Author's notes
Here we go! Last part!
For reader! I highly recommend visit this story in Wattpad since it has illustrations! Especially for this chapter!
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Fate/Grand Order: Where All Miracles Begin, SCHALE
Foreclosure Task Force (3/3)
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"Director! Their forces are advancing faster than anticipated– our heavy artillery is pinned down!"
"Director! The enemies were forcing through the main gate!"
"Then unpin it!" The director snapped, his glowing eyes narrowing dangerously. "Send the reserves! Hold that position at all costs!"
"Intercept them at once! Concentrate PMC forces there!"
The blistering sun beat down mercilessly on the desert battlefield, the horizon shimmering with waves of heat. Explosions echoed across the dunes, sending plumes of sand and smoke into the air. The cacophony of gunfire and shouting made the ground itself feel alive with violence.
In the control tower, the director stood in the center of the chaos- barking orders with a sharp metallic edge to his voice. His hulking form was a stark contrast to the frenzied soldiers scrambling around him. His head turned sharply as another explosion rocked the battlefield, this one far closer than before. He growled under his breath, metallic fists clenching as he surveyed the situation.
Bang! Bang! Bang!
Suddenly, the sound of rapid gunfire erupted to the north. The director's eyes widened as he spun toward the noise. In the distance, through the swirling dust and smoke, he could make out figures advancing from the north– the Gehenna.
BOOM! BOOMB!- BOOM!
"Our facilities were bombarded with ranged artillery! The reinforcements were intercepted at their bunker exits!" A soldier reported urgently as the long-ranged support from the Trinity stalled the reinforcements.
How had this gotten so out of control?
When the attack began, he'd expected a small, disorganized skirmish from the pathetic Abydos School– with just 3 or 4 students. But what lay before him now was a full-scale assault– those brats had acquired more helping hands.
The director's eyes narrowed as realization dawned. This wasn't just a random assault– it was a meticulously planned operation. Their attacks were coordinated and relentless... His circuits buzzed with frustration as another wave of gunfire echoed from the north, the sound growing louder with each passing second.
"Sensei..." He hissed under his breath, his voice low and venomous.
"Director!" A subordinate called out, their voice quivering. "We need reinforcements immediately! The northern flank won't hold much longer!"
The director's fist slammed onto the console, denting the steel. Reinforcements. The thought had crossed his mind several times already- First, he deployed all he had here already... except, he needed to call support from other bases.
Nonetheless, the command room lacked the means to make the call. The secure phone required for such a high-level request was in his private working room-far enough to make the trip a gamble in this situation.
Still, there was no other choice.
"Keep this position intact!" The robot snarled, spinning on his heel. "Buy me time!"
Without waiting for a response, he stormed out of the command room, his heavy metallic footsteps echoing through the steel halls of the base. The sounds of gunfire and explosions outside seemed distant here, muted by layers of reinforced walls. But the tension followed him like a shadow.
The working room came into view, its heavy door closed. The director pushed it open with a mechanical hiss, the room dimly lit and eerily quiet. His glowing eyes scanned the space, landing immediately on the secure phone resting on his desk.
He stepped inside, his pace quickening. But just as his hand reached for the phone, a faint sound stopped him.
Footsteps.
Soft, deliberate, and unhurried.
The director froze.
Slowly, he turned, his glowing eyes narrowing as he scanned the room. And then, he saw him.
Standing in the doorway, bathed in the dim light of the room, was the last person he expected to see– The teacher.
Ritsuka Fujimaru.
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"This is truly unexpected." Said the robotic man, his mechanical voice carrying a sharp edge of disdain.
"To think that SCHALE's sensei would approach me himself." His glowing, artificial eyes locked onto the figure entering the room. The man walked slowly, his movements unhurried, his suit bearing only a few tears and smudges. No blood. No signs of true harm.
It was true that most of his forces were on the front lines. But still, how did the man bypass the stationed guards unscathed? Except for the emergency alarm, he didn't hear any gunshot near the area... much less receive any report from his subordinates.
Silencer? Did he take down the guards? How did he sneak in without alerting the security systems?
"Who are you? How can a teacher –a mere human– do that?
"Instead of helping students behind their back, but a mere human... a mere human– No halo. No divine power. And yet..." The director glared at him intensely, his gaze pierced the man in question so strongly as though dissecting him alive.
The man said nothing, meeting the director's glare with unsettling calm.
The air between them grew heavier, thick with unspoken challenge. The robotic director's glowing eyes narrowed, scanning the man standing before him.
"Surrender, this is my final warning." Ritsuka spoke, his gaze locked on the towering metal. He could not allow him to call for more reinforcement.
"Under SCHALE's authority, I urge you to turn yourself in for price gouging, unfair contract terms, trespassing with a weapon, and conducting unethical experiments on a student."
"Hahahahaha–" The robot's mechanical laugh broke the tension.
"Do you think I care? The General Student Council? The Valkyrie Police?– They're just a bunch of children playing tough. If they could ever get things done, the Kaiser wouldn't have existed!"
"You should've stayed in the shadows, Sensei." The director sneered, his tone laced with mockery. "But no, you just had to walk into the lion's den."
Before Ritsuka could reply, the director's other hand darted toward his desk. With a flick of his wrist, he grabbed a sleek, black communication device– a phone equipped to call reinforcements.
The teacher's eyes narrowed. He didn't need Arona's voice buzzing in his earpiece to know what was at stake. If the director called for backup, the already precarious situation would spiral into chaos.
"What's wrong? Too late to back out now?" The director smirked, sensing Ritsuka's hesitation. He raised the phone to his ear.
BANG!
Ritsuka moved.
A single gunshot rang out, deafening in the enclosed space. The phone exploded in a shower of plastic and circuitry, sent flying across the room before the director could finish dialing. Smoke curled from the barrel of Ritsuka's pistol as he held his stance, unwavering.
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The director's smirk twisted into a snarl. "You've got some nerve!" His metallic hand snapped to his sidearm, yanking it free in one fluid motion.
"Let's see how long you last, human!" He roared, firing a volley of shots.
His instincts kicked in- In a flash, Ritsuka dove to the side, his movements sharp and practiced. Bullets tear through the air... one shot grazed through his jacket.
They ricocheted off the steel walls, sparking where they hit. Sliding behind an overturned table, he peeked out just in time to see the director advancing, his heavy steps denting the floor beneath him.
"Running already?!" the director taunted, his voice a mix of rage and amusement.
Ritsuka didn't answer. Instead, he shifted positions, diving behind a broken pillar for cover. The man fired a calculated shot in exchange with the enemy's, grazing the director's shoulder. Sparks flew as the bullet skidded off the robotic frame, failing to penetrate the hard armor.
"You think a scratch like that will stop me?!" The director laughed, his voice distorted in broken speaker.
"I was curious how you reached here- But never mind that! You won't leave here alive!"
"You can't hide forever, Sensei!" the director taunted, his footsteps heavy as he advanced.
Ritsuka peeked out from cover and fired again, his shot grazing the director's gun arm. The robotic man flinched slightly, but his grip remained firm. He retaliated with more shots, forcing Ritsuka to duck back.
Arona's voice crackled in his ear. 'Sensei, are you okay?!'
"I'm fine," he muttered, reloading his weapon with practiced ease.
Ritsuka's lips pressed into a thin line. He wasn't aiming to stop him yet– he was buying time, maneuvering to keep the director away from his destroyed phone and limiting his movement.
The director, realizing the tactic, growled in frustration. "Enough games!" He unleashed a barrage of bullets, forcing Ritsuka to duck low.
Nonetheless, the man was ready. As soon as the director's gun clicked empty, he sprang into action. Pivoting out from cover, he fired again-not at the director but at his weapon.
"-!" The bullet hit its mark, knocking the robot's pistol from his grip. On the floor It clattered, spinning out of reach.
The director roared in fury, his massive hand reaching for the gun, but man was already there. With a swift kick, he sent the weapon skidding across the room, far from either of them.
Now unarmed, the director glared at Ritsuka with murderous intent.
"You're disarmed, Stand down." Pointing the gun at the director, the man said calmly.
Surprisingly, the director's lips twisted into a sinister grin.
"Disarmed? Oh, Sensei... I'mfarfrom disarmed."
With a sudden burst of speed, the director lunged forward, his massive frame closing the gap between them. The teacher's eyes narrowed, shooting himself off to the side- he watched the pillar crumble into pieces from the metallic man's deadly charge.
"You're going to regret that" He growled, his metallic fists clenching as the dust scattered.
Confirming bullets couldn't harm him, the man holstered his weapon.
Ritsuka tilted his head slightly, his expression calm yet unyielding. "Try me."
'Ehh!Sensei?! What do you mean?!' Arona exclaimed in shock.
"Seems like bullets don't suffice- we'll continue our talk with fists."
'Wait, Wait, Wait, Wait!'
Ignoring the panic AI, Ritsuka stepped forward.
"Arona, please don't help."
'Ehh-! Sensei?!'
"No worry." He replied, rolling his shoulders as he slid off his torn suit jacket. His gaze never left the towering metallic figure before him. "I've got this."
As long as they were not entities with halos, he was sure the enemy in front of him would not possibly possess the heaven-defying strength like students. Plus, he needed to assess his own strength in the new world he'd be residing in from now.
The spar with Wakamo was a different case- So now was the perfect opportunity.
He couldn't be happier to beat the mastermind who troubled his students.
'But-! But he's huge!' Arona protested.'Sensei! Are you crazy?!'
Even though she'd seen how he handled a pistol, Arona still couldn't place full trust when it came to fistfights.
Especially with a clear weight class difference.
"Sensei... You think you can win?" The director, standing on the opposite side, provoked with a sneer. His voice buzzed with static as if laughter were caught in his circuits.
'Sensei-! Uh, who's really stronger between you?' Arona asked in worried.
Hmm... If we're to compare our strengths, I'd say it'll be a tad bit difficult.He thought to himself.
Nonetheless, the teacher smirked. Facing the towering muscular robot, he answered confidently.
"Nah, I'd win."
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Like a kettle boiling over, rage consumed the robot. To be looked down on by a mere human without a halo, what a nonsensical joke it was.
"COME AND STOP ME! -SENSEI!" The director roared, leaping forward with such force the ground cracked beneath his feet.
A right blow aimed at his face.
The first punch came like a freight train. The man's eyes narrowed, his focus sharp as a razor.
His eyes quickly followed- he managed to dodge it with just a hair-length distance, the gust of displaced air ruffing his shirt.
"-Ha!" The robot, with a little shock, didn't hesitate. It continuously threw more punches without holding back.
Right Jab, Left hook, Left jab, Right cross. Each punch carried the force to shatter concrete, but none found their mark.
Holding his breath, the teacher's eyes locked in. All the attacks missed by a few inches, Ritsuka dodged them with precision... his movements were fluid and calculated.
Booom!A punch landed directly on a pillar. An enormous dent with long spreading cracks, reducing it into rubble.
Still, the robot did not allow him to rest for the slightest, it closed the distance again.
"Sensei!" His massive frame charged forward him like a freight train. Ritsuka sprang to the side, letting the raging bull plow through the desk, shattering them into splinters.
"-!" A flying chair hurled like a fierce wind, barely missing the target. Just as the teacher dodged it, the massive bull was already in front of him.
To his surprise, his back touched the wall... there was no room to back up.
"Senseeeiii!" A powerful left blow went straight to the man's body, the robot's left fist came down like a wrecking ball.
Luckily, he managed to keep up his guard. His brows furrowed as he received the impact. As if being hit by a moving truck, the heavy punch buried him straight into the wall- the impact forced him with enough force to crack the plaster. His arms trembled under the sheer power, but his expression didn't falter.
"Haaaa!" The robot did not leave him to rest. Blow after blow rained down- more barrages followed but none managed to get through his guards.
The robot was surprised, he punched him so hard the man lifted from the ground, his strength was so superb- yet he saw the man's face distorted only a little.
"-!" The man, eyes still locked on, dodged another one of his attacks.
The director hesitated for a second, his calmness disturbed him.What was that expression?
His piercing gazes.
His unwavering stares.
As if this human- this teacher- held the upper hand.
"Die!" The robot rampaged, throwing another swing- hoping to finish the man with a devastating blow.
But then, the man moved.
For an instant, time seemed to slow.
Unexpectedly, the man, who had been on the defensive since the start, lunged forward straight to his fist.
The figure blurred- In that split second, he ducked under the blow. With his fist clenched and ready...
"-!" Too late to react, the human countered.
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With an explosive force, the punch connected with the robot's face. The strike produced a massive dent, the deafening sound echoed, metal screeching as sparks flew. For the first time in his life, his vision distorted and flickered- his processors lagging.
To think that a human- a mere human, possessed this much strength.
"-!" Keeping the pressure on, the man didn't wait for any spare moment. His body twisted again, delivering a low kick to the robot's calf- The tower staggered as its height crumbled. Ritsuka sent another explosive hook to the director's temple, sending shockwaves through the machine's core.
"This one is for taking advantage of the innocent citizens." He said coldly, his voice steady.
Even worse than the last one, the damage was sent directly throughout every unit. The robot's system began to fail.
System Failure. System Failure. System Failure.
Awaiting Reboot. Detecting Errors. Awaiting Reboot. Detecting Errors.
Initiating Recuperation Protocols. Initiating Recuperation Protocols.
"Senseeeeiiii!" The robot screamed, his rage a cacophony of static and garbled noise. His vision blurred, his joints froze, his massive frame trembling under the strain of his own weight.
Yet the teacher wasn't finished.
With one final decisive move, he clenched his fist and lunged forward.
"And this... is for hurting my students!"
The punch landed with extreme precision, shoving the metallic man's face into the ground. The impact sent a shockwave through the room, leaving cracks spiderwebbing across the floor.
The director's body jerked one last time, then went still.
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System Shut Down.
The room went silent. Dust settled in the air as Ritsuka straightened, brushing off his hands.
'...Are you-Uhm... okay?' Arona's voice crackled from the Shittim Chest.
The man smiled, adjusting his cuffs his expression as calm as ever.
"Told you I've got this."
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The metallic groan of collapsing beams echoed through the facility as Ritsuka hurried down a dimly lit corridor, his sharp eyes scanning every corner. The faint sound of distant gunfire and explosions reverberated like a storm outside, shaking the very foundations of the building. Dust and debris fell from the ceiling- the chaos outside threatening to bring the entire structure down.
'Sensei! Sensei!' Arona's voice chimed urgently from the tablet.
"I'm listening," Ritsuka replied curtly, his focus unwavering as he kicked open a highly dense metallic door to another empty room.
'How... how did you do that?!' she exclaimed, her voice a mix of shock and awe. Her eyes shone bright like a child getting an ice cream cone.
'That director-he was like a tank with fists! And you just-'
"Next room," Ritsuka muttered to himself, ignoring Arona's question as he moved to another door.
'Sensei!' Arona's voice pitched higher, insistent now. 'Don't brush me off! How did you win?! Where did you learn to use a gun like that?!'
"Sigh... Arona, I'll tell you later." He exhaled and replied calmly. "Right now, we need to focus on finding Hoshino."
Before Arona could throw a protest tantrum, the man cut in. "The building's coming down. If we don't move fast, she'll be buried along with it."
At this rate, Hoshino and I are going to be buried here alive...Ritsuka snorted lightly as he forced the door open, revealing another empty hall with lots of rooms.
The distant explosions outside grew louder, punctuated by the deep rumble of collapsing walls. After defeating the director, the teacher quickly for his kidnapped student. He broke doors like they were made of paper, he subdued guards fast and acute- physically, leaving robot bodies and scrapped in his path.
He had to be quick... He told his students to keep the pressure up, not level the entire base.
The truth was, there was far more to his methods than he cared to admit at the moment. As for Arona's question, one answer could spiral into a dozen more, and now wasn't the time for a Q session.
How had he sneaked in here? Well, ninja techniques taught by Fuuma Kotarou of the Fuuma shinobi clan certainly helped. He couldn't help but grin at the memory of his substitution technique-his personal favorite. He practiced it with heart and soul, blood-sweat-tears, to escape traumatic Halloween events from a certain lizard idol.
As for the brawls? Strengthening magecraft, plain and simple. He'd been reinforcing his body with it since this operation began. It was the same technique he used to kick doors open with ease. As long as he didn't dabble in transmutation, he could sustain the reinforcement for an extended period.
And the gunplay? Chaldea had no shortage of Servants, and over the years, he'd picked up a little from each of them. He was a jack of all trades but master of none- Still, it had been enough to disarm the director. At the end of the day, he reminded himself, he was just a third-rate mage doing his best.
As long as the enemies weren't students that produced shockwaves each hit or move in a flash- not stepping into the realm of 'servants', he could somewhat handle them.
Craaaaash-
A metal door flew away with a kick.
Ritsuka's boots echoed against the cold, metallic floor as he stepped into the dimly lit lab. The air was thick with the sterile scent of chemicals and an undercurrent of something far more sinister. His eyes scanned the room, settling on a raised platform at the center- bathed in faint red beams crisscrossing like a web of light.
Finally, he found her. The unconscious figure at the middle of the platform.
"Hoshino!"
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After that, the facilities collapsed.
The chaos of the collapsing facility echoed behind them as Ritsuka carried Hoshino through the thick smoke and flames. His steps were urgent yet careful... he dodged debris as the structure fell apart under the relentless assault from his troops.
Without noticing it, he was already at the main gate.
The sound of gunshots had long stopped.
the sky bloomed with shades of orange and gold as the sun dipped toward the horizon, casting its warm glow like a gentle embrace over the war-torn landscape.
The Foreclosure Task Force ran up to them- Some cheered loudly, their joy unrestrained, while others wept tears of relief as they saw their president, Hoshino-cradled safely in his arms.
This marked the conclusion of his first major task in this unfamiliar world
He learned many new things about his world...
Nonetheless, the most important thing to him, one truth stood out above all- his students mattered most.
As the lively voices of the task force surrounded him, Ritsuka couldn't help but reflect.
Love, Friendship, Youth, Dreams- these were things he had left behind, stripped away by the harsh reality of the Grand Order. He had faced endless trials, made impossible choices, and sacrificed parts of himself for a future that might never come.
A choice that ate away his humanity.
To save humanity- at the cost of itself.
To save humanity, he had given up his own humanity, piece by piece.
But here, in this strange yet vibrant world, surrounded by students filled with boundless energy and unshakable hope, he felt something stirring within him. It was faint at first, like the flicker of a candle in the dark, but undeniable. Becoming a teacher had restored the parts of him he thought were gone forever.
"Welcome back, Hoshino-senpai."
"Hey, Serika-chan beat me to it! After she got all embarrassed earlier and said she wasn't gonna say it!"
"Sh- Shut up! It doesn't matter who says it first!" Serika shyly blurted at the teasing Nonomi, her face blushing red.
"We're glad you're okay."
"Yes! Welcome back!"
"That's right! Welcome back!" More students joined in. Despite her monotonous voice, Shiroko's lips curled into a beautiful smile. Ayane and Nonomi too, cheerfully gave her a warm welcome.
"Welcome back, Hoshino-senpai." Extending her hand, Shiroko reached out warmly to Hoshino.
The sight of their bright smiles and tearful reunions filled him with a bittersweet warmth.
This was why he was here.
In their laughter and determination- he found the fragments of himself he thought had been lost to the flames of battle.
Ritsuka dryly smiled to himself, his blue eyes lit up bright like the stars.
"Do you know how worried we were?" He said jokingly and looked at her warmly. His lips tugged into a satisfied smile. "Welcome back, Hoshino."
Above them, the sky began to clear, the smoky veil lifting to reveal a vibrant expanse of blue. It was a stark contrast to the ruined battlefield below- a symbol of hope and new beginnings amidst the destruction.
Hoshino stood still. Her mouth moved, saying the words everyone had been waiting.
Under the setting sun, the wind carried her voice through the ruinous desert.
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"I'm home."
END.
Author's notes
That's the end of Abydos chap 1 and 2! Hope you all enjoy it! The next update will be a side story- Make sure to look forward to that!
Bad news: I've used almost all materials I prepared (arts and sub-plots). So, there may be a longer gap between each chapter in the future. In addition to that, it's almost holidays... I probably can't update much.
Last thing, just as I was arranging Abby's plot in this fanfic! The FGO JP announced she's this year's welfare Santa! Holy Christmas! My daughter gets the limelight she deserves! (Not a spoiler but her role in this fanfic will be cute and relaxing one too!)
See you!