. So this uniform had such a function, huh?
"Hah!"
Mash's voice catches his attention once again. The skeletons that once were are now mere dust scattered on the ground. His servant planted her shield to the ground, using it as support, breathing raggedly.
"I-it's no good, mister Cu Chulainn. I still can't unleash my Noble Phantasm." Mash confessed, catching her breath in between her words.
"Hm… Did I make a mistake? or…" The caster's gaze went to Ritsuka, before beckoning him to come.
The young boy did so, now standing beside his servants.
"Stand up, girl. Seems like we need to ramp up the intensity a little." Cu Chulainn commanded while approaching the both of them.
"Intensity? What do you mean by-"
Fire assaulted Ritsuka's vision before he could finish his question.
"Master!"
Mash's shield deflected the fire just before it consumed him.
"W-what do you think you're doing?!" Olga asked the caster, bewildered at the act.
"Since protecting you didn't seem to trigger anything, I figured attacking her master is the next step." The blue haired man answered casually, as if he did not just attack Ritsuka.
"What?! Are you insane?! Archer, Karna, King! Talk some sense into this nutjob!" Olga asked the still sitting observers desperately.
"...It's not the worst idea." Archer replied.
Karna merely nodded to Archer's response.
King stayed stoic as ever.
Olga stared at them incredulously.
"Get ready, young lady. If not, I might kill him by accident." The caster's voice trailed as he twirled his staff.
Mash readied her shield while Ritsuka settled himself behind her.
It's do or die now.
"I-I won't be a hindrance anymore!" Mash screamed out, running to meet her opponent.
In response, the caster used his staff to cast his runes, pillars of fire erupting from the ground beneath.
The shielder dodged the pillars to the best of her abilities, the heat threatening to scorch her skin even from a distance.
With a battle cry, Mash thrusted the long part of her shield to the servant, only for him to deftly dodge it.
Smirking, the blue haired man countered with a kick to Mash's stomach, followed by several thwacks of his staff to her head. Caught off guard by the mage's physical attacks, Mash recoiled, unable to react to the attacks in time.
"Hey, hey! Come on, girl! Your weakness will be his weakness, you know?!" Cu Chulainn taunted, preparing another rune to strike at the girl.
"Watch out, Mash! He's going to attack!" Hearing her master's warning, Mash stopped her imminent attack, backstepping instead.
However, Cu Chulainn's mind was steps ahead of either teen.
Planting his staff, the rune suddenly appeared below where Mash had dodged, threatening to consume her.
'No!'
Mash tried to move her legs, but found herself too slow as heat began to build up on the soles of her feet.
'Is this my limit?'
"Mash!"
From out of nowhere, she felt a surge of energy propelling her movement, allowing her to dodge the pillar by a hair's breadth.
'W-what happened?' As she was catching her breath, Mash looked over to her senpai, his arms outstretched, a perplexed look on his face as he stared at his hand, more specifically, the sleeves of his uniform.
"Hmph, how about this?" The caster said as he summoned more runes around himself, which started to spit fire at the shielder.
"Rush him now, Mash!"
Now? Mash looked at the assault of fireballs headed her way. She doesn't know if she could weather it through.
But her master's confidence alone was enough to shatter her doubts, as she found herself running towards the mage before realizing it.
She put her shield up as she ran, ignoring the increase in temperature on its handle from defending against the spell.
"Oh? Not bad at all."
The voice of her opponent made her look past her shield. He now stands just mere centimeters away from her.
Wordlessly, Cu Chulainn lit the bottom of his staff on fire. It was this act that jogged Mash's memory of the celtic hero.
Above all else, Cu Chulainn was a legendary spearman.
The following onslaught was greater than any spell the caster had used before as the mage forwent any pretense of magecraft and used his staff as a flaming spear.
Burns made its way to Mash's exposed skin as she was unable to defend against every single attack angled her way.
Away from the heat of the battle itself, the master of shielder had been clamping his mouth, suppressing the desire to cry out at his kouhai's struggles.
All in the service of finding an opening in the legendary hero's airtight defense.
And after what felt like hours, it paid off.
"Mash! Dodge to your right!"
Obeying the order on pure instinct, Mash moved out of the flaming staff's way. Cu Chulainn's back now open for fractions of a second.
It will have to be enough.
"Put your all into it, Mash!" Ritsuka commanded, pointing his right arm at Mash, his outfit slightly glowing.
"Haaaaaaa!" With a battle cry, Mash reared back her shield as she felt another burst of energy, now boosting her strength, before letting loose on the caster.
"Tch!" The mage grunted, thrown back even as he was able to put his staff up on time.
"Haha! Didn't expect you kids to come this far, honestly!" The caster praised, his stance lightening up briefly before a dangerous gleam shone in his eyes.
"But playtime's over."
A giant rune suddenly appeared under the man as pointed his staff to the master and servant.
"My Magecraft is a Cage of Flames. A flaming yet verdant giant."
Mash was familiar with Cu Chulainn's exploits as a hero of the spear, Gae Bolg.
"Retribution. A shrine that purifies the evil of human affairs."
However, she had no clue of his deeds as a mage.
"The one who destroys…"
With each line of incantation, the fire surrounding the giant rune grew in size and power.
It is the Noble Phantasm of Cu Chulainn who was summoned as a magus.
Its name is…
"WICKER MAN!" Cage of Scorching, Consuming Flames
In an instant, a giant made of woven wood emerged from the rune, lit on fire.
This is the magecraft given to the child of light by the same druids that gave him the name Cu Chulainn.
A vessel for which the druids in old celtic legends would use to offer tribute to the gods by burning it alongside the offering inside the enormous structure.
But now, in the hands of Cu Chulainn, the Wicker Man acted as a carrier of deathly inferno.
Mash could only stare as the wicker giant slowly made its way to her- no, her master, she was simply in the way.
The intense magical energy and heat washes over them both as the Wicker Man took another step forward, shaking the earth itself.
With every move it made, it dawned on her just how powerful Noble Phantasms are.
Glancing behind her, she could see her senpai's stunned face, unable to come up with a way to stop the advance of their impending doom.
But, he shouldn't be the one to bear that responsibility.
If her master needs to be protected, then…!
'I will unleash it!'
It doesn't matter what form it takes, what it does, or how the servant she's fused with feels about it.
She will deploy her Noble Phantasm now!
"Raaaahhhhhhh!"
Her body moved itself, planting her shield into the ground.
Suddenly, her weapon emitted a blinding flash of light
'Isn't this kinda bad?' King thought as he watched the clash between the two servants.
Compared to Karna's battle with the berserker, Heracles, it was far more tame, but no less fancy to the eyes.
Still, even if it's a mock battle, the blue haired guy isn't letting up at Mash at all. Are Noble Phantasms really that powerful to be worth all this?
"WICKER MAN!"
The powerful yell of Cu Chulainn caught his attention. Seems like he's getting his answer, then.
King looked at the giant rune now surrounding the man, and the fiery giant that came out of it.
Judging from its size and physical strength, it would qualify as a demon-level monster, a considerable threat in his own world, but also no match for S-Class heroes, not to mention Saitama.
Something like that would still crush him like a bug, though.
"Raaaahhhhhhh!"
King covered his eyes as a blinding flash came from Mash's shield. In between his fingers, he could see a shape in the light, a circle with rectangular patterns adorning it.
The barrier stood in front of Mash and Ritsuka, stopping the wicker giant dead in its tracks as it tried to step on them both.
After a few seconds of the clash, the Wicker Man disappeared, leaving a trail of fire where it once stood.
King whistled. Stopping an attack from a demon level monster with a single technique? That IS impressive. Maybe the struggle was worth it after all.
The teenaged pair slowly lowered their guards as Cu Chulainn did the same. Both awed at their own achievement.
"Whew, I didn't actually go for the kill, but to think that you managed to completely nullify Wicker Man… You are, without a question, a first-rate heroic spirit, young lady." The caster praised, putting his staff away into spirit form.
"S-senpai, I- just now-" The girl herself was too busy stammering to properly respond to the mage.
"That was amazing, Mash! Your shield just- I don't know what it did, but it stopped that crazy attack! It was incredible!" Ritsuka heaped his own praises, all up in the girl's personal space, awestruck at her feat.
Mash's stammers increased as she tried to put some distance between them, her cheeks taking on a slightly red tint.
'Oh? Is that what I think it is?' King thought, looking at the boy's actions with a smile. Yes, this must be Ritsuka's way of taking his advice.
King nodded in approval, satisfied that the speech he plagiarized had some use.
"Fou! Fouu!" The white animal from before circled Ritsuka and Mash, showing what seems to be joy and approval at the two.
"...So even someone like Mash grew stronger, huh?" Olga whispered, unheard by the others.
"Well done, Mash. You too, master, that was a large improvement over your last battle." Archer said, walking to the two.
"As for you, that was one of the stupidest things I've ever seen." Archer chastised the caster, earning him a glare.
"Well, it worked didn't it? I didn't see you trying to help the poor girl out." Cu Chulainn retorted.
The two glared at each other yet again, a spark almost visible between their eyes.
"No, no, no! We are not having another servant fight after that!" Thankfully, before anything could escalate, the director stepped in between them. More out of frustration than anything else.
Honestly, King has grown to really appreciate the director in spite of her brattiness. In The Association, having a higher up directly interfering between two heroes like this is a pipe dream!
'Man, I'd kill to have someone like her in The Association.' Maybe the meetings would be more than just the S-class arguing with each other, then.
"Still, to unleash your Noble Phantasm so soon… Congratulations, Mash." The director said slowly with a slight uncertain look.
"You see, this lady here is a heroic spirit of the shield, a protector, you could say. So naturally, having her protect someone is the fastest way for her to grow. Like a bird flying for the first time."
"...Is that so…" Olga Marie trailed off, looking down on the ground.
"I still don't know its true name, though, or even the true name of the heroic spirit." Mash said, regaining her bearings.
"So what? Even if it's just a temporary one, your wish brought it out. Be proud, Mash." Archer interjected, placing a hand on the girl's shoulder.
"T-thank you, mister Archer."
"Still, I think we should at least give it a name, for convenience's sake." Archer said, putting a finger on his chin.
'A name for her Noble Phantasm… If she was part of The Association, they'd give it a name like 'big shield' or 'shield flash'.' King thought, though unable to think up a good name himself.
"Well then, let's give some suggestions, why don't we? You're her master, so any suggestions, Fujimaru?" The director asked, gesturing to the young master.
"Hmm… What about…Tetrakarn?" The boy suggested after several seconds of thinking.
"Tetrakarn? How'd you come up with that? and what does it mean?" The director looked puzzled at the odd name choice.
"W-well, I, uh, it's a spell I heard from a… demon."
"Demon?! W-wait, you didn't even know about mages until today!"
"T-the demon was, uh… metaphorical?" Ritsuka's response only made Olga more confused..
"...Be straight with me, Fujimaru."
"It's from a game, director."
…
"Rejected."
Ritsuka fell down to his knees.
'Respectable attempt, Ritsuka.' King praised his fellow master in his mind.
"Cu Chulainn, what about you?" The director turned to the celtic hero, ignoring Ritsuka.
"Can't say I'm good at naming things, my spear already had its name before it was mine."
"Archer, Karna?"
"Same here."
"I'm afraid it's not my area of expertise."
The director's expression soured at Archer and Karna's respective answers.
"King? Surely you have something, right?"
'Ah, fuck.' He had been intentionally silent for a while, hoping someone had a good idea first.
A name for Mash's Noble Phantasm, huh? Honestly, even after racking his brain, he couldn't find a better name other than the hypothetical Hero Association names.
Can't imagine the director would approve of a name like 'Shield Barrier'.
"So, what is it? Just spill it out."
"I…" King's mouth started to respond on reflex.
He desperately tried to think of an answer. Maiden Protection? Purple Preserver? Eggplant Savior?
"...don't know." Unfortunately, try as he might, the corny names of heroes in his world have long since eroded his naming sense.
"You… don't know?"
King took a deep breath and cleared his throat. 'There has to be a way to salvage this!'
"Yes, you see, something as important as its name should be left to those more qualified. I, who just met Mash mere hours ago, am not familiar enough with her to give her Noble Phantasm its name."
…
What a load of bullshit.
Shit! He knew it was a bad idea, but freestyling a response was all he could do. Now he sounds like a tryhard!
"So, you're saying, it should be left to someone who knows her best?"
King's ears perked up. Whew, seems like it worked after all.
"I see your point. Then, give us something, Romani." The director said, pulling up the doctor's hologram.
"Eh? You want me to do it?" Romani questioned, pointing at himself.
"Yes! This discussion has gone on long enough! Just wrap it up, already!" Olga shouted at her subordinate.
"O-okay! Um, let's see… What about something with Chaldea in the name? It's something that holds meaning to you, right, Mash?"
The purple haired girl nodded at the suggestion.
"Chaldea… Then, Lord Chaldeas. What do you think, Mash?" Olga said after thinking it over.
"Lord Chaldeas… Yes, I like it! Thank you, director, doctor!" Mash said, smiling at the brand new name of her Noble Phantasm.
'Lord Chaldeas, huh?' King liked the name. Definitely better than something like 'Caped Baldy'.
Honestly, the director should've just named it from the start if she could make up such a name on the spot.
"Now that that's over, let's go to the greater grail, Cu Chulainn." The director gave her order, turning to the caster.
"Yes, yes. Right this way."
As the group began walking again, King thought more about the Noble Phantasms he saw.
Lord Chaldeas and Wicker Man, both definitely very powerful moves in their own right, but it made him rather curious about his own servant's Noble Phantasm.
Karna is a soldier, so his Noble Phantasm is probably something more offensive compared to a mage or a shield bearer. Still, without asking the man himself, there's no way to know for sure.
Should he ask him directly? or just wait until he decides to use it in battle?
'Ah, damnit. This is making my head spin.'
Karna watched as his master walked. His finger up to his chin, deep in thought.
As a fellow warrior, Karna understood his master's thought process. With a great battle on the horizon, any spare time is best left thinking about the path to victory.
With that being said, Karna himself was more focused on a different battle, a more personal one.
He has a score to settle with Heracles.
The throne of heroes gave him sufficient knowledge over the heroes that carved their deeds in human history, and chief among them was Heracles, the Greek hero who carried out the twelve labors.
If the caster is to be believed, then the Heracles he had fought was a mere shadow of his former self. Even so, Karna had no intention of underestimating the legendary hero for their next fight.
Regardless of how much he has fallen, a warrior of his caliber deserves to go out with a great battle, and the responsibility falls to Karna to finish their fight.
"Here we are."
Cu Chulainn's voice ended Karna's trail of thoughts. Before him is a giant cave, mostly natural with traces of magecraft lingering its air.
"The greater grail is in the far back of this cave, so let's not separate without reason." The celtic mage said as they went into the cave.
"What a large cave… Has this cave always been here?" Mash asked no one in particular.
"Yes. It's a cave that has been modified into a workshop by mages over the years." Archer answered, touching a stalagmite of the cave.
"...Wait!" Cu Chulainn warned as he made a full stop.
In a secluded area of the cave, a giant figure groaned as it aimlessly wandered. Heracles was waiting for them.
"Hmm… Berserker is a troublesome opponent and sneaking around him is rather risky with our numbers…" The blue haired mage mulled, ruffling his hair.
"Let me."
Everyone turned to Karna for his statement.
"The rest of you may go on, I shall give Heracles a fitting sendoff. Master King and I will catch up after we are done." Karna declared, eyeing his enemy.
"Can you take care of him by yourself, Karna? Heracles is a tough enemy, especially after his God Hand has survived your strike." Archer questioned.
"Worry not, Archer, for I am not fighting this battle by my lonesome." Karna responded, while shifting his gaze to his master.
His master gazed back just as intently, the message coming across clearly to Karna.
With all that is riding on it, their victory is a must.
"...Very well, I accept your plan." Director Olga said.
"The rest of us will sneak past Berserker while Karna fights him, understood?" The group nodded at the director.
"Be careful, Karna, King!" Ritsuka whispered as he and the others began to stealth their way behind the protruding rocks of the cave.
Karna simply nodded at the warning.
Slowly, he stepped into the monstrous hero's view, unsheathing his golden spear.
"▂▃▅▅！" The giant roared at the sight of his opponent, lifting his enormous axe-sword in kind.
Karna took a deep breath and assumed a stance.
"Hear! I am Karna, son of Surya and I have come to give Heracles, son of Zeus, his last rites!"
In response, the Greek hero launched himself at his enemy, their weapons clashing.
A battle between demigods is upon them.
The party sans Karna and King followed Cu Chulainn's lead, having passed the berserker.
As they went deeper, the aura of the cave became more oppressive. The machinations of generations of mages becoming more apparent.
Archer recognized the cave, Ryuudou caverns, located beneath the temple of the same name. It was here where the greater grail of Fuyuki lay, something that seemed to remain unchanged in this timeline.
"Hey, Archer…" His master's voice brought Archer out of his thoughts.
"You think they're going to be alright?" Ritsuka asked his servant.
Archer thought about it. Heracles is one of the strongest servants Archer ever fought, even corrupted and with one life remaining, he can't imagine the Greek hero would go down easily.
That being said, Karna is also immensely powerful. An Indian demigod, born from the god of the sun, his deeds in Mahabharata can easily match the accomplishments of a dozen lesser heroic spirits.
Not to mention, King had proven himself to be extraordinary, somehow avoiding Heracles' strike without magecraft. Had he heard it from anyone other than Karna, Archer would have dismissed it as a lie or a mistake.
'To dodge an attack from such a strong heroic spirit using your body alone… Just who are you?' Archer pondered for a moment, before shaking the thought off.
In conclusion… "I'm sure they will, master."
"...Yes, you're right. Someone like King with Karna at his side won't lose!" Ritsuka said.
Archer chuckled at his master's enthusiasm, though he agreed. Such a powerful duo would surely come on top.
"It's just up ahead, be ready." Cu Chulainn warned, catching everyone's attention.
They were now outside of the cave. He could see it now, the area leading to the greater grail.
In the corner of his vision, a glint made itself visible.
Faster than even Cu Chulainn could react, a red flash flew towards them.
BOOM
Before it could reach the group, Archer fired a projectile of his own, meeting the object head on, causing an explosion that rattled the cave.
"W-what was that?!" The director shouted.
His bow still drawn from the shot, Archer's breath slightly quickened. Even if none of the others could see it, he recognized the flying object with a single glance.
Hrunting: The Hound of The Red Plains.
"Hmph, perhaps I should've expected that."
From above them, on a cliff jutting out from the cave's exterior, a familiar voice rang out, belonging to an equally familiar figure.
The man jumps down, approaching the party. The closer he got, the familiarity became more apparent.
A doppelganger bearing Archer's appearance had shown himself.
"A-another Archer?!" Ritsuka yelled, taking a step back.
The man bore the same physical appearance as Archer, the only difference being his destroyed red coat dangling off his back and his hair let down rather than slicked back.
"...You failed to mention this, Caster." Archer accused, his eyes still trained at his mirror self.
"Oh yeah? Must've slipped my mind." Cu Chulainn responded, though anyone could tell it was laced with sarcasm.
"Damn! So close to the grail, too!" Olga exclaimed, her teeth clenched.
"...Go, I'll handle this." Archer said, summoning Kanshou and Bakuya to his hands.
"This again?! You know Saber is up ahead, right?!" Olga protested.
"Have some faith in Mash and Ritsuka, director. They grew immensely in their last fight." Archer said, trying to dissuade her worries.
"...Damn it! Alright, we'll go ahead, don't take too long!" Olga ordered, yielding to Archer's decision.
With the rest of the group running ahead, the identical servants were left with themselves.
"...So, become the King's guard dog, have I?."
"Ha, I didn't 'become' anything, I'm just here to turn away uninvited guests."
If one did not see the scene for themselves, they would assume the voices belonged to one man having an argument with himself.
Without uttering another word, the two jumped toward one another, both wielding the same pair of black and white swords. Sparks flew as identical swordsmanship met, lighting the dark of the night.
Their clash inconclusive, both of them decided to jump back, each drawing their bows.
Archer fired several arrows in quick succession, all struck down by the opposing arrows of his double.
"Tch, as I thought, fighting yourself is a disgusting feeling."
"Heh, I couldn't agree more."
Flames brushed off jet black skin, giving warmth to the cold underground.
Here, a battle of pantheons is taking place.
Heracles, son of Zeus, slayer of The Hydra and The Nemean Lion. A legendary hero that even reached godhood after the end of his life.
Karna, son of Surya, Hero of Charity. His defeat only came from his own generosity.
In this cave, far from where their legends were sung, a new epic of its own came into life from the raging battle.
A battle that Karna had found himself in a disadvantage.
Archer's warning had come true, his spear and flames which previously wounded the Greek hero were now little more than distraction for the rampaging giant.
Without having to worry about Karna's attacks, Heracles dropped all means of defense in favor of relentless assault.
Not falling behind, Karna retaliated with the same aggression, Kachava and Kundala turning what would be grievous wounds into mere scratches.
The result was a stalemate disguised as a fierce battle, as demigods traded powerful strikes without doing much damage to either.
However, with the others headed up to fight Saber, Karna could not afford the luxury of a stalemate. His victory needs to be decisive and fast.
With that in mind, Karna hastened his strikes, putting more power into the fire enveloping his spear.
"▂▃▅▅！" Heracles roared, the increased intensity of Karna's attacks doing little to slow his attacks.
"Tch!" Unable to push his opponent back, Karna jumped back, avoiding a sweeping slash from Heracles.
The distance between them gave Karna a brief respite to think.
At this point, it was clear to him that mere strikes and fire attacks would no longer work on his enemy. That being said, ever the single minded warrior, Karna had little else to offer.
Which means that the only option forward was brute strength, something he had in spades.
But… Heracles seemed to be aware of this fact, even in his madness.
The entire time they have fought, Heracles has positioned himself in front of his master, blocking his view and more importantly, putting him in the line of fire.
That, combined with the nature of their battlefield had been preventing Karna from unleashing his Noble Phantasm to immediately end this fight.
Karna could not help but praise the hero charging at him, for even in the state that he's in, he could still formulate such a strategy.
"▂▃▅▅！"
A low swing came from the monstrous hero, aimed towards Karna's midsection.
Karna jumped towards his enemy, dodging the strike and used Heracles' shoulders as a jumping pad, launching him far above the Greek hero.
'Perhaps from here I can-'
Before he could even finish that thought, his vision was filled with the giant's figure.
CRASH
Barely blocking the downwards swing, Karna found himself back on the ground, crashing into the cave's stalagmites, though uninjured.
As the berserker landed, it became clear to Karna that this was Heracles' goal all along, not necessarily to defeat him, but to simply prevent him from joining the rest in battling Saber.
And with his master now once again, behind the giant, he is now back to square one.
'How frustrating.' Karna thought, getting back up and aiming his spear to his opponent once more.
However, in the midst of their standoff, Karna caught a glimpse of his master.
No order came from his mouth, but that matters little. Karna could tell the order given to him from his gaze alone.
'Have faith in me, and stop hesitating.'
"Heh, what a warrior you are, master…" Karna murmured under his breath, before launching himself towards Heracles.
Of course, Karna should've known from the beginning that he did not have to worry about his master's capabilities. After all, is he not the man who even Heracles was wary of?
With newfound confidence, Karna stabbed his spear forwards, pushing back Heracles.
"▂▂▃▃▅▅ーーー！！" Enraged, but not wounded, Heracles swung towards Karna's head.
Deftly, Karna dodged by flipping himself upside down, kicking Heracles' arm on the way.
Repositioning himself, Karna is now under the giant's torso, his vision angling slightly up. In this angle, he could minimize the collateral from what he is about to do. The rest, he will leave up to his master.
The next fractions of seconds will determine the end of this battle.
From Karna's right eye, a small flame came into life.
It is the weapon granted to him by Parashurama of the Brahmins, a weapon called upon by invoking the name of Brahma, the creator to Vishnu's preserver and Shiva's destroyer.
The weapon had been wielded by few warriors across history, some were his allies, others were his enemies, but they all share one their prowess as warriors. As such, this Noble Phantasm could be said as the manifestation of Karna's might.
Though it had assumed different forms for each warrior that wielded it, its name remained unchanged.
"▂▂▃▃▅▅ーーー！！" Realizing the immediate danger, Heracles tried to strike the lancer down.
But it was too late.
"BRAHMASTRA!" O' Brahma, Cover the Earth
A beam of light shot out of Karna's right eye.
Unable to defend from the attack done at point blank, the Noble Phantasm hit Heracles straight on his chest.
The intense strength of Karna's weapon warped even the air surrounding them, boiling the water puddle beneath, and destroying the rocks formed by the cave.
Against such power, even God Hand could not help the Greek hero avoid certain death.
The beam overpowered Heracles' defenses, leaving a gaping hole where his torso once was. It traveled further, barely missing his master, who ducked at the last second, and destroyed the rocks behind him.
Karna stared at the dying body of his enemy, his sword still raised above his head.
"▂▂▃▃▃▃▂▂…" Heracles' last words came as a groan as life was snuffed out of his blood red eyes.
Slowly, the giant's figure turned into dust, and the battle between mythologies came to a close.
"Even consumed by madness and corruption, you were a formidable enemy, son of Zeus. Should we meet in battle again, let it be under our true strengths."
Assassin stalked through the shadows of the underground, carefully observing the fight between the lancer and the berserker.
Such grandiose displays of power never suited him, after all, to reach the skills he now possessed, he had sacrificed his life, his name, and all traces of the man he used to be.
All that was left was The Old Man of The Mountain, Hassan-i-Sabbah. One of the nineteen to have held that title.
His target, however, was not the servant currently locking weapons with Berserker. Rather, he focused his sights on the idle form of his master.
From the way he fought, Assassin could tell that even Berserker knew there was little point in trying to defeat his enemy in battle, instead fighting a battle of attrition to stop him from reaching Saber.
His fellow servant's strategy had opened up a window of opportunity for Assassin. He saw just how dangerous this master could be first hand during the fight at the church.
Such a man should not be taken head on, as such the distraction provided by Berserker will serve as a chance for Assassin to strike.
Positioning himself behind the master, Assassin drew his knife intent on slitting the neck of the scarred man.
He swung his left hand around the man's neck, intent on ending his life in an instant.
"Show yourself already."
Assassin's hand stopped moving
Once preparation to attack has been made, Presence Concealment would lose effectiveness, yes but even then, it should be enough to hide him from even stronger servants.
Yet this man not only saw through it, but also… mocked him.
In between his thoughts, Assassin noticed his knife hand shaking.
Had this man truly instilled fear in him with three mere words?
His hand tremors increasing, Assassin wisely decided to retract his hand.
If The Founder was here, his head surely would not be resting on his shoulder anymore.
Thinking on his feet, Assassin dashed over the master of lancer, landing between him and the ongoing fight. If he knew of his presence, then there is no more need for subtlety.
Taking his knife out again, Assassin primed himself at the master, Presence Concealment hiding him from the man's servant.
Drawing back his hand, Assassin took one last look at his target's eyes.
'W-what?!'
…Only to be met with overwhelming pressure.
The man squinted his eyes at Assassin, scarred and unscarred sides of his face tensing up, creating the visage of a demon.
Assassin found himself quaking yet again, the pressure almost reminding him of the two moments in his life he felt fear.
When he bore Shaytan to achieve his title, and the end of his reign as Hassan-i-Sabbah.
Even so, Assassin knew that if he did not strike now, he might not get another chance.
So, with all his power, Assassin launched himself to the master, knife aimed at his neck.
But his strike found no flesh.
Instead, he now had his weapon stuck on a rock, behind his supposed target.
Looking back, he saw the man kneeling, having dodged the attack.
'H-how?'
Panicking, Assassin tried to think of other ways to end the master's life. Throwing knives? His Shaytan?
"BRAHMASTRA!"
Before he could do anything further, all he saw was a beam of light travelling directly at him.
'Ah'
And with that, Assassin's time as a servant came to an end.
'Damn, I can't see anything at all.'
King looked on as Karna fought with Heracles, though 'looking' might be inaccurate, as the only view he had gotten so far was the back of the bigger servant.
'Man, what the hell was Karna thinking?' When his servant made the suggestion to do a 1v1 against Heracles, King looked aghast at him, something he either ignored or didn't get.
Nevertheless, any protests King might've voiced are now too late as the battle raged on.
A battle he can't see, and by extension, can't help with.
'Damn it, Karna…'
"...Show yourself already." King complained, knowing no one would actually hear it.
His hopes went up when Karna jumped over Heracles, only for them to be shot down, just like Karna.
The dust from the crash made even Heracles invisible to him, causing him to squint, trying to see the action.
"...Hm?"
In trying to focus himself on the fight, King found his footing a little unstable, leading him to realize that his right shoe had its laces untied.
Well, an untied shoe in a wet cave sounds like bad time, so he should probably fix that ASAP.
As he tied his shoe, he felt a wind brush his head.
'Hm? What was-'
"BRAHMASTRA!"
This time King felt some heat above him, causing him to look up after his shoes are untied no longer.
Karna stood alone, feet submerged in a bubbling puddle of water.
'Was that his Noble Phantasm?' Brahma- something, was it?
Damn, just his luck. He missed his chance to see his own servant's Noble Phantasm!
Sighing, King walked up to his servant. "So, you won, right? Good job, Karna." He praised his servant.
"Yes, you were magnificent as well, master." Karna replied.
Magnificent? for doing what? fiddling with his shoes?
Ignoring the strange comment, King looked towards the direction Ritsuka and the others went.
"Let us make haste master, the others are awaiting us."
King nodded, walking deeper into the cave, his servant in tow.
"...By the way, master. I suggest you look out for Assassin." Karna suddenly said, breaking the silence that festered over the last minute.
"Assassin?" That's one of the classes, right?
"Yes, if what Cu Chulainn told us was accurate, then Assassin and Archer are the remaining servants guarding the path to the grail."
"A dark cave like this one is a prime hunting ground for an assassin servant, so it would be paramount for us both to keep an eye behind our back." Karna finished.
Assassin… If King remembered correctly, they were heroic spirits that specialized in killing, especially with stealth.
Suddenly, the protruding spikes in the cave seemed a little bit more sinister in King's eyes.
Servants that can disappear into the shadows and kill him before he knew it?
That's pretty damn scary.
Sparks and explosions lit up the dying town of Fuyuki.
When he saw the face of Cu Chulainn, Archer did not think anything else would come close to annoying him in this singularity.
Oh, how wrong he was.
Archer projected Caladbold into his hand. He notched it into his arrow, before firing.
Another explosion occurred as his other self did the same.
From the ashes, the corrupted Archer rushed him, swords in hand. Projecting his own Kanshou and Bakuya, Archer met him head on.
But to both of their frustration, neither's attacks would land even a single hit.
Archer's flurry of slashes met his counterpart's blades, sparks flying as they danced around one another.
Archer clicked his tongue, he knew it wouldn't be easy, but it's starting to grate on his nerves.
Suddenly, Archer's corrupted self projected a giant hammer, smashing it into the ground.
Using the distraction, he jumped towards the edge of the cliff, before using it to propel himself even further into the sky.
From here, he drew his bow, projecting Hrunting into it, intent on piercing his other self below.
But to his confusion, when the dust cleared, his target was absent.
The sound of a bowstring turned his attention behind him.
Archer had been a step ahead, realizing what his other was planning, and now, he has his own Hrunting, primed at the other Archer.
His target tried to block the seeking shot.
However, his other self having been already corrupted, Archer was faster.
Archer let Hrunting soar through the air, hitting his counterpart, sending him crashing into the ground with an explosion.
Archer was tougher.
His other self fired nameless swords from his bow, but Archer merely blocked them with ease as he made his descent.
Archer was stronger.
Archer projected Kanshou and Bakuya, before stabbing them through his prone opponent, ending the fight.
"...Looks like this is the end." Archer's counterpart said solemnly.
"...Yes, it is."
Archer pulled out his swords and put them away, letting his other self slowly disappear into dust.
"Send my regards to the mage of flowers if you happen to see him. The way that girl could use her Noble Phantasm is extraordinary." The corrupted servant said, his lower half having already disappeared.
"...Do you think her shield could protect against the sacred sword?"
"Who knows? Questions like that only lead to paradoxical answers. The result will be determined by her and her alone." With that as his last words, Archer of Fuyuki's Holy Grail War disappeared.
"Hmph, what an unpleasant experience."
Director Olga Marie Animusphere had seen many feats of strength in the last hour.
Karna and Heracles' show of divine might, the runes of Cu Chulainn, Mash's incredible growth and her Noble Phantasm, hell, even Ritsuka's demeanor in commanding a battle had changed.
In comparison, she had gained absolutely nothing since coming here. She instead lost her most trusted helper as Chaldea's director.
But even so, she had hoped that the others' strength could carry her useless self through the fire and come out the other side unscathed. Perhaps then she could continue to play pretend as Chaldea's director.
But that illusion has now been shattered.
Cu Chulainn's upper body was now bare, his robes blasted away. He laid on the ground after taking a blow from Saber.
Mash's legs were shaking under the weight of her own body, the only thing keeping her shield up being raw determination.
Ritsuka's breath came out pained, his hands on his knees. Just today, he learned how to use his magic circuits for the first time, and now he's already overusing it, blood draining from his face.
And Olga was… pathetic.
If Fujimaru was a third rate mage doing first rate work, then she is the complete opposite.
She is worried about him, about Mash, truly she did.
But standing behind these brave people was a sham of a leader, who could not even lift a finger to help her subordinates.
And the guardian of the Holy Grail stands unwinded, sword in hand.
"To be honest, I expected more from someone who wields that shield." Saber's voice rang out as she walked towards Mash.
Looking at her, Olga can't help but be enchanted by her beauty, even as she sets out to kill them, even as corruption has consumed her body.
"Is this all you can muster, girl?" Saber raised her sword overhead, aimed at the shaking Mash.
"Mash, no!" Ritsuka screamed out, only to fall down to his knees as fatigue overtook him.
"Damn it!" Cu Chulainn yelled, summoning his staff and trying to get up.
Olga could only stand, mouth agape.
'Come on, Olga! Please move! Do something!' Olga begged her body to move, to cast a spell, shit, even a distraction would do at this point!
"AAHHH!" Olga yelled out loud, pointing her finger at Saber.
A circle began to form at her pointer finger, before firing a concentrated bullet out of magical energy.
Gandr, a simple but effective spell.
One that Saber barely registered.
Simply giving Olga a glance, she prepared to swing once more.
'I-is this the limit of my abilities?' The only spell she casted today and it did… nothing.
As Saber's sword began to fall, Olga averted her eyes, not wanting to see the girl's demise.
"Mash!" A voice shouted, followed by the sound of a clang.
Olga looked up, Archer had come in and shot an arrow to Saber's sword, deflecting her strike.
"M-mister Archer! Thank you!" Mash thanked her savior, slowly finding her stance again.
"You're welcome, but… this is a rotten situation, isn't it?" Archer replied, preparing his swords while Cu Chulainn and Ritsuka stood up and grouped together.
It was now three servants against one, but is it enough to stop Saber?
Maybe Olga should not be surprised at the difference in strength, after all, she is…
ARTURIA PENDRAGON
King of Camelot
"We're here!" Karna said, just in time to see Olga's save of Mash and Archer's interception.
"What should we do, mas-"
What Karna saw stunned him into silence.
The eyes of his master stared daggers into the King of Knights, more heated than ever before.
I totally didn't forget that Fou existed until this chapter, yea it was totally planned.
Jokes aside, I'm pretty surprised no one pointed that out until now. I panicked when I realized I forgot about him.
Sorry this took a while, I got sick almost immediately after tests ended, couldn't write for a week, hence the month long gap. Also, I kinda didn't like writing this chapter lmao. I got stuck during several parts and it took me longer than I would've liked and came out worse than I would prefer.
What I'm trying to say is I'm sorry you all waited this long for mid.
On other news... RAHHHHHHH RATE UP IS A FUCKING LIEEEEE! WHAT DO YOU MEAN 120 ROLLS WEREN'T ENOUGH? I SAVED FOR 6 (six) MONTHS ONLY TO GET CEs! WHAT IS YOUR PROBLEM, LASAGNA?!
So, uh, someone didn't get Koyan.
On a brighter note, tests went really well, grades went up, so there's that at least.
Also, I'll be posting this story on ao3 pretty soon.
Later.