Hello, everyone. ThunderReborn from 2025. This chapter has originally been edited by TM11 when this chapter was originally released. On April 1st, 2020, this chapter was edited again by Darklord331. Finally, in April 2025, this chapter was edited again by my current beta reader, Waroyer123. Thank you and I hope you enjoy the story.
Bleach is owned by Tite Kubo, TV Tokyo, Viz Media, Studio Pierrot... and other people.
Fate/Stay Night is the property of Konoki Nasu, Type-Moon, Aniplex
All other references of characters or abilities are not mine.
Please support the official release.
"Hello." -Normal talking
"Hello." –Ichigo's thoughts.
"Hello." – Zanpakutō speaking
"Hello." – Zanpakutō thoughts.
Kon'nichiwa [Translation of Hello]
Chapter 32:
Ichigo opened his eyes to find himself standing before an enormous stone castle. On top of the castle, a silver flag fluttered, emblazoned with the image of a red dragon wrapped around a black sword. Slowly, Ichigo began walking toward the castle. He could see knights training outside, their weapons clashing in the sunlight. As he passed them, none of the knights seemed to notice his presence. Ichigo continued onward, eventually entering the castle.
Somehow, he found himself in the throne room, where Artoria sat on her throne. She looked much like the Artoria he had seen before, but this time, she wore a black crown adorned with rubies. Surrounding her were knights in silver armor. As Ichigo drew closer, he noticed two individuals kneeling before Artoria. One was a knight with purple hair, wearing silver armor and a navy-blue cape. The other was a woman dressed in a red and white gown, with long, puffy sleeves, a leotard, and knee-high golden armored boots. Her long, flowing hair cascaded to her waist.
"Sir Agravain, you accused Sir Lancelot and Queen Guinevere of committing adultery," Artoria said from her throne. A knight in dark gray armor, with a violet cape and white fur collar, stood at attention.
"I do, my Liege," Agravain replied. "One night, I saw both Lancelot and Guinevere walking together around the castle."
"Queen Guinevere wished to walk the grounds at night. I offered to escort her for her safety," Lancelot interjected, his voice calm.
"SILENCE!" Artoria commanded, her voice sharp. She turned her gaze to Lancelot. "You will have your time to speak," she said, her tone unwavering, before turning back to Agravain. "Continue, Sir Agravain."
"As you wish, my Liege," Agravain said, his voice firm. "I silently followed them and saw Sir Lancelot embrace Queen Guinevere. They kissed under the moonlight."
Artoria nodded, turning to face Agravain. "Thank you, Sir Agravain," she said before addressing Lancelot. "Sir Lancelot, you may rise and defend your actions."
Lancelot sighed, looking resigned, as he stood. "Thank you, my Liege," he began. "It's true. I... I did fall in love with Queen Guinevere. It happened when I first arrived in England, but my feelings truly bloomed during the battle at Meleagant."
Artoria nodded thoughtfully, then turned to Guinevere. "Do you have anything to add, my Queen?"
Guinevere stood, brushing off the dust on her red and white dress. "I do," she said, her voice filled with resolve. "Punish me instead of Sir Lancelot!" Her declaration shocked Lancelot and the knights in the room.
"I knew I shouldn't have started my relationship with Lancelot, but... I fell in love with him before I ever married you, my Liege."
"No, my Liege!" Lancelot cried. "I should be punished for even asking Queen Guinevere to begin this relationship."
"ENOUGH!" Artoria shouted, her voice booming through the room. The knights fell silent. She sat for a moment, considering what to do, her gaze sweeping across the room. Some knights seemed to support Lancelot and Guinevere, while others believed they should be punished. Finally, Artoria spoke again.
"After much consideration, I have decided that both Sir Lancelot and Queen Guinevere will be punished," she declared, receiving a mix of reactions from the room. She raised her hand, silencing everyone. She lowered it and continued their sentence.
Artoria turned to Guinevere. "For Queen Guinevere's punishment, she will learn the ways of a knight. She will train under Sir Gawain and Sir Palamedes." Both knights stepped forward and bowed.
"As you wish, my Liege," they said in unison before stepping back.
Artoria then turned to Lancelot. "As for you, Sir Lancelot, your punishment is simple. Until Queen Guinevere becomes a knight, you are forbidden from seeing her," she declared.
"As you wish, my Liege," Lancelot replied. Ichigo, who had been intently watching the proceedings, noted that this event was not part of the Arthurian lore he had read.
Suddenly, the scene around him began to distort. Ichigo stood his ground as the world shifted. Moments later, the distortion ended, and he found himself once again in the throne room. But now, the room was different. Artoria was there, along with the same enemy Saber from before.
"So, Sir Mordred," Artoria said, her voice cold as she gazed at the knight before her. "You requested to speak with me privately."
"I did, my Liege," Mordred replied, her hands gripping her helmet. "My mother told me never to remove my helmet until the right time." Mordred pulled off her helmet, revealing her face. "According to my mother, you are my father."
Artoria stared at Mordred in stunned silence. Ichigo could see that Mordred was nervous.
"Who is your mother?" Artoria finally asked, her voice tinged with disbelief.
"She said her name was Morgan," Mordred answered. Ichigo could see Artoria's eye twitch slightly at the mention of the name.
"Put your helmet back on and follow me," Artoria ordered. She turned and began walking down a corridor, with Mordred and Ichigo following behind her. They reached a door, where Lancelot stood waiting.
"Good evening, my Liege," Lancelot said, bowing.
"Hello, Lancelot. Is Guinevere inside?" Artoria asked.
"She is," Lancelot replied.
"Let her know that I need to see her immediately in my private quarters," Artoria said, before heading toward the door. Mordred and Ichigo followed her inside. Artoria placed her hand on the door, and it glowed white for a brief moment before opening. They entered to find a well-decorated office. Artoria walked to her desk, setting her sword and sheath aside as she sat down. Moments later, a loud knock echoed at the door.
Artoria stood and opened it. "My Liege," Lancelot and Guinevere greeted her.
"Thank you for coming. Please, both of you, come in," Artoria said. Lancelot and Guinevere entered. Ichigo noticed that Lancelot appeared unchanged, but Guinevere was different. She now wore a revealing black and red armored dress, with long puffy sleeves, a leotard, and knee-high black armored boots. Her hair was styled in an intricate bun, and a black and red sword was strapped to her side.
"Now then, Guinevere," Artoria began, her voice calm but commanding, "a few months ago, did we have relations?"
"What?" Guinevere asked, startled by the question.
"Please answer truthfully. Everyone knows my secret," Artoria insisted.
"No. We never had relations," Guinevere replied, her voice steady.
"I see," Artoria said, her gaze unwavering.
"Um… what happened?" Artoria turned to Mordred and nodded. Mordred grabbed her helmet and took it off.
"Mordred turns out to be my child," Artoria said. Lancelot and Guinevere gasped in shock.
"A few months ago, I asked Myrddin to temporarily change me into a male. That night, I remembered I had sex with you, Guinevere." Artoria walked to her desk and poured drinks for everyone in the room. "Based on what you just said… I believe it was Morgan who I ended up having sex with and who used her magic to accelerate Mordred's growth." She handed the drinks to everyone.
"I see," Guinevere said as she took her drink. Lancelot and Mordred silently followed suit. Artoria turned to Mordred.
"Mordred."
"Yes, my Liege?"
"I can't accept you as my child or heir."
"Why?" Mordred asked.
"It's because it would throw the kingdom into chaos."
"What?"
"If I were to announce that you are my child, everyone would ask many questions. They'd wonder how Guinevere hid the pregnancy, whether I had an affair with another woman, and if you are even my child by blood. This would cause utter chaos in Camelot."
"I see," Mordred replied, sounding disappointed.
"But, I can call you my child in private," Artoria said. Mordred looked up in joy.
"Yes, my liege!"
"Okay then… my child." Artoria opened her arms, and Mordred jumped into them. Suddenly, Ichigo heard someone calling for him. He turned to see no one. The world around him began to darken and fade away. The last thing Ichigo heard was someone calling out to him.
"Master. Time to wake up," someone said.
Scene Change: Ichigo's Headquarters: Morning
Ichigo opened his eyes to see Raikou gently shaking his head. Ichigo turned his head to see that all his other servants were staring at him.
"Good morning, everyone," Ichigo said.
"Good morning, Master," they replied. They let go of Ichigo, allowing him to stand up and get out of bed. Ichigo did a few stretches to get the blood flowing. He turned to see his servants dressed in casual wear. Artoria was dressed in a black tank top with a matching jacket and jean shorts. Gilgamesh wore a white t-shirt, a black blazer, and matching black dress pants. Scáthach was in a violet blouse and blue jeans. Raikou wore a light purple sweater with a violet jacket and black leggings. Akasha was in a black and red plaid dress. Zealot still wore the same black hooded dress from her summoning. Jeanne was in a white polo with a violet jacket and matching shirt and stockings.
"Give me a few minutes, and I'll be down," Ichigo said. All the servants nodded and began walking downstairs.
"Artoria, can you stay here for a second?" Ichigo asked. Scáthach and Gilgamesh sent Artoria teasing smiles before walking down. Ichigo noticed that Zealot remained there. Ichigo sighed.
"Zealot, go downstairs with the other servants."
"As my God commands," Zealot said before walking downstairs. Ichigo walked over and gently closed the door.
"What do you need, Master?" Artoria asked.
"I just had a dream about you," Ichigo said.
"You did?"
"Yes, it was about your actions towards Lancelot, Guinevere, and Mordred." Artoria nodded.
"Ah."
"I was wondering… why did you force Guinevere to become a knight?"
"I did it for a few reasons. The first was to see their resolve for each other."
"What do you mean?"
"Despite my actions, many men were very sexist. They believed women shouldn't be knights and might treat Queen Guinevere horribly, despite her being their queen. I wanted to see if Queen Guinevere would give up on Sir Lancelot or push to the end." Ichigo nodded in understanding.
"What about Lancelot's punishment?"
"As for Sir Lancelot's, it was a test of will for him. I wanted to see if he was willing to control himself and follow my orders. He did follow my orders to the word. They used Sir Palamedes as their messenger. They would write letters for each other and pass them through him."
"Based on the different attire and sword she later carried, I assume Guinevere succeeded?"
"Oh, she did. It took her a year, but she managed to defeat both Sir Gawain and Sir Palamedes. She even tied with Sir Lancelot."
"Wow."
"Yes."
"My final question is about Mordred. What happened after you acknowledged her?"
"Life in the castle returned to normal for a short time. Mordred was sent out on a mission. When she returned, she had changed. She revealed herself in open court and demanded the throne. I was forced to deny her claim. She charged at me, only for her attack to be stopped by my knights. Mordred escaped afterward. This news threw the kingdom into chaos. Before Myrddin disappeared, he allowed me one more chance to impregnate Guinevere. Once Guinevere was pregnant, I sent her and Lancelot away to France. I handed Lancelot Excalibur and Avalon while I went to fight Mordred with Rhongomyniad. In our battle, I managed to break Mordred's helmet and saw she was crying. Mordred explained that her mother placed a curse on her body to force her to rebel against her father. In the end, I put Mordred out of her misery. She smiled at me in thanks. I turned to look at the field before being stabbed in the back. I turned to see Morgan smiling while holding Mordred's sword."
"I'm sorry."
"That's fine, Master. My legend is different from my counterpart," Artoria said as she approached the door. She turned to Ichigo. "Is there anything else you need, Master?"
"No," Ichigo replied. Ichigo and Artoria walked down to the kitchen. He could see Raikou cooking rice, while Gilgamesh and Scáthach sat down, enjoying breakfast. Ichigo noticed that Zealot and Jeanne were sitting down but hadn't touched their food. He also noticed that Jeanne's eyes were closed, and she was quietly mumbling. Sitting next to them was Caster, wearing a black top, a jean jacket, and a long tan skirt. Raikou noticed Ichigo arriving in the dining room.
"Hello, Master. I took the liberty of beginning breakfast," Raikou said.
"Thank you, Raikou."
"Master, please call me Mama Raikou."
"Um…" Suddenly, Ichigo was gently tackled by Akasha.
"Ichigo!"
"Yes, Akasha?"
"Can I get some blood?" she asked.
"Akasha…"
"Please!" she replied, giving Ichigo the classic puppy-dog eyes. Ichigo sighed.
"You're addicted to this," Ichigo said, tilting his head to the side.
"Yay!" she cried in joy as she bit down on Ichigo's neck. At that moment, Shirou, Saber, Illya, and Berserker arrived. They looked at the bizarre scene for a moment before silently accepting the scene and sat down. Chad and Rider came down. Chad was dressed in a maroon t-shirt, a black leather blazer, and black jeans. Rider wore an oversized green t-shirt and blue jeans. Their sudden appearance broke the tense atmosphere. Everyone sat down and began to eat Raikou's cooking.
"This is good," Ichigo commented. Suddenly, his face was squished by a happy Raikou.
"Thank you, MASTER!" Raikou screamed. Suddenly, Ichigo's body was jerked away from the happy servant. He turned to see it was Gilgamesh.
"Thank you, Gilgamesh."
"You're welcome, Master. A good Queen must help protect the King… even if it's something the King enjoys," Gilgamesh teased. Ichigo looked back down and resumed eating, trying to hide his light blush.
"Ichigo, with Chad back in the picture, do you think you should tell him the truth?" Kyōka asked.
"I should. I'll tell him today," Ichigo replied mentally.
"Ichigo."
"Yes, Yhwach?"
"Can I talk with Assassin?"
"How come?"
"I want to ask her a few questions about her abilities. I might be able to create a few Schrifts that replicate her abilities."
"Okay." Soon enough, everyone finished eating. Shirou and Saber later argued about school.
"Saber, I need to go to school," Shirou said.
"Very well then. I will go with you to school," Saber replied.
"You can't, Saber. You can't astral project, remember?" Shirou said.
Saber glared at him. Everyone could see that Saber would still try to protect Shirou.
"Hey," Caster said, gaining everyone's attention. "I might be able to craft an item to imitate a servant's ability to astral project," Caster announced. Saber looked up in joy. This could be a possible solution to her problem. "However, it may take a few hours to craft a necklace for you," Caster added. Saber nodded.
"Well, I'm off!" Shirou cried out as he ran off.
"Well… it's been fun, but I need to return home," Illya said. Ichigo nodded as Illya and Berserker left his headquarters.
"Myrddin," Ichigo said through the servant bond.
"Yes, Master?" Myrddin replied.
"Were you able to teach Genji and Amélie some magic to help conceal themselves?"
"Actually, yes and no."
"What do you mean?"
"It appears that Genji and Amélie already have Presence Concealment on top of their smoke transformation."
"But how did they get discovered?"
"It seems they weren't aware that they had Presence Concealment."
"So, were you able to help them activate that ability?"
"Yes, we were."
"I see…" Ichigo replied. "Angela?"
"Yes, Master?" Angela replied.
"Is Genji available?"
"Yes, she is." A few seconds later, the cyborg ninja appeared.
"Yes, Master?" she said.
"I need you to go and shadow Shirou in case anyone attacks him."
"As you wish," Genji said before disappearing. Ichigo looked at all the servants around him.
"Now then… what is our plan of action right now?" Artoria asked.
"A few things," Ichigo said. "The first thing we need is for a few servants to search for potential places for their hideout."
"My remaining pets and I will take care of it," Angela said as her pets appeared.
"Very well. I will make sure Genji joins you once Caster is done." Angela nodded as they disappeared.
"What else, Master?" Scáthach asked.
"That was the major part. The other part is simply to stay in the general area," Ichigo said.
"So, we can relax, train, or do something else," Akasha said.
"Correct."
"Well, I'm going to relax," Gilgamesh said as she jumped on the couch and turned on the TV.
"As will I," Jeanne said. Saber looked at Artoria.
"Artoria."
"Yes, Saber?"
"Can you train with me for a bit?"
"Very well," Artoria answered.
"I'm going to practice long-range attacks," Raikou said.
"I need to review my Runic Magic," Scáthach said.
"I guess I should get started on crafting that necklace for Saber," Caster said.
"Mysteria and I are going to investigate Ryuudou Temple," Myrddin said through the peerage link.
"Okay. Make sure you two stay safe," Ichigo replied.
"Can I go see Moka and Elizabeth?" Akasha asked.
"In a little bit," Ichigo replied. Akasha nodded and joined Gilgamesh in the living room.
"I guess I'll send all of you to the trainer then," Ichigo said as he sent all his servants to the Trainer. "Chad."
"Yes, Ichigo?"
"I need to have a private talk with you."
"Very well," Chad said as he turned to Rider. "Rider, please enjoy yourself."
"Okay, my Maestro," Rider said as she went to the living room.
"Assassin."
"Yes, my God?"
"I have a friend who wants to talk to you," Ichigo said as Yhwach appeared. "This is Yhwach. He wants to ask you a few questions about your abilities. Please answer them to the best of your abilities."
"As you wish, my God," Assassin replied. Ichigo sighed as he sent Assassin and Yhwach into the Trainer. Ichigo turned to Chad.
"So... what do you wish to talk about?" Chad asked.
"I need to apologize for something." Ichigo and Chad sat down.
"What do you mean?"
"Do you trust me?" Ichigo asked as he summoned Kagamigetsu and silently entered Shikai.
"I do."
"Then I'm sorry." Before Chad could react, Ichigo stabbed Chad with Kyōka Suigetsu and activated Yomu Kioku [Reading Memory, undoing the memory manipulation from two years ago.
"What..." Chad said as he remembered Xcution, meeting Ginjo, and the surprising encounter with Ichigo. "What... what did you do?"
"At that time... I altered your memories so that you never knew about Xcution."
"Why?"
"For a few reasons," Ichigo said. "The first reason is that I didn't want anyone to know that I could still access my powers."
"Why?"
"It's because if they knew what caused me to retain my powers, I would be immediately detained or killed on the spot," Ichigo bluntly replied.
"They wouldn't."
"They might if they discovered that the main reason I retained my powers is because of the Hōgyoku."
"What!?"
"After I used the Final Getsuga Tenshō, the Hōgyoku fired a blast of purple energy at me. The Hōgyoku merged with me, which prevented me from losing all my powers like I was supposed to."
"So why did you pretend to be powerless all that time?"
"Who said I was pretending?"
"But you just said you retained your powers because of the Hōgyoku."
"What happened is that the Final Getsuga Tenshō used up all the reiatsu I had in my body, and in that process, it destroyed any chance of me producing reiatsu again. It took some time, but, the Hōgyoku repaired the damage, allowing me to produce reiatsu again." Ichigo explained.
"I see... what about at Xcution Headquarters? I saw you using kidō."
"The Hōgyoku wasn't the only thing I received from Aizen," Ichigo said. "I also gained one other thing from Aizen, Kyōka Suigetsu."
Chad's eyes widened.
"Aizen's Zanpakutō!?"
"Yes. Aizen's former Zanpakutō. She taught me many things Aizen knew."
"I see... Does Soul Society know?"
"They know that I have my powers back, but not how," Ichigo answered.
"Will they get involved with us right now?"
"I don't think so," Ichigo said. Suddenly, Chad's phone began to ring. Chad pulled out his phone.
"Hello?"
"Hello, Sado."
"Oh, Makunouchi-sensei. Do you need anything?"
"I need to talk to you about something. Can you go to the hotel right now?"
"Sure," Chad replied, and the call ended.
"What happened?" Ichigo asked.
"My coach just called me. He wants to see me right now."
"Oh. Do you need a ride?"
"It's fine. I get reimbursed if I use a taxi," Chad said as they both stood up. They walked to the living room to see Gilgamesh, Akasha, and Rider all playing Mario Kart on a Golden Wii.
"I'M GONNA WIN!" Akasha yelled.
"OH NO YOU DON'T!" Gilgamesh yelled.
"NOOO!"
"YES! Another win."
"It was because of that stupid spiked blue shell!" Akasha argued.
"Rider," Chad said.
"Yes, Maestro?"
"We're leaving for an errand."
"Ok," Rider said. Chad and Rider left.
"Um… Akasha, are you ready to leave?"
"Sorry, Ichigo, but I NEED TO BEAT THIS GIRL!" Akasha yelled as they started another race.
"Kyōka."
"Yes, Ichigo?"
"Is your connection to Chad open?"
"Give me one second," Kyōka said before running back to her computer. "It's connected."
"Good. Please watch over Chad and call for me if anything happens."
"Very well."
"Ok then…" Ichigo said. "I guess I should check on the other servants in the Trainer." Ichigo thought as he pulled out the Trainer. "Girls, can you please pause your Mario Kart race?" Ichigo asked.
"Yes, Ichigo?" Gilgamesh responded.
"Please watch over this," Ichigo said, showing the girls the Trainer and its basic functions.
"So… I point this at you and click load?"
"Correct," Ichigo replied. With that, Gilgamesh clicked load, and a green beam shot out and hit Ichigo, converting him into binary and sending him into the Trainer.
Scene Change: Trainer
Ichigo opened his eyes to find himself standing on top of a hill. He looked down to see Saber and Artoria dueling on the far-left clearing. To the far right, Ichigo saw Myrddin, Caster, and Mysteria. Caster sat in a ritual circle with a small necklace in her hand, while Myrddin and Mysteria explored different magic they knew. In the center, Ichigo noticed Scáthach fighting against Raikou and her retainers. Despite being outnumbered, Scáthach seemed to be winning. Her spear began to glow red, and she jumped backward.
"GÁE BOLG!" Scáthach yelled as she hurled Gáe Bolg toward them. Raikou and her retainers tried to stop it, but the spear split into 30 copies and rained down on them. All of them were hit by Scáthach's attack. When the dust cleared, Raikou was unconscious, and her retainers disappeared. Ichigo walked over to Scáthach, who was picking up her Gáe Bolg.
"Hello, Master. Are you ready to continue our training?"
"I am," Ichigo replied as he summoned a pair of plain spears. Ichigo demonstrated various techniques that Scáthach had taught him. Afterward, they began to spar against each other.
"Master, I think it's time for you to use your spear."
"Ok," Ichigo said as he summoned Longinus. He twirled it around to get a better feel for the weapon. "All the extra parts are too cumbersome." Suddenly, Longinus began to glow golden. Ichigo and Scáthach were momentarily blinded by the intense glow. The light faded, and Longinus changed. It was now 2 meters long (6.56 feet). The top resembled a cross, with angel wings for crossbars, and the point of the cross came together into a sharp tip. The bottom was similar but without wings. Instead, there was a circle connecting the arms of the smaller cross.
"Whoa," Ichigo said as he spun the spear.
"Interesting," Scáthach said, moving closer to inspect it. "Where did you get this weapon?"
"I claimed it from one of my enemies."
"I see… Do you know anything about this weapon?"
"It's known as True Longinus." Scáthach paused for a few seconds.
"Isn't that the same name as the weapon used to kill the son of the Christian God?"
"Correct."
"Based on what just happened… I can guess that this weapon is sentient."
"Now that you mention it, according to Michael, Longinus is supposed to contain the Will of God."
"Have you tried to speak with the Will of God?"
"I haven't," Ichigo said as he sat down in a lotus position. He placed Longinus on his knees and began Jinzen.
Scene Change: Longinus Mindscape
Ichigo opened his eyes to find himself standing on a giant white cloud. He looked around and saw a large gate, with a white stone path and floating stone buildings. Ichigo walked up to the large gate, which slowly swung open, allowing him to enter. He walked forward and saw a man sitting on a white throne. He had long blonde hair that reached his back and parted down the middle. A crown of green thorns encircled his head, and he had a small mustache and a thin beard.
"So… you're the spirit in True Longinus."
"I am. I'm Jesus Christ."
"Is there anything I need to do to earn the right to use your power?"
"There was something you needed to do, but you already did it."
"I did?"
"You came to talk with me!" Jesus exclaimed.
"What?"
"You're the first person who's managed to come here and speak with me!"
"Um… you were lonely?" Ichigo guessed.
"Exactly. When the cursed spear stabbed me, it sealed a portion of my soul inside the spear."
"I see."
"My father didn't realize my fate when he turned the spear into a Sacred Gear."
"Couldn't you talk with your other wielders?"
"I tried… but they were too weak to hear my voice or were killed too early to use the spear. All except for Alexander."
"Alexander?"
"Yes. He was my last wielder. He showed so much potential. He was a new exorcist for the Holy Church, recruited when they discovered his abilities. On one of his missions, he encountered that dreaded vampire."
"Dreaded vampire?" Ichigo thought for a moment and then realized who Jesus meant. "Oh, you mean Issa."
"Issa?"
"Shuzen Issa, the father of my girlfriend."
"Ah," Jesus said. "Anyway, Alexander encountered Issa..."
"Then that vampire stole me from my last user and kept me in his office for the last century."
"Wait… you're aware of everything that's happening outside?"
"Yes, I can see outside."
"So, Jesus, what powers does this spear have?" Ichigo asked, trying to change the subject.
"The spear allows you to create and manipulate holy energy."
"What do you mean by manipulation?"
"Well... you can use the holy energy that Longinus passively creates to produce Holy Fire or Holy Lightning," Jesus explained.
"I see... Anything else?" Ichigo asked, staring at Jesus for a few seconds. Jesus tilted his head down in shame.
"I don't know."
"You don't?"
"Those are some things I've seen my previous wielders use the spear for."
"I see…" Ichigo said. "Do you want to return to Heaven?"
"WHAT?!"
"I said... do you want to go back to Heaven?"
"I can?"
"Once I'm done with this Holy Grail War, I'll take you back to Heaven."
"You swear?"
"I swear." Suddenly, Ichigo was wrapped in a hug.
"THANK YOU! THANK YOU! THANK YOU!" Jesus yelled.
"Jesus... please let go of me," Ichigo said. It took a few minutes before Jesus let go.
"Can I use Longinus's powers right now?"
"No. We must formally establish a connection between you and Longinus."
"How?"
"The same way everything works," Jesus said as he summoned Longinus in his hand. Ichigo sighed as Jesus stabbed him in the chest. Suddenly, everything turned golden.
Scene Change: Ichigo's Mindscape
Hōgyoku, Katen, and Kyōkotsu noticed a golden glow in the distance, and a giant golden cross began to form. It stood about 5 meters tall (16.4 ft). They used Shunpō to reach the giant golden cross.
"Wow," Jesus said, staring in awe at the incredible sights in Ichigo's mindscape. Hōgyoku, Katen, and Kyōkotsu arrived to see Ichigo and Jesus standing there.
"Hello, guys," Ichigo greeted them.
"Hello, Ichigo. Who is this?" Hōgyoku asked.
"This is Jesus Christ. His soul was trapped in True Longinus."
"So this giant golden cross is the result of bonding with True Longinus?" Katen guessed.
"Correct." Suddenly, Kyōka appeared in front of Ichigo.
"Ichigo."
"Yes, Kyōka?"
"Chad and Rider are in danger!"
"What!? Show me." Kyōka pulled out a laptop.
"Um... what is that?" Jesus asked.
"This is a mental manifestation of Yomu Kioku, one of Kyōka's abilities," Ichigo explained as Kyōka played the video.
Flashback: Chad's Memories
Chad and Rider left Ichigo's headquarters and began walking towards their hotel. Fortunately, Chad managed to signal a taxi. Rider astralized to keep her existence and the Holy Grail War a secret. The taxi pulled up in front of Chad, and they entered.
"Hello, Fuyuki City Hyatt Hotel, please," Chad instructed.
"Yes, Sir," the taxi driver replied as he drove them to the hotel. Chad sat quietly, watching the world pass by through the taxi window. Twenty minutes later, they arrived at the Fuyuki City Hyatt Hotel.
"That'll be 1500 yen," the taxi driver said. Chad handed him his credit card.
"I'd also like a receipt," Chad replied.
"Very well." The taxi driver swiped the card and a receipt was printed out. He returned the card and receipt to Chad.
"Thank you," Chad said as he left the taxi. Chad and the astralized Rider walked inside the hotel, where the receptionist nodded at them. Chad nodded back and pressed the elevator button. The elevator opened, and they entered. Chad pushed the button for the 7th floor. As the elevator doors began to close, they suddenly heard someone yelling.
"Wait!" Chad quickly placed his hand between the doors, stopping them from closing. The doors opened again, revealing a beautiful woman with long silver-white hair, dressed in a black business suit that hugged her body.
"Thank you," she said. Chad nodded and stared straight ahead. The woman pushed the button for the 8th floor, and the elevator doors closed. As it ascended, Chad and Rider watched the numbers climb.
"Um, excuse me?" the woman said. Chad and Rider looked at her and saw a red haze emanating from her eyes.
"Rider!" Chad yelled, realizing the danger they were in. Rider desacralized and pointed her weapon at the woman, Pride.
"Maestro, it's a... servant," Rider said, beginning to get drowsy.
"Oh, you fools," Pride sneered as she walked up to Rider and kissed her on the lips. Rider's eyes widened before slowly closing. Pride pulled away.
"What...?" Rider mumbled before she fell unconscious. Pride turned toward Chad, who was struggling to stay on his feet. She walked toward him, and he tried to activate his powers but failed. Pride laughed as she lunged at him. Chad wasn't fast enough to dodge her. She kissed him on the lips, and the next thing he saw was blackness.
Flashback End
"Shit," Ichigo cursed, leaving his mindscape. He opened his eyes to see Scáthach practicing her Runic Magic. Ichigo stood up.
"How did it go, Master?" Scáthach asked.
"It went well, but things have come up."
"Oh? What happened?" Before Ichigo could reply, Saber and Artoria appeared.
"Ichigo, I need to leave."
"What happened?"
"Shirou is being attacked."
"Very well," Ichigo said as Raikou joined them.
"Genji, what is going on over there?"
"Master, we need assistance at the school!"
"What is going on?"
"We're being attacked by Sakura's servants."
"Do you have any of their descriptions?"
"One of them is shouting about finding her father."
"So, Mordred is one of them," Artoria commented.
"While the other one is talking about that electrifying purple eel."
"Oh, so that snake bitch is there as well," Raikou said.
"From what Raikou told me, I believe that 'snake bitch' is Medusa," Caster added.
"I am sending Artoria, Saber, and Raikou over there."
"Thank you!" Genji said before cutting the connection. Ichigo turned to his servants.
"Artoria, Saber, and Raikou, you three are going to the high school."
"Yes, Master," Artoria and Raikou replied as everyone left the trainer.
Scene Change: Ichigo's Headquarters
Gilgamesh and Akasha sat on the couch, taking a break from Mario Kart. Suddenly, the Trainer began to glow and shot a green beam to the ground. Ichigo, Artoria, Raikou, Scáthach, and Saber appeared. Ichigo nodded as Artoria, Saber, and Raikou left headquarters.
"What is going on?" Akasha asked.
"Sakura had her servants attack Shirou's high school and Chad's hotel."
"Oh?"
"Ichigo."
"Yes, Mysteria?"
"We need your help."
"Are you also getting attacked by Sakura's servants?"
"We are."
"Any idea on who?"
"It looks like an army of starfish-like creatures and wyverns."
"Any servants?"
"It looks like Gilgamesh, Gilles de Rais, and the Altered Jeanne d'Arc are in the back, riding even larger wyverns."
"I see… help is on the way."
"Thank you, and please hurry." Ichigo turned to his remaining servants. "It appears that Mysteria and Myrddin are being attacked at Ryuudou Temple."
"By which servants?" Jeanne asked.
"Gilgamesh, Gilles de Rais, and the Altered Jeanne d'Arc," Ichigo replied.
"I guess I got a chance for a rematch against that Faker," Gilgamesh commented.
"I will also go to deal with my altered self," Jeanne said.
"Is it a good idea to leave Headquarters unprotected?" Scáthach asked.
"You're right. Let me ask Angela," Ichigo said. "Angela."
"Yes, Ichigo?"
"Have your group made any progress in finding Sakura's headquarters?"
"No."
"I need you and your servants to report back to Headquarters in case Sakura tries to send her servants here," Ichigo explained.
"Very well," Angela said.
"Gilgamesh and Jeanne will go to Ryuudou Temple," Ichigo said. Gilgamesh and Jeanne immediately left. "Akasha and Scáthach will come with me," Ichigo said. The two servants nodded.
"My God, shall I follow you in the shadows?" Assassin asked.
"Are you done with Yhwach?"
"I am done with her," Yhwach replied.
"Very well, follow me in my shadow," Ichigo instructed.
"Yes, my God," Assassin said. Ichigo could see that his shadow briefly moved before returning to normal. Ichigo, Akasha, and Scáthach left for the Fuyuki City Hyatt Hotel.
Scene Change: Homurahara Academy - An Hour Ago
Shirou sat in class, trying to pay attention to Taiga's English lecture. Earlier today, Rin handed him a note informing him that there was some kind of Magecraft around the school. She also warned him to be careful. Suddenly, Shirou began to feel drowsy, breaking him from his thoughts. He turned to see his classmates were all unconscious. Shirou looked to see some kind of purple smoke entering through the door. He grabbed a student's bokken and activated Reinforcement, a magecraft that allows him to analyze the structural composition of an object and increase its effectiveness. He reinforced the bokken, giving it a sharper edge and more durability. Shirou slowly opened the door and looked outside. He saw the empty hallway filled with purple smoke. Shirou left his classroom and began to explore the empty school hallway.
"I need to find Rin and Archer," Shirou thought as he wandered the hallways. Suddenly, purple snakes lunged at him, mouths open to bite. Shirou used his bokken to block the snakes' attack and flung them at a nearby wall. The snakes cried out in pain before dissipating. Shirou continued downstairs and was greeted by a tall female with long purple hair. She had black pupils, pink irises, and black sclera. Her eyes were a striking pink. She wore a revealing black dress, and her legs were covered in dull golden-colored scales. Behind her was a long snake tail with the same dull golden color. The purple snakes from earlier slithered and entered her body.
"Who… who are you?" Shirou asked.
"I am Gluttony, and you are my next meal!" she yelled as she lunged at him. Shirou stood his ground, his reinforced bokken pointed at the charging servant. Suddenly, he was shoved aside as a dragon made of red energy flew in and hit the charging servant.
"Who?" Shirou turned to see Genji standing in front of him.
"Contact your servant and get out of here!" Genji ordered.
"Right," Shirou said as he ran off.
"Oh no, you don't!" Gluttony yelled as she flung her purple snakes at the fleeing Shirou. Genji threw ninja stars at the flying snakes. The stars sliced through the purple snakes and continued flying toward Gluttony. Gluttony twisted her body away from the ninja stars.
"Stop killing my snakes. You're like that stupid purple eel." Genji ignored her comment and continued throwing more ninja stars at Gluttony. She opened her mouth wide and began to devour the ninja stars.
"Hm. Iron. My healer did tell me I need to get more iron in my diet," Gluttony mused, licking her lips. Genji charged at her with a flurry of slashes.
"Genji, what is going on over there?" Ichigo's voice echoed through Genji's communicator. Genji blocked Gluttony's counterattack, narrowly avoiding the venomous blast from her mouth.
"We need assistance at the school!" Genji responded, continuing to dodge and strike. Gluttony fired another blast of green venom, which Genji swiftly evaded.
"What's happening?" Ichigo asked, his voice full of concern.
"We're being attacked by Sakura's servants," Genji replied, just as she was knocked back by a powerful blow, sending her crashing through the school building. She landed on her feet, only to face another servant clad in grey armor, wielding a red broadsword.
"Where is my Father, Assassin!" the new servant demanded, charging at Genji.
"Envy!" Gluttony cried out in delight.
"Do you have any descriptions of them?" Genji asked, leaping back to avoid a strike from Envy.
"Where is my Father, Assassin!" the new servant repeated.
"One of them is shouting about finding her father," Genji said, keeping her eyes on the opponent.
"So, Mordred is one of them," Artoria commented.
"Ryūjin no ken okurae! [The dragon becomes me!]" Genji shouted, unleashing a powerful attack at the two servants.
"While the other one is commenting on that electrifying purple eel," Artoria added.
"Oh, so that snake bitch is there as well," Raikou remarked.
"From what Raikou told me, I believe that 'snake bitch' is Medusa," Caster added.
"I'm sending Artoria, Saber, and Raikou over there," Ichigo decided.
"Thank you!" Genji said, cutting off the communication as Envy lunged at her again.
Envy swung downward with her sword, but Genji parried the strike with her katana. Envy quickly changed her attack to a side strike, forcing Genji to jump back. She realized too late that she couldn't escape fast enough. Envy's blade hit her squarely, sending her flying.
Genji crashed into something solid. She looked up to find herself wrapped in Gluttony's tail. Gluttony grinned as she held Genji tight.
"Oh, you poor thing. Looks like you're my appetizer," Gluttony said, opening her mouth to devour her. But before she could, a loud shout interrupted them.
"Raikō Breaker!" A powerful purple lightning arrow flew toward Gluttony, who quickly leaped away to avoid it.
Everyone turned to see Raikou, Saber, and Artoria arriving.
"Where's Shirou?" Saber asked immediately.
"I don't know. He should be somewhere inside the school," Genji said, gritting her teeth as she struggled to break free.
Saber nodded and sprinted into the building.
"Oh no, you don't!" Envy yelled, charging after her, only to be intercepted by Artoria.
"Don't forget, spoiled brat. There are two versions of your father here," Artoria taunted.
"RAH!" Envy shouted, swinging down with her sword.
Meanwhile, Shirou was running through the school, trying to find Rin and Archer. He encountered several of Gluttony's snakes along the way, easily killing them with his reinforced bokken. He climbed to the third floor, where he spotted Rin hiding behind a stairwell.
"Rin!" Shirou called out as he approached her.
"Get away!" Rin shouted, her eyes wide with fear. Suddenly, something whizzed past Shirou's cheek and embedded itself in the wall. Shirou felt a sharp pain on his cheek and touched it, discovering blood.
"Took you long enough to get here," Shirou heard Archer's voice as she stepped into view, an arrow already notched on her bow. "Goodbye," Archer said coldly, releasing the arrow.
Fear surged through Shirou as he realized he was too slow to move. Just as the arrow neared him, a familiar figure in blue and silver armor appeared in front of him.
"Saber!" Shirou shouted, relief flooding through him as she easily deflected Archer's attack.
"What are you doing, Archer!?" Saber demanded.
"Saber, get out of my way. I need to kill Shirou," Archer growled.
"You'll have to go through me," Saber declared firmly.
"Very well!" Archer shouted, drawing another arrow and preparing for the next strike.
Scene Change: Ryuudou Temple
Mysteria and Myrddin reached the base of Ryuudou Temple and began climbing the long staircase to the top. They used magic to disguise themselves as ordinary tourists.
"The barrier here is quite strong," Mysteria remarked.
"It is. To think this barrier is powerful enough to keep us, Servants, out," Myrddin noted.
"Caster was right. This place would make a good headquarters," Mysteria agreed.
They finally reached the top of the temple, where they saw a young man in black robes sweeping the gate.
"Oh, hello. Welcome to Ryuudou Temple. My name is Ryuudou Reikan," the young man said politely.
"My name is Arthur, and this is Steria. We're tourists, just looking around," Myrddin said, crafting a cover story.
"So, Ryuudou-san…" Mysteria began.
"Call me Reikan. Ryuudou-san is reserved for my father," Reikan replied.
"Reikan-san, are you the owner of this temple?" Mysteria asked.
"I am not. My father is the current owner of the temple. Why do you ask?" Reikan answered.
"We were wondering if we could get a tour of the temple," Myrddin requested.
"Sure," Reikan said, laying his broom aside. "Follow me."
Reikan led them through the temple, pausing occasionally to point out important features.
"So Reikan-san…," Mysteria asked, "Do you know anything about the history of this temple?"
"Unfortunately, no," Reikan replied. "My father told me that the history of this temple is a secret known only to the current Head and Chosen Head of the Temple."
"I see," Myrddin murmured, considering the information as they continued the tour.
Suddenly, they heard a soft thump approaching. An older man, dressed similarly to Reikan but holding a wooden cane, appeared before them.
"Hello, Otou-sama," Reikan greeted him with respect.
Turning to Mysteria and Myrddin, Reikan introduced them. "This is Arthur and Steria. Arthur, Steria, this is my Otou-sama, Ryuudou Ryu."
"Hello, Ryuudou-san," Mysteria said.
"Hello, you two," Ryu replied, glancing at Reikan. "I'll continue their tour from here," he ordered.
"Yes, Tou-san," Ryu said as he walked away from the three. Ryu glanced back at Myrddin and Mysteria.
"You can return to your normal forms. I know you're using magic to conceal your identities from the no-magi," Ryu said.
"Very well," Mysteria responded as they transformed back into their true forms.
"Follow me," Ryu said. Mysteria and Myrddin silently followed behind him. They soon arrived at a dead-end. Ryu raised his cane and tapped the wall twice with the handle. He paused for a moment before tapping the wall with the ferrule and then the handle again. He paused again before tapping the wall twice with the handle and once with the ferrule. After another brief pause, he tapped the wall twice with the ferrule. Ryu lowered his cane as lines began to appear, connecting to reveal a door. He slid it open and entered the secret room, followed by Mysteria and Myrddin.
Inside, they found a small table with four cushions. "Take a seat," Ryu said. Mysteria and Myrddin sat on the left side of the table, while Ryu took a seat on the right. He poured tea for everyone.
"Thank you," Mysteria said.
"No problem," Ryu replied, and they enjoyed their tea in silence.
"So, what did you want to speak to us about?" Myrddin asked.
"I have a few questions for both of you," Ryu said.
"We'll try to answer them as best as we can," Mysteria replied.
"Very well. My first question is about all the 'random' incidents that have occurred over the past few days. Are they related?"
"They are," Mysteria answered.
"I see… Is this somehow connected to the events that happened to this town 10 years ago, and about 60 years ago?"
"It is," Myrddin replied.
"I see…"
"You were alive back then?" Mysteria asked.
"I was. Despite my appearance, I'm closer to my 90s," Ryu explained.
"How is it that you're that old but have sons so young?" Mysteria asked.
"Some of the magic from the wards flowed to me, since I'm the holder of the wards, making me appear closer to 70 years old," Ryu explained.
"I see…" Mysteria replied.
"Now then, why are you two here?"
"We came to look around Ryuudou Temple since it was constructed at the intersection of the leylines. We didn't expect anyone here to be aware of the supernatural," Myrddin answered.
"That makes sense," Ryu replied. Suddenly, Myrddin's eyes briefly glowed golden, and he abruptly stood up.
"Myrddin, what's going on?" Ryu asked.
"Ryuudou Temple might receive some guests soon."
"What do you mean by 'guests'?" Ryu asked.
"The enemy is slowly approaching Ryuudou Temple," Myrddin explained.
"I see," Ryu replied, tightening his grip on his cane.
"We need to get all of you out of here," Mysteria said as she stood up.
"But where would we go?" Ryu replied.
"I can ask Yasaka of Kyoto to help us," Mysteria offered.
"You're acquainted with Yasaka-hime?" Ryu asked.
"I am," Mysteria replied.
"Um… Yasaka?" Mysteria called through the peerage connection.
"Hello, Mysteria. What is it that you need?" Yasaka's voice came through.
"We have magical enemies invading Ryuudou Temple, and I need a safe place to send all the residents to," Mysteria explained.
"Very well. Send them to my office. If any of them are unaware of the magical world, please make sure they're unconscious beforehand."
"Thank you, Yasaka," Mysteria replied, cutting the connection. She turned to Ryu and Myrddin. "Yasaka agreed to help us. She asked that all the monks who aren't aware of the magical world be unconscious before we transport them."
"Well then, I'll go distract the enemy servants while you evacuate the monks with Ryu-san," Myrddin said as he disappeared. Mysteria turned to Ryu.
"Where are your monks right now?"
"They should be in their daily prayer sessions at the Shrines," Ryu said. Mysteria picked up Ryu in a bridal carry, and they made their way to the shrines. Upon arrival, they saw many of the monks praying. Mysteria set Ryu down and quickly cast Neru [Go to sleep] on all the monks. They immediately fell asleep.
"Are these all of them?" Mysteria asked.
Ryu quickly counted the unconscious monks. "Yes, these are all of them."
"Okay," Mysteria said. "Yasaka, I have all the monks unconscious and ready to be sent over."
"Okay, Mysteria. I need you to draw this seal on a door," Yasaka instructed, sending an image to Mysteria.
"Okay," Mysteria replied as she quickly drew the seal on a nearby door. Once completed, the seal began to glow golden. The door slid open, and three Miko Maids entered, immediately starting to grab the unconscious monks and carry them over to the door. They repeated this several times until all the monks were moved. Once done, the Miko Maids turned to Mysteria and Ryu, pointing at Ryu and motioning for him to follow them. Ryu turned to Mysteria.
"Thank you for your help," Ryu said.
"No problem. Is it all right if we use the temple as a headquarters until we're done?" Mysteria asked.
"That's fine," Ryu said, grabbing his cane and slamming it on the ground. The cane got stuck in the earth, and the top glowed red before opening to reveal a red gem. "Touch the red gem." Mysteria placed her finger on the gem.
"I, Ryuudou Ryu, Head of the Ryuudou Clan and Ward Master of Ryuudou Temple, grant Mysteria temporary Ward Master rights to Ryuudou Temple until my inevitable return." Mysteria glowed red for a moment, and she suddenly felt an invisible weight settle on her shoulders.
"Thank you for trusting me," Mysteria said as she bowed to Ryu.
"Thank you for saving us," Ryu said as he walked past the door. The Miko maids slid it closed, and the seal on the door stopped glowing golden. Mysteria took a deep breath, trying to adjust to the weight of being the Ward Master of Ryuudou Temple. Her gaze shifted, and she gasped as she saw the army of monsters marching toward the temple. In the distance, she could make out Myrddin battling the creatures with a sword.
"Ichigo."
"Yes, Mysteria?"
"We need your help."
"Are you also being attacked by Sakura's servants?"
"We are."
"Any idea who they are?"
"It looks like an army of starfish-like creatures and wyverns."
"Any servants?"
"Yes. It seems Gilgamesh, Gilles de Rais, and Altered Jeanne d'Arc are at the back, riding even larger wyverns."
"I see... Help is on the way."
"Thank you, and please hurry." Mysteria ended the link with Ichigo. She teleported to Myrddin's location, finding him still attacking the monsters with his sword. Mysteria immediately fired bolts of lightning, killing several starfish abominations in one shot.
"So, you're back," Myrddin said, decapitating another monster.
"I'm surprised you're not using your magic spells," Mysteria said.
"Depends on the time and place! You know how it is. I tend to mess up the incantations if I panic. If all I need to do is fight, a sword works just fine," Myrddin said as he charged forward, cutting down another starfish abomination.
"You're right," Mysteria said, launching a combination of lightning and fireballs at the creatures.
"RAHHH!" The wyverns roared, shooting streams of fire at the two casters. Mysteria moved in front of Myrddin and clapped her hands together, both palms facing out toward the fire.
"Seinaru Baria – Kyūshūshimasu [Sacred Barrier-Absorb]!" Mysteria shouted. A transparent barrier appeared around her. The streams of fire hit it, and she grunted under the strain, sweat forming on her brow as she struggled to maintain the barrier. The wyverns paused, surprised to see the barrier holding strong.
"Seinaru Baria – Kaihō [Sacred Barrier-Release]!" Mysteria shouted. The barrier glowed brightly before sending a burst of energy back at the wyverns, destroying them in one blast.
"RAHH!" The wyverns cried as they were annihilated, leaving only the dragon and the three servants standing.
"Looks like your creations were too weak to defeat them," Greed laughed, taking a sip of his wine. Avenger glared at him and kicked him off her dragon. Greed landed face-first on the ground, the wine glass shattering and spilling its contents. Avenger chuckled as she landed gracefully on her feet. Lust followed suit, leaping off the dragon.
Greed picked himself up, glaring at Avenger, who smirked in reply.
"Looks like it's a two-on-four fight," Myrddin said, pointing his sword at the enemy servants. Mysteria could see the three servants racing toward them.
"I don't think so," Mysteria said her voice firm. Suddenly, they looked up to see swords flying at the three enemy servants. Greed growled and fired his own swords, canceling out the incoming attacks. They turned to see Gilgamesh and Jeanne arrive.
"Faker," Greed sneered.
"You're the true Faker," Gilgamesh shot back as she drew her swords and charged at Greed. Jeanne focused on Avenger.
"Oh, you're back. Looks like I need to finish the job Gilles started," Avenger said, charging at Jeanne with her black flagpole.
"I'll take care of the dragon," Mysteria called out, launching a series of lightning strikes at the dragon. Myrddin glanced at Lust and then charged at her.
"Jugaro!" Myrddin shouted. The ground began to shake as more starfish abominations crawled out of the earth and charged at him.