Hello dear readers! I've had a busy past few months and it is only now that I am on vacation over the holidays that I can sit down and put to ink, er, text the next chapter of this story. I am aiming to get this and one more out before I fly home but time will tell. My creativity is flowing and I've got ample time, so I will do my best!

UPDATE: I realized that this chapter was almost unreadable via the mobile app so I've reformatted it. Next chapter to come soon!
In the spirit of communing with y'all, review replies!

TwinstarDragon – That's the plan! It's going to be sporadic but I hope to get this ball rolling and rolling for a long time. I hope I can count on your continued support!

YuukiAsuna-chan – An evil of humanity versus Naruto? I can imagine it'd be an insanely destructive fight. Naruto can react to things at the speed of light. Whether that'd translate to being able to defeat Fou/Primate Murder, I can't say with any certainty.

Shadow Warrior 1910 – I intend to!

ZoyeZest – So we've now got salesmen in the reviews on FFnet huh? Respect the hustle but I'm not interested.

Now then, we go to the story!

Disclaimer: the following is a fan work. Naruto is owned by Masashi Kishimoto; the Fate series is owned by Type-Moon. Fate/Grand Order is developed by Lasengle and published by Aniplex and Sega. If only I could get my hands into that pot…

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Prologue, Pt. 2; Beginning of Incineration

Dr. Roman was panicking. Well, to be fair, I probably should be as well. The entire facility had just rocked from an explosion somewhere. I suppose I should back it up, y'know, walk you through the series of events that just occurred. Ai and I had just gotten a crash course in how we'd do our jobs if we were selected as Masters. Romani was called by that creepy dude, Lev, to go assist in the Rayshifting procedure. I don't know what that term means, so don't ask me. Anyways, Romani's guilt was apparent when he looked over at Ai with a complicated expression when he was told to be there within two minutes. To be fair, I think he was meant to be in the infirmary but ended up giving us some instruction. Anyways, Romani was just heading out when the lights went out. And then, boom! That explosion rocked the base.

That brings us to now. I cast my gaze over to Ai, prepared to offer her some comfort but found her calm as can be. An appreciative feeling burbled in my chest. "You're rather calm, Ai." She took my measure and gave me a slight grin; all the while Romani was fretting over what to do.

"So are you." Simple. Nice. Romani finally got an idea as to what he should do, barking out (more like yipping, but still) a quick, "Monitors, I need to see- show me the command room!"

Ai seemed to grow worried at that. "Isn't that where Mash went?" I frowned and nodded. The monitors failed to display whatever Romani desired, as indicated by a highly frustrated noise that escaped the man. He turned to us, his eyes rather hard for someone as fluffy as he was. "Ai, Naruto. You both need to evacuate. There's time – you can get out before the containment wall is erected."

I pin him with a look, my eyes narrow. "What about you?" My voice was steely. "I've got to go the command room. I need to check on everyone – the director was in there! It's my duty." Wow… Romani was actually a man, huh?

Ai patted her chest. "You're not going alone. I'll come with you." She cast a glance over at me. A million thoughts flitted through my mind. I just knew I'd regret my next action but I couldn't, I wouldn't abandon this little waif of a girl to whatever was to come. It'd weigh on my conscious too hard.

So, even with the beginnings of dread surging up in me, "We go together. Safety in numbers. Let's go, Doc. Mash could need us."

Doctor Romani seemed startled that we would risk our lives for a job that we didn't even know we had for certain yet. He gave his glasses a quick fix before nodding. "There's no time to waste, c'mon!" He surged forward, leading us on to the command room. The door was sealed and fire was raging up the hallway, past the doorway. Romani cursed and attempted to manually override the door. Despite his access level being accepted, the door whined but didn't open all the way. Clearly there was some level of damage to the mechanisms that opened it.

Through the crack, all that could be seen was… hell. Chaldeas, the marvel of technology was visible from where we were. Everything else was either smolders, on fire or rubble. And then, I saw Mash. Ai did as well, because she began to attempt to force the door open on her own.

I didn't have access to much of my Chakra these days. Not because it wasn't there but because I was unable to pull it out with the pressure the world exerted on me when I tried to. I didn't need much however.

"Ai, move." She stepped aside, her calm demeanor having broken to a mild amount of panic. I stepped up to the door and gripped one of the sliding doors. I breathed in. My chakra was right there; I could feel it. 'It's mine, damn it!' With a monumental amount of mental effort, I took hold of my energy, my tenketsu burning as if I were dousing them in icy fire. And then, I wrenched the door open.

I hid the pain; there wasn't time for the other two to be concerned about me. With the door open, Romani led the way into the command room. The little amount of vision we had from the door did little to prepare us for the devastation that was wrought within. Flames, blood, corpses, burnt or burning. Romani looked as if he were going to be sick momentarily but screwed up his face and turned to us.

"I need to make sure Chaldeas doesn't go out. I-I've gotta secure the back up generator. Listen; you two need to make your way out of here. This wasn't an accident, this was sabotage. Get out while there's still time." Before I could get a word in edge wise, he was off.

I looked to check on Ai to find her trying to aid Mash. To my surprise, she wasn't deceased. She was barely alive but she was. I began to rush over to aid Ai but as I began the announcement system began to speak. "Warning all observation staff; Chaldeas' state has changed. Sheba near-future prediction data undergoing rewrite… Mankind unable to be detected 100 years into the near-future of Earth. Zero confirmation of human survivors. Mankind's future is unable to be ascertained."

I found myself next to Ai and Mash; Ai was gripping Mash's hand as if to give her strength. I wasn't certain which of the girls it was for. Mash slowly looked over at Chaldeas, her vision clearly blurry, if the squinting and far away look was any indication. "Chaldeas… it's… it's red…"

"Central Area: A; now sealed. Time until decontamination: One hundred and sixty seconds."

"Well, shit." I grimaced. That didn't sound good.

Ai locked gazes with me. "We're in this together. All of us."

"Error: coffin vitals of master baselines not met. Searching for qualified master… masters detected. Candidate numbers 10 and 48; Naruto and Ai reset as master. Unsummon program, initiated. Spiritron conversion, start."

I didn't like the sound of an unsummon program but I'd come this far. As I examined Mash, I noticed her head lolling.

"Hey, Mash, don't fall asleep." I tried to rouse her by gently shaking her shoulder.

"Naruto… senpai… I'm sleepy. Ai… senpai… will you keep holding my hand?"

I felt a keen sense of something I thought I had lost a long time ago. Fear. Not for me but for Mash. Ai was paper white as she gripped Mash's hand with a death grip.

"We won't leave you." Ai declared with a hint of distress.

"Rayshift process initiating in… five… four… three… two… one… All processes successful. First Order, operation commenced."

My soul lurched as the process began. Ai and Mash's hands somehow found their way into mine.

I could feel my consciousness be ripped across time and space. I could feel Ai there with me, a new sort of energy welling inside of her. I could feel Mash as well. It could have been an eternity. It could have been just a tenth of a tenth of a tenth of a second.

But we were deposited into our operation zone successfully; and what awaited us there I certainly didn't expect…

I mean, how could I? Somehow between the time I had my eyes closed and when they were open, Mash was in a black leotard and had a giant shield. Oh, and Ai was unconscious. Splendid.

Why is it that I find this abnormality to be almost comforting in how normal it is? And just how many times will I need to save humanity?

Well, no matter. It's who I am, I guess. Never quit, never back down.

Judging by Ai's incapacitated state and the baddies that were circling us, I'd need to do something. Just then, I felt a slight burn on my hand. I noticed a glow on Ai's hand on the same spot that was now glowing on mine.

"Master!" Mash shouted. She didn't mean me, right? And wasn't she a human just a second ago? Why the hell does she feel so powerful? "This servant, Mash, awaits your orders! We can overcome this together!"

Gods, why me?