Izuku had just returned from visiting Japan with Eri when he stepped into the Throne Room, greeted by Ochaco. "Izuku. Exquisite timing. We have a Fae delegation arriving in 10 minutes. And you, dear husband, need to get changed."

"Suddenly? Okay, but no ruffles."

"Husband..."

"I'm serious. I tolerated it when meeting the Ambassador, but I will not face the Fae dressed like a peacock. Plate armor is formal enough—and appropriate when discussing the War of our Age with a warlike people."

"I..." she shook her head, a smile on her lips. "Very well, My Heart. But you might wish to hurry; they will be arriving shortly."

"Will do." He made his way to their chambers and started putting on his armor. "That was easy. A little too easy..." a feeling dread crept down his spine, unsure what Ochaco would ask in return.

"Fighting evil by daylight, winning love by moonlight, never running away from a real fight, he's the one named Winter King!" Izuku hummed, intentionally off-tone just because, his mood improving with the music.

He went back to the Throne Room, where Ochaco sat by herself, and he took the place next to her.

"You look handsome, My Heart. Martial, but perhaps that is what the occasion calls for. Our Emissary is of Tuatha Dé Danann, and they are amongst the most warlike of the Fae."

"Your mother was one of them, wasn't she?"

"She was, yes. A Fae Lady, like the one coming to meet with us. Please, My Love...no jokes about purple dinosaurs. The Lords and Ladies guard their honour jealously."

"I'll be the soul of politeness."

Then the gigantic door opened, the sound of it echoing in the chamber, revealing the Fae emissary. A familiar sight from the days Izuku used to serve drinks at The Crowley.

"Greetings, Your Highness. I bear greetings from the Court of Tír na nÓg, and a reaffirmation of our Alliance with the new Queen," Aoife curtsied.

"Aoife? I never expected to see you here," Izuku muttered.

A faint smile flickered on her lips. "Then I have at least a small advantage on you this time; news of the new King in Exile reached Tír na nÓg before I set out. You have come a long way from the humble Publican in Mustafu."

"I guess I have. Welcome to Camelot, Aoife."

Ochaco looked at him. "So you already know the Emissary, dearest Husband? Why am I not surprised?"

"She's been to The Crowley a few times. Excellent taste in drinks."

"Someone has to deal with our Human allies...at Camelot," Aoife spoke. "And increasingly in the mundane realm. For my sins, that someone turns out to be me."

"It must be your charming personality," Izuku smirked.

"I see you have not forgotten the skills of your previous job, Your Highness. Though I fear there will not be a tip today."

"What news is there of my Father?"

"The Oldest? No message for you, specifically, if that was what you were asking. He is aware of the Outsiders, and the proposed meeting. I assume it was your actions that sent Chosen Valery to our doorstep?"

"Yes. My Father planned for this fight 1600 years ago with Merlin. The Norse have been preparing for the coming of Ragnarök for at least a thousand years. It's time for us to rise together."

"And you...to be the Anvil to that Hammer? Camelot is not what it once was."

"Camelot will..." Izuku suddenly felt something. An urge.

Power surged through Izuku, his body glowing. Something stirred—a thought not new, yet buried deep. It felt right, as if it had always been part of him, waiting. The voice that left his lips far deeper than he remembered.

"Camelot will lead an Army of the Many. Of the Small and the Proud, the Fierce and the Hungry. An Army of Humanity and Elsewhere. And when this was is over, nothing will ever be the same again."

The Mantle embraced him, but there was no customary pain...as it surrounded him, the very concept of reality and time faded. For a fraction of a second...he Saw Everything. "This is not an incursion, Aoife. It is a war. A war that will change our Worlds as irrevocably as the Ascension of Fae changed Elsewhere."

Then it slipped away...the pain and the glory, the certainty and the wonder. All that remained was a Man. But it will be enough.

"Those who were Lost will be Returned, what was Promised will be Delivered. Everything is riding on the throw of a single pair of dice, Aoife. And after an eternity of waiting, they are finally slowing."

Everything returned to how they were. The shining light in his eyes receded, the emerald glow around him dissipating.

"I see the Oldest is not the only bloodline that went into making you, Izuku..." Aoife breathed, eyes glowing, heart pounding at his Presence. "...That sounded like Sorcery. The Oldest of magics...and the youngest."

"Blame Merlin," Izuku shrugged.

"Many of us do. Those who still remember him, at least. An arrogant trickster, too impressed with his own mind and power—never enough concern for the responsibilities that should have come with them."

"Yeah, people seem to think he's a humorless bastard."

Aoife's glow faded as she chuckled. "Hardly. Twisted, maybe. Arthur, though...Arthur was a zealot. A genius at war, perhaps humanity's greatest fighter—but humorless, consumed by destiny."

"A woman will forgive a lot for a man who makes her smile."

Aoife covered her mouth, laughter escaping. "So I have found. Arthur could have used the lesson. But I am not here to reminisce about the last Incursion. You seek a tri-party alliance; Chosen Valery proposed a gathering at neutral ground in Elsewhere."

"When?"

"Three days from now."

"Is there no way to do this faster?" Izuku sighed. So many people were already dead because of their inaction. While the US did prioritize evacuation, for the most part, it was not always easy to get people to leave their homes. Some even tried to fight off the Outsiders with their twin barreled shotgun, only for it to jam and their Soul sucked out.

"Gods and Powers move at their own pace, Izuku...one does not rush them unless one wishes something critical to break at the point of impact."

"Yeah, let's not start this off with a civil war between prospective allies."

"Powers have bonds and grudges, love interests and blood feuds; I am certain you understand the need for tact, considering your rumoured feud with Thor."

"If he doesn't start anything, I won't need to end it."

"Nobody is asking you to forgive; you are your Father's son, after all. Vengeance will come...one day, Thor's head would decorate your castle walls. But for this gathering, you will need swear not to strike the first blow."

"Done. The War is more important than Eindridi's head. For now."

"And the agreed timing?"

"Works for me. Ochaco?"

"Yes, My Heart. We will be there, as will our allies."

"Sounds like we have a gathering, Aoife."

"Then it has been agreed. Thank you, Your Highness."

"What are your plans now?"

"I will soon return to Tír na nÓg, though I suspect I shall be back, sooner or later. Your...Operation Excalibur...is drawing increased interest from certain individuals at Court, which will doubtless involve my intercession."

"Well, if you ever need a place to relax after a hard day's work, I'd recommend the King's Dragon."

"The last human public house I was recommended was run by a Sorceress and the future Winter King...what will this one contain, I wonder?"

"Nothing scary. It's run by my three Chosen; best pub in Camelot."

"Three Chosen...like your Father. Though for your sake, I hope it has a happier ending than his."

"There will be no Merlin forcing me to sacrifice them. They are mine. I protect what I hold," Izuku said, his eyes glowing emerald, before turning back.

"Life and Destiny rarely care what one wishes, Izuku...this is true even for Gods. And for all your Father's might, he could not stop his Chosen from doing what they felt would serve him best."

"I am not my father. I will not make his mistakes."

"As you say," she shrugged, unconvinced but didn't want to antagonize him. "Perhaps I shall give this King's Dragon a chance...hopefully your Chosen have learned from your old employer; it really is a most astonishing public house she runs. And such a fascinating woman as well."

"I'm sure Mina and the rest will do even better."

"High praise indeed. Perhaps I shall see you there some time, Winter King...it sounds like we are destined to run into each other at the inns of our realms. For now, I shall take my leave; farewell," she gave another deep curtsey before leaving the room.

As the Fae left, Ochaco looked at Izuku with a surprised smile. "As someone with such an open face and manner you are forever a wellspring of surprises, husband."

"It's not like that; she's just a Fae Lady that used to drink at The Crowley."

"She is also the Emissary of the Court of Tír na nÓg to the world of Humans. I have seen her before, though she has always been aloof and cold. Somehow you made her feel almost friendly."

"It's a gift. But I think that's about as friendly as she gets; she's not easy to get close to. Though I don't think she's a bad sort."

"I doubt the Lords and Ladies of the Fae consider themselves bound by terms of good or evil; those are for us mere humans. And Lady Aoife is old, My Heart; she remembers a time before Camelot existed. Never forget that."

"I don't. But she looks so young, and pretty."

Ochaco snickered. "My dearest pervert. Your appetites know no bounds. Whatever you do: be careful about her. The Tuatha Dé Danann do not suffer insults well, and their feuds are legendary."

"You and Nemuri are too worried about this. She's like a traveling salesman. Woman. At the end of a long day, all she wants is to sit down, kick her heels off and relax with a nice drink. That, and someone to chat."

She smirked. "And that would be you, My Love?"

"Half of the job was to listen to client's problems. It's what bartenders are there for."

"If you say so, My Heart. At least the audience is over and done with; I have another meeting I need to attend."

"I'll let you enjoy that. I'll see you later, Ochaco."

Izuku made his way to The King's Dragon, knowing that the dojo should be complete. When he opened the doors, Momo was already there, waiting for him.

"Welcome, Danna-sama. We have completed the first upgrade to the King's Dragon, according to your request."

"Thank you, Momo. Are you satisfied?"

"It has been done to satisfactory standards, especially considering the timeframe. Given a choice, I would have preferred a team of craftsmen to build this directly. But I am glad it was done efficiently," she gestured to the stairs leading down.

"That's not what I asked. I asked if you are happy?"

"Me? But...Danna-sama, this is our gift. To you. My feelings are unimportant as long as you like it."

"They are important to me. And to your Sisters. So...you haven't answered my question."

"I think...I am. I could not recreate the compound, like I hoped to...but that was nothing more than a memory. It would not be there if I returned, replaced with something the new me would struggle to recognize. What we have built filled my heart with peace. And belonging. We all do."

"Then I'm happy as well."

"You haven't even seen it, Danna-sama!"

"Why don't you show me, then?"

They made their way downstairs. Immediately, Izuku noticed a shrine near one of the walls, with banners writing dōjō on each side of a portrait. A portrait of Izuku.

'Seriously?' he shook his head. He hoped only his Chosen, or at least those close to him, would see this. Though Nana would probably make fun of him because of this.

Other than that little detail, he thought it was perfect. Elegant, serene, and beautiful. Just like his Chosen. As if reading his mind, potentially a combination of the emotions from the link and his facial expression, Momo's ears went red, and she spoke.

"Thank you, Danna-sama. Oh, there's Mina."

"Welcome, Mina. It's nice, isn't it?"

"Of course it is, Daddy. My Sister has worked non-stop on it. Like, everything had to be perfect. You're a very, very lucky man, Daddy."

"I'm aware, yeah. Amazing work, Momo," Izuku smiled, resting his hand on her shoulder, giving it a squeeze.

"Now...the question is...what do we do next?"

"You told me about the teahouse, right? What about that?"

"That'd be perfect, Daddy! I'm sure we could find..."

"No, Mina. I'll go fund it. I'd rather not have you going into a crime spree to do this, even if the victims deserve it. You're straying too much from heroing. I should have enough. How much do you need?"

While Momo's Quirk made gathering raw materials practically a non-issue, since this is Izuku's gift to the girls, he didn't want to be a cheap asshole. It was also went without saying that he wouldn't use Ochaco's allocated budget for this. This was his, and his own wallet would pay for it. He provided the funds, with it costing a few grand. Nothing to scoff at, but he got money from monster slaying for years. The things he saved up for, mainly the armor, already taken care of. He was actually well-off, even discounting their shared funds.

Afterwards, he decided to watch the people from Camelot as they moved across the streets; something he decided in order to learn more about his people. He couldn't put off ruling forever. And Izuku wouldn't have much excuse for it once the war was over.

As he was doing this, his ear started ringing. He looked around for the source of it, and discovered it was coming from a certain direction. From the Tower that dominated the sky. He felt like it was calling for him.

Narrowing his eyes, he glanced at the tower, his gaze locked onto the center. He felt like it wouldn't be a great idea to walk towards it alone. Rather, it felt like he had to come with Ochaco.

His feet took him to the Throne room, where Ochaco just finished one of her meetings, different ministers exiting the room.

"Ochaco...I need your help."

Ochaco smiled. A distraction sounded good right now. "Anything, My Heart. As long as it does not smudge my clothes or makeup too badly, at least. What is it you require?"

"Merlin's Tower. It's been calling to me."

That...wasn't what she expected. But it greatly intrigued her. "Calling, My Love? What do you mean?"

Izuku explained to her what he felt, and Ochaco's eyes went wide. Eagerly, she led him to their chambers. Once they were there, she took off her dress and was holding her armor.

"So your clothes did get smudged, after all," Izuku chuckled, his eyes glued to Ochaco's bottom as she was bending down, putting on her boots.

"Or at least slightly crumpled. And without even a kiss to show for it."

LIME WARNING

"A tragedy." His arms pulled her into an embrace, causing her to yelp in surprise. Her soft curves pressed against his body, the silk of her chemise doing little to hide her warmth. Izuku breathed in her intoxicating scent as the silk of her hair brushed against his face. The sweetness of her breath ghosted across his lips as she melted into his arms, her body instinctively seeking his.

Their eyes met, emerald drowning in chocolate, before they slowly closed the distance. The first brush of their lips was tender, almost reverent. He kissed her slowly, softly, lovingly, savoring each subtle response - the way her breath caught, how her fingers curled against his chest. Her mouth opened beneath his, welcoming his tongue, as she leaned closer, pressing her chest against his. The kiss deepened naturally, heat building between them.

They lost track of time, lost in the moment and each other. His hands slid down her back, tracing her curves through the thin fabric, memorizing each dip and swell as if it were the first time. She pressed closer with a soft, needy sound that made his blood burn hotter. The kiss grew hungrier, more demanding, his grip tightening on her hips as his restraint began to slip away.

"I guess the tower can wait a little," Izuku murmured as he tossed her to the bed, drawing out that delightful squeak he loved so much. Her hair fanned out across the sheets like spilled ink, her chest rising and falling with quickened breaths. Izuku leaned over her from the side, their eyes locked in an unbroken gaze that spoke volumes.

"You are irrepressible, Husband," she whispered, but the way she arched slightly toward him betrayed her own desire. "We are beset by Sorcery and Destiny, and you persist in following your...thing...around, letting it do your thinking for you."

Izuku shifted beside her, leaning over to grab her wrists and pin them above her head. His body pressed against her side, warm and solid as he held her there. She was soft beneath him, warm, her breath coming faster as he held her down. She wasn't resisting—not really—but he could feel the tension thrumming through her muscles, anticipation curling around every shallow inhale. The complete trust in her eyes as she surrendered to him made his heart clench even as desire surged through him.

"In fairness, my dick's had a lot of great ideas recently," he murmured, lips grazing her collarbone. He felt the shiver run through her, a slow, involuntary response that made something deep in his chest tighten. The way she responded to even his lightest touch never failed to amaze him. "Four months ago, I was a mostly ordinary Evoker. Now, I'm the King of Camelot, with the best wife any man could ask for."

His mouth moved lower, dragging along her skin, savoring the salt-sweet taste of her. She arched into him, her breath hitching as his lips lingered just below her pulse. He could feel her heartbeat racing against his tongue before he kissed down, tracing the delicate slope of her neck. Each kiss was a wordless promise of devotion.

"Not to mention a harem of Chosen," she teased, her voice light despite her breathlessness. She sucked in a sharp breath when he bit down lightly, just enough to send a thrill through her. The mark would fade quickly, but the possessive gesture made her whole body flush with heat.

"I was, in fact, making a point of not mentioning that," he muttered, his voice a mix of amusement and raw hunger that made her shiver. "Because right now, I want to focus on you. Only you."

His fingers skimmed down her sides, tracing, teasing, as his lips followed, lower and lower, pressing kisses to the sensitive skin of her stomach. His hands slipped beneath her thighs, parting them just enough before his lips found her inner thigh—then another kiss, closer, lingering.

She bit her lip. "My Heart... we need to—"

"Shh." His voice was warm, teasing. "Trust me—just let me take care of you."

His tongue dragged over her, slow and firm, making her jolt, a gasp catching in her throat. He didn't ease her into it—he wasn't gentle. He knew exactly how to unravel her, and right now, that was all that mattered.

His tongue flicked, circled, pressed, working her withruthless focus. He could feel her body tightening, hear the soft, breathless sounds spilling from her lips, and he wanted to hear more.

She moaned his name, her voice shaking. He groaned in response, his grip flexing against her thighs.

Ochaco was close. He could feel her muscles tensing, her breath catching, every soft whimper turning sharper, needier.

"Mercy, Husband," she gasped, voice breaking. She tried to twist away, but he held her firm. Her thighs trembled around his head, ahelpless squeeze.

Izuku smirked against her. "No mercy," he murmured, his voice muffled. "You'll take it, Love."

Then he sent her over the edge.

A sharp, broken cry tore from her throat. Her whole body clenched—tight, trembling, overwhelmed.

He hooked his arms under her thighs, lifting her hips off the bed. Her legs draped over his shoulders as he devoured her, his tongue blurring with One for All's power—relentless, unstoppable.

She shattered—squirting over his face. Her thighs crushed his head, nails digging into his scalp.

By the time she slumped back, breathless and spent, he pulled away, wiping his mouth with the back of his hand. Grinning.

"Satisfied?" He obviously knew the answer, but wanted to hear it from her mouth. Her body had already answered him loud and clear.

Ochaco was still catching her breath, her chest rising and falling in deep, uneven pulls, but her lips curled into a slow, satisfied smile. "Perfect. As you always are."

He watched as her lower lips clenched around nothing, still fluttering in the aftershocks. The slick sheen, the way she pulsed—fucking delicious. He drank in the sight before finally standing.

He leaned in, stealing a deep kiss, and she hummed against his lips, pressing closer, her body still trembling against his. His hands slid down her back, gripping her, pulling her flush against him, and he knew she could feel how much he wanted her—how hard it was to pause here.

Her gaze flicked downward. "Tonight?"

His voice came out rougher than he intended. "Hell yeah."

She smirked before finally pulling herself together, standing on slightly unsteady legs as she reached for her armor. He watched her, not even trying to hide it, arms crossed as she adjusted her straps. Her fingers trembled slightly as she worked the buckles, still affected by his touch. She shot him a look over her shoulder—half exasperation, half heated anticipation—and he couldn't help but grin at how her cheeks were still flushed.

The way she moved as she finished dressing told him she was very aware of his gaze, and the slight sway in her hips was definitely intentional. His growl of appreciation made her laugh, the sound warm and full of promise for later.

Yeah. He'd make sure tonight was even better. Much better.

LIME END

After her, Izuku put on his armor. They walked out of the Castle, making their way to the east of Camelot.

"What do you know about it?" he asked her.

"For one, Husband, there hadn't been a time it was opened for sixteen centuries. Most Enchanters likely dreamt of being the one to open it. And if Sorcery is pulling you, it is all too likely we would be able to do so. Or at least explore parts of it."

"Don't get too excited," he chortled. "There's no guarantee anything will happen."

"I am becoming certain that Merlin was a Sorcerer...or at least had some strong connection to it. It makes sense that something would key his legacy to your Destiny."

"I'm growing tired of being manipulated like the fingerpuppet of a man that died sixteen hundred years ago."

"I imagine most Sorcerers feel something similar. We do know that Merlin wanted the Outsiders defeated; likely we can trust him in that, at least. If not in anything else."

"Nobody really seems to have liked Merlin. Or Arthur, for that matter."

"Great men are often hard to live with; they do not see their fellow humans as individuals," she glanced at him. "But as pieces on a board...I can imagine Merlin doing so."

"And me?"

"I am hardly unbiased about this, My Heart. Though I would assume there are people who will remember you less than fondly. The remainder of the Traitor's clan, if nobody else."

"And Sir Henry."

Ochaco looked at him for a moment before her eyes narrowed. "And just what, dear husband, did you do to my Senechal?"

"Oh, nothing...nothing important. We just had a heart-to-heart talk, is all."

"I did notice he has become rather soft-spoken, yes."

"And did the rumors and gossips die down?"

"You did not! Please tell me you were not involved in that; I will not countenance you abusing the power of the throne to quell petty gossips."

"I didn't."

She breathed a sigh of relief, "Good. Husband, dearest..."

"I used the power of a god. Momo tracked the gossips back to Sir Henry, Itsuka brought him in for a friendly chat, and I put the fear of god into him. Meaning the fear of me. No chamberlains were hurt."

"Izuku..."

"So perhaps you are right; the ability to exert power changes a man; his horizons and limits. We are fighting a war for the survival of humanity. I will not countenance such disloyalty at my back."

"It was directed at me, husband. I can assure you I am able to fight my own battles."

"An attack on either is an attack on both. And it's far easier to hurt me by hurting you; I regret nothing. Though if I find him backsliding he will have the opportunity to regret. Briefly."

"So you see this as a war?"

"I saw it as an attack; you clear your ear and your flanks before you engage the main enemy."

"Oh, My Love...I wish you did not need to harden your soul like this..." Ochaco said, looking down.

"A good man does what he must. A bad man what he will."

"For a god, at least." The walk towards the tower turned silent until they were right at its doorstep. "And now, what do The Voices tell you?"

"Absolutely nothing; I'm largely useless at listening to them. But...I have the feeling this is where I need to be. What I need to do."

He touched the stone wall, sensing something reaching back out to him. When he did, a small circle, the size of a palm, hidden under the layers of dust glowed golden. The building shook, its door opening up.

"That...did something, I guess."

They stepped inside, the sound of their footsteps echoing within. At first, it was dark...but then, the inside of the building lit up. In front of them were thousands, if not millions of books, arranged in a circular pattern of bookshelves, going below and above as far as eyes could see.

"This...this is astounding," Ochaco's eyes widened. "The knowledge contained in this room would have taken a lifetime to gather. And yet here it is. It is not only a repository of magic, but the sum of the Enchanter's life. Even categorizing it would take years."

"We'll get started on it."

"Beyond that...My Love. Is there anything else that calls out to you?"

Izuku looked at the pedestal. He walked towards it, and the light shone on it. There was a book lying atop of it, and he carefully pressed his hand on it. Then everything turned dark, the world around him disappeared and time stopped, though the sensation was different from when he uses X's ability.

"There we go," a male voice said, though there was nobody around. "I was starting to lose hope of reaching you. But even the mental turtle eventually crosses the line...if you just wait long enough."

"Who the hell are you?"

"Who do you think? You're in my tower, after all," said the disembodied voice.

"Merlin?"

"A distant echo of him, at least. A passing thought, captured in amber and stored for this moment...or a moment like this, at least."

"You're a construct? Like the Gate?"

"The Gate?" Izuku could almost hear the sneer despite not seeing him, as if his intellect were just compared to a dog's. "Seriously, how can you compare me to that thing? It clearly took the short bus to work. I am something far superior."

"There were no buses in your time, Merlin," he narrowed his eyes suspiciously.

"And we're not speaking Celtic, Brythonic, Fae, or Latin. I don't exist. So I'm just piggy-backing off your language centre."

"So...like X?"

"X?" Merlin sounded confused for a moment. "Oh...Excalibur. No; he's actually alive. I'm not, thankfully. I shudder at the thought of spending 1600 years locked up alone in a stone tower. No, I'm still a Construct...but a far superior example to the Gate."

"How would you know?"

"I built it? Well, Merlin did. But I at least have his memories up to my creation. The Gate's just a bunch of if/else and switch statements checking permutations wrapped around a rather oversized stellated octahedron-shaped magical charge."

"He's a what?"

"Look, there's a lot of branching points that lead to this point in time. Merlin...I...thought we nudged things into the right path. But some of the optional outcomes had quite severe penalty methods attached."

"Okay, try that again. Without the pretentious talk."

"For some of the possible futures, the Outsiders laying waste to this reality is the lesser evil: if I had to take you out, I needed to make sure I finished the job."

"There's a conditional nuke buried under the doorstep of my Glade? Charming."

"One that's capable of blowing you and the next few realities around, just to be safe. What can I say? Overkill is something the other guy complains about. Though I guess in this case, you would be the other guy. Funny how that works out. Anyway, not important...you're here. Your Lodestone's with you. And you've managed to ignore your harem for long enough to get her pregnant."

"How on earth did you know I have a harem?"

"They were obviously necessary. I personally think I made a pretty outstanding job of the underlying design with you, but given the limits of the raw materials, that is, your mother, I needed to add some quick hacks to fix some things."

"I'm not a software program, Merlin," he hissed.

Merlin derisively snorted. "Of course not," he mocked. "You're a beautiful snowflake. An abnormally strong and laser-guided snowflake that's also deaf, blind, and dumb. Though you're an Evoker...brains have always been overrated with you guys. Your harem fixes at least some of your weaknesses."

"So my Chosen...?"

"Are a software update patch to get around the hardware flaw. Fascinating...that such a divine abortion of a language should have such flexible language structures for conditional logic. Well...what's that old saying again? Be nice to nerds; one day you're likely to end up working for one?"

"I'm not working for you, Merlin. You've been dead for 1600 years, and all that's left is a buggy piece of magical software."

"Oh...but you are, Izuku. Or you will watch Ochaco die. And Mina. And Momo. Everything you care about will be lost if you try to rebel against my plan. You're my dice, thrown through time and space...and I am never wrong."

"I don't respond well to threats..."

"Nobody is more aware of that than me...I'm not threatening you, but merely stating facts. The Outsiders in front of you, the corpsefuckers behind you...the only path out is my path. Love me or hate me, boy...you will serve me. Or die. We both know what path you'll take."

"You son of a bitch."

"Some people would consider that rude, Izuku. But I forgive you. If nothing else, that applies far more to your mother than mine. And I think your stubborn nature will serve you even better than your raw strength. Though you'll need both."

"If you're this amazing uber-mensch, how come the Outsiders killed you?"

"I...Because none of the paths through this will start if I'm alive. I...tinker. It's what I do. And the future needed a clean slate to exist. If I remained, there would be no worldwide diaspora of Sorcery. No great flowering of the non-magical world. No birth of Quirks. For my dream to live, I needed to die."

"Harsh."

"I will not spare you more than I spared myself, Izuku. What's coming is going to chew you up as it did me...but hopefully what we finally build will be worth it."

Izuku felt something off. "Wait. Ochaco? Mina? Momo? What about..."

But Merlin cut him off. "I've said enough. Too much, perhaps. Goodbye, Izuku...we will meet again."

"Wait a minute!"

But he was too late. He was back in the Tower. Ochaco was waiting for him, looking at the bookcases in awe.

"My Love? What is it?"

"I just met an asshole, and he hung up on me."

"What do you mean? Who did you meet?"

"Merlin's not quite gone, unfortunately. Not fully. And I'm starting to understand why everyone else seemed to hate the rat-faced little bastard. Let's go."

Izuku stomped his way out of the Tower, Ochaco following behind him. As they exited, the door slid smoothly shut behind them. Something tells Izuku he'd need to explore this place.

"I will notify Lord Anton about the treasure trove we have found; he may have some suggestions for how it can work towards assisting the war effort," Ochaco commented.

"Thanks."

As they went back to the castle, the sight of it immediately reminded him about the conversation. The manipulation? Fine, he already accepted a lot of things in his life were pre-determined. The attitude? He dealt with far worse. But what he couldn't forgive...

"Something is bothering you, My Love," she whispered. "What is it?"

"He mined the Gate. That cold-blooded little weasel had plans to kill me if I turned out to be something other than what he wished me to be."

"You knew this, surely? You were the one that told me, that morning you found Excalibur, that it was locked so only the two of us could draw it from the Stone?"

"There's a difference between knowing I couldn't draw X without you, and the goddamned Gate having orders to assassinate me if I do the wrong thing. And I still don't know what the wrong things are."

'I took Eri there, for fuck's sake,' he internally cursed as he clenched his fists.

"Dead is dead, My Heart. I would not feel better about losing you to a magical explosion than to a stubborn sword that refused to leave its stone. You knew Sorcery could only be trusted to further its own ends...now you understand the same is true for Merlin."

"I...just...It feels like treason. I thought the Gate was mine, yet it was always designed to be a sword of Damocles hanging over me."

"You could always avoid it, My Heart...now that you know it's rigged against you."

Izuku took a deep breath. If only Ochaco knew what he said. Simply avoiding it wouldn't have worked. And even if it did..."No," he shook his head. "It is mine. And the Gate will be mine. I just need to find the instruction to reprogram it."

"I wish I could say that was unexpected. Just stay safe, My Heart...I cannot imagine losing you. As for the solution to your problems...perhaps you will find it in Merlin's tower?"

"Yeah. I'll check it out. I'll see you later."

Thanks for reading this chapter!

Izuku got to meet his godfather. Or at least a construct version of him. It wasn't a happy meeting, of course.

As a character, Merlin personifies the most extreme of utilitarianism. Yet despite his disdain, his goal was ultimately both vain and profound.

A (rare) preview for next chapter (I'm just hyped myself ):

They reached the hilltop and stared over the assembled Gods and Powers. Some he recognized, others were new to him. But there was face that's unforgettable. One that he saw grinning down at him as his life bled away.

"Eindridi..." he snarled.

Their eyes locked across the field for what seemed like an eternity.

Next up: Live by The Hammer, Die by The Sword