Review Responses:
SentinalSlice- The Morgan in Chapter 5 wasn't actually a Servant yet— because in the timeline of this story, Morgan Le Fay is still alive. In her second appearance in Chapter 12, Morgan has now become the Ruler, but this is still a usurpation. The Grail's systems were supposed to summon a Ruler into Olkoth's World Egg, not have a Magus World Morgan fill the position before a summoning occurred. There's more about this matter I could discuss, but since I'll probably bring it up in-story, I'll hold off.
Zeryo- Sigma's not gonna be totally OOC, although he is going to be a bit different than in FSF. After all, he's not going through Watcher's Trials like in FSF. Some of my intentions with him should become more clear later in this Arc.
Thank you to everyone who Favorited, Followed, or Reviewed. Enjoy the chapter!
Disclaimer: I do not own My Hero Academia or any Fate works, and they are the properties of their respective creators.
Summoner's Banquet I: Truths and Seconds
Within the depths of the Outer, Olkoth mused. As it pondered, its timeless thoughts echoed against the silent Court of Azathoth. Although lobotomized, the Cold One still dreamed, blinded though it was. Olkoth's words rebounded against the Idiot God, forming premonitions of things to come.
|::| Mine womb has undergone a genesis. The Dead Apostle's movement of the Greater Grail hast altered its course.
▞ Labyrinth ▞
|::| The events I hast foreseen have shifted. The partitioned infinity ist no longer to be. Nor shalt it be as Francesca Prelati schemes.
▞ Goddess ▞
|::| The story unwritten has altered its conception. New wayfarers have made their way into this ambiguous tale.
▞ Binder ▞
|::| The dilapidation of truth… the veracity of lies… 'tis a parareal tesseract, uncertain in its certainty.
▞ Forest ▞
|::| The seven stars of Grail… divulged into eight. Now they multiply henceforth, to a twenty-four-sided configuration, cut short by one. Except if mineself is counted amongst their number.
▞ Chasm ▞
|::| And for one of them to be a former holder of the mantle of Grand… hast I angered the Helix That Beholds Creation?
▞ Wedge ▞
|::| Even the Lurker knows not of its intentions… or its methodology. Would the flower of records truly dictate this course? Mine course?
▞ Eidolon ▞
|::| It matters not. This egg is ultimately a farce. A reflection of realities made in mine womb. Its authenticity is a feeble matter. In the end, it is made simple.
▞ Giant ▞
|::| I shalt witness the end of its course. Death hast no hold upon me in the egg. I shalt observe with abandon, ride the tide of changing time.
▞ Sovereigns ▞
|::| For that is the story as I shalt write it, as I linger here within the dark.
▞ Obscure ▞
With Olkoth's musings complete, Azathoth, too, fell quiet. Once again, silence would dominate the Outer's edges, until it came time for the God of Celestial Arcs to act once more.
Detnerat Building, Deika City
Day 4, Morning
"I thank you all for gathering on such short notice. Especially you, Slidin' Go."
At the head of the conference table, Re-Destro, Leader of the Meta Liberation Army, spoke to his executives. Unlike last time, two additional people were present. They weren't executives, but they were special in their own way.
Their identities were Geten Himura and Tatsuyuki Tokoname, the additional holders of the MLA's Command Spells. Or, as it currently stood, Command Spell.
Hearing Re-Destro's praise, Tatsuyuki, also known as the Sliding Hero: Slidin' Go, nodded happily. The Hero was currently in his civilian attire of athletic clothing and a purple baseball hat, although his tall, muscular build and distinctively square jaw still made him stand out.
Geten, on the other hand, was in a less positive mood. The young man looked like he wanted to sink into his chair. Despite his loyalty to the MLA, he presently wished he was off doing his janitorial cover job at Detnerat instead. Although the troubles in Nagoya hadn't been his fault, he was still being scrutinized for it by some of the executives. Skeptic and Trumpet in particular had shot him scathing glares.
Seeing Geten's discomfort and feeling bad for the young man, Sanctum attempted to move the meeting along, "Re-Destro, sir. What shall our next steps be? Our situation is what it is, so how should we proceed?"
Re-Destro paused briefly before speaking, "It is indeed a tricky question. Due to the occurrences in Nagoya, we are down to a single Command Spell. However, let us not blame poor Iceman. He was merely following my orders. It was my orders that left us with but a single Command Spell. Understood?"
Skeptic flinched as he stood up from his chair, "Of course sir! I know your actions are always with reason! I am certain I can devise a strategy that—"
"Skeptic. Hold."
The long-haired man sat back down, "I— yes, sir."
"To answer your question, Sanctum… I believe our best course of action is to temporarily withdraw from the Holy Grail War."
Slidin' Go's expression became puzzled.
"What? We are going to withdraw from the Grail War?"
"You misunderstand me, Slidin' Go. We will be temporarily withdrawing."
Trumpet leaned forward, "Sir, can you elaborate further?"
Rikiya took a large sip from his wine glass, "After the incident in Nagoya, I attempted to establish contact with Francesca Prelati… to no avail. Whatever her current situation, the reality is that the Overseer of this War is no longer accounted for. Additionally, given that the incident itself is most unusual… I suspect the Grail War is no longer under her control. The scope of this War may extend past the initial time frame of seven days."
"And if it should end up being seven days as planned?"
"Even if it is, we are ultimately down to a single Command Spell. Our best course of action is to ensure we are not discovered, and to let the other Masters fight amongst themselves."
"What if Jester Karture returns to Deika City? He and his Servant know of our involvement."
"Karture, the perpetrator of the disaster in Nagoya… while he is aware of us, I am not overly concerned. He painted a target on his back yesterday. He will likely not be eager to re-engage anyone so soon."
The executives and Slidin' Go nodded, while Geten remained quiet.
"Although…"
Everyone perked back up as Re-Destro continued.
"I do believe it prudent to increase our surveillance and espionage effort. I expect only the best from every single one of you. All for the sake of liberation!"
The three executives and two vassals responded with a resounding shout.
"ALL FOR THE SAKE OF LIBERATION!"
Fukuoka City, Fukuoka Prefecture
Day 4, Morning
As he fumbled with the keys to his rooftop apartment, Keigo Takami grumbled.
'What a mess this day has been. Doctors trying to figure out what could have paralyzed me, interviewers asking me about Nagoya, not to mention HPSC members checking up on their 'golden boy'... man, what a pain.'
Looking at his hand, Keigo's eyes fell on the marking emblazoned upon it. It was a darkish red tattoo, its shape vaguely reminiscent of the head of a khakkhara staff. The mark had appeared yesterday, just as he was making a break for it from that circus freak calling himself "False Assassin". Thankfully the burning feeling of its appearance was not enough for him to cease flight, and he got away safely.
However, the chaos hadn't ended when Hawks got home, where the mark glowed and a woman calling herself "Caster" had somehow manifested in his apartment. He quickly rushed out to do a nighttime patrol after that, but now he would have to confront that weird woman properly.
'I still don't understand how she even showed up. It almost felt like magic, but it's gotta be a Quirk, right? She's probably some deranged stalker with a Warp Quirk. Scantily-clad monk cosplayers don't just show up in flashes of red light!'
Still trying to rationalize his situation, Hawks sighed as heard the satisfying click of his lock. Opening the door, the Pro Hero kicked off his shoes and made his way into the main room. Lo and behold, there she was— Caster. The black-haired young woman was in the same raunchy outfit as yesterday, an eye-drawing fusion of monk robes and a bikini.
'I really hope she has a change of clothes… I don't even feel comfortable taking her to get proper attire in that.'
Unfortunately, it seemed Caster was only going to further test Hawk's limits.
'Fucking hell… why is she in an apron? And that one of all choices?'
Caster's outfit now had the addition of one of Hawk's most embarrassing possessions, a vintage Endeavor-theme apron he'd snagged on a whim years ago. Thanks to her body's proportions, she did an excellent job of "filling it out".
"Caster… why are you in an apron? And why is my kitchen an absolute mess?"
Turning towards Hawks, Caster let out a beaming smile that almost made the Hero want to laugh and forgive all the gripes he had.
"Ah! Welcome back, my disciple! I was just working on a humble meal for us both to enjoy and…"
Caster's greeting was interrupted by a sickening belch-like sound as the pot she was using began oozing black smoke. The apartment's automatic fire suppression systems were activated a second later. Soon both Keigo and his Servant were soaked by water as the fire alarm blared.
In response, the No.3 Hero pinched his nose in exasperation.
'Is this going to be my life now? Just great.'
TRUE CASTER: XUANZANG SANZANG
Ota Ward, Tokyo
Day 4, Morning
"Yawnnn… Hi Dad. What's for breakfast?"
Looking up at the invisible form of his daughter, Osamu Hagakure gave a gentle smile. Osamu was an imposing man with rectangular glasses, giving off the air of both a genius CEO and an Olympic bodybuilder. His brown hair, which was flecked with pink streaks, was slicked back, keeping his sight clear. As he was working from home today, Osamu was dressed in one of his favorite argyle sweaters as he drank his morning coffee.
"Your mother had to go to a meeting with the neighborhood association today… so we're on our own I'm afraid. Looks like she prepped some pancake mix for us though!"
Toru smiled, or at least Osamu suspected she did.
"I'll get the griddle out. Can I put whipped cream on my pancakes?"
Osamu chuckled, "Only if I get some too. Just don't tell your mother, alright?"
"Heh, right."
It had been a whirlwind of emotions for Osamu over the last few days. Just yesterday, his daughter had been in a deep depression and neither Osamu nor Riyo seemed able to help. Now, thankfully, Toru seemed closer to her normal self. It seemed Ms. Kieran's arrival was more fortunate than he could have ever anticipated.
'She's just a home tutor from Scotland… yet she feels almost more like a miracle worker. I'm so thankful we hired her. Although I'm still surprised we forgot to prepare the guest room for her stay. A rather silly mistake, considering we hired her two months ago.'
Hearing movement from the stairwell, Osamu turned to see a beautiful woman make her way down the stairs.
'Ah, speak of the devil!'
"Good morning, Ms. Kieran! Did you sleep well?"
Darcy Kieran was a beautiful woman with purple hair and rose-red eyes. Her curvaceous body was captivating, and Osamu knew that if he wasn't a married man, he would have been completely entranced.
Smiling, Darcy greeted her new student's father, "Good morning, Mr. Hagakure. I slept great, thank you. I would say the bed was more comfortable than the one I have back home. And please, call me Darcy!"
As they chatted and "Darcy" prepared her breakfast, Toru looked at her father and "tutor" with a complicated expression. To be honest, she was uncomfortable with Lancer's decision to hypnotize her parents… but she could see the reasoning. It was certainly remarkable to watch the results. Thanks to Lancer's runic magecraft, they firmly believed Toru hadn't managed to even go to the U.A. Entrance Exam. Her parents now believed they hired "Darcy Kieran", a tutor from abroad, to cover Toru's education for the year. Toru was mildly concerned about what would happen when this "Holy Grail War" ended and "Darcy" vanished into the unknown, but Lancer assured her everything would work out.
'But seriously… is the lady who is currently drowning her pancakes in maple syrup really a warrior woman from over a thousand years ago? The history museums would have a riot about this…'
An abnormality born of the war, "Darcy Kieran" was no ordinary Servant. She was Scáthach— Warrior Queen of Dun Scaith, the teacher of Cú Chulainn, and the Warden of the Land of Shadows. An undying existence, she should have remained confined to the shadow that existed on the inverse of the Isle of Skye. Yet, by the rules of the World Egg, she was 'dead'. Thus, by that loophole, Scáthach's curse had been momentarily lifted. It would last only for the duration of the War, but the Queen of Shadows was free to roam with Mankind once again. And perhaps, just maybe, she could achieve her wish. A wish for a final duel, a battle that could bring the daughter of Árd-Greimne a glorious and satisfying end.
SECOND LANCER: SCÁTHACH
Mustafu, Shizuoka Prefecture
Day 4, Morning
As he walked down the aisle of the small grocery store, Kurogiri felt at peace. Despite his occupation as a villain, the warper enjoyed the simpler moments of life, such as shopping for food.
'It's a shame these simple days will be coming to an end. Mail-A-Meal ingredients simply don't match up to freshly sourced ones.'
Tomorrow, if all went well, the League of Villains would be initiating their first big play— invading U.A.'s U.S.J. Facility. The trip had been delayed due to the Nagoya Disaster, but Giran had thankfully been able to communicate the change of plans to all their recruits.
In addition to his errands, Kurogiri had a secondary task— looking out for Servants and Masters. After Tomura spontaneously developed Command Spells the previous night, All For One theorized that the Holy Grail War had undergone an expansion. Given that Francesca was not contactable to confirm this, the Symbol of Evil ordered Kurogiri to be on the watch for any individuals acting out of place or displaying Command Spells.
Caught up in his thoughts, Kurogiri didn't see the green-haired boy coming.
"Ooof!"
Given his larger stature, Kurogiri was unmoved, but the boy tumbled, the contents of his backpack and shopping basket spilling onto the floor.
Kneeling down, the man helped the boy up, who apologized profusely.
"I-I'm sorry, sir! I wasn't looking where I was going and…"
Kurogiri waved his hand back and forth, "No need to apologize, young man. I was not watching my surroundings either. Here, let me help you."
As the boy reached for his groceries, Kurogiri picked up a small Campos Notebook. It was singed, oddly enough, but its title was still clearly written on in black marker.
'"Hero Analysis For The Future, No.13"? How interesting.'
Although some would call it a breach of privacy, Kurogiri flipped to the first page and saw the owner's name written in pen. He noted their name as he lightly skimmed the pages.
'"By Izuku Midoriya", I wonder what sort of info… oh?'
As he perused the notebook, Kurogiri's eyes widened.
'This boy… this level of analysis is better than even the Doctor's!'
He knew he could not take the notebook, but the boy's name was already safely in his memory.
Closing it, he handed it back to the young man.
"I'm sorry I took a look at your notebook without permission, young man. But I must say, quite impressive notes you have there."
The boy blushed.
"Thank you… although I don't work on them anymore."
"Why not? Your analyses were remarkable."
Izuku looked at the floor, his face shadowed, "I'm just a General Studies student at U.A., sir. I'm not even a Heroics student."
As he thought of a good response, Kurogiri's eyes wandered. When his gaze settled upon Izuku's hand, the gaseous villain was forced to hold in his shock.
'What? Command Spells?!'
Kurogiri pretended to be concerned, "Oh, young man! Your hand looks injured. Did you bump into something?"
"I don't know, sir… they just kinda appeared. I t-think someone might be pranking people with their Quirk?"
Kurogiri continued with his act, "That's certainly no good if that's the case. However, I must be going, young man. I apologize for the mess I caused."
Izuku bowed, "I apologize too! Thank you for your help! Have a good day!"
Looking up, Midoriya was surprised to see the man had vanished.
"Huh? He's gone. Weird."
However, the green-haired boy didn't dwell on it, 'I need to finish up with groceries and get back. I don't want to miss my meet-up with Togeike at the comics store.'
Elsewhere in the store, Kurogiri moved with similar haste through the self-checkout. After paying, the villain hurried into a nearby alleyway. Now out of sight, he activated his Quirk and warped away to Kamino.
Back in the League's bar, Kurogiri went about setting his purchases on the bartop. Ignoring the looks Tomura and Lancer gave him for his rushed behavior, he pressed the power button of his communicator. As the device turned on, the crackling voice of All For One came through.
"Kurogiri… what is the matter? It is outside your normal report time."
"Master, I've found one. A spell-holder."
Kurogiri's reveal made both Tomura and Lancer perk up. All For One, meanwhile, was calm as he responded.
"How interesting… tell me more."
Θάλαμος Ταύρου, Ο Λαβύρινθος
Day 4, Morning
Eri Nagamasa found herself in a vast field of grass and flowers. It was a beautiful place, with bright blue skies and a salty-tasting breeze.
If she was well-traveled, Eri might have recognized the climate as Mediterranean. If she had a deep interest in botany, she also might have recognized the grass at her feet as Crested Wheatgrass or the flowers as various species indigenous to Crete.
But Eri, the sheltered granddaughter of the Shie Hassaikai's Boss, did not have access to the boundless resources like the Yaoyorozu's heiress possessed, nor a deep interest in learning. Her developing mind barely understood the strangeness of her situation, innocently interpreting it as a fantastical dream.
Eri had initially found herself in a long, nightmarish hallway. It wasn't like the whitewashed and fluorescently-lit halls of her grandfather's organization. It had been dark and foreboding, with decaying frescos of men and bulls depicted on the brickwork. The only light had come from torches, their flames a purple-bluish color. After wandering for a while, Eri had crossed a threshold that transported her here.
In contrast to the scary hallway, the field was peaceful. The serenity of nature was calming, and something was telling her this place was safe, despite the strange creature that lay at the field's center.
The creature was an imposing being, far taller than Grandfather, Chisaki, or anyone else she had met before. He was even bigger than Archer, the dark-skinned man that Grandfather had let play with her. The creature's skin was dark like Archer's, and he was clad in a spiked metal corset whose large red cloth covered his scarred legs. Around his feet were shackles, whose broken chains were made of the same dark metal as the corset. But the creature's most remarkable feature was his head. Stark white, the head was that of a monstrous bull. His voluminous white mane spilled over his shoulders, and his blood-red eyes were complemented by a large set of red horns.
Seeing Eri arrive, the man-bull turned silently to face her. Like a doll, he did not speak, nor did his mouth open to utter a single word.
Yet, Eri knew what she should say.
"My name's Eri, Mr. Bull! Can I stay here, please?"
As her grandfather had taught her, Eri spoke politely. Even though her innocence had been partially shattered by Chisaki's machinations, the girl remained true to her Grandfather's lessons. Reflecting her request, the red markings on her right hand pulsed slightly.
Although the being before her was a mere avatar, closer to a robot or system than a living being, the wishes of Eri Nagamasa reached him. The air sensed the girl's will, and the minotaur before her aimed to realize it.
Silently, the minotaur nodded and reached his arm down, palm stopping directly in the girl's path.
Eri looked at the gentle giant and smiled, "Can I climb up, Mr. Bull?"
The bull-man nodded.
Scampering up the titanic creature, Eri found herself embraced by the cottony fur of the minotaur.
"So soft… so comfy…"
The event sparked a distant memory in Eri, of a time when a man, who was younger than Grandfather, had done the same thing.
Eri could scarcely recall her father, the trauma of her Quirk's manifestation forming a mental block, but she faintly remembered the shoulder rides he gave her. The feeling of being tall and seeing far.
Although the bull-man's location had little to offer but grass and flowers, Eri was happy.
The two of them almost looked like siblings. A white-haired, red-eyed girl, with a single horn on her head. A towering, white-headed bull-headed man, with blood-red eyes and horns. A uniquely similar pair, a strange duo of circumstance and wish.
Snuggling in the fluffy mane of her new companion, Eri dozed off, a faint muttering escaping her lips. A phrase that would ensure the rebirth of a great maze.
"I want to stay here forever, Mr. Bull…"
Shie Hassaikai Compound, Hosu City
Day 4, Morning
"Do~do~do~dooo~"
Walking down the fluorescently-lit hallways of the Shie Hassaikai's underground compound, a low-level grunt by the name of Kugo Shishigawara whistled quietly.
In Kugo's hands was a rectangular meal tray, on which lay a simple but nutritious breakfast.
Although Overhaul held little regard for Eri Nagamasa's well-being, he ordered her diet to remain well-rounded and healthy. It would be incorrect to describe this as a kindly gesture, it was merely Kai's way of ensuring his future guinea pig remained in top condition.
What Kugo's job was in the whole scheme was playing delivery man. Since he had a kind-looking face and a likable personality, Overhaul's lieutenant, Chronostasis, selected Kugo to be in charge of delivering Eri her three meals.
It was a simple role, and one Kugo certainly didn't complain about. He appreciated that it let him stay out of the line of fire, which was particularly tumultuous with the current crackdown on drug trades across the Tokyo Prefecture.
"Dodo~do~do~Dodododo—Huh?"
Kugo, who realized he must have missed the door, was confused. He had done this half a dozen times already… did he really overshoot it?
Doubling back, Kugo swiftly realized he hadn't missed the door at all— in fact, there was no longer a door there at all. Where the entrance to Eri Nagamasa's room had once been, there was only a strange area of brickwork.
The section certainly didn't match up to the rest of the hallway. It was archaic, a patchy mix of brown and dark orange bricks. Emblazoned at its center was a symbol shaped like a double-headed ax, which pulsed with a ghostly purple light.
When Kugo curiously reached out to touch the bricks, they rapidly began to shift.
As if having a mind of its own, the brickwork rearranged itself to reveal a darkened stairway. In Kugo's opinion, it looked like a passageway to Hell.
"Nah… I gotta be tripping, right? This has gotta be a dream."
Pinching himself, the Shie Hassaikai member realized this was, in fact, no dream.
"Holy shit… they don't pay me enough to go into horror movie passageways. I'll just… report this to Chrono! Yeah, he'll know what to do!"
As Kugo fled, the entranceway again began to shift. Sensing the man's departure, the brickwork reverted back into a wall, the Labrys symbol on it no longer glowing. Unbeknownst to Kugo or anyone else, this entrance was the first of many gateways to come. With each passing minute, identical areas of archaic brickwork had begun to appear throughout Hosu City.
These newer entrances were not as apparent as the one within the hallway, taking refuge in abandoned alleyways and disused maintenance tunnels. But they all shared a singular quality— they were entrances to the maze.
At the end of these doorways into darkness, lay a conceptual realm of passageways and dead ends. Creeping into the in-betweens of reality, the maze was like a second skin, hiding itself in the dark places of the world.
It was the latest Servant brought forth from the True Holy Grail War, a conjuration that blurred the line between a being and a place. The first True Berserker of the War.
The identity of this aberrance was a maze, and certainly not an ordinary one. This was a maze from the Age of Gods, a structure that once lay beneath the Cretan palace of Knossos.
Built at the behest of King Minos, the inventor Daedalus created a maze infused with the drained blood of the twin Snake Goddesses. They had been deities of the ancient Cretan Peoples, felled at the hands of the Twelve Machine Gods before the advent of Sefar. Through Daedalus's skills, the goddesses' sanguine remnants became a catalyst. Although their flesh was gone, the stairs and corridors would slither in their stead, spreading ever outwards like a virus. The maze would inherit the goddesses' vengeful will, pushing it to entrap and torture all who wandered its halls. Daedalus's creation became known throughout all of Ancient Greece, being enshrined as a complex of despair.
The Labrys-Marked Maze: The Labyrinth.
For many years, the Labyrinth served as a prison, confining Asterios the Minotaur to its gloomy hallways. After Theseus slew the cursed spawn of human and bull, the mystery within the Labyrinth began to wane. Soon, it vanished entirely, dispersed within the in-betweens of the world. Although remembered, none, save Akasha, recorded it. The Labyrinth could not enter the Throne of Heroes, nor was it anything close to the type of Spirit that might be summoned.
But this was no ordinary Grail War. By the strange machinations of this oddity in time, the rules of summoning had been utterly broken. Numerous exceptions had already been made; one more was of little consequence.
Asterios would have befitted Eri, but the Grail could see he was not quite the ideal Servant for her. The Minotaur could comfort her, yes, but he could not hide her. He could not confound Kai Chisaki and keep him from ever reaching his Master. But the Labyrinth… the Labyrinth could. Kai Chisaki would never reach the Taurus Chamber, the Labyrinth would never allow it.
As the girl wished, she would stay within the maze forever. The puppet of Asterios could be her companion, her friend. The maze would be her guardian, ensuring neither Servant nor human could reach Eri.
The Labyrinth's nature would ensure the spread of its complexity, the propagation of the most anomalous Berserker ever seen.
If Daedalus were to see it now, he likely would have trembled. His greatest feat of architecture, turned into an even more maddened harbinger of agony and pain. But the Labyrinth did not serve Daedalus. It only served one Master— Eri.
For Eri's sake, it would spread. For Eri's sake, it would drive them out. For Eri's sake… it would kill.
TRUE BERSERKER: THE LABYRINTH
Hamamatsu, Shizuoka Prefecture
Day 4, Afternoon
"So… what's all this about, Toshinori? You wouldn't force a lunch meeting into my busy schedule if it wasn't important. So what's troubling you?"
Taking a sip from his glass of lemonade, Detective Naomasa Tsukauchi locked eyes with his dear friend.
As a veritable skeleton of a man, Toshinori had gotten more than a few looks on his way to the Western-style restaurant. Even the hostess had flinched upon seeing him, likely wondering whether he was living or dead. Be it his muscular "All Might" state or his skeletal "Base" form, the blonde-haired man drew people's attention each and every day.
Rubbing his glass of water nervously, the No.1 Hero gulped before responding to the black-haired man. Seems the small talk they had started with was over.
"Well… it's about yesterday. About the reports I gave to the HPSC."
Naomasa took another sip, "You left some stuff out, didn't you?"
"Well, I didn't leave out too much… but there was one particular thing I didn't reveal."
"And I'm guessing you're here to tell me about that? Careful, Toshinori. I can only keep so many of your secrets. It's a miracle the HPSC doesn't know about One For All yet."
Although the HPSC was aware of All For One and his final clash with All Might, Nezu and Naomasa's interference had managed to keep several key details in the dark.
Firstly, Toshinori's stomach injury, the crippling wound that kept his operations to mere hours each day.
Secondly, the roots of their conflict— the power-stockpiling Quirk, One For All. As the eighth user, Toshinori had come into conflict with All For One more than once. He could only hope their last battle, the Bheriz Incident, was the final nail in the villain's coffin. The villain's body had been taken by the HPSC, and doctors had declared the man legally dead. But when the corpse of the Symbol of Evil disappeared from the hidden morgue, the scant possibility of his survival remained.
With five years having gone by, Toshinori had dared to hope the generational clash between One For All and All For One had truly ended. Although he did as all his predecessors had, granting his Quirk to the next generation, he prayed young Kendo would never have to fight this battle. The girl had taken his power wholly unaware of the existence of his archenemy. If All For One was truly alive, he dreaded the day Itsuka Kendo would have to learn the truth.
But even more than All For One, as he ate lunch with his best friend, All Might's worry was on the latest secret he was now burdened with. The existence of a strange conflict Archer warned him of.
"Naomasa, something was different about this incident. I don't think it was a villain attack… but a ritual."
Naomasa arched an eyebrow, "A ritual?"
"Right before that burst of light, the man named Jester said something strange. He talked about some sort of 'False Grail' and 'claiming a wish'. At first, I thought he was just delusional. But then… there was that light. And Avenger and Jester vanished."
"I'm sensing there's more. Did one of the vigilantes say something to you?"
Toshinori took a large sip of his own drink before continuing, "Yes… that's correct. The large man, Archer, spoke to me before he vanished. He warned me that I was stumbling into a conflict I should have remained unaware of. He said he was not a vigilante, but something I had never met before."
Naomasa's interest was piqued, "Did he say anything else?"
"One final thing. He gave me a warning. To be careful about seeking answers regarding something called… the Holy Grail War."
Naomasa put down his lemonade, "The Holy Grail War… and you genuinely think this to be some sort of ritual? Not just some religious blather?"
"I want to think it's all just nonsense… but so much of that day defies common sense. Not even Quirks can explain the feats achieved by Archer, Avenger, and the others. Not unless All For One was involved. And none of them, not even Jester or the serpent, seemed to be the sort he'd recruit."
"I see… magic, huh? I don't want to consider it either, but it would explain a lot. Especially that odd naming of theirs."
Toshinori blinked, "You believe me?"
Naomasa smiled, "You can be reckless at times, but you also have good instincts, my friend. The man who fought All For One wouldn't fall to magic as an explanation without reason."
The skeletal-looking man smiled, "So, what should we do?"
Naomasa put his hand to his chin, "Well, maybe we should reach out to those we know can keep a secret."
"So, those who know about One For All."
"Yeah. And among them, we've got him. That smart-aleck principal who merely pretends he doesn't know your secret."
"Nezu, huh?"
League of Villains Hideout, Kamino
Day 4, Afternoon
A few hours after Kurogiri returned, Lancer had enough.
"Alright, Master. I'm sick of waiting. Do you want me to go kill that marked kid or not?"
Through the small radio on the bar counter, the voice of All For One replied calmly.
"No, Lancer. We will not be killing Izuku Midoriya… yet. He may be more useful to us alive."
Vritra yawned, "Boring. Might I remind you, Master, how I feel about you shackling me?"
Since her extraction from the Naka Ward, Lancer was irritable, having her chance to let Asurasrestha run wild ruined. The massive waves of energy the previous night momentarily piqued her interest, but it ended quickly afterward. She wouldn't have made it even if she had tried to join in.
All For One, however, was ready to present his answer to Lancer's boredom.
"Very well Lancer. I'll give you an opportunity to let loose."
"Hmm? I'd love to. Have you been holding out on me, Mukuro?"
"When I pulled you away from the Naka Ward, I understand that was frustrating to you. So, I want to offer you an opponent to battle. I'm afraid I can't allow you to kill him, but…"
"No-kill again? This better be some opponent with that condition. So, who is he?"
The radio crackled, "One of my oldest servants… and my most powerful. His name is Gigantomachia."
"This… 'Gigantomachia'. Do you truly think he will be able to satisfy my battlelust? A bold claim."
"Perhaps not as bold as you think. After all, he does have seven Quirks."
Lancer, who had learned the mechanics of Quirks from Kurogiri, grinned, "So he's like your little Nomus, is he? I hope he's not as fragile as some of those meat puppets."
"I think you will find his strength appealing."
Lancer walked around the empty bar with veiled excitement.
"A guy with seven Quirks and the title of your strongest servant? I must admit I'm intrigued. Very well, I'll play along."
"You will mostly need to travel to his location yourself, however. Kurogiri is needed here for the matter with Izuku Midoriya."
Lancer stretched her arms, "So, Kurogiri and the worm are going after the marked one, eh? Too bad. That sounds fun as well. So, where is my new playmate?"
"I have instructed Doctor Garaki to move one of his lesser Nomu to the city of Inuyama. It possesses the same Warp Quirk that I do. From there, head into the mountains and use your senses to find him."
"Ah, right. He'll have that disgusting alien scent to him, so probably won't be too hard to pinpoint. Let's get on with it. Warp me."
All For One, remotely signaling the doctor, heard the disgusting sound of warp fluid enveloping Lancer. Vritra experienced the Quirk before, so hopefully she would not be as negative about it this time. It was an unsettling Quirk to experience, but it had been too useful not to steal. Warp Quirks were an extreme rarity, after all.
Severing the connection to the bar, All For One quietly tapped on the arm of his underground throne.
'Now then, who shall I root for? Should it be the giant? Or should it be the dragon?'
Kawasaki, Kanagawa Prefecture
Day 4, Afternoon
To put it lightly, the situation in the Shiozaki household was unusual.
After dropping in on their dinner table, the otherworld priest, Hansa, proceeded to invite himself to stay in their guest room. Suspicious of the stranger, Ariadne had understandably tried to observe the man overnight. But while he didn't leave the guest room, he had put up a holy barrier, preventing Caster's threads from spying on him.
But perhaps due to his position as a man of faith and then also his natural charisma, both Ibara and Piero had come to somewhat trust Hansa. Only Caster remained truly suspicious of the eyepatched priest and his motives.
What concerned her most was the man's skill. When she had tried to strike him with her threads the previous night, he had deftly blocked it. While she hadn't been able to gauge his full power, he certainly was no ordinary man. In addition, given his awareness of Ibara's masterhood, it seemed prudent to Caster that this man remain on their side.
Ignoring Caster's scrutinizing glare, Hansa sat calmly at their latest dining table, created courtesy of Caster's Item Construction skill. As he ate his brunch, the priest was leafing through Piero's Bible, his eye swiftly analyzing each page's contents.
As he turned to the latest page, Hansa muttered quietly to himself, "Interesting… the scriptures are the same, and yet the mystery normally held within them is non-existent. Is it due to this being a fabricated world? Or does it just need to undergo consecration?"
Although he hadn't explained it to the Shiozakis or Caster, Hansa had a slight conundrum on his hands. Although he had plenty of Black Keys with him, it seemed the Bibles of this world couldn't be a source for additional copies of the Church's favorite Mystic Codes. Unless he found a workaround, he was stuck in this world with limited ammunition. If things dragged out, he'd have only his cybernetic augmentations and martial arts to fall back on. Admittedly, that still made him a force to be reckoned with, but he'd prefer to have more options in combat than less.
Before he could ponder any further, Hansa's thoughts were interrupted by Piero, who had returned from the kitchen with two cups of freshly brewed coffee.
Hansa, closing the Bible, accepted one of the cups.
"Thanks, Father Shiozaki. A morning without coffee is just the worst."
Piero looked at Hansa a little oddly, 'He does realize it's the afternoon… right?'
Ibara meanwhile, watched the exchange from the other side of the table with faint curiosity. Although the Ibara family welcomed more than one church member as a guest over the years, Hansa was the weirdest.
'Maybe all the priests from his world are like this? I suppose I shouldn't apply our world's standards.'
The household's brunch then continued in relative silence, a tenseness similar to last night's dinner pervading the room.
A few minutes later, as the table was starting to be cleared, Piero decided to voice a question that had been weighing on his mind.
"Mr. Cervantes, you called yourself the 'Overseer' of this War, and discussed looking for Masters… but how will you go about doing that? Surely you don't plan on just bumping into them at the supermarket or something?"
Hansa shrugged, "To be honest, I'm not really sure. Zelretch, the guy who sent me here, didn't exactly provide me with much to work off of. I was supposed to have some companions, but it seems as though Ms. Tohsaka and Mr. Emiya have been separated from me."
Ariadne spoke next, "Do you have some way of contacting your associates?"
Hansa sighed, "Nah, Magi suck with tech. Emiya seemed like he might have had a phone, but even so, I don't have his number. Speaking of which, I've been wanting to try something."
Fishing his phone out of his pocket, Hansa opened up his contacts list. The priest had been curious since the mission was assigned— would his phone work in the other world?
Just as he was about to begin his experiment, Hansa paused. The contact list he had was all wrong. There was only a single entry, for God's sake!
Now suspicious, Hansa began inspecting his phone more closely, noticing another oddity. Although it was almost imperceptible, the phone the priest held was a different shade than the one he owned.
'That damn vampire… when'd he swap it out?'
Leaning back in his chair, Hansa began to laugh.
Seeing Hansa's shift in behavior, Piero spoke with concern, "Mr. Cervantes? Is something the matter with that antique of yours?"
Hansa's laugh tapered off before he smirked, "Oh, nothing, Father Shiozaki. Just seems the Old Man of the Jewels left me a present."
Turning the phone so the Shiozakis and Caster could see, Hansa chuckled again.
"I don't know how it will turn out, but it seems that our next step has been laid out for us."
Emblazoned in the contacts list was a single four-letter name.
Nezu
"I don't recognize the name, but I'm guessing it means something to at least one of you?"
Ibara nodded, "Yes. That's… my school's principal."
Hansa whistled, "A principal, huh? Not what I was expecting admittedly, but whatever. Guess I'll give him a call."
"Mr. Cervantes, I'm not sure that's the best id—"
Piero's words were cut off by the pinging of the dial tone.
Ignoring the disgruntled look Piero and Caster were giving him, Hansa smiled as he put the phone up to his ear.
"Hi there, the name's Hansa Cervantes. I'm a priest from another world. Are you Principal Nezu by any chance?"
Principal's Office, U.A. High School
Day 4, Afternoon
Despite the vast amount of work involved with running a high school, it was rare that Principal Nezu had to do an all-nighter. But tonight, he had made the call to do so.
The mystery surrounding the Nagoya Incident was beyond enticing, and he wanted to figure out how it tied back to the other recent incidents. Although events like the Yaoyorozu Estate attack, the Toyota Murders, and the Mie tidal anomalies might seem disconnected, Nezu's gut was telling him something bigger was going on.
But regarding Nagoya itself, Nezu was surprised to learn no one investigated who the owner of the penthouse where Jester and Apophis first appeared was. After some digging, he found a notable lack of ownership info, despite the property having been listed as occupied. It was suspicious, to say the least.
In fact, the whole Disaster reeked of conspiracy.
Thematic nomenclature.
Abilities that surpassed the established parameters of a Quirk.
At least nine powerful unknown individuals, all of whom seemed to not exist in official records.
And finally, the feather.
To most, it would not have even seemed like a clue. But Nezu, on a whim, had done a chemical analysis on the feather. The conclusion? It shouldn't exist. The genetic information within wasn't even analyzable. It was like a hologram, a projection in the shape of a feather.
'So close… I just need a little bit more. Perhaps Naomasa and Toshinori can provide the final piece.'
Just minutes earlier, Nezu's theorizing had been interrupted by an email from the latest addition to his staff. Toshinori, who had CC'd Detective Tsukauchi, said they had something to discuss with him. Unfortunately, Nezu hadn't been able to squeeze it into today, but he agreed to speak with them tomorrow. That meant Toshinori wouldn't be able to attend the U.S.J. training, but Nezu decided he would tell Aizawa and Kurose about it in the morning.
Just as he was about to start working through his backlog of paperwork, Nezu heard the sound of his private number's ringtone. Interestingly, the call was from an unknown contact, which shouldn't have been possible.
'Spam calls happen on most phones, but my auto-detection system should have blocked the call. So, who are you, mystery caller? How did you bypass my security?'
Not bothering to hesitate, Nezu answered before the next ring began.
"Hello, this is the U.A. Principal's office. May I ask who's calling?"
"Hi there, the name's Hansa Cervantes. I'm a priest from another world. Are you Principal Nezu by any chance?"
The caller's response was ridiculously flippant for its implications, but Nezu didn't sense any deception in the caller's voice. Could he really be in contact with an otherworlder?
Keeping his voice neutral, Nezu replied slowly, "Why yes, that's me. How may I help you, Mr. Cervantes?"
And so, the dialogue between Principal and Overseer began. Through the key named Hansa Cervantes, the path for answers Nezu sought was finally becoming clear.
Sagamihara, Kanagawa Prefecture
Day 4, Afternoon
"There. That should be the last one."
Standing up, Rin Tohsaka brushed her hands off, small flakes of crystalline dust falling to the floor.
A few steps behind her, a burgundy-haired teenager looked at the small magic circle Rin had set up.
"Master, I fully admit my knowledge of Magecraft is lacking, but will the Bounded Field stay maintained? This method doesn't seem very secure."
The girl was both beautiful and imposing, giving off the air of both royalty and soldier. Her skin was the color of ripe peaches, and her body was both lithe and muscular. Her clothes were abnormal for the modern era, a mix of leather and white cloth arranged into a chiton. Her hair was neatly gathered into a braided bun, a style Rin suggested on a whim.
Turning to face the girl, Rin smiled as she responded. The redhead swore she could see some contempt in the Magus's eyes.
"Now, Rider, it's perfectly fine. Although I'll admit it's pretty loosely established, the circles around the gemstones ensure external elements won't influence them. As for the Bounded Field itself, the jewel matrix is established by the enchantments set within the stones themselves. Certainly, this isn't my best work, but it's just supposed to be a temporary workshop anyway."
As was proper strategy, Rin had spent the initial period after arriving setting up a base of operations. Luckily, Zelretch's magic had dropped her into a disused warehouse in the city of Sagamihara. She did have to evict some ill-mannered delinquents who had set up shop there, but it only took a few Gandrs to make them scram.
It was then she had gone about summoning her Servant. For her catalyst, she used one Zelretch provided— an Amazonian arrowhead unearthed by the Lusendra Clan in northern Turkey. With the relic's firm connection to the warrior women of Grecian Myth, Rin's summoning had brought forth one of the finest Servants of the Rider class— Hippolyta, Queen of the Amazons.
Part of Rin wanted to forgo the artifact and try for her ideal Servant or to use her pendant to try and resummon Archer, but she had decided against both of those options. She didn't want to drag the Counter Guardian into a conflict he didn't need to be in, and summoning without a high-class relic came with risks. But in the end, Rin was satisfied with the summons she got. Of all the Amazons, Hippolyta's name was most firmly embedded in Human History. Her capabilities as a Servant would certainly exceed both her sister, Penthesilea, and mother, Otrera. It was also oddly fitting. After all that Illya's Berserker put her and Shiro through, here she was, summoning a woman killed by that same man.
Rin's recollection was interrupted by her Servant's voice, "Master. There is something you should know."
Rin put a hand on her hip, "What is it, Rider?"
"The normal information the Grail provided me… it seems almost muddled. I'm not as understanding of our situation or era as I should be. Furthermore, I should have been summoned under a color, and yet…"
Rin hummed to herself, "The first thing can be written off as this being a World Egg, but as for the second…"
After thinking for a moment longer, Rin continued, "Zelretch did mention that the Grail's faction protocol might be flipped improperly. Seems that was the case after all. Rider, can you tell if you are the first or second True Rider?"
Hippolyta shook her head, "I'm afraid not. A faction war dictates I can only sense my allies' statuses. The summonings or deaths of Servants of another color would remain ambiguous to me, and no colors exist in this war. I could only know by seeing with my own two eyes."
"I see. I suppose it's worth finding that eyepatch priest then. He and I did get separated when we were summoned. Shiro wasn't anywhere to be found either. I can't exactly go about checking the entirety of this Japan for their whereabouts, though."
Turning to her Servant, Rin gave a malicious grin.
"Well Rider, I'd say it's time I haggled some more jewels from this prefecture. My familiars don't come cheap, after all."
"Do you have a greater destination in mind, then?"
Rin shook her head.
"Not yet. But mark my words. Where that idiot Shiro goes, chaos follows. So we'll just have to keep our eyes and ears peeled."
Hippolyta, although somewhat confused about Rin's manner of discussing her boyfriend, nodded.
"Understood, Master. I'm sure we'll find your allies soon enough."
"One can hope, Rider. However, I doubt it will be that simple."
SECOND RIDER: HIPPOLYTA
To be continued in Chapter 14: Monarch Overload
Servant Profiles: True Caster
Bio:
Class: Caster
Master: Keigo Takami
True Name: Xuanzang Sanzang
Gender: Female
Alignment: Lawful Good
Stats:
Strength: E
Endurance: D
Agility: B
Mana: A+
Luck: EX
Noble Phantasm: A
Class Skills:
Territory Creation: A+
Personal Skills:
Divinity: D
High-Speed Sutra Chanting: A
Bewitching Rosy Cheeks: A → A+
Teachings of Tripitaka: A
Noble Phantasms:
Buddha Palm
Five Elements Mountain
Rank: B → B+
Type: Anti-Army ~ Anti-Fortress
Vyākaraṇa Eye
Visions of a Great Journey
Rank: EX
Type: Anti-Unit (Self)