Review Responses:

SentinalSlice- The way I have decided to handle Reinforcement in this story is that it can't be stacked, so Morgan's spell (which is a form of Reinforcement magecraft) that was applied to the girls wouldn't stack if applied to Shiro, as he is already reinforcing himself. That's the way I've decided to handle things for this story.

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.

Unforeseen Heroics V: Bladestorm

Todoroki Residence, Shizuoka
Day 5, Afternoon

As she walked out of the bathroom, Fuyumi Todoroki saw her father sitting on the living room couch. In his hands, clutched tenderly, was his mobile phone.

He hadn't moved at all since she had gone to shower, his phone still sitting on the contact for Mustafu General Hospital. It was as though her father had become a statue, a man carved from ice.

She frowned at the sight, 'Dad…'

The only time that Fuyumi had seen her father this shaken was when her older brother Toya died.

Glancing toward his daughter, Enji Todoroki spoke with an almost hollow softness, "Fuyumi… do you think Rei could ever forgive me for what I've done? Could Shoto and Natsuo? Could…"

Looking at her father's hands, Fuyumi could see his hands were trembling, and his voice followed suit, "… could Toya?"

Fuyumi leaned against the arm of the couch parallel to her father, and put a hand in her lap, "If I'll be honest, I don't know. You've hurt us all Dad, especially Shoto and Mom. But…"

Enji's daughter's voice became empowered, a crackling hearthfire of hope, "… if I know anything about you, it's that you don't give up. As long as there is a chance, you'll keep fighting."

As Fuyumi's words sunk into his mind, Enji could feel the spark that Caster had helped light grow into a raging bonfire. He would do this. He would make amends, however long it took. No longer would he hide away from Rei, forcing Fuyumi to deliver flowers to her in his stead. He would forge a new future for the Todoroki family with his own two hands.

Taking a final deep breath, the Flame Hero pressed down on a button on his phone. Putting the device up to his ear, he listened intently to the ringing of the call.

A few agonizing seconds later, a voice came through the other end.

"Hello, Mustafu General Hospital, may I ask who is calling?"

"Enji Todoroki. I'd like to leave a message for Rei Todoroki."

"O-Oh! Of course, mister Endeavor! Would you like me to get Doctor Wakura so he can pass it along?"

"That isn't necessary. I will leave the message myself."

"I s-see! Right a-away, mister Endeavor!"

The call then let out a long beep sound and an automated voice came through the line, "Connecting you to the voicemail for Mustafu General Hospital, Room 310. Patient's name is…"

The line briefly cut to a female voice, "Rei Todoroki."

The call then returned to the robotic voice, "Please leave a message after the tone."

After a second long beep, the call went silent, and Enji opened his mouth to speak. This would be his first step… the chance to redeem his sins.

"Rei, it's me, Enji… there's something I wanted to tell you."

Ushimitsu City, Wakayama Prefecture
Day 5, Afternoon

As he walked stealthily through the alleyways of Ushimitsu City, the villain Dabi grimaced in pain.

'Damn that whale-faced doctor… what did his surgery do to me?'

In the wake of Jester Karture's sublimation of the Holy Grail, the lost scion of the Todoroki family had been one of those chosen as a Master for the True Grail War. However, being unaware of the war and believing the Command Spells potentially dangerous, Dabi had gone to Isana Genyōsha to have them removed.

Yet despite the transfer of the spells to Isana, Dabi's involvement in the Grail War was not over.

that was not the end of the story for Dabi's link to the Grail War. In response to Enkidu and Gilgamesh's shared presence in the war, an echo of Ishtar had taken hold of Isana's own summoning. She had killed the man quickly, but there was still another who was faintly connected to her— Dabi, the spells' initial wielder. Unbeknownst to the arsonist, he was currently supplying Ishtar with energy. Bit by bit, the goddess was draining Dabi of his very Quirk Factor, an action that was the source of Dabi's recurring pains and headaches.

Dabi, on the other hand, believed the headaches the work of Isana, and had returned to Ushimitsu City to force the doctor to undo whatever he had done.

It had been a difficult journey. As a wanted criminal, Dabi had to stick to the shadows, a challenge in his worsening condition.

Emerging from the latest alleyway, Dabi could smell the faint scents of fish and brine. As he looked up, his eyes fell on the sight of a familiar decrepit diving shop.

Making his way over to the side entrance of the store, Dabi quickly noticed something that was out of place— the metal door of Curator's lair was slightly ajar.

Moving slowly through the open doorway, Dabi saw that Bearhead was nowhere to be found. If Dabi knew one thing about the relationship between Curator and Bearhead, it was that the latter was fiercely loyal to his boss. He wouldn't abandon his post like this… not willingly, at least.

'It certainly wasn't heroes… they'd have bashed the door in.'

Attempting stealth, Dabi made his way down into Curator's hideout. Navigating the poorly lit stairwell with caution, he approached the basement level. Progress was slow, as his repeated headaches had begun to affect his sense of balance.

After safely making it downstairs, Dabi peered into the heart of the villain doctor's lair— and his eyes widened at the sight before him.

Sprawled awkwardly in the center of the half-wrecked room lay the decomposing corpse of Isana Genyōsha. Pinching his nose to block the smell, Dabi surveyed the scene. Besides the body, the most notable thing was the shattered vat on the opposite side of the room. Although Dabi had only been half paying attention when Curator had explained it to him, the arsonist recalled that a woman had been in there.

'Did her compatriots break her out and kill the doctor?'

But before Dabi could analyze the scene further, a massive headache washed over him. It was worse than any of the ones he'd been experiencing, and he struggled to stand.

"What the… hell… is happening to me?"

As a second wave of pain came, Dabi blacked out. Although he didn't know it, Ishtar had just drained him dry of his power. He would live, but his Quirk Factor had shattered. As he lay unconscious on the floor of Curator's lab, Toya Todoroki lost his power. As of this moment, he was Quirkless.

This wouldn't be the end of Dabi's story, though. If the villain had been conscious, however, he might have heard a new sound within the workshop— the quiet flapping of wings.

Chūbu-Sangaku National Park, Chubu
Day 5, Afternoon

As he moved through the treeline, Sigma took stock of his gear.

When the Nagoya Disaster had occurred, all of his familiar-making tools had been destroyed. At present, he only had mundane weaponry— two sidearms, six low-power grenades, a combat knife, and a flashbang.

Luckily, he had one particular trick up his sleeve. Visualizing himself falling asleep, Sigma triggered his magic circuits. Within moments, he was able to cast a concealment spell. Moving behind a tree, he began listening for Bearhead's movements.

'Now I'll use a sonar spell to…'

Sigma barely had time to duck as the tree he was hiding behind exploded into wood chips. He had been aiming to avoid detection, but unfortunately, whether due the enemy Servant's enchantments or the man's Quirk, he had been able to sense him despite the concealment.

As he ducked to the right, the child soldier remained unfazed. His opponent might have a Quirk, but he wasn't fighting a Servant. The bearman was still human, and Sigma had other techniques he could use.

Taking stock of his opponent and environment, Sigma quickly settled on a strategy.

'Given his moniker of "Bearhead", I will run with the assumption his natural defenses are on par or exceed a wild bear's own. Unless I shoot him in a vulnerable spot, he is unlikely to be brought down quickly.'

While he could try to whittle down Bearhead with consecutive bodyshots, Sigma's mental predictions did not have him winning a war of attrition. He needed to end this quickly with a sure-kill move.

'Even if his head is as sturdy as a bear's, a point-blank headshot should be able to reach his brain. That will be my target.'

His best option was a sure-kill move, or at least as probably lethal as he could do.

'I'll need to make a clear opening. Make a decisive headshot.'

Unclipping two grenades from his waist, Sigma primed them before flinging them toward his opponent, taking cover behind a tree as he did so. Seeing the grenades, Bearhead reacted accordingly, leaping back several meters. The miniature bombs exploded, shredding the bark of nearby tree roots, but not much else. Worryingly, Bearhead seemed to have weathered the lessened storm of shrapnel.

However, he had gained good intel— Bearhead was not immune to grenade shrapnel, and now Sigma had a good understanding of the villain's durability. Thankfully, it seemed to be within his predictions.

'I have four grenades left. Given observed data… I can win this battle.'

Planning out his next move, Sigma took advantage of the distance the grenades had gained him. With his remaining tools, he would corral Bearhead right to where he wanted him to be.

Bounding over a downed log, Sigma pulled two more grenades from his waist. Calling upon his magic circuits once again, the young man applied Reinforcement magecraft to the grenades, enhancing the potency of the gunpowder within.

Watching carefully, Sigma counted down the seconds as Bearhead recklessly rushed him. Flooding a final bit of prana into the grenades, he destabilized their shells, turning them into makeshift impact grenades.

'4…3…2…1…'

Sigma took a deep breath and chucked the enhanced grenades in opposite directions.

'Now.'

Striking the trees, the grenades exploded, shredding a large portion of both trunks. As the scent of smoked wood filled the air, the two trees framing Bearhead's position creaked and groaned.

Through the concentrated explosive power of the reinforced grenades, the two old camphors began to fall towards Bearhead.

The villain, reacting instinctively, held his arms out to stop the falling tree trunks from smashing into him.

'Stupid kid. Thinking this will stop me—'

Looking up, Bearhead stopped his internal monologue. The black-haired boy he had been chasing was gone. Before he could think about it any further though, the villain heard the sound of a gun being cocked behind him.

Having snuck behind Bearhead during the villain's focus on the falling trees, Sigma had already leveled his sidearm at his opponent's cranium. With the gun cocked, Sigma did not hesitate. With an emotionless expression, the child soldier pulled his finger down on the trigger, and a resounding bang rang across the mountain forest.

Back near Sigma's campsite, two ancient forces were locked in battle.

Enkidu, the Chains of Heavens, and Ishtar, the Goddess of Venus. The True Lancer and True Rider of the World Egg's Holy Grail War.

The forest strained under the influence of the two opposing Servants, the area around the campsite now littered with tree fragments and marred by craters.

Making the next move in the battle, Enkidu launched seven swords of earth at Ishtar, who immediately began her counterplay.

As she had done previously, Ishtar called upon an alien power from within her vessel that seemed to be able to produce and manipulate ash. Combining these abilities with her affinity for magical gemstones, she now seemed to be able to produce catalysts for her spells by charming the ash into new forms.

Emerald. Titanite. Garnet. Diamond. Rhodochrosite.

Whatever the material, the ashes were now able to recreate it, compelled by the authority of a goddess.

'So she can produce catalysts for her magic at will… while her power is limited as a Servant, these new abilities of hers could make her into an even more dangerous opponent should she regain her full strength.'

With a flick of her finger and an explosion of sapphire dust, Ishtar sent Enkidu's blades hurtling away. Landing in the dirt, the seven swords began to dissolve back into silt and clay.

Grinning with bloodlust, Ishtar summoned three massive shards of corundum. Imbuing them with gravitational energy, the goddess of the Second Satellite launched her own attack.

Summoning a massive warhammer, Enkidu struck the left-most crystal. Like a set of collapsing dominos, the crystals slammed into each other, their course disrupted with each collision. Now angled rightwards, they flew right past Enkidu into the nearby treeline. Landing with a resounding crack, the crystals' energy collapsed in on themselves, producing a miniature black hole that kickstarted the creation of a new mountain lake. Enkidu glanced over at the massive crater, their face still set in a calm smile.

With the last two exchanges, the combatants had properly gauged each other's strength.

"So your strength is mostly intact after all, doll of that half-wit Aruru. Seriously, I don't know what Father saw in her."

Enkidu, despite the insults to their mother, kept a calm smile as they spoke in sharp retort, "Well, at least I know my mother. Anu never told you yours, I believe?"

In response to Enkidu's insult, Ishtar grit her teeth in rage. The mystery of her mother's identity had always bothered Ishtar. In her youth, she had been raised not by Anu or her biological mother, but by the moon deities Nanna and Ningal. Her rivals in the heavens took great pleasure in suggesting that Ishtar was the spawn of a mere mortal woman, a suggestion the goddess despised.

Glaring at Enkidu, Ishtar conjured over a dozen colorful gemstones, "You've got quite the tongue on you, puppet. Allow me to blast it away for you."

The gemstones, which had been orbiting in a circular formation, began to spiral toward the earthen doll. Sailing forward, the gems glowed brightly before ionizing into a deluge of iridescent arrows.

Enkidu remained calm in the face of the barrage, dodging countless arrows as they surveyed the battlefield. without altering their expression. Glancing where the arrows landed, Enkidu could see formations of crystal overwriting the earth around them. For one as deeply tied to nature as Enkidu was, they could feel the agony of the dirt and soil as its concept was tainted and calcified.

'She is damaging the tapestry of the planet itself… I cannot allow this to continue any longer.'

Swirling dirt into facsimiles of submachine guns, Enkidu unleashed a deluge of bullets. The shots struck Ishtar's magic arrows, shattering them into splinters.

Ishtar sneered at the sight of the firearms created through Enkidu's Noble Phantasm.

"Seems you've learned some new tricks from this era? How vulgar."

Enkidu nodded with a small smile, "These 'guns' are weapons of civilization like any other. So I will embrace them as I would any spear or shield."

Ishtar sighed as she unleashed another volley of gemstone arrows, "You and your empathy for humans… it isn't proper. They exist to worship higher beings, nothing more."

As Enkidu blocked Ishtar's attacks and countered with their own, they replied calmly, "A perspective befitting a goddess, I suppose… but I choose to believe in the good of humanity. I may not be able to judge them as well as Gil can, but even I can see their potential. Besides, we are Servants. We need them."

"Please. I am not reliant on a Master like you, puppet."

Enkidu shook their head as they fired a trio of massive axes toward Ishtar, "Maybe not, but you do need that vessel of yours, no? Without that human's body, you'd be nothing more than an echo on the wind."

Ishtar growled at Enkidu's counterpoint. Regardless of the truth of their words, the child of Aruru was severely lacking in respect. Giving the earthen doll an intense glare, Ishtar howled in fury, "Both you and Gilgamesh… NEED TO LEARN YOUR PLACE!"

With the goddess's wrathful cry, the area erupted in bright light. Faced with the full force of a goddess's anger, the trees around her were incinerated. Even the ground was blown away to form a small crater lined with crystal.

Rider's fury was so great that she even considered invoking one of her Noble Phantasms, Jabal Hamrin Breaker. But as she mentally debated, she suddenly felt a spike of mental pain.

Although frail and tattered, the remnants of Konako Haizono's psyche sensed Ishtar's distraction and began to push back at the one who had usurped their body.

The goddess-turned-Rider clutched her throbbing head, 'This damned mortal body… it seems that sacrificing a Command Spell wasn't enough to dominate it completely.'

With a pulse of mental force, Ishtar pushed Dusty Ash's feeble resistance back. With less than a second to spare, she refocused on the battlefield, conjuring a massive crystal to block one of Enkidu's spears.

Looking at her opponent, Ishtar could see that her outburst had barely affected Enkidu. The only indications that the attack had even struck were the slight wisps of smoke wafting off of Enkidu's clothing.

"I see you're as annoyingly durable as ever. Well, no matter. Once that new pet of mine kills your summoner, you'll be mine to crush."

Before Ishtar could show further confidence, however, a bang resounded through the forest. Her growing smile vanished in an instant, as Enkidu smiled serenely, "I believe my Master will be just fine. Now, shall we continue?"

Ishtar snapped her fingers, conjuring up her vessel, Maana. As both her bow and her barge, the Boat of the Heavens would amplify her attacks.

"Then die, doll. Maana Shulalum!"

As two arrows of heavenly lightning raced toward Enkidu, their expression hardened, "I see. We are getting serious, then?"

Twisting their foot, a massive growth of tree roots erupted in front of Enkidu. Infused with a fraction of Enuma Elish's power, the countering trees pushed back against the power of Ishtar's spell.

The energies being unleashed by both parties were rapidly growing. Both the divine power of Ishtar's echo and the earthen might of Enkidu. Two forces— near-unmatchable in strength.

But there still existed powers in this world that could stand on the same stage. It might take a little more time, but they would undoubtedly take notice of the events happening in the mountains of Nagano.

The only question was— how would those forces affect the battle between earth and empyrean?

Central Plaza, Unforeseen Simulation Joint
Day 5, Afternoon

Within the Plaza of the U.S.J., the battle against Cú Chulainn raged on.

It was a sight both beautiful and terrifying. At times, the three combatants' movements were almost impossible to discern. In those moments, all that remained was the dancing of colors and the din of battle.

The visceral red of Berserker's Gáe Bolg.

The blinding white of Shiro's traced Brionac.

The cold silver-gray of Musashi's katanas.

The sounds of clashing weapons and shattered concrete.

As this intense clash continued, the majority of the Plaza had fallen into a state of cautious observation. For villains and students alike, the battle in front of them was like a black hole. It demanded their focus, drawing them away from their individual objectives. Even Shigaraki and Kurogiri, the headliners of the attack, dared not take advantage of the distraction.

Only a few individuals were able to remain focused on their own agenda. With their position on the edge of the battlefield, the Servants Ruler and True Saber continued to dedicate their energy to stabilizing Astolfo's wounds.

Continuing to support Richard and her reflection within Rounds of Lionheart, Morgan watched expressionlessly as Musashi leaped over Berserker's spear like a high jumper.

The wandering swordswoman wasted no time in mocking her opponent, "Haha! Nice try, big guy! But you'll have to do better than that!"

Ignoring Musashi's taunt, Berserker shifted the grip on his spear, twirling it to impale his opponent. The Saber-class Servant was faster however, ducking under the spear and rolling to the side. Shiro, seeing an opening in Berserker's stance, took the opportunity to latch a volley of traced swords at Berserker. While Brionac would have been a more powerful move, each usage of the Five Roaring Stars was exhausting. If he fired them off recklessly, he'd be a sitting duck for the Celtic hero's spear. Not wanting to make a repeat of his near-death at Homurahara five years ago, Shiro had opted to utilize nameless swords for suppressive fire.

But to Shiro's dismay, this version of Cú Chulainn seemed as durable as Illya's Berserker. Nameless swords couldn't even reach his opponent's body, being blown back by an unnatural wind. Charging through the useless projectiles, Berserker lunged forward to grab Shiro.

'He's definitely deserving of being the Berserker-class Servant in this form. His parameters are incredible. Plus, Protection From Arrows even works on my swords.'

Thinking quickly, Shiro planted Brionac against the ground to brace against Berserker's onslaught. Summoning four copies of Brionac to form a spear wall, Shiro used their combined strength to break the charge. As he was forced to a halt, the Servant raised his spear arm to block the slash of Musashi's katana. Normally, such an attack from a Heroic Spirit's sword would be enough to cleave a warrior straight in two, but as a Heroic Spirit who wore the bones of a Phantasmal Beast, Berserker was no common warrior. Even with all of Musashi's strength and skill, the black bone vambrace remained intact.

As Musashi wrenched her sword free from the vambrace, Berserker made his counterplay. Using his other arm, he reached up to grab the still-airborne Musashi before flinging her away toward Shiro's location. With both his opponents in one place, Cú Chulainn raised his leg. Pushing mana through the strengthening runes applied to his body, he empowered his leg to an insane degree. Slamming it into the concrete beneath him, he created a blast of force that traveled forward at remarkable speeds.

Shiro, realizing the danger approaching, made the difficult decision to dispel Brionac. He needed to focus his energies on his next trace. Luckily, he had already laid the groundwork before Musashi had intervened in his fight.

Tracing the strongest shield in his arsenal, the space in front of Shiro began to glow with purplish-pink light.

The Seven Rings That Cover The Burning Heavens—

"RHO AIAS!"

Against the likes of a Noble Phantasm, the seven-layered shield might have lost several layers, reproducing the absorbed damage upon Shiro's body. But against Berserker's powerful, but ultimately mundane, attack, the Shield of Aias held strong.

'I can't retrace Brionac. It was exhausting to maintain, even with Ruler's assistance. I'll need to think of a new strategy.'

Settling on a particular weapon in his arsenal, Shiro ran through the steps of tracing once again. Now holding a guandao decorated with depictions of green flames and a golden dragon, Shiro readied himself for Berserker's next move.

Meanwhile, Saber glanced at Shiro with a whistle, "Wowza! So that shield was what you were gonna pull out earlier? Pretty awesome! I like the new weapon you've got there too!"

Shiro nodded slowly, "Thanks, but right now, we have a bigger problem. The Berserker in front of us."

"Right, you Masters can see our classes and stuff. I forgot about that. Got any intel for me, not-Muramasa?"

"Our enemy is Cú Chulainn, a Celtic demigod. Both his Strength and Agility are incredible, and his Endurance is high as well. His Luck and Mana are lower, but still decent. The real problem is his skill, Protection From Arrows. Any projectiles I fire will just be knocked away."

"Ooo~, a Celtic demigod, huh? Haven't met too many Celts in my travels. And don't worry about parameters… a real hero's power can't be measured so easily!"

Musashi then dashed forward, eager to continue the fight. As she ran forward, she called to Shiro.

"Not-Muramasa! I'm making an opening for you, so make it count!"

Shiro nodded, "Right!"

As she approached Berserker, Musashi called out once more, this time to her Master, "Hey Kendo! I'm using my Noble Phantasm!"

Having been distractedly watching the fight with Yaoyorozu and Jiro, Itsuka Kendo gave a flustered response to Musashi's words, "A-Alright!"

Shigaraki and Kurogiri were also brought back to their senses by Musashi's yell. The gaseous villain muttered worriedly, "Noble Phantasm… the ultimate ability of a Servant."

Shigaraki scoffed, "Feh. Berserker can take it. Not even Nomu could scratch him."

Kurogiri chose to not point out that Musashi had defeated said Nomu in a single attack.

Spinning her katanas in her hands, Musashi suddenly came to a halt as the air began to ripple behind her.

"Hail Tenjin, God of Calamity and Malice!"

As Musashi chanted, a purple-skinned god of thunder manifested behind her. Its face was ogreish, and in the upper of its two sets of arms, it held ornate golden swords. On its back was a gold and red dharmachakra.

"The divine blade of the Deva King thrusts ever forward!"

The thunder god's visage cut the air four times, leaving behind marks wherever its slashes ended, each mark representing one of the first four books of Niten Ichiryu.

Earth.

Water.

Wind.

Fire.

"Unleashed, my blade howls!"

From the symbol of fire, the hilt of an ethereal katana formed. Grasping it, Musashi was ready to unleash her Noble Phantasm. Setting her eyes on her opponent, her voice echoed through the entire plaza.

Six Realm Five Rings— The Divine Figure of Kurikara

"DEVA ISHANA!"

As Musashi drew the blade and slashed, the air in front of her exploded with warding energy. For a being bathed in curses like an Alter, the blow was agonizing. Cú Chulainn felt as though his very body was burning away.

Watching from the sidelines, Itsuka Kendo and her classmates could only gape in awe. Clutching her Command Spells, Kendo gulped nervously, 'I knew Saber was powerful, and I saw Rider and Berserker fight… but this is what she is capable of? What Heroic Spirits are capable of?'

Using the opening produced by Six Realm Five Rings, Shiro rushed forward with the guandao he had traced. The polearm felt cold in his hands, as was fitting, considering its legend.

It was a weapon described in the Romance of the Three Kingdoms, wielded by the warrior Guan Yu. Due to a particular snowy battle fought in its long and storied history, the blade had evolved into a magical weapon. A layer of blood-frost had become imbued into it— making it capable of freezing those struck by its blade.

The Frost Fair Blade: Green Dragon Crescent

It was that conceptual ability Shiro intended to exploit. By imbuing a Noble Phantasm with more magical energy than it could handle, Shiro could amplify its abilities until its destruction. This process of creating what was called a Broken Phantasm ultimately came at the cost of the Noble Phantasm itself, but for Shiro losing it wasn't an issue.

With Berserker reeling from Saber's Noble Phantasm, Shiro steadied the polearm. With a deft thrust, he impaled Cú Chulainn's chest. The wound exploded with bloodstained ice which began to spread rapidly, threatening to freeze Berserker both inside and out.

Seeing their Servant in dire straits, Kurogiri at last decided to act, "Tomura Shigaraki… I will assist Berserker."

Shigaraki said nothing, instead turning to focus on the three girls he was fighting earlier. The two villains' movements reignited the spark of conflict, and soon the entire plaza seemed to come back alive.

Before the warp villain could reach Cú, the rapidly-freezing Servant growled at him menacingly, "Stay out of my fight. Or I'll kill you."

Berserker's tone allowed no argument. If Kurogiri interfered, he would be killed without hesitation. Wisely heeding the Servant's words, the villain settled for observing Cú Chulainn's next move.

Despite the frost growing both over and inside his body, Cú's eyes were not those of a man fearing for his life. With a low growl, he flexed, causing the ice spreading across his body to crack. If the ice inside his body was bothering him, he wasn't showing it.

Shiro grimaced. Although he had only gone a bit past Green Dragon Crescent's breakage point, the lifetime of the Broken Phantasm was approaching fast. He would have to bet everything on this next move. Flooding the guandao with mana, the polearm exploded in a burst of frigid dust.

Berserker's body was encased instantly, the thin coat of magical rime seemingly binding him. At least, until the sounds of cracking ice continued.

Despite his injuries and the supernatural properties of Green Dragon Crescent's ice, Berserker was still standing. Shiro and Musashi had shown him the battle could not continue on its current course. It was time to unleash the beast inside him.

Sleeping within his bone-like armor, sealed by the "key" of Gáe Bolg, lay an ancient sea monster— Curruid, the Beast of Billows, the Scourge of the Red Sea.

Through the power of his second Noble Phantasm, Curruid Coinchenn, Cú Chulainn could reawaken the power of that ancient monster, allowing it to take hold of his body and mind.

It was that power that Berserker now prepared to unleash. A power most terrible and vile.

"Slaughter… without exception…"

Flood Zone, Unforeseen Simulation Joint
Day 5, Afternoon

At the top of the Flood Zone's water slide, Hanta Sero took a moment to catch his breath.

"Man…good thing no one else jumped in that villain's way. He warped me to the top of the whole dang facility."

After leaping into Kurogiri's way to ensure Tenya Iida's escape, the black-haired teenager had been sent to the ceiling of the U.S.J. Facility. Even for Sero, with a Quirk well-suited for such peril, survival had hinged on luck. After being initially warped, he had managed to latch on to a bent support beam at the peak of the dome. Sero had then carefully swung his way to the highest parts of the Flood Zone's waterslide. Thankfully, the League had stationed all its forces in the waters below, so he hadn't been attacked by the villains who had recovered from Kaminari, Asui, and Mineta's shocking escape.

"I hope everyone is doing alright. I can't see Todoroki himself from here, but it looks like he's still fighting. Plus all that crazy stuff happening down in the Plaza."

As he gazed out on the U.S.J., Sero caught sight of something odd. It was only for an instant, but he thought he saw a red and purple blur break through the wall of the facility and continue into the Downpour Zone.

"What the heck was that? Not even Iida moves that fast… hopefully it's someone on our side."

Downpour Zone, Unforeseen Simulation Joint
Day 5, Afternoon

In the Downpour Zone, the battle between heroics students and villains raged on.

Seeing another villain approach, Mezo Shoji clenched his fist. Taking advantage of his impressive physical capabilities, he rushed forward and delivered a strong punch to the villain's gut. As the man, who had ox-like horns, reeled, Mezo swung his fists again, aiming for a knockout. Catching the strike on his jaw, the man crumpled from the impact.

Next to him, Koji Koda was using his Quirk to direct a small rat colony that had survived inside the Downpour Zone. Making them crawl into the clothes of his opponents, the boy used those distractions as openings to strike.

But the most prolific fighter was Tokoyami, who was letting his Quirk run loose. Dark Shadow was a true menace, blasting through the crowd of villains like a battering ram.

But the extended combat in the rain was starting to get to the three. Exhaustion was steadily slowing them down.

Shoji grimaced, 'Damn… I'm not sure how much longer we'll last without backup.'

Tokoyami was the first to succumb to fatigue, stumbling as he attempted to catch his breath. Shoji turned in worry, but he knew he couldn't assist his classmate without putting Koda in even worse danger.

'Shit!'

Just as a villain in a hazmat mask was about to stab Tokoyami, a loud boom echoed through the Downpour Zone as a red and purple blur streaked across the zone.

Shoji's eyes darted around rapidly, "What the…?"

After taking a moment to realize they had been hit, the villains surrounding them fell to the ground motionless. Whatever the blur had been, it had taken out their opponents in a flash.

Of the three, only Tokoyami had gotten a decent look at their savior. It was a woman, the most beautiful he had ever seen.

The woman the boy had seen was dressed in a skin-tight black and translucent purple bodysuit. Her shoulders had been decorated with two platinum-gray pauldrons, and her hands had been clutching two ferocious-looking red spears. Tokoyami hadn't been able to get more than a glancing look at her face, but even a glance at her brownish-purple hair and striking red eyes had been mesmerizing.

Tokoyami wasn't one to judge people by appearance alone, but even he could only describe the woman as "perfect". She was like a black-winged goddess, rising from her throne to protect them.

Staring in the direction the woman had gone, the direction of the Plaza, Tokoyami remained silent. Even Dark Shadow had quieted down.

Seeing their classmate was okay, Shoji and Koda ran up to him, "Tokoyami! What was that?"

Tokoyami, shaken out of his stupor, spoke softly, "A goddess… clad in darkness."

Landslide Zone, Unforeseen Simulation Joint
Day 5, Afternoon

But not all within the U.S.J. noticed the approach of the new element. Within the Landslide Zone, the duel between Shoto Todoroki and Ashuto Himura raged on in isolation.

"Weak, boy! Can you do nothing but throw ice around like a fool? You are no better than the rest of our miserable line! Content to rest on your laurels!"

With ease, Airgetlám parried Shoto's ice yet again. Rushing forward, he grabbed Shoto by the throat, "… I do believe it's time I ended this little game, Shoto Todoroki."

Struggling in his opponent's grip, Shoto forced out an insult, "S-Screw you."

"A mannerless cur to the end, then. What a shame… die!"

Throwing Shoto to the ground, Ashuto raised his sword. As he stared at his opponent, the boy knew he was about to die. It angered him, igniting a frustration that bubbled beneath his skin.

Unshackled, Shoto Todoroki's power erupted. In an unconscious, desperate bid for survival, the flames of his left half surged and engulfed the Landslide Zone in flames.

Airgetlám screamed as he was met by intense heat. His suit of armor was like an oven, cooking him alive.

Falling in pain, the villain cursed as he did his best to ignore the burns underneath his armor, "So… you released your flames after all."

Shoto meanwhile, was shaken. He had broken his code. He had used that man's power, the half of his Quirk he so utterly resented.

As Shoto grappled with his actions, Ashuto laughed, "You truly are naive, boy. You thought you could succeed while caging the fire within you."

Todoroki said nothing, but Ashuto continued, sensing the boy's attention to his words.

"You wield both ice and fire… and if you think you can reach completion with just your ice… then you are a fool. This world is not equal. Should you intend to reach its zenith, you will need both your powers— a balance of ice and fire… mollifying each other… towards perfection…"

With those final words, Ashuto's burns became too much for him. He collapsed, falling unconscious from the attack Shoto had unleashed— leaving the boy to mire in confusion.

Central Plaza, Unforeseen Simulation Joint
Day 5, Afternoon

The moment Berserker began to chant, the air in the Plaza had seemed to become heavier.

It wasn't like the awe-inspiring burst of energy Musashi's Noble Phantasm had produced. This was a veil of malice, an intimidating aura that promised rampage and destruction.

Seeing the sight, Tomura Shigaraki burst into laughter, "It's time for the final stand, you stupid brats! Berserker will kill you all!"

Shiro and Musashi began reassessing the situation. They wouldn't be able to kill Berserker before the Noble Phantasm went off— caution was extremely warranted.

On one of the edges of the Plaza, kneeling next to the unconscious Rider, Morgan began to weigh her options. She didn't want to abandon Astolfo, who had been kind to her in the past. But if she did nothing, Curruid's wrath could spell an end for her Master. As for True Saber, a departure from Rider's side would mean losing the healing prowess of Morgan's other half— something that would certainly spell an end to the Paladin of Charlemagne. Even now, it was all they could do just to ensure Astolfo would survive. But with options thinning, Morgan prepared to step away and join in the battle— until she felt a powerful presence approaching.

'This is…!'

Cú Chulainn's body stiffened as he recognized the aura. Abandoning the activation of his Noble Phantasm, the corrupted Servant brought up his spear to block two red spears similar to his own.

Similar to Brionac, the spear before him was singular, yet not. Like its predecessor, the Gáe Bolg Alternative was capable of multiplying itself. This same ability existed in Berserker's spear, although he rarely utilized it.

However, to Cú, there was something more interesting than the spears— the woman holding the spears themselves.

"Well, my ignorant pupil… you've certainly changed. More like a boar than a hound now, are we?"

"Teacher…"

Continuing to push her spears against Cú's own, Scáthach smiled, "You're misbehaving, little Sétanta. So it falls on me to correct your behavior."

The Berserker-class Servant growled and pushed back, causing Scáthach to fly back several feet.

Landing, the witch of Dún Scáith let out a large laugh before she rushed forward once more, "Good! Fight and show me what you are capable of!"

Although she had come intending to put a stop to Cú Chulainn's efforts, Scáthach allowed herself to be caught up in a selfish whimsy. She had not seen her pupil in roughly two thousand years, and her desire to witness his strength again was overflowing.

Medb had robbed her of the chance to face her pupil in his prime. Now, the Witch Queen of Ireland would get that clash she desired.

As she continued moving toward Cú, Scáthach flung one of her Alternatives at her erstwhile student with a yell. Acting quickly, Berserker flung his own spear forward, the two unstoppable objects ricocheting off each other with a loud metallic twang.

Both warriors held out their hands, their magical spears flying into their outstretched palms. Whirling the Alternative she had just caught, Scáthach's eyes followed the trails of glowing red light left by the spear's arcs. Looking back at Berserker, hints of pride could be seen in her expression, "Marvelous. To think that Alteration would give you the strength of your Warp Spasms… it's quite delectable. However, it is still a corruption of the soul."

"My fate is what it is… I lost to the whims of an Assassin and an Avenger. A loser has no say in his lot."

Scáthach smiled as Cú quoted her teachings, "True enough. Now, let us continue, my pupil!"

As the two Celtic legends duked it out in a new dance of arms, Tomura Shigaraki was filled with frustration.

'It's just one thing after another… things weren't supposed to be this complicated, dammit.'

To add insult to injury, whoever this lady Servant was, she had distracted Berserker enough that he had forgotten about using his Noble Phantasm.

'If he had just unleashed that… we wouldn't be on the fucking ropes.'

Glancing down at his hand, Shigaraki suddenly remembered something. Berserker wasn't the one in charge— he was.

'If our raid boss won't unleash his Ult… I'll make him.'

However, just as Shigaraki was about to speak, Kurogiri interrupted, "Tomura Shigaraki. Are you about to use a Command Spell?"

The hand-masked villain grunted, "What of it? You got a complaint, Kurogiri?"

"I'm just not sure it is the best idea. Perhaps retreat is our best course of action? We are growing increasingly outnumbered."

"Pah! With Berserker's Noble Phantasm, we'll rush them down and get the advantage! So shut up and—"

Shigaraki's words were interrupted by a loud crash that even interrupted Cú and Scáthach's focus. It was the sound of a door being knocked in.

As the majority of Class 1-A and the assortment of characters in the plaza looked up in curiosity, the imposing figure of All Might stepped into the U.S.J. Behind him was Tenya Iida and a majority of the U.A. Faculty.

Iida yelled passionately, "Class 1-A! Class Representative Tenya Iida reporting for duty! I've come with reinforcements!"

On All Might's shoulder, Principal Nezu spoke reassuringly, "Apologies for our tardiness, everyone. But now we're here to turn the tide."

As he gazed at the newly-arrived teachers, Shigaraki scratched his neck in annoyance, "God fucking dammit… this wasn't supposed to be a damn Boss Rush!"

Seeing the troubled expression of the hand-themed villain, who was no doubt the leader of the invaders, Nezu smiled, "Now then, everyone… let the villain suppression operation begin!"

Uwabami Agency, Tokyo
Day 5, Afternoon

As she partook in her daily advertisement work and patrols, Umi Yamane had begun to notice a continual feeling of exhaustion.

It had come to a head when one of her vibrissal serpents had fallen unconscious. Although the serpents were a part of her Quirk and weren't truly sapient, they did still live. As long as Umi was awake, all three of her hair serpents should be as well.

This had only happened one other time in Uwabami's recent memory, and that was when Saber fought Jester Karture and Avenger in the Nagoya Disaster. This could only mean one thing— Saber was fighting somewhere without her knowledge, and he was using up an immense amount of energy doing so.

'Saber… he must have gone after one of the enemy Servants. Archer in all likelihood.'

Sighing, Umi gazed down at her gloved hands. Underneath the glove covering her right hand, she could feel the faint thrum of the Command Spells.

'I'm sorry Saber… but I think I'll need to use one of these on you before you destroy yourself with hatred. Before you unleash that power you think I don't know about.'

Akaishi Mountains, Shizuoka Prefecture
Day 5, Afternoon

Dashing through the mountain forest, Saber made his way back to the battlefield of demigods. It was frankly miraculous he was as uninjured as he was. In a massive stroke of luck, he had collided with any major obstacles when Heracles punched him away earlier. Following the glimmering sight of the Vimana floating above the treetops, Chrysaor was all but ready to return to the fray.

'Looks like the King of Heroes is still content on watching. Well, it's one less opponent for me to deal with.'

After being launched away, Chrysaor had come to a realization— he needed to change targets. With both his and Hippolyta's powers, Heracles's lives could be whittled down, but that wouldn't satisfy his need for revenge. Even if it came at a cost, he wanted to be the one to take down Heracles— alone.

'Easier said than done, of course. Not to mention that Gilgamesh will likely interfere.'

But for now, his target was clear. Emerging from the treeline, both Heracles and Hippolyta acknowledged his presence. As he expected, Heracles became guarded and Hippolyta remained largely unprepared for what happened next.

Pointing Kapros at Heracles, Chrysaor called upon the waters of the Shapeless Isle.

The predecessors of Perseus stand entombed.

Trapped in stone, the waves bear their arms.

I am the wave that bears those arms.

NOBLE PHANTASM: STYGIUS KYMOTHALES

The wave of phantasmal weapons and water rushed toward Heracles, and The Hero of the Bow, who had seen what Saber's Noble Phantasm had done to Jester, braced himself. But just before it struck, the attack suddenly turned. Now directed towards a surprised Hippolyta, Chrysaor's Noble Phantasm slammed head-on into the Amazon Queen.

Even with her enhancements from Goddess of War, the attack was devastating. Although Hippolyta was a Heroic Spirit on a higher level than Chrysaor, this was the direct strike of an Anti-Army Noble Phantasm. The crushing force of water rattled Hippolyta's bones, and the ghostly weapons of forgotten heroes cut her skin.

As a bloodied Hippolyta crashed into the ground, groaning, Chrysaor's message was clear.

He may not have been on the same level as Gilgamesh, Heracles, or Hippolyta, but he was not to be underestimated. He had initiated this clash against Heracles, and if was going to fall here, he would fight tooth and nail before he died.

With Hippolyta momentarily dealt with, Chrysaor lunged toward Heracles. The Hero of the Bow dispelled his bowstring and swung his bow like a club. But Chrysaor was faster, sliding under the bow and Heracles himself. Whirling around, he slashed upwards with water enhancing his blade, creating a massive cut on Heracles's back.

The Grecian demigod howled in pain, his staggered state allowing Chrysaor to get three more quick slashes in.

As the poison coursed in his veins, Heracles had begun to make an important realization about Chrysaor's fighting style.

'He fights with almost no regard for his own safety. He'll dodge an attack, sure… but when it comes to his own attacks…'

If False Saber misstepped, he could potentially lunge into his demise.

'So your fatal flaw was the same as mine. We are both heroes who are pulled along by wrath.'

"Saber…"

Chrysaor, perhaps sensing Heracles was going to make some sort of appeal, spoke with vitriol, "Save me your platitudes, Archer. This is a battle to the death!"

Rushing forward on a stream of water, Chrysaor swung again, Heracles blocking this strike with the body of his bow, "It is… but do you truly think the Heroic Spirit above us will simply let you win?"

Above in his Vimana, Gilgamesh smiled slightly at Heracles's words. Speaking to himself, he reminisced on the Heracles of the Fifth War, "A star can shine so differently in a new class. That childish meat puppet would have been better off summoning you as an Archer."

As he sat there, however, Gilgamesh's mind was also troubled. Somewhere to the north, he could sense the emanations of vast amounts of mana— Enkidu's mana.

'My friend… what could make you unleash such power?'

Moving his left hand up to his eye, Gilgamesh called upon a Noble Phantasm often overshadowed by his all-powerful Gate of Babylon.

The Omniscient Omnipotent Star: Sha Naqba Imuru

A sublimation of Gilgamesh's unique mentality, Sha Naqba Imuru was a Noble Phantasm that granted the King of Heroes the ability to gaze upon the fabric of space and time. Due to its crushing mental effects and his personality, the Noble Phantasm usually was kept restrained.

But now, for a moment, Gilgamesh allowed himself to gaze through creation, his eye glowing with tge light of distant stars. The effects of Grail Mud and Olkoth's influence did cloud a majority of his view… but for that brief moment, Gilgamesh saw all. Much of the information that filtered through was meaningless. Villains, heroes, and civilians milling about in equally meaningless ways. However, there were still a few interesting sights to observe.

His gaze briefly lingered on several participants of the Holy Grail War. He could see a Dead Apostle Forest and his Master searching for the War's overseer. He even caught sight of Tokiomi Tohsaka's daughter wandering within this world.

But above all, four main things caught his attention.

The first two were a pair of mysterious "blank spots" in his sight, where Olkoth's influence lingered heavily. He could not even glean a name from them, a fact that mildly puzzled the golden king.

Third was the auburn-haired faker who had defeated him in the past, having arrived with the assistance of a fae-blessed witch. Had it not been for his reunion with Enkidu and his present attentions, he might have flown off in a rage to fight that annoying boy again.

But fourth, and most significantly, he saw her.

Gilgamesh growled the moment he settled upon her presence. Even while dwelling in the vessel of a World Egg Human, her aura was as clear as the skies above, "Ishtar…"

Lowering the input of his Noble Phantasm, the Archer-class Servant honed in on the location of Ishtar and Enkidu.

'As much as I wish to observe the dance of these mongrels… I will not allow that goddess to do as she pleases.'

Below, picking herself up from Chrysaor's attack, Hippolyta focused on the perturbed Gilgamesh.

'Master… something is bothering that Archer.'

On the other side of the link, Rin responded with concern, "That's… troubling. Rider, you should—kztt."

The connection dissolved into static, and Hippolyta noticed something had changed about the battlefield. Red roses had sprouted from the ground around her, and purplish gas that carried magical energy was spreading from each.

Heracles and Chrysaor had also noticed the flowers and gas, and the son of Zeus in particular recognized what he was seeing— he'd seen similar magecraft during his time on Argo, after all.

'It's a Territory Creation technique… using floral poison!'

Strangely, however, the poison clouds only seemed to swirl around Chrysaor, Hippolyta, and up toward Gilgamesh. Heracles was being completely left alone.

Heracles looked around, before calling out, "I don't know who you are… but show yourself!"

A female voice chuckled from a particularly thick area of roses and gas, "Don't know me? Oh Heracles, is that any way to talk to your savior?"

The gas dispersed from that area, revealing Second Caster. She was dressed in the same outfit she had been in since her summons, a red toga that gave an ample view of her stomach and breasts. The wind made her blonde hair move slightly, and her expression was a mix of mirth and menace.

Even though she had supposedly come to save him, Heracles remained cautious, "Caster…"

Agrippina smiled cryptically, her olivine eyes not betraying her true intentions, "Now then… I suppose I'm crashing this party, aren't I?"

To be continued in Chapter 23: Countermeasure Villainy

Servant Profiles: Second Berserker
Bio:
Class: Berserker
Master: Tomura Shigaraki
True Name: Cú Chulainn
Gender: Male
Alignment: Chaotic Evil

Stats:
Strength: A
Endurance: B+
Agility: A+
Mana: C
Luck: D
Noble Phantasm: A

Class Skills:
Mad Enhancement: C
Magic Resistance: C

Personal Skills:
Divinity: C
Battle Continuation: A
Madness of the Spirits: A
Protection from Arrows: C
Rune Magecraft: B

Noble Phantasms:
Gáe Bolg
Gouging, Piercing Spear of Carnage
Rank: B++
Type: Anti-Army

Curruid Coinchenn
Beast of Crunching Deathtusks
Rank: A → A+
Type: Anti-Unit (Self)

A/N: The following section was originally part of the chapter, but my previous editor and I determined it ultimately clogged the chapter's flow even if it had some interesting information about both Cú and Bazett in the context of this story. For those curious, I've included it below. Enjoy!

Side Story:
The Heartless Spear

Ryuudou Lake, Fuyuki
Some Time Prior, During a Different Fifth Holy Grail War…

As he stared across the darkness of Ryuudou Lake, dark ribbons streaming all around him, Cú Chulainn's eyes widened in horror.

In the hands of his opponent, the Servant Assassin, was a ghostly heart. His heart.

Grinning beneath his skull mask, the Hassan of the Cursed Arm closed his fist around the ethereal organ, "You… lose!"

Lancer's body filled with agony as he felt his own heart become crushed by Shaitan's accursed power. Even when he tried to use Gáe Bolg, he wasn't fast enough. The Hassan's Noble Phantasm, Zabaniya, had struck him.

Cú Chulainn, the Hound of Ulster, collapsed. Drained by the assaults of Angra Mainyu's shadow, even Battle Continuation could not save him. Sinking into the murky water of the lake, he could feel the darkness enveloping him. It was dragging him deep, down into the maw of the tainted Grail.

'Dammit… he got… me…'

As his consciousness faded, Cú Chulainn could feel only shame. He had known Assassin was setting a trap, and yet he walked into it recklessly.

'Teacher… would be… ashamed of me…'

Just as it seemed he was going to vanish completely, the Celtic demigod suddenly felt his essence wrack with pain.

It wasn't a physical pain, but a strike upon the hero's very Saint Graph. Through the power of All The World's Evils, his destiny was being drawn to darkness.

As he struggled and fought against the altering effects of the Grail, Lancer felt a familiar presence enter the Grail with him. It was the Servant he had fought when he was hunting the red-haired boy.

'Saber… so that shadow got you too…'

As Artoria entered the mental void as well, Cú Chulainn could feel the attacks of Angra Mainyu cease. The King of Knights had not fought back against the darkness as he had. She would be the one to be made into its first pawn. Nor would she be the last— soon enough, Heracles too was transformed into a thrall of the Third War's Avenger.

But the cursed essence within the Greater Grail was still present around Cú Chulainn. Slowly, even if he fought it, it seeped inside him. Bit by bit, he was corrupted by the evils of man.

Like Saber and Berserker, the Irish hero was being transformed into an altered state. His body was already gone, and his willpower was beginning to run out. As his mind began to be clouded by malice, Cú Chulainn had but a single thought, a wish of hope for his true Master.

His wish would not be for Kirei Kotomine, the traitorous overseer. Lancer's final wish was directed toward Bazett Fraga McRemitz, the woman he had been unable to save.

Thus, a wish was made upon the Grail. Yet, it remained stagnant. The energies within the Grail were not sufficient to enact the Third Magic. Bazett's life could not be restored. But the Grail would remember that wish.

All the while, devoured, the altered Cú Chulainn began to disperse within the Grail. Ultimately, all that would remain was a record upon the Root, later wished forth by an alternate Medb into the Fifth Singularity.

In the future, circumstances would ultimately help Lancer's wish to be fulfilled, playing a role in the advent of a Holy Grail War trapped in time.

But here, in this particular World Line, the outcome would be different.

When Jester Karture initiated the True Holy Grail War, his actions caused the Greater Grail to temporarily link to the Greater Grail of another. For the briefest of moments, an exchange of information was allowed. An exchange that included the altered Child of Light and his wish.

Empowered by the energies produced from Jester's theft, Cú Chulainn's wish was enacted. Within the World Egg of Olkoth, Bazett's life would be restored. But granted Masterhood over the mighty King of Heroes, she would not have the altered Cú by her side.

Instead, that mantle would fall to another. A denizen of the Defiant God's World Egg, a man-child tempered by an insipid scheme.

A boy whose Quirk had been taken from him, only to be replaced by the terrifying power of Decay.

The grandson of the Pro Hero Daxia, a child whose life had been puppetered by the Symbol of Evil.

A man once named Tenko Shimura, now known as the villain Tomura Shigaraki.

Called forth by dreams of destruction, Cú Chulainn Alter manifested into this strange world under Tomura's yoke.

Gazing up after being summoned, Cú stared intimidatingly at the three individuals in front of him. One was a man in butler clothes, his face a literal shadow. The second was a short doctor with glasses and a bushy mustache, holding a radio. The third was a young man with light blue hair and red eyes, holding forward a hand emblazoned with Command Spells.

With a guttural voice, the corrupted Servant spoke, "I am Servant Berserker, called forth from the Grail. Now answer me… who is my Master?"