Archive of Our Own ^beta

Chapter Text

Disclaimer: I own nothing, just the oc. Support the official release.

'Where… am I?' That was the question that birthed in my mind as I studied my surroundings.

A sea as far as the eye can see with no end, with a dark night sky and a sea of stars that are just as endless. There are no landmasses, instead a series of remnants from various eras can be seen poking from the water. Yet something tells me those things belong to this world.

I try to think of what happened, but the more I try to remember, the bigger the headache I get. It was like a metal spike was hammered into my skull; it was unbearable. I let out a blood-curdling scream as I rolled around on the floor. My vision becomes blurry as the pain intensifies before it suddenly seizes all together.

'What… what was that?' However, I don't have time to ponder before a screen suddenly appears in front of me.

Congratulations!

U r ded!

Not big surprise.

"What the fuck!?" I bolted up by a sudden prompt on my face. What did it mean that I'm dead!? And why is it written by the Heavy from TF2!?

Please choose one random ability from the Multiverse Store (First-time users get one free spin)

Just then a holographic golden wheel appears with various symbols on its edges.

"Is this some sort of Gamer system like in the manga and anime?" Then I read the last part. "Wait, I have to pay!?" Is the ROB an idiot or something!? What kind of system makes their users pay for their skills!?

Without much else, I press the button and the wheel starts to spin. After a few seconds, the wheel slows down until it stops, the arrow pointing to what looks like a mask.

Congratulations! You have gained the following ability:

Persona 5 Royal Clear Save Data.

Would you like to load the save file?

[Yes] [No]

"... wait, what?" I blink a few times at the notification. My ability is my game file from Persona 5R!? I remember playing both the original and the expansion religiously. It was THAT good of a game. I've played several other Shin Megami Tensei titles, but none of them really hit that spot like the Persona series did.

I gleefully press [Yes]. "Hehe, I can't wait to summon Personas and get a ha-"

Please choose a random world to incarnate.

"Oh come on!" I shrieked as a red box with a hole in the middle appeared.

Please pick a world from the box.

I let out a groan, annoyed by how luck-based this whole selection is turning out to be. I got lucky with the save file. Granted, it's not as powerful as some other abilities I know of but it's better than nothing.

With reluctance, I put my hand inside the box and rummage inside until I pull out my closed hand.

"Please don't be One Piece, Naturo, or Dragon Ball. Matter of fact, please don't be any Shounen world period." I pray as I open my hand while my eyes are closed. I take a peek with one eye and immediately pale at the name on the paper.

Nasuverse

"Oh fuck me." Of all possible worlds, it has to be the one with crazy mages, literal gods, and gender bent heroes (which I don't really mind), and a chalice that grants wishes except not really because it'll kill everyone if some idiot makes a wish.

And the mages. Good lord.

Those bastards make Voldemort look like a saint. They are so dead set on tearing the universe in two just so that they can find the Root, and they don't care who they have to hurt–whether it's random people or their own family–as long as their goal is met. The worst part is they don't do this for some great goal or dream but to gloat and show off their ability to other magi.

There's no magical story to find here, just simple Survival of the Fittest. With them treating normal humans as either livestock, tools for whatever stupid rituals they come up with to gain greater magic, and if that doesn't work they'll create homunculi and use them as the sacrifice.

I mean, just look at the Holy Grail War. A ritual where seven magi summon heroes from the distant past (or future) to fight to the death while using Fuyuki City as their battleground, endangering innocent lives in the process. Even if the creators had the best intentions in mind, that does not excuse them for what it led to.

And don't get me started on Dead Apostles: overpowered magical vampires with fuck-you magic and Reality Marbles. These are magi who decided to forsake their humanity to live forever just to be bigger assholes (which is not too dissimilar to what Voldyboi did). They can also create an army of Ghouls from the people they drink blood from like Hellsing vampires; essentially zombies. Urgh, just thinking about them gives me a migraine.

Did I also mention that they can create zombies?

Please sign the contract.

A simple table appears before me with a closed blue folder. I walk to the table and flip the folder open.

"Time never waits.

It delivers all equally to the same end.

I hereby agree to the statement above,

And I chooseth this fate of my own free will."

Signature block _

"Isn't this…?" I stare at the Contract(1) from Persona 3 before grabbing a nearby pen. "So you want me to take responsibility for my choices, huh? That sounds like a fair trade."

I write down my name on the signature space before putting down the pen and the whole thing disappears.

[Nasuverse] confirmed. Clear save file selected.

15%

20%

89%

100%!

Loading complete! All stats have been reverted back to level 1 and the Compendium is locked.

"Eh?" Is all I can say. All of the time I spent raising my character... all of the Personas I managed to obtain and buy... gone. And now I have to venture into that crazy world without any sort of protection!?

"I NEEDED THAT!"

Confidant System set. All consumable items will be available for use. Equipment will be unlocked as the player levels up.

So I can still use my items, that's better than nothing at least.

Okay, take a deep breath. This is fine, I can do this. Personas are basically the original Heroic Spirits without any of the downgrades that they get when magi summon them. They don't require mana to keep them tangible in the real world and I can call them back and forth whenever I want because they're part of my psyche. I should be fine as long as I don't end up in some crazy situation before I manage to level up.

Plus, what are the chances that I will end up in a Holy Grail War?

Worldline selected. Initiating incarnation ritual.

I feel my consciousness fading as my vision starts to blur.

Until we meet again.

And so, darkness consumes me.

~Fate/Wild Card~

I let out a loud gasp as a rush of air enters my lungs followed by a series of painful coughing fits. It feels like my lungs aren't used to breathing air. My eyes quickly regain their focus and I find myself staring at a cloudy sky with snow falling fast.

"W-Where…" I shiver as I try to sit up, only to find my body has been buried in copious amounts of snow. I managed to dig myself out of the pile and find that I'm not only completely naked, but clearly suffering from severe frostbite.

"W-W-W-Why the fuck am I naked in the middle of a blizzard!?" I stammer as I wrap myself with my arms in a vain attempt to stay warm. I don't know for how long I've been wandering this white forest in an attempt to find some signs of civilization, but the unchanging scenery didn't help my paranoia or the numb sensation in my feet.

*CRUNCH!*

Suddenly, the ground gave way under me and I started tumbling down a steep hill and landed ass-first on a pile of snow.

"Fuck…" I groan as I bring myself up only for one of my legs to fail. "Great… I don't know where I am… I'm stuck in the middle of a fucking blizzard… and I'm about to freeze to death…" I let out a deep rush of air as my vision begins to fail. "How… can this possibly get worse!?"

*Grr!*

Something rustles in the bushes and a pack of wolves walk out of their hiding place.

"Such misfortune." I mumbled.

The wolves slowly approach me, their mouths showing their sharp teeth covered in drool. And I don't know if it's hypothermia, but I could swear that the wolves eyes were glowing red at the sight of me. So, I do the most logical thing a 24-year-old man from the year 2024 would do in this situation.

I run.

I run as fast as my fat legs can take me.

The wolves quickly give pursuit, not wanting to let their precious prey get away.

I don't know where I'm going, my mind is only focused on losing the wolves though their growls and howls are a reminder of how close they actually are. Even with the added adrenaline, I still wasn't fast enough to outrun the predators… and they know it.

*CLACK!*

"AAAAAHHHH!" I scream as a wolf bites me on my stomach, its sharp fangs digging deep into the rigged skin and drawing blood.

The intense surge of pain and confusion causes me to lose my balance and the next thing I know I am falling again. I don't know how long I've been falling, maybe my brain is processing things slowly due to blood loss and frostbite because I never noticed when I landed on the ground.

It hurts… my body can no longer move; no longer muster the strength. Like a puppet whose strings have been cut and was left on the ground to be forgotten.

I cough out some blood. This is it, huh…? Not even a day and I'm already about to kick the bucket. Death by blood loss or by frostbite; don't know which is worse. It seems I've somehow inherited EMIYA's stupid E-ranked luck.

I would laugh right now… if it didn't hurt so damn much…!

I look up and see the pack of wolves looking down from the edge of the cliff before they… jumped off the ledges and landed in front of me…? Now I really must be hallucinating…

The wolves begin to creep up on me, their snouts releasing a rush of hot air that I found almost welcoming.

I am so tired… my body has reached its limit. Hopefully… the wolves will make it quick…

…

…

…

… No…

My eyes open wide with a burning fire. I move both arms back and push myself upwards, gritting my teeth at the searing pain in my lower torso.

I don't know why… one moment I was embracing death and now I am standing my ground. Did I lose so much blood that now my brain is making me do things? Most likely because there's no way I can fight wolves. And yet… the idea of rolling up and dying made me nearly vomit more blood.

"C'mon…" I wheezed out, my words slurred and vision unfocused. I don't even have the energy to raise my head and look at them, but the defiance was there. "Whaarya waitin' fur?"

The wolves snarl and lunge forward, their fangs closing in on their prey's face.

*BANG!*

"!?" I jolt by the sudden sound and one of the wolves nearest to me falls to the ground with a thud in a pool of their blood.

*BANG!* *BANG!* *BANG!* *BANG!* *BANG!* *BANG!*

More loud sounds go off, but at this point the last bits of adrenaline finally burn out and my body collapses back into the snow.

The last thing my eyes see before giving out is the vague visage of a man, looking horrified.

'Why do you… look… like… that…' And then everything goes dark.

*TICK* *TOCK* *TICK*

"Mmm…" The loud familiar ticking of a grandfather clock stirred me from the darkness. My senses quickly kick in as my body is pressed against something soft. My eyes slowly open and am greeted by the sight of not a cloud sky but an unfamiliar ceiling.

"Wu-" I stop as I realize that my voice is muffled. I try to move my limbs, but find that I can't!
"!" I struggle to break free, wiggling myself in order to get out. I already had to deal with a pack of hungry wolves, I was not going to deal with kidnapers!

"Ah! You shouldn't move around like that!" A soft female voice yelled.

I stop and glance at the source and my eyes widen at the sight of a beautiful silver-haired woman next to me. She is wearing a long white gown with gold trimming and has ruby-colored eyes.

Illya…? No, then she must be…

"I… Ir-"

"Please don't move. Your body is still too weak." The woman, Irisviel, pulls my body up and hugs me. "Shhh. It's okay, it's okay. You're safe now."

My face turns beet red as the Homunculus MILF unknowingly pushes her large breasts against my face as she hugs my head into her chest.

'I could get used to this.' I thought.

Suddenly the door makes a creaking noise as a man with a black suit and black hair walks in with a cigarette in hand.

Irisviel turns to the newcomer with a loving smile, and my eyes shoot wide as I recognize the man.

"Welcome back, Kiri." But that smile dies an ugly death as she sees what's on his hand. "Geez Kiri! How many times do I have to tell you to stop smoking? It's not healthy for you."

"Sorry, Iri." He crushes the cigarette in his hand and tucks it in his coat pocket.

I can hear my heart beating loudly with anticipation. It's him. It's Kiritsigu fucking Emiya! The Boogeyman of the Moonlit World. Magic John Wick! I don't know whether to squeal like a fangirl or piss myself!

But if he's here with Irisviel… then that means I must be in the Einzbern castle!

Kiritsugu walks forward and stands beside his wife. "How is he?"

"I did what I could with my magecraft, but his body is still very weak from being out in the storm for so long." Irisviel says as she strokes his head. "Did grandfather tell you anything?"

Kiritsugu closes his eyes for a moment before opening them. "He told me enough."

Irisviel frowns at this. "I see."

"Mama?" The two look back to see a little girl standing by the door. She has silver hair and red eyes and is wearing pink pajamas. On her right hand is a white stuffed bear.

"Illya? What are you doing up so late?" Irisviel asked.

"Mm, couldn't sleep. Had a bad dream." Illya groggily said.

Irisviel puts the boy back in the bed and turns her full attention to her daughter. She kneels and extends her arms to Illya. "Come here."

Illya walks up to her mother and Irisviel encases her in a loving embrace. Illya purrs as she snuggles in her mother's embrace.

"..." Kiritsugu stares blankly at the affectionate exchange. He raises his hand towards them but pulls back just as quickly.

Illya looks up and our eyes meet. "...!"

"Who's that, Mama?" Illya innocently asks.

"Oh! He is someone your father saved while hunting." Irisviel beamed.

"Is he going to be my new big brother?" Illya asks cutely.

*Cough!* The two of us cough at once at the sudden question.

Irisviel looks equally surprised and fidgets a little. "W-Well... that is-"

"That is for your grandfather to decide." Kiritsugu speaks up, already settled down.

Illya looks at her father and pouts. "But he is mean! He doesn't let me play outside!"

"He is still your grandfather and the head of this house. We have to respect his wishes." Kiritsugu states.

Illya looks down saddened. "Okay..."

Iri looks at her daughter. "Tell you what? How about I tell a story tonight?"

Illya gasped. "You will!?"

"Yup!" Iri smiles. "And you get to pick any one you like."

"Yay!" Illya beamed with the most innocent smile I've ever seen. "Can you tell me the story of the moonlight thief?"

"Sure." Irisviel stands up and proceeds to leave. "Once upon a time, there was once a town where the moon never waned. And in this town there were riches as far as…"

As her voice grows farther and farther away, Kiritsugu turns to my direction. His expression was as blank as ever, but there's something in his eyes, an emotion that I know well: pity.

"Get some rest." Kiritsugu then walks towards the exit, turns the lights off and leaves.

'What was that about?' I thought in confusion before sighing in exhaustion. 'Whatever.' I turn to the dark ceiling above me. 'So, let's recap: I've been isekai'd to the Nasuverse, specifically in the Fate timeline just before the events of Fate/Zero in the Einzbern territory in Germany. And based on Kiritsugu's mannerisms, he was the one who saved me from being eaten. I think that covers what's happened so far.'

I wasn't sure what to feel about being taken to the Einzberns. The same family who have been obsessed with winning the Holy Grail and regaining the Third Magic since the inception of the ritual. Then again, it's better than being brought to the Matous where I would become the plaything to the magic ghoul who lives in the basement.

Ugh.

Not to mention this is around the time a bunch of events would be taking place. Saber's summoning, Sakura's adoption to the Matous, the death of Kirei's wife (I think) among many others that I'm not going to list out.

And then there's Kiritsugu.

The poor guy.

This upcoming war will take everything from him, betrayed by the same ideals he fought all of his life to achieve. All it takes is one bad day to turn his life upside down. If he hadn't found Shirou in the ashes of the aftermath, he would've most likely killed himself. Or at least, live as a walking corpse until Angry Mango's curse finally got him.

However, as much as I think he deserves better, I'm not gonna pull a Shirou. I'm a selfish bastard through and through. His impossible wish is what leads to his self destruction in the first place and I refuse to be a part of it.

His choices are his own in the end. I should focus on my own.

As for Artoria… I don't know what to think. Sure she is cool and essentially the franchise's poster girl, but I don't really want to meet her. Knowing her wish… I can safely say we will never get along.

My opinion of the other Servants on the other hand varies.

Iskandar is a pretty cool guy and his Noble Phantasm is OP as hell. Waver is pretty much his opposite in terms of appearance and personality. But knowing the type of person he will grow up to be, I shouldn't judge him too harshly.

Diarmuid is the model of knight: strong, honorable, and loyal to the end. The only problem though is that his Master is Kayneth Archibaldy-something: arrogant piece of shit who flaunts his titles like their trophies. The only good thing about him is his Mystic Code and that's it.

The Hassan of the Hundred Faces is a tricky enemy since they are essentially one Servant with many bodies. Their Master is the Fake Priest himself, Kirei Kotomine, who likely already has developed a keen interest in Kiritsugu.

Gross.

Gilgamesh is ego personified, able to easily eclipse the sun. His Gate of Babylon(2) is no joke either. He can carpet-bomb the entirety of Fuyuki if he wants to but doesn't simply because he wants to watch his opponents struggle as entertainment. Despite his disposition, he does show some qualities that I actually liked. He doesn't mince words or hides his motives like everyone else. He is barely respectful to those that caught his interest or those who show fierce loyalty like Waver whom he lets go after Iskandar's defeat. But he will never see you in any form as an equal.

That spot is already taken.

It kind of sucked when those qualities were literally washed away when he was incarnated by the Grail mud, going full tyrant and trying to destroy the world. His Master Tokiomi Tohsaka, Rin and Sakura's biological father, is arrogant and manipulative; trying to guide the entirety of the war to his favor which just annoys the ancient king. From his attitude to his stubborn need to limit Gilgamesh but also his need to kiss his feet in a half-assed attempt to appease his ego. It was no wonder he had Kotomine kill him. I would too if I was kept on a tight leash but also babied like a child.

Gilles de Rais is an insane serial killer and his Master Ryuunosuke is no different. Murdering kids and turning the ones that they keep alive into incubators for monsters. You wouldn't think this is the same guy who fought alongside Jeanne d'Arc during the 100-Year War.

Yeah, they should both burn in Hell.

Lancelot is this war's Berserker and he's a sad tale. He was extremely loyal to King Arthur as one of the Knights of the Round Table. He wanted to lessen his king's burden but ended up having an affair with Queen Guinevere(3). When the affair was exposed, Artoria had Guinevere executed while Lancelot was only excommunicated, which only served to drive the knight further over the edge. His betrayal had a ripple effect that tore the Round Table apart, resulting in Mordred splitting off and leading a civil war that tore the kingdom to pieces. He wanted to participate in the Battle of Camlann(4) to serve his King again, but Gawain spitefully barred him from the battle since Lancelot did kill his siblings during his rescue attempt. It was only after hearing of Artoria's death did Lancelot's sanity truly crumbled and is now driven to seek atonement for what happened. He and Kariya are similar in that regard. Both being driven to protect their loved ones but being driven insane for their efforts.

… maybe I should try to save Sakura. At the very least I know that I'll have a better shot than Kariya ever did.

I let out a tired sigh. I felt the instinctual need to rub my eyes, but couldn't since my limbs are wrapped in bandages.

'I'm thinking too much. I really should get some rest.' I close my eyes and promptly fall asleep.

Meanwhile

Kiritsugu stares at the fireplace in his room, watching the flames dancing chaotically around the chopped wood and slowly turning to ashes.

He thinks about what happened after he left that boy in his wife's care.

Flashback

Kiritsugu enters a grand study filled with seemingly endless rows of old tomes, yet his gaze is focused on the sole resident whose back was turned, picking a single book out of the row of hundreds.

"... why have you come here, Kiritsugi Emiya." The man's question is more of a command. His voice is booming and devoid of emotion.

Kiritsugu bows to the man. "I apologize for interrupting, great elder. But there is a topic I wish to discuss with you."

The man turns around. He is an older man with straight white hair and a sharp beard and red eyes like Irisviel and Illya but his are more empty. He is wearing all-white robes with gold trimmings giving him the appearance of a high priest or an old king.

"Is this about that creature you found in your excursion, Kiritsugu Emiya?" The elderly Einzbern asked.

"Yes…" Kiritsugu responded, hiding his anxiety well from the man's imposing gaze. Though calling him a "man" might be a bit of a stretch.

Jubstacheit von Einzbern, or Old Man Archt, is the current 8th head of the Einzbern family. In actuality though, he is part of the artificial intelligence made to control the Einzbern Castle, Golem Jubstacheit(5). He is a humanoid terminal that is in charge of maintaining the castle functions and manufacturing Homunculi in the hopes of reproducing the Third Magic and has been doing so for years, long after his creators' deaths.

"I do not see why that should concern you. It is just a failed experiment." Jubstacheit bluntly said.

'A failed experiment…' Kiritsugu mentally grimaced as he remembers the state he found the boy in. He was naked with a side of his torso nearly torn apart by the wolves, his limbs pale blue from the overexposure to the frigid temperatures as well as incredibly malnourished. Yet what surprised him is that he was able to sit right up despite the incredible pain he was likely in. It was as if the boy was challenging death to claim him or else he'll escape its clutches. Though he supposed the boy won that bet when he killed those wolves.

He didn't know why he even went through the trouble of saving him. He was no stranger to Einzberns' ways during his 9-year stay here, how they'd throw homunculi into the forest where they would be soundly disposed of. Yet when he saw the boy's face it horrified him, it made his stomach twist into an ugly pretzel and his heart slow to a crawl.

For it was his face that was staring back at him.

"... you cloned me." Kiritsugu whispers, but it was loud enough for the old man to hear.

"Yes." Jubstacheit confirms. "Using your remaining sperm, I injected it into an artificial egg and incubated it for the past 8 years." He states, shocking Kiritsugu. "The purpose was to create a powerful guardian as well as a backup Lesser Grail should both Irisviel or Illyasviel perish. However, an unforeseen defect has caused not only the Justeaze template to become corrupted but for the body to produce no Magic Circuit(6)."

"No Magic Circuit…?" This fact surprised him. Einzbern Homunculus, even ones that the head would regard as failures, have enough Magical Energy to pose a threat even to the higher-ups of the Mage's Association. But to have no Magical Energy at all? That's just unheard of.

"You can imagine my horror at the discovery." Kiritsugu sensed a rare hint of frustration in the golem's monotone voice. "The project was deemed a failure and thus it was thrown into the disposal yard, however…" Kiritsugu notes a glint in the old man's eyes "it seemed fate had other plans."

"... what are you planning to do with him?" Kiritsugu asks evenly, fighting back the urge to kill the golem.

"Do what you want with it, it makes no difference to me. You can either kill it or give it to Irisviel, she seems to be obsessed with the concept of family these days." With that, the 8th head of the Einzbern family walks out of the study room.

Kiritsugu stands there, unsure of what to do.

Flashback ends

Kiritsugu lets out a tired sigh.

The door creaks open and Irisviel walks in.

"How is she?" Kiritsugu asks as his wife closes the door.

"Illya's asleep now. She wouldn't stop talking about her new little brother." Iri giggles.

"Well, he is only a year younger than her…" Kiritsugu remarked with a bit of emotion.

Irisviel notices her husband's state and quickly embraces him.

"I want to kill him, Iri." Kiritsugu grits his teeth.

"You know you can't, Kiri."

"Can't I? He cloned me, Iri. He tried to turn my son into a weapon and when that failed, he threw him into the wilderness to die." Kiritsugu could barely contain his anger at this point. Iri can feel his body trembling in distress.

"If you do that, then the association will hunt you for the rest of your life." Irisviel said. Losing someone like the head of a Magus family, especially one as old and as powerful as the Einzbern, will cause an uproar within the Mages Association.

"I already have a target on my back thanks to my Sealing Designation(7). It won't change anything." Kiritsugu said.

"What do you want then?" Iri finally asks and Kiritsugu stays silent.

"... I don't know. Seeing that face stirred old memories within me. Painful ones." Kiritsugu bitterly said.

Irisviel knows what he's talking about. He told her stories of his childhood, the vampire outbreak in Alimango, his father, Shirley, Natalia Kaminski, and others. His life barely has any ebbs of happiness and the moment he has something it's quickly taken away. This has left him deeply conflicted. He wants to love but also wants to cast off said love yet keep it close all the same.

And now here you have a boy who was made literally in his image, yet is nothing like him and was thrown away because of that. Of course he would be disturbed, it was practically a vital stab to everything he has swore against.

"Then why not give him and yourself happy memories?" Iri asks her husband.

Kiritsugu glances at his wife. "What are you saying?"

"I'm saying we adopt him~" Irisviel beamed.

Kiritsugu frowned. "Iri, no."

"Iri yes!"

"Is this because Illya sees him as a brother?" He asks.

"That's half the reason. The other is to experience a proper life." Irisviel beamed but Kiritsugu knew what she meant.

"Iri…" Kiritsugu whispers as he feels his wife's grip tighten.

"I know I… won't be around for much longer, and while I know how much you love Illya… I know you won't always be there for her." She states. "I don't want Illya to have this life, but I know there's no escaping it. But the way she smiled when she saw the boy… It was like their meeting was meant to be. I want him to be there for her in our stead. I don't want them to suffer the same way we did."

" …" Kiritsugu remains silent as he contemplates his wife's words. "... okay."

"Yay!" Irisviel squeals and snuggles against his back.

Kiritsugu smiles at her child-like affection before turning his attention back to the crackling flames in front of him.

'... am I doing the right thing?' He asks himself as the burning wood snaps in half.

My eyes slowly open only to squeeze them shut from the sudden light. Eventually, my eyes adjusted and vision refocused, revealing the sunlight coming from the window in front of me.

"Seems the blizzard's over." I raise my arm up to my face and realize that it's no longer covered in bandages and exposing my bare skin. I raise my other arm and get the same result.

"What…?" I sit up and see the white gown covering my torso. "How long have I been asleep…?" Depending on the level of frostbite, it would take months to fully heal, not to mention the other injuries I sustained. So either I've been asleep for months or healing magecraft is more effective than I realized.

I look up to see a mirror on the far right and jump out of bed, running to it. In the mirror is a little boy –7 to 8 years old, give or take – with pale skin wearing a white gown that is too big for him. He has spiky white hair and crimson eyes. But what draws his attention is the face looking nearly identical to Kiritsugu Emiya during his childhood.

"Homunculus." I said, the white hair and red eyes are a dead giveaway to my heritage. I lean closer to the mirror and examine my new face properly. "Hm, definitely not a Justeaze model. Was the golem trying to create an artificial clone of Kiritsugu or something? Though why make it a male?" I start massaging my soft cheeks. "Very squishable. Cute, too." I trace my finger along the ridge of the nose and smile. "The nose is a definite improvement though. Not sure about the ears however, but I'm sure I'll get used to them in time." I ruffle my hair. "I definitely don't have his hair. I look more like an albino Gudao than Kiritsugu." I pull my gown up and my eyes widen at what I see. "Holy shit, I'm packing heat!" I trace my fingers on the area where I was bitten, but find no scarring whatsoever. "Man, magecraft is no joke."

After the self inspection, I go back to the bed and start thinking.

'Now, how do I access my inventory? Since I'm locked out of the Compendium, I will need my items to at least survive here.' I scratch my chin as I thought of ways to access my save file.

"Status?" I call out but nothing happens. "Open Sesame?"

Still nothing.

'Maybe it responds to thought? Or willpower?' I ponder before a transparent screen appears in front of me with a very familiar color scheme.

Skills

Items

Equipment

Status

Compendium

I press the [Compendium] button first.

Persona Compendium has not been unlocked yet.

"Don't know what I was expecting." I then tap the [Status] button.

Name: ?

Title: n/a

Level: 1

HP: 50

SP: 70

Knowledge: 5 (Erudite)

Charm: 3 (Suave)

Kindness: 1 (Inoffensive)

Guts: 1 (Milquetoast)

Proficiency: 1 (Bumbling)

Money: ¥8,258,089

Welp, I'm weak as shit. I'm not surprised. For some reason my name isn't visible, weird. My [Knowledge] is maxed out and my [Charm] is higher than average.

Could my meta knowledge have caused it to max out? It does seem plausible. Then again, Homunculi are implanted with all of the necessary knowledge needed to perform magecraft. That would also definitely bump my stats up.

As for [Charm] well, Homunculi do have an inhuman beauty to them so that could be the cause.

Next I check my [Equipment] and find all of the Phantom Thieves' weapons and armor; from their starter equipment, the ones you can find/buy, to the ultimate weapons/armor from the Electric Chair, the accessories and outfits as well; both normal and DLC. It's all here.

I check my [Items].

Item list:

Devil Fruit

Adhesive Bandage

Medicine

Recov-R: 50mg

Recov-R: 100mg

Viennese Jelly

Takemedic

Dipped Katsu Sando

Moon Dango

Life Stone

Bead

Takemedic-All

Takemedic-V

Takemedic-Z

Bead Chain

Hōgyoku Apple

Wine of Grace

[Expand]

"Holy shit." I then press the [Skills] button.

Skill List:

Agi

Agilao

Agidyne

Inferno

Maragi

Maragion

Maraidyne

Bufu

Bufula

Bufudyne

Diamond Dust

Mabufu

Mabufula

Mabufudyne

Zio

Zionga

Ziodyne

Thunder Reign

[Expand]

As I scroll through the list, I get a message on the screen.

You can equip yourself or others as many times as you like. Both items and skill cards will be renewed after 24 hours.

"Damn. I'm gonna be so OP." I whisper with a smile.

*KNOCK* *KNOCK*

I jolt and quickly close the screen as the door opens and Irisviel head peeks out from the door.

"H-Hi." Dammit, I thought I got rid of the stutter.

"Good morning, sleepyhead. Did you have a nice dream?~" Irisviel asks with a loving tone.

"Iri…" Kiritsugu's voice echoes from the background.

"Hehe." The door opens further and the two walk inside.

Irisviel walks forward and kneels in front of me. "Are you okay? Does anything hurt?"

"No." I instantly respond and then she grabs my hands and applies a bit of pressure.

"Can you feel this?"

"Yes."

Irisviel then sighs with relief. "Thank goodness. I was worried I couldn't mend all of your nerves."

"... was it that bad?"

"Yes." Kiritsugu's voice cuts in. "You were practically almost dead. You only survived by the skin of your teeth."

"Kiritsugu!" Iri hisses and Kiritsugu awkwardly scratches the back of his head.

I slowly move my head to Kiritsugu's direction. "You… You look like me."

Kiritsugu lowers his arm, slightly taken aback by the sudden attention.

"Yes." Kiritsugu confirmed. "Do you know why?"

I already had an inkling, but for the sake of not arising suspicion, I shook my head left and right.

"Well… to put it simply… I'm your father." Kiritsugu awkwardly reveals and I fake my surprise.

'So I really am his clone.' I thought. "What… does this mean?"

"It means you're family!" Irisviel smiles.

"Family… I am your family?"

"Yup!" She beams with child-like innocence.

I can't help but smile a little. 'So excitable. It's like I'm talking to a child rather than an older woman. But then again Irisviel is technically only 9 years old so I guess she is a child.'

"Do you have a name?" Irisviel asks.

I blink at the question. "A name?" Should I use my original name? No. That wouldn't feel right. A new life deserves a new name, after all. Though this doesn't mean I'll abandon my past. No way.

"I don't think the old man gave him a name, Iri." Kiritsugu said. Considering the animosity the golem had for the boy, it would make sense that he wouldn't give him a name out of sheer spite and because he didn't think he would survive past that day.

"Ara, how dreadful! Then how about I come up with one for you?" Irisviel asks.

"Sure." I nod and Irisviel starts to think.

She starts humming for a bit before her face morphs into frustration as she loudly begins to grind her teeth.

I sweat drop as smoke starts coming out of her ears. 'Oh boy…' I glance at Kiritsugu who looks like he has an idea but doesn't want to say it. 'Are you really that scared of your wife?'

"I got it!" Iriviel's sudden voice surprises me. "Theo. From now on, your name will be Theodore von Einzbern(8)."

My eyes widen at the declaration. Wasn't Theodore the same name as one of the Velvet Room residents? That can't be a coincidence…

"Is it… is it bad…?" My attention changes to Irisviel who looks like she's about to burst into tears. "Do you hate it?"

'Oh crap!' "No, no! I like it! I like it very much!" I said.

"Excellent!" Irisviel smiles, her attitude gone a complete 180.

Did I just get punked?

"Yay, a little brother!" Suddenly, Illya dashes in and hugs me from out of nowhere.

"Yay, new son!" Irisviel jumps in and also gives me a hug.

I desperately try to wiggle myself out from their inhuman grip and faint on the spot.

The mother and daughter notice my blue face and quickly start to freak out. Meanwhile, Kiritsugu sighs in the background at his family's antics.

1. The contract is what is required for someone to enter the Velvet Room. Sometimes it's a physical contract, and sometimes it's a metaphorical contract. It signifies your responsibility over your actions, and that the power given to you through the velvet room is your responsibility to handle.

2. Gilgamesh's main Noble Phantasm, it's built to store all the world's treasures he claimed in life. It connects the space of reality to the vault, opening an "invisible door" between dimensions that allows for the contents to pass through upon their owner's command, allowing for easy access to the items of the treasury, that Gilgamesh is able to pick and utilize them as he pleases. The rank of the Noble Phantasm changes from "E~A++" due to it reflecting the ranks of the contents of the treasury. It is a Noble Phantasm that becomes more powerful with the user's wealth, but would accordingly not be useful without a wealth of valuables. He can use it to summon items directly to the user's hand, pull out weapons from directly behind him, or prepare numerous weapons midair, loaded like bullets.

3. The daughter of King Leodegrance who married Artoria in a political marriage so as to bring about the outward appearance of a "kingdom" in Britain. She idolized Artoria and worked with Lancelot to lessen her burden, ultimately leading to their tragic love affair. She was imprisoned and was rescued by Lancelot, who killed Gawain's brothers Gareth and Gaheris who were her assigned guards, and took her to his domain for safe haven.

4. A legendary conflict in Arthurian legend, marking the final battle of King Arthur against his rebellious "son", Mordred, in which Arthur was mortally wounded and Mordred was killed

5. An ancient AI that was created for the purpose of recreating Justeaze Lizrich von Einzbern, even after his creators' deaths, but ultimately failed. It manufactures humanoid golem terminals and Acht is the eighth and last one.

6. They reside in the magus' soul, and what is found on the body is just a physical expression of them that stretches itself throughout the body in a fashion similar to the nervous system, and what qualifies a person to be a magus, it connects the material world to the astral plane. They have 2 functions: convert life force into magical energy and allow their owner to access Thaumaturgical Foundations.

7. Edicts handed down by the Mage's Association to maintain and protect special thaumaturgical abilities which cannot be acquired through study. Said to be a title of the "greatest honor", those marked are deemed "precious", causing the Association to mobilize the greatest effort to secure their flesh and blood, their body's potential. Those designated are hunted down and incarcerated, becoming samples preserved in their present conditions and levels of ability. It is an outrage to those who are designated not because of it being the equivalent of a death sentence, but rather because it is an affront to their status as prominent magi. They who have spent their lives devoted to their research will automatically reject a situation in which they will be unable to continue.

8. A reference to one of the Velvet residents from the game.

Author Notes

And that's the first revamp for the story. Hope you like it.

Peace~

Chapter Text

Disclaimer: I own nothing, just the oc. Support the official release.

Six months have passed since my life as Theodore von Einzbern began.

It's been - what's the right word here - a roller coaster.

And it's been one hell of a roller coaster.

Irisviel has been incredibly clingy. Everyday she wastes no moment to express her unconditional motherly love. She gives me hugs, kisses, plays games, reads stories, and every other thing that mothers do with their children. She even makes me bathe together with her and Illya.

It would be nice except for the fact that I am a 24-year-old inside the body of an 8-year-old and she's an incredibly hot MILF! And that gives me a severe case of the Y boner.

Ugh, fucking pre-teen hormones!

Super awkwardness aside, there's never a dull day with those two around. Illya's pretty much a carbon copy of her mother except more exaggerated. The girl's in–as best as I can describe it–a perpetual state of sugar rush. She never stays still. She always wants to play and would sneak in books out of the library for me to read to her.

She also has one heck of a sweet tooth. I swear, the only things she eats in the compound are cake, ice cream, cookies, and Oreo Cheesecake. Why Oreo Cheesecake specifically? Well, Kiritsugu bought Oreo Cheesecake to compound after one of his "trips" months prior and the two snow fairies became addicted to it instantly.

I guess that's one thing my past family has in common with this one.

One night, Illya sneaked out of our shared room to steal cookies from the cookie jar… until Kiritsugu caught her red-handed (he probably erected a Bounded Field on the jar so that he knows when Illya is taking the cookies). Afterwards, she was sent back and forbidden from eating snacks for a week.

It was funny seeing her running around the castle desperate for her fix. Irisviel tried to sneak in some sweets for her but the old man was always one step ahead.

However, there was one revelation during my stay that turned my world upside down.

For a while now, I've wanted to learn magecraft. Since I am an Einzbern homunculus, it would make sense for me to perform the art despite the fact that I will never have the Emiya Magic Crest because I'm the youngest child, though I doubt Kiritsugu actually gives a damn about tradition given the fact he uses technology which is essentially heresy in the mage world.

Normally, a homunculus has the knowledge the moment they are born thanks to being branded with a "standardized reverse-type" Magic Crest(1), which essentially means that the concept and foundation of Einzbern magecraft is grafted onto their very being during the creation process.

Yet strangely, this knowledge is absent from my mind, and when I tried to apply the knowledge I did know there was no reaction.

At first I thought this was because I didn't know how to activate my Magic Circuit properly. After all, the Einzberns aren't a "normal" magus family given how backwards their methods are. However, when I asked Irisviel how to activate my Magic Circuits, her posture became stiff and said she had no idea before running off.

It was obvious that something was wrong.

So without much choice, I had to go with the only other magus in the compound, and I was honestly anxious about it.

See, the thing about pre-war Kiritsugu is that the guy is almost unapproachable. The man is blunt and straight to the point, even straight-up rude at times. His mind is wired so differently from others that you can barely say that he has emotions or is even human. He avoids human interaction on instinct, possibly to minimize the amount of attachments he can have in order to do his job more efficiently.

Even when playing with Illya or when being together with Irisveil I can tell that he is trying very hard to keep them at arm's length despite how badly he wants to be together with them. His assassin instincts dictate that he shouldn't get attached to his family yet he fights that urge everyday just to be by their side.

He is, essentially, a walking contradiction.

But in my case, the situation is much more extreme. Kiritsugu avoids me, like a plague. Whenever we were in the same room, he wouldn't bat an eye at my direction or even answer when I called. It was just like how he treated Saber, and I can't deny that it didn't hurt a little.

Irisviel obviously hated this and chewed out Kiritsugu for the clear neglect which he seemed to genuinely regret but still didn't have it in him to talk to me.

Aside from the Emiya family, all of the residents are homunculus servants who tend to the castle as well as food and clothing, but beyond that they may as well be walking statues with how emotionless they appear. I've tried engaging in conversations with some but they all just flat-out ignore me as if I don't exist. They were likely ordered by that doll Jubstacheit not to interact with me since I'm the "failed product" of the Einzbern; a black sheep.

However, I really didn't care if people ignored me. In fact, the neglect was a blessing in disguise.

Thanks to this, I've been able to sneak into Jubstacheit's study. It was surprisingly easy considering the old golem has no forms of security in place. I suppose they are unnecessary since the large Bounded Field around the compound is powerful enough to keep most human threats out though I'm not sure how it'll handle non-human threats like Elementals, Servants, and vam-Dead Apostles. Still, for a computer, he sure is arrogant.

As I studied his notes, I found out I was created by using Kiritsugu's sperm and injecting it into an artificial egg that was refined with Justeaze Lizrich von Einzbern(2) pure genetic code, making the homunculus Justeaze and Kiritsugu's biological child, a "true" Einzbern. His goal was to create back-up Lesser Grail on the same degree as Justeaze herself and a "perfect guardian" that could potentially be on par with a Servant. However, something happened during the final stages of incubation that resulted in an "error" in Justeaze's DNA, causing an "inversion" where the Magic Circuits never spread across the body during its formation, leaving the homunculus essentially "human". Because of this, Jubstacheit labeled the project a failure and for the homunculus to be immediately disposed of, though we all know that wasn't what happened.

It was not hard to discern what this "error" was: my soul. A soul from another reality where the rules of Akasha(3) could not be applied, a reality that was ruled by the Scientific Method(4) rather than Mystery(5). In short, I was a foreign entity that Alayashiki(6) would not hesitate to destroy if it meant it would solidify the survival of the Human Order(7) yet oddly the Collective Unconsciousness of Mankind never took any action against me, not that I was complaining since I didn't want to run into Counter Guardians(8) or more specifically everyone's favorite red archer. It could be that as a Persona User (even a dormant one) I am connected to the Collective Unconsciousness and therefore not considered a threat (yet). It would also explain why my body is male despite being a Justeaze-type Homunculus who are all female. Souls in the Nasuverse contain the record of the body containing the memories, mind, and Magic Circuits so by that logic it would make sense for my body to be male as it matches the blueprint in my soul.

Sure I could equip the Skill Cards(9) in order to give myself magic, but that would quickly give me a one-way ticket to the operating table. If Jubstacheit saw a crippled homunculus capable of performing Magic, not magecraft, he would immediately dissect me to find the cause of the phenomenon and attempt to replicate it.

So I decided to go with the next best thing… combat training.

If I couldn't train to use magecraft, then I will train to become someone who can fight mages.

A Magus Killer.

I couldn't use magecraft or equip my cards without raising red flags, and until I can unlock my Personas the best thing I can do is train my body to fight against human opponents.

It seemed like the most logical approach to my situation.

So without missing a beat, I went to search for Kiritsugu in the compound, eventually finding him seated in the Einzbern garden. But he wasn't alone.

With him is a woman with short black hair and black eyes wearing an all-black outfit. If I remember correctly, she is Kiritsugu's assistant Maiya Hisau. From what I remember about her, Maiya was trained to be a soldier at a very young age and at some point she was raped and got pregnant, though I'm not sure what happened to the child. One day, Kiritsugu was contracted to fight in the war she took part of and rescued her, becoming her mentor and taught her his way of life. Her real name is unknown; her current name was given to her by Kiritsugu when he created identity documents for her.

I have only seen Maiya twice since I've started living here. The first time was in passing when I saw her backside while speaking to Kiritsugu about something and the second was after Kiritsugu's trip when he brought the fabled Oreo Cheesecake.

But see that's the thing, Maiya was never supposed to be allowed inside the compound; only Kiritsugu. The Einzberns are known to never let outsiders within their walls, and Kiritsugu was only allowed in because the golem was desperate.

This can mean two things, either Maiya has always been allowed in Einzbern territory but was not in the first episode… or this is an alternate timeline.

I'm leaning towards the latter If I'm honest.

As I get closer to the two, I take note of Maiya's face. She's beautiful, not as beautiful as Iri of course. No human can top a homunculus in terms of physical appearance or magic power. She has an hourglass figure with a nice chest; C-cup at least. Her body is likely riddled with scars from her past as a child soldier hence why she always wears long-sleeved outfits. Her black eyes are vacant, but while Kiritsugu's are full of bitterness and regret, hers contain a sense of melancholy. Anyone would believe that they are a couple just from seeing them together like this, but it couldn't be further from the truth. According to the wiki, there is no romantic relationship between the two and is purely sexual. She is devoted to the man who saved her, going so far as to willingly have an affair with Kiritsugu as "practice" for when he sacrifices Iri to complete the Holy Grail as a form of self-abuse. The only person she truly loves is her son, the same child that was conceived from her rape, and longs to be reunited with him.

In short, Maiya is similar to Shirou as they both idolize Kiritsugu as their hero, with the only difference being that the two have seen different masks of the man: the Magus Killer and the tired old man. It's pretty sad if you ask me.

"Old man." I called out. I never felt comfortable calling Kiritsugu dad, and I only call Iri mom since she'll literally cry her eyes out if I don't.

The two assassins stop their conversation and turn their heads to me and I could have sworn I saw Kiritsugu's face twitch for a second. Did I really catch him by surprise? Maiya kept her blank expression, but I can tell she was surprised by her mentor's reaction.

Weird.

"Theo." Kiritsugu greets like a calculated tone. "Is there something you need?"

'Here goes nothing.' I get on my knees and bow in front of Kiritsugu, confusing him. "Please teach me how to fight mages!"

"Ok." Was Kiritsugu's immediate response.

"Just like that!?" I shoot upwards, dumbfounded.

"Irisviel wanted me to train you to make up for the fact that you don't have a Magic Circuit. I was going to look for you but now there is no point." Kiritsugu stands up at full height and walks towards his… his son. "Here. We have a lot of work to do." He extends his hand to the boy.

He takes his hand, and fate has once again changed.

For the next four months, I went through the most hellish training I've ever had to endure. It started with stamina and endurance training before it quickly escalated to the point of inhumane. He explains that normal humans have no way of fighting off fully trained Magi, so I must build my body up to make up the gap. He believes that since I'm a Homunculus I have a better chance at pulling this off than natural-born humans. While using modern weaponry gives you a great advantage, it'll mean next to nothing if the Magus is able to outsmart and overpower you.

"Most Magi of long lineages don't find it convenient in using modern technology and just see it as a waste of time. Their pride doesn't allow them to understand, it is a blind spot you can exploit in a fight. However, simply knowing that wouldn't be enough." Kiritsugu states. "Magi are tricky creatures and can easily manipulate the battle to their favor. In the end, information is key to winning the battle. Knowing their strengths and weaknesses will give you a better chance at success."

Kiritsugu taught me Close Quarters Combat(10) or CQC while Maiya taught me mathematics, mythology and history, geography as well as Portuguese, Mandarin, Arabic, Japanese, English, French, and Korean. She also taught me about the various weapon types and how to use and maintain them.

Needless to say, the duo were surprised by how fast I progressed. Kiritsugu commented that I was a sponge sucking up a bucket's worth of water and that it was frightening. Languages were easy for me since I knew English and Spanish and I was taking college-level maths before my death. He surmises that this is due to how Jubstacheit designed me as the perfect guardian and I kind of agree with him. My senses are much sharper than normal and I can remember things far more easily than in my past life. Not only that, but my strength is almost superhuman since I can run faster than an olympic athlete and can lift things that are 3 times my size.

Frightening indeed.

It was also during this time that I became closer to both Irisviel and Illya. In between my training, Iri would invite me to watch Illya's training and I was able to get a first-hand look of Einzbern's signature magecraft: Transmutation(11). This magecraft involves "the creation and forging of matter" and "flow and transfer of power" which is the attribute that the Einzberns are (in)famous for. This is the attribute that makes the Einzberns perfectly suited to craft the Lesser Grail(12), a vessel that would take in the energy of fallen Servants and use it to funnel the ritual that would call forth the Greater Grail(13) to this plane of existence. It's similar to the Philosopher's Stone from Fullmetal Alchemist as they're both powered by human souls and made for the purpose of "cheating" the system.

She teaches Illya how to pass Magical Energy(14) into inanimate objects and demonstrates this by taking a handful of metal wires and transmuting them into blades, then birds and finally wolves. An original application of the Einzbern magecraft that can be used for combat, which fits her role as the protector of the Lesser Grail.

Seeing Irisviel use the metal wires reminded me of Walter's Monofilament Wires from Hellsing Ultimate and I thought about getting a similar weapon. I asked Irisviel if I could use wires as a weapon and she explained that while it was possible it was extremely difficult. Regardless, I still wanted to learn so she just told me to ask Maiya since she may know a thing or two about wires.

And boy did she know.

The first thing she did was wear a set of special fingerless gloves before a series of ultra-thin, bluish wires seemingly flowed out of her fingertips and hung freely in the air.

"Controlling wires is the same as controlling your fingers, they respond to the electrical messages from the brain. They respond to every twitch, every contraction, and if you are not careful." One of the wires suddenly shoots forward, cutting a bit of my cheek and slices apart a nearby pile of snow.

"!?" I tap my cheek and look to find blood on my fingers.

"... precise control over your own muscles is a must. You cannot waste any unnecessary movements, the wires are the greatest and worst weapon of an assassin. Mistress Irisviel circumvents this with her magecraft as you already know." Maiya whips her arms in a fluid motion and wires latch onto a knife and bring it to her.

"How are you able to cut and grab things with them like that?" I asked.

"There are 'control points' embedded into the wires, it's what allows me to shift their weight so that I can cut as well as defend. Using the wires to grab or latch onto something requires years of training, but it helps when trying to shorten the distance between yourself and an enemy." Maiya answers.

"So cool…" My eyes are practically sparkling with excitement. "Please teach me, Auntie Maiya!"

"As you wish, lord Theo." Maiya says robotically but I was still able to spot the ebbings of a smile on her face.

From there, Maiya teaches me everything she knows on how to fight with wires. It took some time, but I quickly mastered them.

As I wandered the compound, I found a particular item in the shed: a white BMW 850CSi. At first I wasn't sure why such a thing was here until Irisviel popped out from being and asked if I wanted a quick ride and then immediately paled.

Kiritsugu was the one who taught Irisviel how to drive, of course he would have a car somewhere in the compound, it only made sense (and I will admit he has good taste in cars). Yet I would not get in that car for the fact that Irisviel is a daredevil behind the wheel, driving in a haphazard way because she doesn't understand traffic laws and treats a car like a toy. Hell, not even street racers are this reckless!

I tried to run but the woman trapped me in a bear hug before shoving me into the front seat along with herself then starting the engine.

Next thing I knew, I was throwing up my lunch and Irisviel frantically bowed in apology.

For six months, my life as an Einzbern has been relatively peaceful. But all good things must come to an end.

I couldn't sleep.

Sleep, for some reason, didn't come to me.

I stare blankly at the spacious ceiling above me, dark with only the moonlight and a sleeping Illya beside me as company.

Without anything better to do, I mentally open my status screen.

Name: Theodore von Einzbern

Title: Scheitern der Einzbern, Magus Killer's Apprentice

Level: 1

HP: 50

SP: 70

Knowledge: 5 (Erudite)

Charm: 3 (Suave)

Kindness: 2 (Considerate)

Guts: 3 (Staunch)

Proficiency: 4 (Masterful)

Money: ¥8,258,089

[Scheitern der Einzbern(15) - The False Inheritor of the Holy Maiden]

You are the black sheep of the Einzbern family, a failure that couldn't manifest a Magic Circuit during development and was immediately deemed a failure to be disposed of, yet survived. As a result, your existence is seen as an embarrassment and is scorned by Jubstacheit von Einzbern, who desires nothing more than your demise.

All homunculi outside of your circle will be more hostile toward you.

Damage dealt to Juzteaze-model homunculi is lowered by 20%.

[Magus Killer's Apprentice - One who carries the burden of a Dream]

You are the apprentice of Kiritsugu Emiya, the Magus Killer, the boogeyman of the Moonlit World. You have been taught how to use tactics and modern weaponry to fight magi, and have the uncanny ability to conceal your presence, but your tracking still needs work.

Double Damage when fighting mages.

Grants skill [Presence Concealment: D]

[Presence Concealment(16): D]

Suitable for spying, but Servants will still be able to detect you.

Thanks to Maiya and Kiritsugu's training, my [Proficiency] has shot through the roof. Not only for acing the firing range, but also repairing and cleaning said firearms, something that Maiya hammered the importance of when on the field for long periods of time.

My [Guts] came from the times I took initiative in my hand-to-hand combat training and getting semi-praise for it from Kiritsugu. It also came from reading books to Illya that I took from the golem's study. She didn't understand most of the books but she didn't complain.

My [Charm] and [Kindness] barely changed. The Einzberns didn't have any books that revolved around romance or kindness, and while there is a garden, only a special set of homunculi are allowed to tend to the plants and they use magecraft to do that (which I don't have). The only reason my [Kindness] is at two is because I gave Illya one of my cookies and head pat causing a pair of cat ears to pop out of her head.

… I am dead fucking serious.

I close the screen and let out a tired sigh. I turn to my left where my bedmate is peacefully resting. She is so cute, she has to be the cutest little (big) sister a guy can ask for. And I won't deny that it was easier for me to see her as family than Kiritsugu and Irisviel, but I suppose that makes sense, in retrospect. I mean, Illya was my favorite girl in Fate/Stay Night. Rin, Saber and Sakura are cute sure, but Illya was my favorite. Shame her route was cut.

This doesn't make me a lolicon, I swear!

I trace my fingers across her soft silver locks causing her to stir awake.

"Theo…?" The adorable snow fairy tiredly looks at me.

"Sorry, did I wake you?" I ask in an apologetic tone but Illya shakes her head.

"No. Can you keep going?" Illya asks and I continue stroking her hair and I could have sworn I heard Illya purr. "Your hand is so hard and warm."

I felt my face heat up when hearing those words. Did she not hear what she said!? Granted, she's a kid but I'm a grown ass man. Her words can easily be misinterpreted!

Just then, the sound of multiple footsteps knocked me out of my inner turmoil. I pull myself up and turn to see shadows passing the door.

'That's odd. The servants aren't active at this hour.' I note as I hop off the bed.

I reach for the door and turn the doorknob. I peek out and set two maids carrying something before disappearing in a corner.

Illya rises from her spot and watches her little brother put on his slippers. "What's wrong…?"

"... something's happening." I answered. "I'll go check it out. You stay here."

"No way. I'm coming with you." Illya refutes. "I can't let my little brother go alone. What kind of big sister would I be if I let something bad happen to you?"

My brows furrowed for a moment but let out a sigh. "Alright. But stay close to me and don't make a sound."

"Yay!" Illya claps joyfully before realizing her mistake and gets flustered as a result.

A thin line on my face moves slightly upwards. She's just too cute!

However as they leave the safety of their room, neither of them notice the weird bruise forming on Illya's hand.

We walk down the empty halls of the empty castle as quietly as possible to not alert the homunculi patrolling the floors. It's genuinely eerie how quiet the castle is, almost abandoned even despite the people living here.

Illya grabs my shirt tight and hugs my back. "Theo, I'm scared."

"We'll be fine, just stay close to me." I see a couple of shadows in the distance and a homunculus maid appears from the corridor.

"T-Theo!" Illya squeaks.

The maid turns to the direction of the sound only to find an empty hallway with nothing on it.

"..." The maid stares for a couple of seconds before promptly turning to the opposite direction and walking away. However as she leaves, something slowly creeps from the nearby base.

"Good, she didn't see us." I whisper as Illya and I pull ourselves out of our hiding place.

"That was close." Illya whispers back.

"It looks like she came from that door over there." We walk down the corridor as our footsteps get louder and louder. We reach the end of the hall and enter what looks to be a chapel. "Looks like we're in another section of the castle."

I feel something pulling my shirt and turn to Illya who points forward. I look up and see Kiritsugu inscribing something on the altar along with Irisviel and Jubstacheit. We hide behind a nearby bleacher and poke our heads out to see what's going on.

'What are they doing over there?' I thought before getting hit with a stark realization. Oh fuck!

How could I have been such a fool!? I was so distracted by this quasi-family lifestyle that I forgot that this was still Fate/Zero! And tonight is the night Kiritsugu summons his Servant! Truly, I am an idiot.

"Theo, what does fuck mean?" Illya's innocent question froze me in place.

I said that outloud, didn't I?

"Ask dad." I replied.

"Okay."

I glance at the box in Iri's hands and am instantly attracted to the familiar artifact within it. The anime did not do Avalon justice. You can think of the most beautiful object you've ever laid eyes upon in your life and it will never measure up to Avalon exquisite craftsmanship. It sticks out from everything else in the room as if demanding to be witnessed by everyone.

An object crafted by inhuman hands, it embodies everything humanity will never be; existing in a realm forever out of our reach.

"What are papa and mama doing with grandpa? And why is mama holding that scabbard?" Illya asks before putting my index finger between my lips to silence her.

"Shhh!" I slowly look up from the corner trying to hear their conversation.

"Is a simple ritual like that enough to summon a Heroic Spirit?" Irisviel curiously asks her husband.

"Surprisingly, yes." Kiritsugu finishes the preparations of his magic circle. The magic circle itself is elaborate in its appearance, using silver dust to create it.

"The Holy Grail uses the Magical Energy of that land to power the summoning process. A Master's only role is to anchor the Heroic Spirit to this world and give it enough Magical Energy to take physical form." Jubstacheit glances at the scabbard in its box. "Given how perfectly connected the catalyst is connected to its owner, the Heroic Spirit we are after will surely answer our call."

Kiritsugu gives one last look at the summoning circle. "This should be good." He stands up and turns to his wife. "Iri, place the relic in the altar. Our preparations will then be complete."

"Here we go." I whisper as Iri takes Avalon and places it in the middle of the circle. I may not show it, but I am absolutely excited! I get to see a Servant being summoned in REAL LIFE! With magic and everything!

"Let silver and steel be the essence.

Let stone and the archduke of contracts be the foundation

Let Gold be the color I pay tribute to

Let rise a wall against the wind that shall fall

Let the four cardinal gates close.

Let the three-forked road from the crown reaching unto the Kingdom rotate."

Illya winces and feels a burning sensation in her left hand. She lifts her hand and her eyes widen. "Theo..."

"Not now Illya! I don't wanna miss a single moment of this!" I exclaim.

"I hereby declare.

Your body shall serve under me.

My fate shall be your sword.

Submit to the beckoning of the Holy Grail

If you will submit to this will and this reason...Then answer!

An oath shall be sworn here!

I shall attain all virtues of all of Heaven.

I shall have dominion over all evils of all of Hell!"

As Kiritsugu chants, the summoning circle begins to glow brightly followed by an intense pressure of wind. Irisveil raises her arms to her face to protect herself from the intense wind while Jubstacheit stares at the process.

"Theo..." Illya stares at her hand as the bruise begins to take shape.

"From the Seventh Heaven, attended to by three greet words of power,

Come forth from the ring of restraints,

Protector of the Holy Balance!"

"THEO!" Illya screams.

"What!?" I rounded on Illya in annoyance but it quickly changes to surprise as her left hand glows red.

"Oh no."

At same time, the summoning circle begins to shake violently and a flash of light envelops everyone in the chapel. The light quickly fades as everyone's eyesight recovers from the light.

"What...?" Was all Kiritsugu can say for he is absolutely shocked at what he is seeing.

Iri gasps in surprise.

"Impossible." Jubstacheit said.

Standing on the summoning circle is not one Servant, but two.

The first Servant is a young woman with blonde hair tied into a bun at the back of her head and a stray Ahoge jutting from her head. She is wearing shining armor with an old styled dress, made from old-fashioned blue cloth, underneath.

Next to her is a young woman with short lilac hair, lavender eyes and fair skin. She is wearing skin-tight dark purple armor that resembles an extremely short mini-dress that leaves very little to the imagination that shows off her supermodel figure and D-cup breasts as well as black gauntlets and boots and a garter on her right thigh.

"I ask you..." The blue Servant began.

""Are you my Master?"" The two Servants said at the same time. The two blink in surprise before turning to each other. The two immediately jump back, the blue Servant summons an invisible weapon and the other a black cross-shaped shield that is way taller than her.

"Master, get behind me!" The blue Servant says only for her eyes to widen at the sight of the giant shield. "Is that…?"

"Do not try to fight here, you fools." Jubastacheit glances at the married couple. "Order your familiars to stand down at once."

"What the hell is going on?" Kiritsugu says to himself.

*THUD!*

The adults turn towards the sudden noise and see one of the bleachers has tipped over. The Magus Killer slowly walks down from the altar and takes out a combat knife and rushes forward and nearly kills the intruder, only to stop midway as he sees who it is.

"Um, hello." I said nervously as Kiritsugu held a knife close to my neck.

"D-Daddy?" Illya stutters, her body frozen at the sight of her father ready to kill her.

Kiritsugu stares at the two kids and notices the red marks on Illya's hand... and is absolutely mortified.

"No…" He whispers. "Not you…"

"Kiri!" Irisviel calls out and sees us.

Shoot, I gotta come up with an excuse quickly!

"Oh no, you found us!" The father and daughter turned to me, "I thought this place would be the perfect hiding place but it looks like you still found us in the end." This got the two confused. "You always make such a scary face when we play old man and I always fall for it!"

Kiritsugu realizes what his son is doing and plays along. "Yeah I... sorry about that. I can come off as a bit scary." He sheaths his knife back into his coat and looks at Illya. "I hope I didn't scare you."

Illya frantically shakes her head. "N-No, I wasn't scared! Big girls don't get scared!"

"What are you children doing up so late?" Iri asks us.

"Uhh... playing hide and seek?" I said innocently.

Iri just gives me a look, she's obviously not buying it.

"Iri... we have a problem." Kiritsugu raises her daughter's hand, revealing her Command Seals to his wife.

Irisviel gasps, raises her hands up to her face. "No..."

I let out a sigh... things have become a lot more complicated.

Mash POV

'What is going on? How did I get here?' Those are the questions that keep repeating in my head.

The last thing I remember is protecting Senpai from Goetia's Noble Phantasm. I felt my entire body burning from just being in close proximity to the blast alone. And even though the pain was unreal, I stood my ground and protected Senpai with everything I had.

And then... darkness.

I was floating in endless darkness, surrounded by a sea of lights. It was beautiful and peaceful. I felt like I could float there for eternity, yet there was one thing I couldn't let go.

'Senpai...'

What happened after the attack? Did he survive? Did he manage to defeat Solomon?

Did... did he fail?

My heart beats faster as I feel a lump in my throat. 'No! He had to survive, he had to!' I try to deny these thoughts. Deny them the opportunity to take root in my soul. My Master has fought through seven Singularities across time and space, enduring tragedy after tragedy, sacrificing his own life just so that humanity may have a future!

I refuse to accept that he failed!

I want to see Senpai again! I still need to tell him... how I feel.

I felt a sudden pull in my soul and the next thing I knew I was standing on top of a summoning circle as information of the current era was downloaded to my mind. I look at the man in front of me who is identical to Assassin but this one is human. From the information that was downloaded, I was summoned in the late 20th century in order to take part in the Fourth Holy Grail War. The Holy Grail War; a ritual in which seven Magi summoned Heroic Spirits in a battle royale for the chance to win the Holy Grail. The only question right now is why was I summoned here.

For now, I need to keep calm and play my role.

""I ask you, are you my Master?"" I realized there was another voice as well and looked to my right to see Artoria Pendragon standing next to me. Unlike the Lion King, this one is shorter and much younger than her older self yet it doesn't change the familiar presence she emits. I can feel the person in front of us giving Artoria his Mana which means he is her Master. My Master should be nearby as well, but I don't see them anywhere.

I can feel her glare and quickly jump back as Artoria does the same and summons Excalibur in its invisible form, meaning that Artoria was summoned as a Saber-class Servant.

"Master, get behind me!" Saber quickly stands in front of her Master ready to fight me, but her stance falters slightly when she glimpses at my – Sir Galahad's – shield. "Is that…?"

"Do not try to fight here, you fools."The old man says and looks at the two mages. "Order your familiars to stand down at once."

"What the hell is going on?" The EMIYA doppelganger said in shock.

*THUD!*

I look up to see one of the chairs has fallen to the floor. Artoria's Master slowly makes his way towards it with a combat knife in hand. He raises his knife ready to attack but stops in his tracks with a shocked look on his face. He then puts the knife away and bends down before straightening up with a little girl who looks remarkably like Sitonai in his arms along with a boy who looks identical to Saber's Master but has the girl's eyes and hair color.

He seems... familiar for some reason.

I look on as Irisviel runs towards them while I dismiss my shield. She always did go on about how much she loves her family and how that didn't change even after becoming the Holy Grail. It makes me happy to see her so happy.

"It seems your Master is the daughter of my Master. This will certainly complicate things." Artoria suddenly said.

She is right. I can feel our bond, she is without a doubt my Master. And her father is also a Master. The Holy Grail War doesn't hold prejudice to who is participating or what their relationship is as long as a victor is decided. Still, I would prefer if they never had to fight; families should not fight each other.

"Maybe, but I believe your Master wouldn't dare to hurt his own daughter." I said.

Artoria observes her Master's interactions with his family and closes her eyes. "Yes, you are right."

The family walks back to the altar and turns to us. Illya and the boy were staring at me the entire time, one with curiosity and the other... apprehension? Did this boy know me? No, that can't be right.

"Miss, are you a Servant?" The boy asks me with notable excitement.

"Yes, I will be your sister's Servant for the foreseeable future." I told him and his smile grew wider.

Illya stares at me. "Servant... Mine? Really? Only mine?"

I nod and smile, seeing the little girl's reaction. Her eyes were shining with joy and excitement.

"Wooooow!" Her smile was just adorable. "I have a Servant, daddy!"

"Yes Illya, you do." Her father acknowledged though that only served to frustrate him even further.

"Wait, does this mean she will do whatever I say?" Illya asks.

Oh boy. "Well, yes but-"

"Aaahh! That's great!" She jumps from her father's hands and looks straight at me. "You're so pretty."

I blink at the remark before smiling. "Thank you. I also think you're pretty."

"Ehehehe!" Illya giggles.

"Despite the unexpected development, the summoning of the King of Knights has been successful." The old man said robotically. "Now, we must discuss what needs to be done."

"Understood." Artoria's Master replies instantly.

He focuses his attention on my Master and narrows his eyes before walking out of the chapel. He seemed... irritated somehow.

"Come on you two, it's time to go to sleep. We can talk tomorrow." Irisviel picks up her two children.

"But what about my Servant?" Illya asks in a really cute, worried voice. "Will she still be here when I get up?"

"Of course, Master. I will be here when you wake up." I assured her.

"You promise?"

"I promise."

Illya smiles before it quickly drops and turns to her father. "Papa, can I ask you something?"

"Anything princess." Kiritsugu said.

"What does fuck mean?" She innocently asks and a record scratch is heard.

Irisviel faints on the spot.

"M-Master! Y-You shouldn't say something like that!" Mashu exclaims in shock while Artoria nods in agreement.

But no one's reaction was more apparent than Kiritsugu.

"Where did you hear that word?" Kiritsugu asks, his tone eerily calm and devoid of the emotion he portrayed barely a minute ago.

"Theo said it!" Illya innocently chirped.

Immediately everyone's heads turn to my direction and I can only laugh nervously at their intense stares.

"Hehehe…" I fidget a little before quickly pointing behind them. "Look, it's Merlin!" I spin the opposite way and make a run for it. "Nigerundayo!(18)"

"Get back here!" Kiritsugu yells and everyone gives chase.

1. A series of that were given a more stable form in order to act as an archive of capability, passed down from head to heir. The older the crest, the greater the number of Magic Circuits forming the Magic Crest, and the greater the amount of knowledge stored inside it.

2. The head of the Einzbern family at the founding of the Fuyuki Holy Grail War. Created around 900 years after the production of homunculi to replicate the Magician of the Third Magic began, she was a mutation that her creators didn't foresee, with abilities greater than their master. She devised the Heaven's Feel ritual 200 years ago along with Naoto Tohsaka, Makiri Zolgen (later Zouken Matou), and Kischur Zelretch Schweinorg, allowing herself to be crushed via a large and heavy magical pillar and her blood flowed around the ground as the key to reenacting the ancient sorcery.

3. Also known as the Swirl of the Root, the Akashic Records, or just the Root. A metaphysical location that acts as the "force" that exists on the top of all theories in every dimension. It exists outside time and probability, it archives all possibilities and events, past, present, and future, of the world. It is the place from where all souls, including Heroic Spirits recorded on the Throne of Heroes, originate from and eventually return to upon death.

4. A systematic, step-by-step process scientists use to objectively ask questions, gather and analyze evidence, and reach conclusions about the natural world. This iterative process of testing and refining helps eliminate bias and builds reliable, evidence-based knowledge.

5. The source of all supernatural phenomena such as magecraft or ESP, and beings such as True Ancestors, Dead Apostles, Servants, Spirits, as well as Phantasmal Species show signs of Mystery. Mystery accumulates over time and grows stronger with age.

6. The collective unconsciousness of mankind and the drive for its survival as a whole. Alaya constantly steers mankind away from extinction. They interfere indirectly by guiding and empowering individuals to eliminate a threat. They have relevance to magi, as those close to reaching the Root are deemed a threat, and as such magi go to extreme lengths to avoid or hide from them.

7. Also referred to as the Common Sense of Man, it's the core principle on which Alaya operates for the building of the . Essentially, it is the principle that "humanity must exist for as long as possible". Parallel Worlds in which humanity has destroyed itself or advanced too quickly and therefore stopped progressing are, following this principle, culled, allowing for only the most promising Parallel Worlds to survive in order to ensure the future of mankind.

8. Also know as the Protectors of Balance, a classification of Heroic Spirits made up of heroes who are not worshipped, utilized as a mindless Counter Force. The Counter Force empowers a "normal person" in life to remove the factor that can trigger destruction, eventually causing them to be worshipped as heroes. Those who become heroes in such a manner are then used as Counter Guardians, the "Counter" emphasized because they act with no autonomy of their own and only appear in response to an event.[

9. A type of item that grants different abilities to Personas that they may not normally learn on their own.

10. A combat engagement that happens in confined spaces at extremely close range, blending firearms and tactical movement with principles of surprise, speed, and violence of action to neutralize threats rapidly. Used by the military, law enforcement, and special operations.

11. A field in which the Einzbern truly specialize in, to do things like manipulating the configuration of noble metals.

12. A magical construct designed to enable the descent of the Greater Holy Grail of Fuyuki in the Fuyuki Holy Grail War. The Lesser Grail used to be a literal cup up until the 3rd War where it was nearly stolen and damaged; for that reason, it had to be made as something that could manage and protect itself. Irisviel von Einzbern was created by the Einzbern family to be the physical embodiment of the Lesser Grail, Illyasviel von Einzbern's heart serves as the Lesser Grail.

13. A gateway linked to the Akasha and the ultimate prize for the Fuyuki Holy Grail War, and is in essence, a wishing machine. Known as the core world, the Grail of Heaven, the core of the Grail was formed by Justeaze Lizrich von Einzbern, who continues to remain at its center. The magic circle of the Greater Grail is inscribed upon the Spiritual Land managed by the Tohsaka family in Fuyuki City. Located in the great cave underneath the Ryuudou Temple on Mount Enzou, it consists of a series of seals carved around above 50 meters of bare rock.

14. A source of energy found naturally within magi and the Earth, acting as the source to actualize the Mysteries of magecraft, it's the source that powers all forms of magecraft.

15. Translates to "Failure of the Einzbern"

16. The ability to hide one's presence.

17. Jojo!

Author Notes

Second revamp done. Hope you enjoy it!

Peace~

Chapter Text

Disclaimer: I own nothing, just the oc. Support the official release.

I stare blankly at the ceiling as moonlight softly illuminates the room, my mind playing back what happened a while ago.

'Mash Kyrielight… to think she would be summoned here by Illya of all people.' It was quite the bizarre turn of events, especially when you consider that Shielder-class Servants are a non-standard class and have a very unorthodox method of summoning.

'If she's here, then that means she reached the final Singularity, took the full blast of Goetia's Noble Phantasm… and died.' I grimaced at the memory of that monstrosity. Goetia was a god in all but name. It was powerful, immortal, and had Clairvoyance(1). He was using the energy from the 7 Singularities in order to travel back in time to the formation of the world, allowing him to change its fundamental laws in a way that would remove the concept of death from existence. He then converged all of that energy and fired it at Ritsuka only for Mash to stand between her Master and the blast, protecting the person she loved at the cost of her own life.

That devotion and self-sacrifice would move just about anyone; it even made me cry.

'She has definitely earned her place in the Throne of Heroes(2).' It only made sense. After the things she's seen, the struggles she's endured, the adventures she's had, there is no way this wonderful person wasn't already seen as a true hero.

… and it has nothing to do with the fact that she's cute and sexy. I swear!

I turn to my right to the seemingly still Illya whose back was turned. "Hey Illya, are you asleep?"

Instead of a verbal reply, Illya's head snaps to face me, a wide smile plastered on her face as her ruby eyes glow with excitement.

"Nope!" She says, making the p pop. "I'm so excited I don't even feel-" But before she can finish, she immediately falls asleep.

I smile as I gently stroke her hair. Illya is so cute, so innocent. And this war will take it all away. First, her parents, then her body, and finally her soul. Jubstacheit will turn her into the ultimate Master at the cost of her humanity, making her resent her father for adopting another kid and then binding her to a powerful Servant that will cause her unimaginable pain whenever he moves.

She doesn't deserve that fate; nobody does.

I slowly and gently wrap my arms around Illya's small form and pull her closer to me.

"I'll keep you safe. No matter what happens, I'll be there for you." I swore under my breath.

Your [Kindness] has increased!

I feel Illya gripping tightly to my back, hugging me like a lifeline.

'I won't let them have you. As long as I'm here, you'll live the life you deserve.' I swore before drowsiness finally set in and I finally fell asleep.

Meanwhile

In another part of the Einzbern Castle is a room with a long conference table. The room itself is dimly lit, with only the moonlight and the crackling sounds of the fireplace as constant company.

On the conference table sits Jubstacheit at the end with Kiritsugu and Irisviel sitting on opposite sides. Saber stands on one side with her Master while Mashu stands with Irisviel.

Saber's eyes are locked solely at the only other Servant in the room, sensing the familiar power of one of her knights inside her. 'She has Galahad within her, but at the same time she isn't him. Just who is this girl?'

"This is... problematic." Kiritsugu states the obvious. "With two Servants on our side we have a great advantage over the other Masters. But Illya is too young to participate. The risk is too great."

"The best course of action would be removing the Command Seals and passing them to a better prepared Magus." Jubstacheit ignores the very menacing gaze Saber and Shielder are giving him and continues. "But it is impossible in her case since that would require ripping out her Magic Circuits. She must go to Japan, there is no other option."

"It would be great to go there together." Irisveil said hesitantly. "We'll be much safer if we all stayed in the castle, right?"

"Not really." Kiritsugu said bluntly. "It would make us an easier target and if the enemy finds out Illya is a Master, they will definitely target her first, assuming that she's our greatest weakness." He glances at the other Servant in the room while saying this. "We must keep her status as a Master a secret for as long as possible. It must be guarded well like her Servant's True Name. Revealing it is like asking an enemy to kill them."

The old golem silently agreed with his ward's logic while Irisviel and Mash looked conflicted. Saber meanwhile maintains her stoic demeanor. As much as she wanted to argue against this dishonorable approach, she knew that as a Servant she had no free will and was only a tool for her Master.

Kiritsugu's eyes quickly locked onto the Servant his daughter summoned. Shielder, the Servant of the Shield(3). A pretty self-explanatory class. A Servant that relies solely on its defensive power rather than offensive. Good for taking damage but not so good at dishing it back.

"A Servant with a class outside of the standard 7 is unprecedented. It will cause problems." Jubstacheit states, though the hitman notes a hidden meaning behind his words.

"Elder, I have a question." Kiritsugu's voice brought the magus head's attention. "How is it possible that an unknown Servant has been summoned here spontaneously? Is it because we're in her homeland?"

"No. There is no legend in this country that matches her description and we do not have a relic for her either." The old Einzbern head admits this. "Her parameters also show that she is useless on the battlefield. She will be a good support for Saber, and nothing more."

The Servant of the Shield frowned at the blunt comment but remained silent. You can't really gauge a Servant through logistics and data. Her time in Chaldea and fighting in the Singularities proved that much.

In her experience in Chaldea and with Senpai, one's legend and parameters never makes you useless. She had remembered the countless times her Master has proven time and time again of those facts back when facing against the Singularities. Not just her but to the other Servants as well. It's how he was able to gain so much respect from them.

Hearing such a blunt remark from the head of the Einzbern Family made her want to protest but she wisely remained silent. She didn't need to make her current situation complicated as it already is.

"Shielder should act under your command, Kiritsugu Emiya, but not openly." Jubstacheit gets back on topic. "Her Master will stay in another hideout."

"But Grand-" Irisveil tries to interject but a single hand stops her from speaking further.

"I ordered to speed up the manufacturing of her assistants." It is clear that the old head was not going to back down. "Illyasveil will receive a bodyguard and a teacher to increase her magical knowledge. The safehouse will be well protected and none of you are allowed to visit it, so as to not alert any enemy Masters. You will be separated at the airport in Fuyuki and by no means will you attempt to contact her. Am I clear?"

Irisviel looks down, her long hair hiding her expression but not her voice. "Yes, grandfather…"

Saber is internally conflicted by the decision but doesn't show it outwardly.

"..." Kiritsugu glances at his wife before closing his eyes, reluctantly agreeing with the elder's decision.

Mash however can't help but show surprise by the Elder's heartless decision. Irisviel is visibly devastated while her husband keeps a blank expression. He doesn't even try to speak up or console his wife. While she can understand the family head's logic, her more human side is telling her that this is wrong. Very wrong. Is this how a magus family usually operates?

'What would you do if you were in my place, senpai?' Mashu prayed but there was no answer.

"We cannot let the other Masters know of Illya's existence. Should they find out, they will stop at nothing to kill her." Kiritsugu states which made Irisviel jolt.

Jubstacheit nods. "Indeed, there is always a risk. But it is a risk we must take to achieve victory."

"Then it would be better for both Servants to stay with Iri." Kiritsugu suggests.

"So she will be targeted by everyone? They may even form an alliance to eliminate her." Jubstacheit argues.

"But I will be well protected by our two amazing knights." Irisviel smiles at them gently. Mashu blushes at the motherly smile and Saber smiles a little in return. "I will probably be the safest person on Earth."

Kiritsugu, however, turns to the old man. "So we will go with the first plan and then join forces if it fails."

Irisviel's smile thins, Saber's blonde brow twitched at her Master's stubbornness while Shielder notes something.

"If I may say something..." Her soft voice eases the tense atmosphere. "But what do you plan to do with the boy? Shouldn't he be a part of this as well?" So far, no one has mentioned the boy's name in this meeting. It was like he was a mere afterthought to them.

Jubstacheit huffs. "What about it? It is nothing more than a failed experiment that should have perished a long time ago. Give him away to an orphanage, use it as a meat shield, it makes no difference in the end."

Mashu is appalled. How can someone be so... so... so cruel!? And to his own family no less!? Does he have no remorse at all!?

"If I may," Saber began, breaking Shielder out of her thoughts. "I believe that the boy should stay with Illyasviel." She sees no signs of approval and continues. "I will respect your decision, but Illyasviel is clearly attached to the boy." She thinks of the right words to say. "It would be… problematic if her trust in you is fractured at such a critical time."

"Kiritsugu?" Irisviel looked at her husband with hope. She evidently agreed with Saber in this matter and was happy that the Servant showed some empathy.

"Yes, that would be wise." Magus Killer agrees with a detached tone.

Saber glares at her Master but nods. She doesn't trust him, not at all. There is something about him that doesn't sit well with her.

"Good." Jubastacheit stood up, their council was over. "Your departure will be delayed, but I won't let you go until we finish the preparations. Spend your remaining time wisely."

It was not a suggestion, but clearly an order. They all bowed before the master of the castle, accepting it.

Actually, they had no other choice.

I yawn as my eyes slowly adjust to the light. After a second of adjustment, the first thing I see are a pair of ruby eyes staring back at me.

"Morning sis…" I groaned.

"Good morning, little brother~" Illya sang.

"How long have you been up?"

"Not long. But your sleeping face is so cute I couldn't help but play with it for a bit."

'That would explain why my face feels sore right now.' I said as I massage my reddened cheeks.

Suddenly, the door bursts open and a smiling Irisviel jumps in.

"GOOD MORNING!"

"MAMA!" Illya jumps out of bed, puts on her bear slippers, and hugs Irisviel. All in less than a second.

'... what the hell just happened?' I asked, clearly dumbstruck.

Irisviel looks up and raises her arm towards me. "Come here. Mama wishes to give you her love, too."

A light smile forms as I get off the bed and walk towards Irisviel, who immediately traps me in her embrace the moment I'm in arm's reach. I feel her body vibrate as she firmly smothers us with her large breasts, letting sounds equivalent to a cat purring.

"Ah~ Fully charged!" Iri happily chirps and lets us go. "Now, why don't you two get yourselves freshen up? We're having chocolate-chip pancakes today."

"*Gasp!* Chocolate-chip!?" Illya grabs my wrist and she charges towards the bathroom.

"H-Hey! Slow down!" I wince but Illya continues nonetheless.

Irisviel giggles at the sight but it carries a hidden sadness. Her children get along so well. They're so happy. Which is why it hurts her more that she knows this may be the last time she'll ever see them like this.

'I want to give them the best day ever. I want us to spend today as a happy family. If I can manage that, I can go without regrets.' Irisviel thought somberly.

"I'm so high up!" Illya shouts, excited and happy, as she raises her arms above her head.

Kiritsugu smiles as her daughter sits on his shoulder while holding me with one hand. Today, we're playing outside the castle hunting for walnut buds. I never understood Illya's fascination with walnut buds and just put it off as a little contest Kiritsugu and Illya came up with to pass the time.

Illya always asked me to play with her, but I always refused because I didn't want to ruin their special time and Kiritsugu was still a neglectful parent. But if today really was going to be our last day as a loving family, then I'll comply with Illya's request like a good sibling.

Kiritsugu's even holding my hand, which is even more surprising.

"Look Illya! There's one over there!" I walk towards it and pick it up.

"Letmesee! Letmesee!" Kiritsugu puts Illya down and checks out the walnut in my hands. "Wow, it's so big!"

"I know! It's as big as a baseball!" I gave the walnut to her. "Here, you can have it."

"Really!? Thank you!" Illya sparkles as she turns and waves the walnut at Kiritsugu. "Look papa look! I'm on a roll!"

Kiritsugu chuckles. "Yes, you are." He then pats her daughter's head.

"Hehehe~" Illya giggles at the show of affection.

We continue our walk around the compound, picking up various walnuts of all sizes as we go.

You know, I thought this was gonna be boring at first, but now it's grown on me.

Suddenly, Kiritsugu stops and kneels in front of his daughter, his hand still wrapped around mine.

"Listen Illya," Kiritsugu began, his tone slightly serious. "What do you think of your Servant?"

"Hm?" Illya looks at her father for a moment. "She's strong and very pretty!" She says before quickly adding. "Just like yours!"

Kiritsugu didn't react to her daughter's words, instead letting them pass by. "What can you tell me about her?"

"Well, she can act serious but she is actually really shy. She has a massive shield and is a bit of an airhead." Illya replied.

"That's not what I meant." Kiritsugu keeps his voice measured. "What can you tell me about her strengths? Her Noble Phantasm?"

I roll my eyes. Of course he would try to dig up information about Mash. Kiritsugu is someone who doesn't like to be in the dark. Information is power after all, especially in a Holy Grail War. However, it feels wrong that he's using his daughter for something like that. To him, Servants are nothing but tools; blunt instruments to enforce their summoner's wishes. And the fact that he knows next to nothing about Mash is definitely getting on his nerves.

'I wonder if Artoria has already figured out Mash's identity. That shield should have been a dead giveaway.' I ponder. Galahad was the son of one of her oldest and most trusted knights, someone with close ties to the Holy Grail; the cup of Christ not the magic ritual. Heck, the shield was part of the walls of Camelot before it became what it is now (or was it part of the Round Table? I seem to be a bit iffy on the details).

Maybe I'm just overthinking this, but there's no way Artoria didn't remember that certain knight.

Illya hesitates to answer, which Kiritsugu found strange.

"What's wrong, Illya?"

"You're a Master, I can't tell you," she explained simply. She must have realized that this is somehow against the rules of the Holy Grail War.

"But she won't be of any help if I don't know how to use her skills." Kiritsugu adds.

"Shielder is not a machine to be used. She will help you." The little girl smiled widely, like it was the most obvious thing in the world. "You need to ask her, that's all."

Kiritsugu sighs. "Illya, it's not that simple..."

"It is!" She was so sure about it. "Shielder can't refuse if you ask her for help."

"Why?"

"I don't know. But she can't. Oh, I found one, there!" She runs towards a walnut bud and picks it up.

Kiritsugu lets out a defeated sigh.

"She does have a point. Shielder will help you if you ask." The hardened assassin turns to Theo wearing a stoic expression. "She is a knight after all and Illya trusts her. Isn't that enough?"

"... it's not so simple." Kiritsugu mutters.

"Maybe. But it doesn't hurt to try right?" I said with a slight smile.

"..." Kiritsugu glances to his right, pondering the boy's words in silence.

"Papa?" His thoughts were interrupted by his daughter's innocent words. "Can we keep going?"

"Yes, yes, we keep going..." The snow creaked under his shoes, when he started walking again. "Tell me, what is the Noble Phantasm of your Servant?"

"Noble Phan...?" She bit her fingernail, thinking. "Oh, that thing only she can use?"

Kiritsugu nods. "Exactly."

"Hmm..." Illya thinks for a moment. "Her shield."

"Her shield?" That made sense. From what he saw, her shield is the only thing that stands out about her. He tries to recall some legends that may help, but couldn't remember anything useful enough and decides to do some research later.

"Grandfather said that if I wanted to win, I would need another surgery." Illya said, looking down in clear distress. "Do I need it in order to get stronger?"

I visibly flinch at the reminder. The "surgery" Illya is talking about are the modifications Jubstacheit von Einzbern performs on her body to further enhance her ability as a Master and Lesser Grail. With Illya now an official Master, the old golem may decide to accelerate these surgeries in order to increase Illya's performance as a magus, at the cost of shortening her lifespan to a greater degree than in canon.

During my six-month stay, Illya had only gone through the process a total of 25 times. And everytime she would come back to our shared room bloodied, her face blank and her eyes devoid of life before clinging onto me like a lifeline and crying herself to sleep.

It was hard watching her like this and there was nothing I could do without risking my secret. Even Kiritsugu and Irisviel's hands were tied, since they knew defying the bastard was almost certainly a death sentence.

I watched her suffer… and did NOTHING!

… I'm pathetic.

Kiritsugu feels pressure on his hand and looks down to see Theo clutching his hand with a vice grip, his eyes wide as he tries to hold back a sneer.

'I see you're angry too.' Kiritsugu comments before turning back to his daughter. "No you don't, Illya. You don't need another surgery. You're a powerful magus as is."

"But grandfather said-"

"I don't care what grandfather said." Kiritsugu interjected, louder and much more fiercely than he intended to. "You're strong enough, Illya. No more surgery."

"Yay!" She smiled with relief. "I don't like being cut. It hurts."

"You won't be, don't worry." Kiritsugu was so angry but decided to keep it in for now. Unlike his son, he is able to keep his emotions under control.

'This may be our last walk together, so I need to make it a happy one.' He glances at Theo who seems to have regained control. 'He needs to have more control over his emotions. I'll need to tell Maiya later.'

We kept walking through the winter forest until they lost sight of the castle. Then Kiritsugu chose a narrow path, which should lead them to the side entrance of the fortress.

"We're going back already?" Illya had nothing against this idea, it was cold enough and the snow started falling again, making her game impossible to continue. "How many walnut buds have you spotted?"

"Four."

"Ha, ha! I won this time!" She clapped her hands, truly happy. "I found six! I'm the champion of the Walnut Game!"

"I spotted eight." I said catching Illya by surprise.

"Whaaaaat!? How did you spot so many!?" Illya exclaims.

"I am just very observant. Better luck next time, sis." I said smugly. "All hail, prince Theodore. Champion of Walnuts!"

"All hail." Kiritsugu chuckles.

"Meanie!" Illya pouts. "I'll get you back next time." Her Command Seals begin to lightly glow.

"Remember Illya, do not use your Command Seals so callously. They are very precious, after all." Kiritsugu reminds her.

"I know. I won't need them anyway."

"Good." Emiya nodded, although he knew that it's not true. Her Command Spells were necessary to move forward with his new plan. At least one spell must remain in order for Shielder to commit suicide.

If everything goes as planned and their team reaches the final stage of this conflict, Kiritsugu will not risk losing or damaging his Saber at the very end of this dangerous, bloody path.

Mashu POV

I look through the window staring at the quiet night sky. It seems I have become a full Servant, my body seems to no longer require sleep and substance to survive. Irisviel has been a kind and great host to Saber and I as well as a good friend. Saber voices out how she and her Master were incompatible, which I can understand. She is a knight, he is an assassin. One upholds honor, the other does not. He will use any methods necessary to achieve victory. He could make Illya use a Command Seal and force me to commit suicide.

I sigh. "I am in a real pickle this time. What should I do?"

"Is something wrong?"

I jump before turning around and see the little boy from before.

"O-oh! You startled me!" I exclaim.

The boy shrugs. "I've been told that a lot. My old man says that I have a talent for masking my presence."

I can't help but be apprehensive of the boy. He feels... off. I know this boy doesn't exist in my timeline and yet why does it feel I've known him all my life?

"Beautiful night, isn't it?" He asked. So, what's your name, miss?"

"Oh! Um, my name is Mash Kyrielight." I told him before realizing my mistake. Dammit! I said my True Name out of instinct! I really screwed up big time.

"Mash. I like it, it's cute." The boy smiles. "My name is Theodore von Einzbern. But please, call me Theo."

"E-eh!?" Cute!? He thinks my name is cute? Only senpai ever said something like that to me.

"By the way, are you related to King Arthur by any chance?" Theo suddenly asks me.

I blink at the question. "What do you mean?" He can't possibly know my real connection to her, right?

Theo shakes his head. "It doesn't matter." He then moves to another topic. " So, what do you think of the castle? Has mom given you a tour yet?"

I nod. "Yes. Lady Irisviel has been kind enough to show both Saber and I around. It is massive, filled with so many different rooms and passages, but at the same time it is eerie and empty. Like no one has been here in a long time."

"I see." Theo hums. "And, what do you think of the old man?"

I think about it. My thoughts on Kiritsugu Emiya are very mixed. On one hand, he acts much like the Counter Guardian I remember, but on another hand he acts like a completely different person around his family. With Artoria though, there is clear tension between the two as if one cannot accept the other for what they've done.

"He cares for his family and is willing to do anything for them. However, Kiritsugu Emiya is the type of man who can disconnect himself from his emotions in order to efficiently fulfill his duty." I answered.

Theo nods. "That's true. No matter how you see it, Kiritsugu Emiya is a machine who sees no differentiation in sacrifice. To him, all life is equal and choosing the path leading to a smaller sacrifice is for the best. He hates the idea of fatal romanticism getting in the way of his work and believes such ideas and sentiment would kill him on the battlefield."

"But then... why have a family?" It boggles her mind how such a man like that can settle down and have children.

Theo shrugs. "He may be a machine, but he can't deny the fact that he is still human. A Human with a Heart made of Glass(3). He regrets the atrocities he's made, the lives he's taken but believes they are necessary for creating the utopia that he seeks. The love and admiration from his family is his lifeline and without it, he'd be a hollow shell; a ghost in the machine."

"You are... very insightful for someone your age." I slowly remark.

"It happens when you read a lot of books. The Einzbern library has a very large collection, you know." Theo said. "By the way, what is your wish for Grail if you don't mind me asking?"

I smile. "My wish isn't all that great, but it's something I'm willing to fight for." A memory of senpai's smile appears in my mind. "I want to be by his side again."

"Oh? Sounds like someone is in love~" Theo teased.

I blush. "I-I mean... well..."

"He must be someone extraordinary to capture a knight's heart." Theo remarks.

He is not wrong. We have been through so much together, always by my side and never giving up. "He is absolutely fantastic."

"I don't doubt that for a second." Theo lets out a yawn. "Well, I think it's time to call it a day. We all have a big day ahead of us."

"Have a pleasant night." I bow and he walks off.

I wave at him and watch him leave before turning my attention back to the night sky. 'One day senpai, we will be together again.'

1. A skill that allows the user to perceive things beyond the natural range of the senses, such as past, present, and future events or information about past events or distant locations. Examples of users are Solomon, Queen of Shiba, and Goetia can see the past and future, Merlin can see only the present, and Gilgamesh through his Noble Phantasm. It's a must-have for Archer-class Servants and a prerequisite for being a Grand Caster.

2. A place existing outside of both the World and the time axis. The Throne of Heroes is also occasionally referred to as the Ring of Deterrence, referring to how it is mainly used by the Counter Force. Those that become closer to the Planet do not mix well with people, so they fall into the categories of Divine Spirits and Elementals.

3. A unique non-standard Servant class focused on defense, with a unique class skill and utility. One-of-a-kind warrior boasting near impregnable defense. Half-servant, half-human; an unexplainable existence.

4. A metaphor used to describe an individual who is idealistic and sensitive but also fragile and easily broken. Their fate is often tied to this inner struggle, leading to either tragic defeat or difficult triumph.

Author Notes

And with this, all prologue chapters have been revised. Hope you enjoy it.

Peace~

Chapter Text

Disclaimer: I own nothing, just the oc. Support the official release.

I was running.

Running, and running, and running.

How long have I been running? Where am I running to? And more importantly…

What am I running from?

"Ah!" I trip and fall on my face. Exhaustion finally catches up to me, making me unable to get up.

…eo…

Dark hands crawl from the floor and make their way towards me. I saw something at the bottom of the darkness and even though it was only there for a moment, it was enough to make me scream from the top of my lungs.

…theo…!

I tried to resist them but they still latch onto me like parasites. They slowly pulled me down and as hard as I tried to stop them it was fruitless.

My vision begins to fade as I sink into the abyss.

THEO!

Illya shakes my body. "Theo, wake up!"

I slowly open my eyes. "Wha…?"

"You were having a terrible nightmare. You were twisting and turning so much that I was getting worried." Illya said.

I look at my arm where one of those hands grabbed me, I can still feel the pain from where it grabbed me. 'It felt so real...' I look around and see a lavish-looking interior with a minibar and a couple of chairs. The low sound of engines can be heard in the background.

'Oh right. We're on a private jet.' I clean the sleep dust from my eyes. 'I was not prepared for what happened at the castle...'

The night before we left, Jubstacheit and his guards suddenly bust into our room and took Illya away while I was thrown in the dungeon.

It wasn't until the next morning that Kiritsugu and Irisviel found out about it, and all of hell broke loose.

Irisviel and Mashu found me in the dungeon and easily broke me out. There were no guards, which shows how very little that golem though of me. They got me out of that place and soon ran into Kiritsugu and Artoria carrying a bloody Illya in his arms... and his face splattered in blood.

We quickly grabbed our things, but just as when we were about to leave, Jubstacheit appears on our door. He inform us in his usual cold manner that the safehouse for Illya is ready and her attendants are waiting for her there.

Kiritsugu, obviously not having any shit, points his knife at the old man's throat. He demands why he kidnapped Illya and Jubstacheit explains that circumstances have forced his hand and then justifies it by saying that Illya is their ultimate trump card to win the Holy Grail and that he is only doing this because that is her purpose. Kiritsugu snarls but lets the old man go as we proceed to leave, but not before warning Kiritsugu not to overstep his boundaries again or else he will be disposed of.

Overall, that was ONE way to start the day.

"I'm sorry, sis." I said meekly.

"Onee-chan."

"Bwu?"

"It means "big sister" in Japanese. Since we're going to Japan, you have to call me Onee-chan from now on." Illya states.

"Got it… Onee-chan." I said meekly.

Illya giggles, liking the sound of the title.

'Well I certainly made her day.' I thought, exasperated.

"We are about to land, you two. You better put your seatbelts on." Kiritsugu's voice brings us out of our musing.

We do as we're told and put our seatbelts on. I stare as Illya jumps up and down with visible excitement before I turn my attention to the window. From the window, I can see the outline of the city slowly getting larger as we get close to landing.

I was afraid.

I was afraid of going to Fuyuki City. Afraid of running into a magus. Afraid of running into a Servant.

I was AFRAID.

No matter how much I hide it under a mask, no matter how much foreknowledge I possess, no matter how much insurance I have, I cannot escape this irrational fear of death. And it doesn't help that the timeline is a mess now. It's torture.

I didn't Illya to be exposed to this life, and I feel like I'm part of the blame for that.

'I just hope nothing bad happens today…' I thought as I slowly grabbed Illya's hand.

The jet touches down and we soon land at the airport. The hatch opens and we soon walk out of the plane. Artoria and Mashu were wearing black suits and though Artoria can pass off as a man, Mashu's chest made her gender too obvious.

On the driveway, there is a car parked in front with someone waiting beside it. She has long flowing white, ruby red eyes, and white skin. She is wearing a white winter coat with gold trimmings around the sleeves and at the center of her coat.

She's beautiful, without a shadow of a doubt. If Irisviel and Illya are snow fairies, then she is the queen.

"It's about time you showed up." The homunculus growls with a scowl on her face.

My eyes analyze her from top to bottom. Who is she? I've never seen her in the anime before. As far as I'm aware, Illya has two attendants; Leysritt and Sella. There was never any third servant anywhere.

"Oh, I'm sorry, our flight took a lot longer than we thought." Irisviel sheepishly chuckled. "But we are here now, miss…"

"My name is Fillia. My sisters and I were sent here to prepare the place where mistress Illya and her brother will be staying." Fillia said, staining the word brother with disdain.

"I will leave now. Saber, make sure Irisviel is safe." Kiritsugu leaves the group without missing a beat. He doesn't even say goodbye.

Fillia huffs. "What an uncouth man, doesn't even say goodbye to his lovely wife." She looks at Irisviel. "Explain to me how you are together with him."

"A-Ah, well, you see…" Iri blushes and twiddles her thumbs. "He is kind of like… my hero."

Fillia just gives her a look before letting out an exasperated sigh. "Whatever. Let's go. Your car is over there." She walks around the car and gets on the driver's seat.

Irisviel turns to her children and gives them a bear hug. "Take care, you two. And don't get into any trouble, okay?"

"Will you come and visit, mama?" Illya asks.

The smile Iri gives her daughter was forced, almost strained. "Of course. We'll even go out and play whatever you want."

"Promise?"

Irisviel clamps up at the question.

'Don't say it.' I thought.

"I-"

"Irisviel. We need to go." Artoria cuts her off.

"Right." Irisviel stands up and turns to Mashu. "Shielder, please watch over them."

Mashu nods. "I will protect them with my life."

Irisviel and Artoria head to the other car and get inside before promptly driving off.

"Bye, mama!" Illya waves the car off.

At that moment, loud honking is heard coming from the car adjacent to us. "Let's go, brats! I don't have all day!"

"Come on." Mashu grabs both our hands and takes us to the car, where we immediately drive off.

The trip wasn't eventful, for me at least. Illya, however, was gushing over all of the buildings and people we passed by with a big smile on her face. Mashu was smiling, too, but more because of Illya's ever positive aura that seemed to always light the mood.

"Isn't this amazing, Theo? We're outside!" Illya exclaims. "Oh look, a doggy!"

"Lady Illyasviel, please calm down." Mashu said.

"Mou~, I told you to call me Illya, Shielder." Illya pouts.

"Sorry, Illya-san." Mashu said.

I look at the passing scenery in silence, trying to come up with a plan on surviving the Holy Grail War. 'I need to try and unlock my Compendium. It's my only hope of surviving.' I glance at Illya looking out the window. 'Originally, I had no intention of helping Kiritsugu or Irisviel, but knowing how Illya turned out without either of them in her life, I should protect them. But how do I remove the Lesser Grail from Irisviel without killing her?' There might be some Skill Cards that can separate them or nullify the Lesser Grail so that her body doesn't break down, but then how would I extend her lifespan so that she can live as a normal human? 'Uwah… this is so troublesome. Why did such a great series have to have such a confusing lore?'

After another hour or so of driving, we stop in front of a large hotel building, probably the biggest one in the city.

"We're here." Fillia gets out of the car and we all follow suit. The porter proceeds to remove the luggage from the back of the car and places it on the baggage cart.

She hands the car keys to a chauffeur. "If I see one scratch on the paint job, I swear that losing your job will be the LEAST of your problems."

The chauffeur frantically nods before rushing to the driver's seat and takes off.

"Let's go." We follow Fillia to the front desk where she checks us in. Illya and I marvel at the beautiful lounge, they even have a piano with someone playing it in the background.

In my past life, I have never been to a five-star hotel. They were always way above my pay grade and my parents refused to stay in one due how expensive they are. 'They must really want us to be comfortable if they're willing to spend so much money.'

Illya and Mashu walk up to the coy-fish pond nearby, marbling at all the fishes inside.

"So cute! Look at all the little fishies!" Illya coos.

"Illya-san! Please don't stand so close to the edge!" Mashu exclaims.

"Hey, Theo! How would you like a pet fish?" Illya asked.

I shrug. "I don't mind. Though personally, I prefer dogs."

Illya's eyes seemingly grow bigger with stars in them. "*Gasp* That's even better! I want a doggy, too!"

I smile and give her a head pat. "You're such a kid."

"Hey, I'm the big sister! I'm supposed to say that to you!" Illya counters.

"Maybe when you start acting like one." I joked.

"Meanie!"

"Hey, you brats. We're going to the penthouse now, so you better follow or else." Fillia said.

Did I hear that correctly? Penthouse?

The homunculus maid(?) leads us to the elevator and we walk inside. She hits the button with the highest number and we quickly go up, passing through all of the floors. Eventually, the elevator stops at the highest number and the doors, revealing a narrow path that leads to a single door. We go up to it and open the door and I am shocked and excited.

Inside is a lavish living room with a massive tv that seemed to be carved into the wall. On the far side is a bar with various bottles of alcohol that we'll likely never touch.

Overall, everything was lavish and expensive, not something normal people could ever afford… unless they're celebrities or something.

'Magi are rich as fuck!' I exclaimed.

"Welcome home, lady Illyasviel and lord Theodore." A refined female voice catches my attention.

I look to see two Einzbern maids bowing to us before straightening themselves. They are both wearing the standard Einzbern maid outfits with a hood that made them look almost identical though the color of the interior dress made them easy to identify.

These are the maids Sella and Leysritt.

Sella was the one on the right, in the blue/white maid outfit. Her sharp expression was similar to Fillia's except hers exudes professionalism rather than frustration.

She excels in magecraft thanks to her superior magic circuits, but she is also a glass cannon and as such isn't suitable for battle. Gilgamesh easily dispatched her without any effort at all just after dealing with her sister.

Leysritt, on the other hand, was the opposite. Wearing a black/white maid outfit, she has a more relaxed expression than her sister, but if you take a closer look, you can see that there was something… missing.

Unlike Sella who was created with normal alchemy, Leysritt was created by using an Ether Clump with the intent of creating a Lesser Grail, however, she was deemed a failure and was originally meant to be scrapped, but Old Man Acht repurposed her as Illya's maid and bodyguard. He augmented her combat abilities to inhuman levels, but at the cost of most of her five senses and a fragile ego thanks to her imperfect soul.

Leysritt also serves a secondary function; to become the Dress of Heaven, making her a living Mystic Code. Illya would wear this in order to save Shirou's soul in the Heaven's Feel endings, however the moment it appears, Leysritt would seize to exist.

"I am Sella, I will be your maid and magic teacher for the foreseeable future." She gestures to Leysritt. "This is Leysritt, she is your bodyguard."

"... nice… meet… you…" Leysritt says in a broken tongue.

"Forgive her. She is still having trouble with the language." Sella said. "And you've already met, Fillia."

"I'm fine, Sella. Thanks for asking." Filla said sarcastically.

"Nice to meet you." Illya and I said at the same time.

From there, we do what kids do and sit on the couch and watch cable tv. Sella and Leysritt would clean the penthouse, well, Sella did. Leysritt and Fillia were watching TV with us, a fact that pissed off Sella to no end, but Mashu was there to help out which she was very grateful for.

"Mistress. I have prepared a snack for you and your brother." Sella states.

We get off the couch and rush towards the kitchen area where Sella was and see something sitting on the counter.

"Is that… Oreo cheesecake?" I asked out loud.

"Yes. I heard from madam Irisviel that it is, and I quote, 'the best cake in the universe' and recommended it. I've studied the recipe and I'm happy to see that it has turned out well." Sella proudly said.

We take a bite of the cheesecake and we immediately fall into a river of vanilla/chocolate goodness.

"It's delicious!" We said at once.

Sella blushes at the praise, which is very cute.

We ate, we played, and we dressed up (Illya's idea). Even Fillia, who wanted nothing to do with us, began to open up a little.

One a single day, we went from strangers to a family.

Nighttime

A weird sensation draws my senses. I slowly open my eyes and see a fully-clothed Illya wiggling me back and forth.

"Wake up. Wake up, Theo!" Illya whispered.

"I'm up, I'm up." I groan and slowly rise up. "What's going on…?"

"I wanna go outside, Theo. Let's go for a night on the town." Illya said with a smile.

"Where did you learn that phrase? More importantly, you want to go out at NIGHT by yourself?" I incredulously asked. "You can't be serious."

"Why not? Grandpa isn't here to stop us." Illya said.

"And what about Sella, Leysritt, and Fillia? They would definitely stop you." I countered.

Illya's smile is downright mischievous. "Oh, I wouldn't worry about them~"

I narrow my eyes. "What did you do?"

"Oh, I didn't do anything, brother of mine." Illya replies. "Just open the door and you'll see for yourself."

I give Illya a look before opening the door and walking towards the living room, and am shocked by what I found. Laying on the ground are empty bottles and laying on the couch were the downed forms of Sella, Leysritt, and Fillia. Their faces were flushed as the scent of alcohol lingered in the air.

"Were they… drinking?" I was not expecting this.

"Fillia suddenly challenged Leysritt to a drinking contest. Long story short, this was the end result." Illya explained.

"How much did they drink?" Instead of answering, Illya points to the bar on my right which was now empty. "Oh. Well, how did Sella get mixed up in all of this? She doesn't seem like the type to do these sorts of things?"

"She didn't at first, but Fillia then started talking about her chest and that was all she needed to do." Illya then looks perplexed. "I don't really get why she got mad about that. I mean, is having bigger breasts that big of a deal?"

'Oh Illya, you are in for a surprise.' I thought. "But wait, where's Mashu?"

Illya points at a nearby chair and finds Mashu completely passed out.

"... how? She's a Servant. Servants don't get drunk." I said totally dumbstruck.

"Well, now that you know, you can get dressed and we can go!" Illya exclaims.

I gave her a look. "Fine. But I'm only coming so I can keep you out of trouble." I walk back to my room.

"Okay! But first," Illya takes a picture with a Polaroid camera. "Something to remember this day by~" She puts the picture away and skips to my room.

Illya and I are walking through the empty streets of the city, with only the occasional car passing by. The lights from the buildings and posts are not doing any favors against the darkness of the night. Yet despite this, Illya is skipping around happily as she hums a tune that is reminiscent of a nursery rhyme Iri would sing to us in the castle. Like she was living a dream.

'If I'm right then this is the night where the Holy Grail War officially begins. Artoria and Iri are likely on their way to the docks to meet Lancer.' I thought. "Onee-chan."

"Hm?" Illya turns to me. "What's up, Theo?"

"Can we go back to the hotel now? I'm scared." I said meekly. 'Damn, I am so good at playing a kid. I should get a fucking Oscar for this!'

"Wait," Illya suddenly said. "Do you feel that?"

I arch an eyebrow. "Feel what?"

Illya turns to me. "Are you saying you can't sense the traces of mana? It's everywhere."

I shake my head.

Illya turns back to the path. "The mana is coming from this alley. Let's investigate." She starts to run.

I blink and quickly run after her. "Illya, wait!"

Illya passes through the different buildings and stores, making sharp turns as she follows this invisible scent, like a dog ironically. If I remember correctly, magi can sense the lingering mana in the air, this usually points towards a Master or a Servant, sometimes both.

She enters a random alley without hesitation with me in toe, passing through the numerous smelly garbage bags.

"Come back!" I called out.

"The scent is getting stronger…" Illya mumbles and takes a turn in that direction.

When we came through the other side, I immediately pulled her behind a pile of garbage bags and many containers and pipes from the other end.

There was a man in front of us with a kid beside him. He is a man with orange hair wearing a purple jacket and pants. He has two piercings, a chain at his waist, and wears brown shoes. However, what draws our attention are the two children with him.

"That's right, there's no need to be afraid." The man giggles as the children follow him without any resistance. "Teacher is SO COOL!"

"That's…" My eyes widened as I recognized the man in an instant.

He is the Demon of Fuyuki, the serial killer, Ryuunosuke Uryuu.

The Master of Servant Caster: Gilles de Rais.

The serial killer laughs and walks close to their position. We crouch behind the wall, hoping to go unnoticed while I keep an eye on the alley exit.

"C'mon," Ryuunosuke said. "Keep walking."

He passes in front of the alley, now holding a second kid.

As they leave, Illya stands up from our hiding spot but I grab her hand.

"Where are you going?" I asked.

"Isn't it obvious? That man is using magecraft to hypnotize those kids. We have to stop him!" Illya exclaims.

"And how exactly are we going to do that? We're just kids!" I shoot back. "We should call Sella and tell her what's going on."

"So that she can tell papa and mama and forbid us from going outside? No thanks." Illya raises her left arm. "Besides, I can just call Shielder if we get into trouble."

'There's no way to talk her out of this.' I note. "Fine."

"Hehehe." Illya looks up with an adorable face of determination. "It's Hero Time!"

I sweat drop. 'Did she just quote Ben 10?'

With a firm resolution, Illya follows the Master/serial killer, much to my displeasure.

"Hey," Illya began. "Why do you think he is hypnotizing those kids?"

I think back to the Fate/Zero anime.

The death.

the screams.

The furniture that's made from human skin.

It was like stepping into the darkest parts of the human soul.

I shake my head. "Nothing good."

As we flow the traces of mana, it leads us under stairs that lead to a bar. Turning to each other, the Einzbern duo nod and make their way down the stairs.

Illya stands in front of the door with bated breath as she slowly reaches for the doorknob. She tugs the door open, and we enter the tavern. The tavern itself has seen better times, with bags full of garbage, dust everywhere, and broken frames with different certificates.

"There's no one here…?" Illya mutters unsurely. "Stay close to me."

We make our way further inside, but not two steps in, we hear a noise causing Illya to hug my arm tightly.

"Kya!" Illya screams.

"What? What is it!?" I asked.

"S-S-Something's on my foot!" Illya stutters out.

I look to see a hand that belonged to an unconscious girl.

"It's just a kid." I told her.

Illya looks down as I crouch and examine her. I move her head to get a better look and only see a pair of half-opened, glassy eyes that don't seem to be aware of anything.

I let out a sigh. "She's unconscious."

Suddenly, the door slams shut behind us. We quickly turn around to see Ryuunosuke standing next to the door, hand firmly on the frame with the two kids from before.

"Oh?" He asks, feigning kindness and smiling at us. "Are you lost?"

"N-No…" Illya looks away. "Um…"

"Wow, your hair is so pretty." He throws the two kids aside and rushes towards us. "I've never met someone with white hair and red eyes before. Such a pretty little angel."

'Damnit!' I grab Illya's hand as I look frantically for an escape route.

"My friend and I are hosting a party, but sadly we're short on people." He crouches down to meet our eye level. "Do you want to help? I promise you'll have a good time." However, he is suddenly sucker punched and falls on the floor.

"You are not touching her!" I exclaim and take a fighting stance.

Ryuunosuke gets up, his nose crooked yet he doesn't seem to flinch from the pain. "Oh c'mon, I just want to give her a good time."

I grab Illya's hand. "We're leaving!"

As we run, we see many other children in the room, slumped down and unconscious.

"W-What is this!?" Illya shrieks in fear.

"Keep moving!" I yelled.

We find a backdoor and try to open it, but no matter what I do the nob wouldn't budge.

"It's locked!" I yelled.

"What do we do!?" Illya exclaims.

"You know, it's not cool to hit someone for no reason."

The two of us turn to see Ryuunosuke standing in front of us. "You broke my nose, too." He grabs his crooked nose and with a sickening crack puts it back into place without flinching.

I waste no time and charge at the serial killer, throwing punch and kick combo before finishing it with an elbow to the ribcage.

It didn't kill him, but I made sure to make it hurt.

He wails and staggers, clutching tightly to his chest. "You little...!" He takes out a knife and rushes in to stab me. I grab his arm and then knee it in, effectively snapping the bone into two. Ryuunosuke hisses before he is kicked in the face, sending him crashing to an old shelf with supplies.

"Hah... hah... I can't believe I pulled it off..." I look at the knife he dropped and pick it up. I stare at the knife and then at Ryuunosuke before I tighten my grip around it. "... its only the only way..."

I approach the serial killer's still form, only for him to suddenly throw powder in my eyes!

"Shit!" I hiss as I try to get the crap out of my eyes.

"I don't like you." Ryuunosuke kicks me in the stomach, knocking all of the air out of my lungs.

"Guagh!" I choke as I struggle to breathe and drop the knife. Ryuunosuke picks it up and promptly proceeds to stab me in the shoulder.

"Theo!" Illya rushes to her brother, but Ryuunosuke grabs her hand and pulls her in.

"Now, little angel, let's put you to sleep." The bracelet on his arm glows purple, but nothing happens. "That's new."

"LET ME GO!" Illya demands.

"Oh well, I guess we're doing this the old fashion way." He suddenly slams Illya on the floor. He does this a few more times until she is completely knocked out. The tile floors are being dyed red from Illya's blood.

"YOU FUCKING BASTARD!" I scream in rage as I get back up.

"Language. Didn't your mother ever teach you manners?" Ryuunosuke walks over to me and grabs my head. "How about you help me out instead?"

A sickly purple glow comes from the bracelet and it begins to spread all over my body. I try to fight it but my vision begins to become distorted as I lose control over my senses.

'No... NO!' My vision fades and I black out.

My eyes snap open and I'm greeted by an unfamiliar ceiling with an opening in it. I stand up and check my surroundings to find that I'm in some kind of temple. "Where… am I?"

"Such a waste." A voice said in disappointment.

"?" I turn to the voice on to see a statue of a man with a bird-like face.

"Is your will so weak that you submit before this man?" He asked me.

"Wha...?"

"Death is all that awaits those children by that madman's hands. Are you fine with letting that happen?

"I-"

And what of the fate of your sister? Are you fine with leaving her to experience something worse than death?

"No!" I glare at the statue. "That is NEVER going to happen!" My face fell. "But I'm too weak to protect her."

"Hmph. You got that right." He bluntly replies.

That… surprisingly hurts.

"You have everything you need to get out of this, yet you limit yourself for the sake of self preservation. You are nothing but a coward." He states.

I let out a sigh. "Yeah… I can't even protect a single little girl; let alone a group of them."

"Yes, you were really on top of things when the serial killer literally kicked your ass. You're really putting that assassin's training to good use." He said sarcastically.

I glare at the statue. "Did you bring me here just to make fun of me?"

"Yes. And it has been very entertaining." I can feel the smugness coming off the statue.

"Oh, fuck you." I told him before letting out a sigh. "I wanted to protect her, but because of my fear, I acted too late. And now… now she is going to die… because of me."

"Don't tell me you're just going to give up?" He asked rhetorically.

I look at the statue with curiosity.

"There is still evil that must be vanquished. There is still justice that must be carried out. Are you going to let them suffer?" He asked.

"I…" I clench my fists. "No, I will not."

"Then what will you do?"

"I will fight them. I will stop them from playing with people's lives!" I said with determination in my voice. "I will protect them so that the tragedy never takes place in this world!"

The voice chuckles. "Good, I like your resolve. Very well, you will be my hands, my eyes, my vengeance. You will be my final word against the evildoers and, in exchange, I will grant you power. Do you swear to protect the travelers of the night and bring my vengeance to those who would bring them harm?"

"Yes." Suddenly, I scream out in pain as if a hot rod of steel is piercing through my skull.

"Our Contract is sealed."

The statue's eyes glow yellow and erupt into blue flames as a figure emerges.

"I am thou... Thou art I… Now rise and be reborn anew. As my fist of vengeance."

The entity walks up to me and the room is engulfed in light

"Let go." I growled.

Ryuunosuke blinks in surprise at the sudden voice. "How are you talking? Most of the kids don't say a word after I touch them."

I grab his arm and slowly pry him off my head. "I said… LET GO!" A sudden shockwave hits Ryuunosuke, sending him flying back into the tavern. The sudden force was enough for his bracelet to come off his wrist.

Ryuunosuke slowly gets up as he hears heavy breathing. When he looks up, he sees the albino boy walking sluggishly now with a pale-white mask that appears out of nowhere. It has a smooth white surface, with the only feature being two sharp holes for his eyes. Speaking of eyes, they went from a bright red to a menacing yellow that seemed to be glowing under the mask.

The serial killer could feel the eyes staring at him, right through him and into his very soul.

"So…" Ryuunosuke whispers as a smile appears on his face. "SO COOL!"

A dark chuckle escapes my lips. "You think this is cool? You haven't seen anything yet." I grab on the mask.

Ryuunosuke's eyes are filled with excitement as he watches the little boy scream in pain as he struggles to take off his mask.

"... heavy chains, that does freeze my bones around!" I use all of my strength to pry the mask off my face, inducing me excruciating pain. Blood begins to pour out of the exposed parts like a new open wound.

"Whoa…" Ryuunosuke marbles at the act, it's like he is peeling off his own face.

I scream as I manage to completely pull the mask off, releasing a river of blood on the floor. I breathe in and out before looking at Ryuunosuke with a sadistic smile.

Suddenly, flames erupt from the wound and begin to spread out all over his body before they peel off like a bandage and take shape. From the flames comes a bipedal figure whose entire body is covered in bandages and a white cloak over it. In its chest is a golden crescent moon. It carries a staff with a crescent moon on top. However, what is more bizarre is the head: a bird skull floating off the stump where its neck is supposed to be, giving the being a more spectral appearance.

At the same time, the boy's clothes have changed, now wearing a black bodysuit lined with white armor around his arms, legs, and chest as well as white boots. In the chest plate is the glowing symbol of a crescent moon and over his head is a white hooded cloak that is swimming with the wind.

"I am the Protector of the Night, KHONSHU!"

At the same time - Fuyuki Docks

"...!" Artoria and Lancer stop fighting and their attention turns to the city.

"Did you feel that?" Lancer asked his opponent.

"Yes." Artoria replies. What is that?

Irisviel trembles as she feels the influx of power wash over her. "This power…"

From their hiding place, Kiritsugu and Maiya felt the massive pulse of mana coming out of nowhere, and of course, were taken completely by surprise.

"... shit." Kiritsugu whispers with disdain.

Meanwhile, Archer, stands on top of a street light, turns to that same direction and glares at it with hidden rage.

"How dare they come to my garden without my permission!?" Archer growls. "Know this, intruder. You will not escape my wrath."

From his hiding place, Kariya Matou gasps in pain as the worms inside him become agitated.

"..." Berserker stands unmoving, awaiting his Master's command.

At the same time, Zouken Matou grips his cane tightly until it completely snaps into two as he senses the power from his "workshop", where a little girl is seen at the center of a worm pit, her eyes completely devoid of life.

Kotomine Church

Risei Kotomine is seen praying at the altar when he senses the explosion of Magical Energy and opens his eyes.

"This is an omen." Risei mutters. "A sign of bad times to come. Something has entered the Holy Grail War, and if it's not stopped, it could mean the end of everything."

*Crash!*

Tokiomi Tohsaka drops his wine glass as he senses the absurd Magical Energy from his workshop.

"Kirei." He calls out from an old-fashioned phonograph, a Victrola. "I need your Assassin. I want you to find whatever's causing this surge and deal with it."

"Understood." Kirei's voice comes out of the old device.

A figure wearing a tattered black shroud, mainly covering his body, is seen crouching on top of a handrail of a crane. Its white skull mask makes it even more menacing.

"Assassin. I have a mission."

Kirei's Servant raises his head, acknowledging his voice.

"You must find the person responsible for this… and eliminate them."

"Yes, Master." The Assassin then vanishes into blue particles of light.

Warehouse

"It can't be…!" Kayneth Archibald El-Melloi, a Lord of the Clock Tower, gasps in shock and fear from the top of his warehouse. "But how can this be…? Why would one of them be here!?" He grits his teeth before calming down. "It doesn't matter, if they want to interfere with this sacred ritual then I will greet them with all the honors a Lord of the Clock Tower can provide."

In the sky...

"W-What was that!?" Waver Velvet shrieks out.

"Hahahaha! It seems a new player has entered the game!" Rider laughter was thunderous. "And with such power, they will surely be a great asset to my army!"

"Are you insane!? The last thing we should do is get close to that thing!" Waver lashes out at his Servant.

"Come now, boy, where's your sense of adventure? Surely you are curious as to the cause of such a ruckus, no?" Rider asked.

"I'd like to continue living, thank you! Not all of us can be as reckless as you!" Waver shoots back.

Rider gives his Master a look before a smile forms on his face. "... then we will just have to fix that, won't we?" He whips the reins of his bulls and the carriage flies off.

"YOU IIIDDDDDIIIIIOOOOOOT!" Waver screams as they fly off.

Sewers

Gilles de Rais, the Caster of this war, is disturbed from his "research" as he senses the strange mana surge. His huge, rolling eyes widen as he senses his Master at the center of it.

"Ryuunosuke!" Gilles screams out and disappears to find his Master.

Alley

A little girl in the alley trembles as she feels something going through her body. "W-What was that!?" She looks at her compass, the needle's going haywire. "Please… please be safe, Kotone."

Penthouse

Mashu's eyes suddenly snap wide open and quickly stand upright. She's not the only one as the homunculi slowly begin to wake up.

Mashu then rushes out of the living room and into her Master's quarters, only to find that her Master is not there. She then goes to her brother's room next but finds it empty as well.

"Oh no…" Mashu gasps and runs back to the others. "Illya and Theo are missing!"

"WHAT!?" The Homunculus sisters yell at the same time.

Conditions have been fulfilled!

First Persona unlocked.

Active Skill [Third Eye] unlocked!

Passive skill [Presence Concealment] unlocked!

Passive skill [Unshaken Will] unlocked!

[Persona Compendium] now available!

Name: Theodore von Einzbern

Title: Persona User

Level: 1

HP: 50

SP: 70

Knowledge: 5 (Erudite)

Charm: 2 (Head-Turning)

Kindness: 2 (Considerate)

Guts: 3 (Staunch)

Proficiency: 4 (Masterful)

Money: ¥8,258,089

Equipped Persona: Khonshu

Skills

Kougaon: Heavy Bless damage to 1 foe.

Cost: 12 SP

Eigaon: Heavy Curse damage to 1 foe.

Cost: 12 SP

Megidolaon: Severe Almighty damage to all foes.

Cost: 38 SP

Giant Slice: Medium Physical damage to 1 foe.

Cost: 9% HP

Apt Pupil: Increase critical rate.

Diarahan: Fully restore 1 ally's HP.

Cost: 18 SP

High Counter: 20% chance of reflecting Physical attacks.

Holy shit, look at those skills! I can wipe the floor with most Servants with this guy alone! Granted, my SP is only 70 right now which means I can only use ONE of these skills before collapsing. And it seems my Persona doesn't have any levels. I guess this means Khonshu is already maxed out and all of his skill slots have been filled, which means I can't learn new skills through him. It's cool, I like Khonshu just the way he is.

"SO COOL!" Ryuunosuke's eyes have stars floating around him. "THIS HAS TO BE THE COOLEST THING I'VE EVER SEEN! SHOW ME MORE!"

Khonshu grips his staff tightly. "I can smell the blood of his victims lingering around his entire body. This disgusting creature has bathed in the blood of the innocent. Their souls demand vengeance, and we shall deliver it."

I nod. "Khonshu, Giant Slice!"

Khonshu takes his staff and charges at the downed Ryuunosuke, but before his attack connects tentacles of flesh rise from the ground, making a wall between the god and his victim.

"Damnit, he's here already." I grumbled.

From the other side, Caster materializes by his Master's side as he checks on him. "Are you alright, Ryuunosuke?"

"Oh, teacher, you made it. I just saw the coolest thing." Ryuunosuke began. "I just saw a god of death."

"What!?" Gilles exclaims. A God!? Here!? Ridiculous! He shall confront this false being and rip them to shreds.

*Cough* Ryuunosuke's coughing brings him back to reality. For now, his Master's safety takes top priority.

"Do not worry, Master. I shall take you to safety." Gilles said. The wall of tentacles begins to encroach as they all sink into the ground.

"After them! Vengeance must be done!" Khonshu exclaims.

"And it will. With the Holy Grail War still in effect, it's only a matter of time before they resurface again. In the meantime," I pick up the bracelet off the ground and grab it with both hands. "Let's set these kids free." I pull back my arms and snap the bracelet into two, and the purple glow dies soon after.

"Fine, but I am not sticking around here. I'm not a big fan of children." Khonshu form sinks into my body, returning to my [Sea of Souls] or whatever the hell the equivalent is here.

Suddenly, I hear the door open and someone runs in.

"Kotone!"

I turn to see a little girl with black hair styled in twintails tied with black ribbons kneeling in front of another girl with worry in her face. Her outfit consists of a red coat, a red skirt and long black socks. But even younger, I instantly recognize her.

It's Rin Tohsaka.

The girl, Kotone, starts getting up, looking at Rin dazed and confused. "Rin-chan?"

The children slowly begin to rise up as they look around, unsure of where they are.

"Where am I?"

"What's going on?"

"I want my mommy!"

Rin gets an adorable stern look in her eyes as she turns to them. "This is no time for crying!" She says while getting up. "Let's run!"

As the children run towards the exit, I walk back to the backroom where Illya was, "Diraham." A green light surrounds Illya and her wound heals as I pick her up. "Let's go home." I kick the door, causing it to fly off its hinges.

"Wait!" I turn to see Rin and Kotone standing behind me. "Who are you?"

Moonlight shines down on me. "I am the protector of the innocent. Evil's executioner. The Vessel of Vengeance." I look at the two girls. "I am… Moon Knight!" I leap away.

The girls rush outside and look around, only to find nothing.

"Who was that, Rin-chan? He looked like he was our age." Kotone said.

"I don't know…" Rin replies. 'Moon Knight… he's so cool…'

Later

"Fuck…" I groan as I lean on the wall for support. I feel more exhausted than I've ever been in my life. "Shit, not now...!" My Metaverse outfit disappears as Illya and I collapse on the ground.

The sound of tires screeching over is heard as bright light shines on the siblings. The car doors open and close as Mashu rushes out towards them.

"Get them inside. Now!" Mashu exclaims as Leysritt and Fillia take the children to the car with the Extra-Class Servant following suit.

The car accelerates and they all drive off. What fate has in store for them… is unknown.

But hey, it wouldn't be a good show without suspense, right?

Author Notes

Edit: 2/20/23

The long-awaited update has arrived. It took a while to put this together, especially the conversation between the mc and his persona because of the character's personality. For those who don't know, Fillia is the third Homunculus attendant from the manga Fate/Strange Fake. From her description, she is a very stubborn person who wants more than just the role she was ordered to do. Anyways, this will not be the last time characters from other works appear, so keep that in mind. The awakening sends a mana pulse that alerts all of the Servants and their Masters as well as any magi in the city of his existence, so we'll see how that affect the war as a whole.

As always, leave a comment. Bad, good, don't matter.

Peace~

Chapter Text

Disclaimer: I own nothing, just the oc. Support the official release.

"Wake up… wake up!"

I open my eyes and am greeted by an unfamiliar sight. Instead of waking up in a back alley, I was in a small empty room; a room that I recognized.

"This is…" I stand up and look out a nearby window. Judging by the height, he was in a skyscraper: the tallest building in the city he was transported to. The city below looks like a toy model settlement that someone built from where I'm standing - the buildings were miniscule from my perspective. The city is split into two by a large river, big enough for cargo ships to go through it as they head towards the ocean.

"Am I… home…?" The door behind me creaks and I sharply turn around at who it is.

It was a young girl, about Illya's age. She had platinum blonde hair styled in a hime-cut with a white band with a white bow. Her outfit consists of a black bow, blue dress, white socks and red flat shoes.

"*Gasp!*" The little girl rushes towards me and gives me a hug."You're finally awake, onii-chan!"

I tilt my head. Why is this girl acting so familiar with me? Does this girl know me?

The little girl sees my confused face and pouts. "Geez! How could you forget about me so easily, Onii-chan!?"

"I…" I tried to form the words, but my train of thought was suddenly derailed by a sudden influx of knowledge. "Alice."

The little girl, Alice, smiles brightly. "Yay! Onii-chan remembers me!"

"Of course I do." I patted her head. How could I forget her? The little girl that wandered into Wonderland. The little girl who has been with me since I could remember.

'Wait, what?' I shake my head at the weird thought. "Alice," I pull her back and look at her in her ocean blue eyes. "How… how are you here?"

Alice giggles. "Gramps said that you'd have the memory of a goldfish, onii-chan. But I didn't think you were this forgetful."

"Gramps?" I said.

Alice grabs my hand. "C'mon!" She guides me out of the room and into a massive hall, the largest I've ever seen. It looks ancient yet the dim red lighting made it oddly captivating to look at. I turn to the walls to see multiple creatures doing various different things; sitting, talking, flying around, eating, sleeping, and other mundane things people do.

"What the…?" I mutter trying to comprehend what I'm looking at.

"There he is! Hey, gramps!" Alice calls out and waves.

The entity turns around and walks towards us.

I instantly recognize the being in front of me. "Y-You're-!"

"You sure took your time to wake up." Khonshu grumbles. "If you hadn't woken up, I would have gone to that room myself and nuked your sorry ass."

"Uhhhh…" I have no words to respond to that.

"Ignore him. Gramps is just being grumpy because he hasn't had his pills yet." Alice quips.

Though he doesn't have any skin or muscles, Khonshu glares at the young girl. "One more of those missy, and you're done."

"Oh, I'm so scared." Alice remarks sarcastically.

I just look back and forth at the two before putting my foot down. "Okay, stop fighting."

Alice smiles. "Okay! Well, I better be going now. Bye bye, onii-chan!" She then runs off into the darkness.

"What a brat. She may take the form of a little girl, but she's as much of an ass as everyone here." Khonshu comments and turns to me. "Well, I know you have questions so spit them out."

"... where am I?"I asked.

Khonshu looks confused. "Are you serious? You mean to tell me you don't know where you are?"

"Uh… no. If I did know, I certainly wouldn't be asking you." I said.

The Egyptian god huffs. "Well to answer your question," He points his scepter to the city beyond. "Tell me what you see out there."

I look at the city for a minute before turning to my Persona. "This is… my hometown in Boston. Back when I was alive…"

"Correct. What you are seeing is the city within your soul." Khonshu states.

"My soul?" I point to the city below. "This is my soul?"

"No." Khonshu replied.

"What?" I asked, perplexed.

"Look again at the city. What do you see?"

I leaned closer to the window. And that's when I saw it. The streets and roads, the veins and arteries of every city, were bare. The pavements were devoid of people. When trains stopped at the stations, the platforms were empty, and nobody got off.

"It's a ghost town." I concluded.

Khonshu nods. "This city is nothing but a replica of Boston, a cognitive space created from your memories of your past life. The only tangible part of this space is the Tower of Babel where all of us reside."

"So this place is like… my Palace?" I said. "Wait, Tower of Babel?"

"This tower. It's called the Tower of Babel (The Junction Between Heaven and Earth). A rather interesting way to interpret the Sea of Souls, no?"

"And its inhabitants?"

Sparkling dust suddenly rains down from above us as something flies down. It was a small humanoid being with wings. It's wearing a blue leotard along with matching knee socks and gloves.

"Hey, hey! Do you know who I am!?" The little sprite asked.

The answer was instantaneous. "Pixie."

"Yay! I'm so happy." Pixie giggles and flies off.

"I know them. Even though I'm meeting them for the first time, it feels as if I've known them all of my life." I let out a chuckle. "I am Thou, Thou art I. Those words are very literal, aren't they?"

"Indeed. We are the manifestations of your soul. We are the culminations of your collective experiences, bonds, and insights. We are not part of some video game." Khonsou states. "We are your tools, your weapons, your friends, your teachers, and so much more. And just as we complete you, you complete us." He leans closer to me and releases a bit of killer intent. "However, should you falter or begin to second-doubt yourself, I will personally end your life. Do I make myself clear?"

I frantically nod. "Yes!"

Khonshu nods and straightens himself up. "Now then, do you have any more asinine questions?"

"Where is everyone?"

If Khonshu had a face, he would be smirking. "You'll wish you'd never asked that." He slams his scepter into the floor, creating an incredibly loud noise. "Hey, everyone! The Kismet Bringer wants to see you all!"

At first, nothing happened.

And then they came.

It starts with a frigid gust of wind as snow falls down from seemingly nowhere. From the snow, something pops out. It was a living snowman wearing a blue hat that had two little demon ears pointing up from it and a yellow circle in the middle of his forehead. He has a jester-like blue collar with gold tips that go around his neck and blue boots on the bottom with yellow borders around the ankle. It has large black eyes that stare deep into your soul and a massive smile with two fangs sticking out.

Jack Frost

A buzzing sound filled the air, and an immaculately dressed woman with the wings of a fly ascended and gave him a deep bow.

Beelzebub.

A blue humanoid, scantily dressed but with four arms, each holding a different weapon gave him a long look before nodding his head in acknowledgement.

Shiva.

And more came. Being that represents justice, kindness, and retribution flew down from the heavens while beings of tyranny, destruction, and anarchy crawled from deepest pits of the abyss.

And all of them, all of them, pledged their allegiance to me.

Me.

"Ahem," I turn to Khonshu but he's not alone. Next to him was a very tall figure with a very tall top hat, a long-horned mask for its face, a cropped red eighteenth century-esque suit worn open with the collar popped, stitched heart designs on the shoulders, a white ruffle tie, a black, tailed corset running down its torso; large, black, feathery wings starting at around the small of its back; claws; red coverings on its legs resembling pants and boots with blade-like heels.

"So… you're the new Wild Card, huh? Hahaha! I hope you are just as resilient as him." The Gentleman Thief, Arsène, said with a light cackle.

I recognized the Norse Gods, with Odin standing in front of them, Gungnir in his hand. Thor stood behind him, hefting Mjolnir on his shoulder. And beside him was Loki, smiling like a child.

The black dragon Seth flies down to greet me.

I saw the massive body of Lucifer, its six wings extending outwards as it looked down on me with calculating eyes. Beside him is Helel, his beautiful features contrasting with Lucifer's monstrous ones.

And yet for all the grandeur and magnificence of the scene around me, I wasn't taken aback at all. A feeling of familiarity washes over me.

A tugging in my hand pulls me back to my senses and looks down to see Alice smiling at me.

"Nene, what do you think of the Sea of Souls, onii-chan?"

I smile back. "It feels like home."

"Theo… Theo…"

"Uwah…"

"THEO!"

"Mmm…" I slowly open my eyes only to instantly close them because of the intense light. After a few blinks, my eyesight completely adjusts to the light and I get a good look at my surroundings.

"Another unfamiliar ceiling…" I mumble under my breath.

"You're awake!"

I turn my head to the left to see Illya looking at me. "Illya…?"

Illya sniffles. "You made us all worried… I thought you were never going to wake up…"

I furrow my eyebrows. "... how long was I out?"

"You were asleep for the whole day, it's already late afternoon." Illya reveals.

I slowly rise up from the bed. "How did we get back to the penthouse?"

"It was Shielder." Illya shows me her Command Seal. "She tracked me down through our connection. She and the others found us passed out in a back alley."

"Hm, that makes sense…" I mumble.

"Oh yeah, Sella wants us to come to the living room. No doubt it's about our little adventure~" Illya smiles.

"Has anyone ever told you that you're very cheeky?" I remark.

"Hm? I do not know what you're talking about~" Illya said cutely. "Well, little brother, shall we?"

'I should probably find her more kid-oriented books. I blame that old bastard for the way she turned out.' I thought.

After getting out of my room, we walked towards the living room and in it was everybody waiting for us. Sella stands in front of us, arms crossed and stares down at us. Mashu is sitting on the sofa along with Leysritt and Fillia is in the high bar.

And boy did they not look happy.

"You are awake, good." Sella glares down at us. "I hope you both realize how much trouble you both are."

The two of us don't respond as Sella continues.

"Not only have you snuck out alone, but you've unintentionally entered a Master's territory and were almost killed." Sella states. "Do you both know what's going on out there? The whole city is a battlefield. It's not a safe place for children, especially the children of magi, to wander around without an escort."

"But, Sella-"

"Lady Illyasviel, please be quiet." Sella cuts her off, she clearly doesn't want to be interrupted. "You were both fortunate that you survived. I'm not sure how your parents would react if I told them you were dead."

Mashu steps in. "Miss Sella. Don't you think you are being a little harsh about this? Besides, if anyone's at fault, it's me for not protecting them."

Sella turns to Mashu and stares at her for a few seconds before turning back to us. "Regardless, this cannot be allowed to happen again. I will call your parents and tell them what happened."

"!" Our heads snap back up at the declaration.

"You can't do that!" Illya exclaims.

"Can it, brat. It's your fault that things have escalated to this point. So grow up and accept the consequences." Fillia bluntly said.

Sella turns to Fillia. "I would prefer if you had said it with more finesse, sister."

"Whatever." Fillia huffs.

"Ahhh…." Leysritt moans.

"Quiet right, Leysritt." Sella agrees.

I look on while in deep thought. 'They're serious. If they call Irisviel and Kiritsugu, then I'll never be able to leave the penthouse. He'll likely set up a surveillance system or even send Maiya to keep a close eye on us. I need to figure out a way to diffuse this, I can't have my movements be restricted like this.'

"Then perhaps I can be of assistance."

I blink at the familiar voice ringing in my mind. 'Arsène?'

"I will assist you with this, but do not expect another helping hand in the future. Experience is the best teacher after all." Arsène then begins to give me instructions.

"Well? What do you have to say for yourselves?" Sella demands from her two charges.

"No." Everyone turns their attention to me.

Sella blinks. "Excuse me?"

"I said no. You can't tell dad about what happened." I elaborate.

Fillia arches an eyebrow. "Oh? And why can't we?" She crosses her arms and glares at us.

"Because if you do, then you'll be in so much trouble." I replied.

Now it's Sella's turn to look confused. "What are you talking about?"

I turn to my sister. "Show them."

Illya looks at me confused only for her eyes to widen and frantically goes back to her room before quickly returning with something in her hands. As she places the items on the coffee table, the homunculus sisters are mortified as they see pictures of them passed drunk with empty bottles littering around the living room.

"W-What!?" Sella stutters out in shock.

Mashu blushes in clear embarrassment as she sees a picture of her in such a shameful position.

"Here's the deal: you don't call our parents and we don't show them these lovely pictures of you all." I smirk as I pick up Sella's picture. "Could you imagine how they'd feel if they found out that we were almost killed because you were drunk on the job? I can, and I'd be VERY angry."

Fillia lets out a whistle. "Damn, he got us good."

Sella is taken aback by this development. "T-This is blackmail! You can't just hold us hostage with this information! What would your mother think!?"

"She'd be sad and though dad wouldn't show it, he'd likely be a little proud that I put his lessons to good use." I said. "So, what's it gonna be Sella? Would you let this go or will I have to tell mommy and daddy about your little night activity?"

Your Guts has Leveled Up!

Sella's mouth was hanging wide open. "Y-Yo-You… I-I-I!" She then proceeds to storm out of the room.

"Well, damn. Never thought I'd see Sella speechless." Filla looks at me and smirks. "You're good, kid."

"Thanks." I smiled.

"Welp, I better find Sella before she does something stupid." Fillia gets up and walks towards where Sella went.

"Wait… for me." Leysritt stands up and follows her sisters.

Illya lets out a tired sigh. "That was a close one. I had completely forgotten I took those pictures."

"Good thing, your otōto was there to remind you, right?" I chuckled.

Illya chuckles as well. "My otōto… so mischievous. I don't know what I'd do without you." She then starts to laugh.

The two of us laugh but that's when I feel something strange growing inside me.

I am Thou… Thou art I…

Thou has acquire a new vow,

It shall become the path to Fate

That severe the deceitfulness of corrupted Destiny.

With the birth of the Moon Persona,

I have obtained the winds of blessing that

shall guide thee to a true route and new power…

A window opens showing a Tarot card.

[Moon] Confidant [Illyasviel von Einzbern] has been attained!

The following perk [Illya's Cheer] has been unlocked!

Illya's Cheer: Rank E

Increases EXP earned by 10%

My eyes widened at the screen. 'T-This is…!'

"Congratulations on gaining your first Confidant." Arsène praised.

Mashu walks up to us. "Master…" She suddenly bows to us. "I am sorry for my shameful display! I promise it will never happen again!"

Illya raises her hands and gestures to her to calm down. "It's fine, Shielder. It's not like anything bad happened."

I gave her a look. Did she forget what happened at the bar? Ryunnosuke must have done more damage than I thought.

"But still! If I was there then you two wouldn't have been in that alley! You wouldn't have been found in the state that you were in!" Mashu exclaims. "Why…? Why am I so useless!?"

"Don't ever say that!"

Mashu's head snaps up to look at me.

"You are not useless, Mashu! You are strong, kind, and determined! You are the impenetrable fortress that protects humanity's hopes and dreams!" I walk up to her and grab her shoulders. "You made a mistake and that's fine. Everyone makes mistakes. That's what makes us human. So please, don't beat yourself up for something that we did."

"Theo…" Illya muttered.

"I'm sure that person wouldn't want you to be like this. Not after what you've been through." I gave the Demi Servant a smile.

Mashu looks at the boy in awe, his words resonating with her. They sound familiar, full of so much love and emotion that you didn't think it came from a child but from an adult. For a moment, in Theo's place was a boy with black and blue eyes. The same boy whom she's been traveling with to save the world.

'Senpai…' Mashu thought.

"So stand proud, Shielder. A knight should always stand proud."

Mashu straightens herself as there's now a new fire in her eyes. "Yes!"

As she said this, a familiar feeling swells inside me again.

I am Thou… Thou art I…

Thou has acquire a new vow,

It shall become the path to Fate

That severe the deceitfulness of corrupted Destiny.

With the birth of the Hope Persona,

I have obtained the winds of blessing that

shall guide thee to a true route and new power…

[Hope] Confidant [Mashu Kyrielight] has been attained!

The following perk [Chaldea's Protection] has been unlocked!

Chaldea's Protection: Rank C

Survive a lethal strike

Illya giggles. "My otōto is not only mischievous, but also a lady's man. I fear for your future."

My face glows a little pink. "Shut up. It's not like I do it on purpose."

Illya laughs and soon Mashu laughs as well. It wasn't like I was doing it on purpose. Seriously. This stuff just sorta comes naturally for me.

"At this rate, you'll be stealing more ladies' hearts than their Desires." Arsène comments.

"Oh shut up." I mumble under my breath as the girls laugh.

We hang out for a little while longer until everyone goes to bed. Since I only recently woke up, I wasn't the least bit tired; not at all.

Later

I stand at the roof of the penthouse, watching the moon hanging ominously over the city as the cool wind blows in my face.

"The Moon is so beautiful tonight." I remark.

"Indeed. It is a good night to bring vengeance." Khonshu adds.

"Ehehehe." I raise my hand above my face and pull down. In that moment, white energy trails down from my fingertips as it converges on my face and takes shape into my mask. Not soon after, my blue flames surround me and vanish revealing my Metaverse outfit.

"Shall we?" Khonshu asked.

My heartbeat becomes faster and faster as I run towards the edge of the building before jumping upwards to inhuman heights before landing on a building a whole block away from the hotel.

"That was awesome!" I exclaimed.

"Your Metaverse armor is not just a fashion statement. It is imbued with my power allowing you to perform extraordinary feats." Khonshu states. "With enough experience, you may be able to fight these Servants without relying on your Personas too much."

"So you mean to tell me that I can go toe-to-toe against legendary heroes without any issue!?" I let out a cackle. "Oh, I really am OP as fuck."

"Yes… if you survive I suppose." Khonshu shrugs.

I continue jumping from building to building. The wind rushing through my face, the incredible heights, the euphoria of being able to FLY in general.

"This is so. Much. FUN!" I exclaim with glee.

Suddenly, something black flies at incredible speeds and stabs me in the neck!

"Grk-!" I vomit out blood as I lose control and crash land on a nearby rooftop. I struggle to get up as I keep coughing up blood into the mask, dripping down my chin and neck and onto the floor.

I notice something at the edge of my sight and when I look, I see something poking from my neck.

Someone threw a knife at my neck!

"Shit!" I gurgled out. I reach towards the dagger and, with a cry of absolute pain, yank the dagger out of my throat, releasing a geyser of blood on the floor.

"P-PIXIE, DIA!" My mask ignites and Pixie appears next to me. She flies to the wound and holds out her hands as they glow green and quickly the wound completely closes and she disappears.

"Haaa… haaa…" I frantically take off my mask to breath as droplets of blood fall from the mask. I begin to hyperventilate at how close I was from bleeding to death. If I didn't have my Pixie on time I would be dead.

"You should have dodged that." Khonshu comments.

"Why… didn't you warn me? I almost DIED!" I scream out before the morbid reality sinks in. "Oh god, I almost died…"

"Need I remind you that you are in a war right now? A closed-off war that does not tolerate any interlopers because of their unpredictable nature." Khonshu said. "Take this as a lesson to not go around screaming at night like a dumbass."

"Tch." I turn my attention to the weapon and take a closer look. It was a small black dagger, good enough to be used as a throwing weapon rather than a melee weapon. The tip is hooked, making removal from the target a hard task once they have struck as evident by the large patch of skin/muscle still stuck onto the hook.

"Shit…" I whispered under my breath as I rubbed the part of my neck where the dagger struck.

"Get ready. Something's coming." Khonshu's voice snaps me back to the reality at hand.

On cue, something does land a couple of meters away from me. It is a lanky humanoid entity with black rags and pitch-black skin. The one thing that stands out about it is the white skull mask seemingly stitched to its face.

"You… live? Curious…" The Assassin said.

"What can I say? I'm made of sterner stuff." I quipped. 'Thank god, I unlocked [Chaldea's Protection] before I left or else I would really be in trouble.'

"Regardless, I will complete my mission." The Assassin declared.

Quest activated.

Moonlight over Darkness

Objective: Defeat one of the Hundred-Faces

Reward: 2,000 EXP, ¥42,500, Skill

Failure: Death

I made a "come on" gesture to the Servant. "Then come. You'll be the perfect dummy to test my power."

The facet didn't answer, it blurred.

One moment it was just a couple of meters away, the next he was right in front of me.

"Move, you fool!" Khonshu yelled.

I leap back just as Assassin was about to slice my eyes. I bring my hand up to my mask and it quickly breaks as my face is engulfed in flames. "Obariyon!"

For the flames a tiny red demon with warts all over its body appears. It has purple hair styled in a hime-cut though most of the hair is braided giving it a bob-cut look that ends with a ball hair scrunchie with stars on it. It wears a wide smile, showing its two sharp canines and has two holes just above representing its nose.

Assassin's eyes widen underneath their mask. Did he just summon a creature? He doesn't feel the Grail's influence coming from him nor the creature. How is this possible!?

"Now, Sukunda!" I ordered.

Obariyon closes its hands before opening them again, creating an energy field that surrounds the Assassin.

The moment it hit, Assassin felt heavy. Exhausted even. Like someone just dropped a bag full of iron rods on his shoulders. Was it that thing? Just what kind of magecraft did he just use?

"Switch, Jack Frost!" Obariyon disappears and in its place is the living snowman Jack Frost.

Assassin is once again dumbstruck by this development. He can summon more and switch between them at will!?

"Bufu!" Jack Frost dances as a block of ice suddenly appears above Assassin's head and falls on him.

"Gak!" Assassin collapses to the ground, his head bleeding profusely from the blunt force trauma.

I look confused as the Assassin is seemingly on his last legs. That was one the weakest ice spells I know so how is it doing so much damage? But that's when I remember that Assassins don't have much in magical resistance or at all, making them more susceptible to magical attacks.

It's basically a rock-paper-scissors system, like Pokémon.

And I can't believe I'm making that sort of comparison.

"What… are you?" Assassin manages to speak up.

I summon my [Silver Dagger] and walk towards the downed Servant. "I am the Moon Knight and you," I plunge my dagger into the facet's head and pull downwards splitting their face in two unleashing a gallon of blood before their body vanishes in a black mist, "are dust."

You have defeated Assassin! You have gained 356 EXP! You have earned ¥10,000!

Quest Complete!

Moonlight over Darkness

Objective: Defeat one of the Hundred-Faces (Complete)

Level Up(x5)!

Skill [Analysis] acquired!

Analysis - Rank: C

Confirm affinities you have previously attacked

Oh, I can feel my strength being restored. No, not restored, enhanced. Is this how it feels to level up?

It feels so good~

"You should have called me. I would have easily dispatched that bastard." Khonshu grumbles.

"Don't worry. There are another 80 or so facets for you to fight. But first," I open my status screen.

System update. Please wait…

Update Complete.

Full statistics now available.

Name: Theodore von Einzbern

Title: Persona User

Level: 5

HP: 250

SP: 350

STR: 100

END: 150

ACC: 150

SPR: 350

LUK: 150

Knowledge: 5 (Erudite)

Charm: 2 (Head-Turning)

Kindness: 2 (Considerate)

Guts: 4 (Dauntless)

Proficiency: 4 (Masterful)

Money: ¥ 8,310,489

"Nice." I leap off the building and continue my patrol of the city (I guess that's what I'm gonna call this outing from now on) and search for more people to beat up. "Hm?" I look down and notice something moving in a pile of trash bags. I jump down and walk up to see a person collapsed on the floor wearing a blue hoodie with black cargo pants.

I kneel in front of them and grab his arm, only to recoil as I feel something writhing underneath his clothes.

"Ugh!" The man grunts as he slowly moves his head up. "I must have… passed out…"

"You certainly did. And in a pile of garbage no less." I comment.

The man jolts upwards before crashing into a couple of trash cans and I get a good look at his face. He has a sickly pale complexion kind of like what you'd see in cancer patients and his hair is completely white. The left side of his face is slightly disfigured and his left eye is milky white meaning that he's blind on his left eye.

This… is Kariya Matou, the Master of Berserker and Zouken's second "biological" son. How that pile of rotting flesh and worms can have a child, let alone two is beyond me.

"Who… who are you!?" Kariya demands.

"Just your friendly neighborhood knight." I replied.

Kariya just blinks. Judging by his voice, this guy must be at least 8 years old, about the same age as Rin and Sakura; maybe even younger. Why is a kid going around at night dressed up like tha?

"Gack!" Kariya hisses as he grips tightly onto his useless arm. His face shifts and veins pop as if there was something moving under his skin.

"Hold on." I grab my mask. "High Pixie, Diarama."

Answering the call, something appears beside me. She is a small humanoid girl with pointy ears, wings and white hair that rises up into spikes. She wears gear-like earrings on both ears and a black/purple one piece that goes up to her torso as well as purple boots and long gloves.

"Y-You're a Master…!" Kariya exclaims in clear shock at what he saw.

"Hold still." High Pixie raises her hand as Kariya glows a green before she disappears.

Kariya blinks and quickly stands up. He feels more… alive than he's ever been since he started training with the ghoul. He is even more flabbergasted as he realizes that he can feel his left side and, with much reluctance, raises his left arm along with his right.

He can move his left arm!

"Ahh… ahh…" Tears begin to pour out of his eyes, both of them as he now notices sight is returning to his left eye. Suddenly, he doubles back as the worms inside him become extremely agitated. "AAAAAARGH!"

"Shit! The worms are going on a frenzy!" I said. "Hang on, I got some-"

"NO!" Kariya cries out. "I NEED THEM!"

Suddenly, I stop at my tracks as I become smothered by a powerful presence. It was so dark, so malicious, it made the hairs on the back of my neck stand stiff.

"Do not turn around." Khonshu warned me.

"*Growl*" I heard a grunted sound enters my ears. I grit my teeth hard as the unbearable presence becomes even more intense. It's like a large wild animal was staring down at me, daring me to move so that it can pounce.

This... this is Berserker.

"I… can't let you remove them." The worms inside him eventually calm down.

The presence I felt behind me disappears. "Why?"

"You already know the answer to the question."

"Because there's still something I have to do…" Kariya slowly and limply begins to move. "It would be for your own good if we never meet again… if you are what I think you are, then you are in great danger." He turns to me and I can see the tears still rolling off his face. "Please… I don't want another child to be a casualty of the war."

I watch silently as Kariya walks off.

I am Thou... Thou art I...

Thou has acquire a new vow,

It shall become the path to Fate

That severe the deceitfulness of corrupted Destiny.

With the birth of the Hanged Man Persona,

I have obtained the winds of blessing that

shall guide thee to a true route and new power...

[Hanged Man] Confidant [Kariya Matou] has been attained!

Your Kindness has leveled up!

"Why did you heal him?" Khonshu asked.

"I guess I just… couldn't leave him half dead like that." I replied.

Khonshu huffs. "You and your bleeding heart. I don't know where you got that from."

I stand up. "I think that's enough for today. Let's head back home." I jump up to the roofs and leap away.

Unbeknownst to everyone, a weird bug can be seen flying in the background.

Matou Mansion

Deep below the grounds of a western mansion, lies a massive dimly-lit chamber with a staircase as its only entrance and exit. Lining the walls are hole-like openings that are too dark to see in but what is most eye-catching of all is the massive pit at the center of the room.

Standing over the pit is a small old man. He wears a mostly purple yukata and uses a simple wooden cane to help him stand. He has pale, nearly gray skin and is a little slouch. His bald head and hands made him look mummified, but what would draw anyone's attention are his white eyes and black sclera.

This is Zouken Matou, the TRUE head of the Matou Family.

"Hm... quite an interesting development." He said, his voice sounding hoarse yet so full of life. "Who knew a simple reconnaissance would yield such a find."

The old man had sent out his familiars to spy on Kariya during his first battle in the Grail War. His performance was beyond disappointing, but that was expected. He was a useless boy and an even more incompetent magus, his death was of no concern to him. Unsurprisingly, his body soon gave out and he collapsed in a dirty alley. At first, Zouken thought he finally died from the strain and would have to wait another century to try his hand at winning the grail. That was until he saw a person, a little boy judging by his height, in white armor appear from above and approach him. At first, Zouken was a bit curious so he continue to observe this mystery boy... only for they to summon a fairy and heal Kariya.

To say that Zouken was shocked was an understatement... he was flabbergasted.

How can this be?

The rules to the Holy Grail War were clear, there can only be seven Masters along with their contracted Servant at a time. And aside for Caster's Master, all participating Magi are accounted for. Which leaves only one other possibility...

True Magic.

This person has somehow managed to reach the goal that all Magi have strived for since the conception of magecraft. And to add insult to injury, they were using Third Magic, the same one that the Holy Grail is founded on.

It made the old magus furious... yet also amused.

"A wild card has entered the grail war, and no one seemed to notice." Zouken lets out a cackle as the idea amused him to no end, before his glee quickly vanishes and is replaced with rage. If there was one thing he hates more than his useless family are surprises.

"Ah... ahh..." The muffled groans of a child can be heard from the pit.

"Well, I suppose as one of the founders of this sacred ritual, it is my responsibility to make sure everything goes smoothly." Zouken said as he taps his cane to the floor.

The chirpings of insects grow louder as glowing red eyes can be seen in the background.

Somewhere in Fuyuki

A blonde woman is seen walking through the empty streets of the city, almost like she is looking for something.

"Dang it, it's gone again." The woman pouts. She sounds a bit childish for someone her age. "Still, it's very strange. Why am I suddenly attracted to this city? Hm…" her body moves left and right as she thinks long and hard before her stomach makes a noise. "I'm hungry. Time to eat!" She then skids off to find the nearest restaurant.

Author Notes

Well shit, looks like the MC has attracted some more unwanted people. I will admit this isn't my best work, but I have so much on my mind right now that I cannot focus. Still, I think this chapter turned out fine.

I saw the votes and you guys are all dead set on Confidants. Great. I hope you like the placement of the characters so far. Kariya was a bit of last minute.

The next update will be on Interloper, so look forward to it.

As always, leave a comment. Good, bad, it doesn't matter.

Peace~

Chapter Text

Disclaimer: I own nothing, just the oc. Support the official release.

It is morning in the penthouse as I walk out of the bathroom in my pajamas. Last night, I had a conversation with Khonshu on the importance of utilizing my arsenal to its fullest potential and suggested that I put the [Skill Cards] to good use.

"He doesn't have to sound like a condescending dick though." I mumbled as I made my way towards the main area. I walk up to the table and take a seat next to Illya. "Good morning, onee-chan."

"Good morning, Theo." Illya smiles.

I turn to Fillia. "Good morning, Filla."

Fillia yawns. "Morning."

Good Morning, Leysritt."

"...morning." Leysritt said.

"Good morning, Mashu."

"Good morning, Theo-san." Mashu smiles.

A plate of eggs and bacon is laid down in front of me. "And last but not least, good morning Sella."

"..." Sella doesn't respond as she lays down Illya's breakfast.

I notice Sella's odd behavior. "Is something wrong, Sella?"

"..."

"Sella, Theo is asking you a question." Illya said.

"... nothing is wrong." Sella said.

Fillia drinks her tea. "You shouldn't lie to our lady, Sella."

Sella narrows her eyes at her sister. "I am not lying."

"Sella is an awful liar." Leysritt remarks as she eats the bacon.

"Quiet, Leysritt. And don't eat that with your bare hands!" Sella yelled.

My eyes furrow at the sour atmosphere that permeates the table. Did my blackmail affect her this much? I wasn't even serious about it. I just wanted her off our back.

Without a second thought, I get off my chair and walk up to Sella which confuses the homunculus.

"Is there something wrong with your breakfast?" She asked robotically only to get tackled into a hug by the young boy. "Eh!?"

"I'm sorry, Sella, I didn't mean to threaten you." Sella's eyes widened. "We just wanted to see what the outside world was like. We didn't mean to scare you all like that so please don't be mad at us."

Sella's at a loss for words. "Theo-sama… I am not angry at you. I understand why you did it, and I don't blame you. If there is anyone to blame, it's me." She takes a deep breath. "I was created to protect you and Lady Illyasviel, but I failed." Her body starts to tremble. "When we found you in the streets, I almost had a heart attack. How could I look your parents in the eyes when I made such a blunder?" She then sighs. "You have every right to show them those pictures Theo-sama, I won't stop you." She then smiles. "Hopefully, our replacements can do a better job at protecting you both."

Fillia glances away with a huff while Leyzritt stares at me

"No! I don't want anyone else!" My grip on her waist becomes tighter. "You are my maids! There will be no one that can replace you!"

"Theo-sama…" Sella whispers.

"I won't show them the pictures. So please… promise me you won't go." Sella can hear the sobbing coming from the young man.

The homunculi didn't know how to respond to his words, or the tears. It is only natural for homunculi to be disposed of should they not fulfill their purpose. It's an accepted fact in this world. And yet this boy would shed tears for them…

How could she refuse?

"Young master… I promise I will never leave your side." Sella declares.

I look up with tears and snot in my face. "You promise?"

Sella nods and smiles. "I promise."

I turn my attention to the other homunculi.

Filla sighs. "I'm not going anywhere, brat. So dry your tears already." She then gives the boy a smirk. "Useless you're just that much of a baby."

I blush in embarrassment. "I am not a baby!"

"Crybaby master." Leysritt comments.

"Liz!" I exclaimed.

Illya giggles. "Crybaby otōto!"

"Onee-chan!" My face gets redder as everyone continues to laugh.

I am Thou… Thou art I…

Thou has acquire a new vow,

It shall become the path to Fate

That severe the deceitfulness of corrupted Destiny.

With the birth of the Hierophant Persona,

I have obtained the winds of blessing that

shall guide thee to a true route and new power…

[Hierophant] Confidant [Sella] has been attained!

The following perk [Magical Headmaid] has been unlocked!

Magical Headmaid: Rank C

Increases Spirit by 8

I desperately turn to Mashu. "Mashu, do something!"

"I-I..." The Shield Servant turns her head back and forth anxiously.

Sella calms down. "Alright, alright. That's enough teasing for now. Breakfast is getting cold."

"Haa, finally. I'm starving." Fillia takes a seat but notices something. "Hey, where did all the bacon go!?"

Everyone turns to Leysritt, whose mouth is comically stuffed with food before swallowing it whole.

"*Burp* Thanks for the food." Leysritt said so nonchalantly.

Everyone sweat drops at the homunculus.

Later - Theo's Room

"You must become more accustomed to your gift. If you want to survive this world, you must not waste every tool at your disposal." The voice of Khonshu rings in my head.

I sit on my bed as I open the menu and tap on the [Skills] icon and my list of [Skill Cards] pop up.

I stare at the near gigantic list of skills with conviction. "That last fight with the Assassin showed me just how unprepared I really am. If I want to survive, I need to step up my game." I scroll through the list and select various different skills.

You have selected the following:

Brave Blade

One-Shot Kill

Agilao

Bufula

Zionga

Garula

Psio

Freila

Kouga

Eiga

Megido

Dormina

Diarama

High Counter

Fire Amp

Ice Boost

Elec Amp

Wind Amp

Psy Boost

Nuke Amp

Apt Pupil

Arms Master

Spell Master

Gun Amp

Regenerate 3

Invigorate 3

I sweat drop as I stare at the list. "I may have overdone it."

Would you like to equip these skills?

[Y/N]

I tap the [Yes] icon.

*BA-BUMP!*

"Ugh!" I clutch my chest as my body is overtaken by overwhelming heat. Sweat begins to build up as my body gets hotter, before the feeling slowly fades and goes back to normal.

"T-That was… overwhelming." I wheezed out as I wiped the sweat off my brow.

"The heat in your chest was a warning sign. Your young body has reached its natural limit. If you had equipped more cards, your body would have exploded from the sudden power surge." Khonshu explains.

I breathe in and nod. "How many Personas can I equip?"

"Because your body's brain is still developing, you can only have a set of five at any given time. If you want to change them, you need to come to the Tower of Babel and speak to me personally." My Persona explains.

"Okay."

"I am surprised that you didn't go with more powerful cards. You would have won this war."

"If I did that, then I won't be able to use you guys. What's good about having power if I'm just gonna neglect the friends who helped me get it?" I said.

"... I see." Khonshu says thoughtfully.

I arch an eyebrow as I go back to the main menu and open my [Compendium].

Current Personas Equipped:

Fool: Khonshu

Fool: Obariyon

Fool: High Pixie

Lovers: Pixie

Magician: Jack Frost

I then press Obariyon's name and look at his stat sheet.

Obariyon

Snap

Medium Gun damage to 1 foe.

Cost 9% HP

Sukunda

Decrease Agility of 1 foe for 3 turns.

Cost 8 SP

Lucky Punch

Minuscule Physical damage to 1 foe, high critical rate.

Cost 3% HP

Resist Fear

Reduce susceptibility to Fear.

Dekaja

Negate all -kaja buff effects of all foes.

Cost 10 SP

As I check on my other Personas, I noticed two things: one, the Personas have all of their skills unlocked and two, they have no level gauge meaning that they can't level up. Does this mean that everyone's levels are already maxed out? Yet, I don't remember grinding to the point that their levels reach maximum. Is it because of the rules of this world being so different to that game series?

"I guess I don't have to worry about grinding to get more skills." I comment.

Suddenly, the creaking of the door catches my attention as I quickly close all of the windows and Leysritt comes in.

"Theo-sama, Illya-sama is asking for your presence." Leysritt informed.

"Oh, thank you Liz."

Leysritt gives me a perplexed look. "Why are you calling me that?"

"Calling you what?"

"Liz." Leysritt points out.

"Well, Leysritt is kind of a mouthful and a bit hard to say, so I shortened it." I told her. "You don't mind, right?"

Liz shakes her head. "No."

Her face and tone doesn't show it, but I could see that the homunculus liked the nickname.

I am Thou… Thou art I…

Thou has acquire a new vow,

It shall become the path to Fate

That severe the deceitfulness of corrupted Destiny.

With the birth of the Priestess Persona,

I have obtained the winds of blessing that

shall guide thee to a true route and new power…

[Priestess] Confidant [Leysritt] has been attained!

The following perk [Artificial Strength] has been unlocked!

Artificial Strength: Rank C

Strength increases by 8

"Welp, let's see what Illya wants." I jump off my bed and walk out of my room with Liz in toe. When I arrived in the living room, Illya was wearing her winter outfit.

"Good, you're here!" Illya smiles.

"What's going on, onee-chan? Why are you wearing your winter coat?" I asked.

"Fufufu~ isn't it obvious little brother?" She then dramatically extends her arms outwards. "We're going to the park!"

I blink. "Wait, really?"

"Yup!" Illya gives me a beaming smile.

"I figured it would be a good activity for all of us to enjoy." Sella began. "I read in a book that spending time outside improves motor development and lower obesity rates and myopia risk. It also makes children more engaged in learning, which will be beneficial for Illya-sama's lessons in the future."

"Just admit it, Sella. You just want to go to the park." Fillia told her.

"I do not know what you are talking about." Sella firmly denies.

"Lying again." Liz remarks.

A vein mark appears on Sella's forehead. "I am not!"

"If we're going outside, then you three will need a change in wardrobe. Those outfits will make you stick out too much." I gesture to the maid outfits. "Especially those ridiculous mushrooms you call hats."

"These aren't ridiculous! They're traditional Einzbern servant hats!" Sella defends the hats.

"They are." Leysritt quietly chimes in.

"Wha-?" Sella whips her neck around to look at her sister in disbelief.

"They do look like mushrooms..." Illya chimes in.

"Not you too, mistress." Sella says, defeated.

Fillia then bursts into a fit of laughter. "Finally, someone said it! I don't know how long I was gonna hold that back!"

"Then it's settled! We're going shopping!" Illya exclaims.

"WHAT!?" Sella yelled.

Early Noon - Mount Miyama

We walked through the streets of the Miyama shopping district, getting glances from everyone who passed by us, not that I blame them. It's not everyday you see six foreigners with three of them wearing old-style dresses with weird hats and a woman wearing a black suit.

It is embarrassing! We stick out too much!

You're likely wondering why we're walking instead of taking the car. That's because Illya wanted to take the "scenic" route and that 'it's way more fun that way'. We took the subway and arrived at Miyama Town, the suburban area of Fuyuki that contains old houses and traditional buildings. It is also the home of both Tohsaka and Matou families, two contenders in the Holy Grail War.

Sella tries to talk Illya out of exploring this area of the city, since it is practically enemy territory, but Illya tells her that the war only happens at night and the Masters won't dare attack them in broad daylight unless they wanted to jeopardize the existence of the Grail and by extension the Moonlit World.

"According to this map, our destination should be right up ahead." Sella states as she reads the map.

Illya squints her eyes and looks around before something grabs her attention. "There it is!" She points up ahead.

The camera shifts viewpoint to show a clothing store with clothes left on display outside which is right in between what looks like an antique store and a flower shop.

'Well, that certainly wasn't there before.' I remarked.

Fillia reads one of the signs on display. "It says here that this store is having a closing sale. Almost everything here is 90% off."

"What does that mean?" Illya curiously asked.

"It means that everything in this store is being sold for a lower-than-average price." I explained.

"That's a good thing, right?" I nod. "That's great! Let's go buy clothes."

"Illya-sama, are you sure that is wise?" Sella eyes the old building. "Would it not be wise to find a store that is more… presentable?"

"Nope! We're doing this Sella! The Artificial Human Squad never backs out once an objective is set!" Illya proclaims with gusto.

Right, that was another thing I needed to point out.

Before we left the penthouse, Illya suggested we name our little group. Since we were all Homunculi by nature, she decided that we should call ourselves the "Artificial Human Squad", a name that Fillia disregarded completely in the most blunt way possible.

Illya then started crying crocodile tears and the rest of us had to console her. It only took less than a second for Fillia to rescind her statement and Illya went back to her cheerful self. It also didn't help that Mashu admitted that she was also an artificial existence which just added fuel to the fire.

And so, we are now the Artificial Human Squad.

The group enters the store and we all wander around the floor and browse through the various clothes in stock.

"Hello! How may I help you?" The shop clerk asks in a faux french accent, catching our attention.

Illya steps forward. "Hi! Do you have any cute and sexy clothes for us?"

I facepalmed. "Goddammit, Illya!"

The clerk's taken aback by the question. "Well, we certainly have cute ones but I'm not sure if that's appropriate for a young lady like you."

Illya arches an eyebrow before realizing her mistake. "Oh! No, no, they're not for me! The clothes are for them." She gestures to the maids.

"Oh my! Those clothes are absolutely dreadful! They look like something from the 18th century!" The clerk exclaims with horror.

Illya sagely nods. "These poor girls have no sense of fashion."

Sella opens her mouth to protest, but it gets covered by both Fillia and Liz.

"So, could you help us?" Illya asks in a cutesy way.

The clerk's smile widens. "Bien sûr! This way please!"

The clerk guides us to show us an array of women's clothes of varying colors and styles.

The clerk then turns to Mashu. "You too, miss."

Mashu smiles and takes a step back. "I don't think that's a goAAAHHHH!" But she is dragged to the back by the clerk.

I find a chair and take a seat while the girls' clothes are getting tossed around by the crazy clerk while screaming like there's no tomorrow.

I think I may have fallen asleep because the next thing I knew I was being shaken awake by Ilya and my eyes widened at what I saw.

Fillia was wearing a yellow sweater under a white coat that reached down her legs, blue jeans and brown high-heeled boots.

Sella's outfit was much like Fillia's: a gray coat with blue/white striped scarf around her neck, gray pants and white boots.

Liz' outfit was the complete opposite. She is wearing an apricot turtleneck sweater with a cut out eyelet which showed an ample glimpse of her cleavage with a pair of skintight black jeans and a pair of black shoes.

Mashu was wearing a lilac winter coat similar to Illya's, a black skirt and tights, and brown shoes.

"What do you think, Theo?" Illya asked with a grin.

I gave them a thumbs up. "C'est magnifique!"

"Yes, truly beautiful!" The clerk agrees. "One more thing." The clerk walks towards Sella and Liz and pulls off their mushroom hats, revealing Sella's long hair and Liz' short hair.

"You don't need these anymore~" The clerk dumps the hats and the maid outfits into the trash.

"Hey, we needed that!" Sella yelled.

"No, we don't." Filla countered.

"But… those were-"

"Impractical and useless." Liz chimes in.

Sella sits in a corner crying as her sisters win the argument. However, despite this, I feel that the six of us have grown closer.

I am Thou… Thou art I…

Thou has acquire a new vow,

It shall become the path to Fate

That severe the deceitfulness of corrupted Destiny.

With the birth of the Fool Persona,

I have obtained the winds of blessing that

shall guide thee to a true route and new power…

[Fool] Confidant [Artificial Human Squad] has been attained!

The following perk [Will of the Homunculus] has been unlocked!

Will of the Homunculus: Rank B

Chances of victory increases by the number of artificial humans working together

Illya's eyes are sparkling. "Wow, you four look amazing! Just like in those modeling magazines!"

"Illya-san! How did you know that!?" Mashu exclaims.

"From Fillia's collection!" Illya reveals.

"I knew it was you who was going into my room, you brat!" Fillia screams out.

'OKAY! We're definitely gonna stop by a video store and buy Disney movies when we get back!' I thought.

Sella lets out a defeated sigh. "Let me just pay for the clothes so we can leave." She heads towards the register to check out.

It was the first time I've ever seen her eyes completely bugged out.

After leaving the clothing store, we continued wandering through the shopping district. We found a Chinese restaurant and went inside. We got a variety of Chinese dishes however, I was too entranced by what Mashu ordered.

Mapo Tofu.

The same accursed dish Kirie Kotomine eats.

Actually, can you even call it food? It looked like a boiling volcano and yet somehow, the tofu didn't seem to melt despite the sizzling red broth it was submerged in. Even worse was that Mashu was enjoying it! She took a spoonful of that hellish substance and ate it again and again, all the while sporting a smile on her face.

'Those two are fucking weirdos!' I though in cringe.

After paying for the meal (and Sella almost tearing up over the bill), we arrive at the train station and take a train back to Shinto and finally arrive at the park.

The park is exactly what you'd expect, a large open space with green grass, trees, and benches all around.

"Wowie! This place is amazing!" Illya's eyes sparkle at the sight of the park. "It's so… so green!"

I shrug. "It's a nice change of scenery compared to the forest near the castle."

Illya turns to me. "How can you not be excited!? This is our first real taste of the outside world!"

'Probably because I'm a 23-year-old inside the body of a 6-year-old.' I thought. "Illya, we live in a penthouse, the highest point in any building. We could see the entire city from up there."

"Yeah, but it's so different when you're up close and personal!" Illya counters. "It feels like a dream, you know?"

"I guess so." I had to agree with Illya. Everything feels like a dream. The Grail War, the Servants, my Personas, nothing about this felt real. It was like someone's fever dream that was turned into a fanfiction (AN: Heh).

But there's no denying it. This was real and I am enjoying every second of it.

Sella pulls out a folded piece of paper. "Alright, everyone. I have prepared a series of activities for today." She unfolds it and it keeps unfolding down until it goes all the way down her legs. "First, we will perform a scenic walk, then we will 'play ball', then we shall-"

"Illya and Theo are gone." Liz quickly interrupts her.

Sella's neck snaps at Liz. "What!?" She looks down and sees that the children are missing. "Why didn't you stop them!?"

Her two sisters simply shrug.

Sella lets out a frustrated groan. "Shielder. Please bring them back here."

"Hai!" Mashu exclaims and runs off.

Illya and I wander aimlessly through the park, taking in the sights while passing by a number of adults.

"It's so weird. The weather's cold yet the grass and trees are still green." Illya comments as she looks at her surroundings.

"Some trees take longer to wilt than others. It's mainly because the abscission layer on these trees does not completely form until spring, which allows them to hold on to their leaves much longer." I explained.

Illya cutely tilts her head as a question mark appears over her head. "Eh?"

"Basically, younger trees don't wilt like their older parents." I simplified.

"Oh, why didn't you say so!" Illya exclaimed.

I let out a sigh before I collide with something, causing me to lose my balance and fall to the floor. When I look up, I see a group of boys who seem to be about two or three years older than me.

"Hey guys, check it out! Their hair is white!" Boy A said.

"What!? Are they old or something!?" Boy B asked.

"And they have creepy eyes, too. What weirdos." Boy C gagged.

'Oh no, bullies.' I get up and look at the trio. "Could you stand aside, please?"

"Oh look, the freak can talk!"

"His eyes remind me of a rat. The ones with white fur and red eyes."

"You're right! He does look like a rat!"

"H-Hey!" A purple cap falls to the pavement.

My eyes immediately snap to Illya being grabbed by one of the bullies.

"Let go of my hair!" Illya demands, but gets her hair pulled. "Ow!"

"And what's a little girl like gonna do!?" The bully pulls harder, making scream in pain.

I narrow my eyes at the older bully. "Let her go."

"Oh? And what are you gonna do, rat boy? Glare at me to death?" The bully taunts as the other bullies continue pulling Illya's hair.

"Help me, onii-chan!" Illya pleads.

Blue embers manifest on my face. "Let. Her. Go. Now."

"Or else what?" The bully continues to taunt but before anything can happen, a voice catches our attention.

"Hey, stop that!"

Everyone turns to the sound of that voice and I cannot believe what I am seeing.

Standing a few feet in front of us is a boy with auburn hair and golden eyes. He is wearing a light-brown winter coat, blue pants, and brown shoes. But that wasn't what was shocking.

What was shocking is that the boy is Shirou Fucking Emiya!

"Oh shit! It's Shirou!"

"Let's get out of here!"

The bullies let go of Illya and she falls before they all run as fast as their little legs can take them.

"Illya!" I ran to her and gave her my hand. "Are you okay!?"

"My head hurts!" Illya pouts as she takes my hand.

"It's okay. I'm here." I pulled her up.

Shirou picks up Illya's cap and walks up to us. "Are you two okay?" He hands us the cap.

Illya takes the cap. "Yes, thank you onii-chan." She smiles as she puts it on her head.

"Ah…" A tinge of red appears on his cheeks. "Y-You're welcome!" He notices the other boy staring intensely at him. "Um… is he okay?"

Illya sees her brother in a trance-like state and furrows her eyes. "Don't worry. I got this." She secretly casts [Reinforcement] on her hand and proceeds to smack him on the back of the head.

"Ow!" I hissed in pain. "What was that for!?"

"You were being rude to onii-chan, Theo. Apologies." Illya said.

I massage my head and turn to Shirou. "Sorry about that."

Shirou gestures as if to say "don't worry about it". "It's alright. Anyone would have done the same."

'Anyone would have looked and just ignored us.' I mentally countered.

Shirou raises his hand. "I'm Shirou."

I stare at his hand as time seemingly grinds to a halt.

Shirou Emiya. The aspiring Hero of Justice. The Boy Wonder. The future Hero of Wrought Iron.

... hypocrite.

I don't hate Shirou and frankly I couldn't. I do believe his character has some good qualities. It's just that because of his massive hero complex it makes him slightly annoying and a bit hypocritical. He wants to be a [Hero of justice], someone whose willing to sacrifice anything and everything for the sake of helping or protecting as many people as possible, but there's a fine line between fighting for the sake of others (altruism) or oneself (glory) and sadly Shirou falls under the former.

Shirou spends every waking day trying to fulfill his dream. He would help others when there was no reason for him to. He would turn his nerves into pseudo Magic Circuits, cannibalizing himself just make a single spell work. He jumped in to stop an attack from a literal demi-god and almost got himself torn in half for it. He's friends with a complete bastard and a rapist. And finally, in one timeline, he made a contract with the literal representation of the human collective unconscious, forsaking the afterlife in order to continue saving lives by killing lives. A sad and honestly ironic end, where the dream he worked so hard to attain would ultimately consume him and leave him a literal shell of his former self; a janitor (killing machine) to the whims of humanity.

Overall, Shirou Emiya is a character who has no sense of self preservation. He is an instrument (Sword) ready and waiting to be used by others, whether to save or destroy.

And for that... I pity him.

I felt something hit my side. "Theo, stop spacing out already. It's creepy."

"Huh? Oh, sorry." I blink several times as I finally raise my hand and shake it. "My name is Theodore, but you can call me Theo." I gestured to Illya. "And this snow angel is Illya."

"D'aw, stop it." Illya nudges my side.

Shirou's eyes widened. "Wow, I never met a real snow angel! I guess that would explain why you're so cute."

Illya blushes at the comment. T-Thank you."

Making blunt comments without a second thought, huh? I guess some things never change.

I let go of his hand. "So what are you doing here, Shirou?"

"Oh. My parents and I are just wandering the city. Taking a nice walk with people you're close to helps you relax." Shirou states.

I give the future ally of justice a look. I suppose since the fire never happened, Shirou still has his birth parents.

"Oh? Mind if we come with you? We're new here so we're exploring the city with our family." Illya said.

Shirou smiles. "That sounds great!"

The three of us then begin exploring the rest of the park. Eventually, we reach the edge of the park where the Fuyuki River is. We take a seat on a nearby bench and look on in awe at the view of the city and the bridge.

"Say, Shirou." I turn to the redhead. "Those three bullies back there seemed to know you. Are you popular in your neighborhood or something?"

Shirou looks at me sheepishly. "You could say that…" He begins to fidget around a little. "I have something of a reputation at school… but it's no big deal."

"Mind telling us what that is?" I asked.

"No. It's alright. It's dumb anyways." Shirou was flustered.

Okay, now he got me interested. "C'mon, Shirou. You can trust us. We're friends."

"Yeah! You can trust us!" Illya adds.

"Oh, alright." Shirou completely gives in. "I want to help people see, so I help everyone who needs it."

That... doesn't sound too different from his canon self. "How do you help them?"

"Simple. If I see someone in trouble, I beat the other guy to a pulp." Shirou said, slamming his fist to his hand.

I was shocked by his answer. Did he seriously just say that? That sounds like something Taiga would say.

I sweat dropped. 'Oh my god, he's a delinquent.'

"Wow! You must be super-duper strong!" Illya exclaimed.

Shirou smirks. "Yeah, I am! With me around, no one's gonna harm an innocent life!"

'Oh dear. I better change the subject before Illya gets any ideas.' I thought as I tried to come up with something. "Hey Shirou, you're strong right? Exactly how strong?"

"Strong enough. Why? Want a demonstration?" Shirou smirks.

I smirk back.

Two minutes later

Shirou and I stand in an empty area a few meters away from each other.

"Let me say this to start: I am fairly strong!" I exclaimed.

"We'll see!" Shirou shoots back.

"And… fight!" Illya signaled.

Shirou makes the first move. He charges forward before reeling his arm back and launching it for a hit.

However, from my perspective, the punch was moving in slow motion. It was so slow that I couldn't help snort at the effort.

I step aside and Shirou stumbles from the excess momentum. "Too slow, too slow, Shirou. How can you protect someone if you can't even protect yourself?" I proceed to do a spin kick, sending him spiraling head-first into the grass.

"Theo, that was uncalled for!" Illya comments.

"It's fine, he can take it. He has to learn how to tolerate pain if he wants to be a real hero." I told her.

Illya's brows furrowed as he said that. "Theo…"

Shirou slowly stands up and turns to me. "I can still fight!"

"Good." I crack my neck. "I was starting to think you gave up."

"An Ally of Justice never gives up!" Shirou said as he strikes a very familiar pose. "The laws of victory have been decided!"

I just blink at what I'm seeing. 'Did he just quote Kamen Rider Build?'

Shirou runs forward before jumping up- wait, what?

"Rider Kick!" Shirou screams as he does a flying kick.

I was dumbstruck as the whole scene plays out, but not before Shirou fumbles in mid-air and crash lands on top of me, sending us both crashing on the grass.

"Theo, onii-chan!" Illya screams in horror and rushes towards the boys.

The two boys groan in pain as they slowly get up.

"That hurts!" Shirou cries as he nurses the bump on his head.

"Why did you have to fall on top of me? Matter of fact, why did your big forehead have to hit mine!?" I hiss in pain as I slowly get up.

"Hey, it wasn't my fault! A leaf got in my eyes!" Shirou justified.

"There aren't trees around, you idiot!" I countered. "Why did you even do a flying kick in the first place!?"

"I thought it'd make me look cooler." Shirou admits.

I gave the redhead a look. "... you really are an idiot."

"Hey! My mommy says I'm a smart boy!" Shirou sobs.

"Smart boys don't crash into other people, idiot!" I argue as I pull his cheeks.

"Ow, stop it! Stop it!"

"Admit your stupid then!" But before anything happens, a shoe collides with my face sending me tumbling back.

"Stupid, Theo. Stop bullying onii-chan!" Illya yelled before turning his attention to Shirou. "Are you okay?"

Shirou looks at Illya in a trance. "An angel…"

"Eh?" Illya sweat dropped.

"Shirou? Shirou, where are you?"

Said boy blinks in recognition of the voice. "That's my dad. He and mom must be looking for me." He stands up. "It was nice meeting you both. Is your brother gonna be okay?"

Illya shrugs. "Oh, definitely. He's taken worse punishment than this."

Shirou blinks at her answer. "Okay… I'll see you around then."

I walk up to Illya as I watch Shirou run up to a man who looks like an older version of Shirou with brown hair. Next to him was a woman with black hair and golden-brown eyes, however, what surprises me is that the woman looks like an older Miyu from that magical girl spin off.

What's even more shocking is that the woman is holding a baby in her hands. A baby that's, without a doubt, Miyu herself.

Did this mean that Miyu existed in this world from the beginning? Or was this universe just another possibility? That's when I came to a horrible realization.

Shirou will lose everything in the Fuyuki Fire. His home, his friends, his family, his sister. And what's worse is that he loses his memories of it all.

I can't even begin to imagine going through all of that.

"C'mon, Illya. Let's find Sella and the others." I grab her hand.

Illya nods and the two of us walk off.

I am Thou… Thou art I…

Thou has acquire a new vow,

It shall become the path to Fate

That severe the deceitfulness of corrupted Destiny.

With the birth of the Magician Persona,

I have obtained the winds of blessing that

shall guide thee to a true route and new power…

[Magician] Confidant [Shirou Muramasa] has been unlocked!

The following perk [Ally of Justice] has been unlocked!

Ally of Justice: Rank B

When facing evil intended foes, odds of victory increase

Nighttime

After going our separate ways, we were immediately intercepted by Mashu who was both happy and frustrated to see us. She was so ecstatic to see us and we immediately made our way back to Sella and the others where we got the scolding of a lifetime courtesy of Sella.

Her face literally turned as red as a tomato from the nonstop yelling.

After that, it was decided to just go back to the penthouse, but not before stopping by a rental store and rented a bunch of Disney movies like The Little Mermaid, the Lion King, the Beauty and the Beast, Mullan, Aladdin, the Jungle Book, and so on.

Illya instantly fell in love with the Lion King, she wouldn't stop singing "hakuna matata" and all of us eventually joined in. Sella tried to sing at a higher pitch but ended up almost choking on her own spit. It was hilarious.

We pretty much spent all night marathoning through a fourth of movies we rented before going to sleep. I managed to quietly cast [Dormina] on Mashu before going to my room, the only indication I got that the spell worked was the thud I heard coming from the living room.

I don my [Moon Knight] outfit and quietly snuck out of the penthouse and began my night patrol. I wander through the city, watching its people flock through the streets high in the roof.

*KA-BOOM!*

"Huh!?" I turn to see a building in the distance imploding in on itself. I leap towards the destruction to see the flaming remains of a building as fire trucks, ambulances, and police cars drive in and try to quell the people while trying to put out the fire.

"If I remember correctly, one of the Masters was staying at a hotel; Kayneth or something. His name is too fucking long to remember." I said. "Kiritsugu may be an assassin, but he doesn't have to be so flashy."

"I don't see why we don't just kill him. He has more blood on his hands than that serial killer." Khonshu said.

"Because then I'll fuck up screw up everyone if he dies too early. I can't just go around killing people just because you say so. We have to be smart about it." I told him. "Also, why do you wanna kill him? He only kill people that deserve it. I thought you'd be happy about this."

"This is why you're an idiot." The Persona scoffs. "Just because he kills magi doesn't make him any different than them. So what if he only targets those freaks, it doesn't change the nature of his crimes." He states. "Do you have any idea how many have suffered at the hands of these fools? Do you not hear their cries for vengeance, for justice?"

"I don't know, man. It kind of sounds like you're being vindictive because someone else is doing your job." I remark.

"Do you want to die, boy? Because I can make that a reality. And trust me, it won't be pretty." The Egyptian God growls.

"Well, hello there. I didn't expect anyone to be up and about this late at night." A female voice suddenly catches my attention.

My head snaps back to see who it is. Standing behind me is a female teenager around 16-17. She has short, golden blonde hair and piercing crimson red eyes, wearing a white turtleneck sweater, a blue skirt, black tights, and black boots.

However, despite her radically different outfit, I instantly recognize the woman before.

"Good Evening." Arcueid Brunestud, the White Princess of the True Ancestors, smiles at me. "You wouldn't happen to be the weird presence I've been tracking for a while, are you?"

"Oh fuck…"

Author Notes

Edit: 6/8/23

Hot damn, it's been a long time since I've tackled this story! My brain was going into overdrive just trying to figure out how to get this chapter off the ground. It's a good thing my friend already had something in mind or else I'd still be stuck in the drawing board (Thanks, triscythe59).

I realized I didn't do this in the last chapter, so here are the Confidants Theo has so far:

0. Fool: The Artificial Human Squad (Theo, Sella, Liz, Fillia, Illya, Mash)

I. Magician: Shirou Muramasa

I. Councillor:

II. Priestess: Leysritt

III. Empress:

IV. Emperor:

V. Hierophant: Sella

V. Apostle:

?. Faith:

?. Hope: Mash Kyrielight

VI. Lovers:

VII. Chariot:

VIII. Justice:

IX. Hermit:

X. Fortune:

XI. Strength:

XI. Hunger:

XII. Hanged Man: Kariya Matou

XIII. Death:

XIV. Temperance:

XV. Devil:

XVI. Tower:

XVII. Star:

XVIII. Moon: Illyasviel von Einzbern

XIX. Sun:

XX. Judgment:

XX Aeon:

XXI. The World:

I wasn't sure how to handle them at first. Should the Confidants rank up or just have the OC unlock them? That drove me nuts. In the games, you have up to a whole year to max out all of the Confidants but the Holy Grail War lasts only a few weeks, so I'd be trying to condense it all in the span of almost a month and I wasn't gonna torture myself trying to figure it all out.

So the idea I came up with was that at some point, the OC will unlock the character's Social Link after reaching a point where they become closer and then unlock a special perk as a way to show the fruits of their bond.

I know some of you may not like it, but that's how I want to handle the story so I can make it easier for myself.

Anyways, I hope everyone has a Happy New Year.

Peace~

Chapter Text

Disclaimer: I own nothing, just the oc. Support the official release.

I stand perfectly still as Arcueid Brunestud, the Tsukihime herself, stands in front of me.

'Shit, shit, shit! What is she doing here!?' I internally scream. 'She isn't even canon to the Fate series! Why is she here!?'

'Calm yourself. Now is not the time to freak out.' Khonshu advised.

My eye twitches. 'Don't fucking tell me to calm down! You're not the one standing before the vessel of the World itself! She can fucking kill me without moving a literal finger!' I cried. 'Also how the fuck are you so calm!? Do you not know who and WHAT she is!?'

'Of course I know! That is EXACTLY why you need to calm down!' Khonshu's voice lost its cool. 'She is an existence that can't be comprehended by gods. She is more akin to the planet itself given a human form. If she really wanted us dead, we wouldn't even be talking now would we!?'

"Hey. Are you alright?" Arcueid tilts her head. "You've been staring at me for the past 3 minutes?" She walks forward and waves her hand on my face. "Helloooo? Anyone home?"

My body jolts at how close she is to me. "W-What?"

"Finally. And here I thought you had fallen asleep." Arcueid places her hands on her hips. "So, are you going to answer my question?"

"W-What question?" I asked.

"That you are the source of that weird presence I've been tracking."

"Define weird."

Arceiud puts her finger on her chin. "Well… it felt like my dad but only on a smaller scale and his power has been diluted."

'So, she's been tracking Khonshu.' I thought. "If I said that I was the source, what would you do?" In that instant, an overwhelming pressure washes over me as I use all of my strength just to stand.

"What would I do? I think the answer's obvious." Arcueid began before giving me a goofy smile. "I have no idea!"

I deadpanned. "... huh?"

"Yeah. I sort of came here without a plan…" Arcueid admits. "Oh! Maybe I'll ask him why he missed so many birthdays, and beat him up for missing so many birthdays!"

'... what?' Even Khonshu was surprised.

"So… you really have no idea what to do?" I asked.

Arcueid nods. "Yup! Nothing at all!"

'Oh my god, this girl is a Class-A airhead!' I thought before letting out a sight. 'Oh well, at least I'm safe for now.'

"So, if you're not my dad then what are you?" Arcueid asked.

"Well to put it simply, I am a human though I'm more… unique than everybody else." I answered. "As you can already sense, I do share a connection to the Moon just like you. I am the [Moon Knight]."

"Oh my gosh, that's so cool! Are you a superhero?!" Arcueid asks with literal sparkles on her face.

I scratch the back of my head. "Hehehe… yeah."

"Are you a magus?" Arcueid then asks.

"No, and I'm actually glad I'm not." My response was full of venom.

Arcueid notices the shift in my tone. "You don't like magi, do you?"

"No, I don't. I don't think anyone would if they found out what they actually do to achieve their research." While I know there are good magi out there, I simply cannot agree with their methods, the Holy Grail War itself is a prime example of that. "I just want to stop the war before it gets out of hand."

Arcueid arches an eyebrow. "War? What war?"

I give the True Ancestor a look. "You… don't know? The Holy Grail War. That ritual that takes place here every 60 years where magi kill each other to gain a wish?"

"Oh." Arcueid makes an "O" face. "It's that time already?"

"Wait, don't tell me you came to Fuyuki without knowing what the hell is going on?" I said.

Arcueid bonks her head and winks. "Teehe~"

"This girl is an idiot." Even Khonshu can't help but deadpan at the funny vampire.

I let out an annoyed sigh. This girl is the definition of an airhead! I'm surprised she managed to track me down without getting distracted by the first shiny thing she saw. She didn't even know there was a secret battle royal going on.

Now that I think about it, why hasn't anyone hunted her down yet? Someone like the White Princess of the True Ancestors would certainly garner attention from the magi. But then I remember one particular detail about Arcueid: she's Zelretch's foster granddaughter. The man cares and loves her like his own flesh and blood.

If any magi decide to try to hunt, or hell, hurt her they will incur the Wizard Marshall's wrath. Supposedly, he threatened to send the entire Clocktower into the Event Horizon of a Black Hole if they came close to her.

And when you have a Magician making threats, you know you're in deep shit.

"I'm guessing since you came all this way, you don't have any plans, right?" I asked.

"I guess. I mostly came here because of you." She admits.

I blush under the mask. Damn, she is so forward! "In that case, why not hang out together?"

Arcueid tilts her head cutely. "Hang out…?"

"Yeah." I nod. "I vowed to protect the night and although you are different, I can sense that we are similar in that regard. It's almost like we're destined to meet here." I then let out a chuckle. "It's like I was meant to be your knight."

"Yeah… Yeah!" Arcueid exclaims at the realization. "I never had my own knight before! And I'm technically royalty, so I don't know why I never thought of that!"

"Well, there's a first time for everything." I told her.

"It's official then, I'll stay in Fuyuki City!" Arcueid extends her left arm to me. "You best take good care of me!"

"Same to you." I take her hand and shake it. I could feel a connection forming between us.

I am Thou… Thou art I…

Thou has acquire a new vow,

It shall become the path to Fate

That severe the deceitfulness of corrupted Destiny.

With the birth of the Sun Persona,

I have obtained the winds of blessing that

shall guide thee to a true route and new power…

[Star] Confidant [Arcueid Brunestud] has been attained!

The following perk [Moonlight] has been unlocked!

Moonlight: Rank A

Increases Luck by 12

"Looks like you have made a force of nature into an ally. I'm impressed." Khonshu said.

"This is gonna be so much fun!" Arcueid smiles.

I smile as well before realizing something. "Oh right, do you have a place to stay by any chance? I'd hate to just leave you out on the streets without a roof over your head."

Arcueid simply made a "it's fine" gesture. "Oh, don't worry. I rented a hotel room a couple of blocks away. I'll be fine." The camera then switches to the firefighters putting out the flames to the buildings. "I was originally going to stay in that building, but the moment I sensed a Bounded Field I bolted out of there and looked for another hotel. Good thing I did, right?"

I look down at the ruined building. "That's true."

Arcueid then looks blankly at the city. "Hey, can I ask you for a favor? Could you… help me with something?"

I turned my attention to her. "Sure. I don't see why not. What is it exactly?"

"For a while now, I've been sensing some odd disturbances with the land. Like something is draining the Mana from the [Ley Lines]." Arcueid said.

"That's normal in Fuyuki. The Holy Grail requires a lot of energy from the land itself." I said. " But I believe what you're sensing is the work of a Servant, a Caster to be exact. Casters prefer to set up their workshops closer to a [Ley Line]. The closer one is to the Greater Grail, the more potent it is."

"Hm, I guess that makes sense. I would also gander that this Caster is also responsible for the recent disappearances, though I don't get why they'd kidnapped children specifically." Arcueid said.

I take a sharp breath, knowing exactly why the children are disappearing.

That's when Arcueid gets an idea. "Hey. How about we go and investigate?"

"Huh?"

"Yeah! Let's go find those kids since no one else is doing it!" The True Ancestor exclaims.

"I suppose… it's not like I had better plans." I remark as a screen appears in front of me.

Quest activated

Ley Line issues

Objective: Track down the abnormality with Arcueid.

Objective 2: Kill Gilles de Rais and Ryuunosuke Uryuu

Reward: 14,745 EXP, ¥224,631, Ryuunosuke's Command Seal

Failure: Death

"Great! I'm so happy you're coming along!" Arcueid tackles me into a bear hug, smothering me in her very generous assets.

'Oh boy… it's a good thing those teenage hormones haven't kicked in yet.' I thought.

'Boy, I need to come to the tower.' Khonshu orders.

'Okay, but how do I-WHOA!' In an instant, my vision shrinks as I feel something pulling me back before everything goes black.

When I open my eyes, instead of being on the rooftop I am now inside the [Tower of Babel] though it's different. For one, instead of a massive open space with a spiral staircase it is now a small room with red curtains everywhere.

"You are here. Good." I turn around and Khonshu is towering over me.

"You could have given me a little heads up before pulling something like that." I said.

"And why would I do that? It's more entertaining watching you shit your pants." The Egyptian God chuckles.

I look around at the bizarre place. "Why did you bring me here? This isn't the same place where we first met."

Khonshu merely moves aside, revealing a table with a massive book laying there.

I look at Khonshu before walking towards the table and stare at the book and my eyes widen at what's embroiled on the cover.

A large, golden V.

"This is-!"

"[Le Grimoire], your Persona Compendium." Khonshu reveals.

I raise my hand and reach out to grab the book, only for the book to suddenly electrocute me!

"Ouch! What the fuck!?" I hiss in pain as I nurse my hand.

Khonshu bellows into a fit of laughter. "Did you actually THINK I brought you here so you could TAKE the book!? Sorry to burst your bubble, but that's not happening!" He then raises his hand as the compendium rises from the table

"Huh?" I watch as the book floats towards Khonshu and grabs it.

"This is the place where you change your Personas. The others aren't allowed or even know that this part of the Tower exists." Khonshu explains.

"So how are you here?" I asked.

"Let's just say that I am special compared to the others." Khonshu said. "There is no Velvet Room in this world, nor a guide to help you on your journey or nurture your power. As a result, those roles have fallen to me."

"Huh…" I mutter as his words sink in. "So if I want to change my arsenal, I need to come to you." The summon nods. "Y'know, this is becoming more and more like a video game, right?"

"Just choose already." The Egyptian God grumbles as he lets go of the compendium and lets it slowly drift towards me. As it does, the compendium opens revealing detailed drawings of familiar entities.

After a couple of minutes of browsing, I chose four new Personas.

Are you sure this is what you desire?

[Y/N]

The compendium closes and it floats back to Khonshu. "It's done. How do you feel?"

I put a hand on my head. "It's weird. I feel… different but also… lighter?"

"It is only natural. Now, it is time to return to the real world. It would be best not to keep a princess waiting."

My vision loses focus as I felt lightheaded before collapsing.

"Hm, huh!?" I blink as I find myself staring downwards towards the streets. "What the hell!?"

"Oh good! My plan worked!" Arcueid said as she held my legs.

"What the hell are you doing!?" I scream in fright.

Flashback

"Well, after I hugged you, you sort of just…froze on the spot. I tried different ways of snapping you out of it but nothing was working." Arcueid is shown doing various things: throwing a water bucket, sounding a horn right at the ear, painting his mask, eating ramen, among more ridiculous actions. Yet no matter what she did, nothing worked.

"After careful consideration, I decided that if I couldn't wake up normally then maybe the fear of death will." She stands up and grabs him by his knees and lets him dangle by the edge of the roof.

Flashback ends

I stare at her blankly at the absurdity of her plan. "You could have killed me."

"Silly boy, people only die when they're killed." Arcueid gives me a beaming smile.

'And with that, I rest my case.' I groan as she pulls me back to the roof.

I slowly stand up as I adjust my mask and hood. "How long was I out?"

"You've been like that for five hours."

My eyes are as wide as dinner plates. "FIVE HOURS!?"

"Yeah. What was that about?" Arcueid asked.

"It's complicated and it'll take a long time to explain. Time which we don't really have, so we should probably get started on our investigation." I told him.

"Right, right. But, where do we start? I'll take us the rest of night just to find any trace of Caster." Arcueid said.

"You leave that to me. I'll fight his trail in no time." I told her.

"Oh? Are you going to use one of your superhero powers!?" Arcueid asks.

"Something like that." I turn to the city and activate my [Third Eye]. The eyes on the mask begin to glow blue as my red eyes gain a blue ring around the pupil.

From my perspective, the entire world gains a darker filter giving the city a noir-like vibe. From beyond the city, I spot two blue lights on the horizon where Miyama Town is. I then shift my sights to the forest where I see a similar phenomenon and then finally one is nearby.

'Those must be Bounded Fields. The ones further out are likely from the Tohsaka and the Matou estates. The one in the forest is the Einzbern Castle and the last one is the Kotomine Church. Waver Velvet was staying with an elderly couple and likely never erected a Bounded Field. If he did, it would most likely alert the other Master of his location.' I keep looking through the city until something catches my attention. There's a purple haze emanating near the outskirts of the city. "Found them."

"Whoa, already!?" Arcueid asks..

I leap off the roof and follow the trail.

"H-Hey! Wait up!" Arcueid quickly follows in toe.

Later

I stare at the entrance to the sewers. "This is it…"

On queue, Arcueid arrives next to me. "You could have given me a heads up before you bolted."

I glance at the True Ancestor. "It's not my fault you're too slow."

Arcueid puffs her cheeks. "Meanie!"

'So cute.' I turn my attention back to the sewer entrance. "The trail ends here, which means Caster and their Master are inside." I said as I took my first step on the threshold.

"!" Arcueid's eyes widened. "Get back!"

"...!?" I leap back as something bursts from the ground, revealing itself to be a large black mass of tentacles. It has no limbs or a lower body, making it impossible to describe with words. There is a circular mouth at the end of each one of those endless tentacles. The mouths contain razor-sharp teeth like a shark's. Although the origins of those creatures are unknown, they're definitely not a living being by nature. They might be creatures from another world, and that world does not obey the natural laws.

Arcueid takes a sniff and immediately gags at the smell. "Ew! What is that!?"

I use [Analysis] on the creature.

Horror

LV: 8

HP: 27

MP: 0

SP: 6

Weakness: ?

It's one of Caster's familiars. He uses humans as sacrifices to summon these things." I state.

"S-Sacrifice!?" Arcueid said.

"Dodge!" The familiar lets out a screech and sends its tentacles at us. The two of us easily dodge the attack, but it seems that was a distraction as more familiars appear from nowhere.

Now the fight has just got a little harder. I need a weapon to kill these bastards. I open the menu and quickly skim through [Equipment] that may help, and finally find what I was looking for.

Paradise Lost R.

This is one of my favorite weapons in the game, and also one of the most difficult ones to get. At least for me, anyway.

ERROR! ERROR!

Level required: 70

Oh, you have got to be shitting me! First the compendium and now this!? Can't I have one good thing today!?

With no other option, I equip the [Murasame] and make a dash towards the monsters. The familiars try to grab me with their tentacles, but they are easily sliced off by my dagger as I move closer to them.

"[Brave Blade]!" I swing my katana in an arc, creating an energy wave that splits the monster in half, causing them to explode in a gorey mess of blood and guts.

You have defeated Horror(x3)! You have gained 609 EXP! You have earned ¥20,111!

Level Up(x2)!

Arcueid runs up to me. "Wow! That was amazing! I didn't know you could do that!"

I glare at her. "Where were you? You could have helped."

"You didn't look like you needed help, so I decided to leave you be." Arcueid said.

"..." I couldn't argue with her logic. I didn't really need her help, at least not for this.

"By the way," She pointed to the weapon in my hands. "Where did that come from? You didn't have it a minute ago."

I look at [Murasame] before internally cursing myself. Crap! How the hell am I supposed to explain this to her!? I can't just say that it's because I'm a Gamer, that wouldn't make sense!

Arcueid's eyebrows furrowed as she notices my odd behavior. "It's alright. I know a [Magician] when I see one."

My train of thought stops to a crawl as I look at her. "Huh?"

"Look, I understand why you wanted to keep it a secret, we've only just met after all." Arcueid crosses her arms. "Still, I never thought I'd meet another [Magician], and one so young at that. It must be hard, trying to protect everyone."

I look down at the ground. While I am not a true [Magician], my powers and abilities could categorize me as one in the eyes of the [Moonlit World]. As a result, I have become an existence that is loved by magi and hated by the [World]. Although, calling their interest "love" is a bit of a stretch, as the magi would rather open me up to see if they can find a way to achieve [True Magic] themselves. In a way, that's why I wear this mask, not only as a symbol of rebellion against [World] but also to protect those close to me.

I sigh. "Thank you."

Arcueid smiles and hits her chest. "No problem. You should trust your friends a little more."

I laugh a little. No wonder she is known as the "Funny Vamp", there's not a dull moment with her around.

"Alright, I try it's time we finish this, don't you think?" I ask as I turn my sights back to the sewer entrance.

"Yeah! Let's go save those kids!" Arcueid exclaims and we both enter the sewers.

As expected, the sewers are cold and dark. It was almost like we were stepping into another world and the further we went in, the colder and darker it got.

"We're getting close. I can smell their stench close by as well as… something else." Arcueid said with a hint of uneasiness.

Suddenly, four familiars burst forth and blocked our path.

"We don't have time for this." I raise my hand up. "[Kouga]!"

Light begins to surround one of them before it disintegrates into nothing. I'm not done yet though and cast the spell three more times, killing the familiars instantly.

You have defeated Horror(x4)! You have gained 609 EXP! You have earned ¥20,111!

Level Up(x2)!

"I didn't know you knew light magecraft." Arcueid comments.

"Stick around and you see I can do far more than that." I remark as we both continue the tread further inside.

Eventually, we reached a central chamber lined with pillars, however, the chamber was too dark to see anything beyond the area.

As I walked inside, I felt something off about the floor. It was wet and squishy.

"I don't like this place. Let's leave." Arcueid suddenly said.

I turn to the True Ancestor. "What? Why? Don't tell me you want to turn back now?"

"Please, just listen to me-"

"Oh? It appears we have some guests in our humble abode."

From the darkness, Gilles de Rais walks up to us and next to him is his Master Ryuunosuke. In his hand is a grimoire with a cover made of glistening and wet human skin.

As I focus on the two, two screens appear in front of me.

Gilles de Rais

Title: Bluebeard, Demon Marshal

Level: 35

Tier: 3 STAR

HP: 6,500

MP: 19,500

STR: 58

END: 26

AGI: 58

MAG: 200

LUK: 20

Weakness: ?

Noble Phantasm: Prelati's Spellbook - Rank: A

Ryuunosuke Uryuu

Title: Demon of Fuyuki

LV: 6

Tier: n/a

HP: 101

MP: 10

STR: 12

END: 6

AGI: 8

MAG: 5

LUK: 14

Weakness: Melee, Gun, Ice, Fire

As they step forward, light slowly illuminates the chamber revealing a horrifying sight.

Corpses… dozens upon dozens of human corpses riddle the room. But what's worse?

They were all  children.

I look down and see what I stepped on. It was the missing half of a boy's face as I was stepping on the remains of his brain.

"Ah… ah…" I instinctively take a step back as I finally notice the puddles of blood that I am standing on.

"Sorry about the mess. If we knew we were having guests we would have cleaned up the place." Ryuunosuke says with a smile.

Gilles smiles as well. "Indeed. Creating art is a massive undertaking. It can get quite messy."

"You…" I glare at the two before a noise catches my ears. I turn to the noise to find a girl with brown hair slowly crawling towards me. Her face is riddled with agony, crying tears from her right eye and blood from her left empty socket.

"Help… elp…" She mumbles as her form is slowly visible, revealing that her right arm as well as her entire lower torso is missing, leaving a trail of blood and organs the closer she gets.

"How rude. Walking up to a guest without permission. Children these days have no manners." Gilles remarks.

As she gets closer, tentacles begin to emerge from the darkness and drag her back. "No… NO!" She cries as she disappears completely.

The sounds of bones breaking and meat tearing echo throughout the room.

I stand frozen at what I just witnessed and then it finally hits me. There was one crucial detail about Caster's workshop I completely forgot.

The sick minds of two madmen.

"Arcueid, let's go." I take a stance, but notice the Ancestor hasn't moved. "Arcueid?" I turn to see what's wrong.

Arcueid was standing in place, biting her lip as her eyes turned into slits and glowed an eerie golden color. Her hands are also bleeding, using her claws to stab herself in order to be overwhelmed by the pain.

I almost wanted to smack myself. Goddammit, how could I be so stupid!? Arcueid may be a True Ancestor, a higher class of vampire, but she's still a vampire nonetheless. She still has the impulse to drink blood just like any Dead Apostle, the only difference is that she has better control over it than them. And right now, we are in the center of a cesspool of guts and blood.

Arcueid is reaching her limit.

"Sorry about this." I raise my hand. "[Dormina]."

Arcueid's eyes widen, reverting back to their original color before I grab her as she collapses. I then drag her body and put her down at the edge of the entrance.

"Now, it's just you and us. A pity. You would have had a chance with that Dead Apostle by your side." Gilles said.

"Hey, hey! Can you summon that death god from before!? I wanna see it again!" Ryuunosuke asks with child-like glee.

"Yes! Bring out that false God of yours so that I can slay it!" Gilles demands.

I turn to the mad duo. "You want to see a god? Well ask and you shall fucking receive!" I grab my mask and take it off, but not before blue flames cover my face. "PERSONA!" In that instant, the Egyptian God of the Moon materializes in front of me.

"This time, you will not escape." Khonshu declared.

"*Gasp* So cool!" Ryuunosuke gasps in awe.

"[Agilao]!" I ordered.

In an instant, Ryuunosuke bursts into flames. He screams as he runs before dropping and rolling, using the blood on the floor to put the flames out.

"Ryuunosuke!" The mad Caster screams before turning back to me. "You will pay for that!"

"Let's go!" The two of us rush towards him. "[Giant Slice]!" Khonshu raises his scepter but his attack is blocked by a wall of tentacles.

"Tch, not again!" Khonshu growls.

"You will have to try a little harder than that, false god!" Gilles cackles as the walls morph into more of his [Horrors].

I switch out the [Murasame] and in its place is the [Rebel Rifle]. "Block this!" I pull the trigger, unleashing an onslaught of enhanced lead at the abominations turning them into nothing but pin cushions.

"[Kougan]!" Khonshu raises his hand at Caster and he is engulfed in intense light.

"EAAAAAAAAAHHHHHH!" I hear the mad mage scream within the pillar before it subsides, revealing the fallen Servant, his body sizzling with burns and smoke.

Khonshu returns back to my body as I put on my mask. "I guess you are weak to light. Makes sense when you think about it."

Gilles reaches out for his grimoire and slowly gets up. "I… will not… die! Not when my Jeanne has returned to me!"

I brows furrowed. "Alright, enough! Saber isn't Jeanne. Even you can see it."

Caster's face morphs into one of rage. "Lies! She is Jeanne! God has forced her to forget her previous life! But I will save her from her torment!"

"Since when does Jeanne wield a magic sword? She used a flag, you idiot." I deadpan at his sheer stupidity."No. It's not that you want her to be Jeanne, you need her to be Jeanne. You need her to prove that everything that you've done up to this point has been justified. You need that validation." I told him.

Gilles grits his teeth. "Shut up…"

"All of this, the murders, your Master. It's all in your head. You couldn't live without the Saint of Orleans so you decided to delve in magecraft in an attempt of bringing her back to life. And what did that get you? You're only friend dead and you yourself hanged by greedy nobles who just wanted your lands."

His grip on his grimoire tightens as veins pop on his forehead. "Shut up…!"

"What happened to Jeanne was tragic and a betrayal to everything she and you sacrificed. But do you think she'd be proud of what you did? What you became? Don't make me laugh." I take a step forward. "Face reality, lover boy, you will never see your beloved Holy Virgin again."

Your [Guts] has increased!

"SHUT UP!" The grimoire unleashes a shockwave in response to its master's rage.

"!" I stand my ground as I am slowly pushed back by the gush of wind.

"SHUT UP, SHUT UP, SHUT UP! WHO DO YOU THINK YOU ARE!? YOU ARE NOTHING BUT A SNOT-NOSED BRAT IN A MASK!? WHO ARE YOU TO JUDGE ME!?" Gilles screams out in fury. "Do you think I do not know of the sins I've committed? The atrocities I've created? The fear I've left on this very earth before my demise!?"

If it wasn't for [Unshaken Will], I'd likely be shaking in terror by his outburst.

"I am the crystallization of Gilles de Rais' evil deeds, his evil given form! Do you think I give a merde of your judgment? I do not need your words. The only judgment I need is God's and I will happily accept any punishment from Him."

As Caster approached me slowly with killing intent he sneered. "And last time I checked, you're not Him so your words are void by default. I will make sure to punish you as I have to countless boys in those good old days. If God exists, he will surely intervene and judge me, don't you think?"

I grit my teeth in anger. People like Caster always rub me off in the wrong way. People like him always commit evils of their own free will and don't have the guts to face the consequences on their own. Their excuse is God.

"Fanatics like you sicken me to the core. If you are asking for God's judgment that much then you don't have to wait very long." I raise my hand and grab my mask. "Persona!" I rip it off as I make another summon.

I am thou, thou art I

Gilles glares at me as the entity materializes in front him, then in awe as wings of bright luminescence erupt from the blue flames.

From the Sea of thy Soul I cometh. His Unwavering Will. His Divine Hand

Red armor manifests around the figure along with white and golden robes draped above it.

I am the Herald. The Vanguard. The Judgment that Shall Wreath this World in Fire at the End

of Days

A sword of brilliant steel appears in its hand, it raises in above its handsome face as a form of prayer.

"Impossible…" Bluebeard whispers in awe at the miracle in front of him.

I am Uriel, the Archangel of Retribution

The figure lowers his sword and looks down on the Servant, a grim-lipped smile spreads over its perfect face.

And I Have Come Forth to Slay the Unrighteous

A high-ranking seraph, one who is said to carry the stars in the sky, and on the final day of judgment, he will oversee the resurrection and retribution of human souls. He was the guardian to the gates of the Garden of Eden.

"Here you go, Caster. You wanted to be judged? Well, there's no one better than him." I said in a mocking tone at a bewildered Caster.

"The unrighteous, you say?" His body trembles in fury as he glares at the angel. "Where were you angels when they burned my Jeanne at the stake by the Church itself!? Where were you when she was declared a heretic!? Where were you when she was captured and tortured!? Where were you when I committed atrocity after atrocity out of spite of the Lord!? WHERE WERE YOU!?" He screams out in anguish, pain, and rage.

For a few seconds, the room was filled with the sounds of Caster's heavy breathing, having unleashed all of the emotions he has kept inside him for centuries.

Uriel finally opens his mouth.

"Pitiful soul… your loss is understandable yet narrow-minded. You claim the Lord is what brought the Maiden of Orleans to her demise. But in truth, you know very well who is truly responsible, thus, your misguided vengeance has brought upon a fate that will forever taint the Saint's purity… your madness." Uriel states.

"Misguided!? How dare you!? How dare you say such things to me!? You are nothing but a faker just like that false god!" Gilles roars out.

"You are right to doubt. But I am not a fake. I am Uriel. Uriel as humanity sees him. Uriel as the World accepts him. I retain his memories, his voice, and his power. And although I am bound to his soul, I am not ignorant as to the current events of the world." Uriel then smiles. "If I am an imitation, then I am the most real one you will ever see. After all, there is no rule that says a fake cannot be as real as the original."

Gilles grits his teeth before his expression suddenly shifts into one of jubilation. "In that case, then I will do what I have set out to do." He opens his tome and flips its pages. After finding the page he is looking for, he begins to speak in an incomprehensible language and the entire room begins to shake violently.

The corpses of the children begin to converge around him, transforming into those disgusting [Horrors] before wrapping their tentacles around him. As it does, pillars of blood erupt from the ground like geysers, surrounding Caster is a rain of blood.

"What did you do!?" I yelled.

Gilles laughs as the walls implode and floods everything with blood.

The people walk idly through the streets of the city before they all stop as the area suddenly begins to shake.

"H-Hey, what's going on?"

"An earthquake!"

"Take cover!"

The people panic and scream as the manholes rocket upwards as tentacles rise from each one.

"W-What the hell!?" One of the citizens exclaims before they see a harrowing sight: a tentacle grabbing someone and dragging them to ground.

The sounds of tearing flesh and bone almost makes them shit their pants.

"Oh god!" The people begin to run away as more and more people are pulled underground, slowly filling the streets with blood and guts.

The camera pans out showing an overview of the city as something massive slowly rises on the horizon.

Kotomine Church

Risei Kotomine watches on with eyes wide open in shock as a massive creature rises from beyond.

"This is worse than I had anticipated. Who would have thought that the Master of Caster would go so far? Do they not understand the gravity of what's at stake?" He mutters.

"What should we do?" Kirei asks his father.

Kisei focuses his attention on the horizon. "It is the role of the overseer to make sure that all participants abide by the rules of the war, and it is also within my power to change them slightly."

The scene changes to the inside of the church where Risei is standing before the empty rows of pews though curiously there was no one sitting on them.

"I am making an announcement in regards to tonight's sudden development." Risei Kotomine calls out with a stern tone. "It is now evident that Caster and their Master have gone rogue. Endangering the lives of everyone in the city as well as revealing the existence of magecraft to the world." The Overseer continues. "Therefore, I will make use of my emergency powers as judge… and temporarily call a ceasefire to the Grail War. All Masters are to seize combat immediately… and focus on exterminating Caster instead. The one who defeats Caster and his Master… He will receive an additional Command Seal as a reward." He lifts his right arm and brings down his long sleeve, exposing his right, surprisingly muscular arm, with unique tattoos on it. "These are unused Command Seals that fallen Masters of past Grail Wars have left behind. They should be of immeasurable value to you." He puts his arm down. "Once it is proven that Caster has been eliminated, the war will resume as intended. If anyone has questions, now is the time to raise them." He then smirks. "Though, that would be limited to speakers of the human tongue."

Multiple sounds of various flapping of wings dispersed from the room indicating that he was conversing to the familiars of the Masters.

"Shall I head out as well, father?" Kirei asks.

"No my son, you must stay. For now, we must stick to the plan. Let Lord Tohsaka and Archer deal with Caster." Risei told him.

"Very well. By your leave, father." Kirei steps out of the altar. He walks up the stairs and enters his personal chambers. "Assassin."

Black smoke rises from the ground as a feminine figure appears next to him. She has purple hair which she keeps tied in a ponytail. Her clothes and skin are black as night, she wears silver earrings and a white skull mask on her face.

"I am here, Master."

"Tell me, do you think that boy you reported is involved in this?" He asked.

"It is highly possible." Assassin replied.

Kirei muses at the response. "I would like you to observe for now. Do not let the other Servants know of your existence."

Assassin nods and disappears the same way she came.

My eyes slowly open, "wha…?" But then they snap wide open as I realize I am trapped in a wall made entirely of some kind of living fleshy mass.

My breathing grows faster as I frantically look around and spot Arcueid in the exact same predicament.

"Arcueid! Arcueid!" I call out, but get no response; she's out cold.

"Well, look who finally decided to join us!"

I look up as a pocket of flesh descends before unwrapping revealing a smiling Gilles de Rais.

"Caster…" I grit my teeth in rage.

"Shshshsh… Do you hear that?" Gilles asked. "That's right. There is nothing. Your fake angel disappeared as soon as I captured you!"

I take notice of the tentacles attached to Gilles' body, how they seem to be fused to his flesh.

"And look at you now, you've merged with your own creation." I said with a mocking tone. "How does it feel to become the very evil you swore to destroy?"

"Silence, wretch!" Gilles punches me in the face. "I will not be mocked by your silver tongue any longer!"

If I didn't have the mask on, Gilles would see the blood on my face and the angry glare I'm sending to him.

"What do you think of this masterpiece, Ryuunosuke?" The mad Caster turns to the burned remains of his Master. "It may not be finished, but it is still a sight to behold, no?"

His only reply was Ryuunosuke's labored breathing.

"Exactly! Truly, you and François are the only ones who understand!" Gilles exclaims with child-like glee before spreading his arms outwards. "That's why, as proof of our efforts, we will destroy the city. Wipe it clean from the earth and turn it into a utopia free from God! It shall be the Ultimate Cool!" He lowers his arms. "But alas, our creation is still not complete, we still require more volunteers and there's not enough time."

Ryuunosuke's charred lips move as if saying something.

"What a brilliant idea, Master! Absolutely brilliant!" Gilles then turns to me with a wide smile. "We can use their mana source to make up the gap!"

I struggle to get out as the walls begin to encroach on us.

"You both will be the cores to our ascension! We shall take the Holy Grail and use its power to bring His domain so that I may take back what is mine!"

"Even if you succeed… Jeanne will never love you. All she will ever see is the monster that wears her friend's face." I sneered.

Gilles grabs my face with ferocity. "Even now, you still speak such nonsense. You know nothing of love, boy. You are simply playing a game that you lost from the beginning."

He then pushes me in, letting my body sink further into the grotesque mass of flesh.

"HAHAHAHAHAHAHAHAHA!" Gilles cackles in victory.

?

Darkness…

I'm floating in darkness.

I can't move… every part of my body refuses to listen.

It's so hard to breathe… I'm suffocating.

Am I dead…?

"No, you are not dead. At least not yet."

I turn to the voice only to find myself sitting in a chair. "Huh?" I look around to see that I am now in a large blue room that is on a massive elevator, endless going up. There are eight doors, four on both sides of the room each varying in design.

I then turn my neck to the circular table in the middle of the room and sitting on the other side is a person I never thought I'd see. He is a young man with dark blue hair unkempt at the front, blue eyes with one of them being covered by his bangs. He wears a black school uniform accented with a loose black bow tie, a neck-strap mp3 player, and clip-on earphones. On his left arm is a red brassard with the letters "S.E.E.S." embroiled in it.

"Welcome to the Velvet Room." Minato Arisato, the First Wild Card, greets me.

"B-But… you…!" I stutter trying to say one word. "HOW!?"

Minato shrugs. "Don't look at me. I'm just as lost as you are. Maybe you just… summon me."

I eye the Protagonist curiously. "... are you even real?"

"Depends on what you perceive as real." He answers cryptically.

I just gave him a look.

"Are you afraid?" Minato's sudden question catches me off guard.

"Afraid of what?"

"Afraid to die."

"Of course I'm afraid. Everyone's afraid of death! Anyone who says they're not are just morons." I exclaim before calming down. "But… that's not what scares me."

Minato arches an eyebrow.

"What scares me… is what happens after I die. To the people I left behind, the people I love. They'll have to face even worse challenges in the future, challenges that they may not be prepared for." I told him.

"Sometimes, we must make choices that will hurt us in order to grow stronger." Minato said. "You should have more faith in your friends."

"Of course I have faith, that's exactly why I need to do this. I need to make sure that they'll be safe, that they'll be happy." I stated.

"Then why hesitate?" He asked.

"I just… don't know." I take off my mask and wipe the sweat off my face.

The elevator suddenly stops.

The two of us don't say anything to each other for a good minute. The entire is at a complete standstill, like it has been frozen in time.

"That's normal." Minato suddenly said.

I look at the blue messiah. "Huh?"

"It's perfectly normal to have these thoughts." Minato repeated.

"You didn't hesitate when you became the Great Seal." I point out.

Minato shakes his head. "But I did. In one brief moment, I began to doubt my choice in fighting Nyx alone. An unbeatable battle against an unbeatable being, my odds of winning were zero to none. She would hit me with the very concept of Death itself, an attack that would erase anything from existence the moment it touched the ground." A thin line curls upwards. "Yet with every attack, I would hear the voices of my friends. The people I would call a family. They were cheering and praying for me, invigorating me to keep going. They gave me the power to make the ultimate choice even if that meant that I would never see them again." He stands up and leans closer to me. "That's the thing about us Wild Cards, Theodore. We are never alone. You haven't even begun to tap into your true potential."

The elevator begins to resume its ascend.

"... I have to go back. Caster's creatures will destroy the city." I said.

"You are not strong enough. In your current state, you will surely be slaughtered." Minato bluntly said.

"Gee, thanks." I groan.

Minato then pulls out something and places it on the table. It is a small silver pistol with a black grip. The words S.E.E.S. is engraved on the barrel of the gun.

I instantly recognize the iconic item. "What are you…?"

"I will help you, just this once." Minato states his intent. "You still have work to do. Humanity needs a hero."

I take the [Evoker] and examine it; it's cold but it feels just right.

"Okay, but how I-" I look up to see that Minato is gone. "Did he just pull a Batman on me?"

I look at the [Evoker] in my hands, its silver metallic reflecting the passing lights. "Well… what else do I have to lose?" I lift the gun to the side of my head, the barrel cool and comforting against my skin.

And that's when I felt it.

An emotional overload overtakes my senses as I find myself unable to pull the trigger. No matter how hard I wanted to, I couldn't pull the trigger on the gun, despite knowing I wouldn't die from it.

This was fear. I know it very well.

"Come on. If they can do it, so can you. You can't give up now." I grit my teeth as I desperately try to pull my finger.

'Theo!' The voice of Illya rings in my head along with everyone else I've befriended so far.

Inhale… exhale…

"Per... sona!"

*BANG-SHATTER!*

A massive bag made of flesh is seen suspended on the roof by veins of some kind.

Suddenly, a blade erupts from the flesh bag and it travels downward before the blade travels in every direction until it explodes into a gorey mess and in its place is something even more monstrous.

A silver, bird-like mask separated into two pieces was fastened on its head, the lower part looking like some demented maw. It's clad in dark blue clothing with white-clad boots with gold at the soles that reach all the way up to its knees. It wears elbow-length white gloves, and clutches a blade on its right hand while holding its summoner on its left. It wears an odd belt with the design of a skull on the buckle. Finally, on its shoulders are a series of floating coffins which were linked to its shoulders via a chain that kept moving as if pushed by the wind.

It raises its head up before unleashes a ragged, rasping noise as if declaring its existence to the world.

Meanwhile

Everyone who heard that infernal noise felt a shiver running down their spines. However, no one was more affected than the Masters and the Servants.

In the church, Risei loses his balance as he clutches his chest as if he is on the verge of a heart attack. In his room, Kirei's grip on his desk tightens before it suddenly breaks. Assassin is seen desperately fighting the urge to run away.

In the Einzbern Castle, Artoria is comforting a fallen and crying Irisviel while Maiya leans on a nearby wall hyperventilating. Her weapons littering the floor.

Artoria turns to her Master who is rooted on the table. The camera switches to a close up of his face, revealing Kiritsugu's sweaty face as he is also hyperventilating.

In the skies, Waver Velvet and his Servant ride in their lightning chariot as they hear the noise coming from the creature.

"W-What the hell!?" Waver Velvet hugs himself trying to stop his body from shivering.

"Something has awakened, boy." Rider said ominously. "We're leaving."

"W-What!? Why!?" He demands.

"My instincts tell me not to get any closer. If I do, death will surely follow." The Rider states before he turns the chariot around.

In an abandoned building, Kayneth El-melloi Archibald was anxious. However, that anxiety quickly turns into burning jealousy as he sees her fiancé going to his Servant for comfort.

Penthouse

"What the hell was that!?" Filia demands.

"I don't know, Filia!" Sella cried.

"AAAHHHH!" The two maids turn to see Illya running towards them.

"Lady Illyasviel!" Sella said as she got tackled by the girl.

"I-I had a nightmare!" Illya sobs. "I saw a monster!"

"It's alright. It was just a nightmare." Sella tries to comfort her ward.

Illya looks at her. "W-Where is Theo?"

The two maids turn to each other, now taking notice of the missing boy. Just then Mashu and Liz rush to the room.

"Theo is missing!" The two girls yell at the same time.

"WHAT!?"

Tohsaka Estate - Workshop

*CRASH!* A wine glass shatters on the stone floor.

Tohsaka Tokiomi was having a hard time keeping his composure as he tried to comprehend the cause for this. Was he hit with a curse? He hasn't left his workshop or stepped out of his home since the war began. How could a curse get through his defenses!?

In the estate's study room, Gilgamesh looks through the window with visible anger.

"So now there are two gods in my garden. And this one reeks of death." Gilgamesh glares at the night sky. "I may be forced to take this war seriously."

Matou Estate - Living Room

Kariya holds back a smirk as he sees Zouken Matou groveling on the floor like the worm he is.

The moment the sound rang through the manor, the old ghoul collapsed on the floor, the worms making up his body dropping dead like mayflies.

Oh, he so wanted to laugh out loud as this decrepit fool's body was on his last legs but couldn't as while the worms in Zouken's body were dying, the worms in HIS body were very much active and still under Zouken's control.

"What's with that look on your face? Does my current state amuse you, son?" Zouken says the word with venom.

"No, of course not." God, he wanted this bastard to die already.

Zouken's head turns a full 180 degrees as he glares at his son. "You will go out and locate the source of that infernal cry and bring them to me. I want to get to know the one who could do this much damage to me.

"... fine." Kariya turns around and walks out.

However, unbeknownst to either of them, something was looking at them through an adjacent door. It's red eyes filled with malice and hatred.

"Interesting… very, very interesting."

Wild Card [Minato Arisato] has given you temporary rights.

Persona [Thanatos] has been temporarily added to your roster.

Time remaining [00:03:59]

I stare at the monstrous creature holding onto me. I don't feel anything from it at all, there is no connection between us. I know I have Thanatos in the compendium but this one isn't my Thanatos at all.

It was Minato's. He gave this to me.

"Thanatos, I only have one objective for you: search and destroy!" I ordered.

The son of Nyx lets out a roar and flies forward at impossible speeds.

Fleshy walls begin to encroach, trying to block our path, but Thanatos lets out a hallowing roar that blows the walls to pieces and continues on.

Veins begin to detach themselves from the walls and intercept them, but Thanatos dodges them all.

The aspect of death reaches for its sword and swings it in an arc, the resulting shockwave cleaves everything in half and creates a massive gash outside with blood flooding everything around it.

"Wait, we need to find Arcueid." I activate [Third Eye] and see a golden aura. "There. She's just above us."

[00:02:46]

Thanatos slashes the fleshy roof before flying upwards and finds Arcueid right in front of us… already out and walking about.

"Hi! Nice of you to droAAAAHHH! Why is your face on fire!?" Arcueid screams out.

I shrug. "I don't know. It just is."

Arcueid stares Thanatos who glares back at her. It makes a ragged sound which causes the True Ancestor to nearly jump and attack on instinct.

I bump Thanatos in the head. "Behave. We have more important things to worry about."

Thanatos lets out a grunt and calms down.

Still disturbed by its presence, Arcueid slowly moves to the side. "A-Anyways, I-I'll see you outside!" She rushes towards the opening we came in and jumps into it.

[00:02:11]

With the True Ancestor now gone, we continue our venture through the creature's body, destroying every obstacle with ease.

They are all powerless against the emissary of Death.

Eventually, we arrive at a large cavity and at its center is a large nucleus that connects to the entire room.

"This must be the core." I surmised.

The nucleus splits revealing a blinking orange eye that stares at us.

[00:01:37]

"Kill it." I ordered.

Thanatos metallic maw opens wide and an orb of energy quickly forms before firing at the eye, engulfing everything in a white light.

At the same time

The monster's body suddenly erupts in a massive explosion of light that blows everything away, including Arcueid.

Arcueid tries to regain control and uses her claws to pin herself to a large stone. "You're not getting rid of me that easily!"

The light is seen throughout the entire city. Everyone who saw couldn't help but be mesmerized by it; it was so beautiful, so blinding.

The Master and Servants look on from their individual hideout and every single one of them have one thought in common.

This war has become a whole lot harder.

In the remains of sewers, the remains of the [Horror] burn with white flames as Thanatos descends down and lets go of its charge.

I look around at the bizarre sight before a pit forms on my stomach. The children. I couldn't save the children. The moment they converge to form that monstrosity there was no turning back.

"Fuck…" I curse, gritting my teeth before letting out a sigh. "At least, it's over. They can now rest in peace."

"Don't be so sure about that!"

I look to shockingly see Gilles de Rais alive. Heavily wounded, disfigured, burned nearly to a crisp, but very much alive with a burned Ryuunosuke lying on the floor behind him.

"You've only delayed the inevitable, boy!" Gilles cries out.

"You're Master is on death's door. Your monster's nothing but ashes. Face it, you're finished." I point out.

"No, no, no, it's not over. IT'S NOT OVER! I can still fight! I will see my Jeanne again, I will snatch her from the clutches of God himself! I will keep her safe just like I should have done a long time ago!" Gilles rambles on.

"If you do that, she'll just hate you more."

"Nonsense! She loves me! MY Holy Virgin loves me!" Gilles affirms his belief. "She loves me, she loves me, SHE LOVES ME!"

I narrow my eyes. "You don't love her, you're obsessed with her. You want her all to yourself because you fear that someone else may try to steal her heart before you could."

"Shut up, shut up! I'll kill you! I'LL KILL-!" But Caster's ramblings are cut short by Thanatos crushing him into the ground.

You have defeated Gilles de Rais (Caster)! You have gained 19,143 EXP! You have earned ¥110,245!

Level Up(x8)!

When Thanatos lifts his arm, it reveals a puddle of blood with shredded skin and organs before they disappear into blue particles of light.

"Finally, I'd never thought he'd shut up." I said as I watched the particles fly away. "Now, there's only one loose end to tie up." I walk towards the charred remains of Ryuunosuke before stopping right in front of him. "I'm surprised you're still breathing, considering the fire burned you from the inside out."

Ryuunosuke's single eye opens and looks at me before forcing his mouth to form a makeshift smile.

"Even now, you still wear a smile on your face. I don't know if I should be impressed or creeped out by it." I summon [Governance] and aim it at the serial killer. "I'd say it was nice meeting you, but then I'd be lying."

*BANG!*

I shoot Ryuunosuke in the head, killing him instantly.

You have defeated Ryuunosuke Uryuu! You have gained 945 EXP! You have earned ¥88,744!

Quest Complete!

Ley Line issues

Objective(Complete): Track down the abnormality with Arcueid.

Objective(Complete): Kill Gilles de Rais and Ryuunosuke Uryuu

Level Up(x4)!

Ryuunosuke's Command Seal acquired!

"Finally, it's over." I breathe out in content.

[00:00:00]

Time's Up!

Thanatos form begins to break down as I am suddenly hit with exhaustion. "Oh no…" Thanatos breaks down into shards of glass as I start to fall, but not before being caught midway by Arcueid.

"I got you!" Arcueid catches the knight as his outfit dissolves and she sees his face. "Uwa! He's so cute! And he's so young, too!" She squints her eyes as she gets a closer look at the boy's face. "Wait a minute…"

Just then, the sounds of sirens catch her attention. "Oh shoot, gotta go!" Arcueid rushes out of the area, just as police cars arrive.

Later

"Oh… my head." I let out a pained moan as I opened my eyes.

"You're awake!" A familiar voice cheered as I suddenly get tackled by something.

My vision quickly adjusts as I see who it is. "Illya?" I'm back at the penthouse? How did I get back?

"Hi, hi!" I turn to see Arcueid sitting next to me. "Did you have a nice sleep?"

"Yes… did you have a nice sleep?"

I look down to see Sella and her sisters looking down on me with Mashu alongside them.

"You have A LOT of explaining to do young man. And please, do not lie, for your own sake." Sella states with a stern tone.

Fuck…

Author Notes

Edit: 6/8/23

0. Fool: The Artificial Human Squad (Theo, Sella, Liz, Fillia, Illya, Mash)

I. Magician: Shirou Muramasa

I. Councillor:

II. Priestess: Leysritt

III. Empress:

IV. Emperor:

V. Hierophant: Sella

V. Apostle:

?. Faith:

?. Hope: Mash Kyrielight

VI. Lovers:

VII. Chariot:

VIII. Justice:

IX. Hermit:

X. Fortune:

XI. Strength:

XI. Hunger:

XII. Hanged Man: Kariya Matou

XIII. Death:

XIV. Temperance:

XV. Devil:

XVI. Tower:

XVII. Star: Arcueid Brunestud

XVIII. Moon: Illyasviel von Einzbern

XIX. Sun: 

XX. Judgment:

XX Aeon:

XXI. The World:

Peace~

Chapter Text

Disclaimer: I own nothing, just the oc. Support the official release.

Flashback

"I got you!" Arcueid catches the knight as his outfit dissolves and she sees his face. "Uwa! He's so cute! And he's so young, too!" She squints her eyes as she gets a closer look at the boy's face. "Wait a minute…"

Just then, the sounds of sirens catch her attention. "Oh shoot, gotta go!" Arcueid rushes out of the area, just as police cars arrive.

She leaps from tree to tree, leaving the outskirts and entering the city. However, just as she thought she had gotten away, a white van appeared from nowhere.

"Eep!" She dodges the van just as it stops with a loud screech of its tiers.

The doors fly open and four women jump out of the vehicle, three of them have white hair and red hair with a variety of hairstyles while the other has short lilac hair and eyes. The latter summons a massive black shield while the one with the short hair has a large white halberd in her hands.

"Step away from the young master or else you-" Sella begins but stops mid sentence. "Y-You…!" The words just couldn't leave her mouth, no matter how hard she tried to.

"Hey, what's going on? Why are you hesitating!?" Fillia demands.

Sella slowly turns to face her sister, "Do… Do you not know who this is!? Take a good look!"

Fillia looks at the blond woman before her eyes widen. "Oh…"

"..." Liz lowers her halberd and stands down.

Mashu's confused by the turn of events. What's going on? Who is this woman?

Illya's head slowly pops out of the van, "Sella, what happened…" She sees the woman holding a familiar face in her arms and jumps out. "Theo!"

"Master, please stay in the van!" Mashu yelled.

"But Theo's over there, Shielder!" Illya argues.

"Please my lady, you're in danger! That woman is dangerous!" Sella adds.

"But-"

"Um… I'm guessing you know my knight?" The girls turn to the True Ancestor.

"'Your knight'? What are you talking about?" Fillia asks.

Arcueid smiles. "How about I tell you on the way back? That way, we can get to know each other better!"

Flashback ends

"And that brings us to now~" Arcuied finishes her story with a smile.

'Crap! I forgot to tell her to keep my identity a secret!'My eye twitches as I glare at her.

"?" Arcueid tilts her head cutely as a question mark appears over her head. "Did I say something wrong?"

Yes, you did!

"Now young master, I will ask you once more," Sella's commanding tone brings me back to reality. "What were you doing in the middle of the night? And why is she calling you her knight?"

'Fuck, fuck, fuck, fuck!' I sweat profusely.

"Well? We're waiting, kid." Hearing Fillia's voice doesn't make me feel better.

"I… I…" I try to come up with some kind of excuse, but all I end up with is drawing blanks. There's no way to get out of this, I'm fucked!

I look down at the floor as the pressure of their stares finally sets in. What am I gonna do!?

"That's the thing about us Wild Cards, Theodore. We are never alone."

I… I suppose I can trust them with this.

I slowly pull myself off the couch and stand up. "... alright, I'll tell you." I began. "I… met Arcueid while I was on patrol in the city. I was investigating an explosion at the Hyatt Hotel when she appeared in front of me."

"Wait… hold up. Something doesn't add up here." Fillia chimes in. "How did you leave the penthouse without setting off the Bounded Field?"

I arch an eyebrow. "There's a Bounded Field?"

In that instant, Fillia felt a chill crawling down her spine as she glanced at Sella, who now has a menacing aura surrounding her with demon masks in the background.

'We will have words later, sister.' Sella's expression says it all.

"After a brief talk, we decided to partner up to find Caster and his master, who are the perpetrators behind the recent disappearances." I said.

"How did you know it was them?" Sella asked.

"Because it was Caster's master who tried to kidnap us a few nights back." I revealed.

"WHAT!?" The four of them scream out at once.

"Theo! Why would you tell them that!?" Illya demands. "I thought the point of blackmailing was so they won't find out!"

"THAT'S why you were blackmailing us!?"They exclaimed.

I turn to Illya. "It was only a matter of time. Besides, they wanted to know everything, so it's better to leave nothing out."

"Are you insane!? Do you realize what kind of situation you were in!? You could have died!" Sella exclaims.

"Well, I didn't and I broke his Master's nose. So I say it's a win-win." I shrug causing Sella's eyebrows to twitch. "Anyways, after locating their base, we headed there and we found them in the sewers, happy to see us."

Sella face palms. "This is ridiculous. Not only did you encounter Caster and his Master, but you also actively hunted them down."

"Well somebody had to stop them, and it certainly wasn't going to be the police." I remark.

Sella just glares at me. "Do you not value your own life? Do you think this is some kind of game you could win!? You got off lucky because Lady Arcueid was by your side! If it was not for her, we would not be speaking right now!"

"Sorry to burst your bubble, but I didn't do anything. It was little Theo who did all of the work." Arcueid admits.

"...eh?" Is all Sella can say.

"She's right. I took down Caster and his Master by myself." I said.

The Einzberns couldn't believe what they're hearing. A six-year-old boy claims he killed a Servant, a hero from the distant past, by HIMSELF!? It is already rare for a magus to fight a Servant, but a child with no magical affinity claiming to have defeated one is beyond ludicrous.

"Theo-san… I'm sorry, but I find it difficult to believe your words." Mashu admits, sending a metaphorical arrow to my chest.

"Yeah, there's no way you could take a Noble Phantasm head-on and survive." Fillia adds, sending another arrow.

"No way." Et tu, Liz?

"But he's telling the truth, he did beat them." Everyone turns to Arcueid. "I saw it myself."

Sella sighs and turns at the True Ancestor. "No offense Lady Arcueid, but you should not fill the young master's head with wild fantasies. I am sure you were the one who dispatched Caster."

Arcueid puffs her cheeks in frustration. If there's one thing she doesn't like, it's being called a liar.

"Haa… I knew this would happen. It's a good thing I brought this with me." I reach into my coat pocket and secretly open my inventory before quickly throwing something at the coffee table.

The Einzberns round up around the table to see what it was, only for their faces to cringe in shock and disgust.

For there's a burned severed hand on the table. A hand with three Command Seals. A Master's hand.

"Kya!" Illya screams at the disgusting sight and falls back.

"I-Is that really-"

"I can feel the Magical Energy coming from the markings. There is no doubt these are authentic Command Seals." Mashu confirms.

I smirk. "Told you."

Everyone turns to me, shocks written all over their faces.

"H… how did you do this? You don't have any Magic Circuits… you shouldn't be able to fight a Servant let alone kill them." Sella said, her voice trembling with fear.

"I guess I'll show you." To the shock of everyone (minus Arcueid) they see my face light up in blue flames before it moves to the rest of my body. When it dissipates, they see me now donning white armor with a hood over my head and a white mask on my face.

"Eh!?"

"What the hell!?"

"How did you do that!?"

"You look so cool Theo!"

I take off my mask and look at everyone. "This is how."

Sella just blinks as she tries to come up with the words. "Young master… what is this?"

I put my mask on. "This is my power. It's called [Persona]."

Fillia arches an eyebrow. "Persona…? A mask…?"

"Persona is the term used to describe the public image of one's personality or how people view them." Mashu speaks up. "According to Carl Jung, people wear a social 'mask' to make themselves appear more socially desirable and can wear multiple masks depending on the situation. Depending on the individual's circumstance, a persona which they consider stronger within their specific social situation can be created because they put a higher emphasis on social interactions."

Everyone just stares silently at Mashu as they all marvel at her knowledge.

"You sure know a lot." Fillia comments.

Mashu blushes. "I-It's no big deal. I-I just had a lot of time to read, that's all."

"Anyways, what Mashu said is true though it's a bit more literal for me." I place my hand on my chest. "In the depths of the human soul lies a domain where mythological archetypes dwell, and they grant an influence over an individual's personality. Anecdotes of mythological divinities the world over probably exist because of that, so one could say that gods and demons exist not in Heaven and Hell but in the hearts of humanity. I am able to materialize these archetypes into the real world." I take off my mask and summon a cat with purple fur with Green eyes and the cat appears to be wearing a belt, red cape and boots and a hat with a feather on it and cutlass in his hand. "This one is named Cait Sith."

"Nice to meet ya!" The spirit said in a thick Scottish accent.

Everyone's eyes widened by the revelation.

"T-Theo-san, do you know what you're saying…!? You've achieved True Magic!" Mashu exclaims.

I dismiss Cait Sith and the mask returns to my face. "... no I haven't."

"I'm afraid Shielder's correct, young master. What you just described is the manifestation of the soul or [Heaven's Feel], True Magic."Sella said.

Arcueid gives me a crushing hug. "My knight is so awesome!"

Illya grabs my arm and tries to pull me out. "Hey, keep your hands off my Theo!"

As the two fight, the Einzbern siblings just stare as their minds are elsewhere. The Einzbern family have been seeking a way to regain the lost Third Magic for a long time, the Holy Grail War being one of their many attempts.

Now in front of them is an Einzbern homunculus who not only has rediscovered this sacred miracle but is able to use it without restrain, and that left them conflicted.

One half is their programmed purpose of the Einzberns: to reclaim the Third Magic and deliver it to the family.

That is their purpose.

If Theo truly possesses True Magic, they must bring him back to the Einzberns and turn him to the head of the family.

Another half, however, resists this. Desiring for the protection and the wellbeing of the young boy.

These two extremes are raging in their minds, fighting each other constantly in order to fulfill their respective objective.

Did they develop some kind of fault? Surely not, and yet why does the prospect of returning to Germany make their hearts grow heavier. They don't get it.

They are homunculi, artificial humans. They are tools for magi; meant to obey them and be disposed of when the time comes.

The will of the Einzberns is absolute. It must be obeyed no matter what.

So why do they want to cry?

"Alright, stop. I'm not a teddy bear, you know." I manage to wiggle myself out of that death trap they call a hug.

"Aw." Both Arcueid and Illya pout.

"Anyways, that's about it. So, any questions?" I asked.

The four women look at each other, seemingly at a loss for words on what to say.

"Why are you doing this?" Surprisingly, it's Liz who asks the question.

Everyone just stares at the young Magician before a riveting sound comes from the mask.

"To live." I finally answered, confusing everyone.

"Our lives are a sham, our reason to exist is so that the Einzberns can reclaim the Third Magic. We are nothing more than dolls who are chained by the greed of others. We have no will, no identity, nothing. We only exist so that we can become martyrs for their ambitions." I explained.

"Theo-san, what are you talking about?" Mashu asked.

"I'm not surprised you don't know. You see, the Einzberns are in charge of creating and delivering the vessel, known as the [Lesser Grail], to the ritual site (Fuyuki City) where it will slowly be filled by the Magical Energy of fallen Servants. During the first three wars, the Einzberns used the [Das Rheingold] to create the vessels but this was changed after someone attempted to steal the vessel during the last war. So, our dear grandfather had to get creative."

"What do you mean?"

"The Einzbern [Thaumaturgical Attribute] is the Flow and Transfer of Power, it is the reason why they are famous for their alchemy and coining homunculi." I continued. "In order to prevent some schmuck from trying to steal the vessel again, the Einzberns decided to create a [Lesser Grail] that can move and protect itself, an artificial lifeform that can have free will and use magecraft."

"T-Then that means-"

"The Einzberns offer homunculi to serve as the [Lesser Grail]. Until at least four or five Servants die total, that homunculus will remain active and pre-programmed to protect the ritual against sabotage. And there are currently six homunculi active in Fuyuki City." I hold up six fingers. "Now, out of those six, who is the closest to the ritual?"

Mashu takes a moment to put the pieces together. "Your mother is the [Lesser Grail]."

"Well, she and Illya are." I elaborate.

"I am?" Illya asked.

"Yup, it's why Acht had you go through so many surgeries. He wants you to be the most potent [Lesser Grail] and the most powerful Master in Einzbern history, their last gambit. If Irisviel fails then it would be up to you to become the catalyst that calls the [Greater Grail] to this world." I explained. "However, because of this you were left with a stunted growth which means you'll never grow past this point and mom's body will start to break down until she's nothing but an empty shell for the ritual."

Now everyone was shocked by the info dump. But what's even more shocking is that it came from a little boy of all people!

"H-How do you know this!?" Sella demands, more appalled than everyone else.

"Being a failed experiment has its perks." I dismiss my metaverse outfit. "Barring you guys, no one in the Einzbern Castle paid attention to me." I smile a little. "No one talked to me, they didn't even glance at me when I passed by them."

Illya and Mashu flinch at his words. They recall seeing the Einzbern maids ignoring Theo and avoiding him like a disease. They would only speak to him if it was necessary, but that was extremely rare. Jubstacheit would come to their room for Illya and would kick Theo aside like he was some sort of pebble in his way. The only people who paid him any attention other than themselves were his parents and Maiya.

Yet, despite it all, Theo never once let the neglect affect him or even cried about the lack of attention.

He just… kept moving forward.

"It was easy for me to sneak into the old man's study and read his journals. It surprises me that he had absolutely no countermeasures against anyone entering other than himself. I suppose no one would be dumb enough to sneak in without incurring his wrath, except for a failure like me." I chuckle before feeling something soft pressing against my back.

"You're not a failure, Theo. I don't wanna hear you talking like that." Arcueid scolds me.

I didn't reply, instead simply let her hug me.

As for the others, they didn't know what to think if there was any thinking at all. Mashu was surprised. She knew that the Holy Grail War was different from the one in her timeline, but she certainly wasn't expecting this! To use a living being, artificial or not, as the grail is simply unheard of! Were the Einzberns that desperate to claim the grail that they would use their own family!?

And now knowing that her Master was one such vessel… it sickened her.

Sella, Liz, and Fillia were a different story. While not as riled up by the revelation, they were no less disturbed, mostly because of Liz. Leysritt isn't like them, she was originally created as one of the many [Lesser Grail] prototypes. The head of the Einzberns attempted to use [Ether Clump] as the main component for the vessel, but this left the homunculi with barely an ego and as a result died in just a couple of minutes; Leysritt was the only one who survived. Yet despite this, the master did not see her as a success and decided to dispose of her. It was only by Mistress Irisviel pleas that Leysritt was allowed to live, repurposed to be Illyasviel's main protector and guardian.

So, to know that her brother was in a similar position made them agitated. More so the fact that he would go head first into danger for their sake.

"So, now that you know the truth, there is one thing I'd like to ask of you all." Arcueid lets me go before taking a step forward and bow, surprising everyone. "Please, help me shut down the Holy Grail War!"

"!?" Everyone said.

"I… can't do this alone. Even with all my strength, I can't defeat them all by myself!" I admitted. "If I don't do this then mom and dad will die. The innocent people of the city will die and you all will be nothing more than puppets! I don't want that!" I take a deep breath. "So please… help me, not just to save them but all of you from this terrible fate. You don't deserve it…"

The living room goes silent as everyone contemplates what was just said.

Until finally, someone spoke…

Fillia scratches her head. "Geez kid, you sure like to be dramatic," she then smiles, "I'm in."

"Wait, what!?" Sella exclaims.

"He's got a point." Liz adds.

"Leysritt!?"

"Look Sella," the maid turns to her sister. "No matter what happens here, even if the Einzberns win the grail or not, that old bastard will have us scrapped and I don't want that. I want to live. And right now, I have a chance to make that a reality."

"B-But Fillia, do you know what you're saying? You are betraying master Jubstacheit! You'll be hunted down for the rest of your life! Do you really want that!?"

Fillia glares at her sister. "It doesn't matter. Our bodies have-what?-six more years before they start breaking down? If there is a chance for me to live a normal life, I'll happily take it, Einzberns be damned." She clenches her fists. "I will not be chained like a slave just because of some senile old fool who can't see past his programming."

Sella just looks at her sister dumbfounded. She then turns to Leysritt, and while she could express herself, Sella could see a fire brimming in those dull red eyes.

Fillia looks at me and smiles. "I'm with you all the way, Theo." Just then, a screen appears with a familiar message.

I am Thou… Thou art I…

Thou has acquire a new vow,

It shall become the path to Fate

That severe the deceitfulness of corrupted Destiny.

With the birth of the Councillor Persona,

I have obtained the winds of blessing that

shall guide thee to a true route and new power…

[Councillor] Confidant [Fillia von Einzbern] has been attained!

The following perk [Blunt Honesty] has been unlocked!

Blunt Honesty: Rank C

Does not waver against intimidation

"But if you screw up, I personally come back from the grave to give you a hell of a beating. Am I clear?" Fillia threatened.

I gulp. "Noted."

"Yes, let's do it! Let's save mama and papa!" Illya turns to her Servant. "You'll help, right Shielder?"

Mashu smiles. "Of course I will. I am your shield, Master."

I walk to the coffee table and grab the severed hand. "Alright. Here's the plan."

In the Kotomine Church, we see Risei talking to a group of birds.

"... while Caster and his Master have been dealt with, we still do not know who was the one responsible for their deaths. We still do not know what was the cause of that spike in Magical Energy but it is obvious that the two events are linked. Further, the left hand was removed from the corpse so we can assume that they are also now holding Command Seals." Risei explains. "Therefore, I announce that the Holy Grail War is now-" *BANG* The overseer is interrupted by the sounds of the doors slamming open.

"... forgive me. It seems we have an uninvited guest." He turns around and gives the person a one-eyed stare. "May I ask who you might-" He chokes on his words as he sees who that person is.

"Oh no please, don't stop on my account." The person steps out of the shadows, revealing herself to be Arcueid. "I'm just a beautiful girl passing by~"

Risei opens both of his eyes as he marvels at the woman standing in front of him. "In all my years as a member of the church, never in my lifetime would I have the chance to meet you face to face." He closes his eyes, "how may I help you this evening, White Princess?"

The familiars around him chirp loudly at the reveal of her identity.

"Those birds are so noisy." Arcueid comments. "Anyways, I'm just here to make an announcement."

"For what?" Risei asked.

"For me."

"!" Risei turns around and sees someone standing on the other side of the altar wearing what looks like white armor and a mask over his face.

'How could I have not sensed him? ' Risei thought. 'Judging by his stature, he's likely no older than seven and yet… there's something amiss…' "And may I ask who you might be?"

"I go by many names, Father, but you may refer to me as Moon Knight, the Protector of the Night." I said in Khonshu's voice. "I bring judgment to all who hurt the innocent. The Caster Servant and his master have already suffered my vengeance." I glance at the familiars seemingly frozen by my statement.

'Hmph, these mages send their pets to meetings instead of coming in themselves? They're just as cowardly as I thought.' Khonshu remarks.

"And why have you come to this sacred church, Sir Knight?" Risei asked.

"I am here to declare war." I replied.

Flashback

"I am participating in the Holy Grail War." I declare.

Sella just looks confused. "Forgive me, young master, but I don't see how that will help us."

"Yeah, you're not making sense. I thought you wanted to destroy the grail." Fillia said.

"I do, but in order to destroy it we need to eliminate the masters first." I said. "Arcuied and I will go to the church. The masters will all likely be at the church right now to discuss tonight's events. I'll announce my part in the event while also making my true intent known to them."

Mashu was the first to speak. "Are you sure that's wise? Fighting them all at once seems too risky."

"Not exactly. The church is considered neutral ground in the war, no one would fight there." Sella points out.

"Except dad. He's only following the rules because it benefits him." I add, knowing full well that Kiritsugu will bend the rules if it means taking one step closer towards his wish.

So, how are you going to enter the war?" Arcueid asked.

"With this, silly." I shake the severed hand (Illya: Ew!).

Flashback end

"You want to participate in the Holy Grail War?" Risei asked.

"You misunderstand, I am not here to participate. I am here to destroy the Holy Grail." I elaborated.

"!?" This catches the overseer by surprise.

"Three wars this land has suffered. Countless souls sacrificed for your greed, your selfishness. Those souls cry out for retribution, for vengeance, and I listen to them. How many lives are you willing to ruin to continue this cycle, Father? How can you, a man of God, just stand there and let this go unpunished? Do you not care for the people of this city? Do they mean so little to you?" I scoff. "If this is what it means to be a servant of God, then I'll happily stay an atheist."

Risei grits his teeth at the proclamations. This masked boy dares to insult his faith? To mock him in this house of God!?

A figure slowly walks from the shadows before I grab them and throw them to the ground in a headlock. "If you're planning to kill me while my back is turned, try to do it more quietly."

"!?" Kirei just looks surprised by the whole thing.

"Anyways, my reason for coming here wasn't to antagonize you, Father, but rather the participants to this sham of a ritual." I said. "And to do that, I am going to participate in the Holy Grail War as a Master."

Risei tries to remain composed. "And how will you do that? You need Command Seals to be considered a participant."

I let go of the young priest and stood up. I pull my glove off and show my backhand to the priest, revealing a glowing red brand.

Flashback

I lay on my bed as I watched Sella work.

"So, how is this going to work exactly? I don't have Magic Circuits." I said.

Sella prepares the procedure. "While you can't provide Magical Energy to a Servant, it is possible to redirect the Magical Path to another magi or another outside source. Fillia was kind enough to volunteer as your proxy."

"You're welcome." I heard Fillia's voice from outside.

"[Spiritual Healing] can allow a magus to safely transfer Command Seals from one person to another as long as the owner is willing to do so, but since the owner's has already passed there's no need for consent." Sella's hands begin to glow. "Now be still, you may feel some discomfort."

I cringe and let out a gasp as I watch Sella work.

Flashback ends

I ogle at my new Command Seals. "I will admit, despite being a serial killer, that boy at least proved very useful." I look up at the priest. "So, is this enough to consider me a Master?"

Sweat beads down on the old priest. He glances at his son, lying still on the floor. He must be in shock. For a child to not only sense him but also trap him like that takes skill and experience. One thing is certain… This child is not normal.

"Yes, I can confirm the Command Seals are genuine. Very well, I officially welcome you as the seventh Master of the Fourth Holy Grail War." Risei states. The familiars begin to chirp loudly in protest but the overseer merely raises his hand to silence them.

Major Quest Unlocked

Me vs the World

Objective 1: Defeat all of the Servants 1/7

Objective 2: Destroy All of the World's Evil

Reward: 1,000,000,000 EXP, ¥1,455,289,000, True Magic, #%$^&

Failure: End of the world, Death

I nod. "I have not summoned my Servant yet, but I plan to do so as soon as possible. I only wanted to make my participation official before I can begin."

"Very well. The Holy Grail War will resume tomorrow evening as normal. This meeting is adjourned." Risei declares and the familiars all fly away. "May the light of the grail bless you on your journey, sir Knight."

I stare at the old man before making my way towards the exit with Arcueid happily in tow before vanishing.

The overseer turns to his son. "And what exactly were you thinking, Kirei?"

The young priest slowly stands up, "I was attempting to remove a dangerous element. That boy is not normal."

"Your instincts are correct my son, however, you almost made a grave error that would have cost your life." Risei glances at the two and trembles. "That boy is sponsored by a True Ancestor, and the White Princess no less. Had you gone through with your actions we would not be speaking right now."

Kirei hears the tone his father is using and he couldn't believe it. His father was afraid. It was an emotion that his father never showcased.

"Is that boy really that powerful?" Kirei asks not out of concern, but curiosity.

"Yes… and if you value your life, I suggest you stay away from them." Risei warned. "I must contact Tokiomi-san at once, this truly changes everything." He leaves the chapel, leaving his son alone with his thoughts.

The two moon dwellers leap through the night and arrive at the balcony of their penthouse.

"You're back!" Illya happily cheers.

"Yeah." I said. "Sorry we took so long. We had to deal with an unexpected problem."

"Sella and I just finished making the circle!"

"That's great!" I gave her a head pat. "Nicely done, onee-chan."

"Ehehehe." Illya giggles.

'I don't understand why you want to go through all of this trouble. It seems extremely tedious.' Khonshu said.

'Having a Servant is simply a means to an end. They are our way to enter the war without drawing unnecessary attention anymore than I already have.' I replied. 'The Masters will be more concerned with them than they will with me. I'll just become a secondary priority to them.'

'Is that why you didn't reveal my power in the church?'

'Better keep my cards close to my chest until the last second. You never know when you'll need the element of surprise.' I said.

I walk towards the summoning circle. "Alright, let's begin." I raise my left hand at the circle.

"Let silver and steel be the essence.

Let stone and the archduke of contracts be the foundation

Let White be the color I pay tribute to

Let rise a wall against the wind that shall fall

Let the four cardinal gates close.

Let the three-forked road from the crown reaching unto the Kingdom rotate.

The summoning circle glows brightly with blue light.

I hereby declare.

Your body shall serve under me.

My fate shall be your sword.

Submit to the beckoning of the Holy Grail

If you will submit to this will and this reason…Then answer!

Everyone sees a large white silhouette with a bird skull holding a golden staff standing beside him.

An oath shall be sworn here!

I shall attain all virtues of all of Heaven.

I shall have dominion over all evils of all of Hell!

From the Seventh Heaven, attended to by three greet words of power,

Come forth from the ring of restraints,

Protector of the Holy Balance!"

The circle's brightness intensifies as it covers the rooftop of the hotel before it dies down.

Standing in the middle of the circle is male with a fair complexion with long white hair that reaches his shoulders and lilac eyes. He has a pair of earrings which resemble flowers on both ears. He wears a white robe woven with the finest fabrics alongside a pair of baggy pants and boots. In his left hand is a wooden staff that can be best described as 'gimmicky'. It twists near the end which connects to some kind of metal object tied to a series of ribbons of varying colors at the base.

"Greetings, Avatar of the Moon. Merlin - yes, the one and only Merlin - has answered the call. You may now shower me with your gratitude and affection." The Grand Caster, Merlin, announces dramatically.

A mixture of emotions were painted on everyone's faces. From shock to astonishment to excitement. But for me…

"What have I done…?" I said in clear alarm.

"Die, Merlin! Fou!" Suddenly, a small squirrel-like creature appears from literally nowhere and kicks the Servant in the face, sending him crashing face-first to the floor.

'Oh yes, quite a brilliant plan. Can't wait to see how this turns out.' Khonshu remarks sarcastically.

Such misfortune.

0. Fool: The Artificial Human Squad (Theo, Sella, Liz, Fillia, Illya, Mash, Arcueid)

I. Magician: Shirou Muramasa

I. Councillor: Fillia

II. Priestess: Leysritt

III. Empress:

IV. Emperor:

V. Hierophant: Sella

V. Apostle:

?. Faith:

?. Hope: Mash Kyrielight

VI. Lovers:

VII. Chariot:

VIII. Justice:

IX. Hermit:

X. Fortune:

XI. Strength:

XI. Hunger:

XII. Hanged Man: Kariya Matou

XIII. Death:

XIV. Temperance:

XV. Devil:

XVI. Tower:

XVII. Star: Arcueid Brunestud

XVIII. Moon: Illyasviel von Einzbern

XIX. Sun:

XX. Judgment:

XX Aeon:

XXI. The World:

Author Notes

I'll be honest, this was difficult for me to write. Every line of dialogue led to a dead end. If it wasn't for a rough draft sent by a friend, I would likely still be stuck writing this (seriously, thanks triscythe59).

But anyways, here we are at last. Theo has made the decisive decision to enter the Holy Grail War. Most, if not all, are going to ask why you made this decision and the answer is simply because I thought it would be interesting. Here, you have a character who wants nothing to do with the grail but still signs up to pursue it like everyone else. The only key difference is that he wants the grail so that he can destroy it. The war and its prize has been something that all magi wish to claim, either to use its power for themselves or to elevate their status in the supernatural world.

Can you imagine a complete stranger appearing from nowhere and suddenly taking it from their grasp?

I sure can and, to be honest, it's hilarious.

Also, this works to keep his secret identity as everyone will just think that he's some sort of powerful prodigy who wears a costume and mask; misdirection.

As for how Theo can have Command Seals without Magic Circuits it is because the Command Seals fall under a separate system. It's stated that a Servant can have multiple Masters, and even split the Master rights between magi; one bears the seals the other supplies the energy. This is done by manipulating the Magical Paths between the two in order to reduce the burden.

As for why I chose Merlin, that's simple really. Considering his personality, he would be interested in Theo and would watch his actions from his tower only to later use some magic terminology bullshit to get summoned so he can be part of the action (of course, there's another reason why he appeared but that's for another time).

Also, Fou's adorable.

Don't @ me.

But anyways, that's that. If you guys like it, that's awesome. If you don't, that's fine, too. And if you have some constructive criticism, I'll happily read it and improve from it.

Peace~

Chapter Text

Disclaimer: I own nothing, just the oc. Support the official release.

Risei Kotomine thought of himself as a calm and rational man. He was the type to not let his emotions have control over his actions.

He's a man of faith, after all.

He believed that all of his actions were part of God's plan. That they were trials set by the Lord to test the faith of his children. He firmly believed that no matter what happens, God will always be by his side.

"What were you thinking Father!? Letting an unknown magus into the Holy Grail War!" The irritated voice of Tokiomi Tohsaka rings out of the phonograph in his room.

"As you have already seen through your familiar, Tokiomi-san, he was accompanied by the White Princess. I'm afraid my hands were tied." Risei calmly responds.

"And you thought allowing him to enter was the only option!? This wild card could ruin everything we worked towards!" Tokiomi shouts.

"Yes, I know." Risei said. A mysterious young man, barely older than six, has not only managed to get through his trained senses undetected, but managed to defeat his son with seemingly minimal effort. Kirei was a prodigy in the martial arts, the youngest to become an Executor of the Holy Church. For someone to actually get the better of him is something he never thought possible.

"He was able to defeat Caster, an existence above humans, the fact that he had its Master's Command Seals shows that he is not a force to be trifled with." I warned him. Even if he didn't defeat the Servant, the fact that the True Ancestor would ally herself with him is already something to be wary off.

Tokiomi sighs. "So, how shall we work around this?"

Risei ponders for a moment. "If this young boy, this 'Moon Knight' as he calls himself, has summoned an additional Servant then it's possible for any Servant to get an extra wish due their sudden appearance."

The old priest could practically see his ally smiling on the other end. "And it will motivate all participants to fight harder than before while we merely watch as they all destroy themselves. Well done, my friend."

Risei didn't care for the Magus' praise. All that matters to him is the completion of this sacred ritual.

Meanwhile, just by the entrance of Tokiomi's study, a figure listens to the conversation.

"That mongrel… he dares to say such things in my garden." Gilgamesh growls. "He wants to destroy one of my treasures!? He has a lot of nerve."

But while one half was angry at this insult, the other half was curious. This knight is someone who has the sponsorship of a True Ancestor, one of the few Elementals that still roam the world. That is not an easy task for any mongrel to do and yet he did.

The king would call it impressive, but that thought is quickly snuff out.

"So, when will you send the message?" He heard the condescending voice of Tokiomi through the door.

"Try whatever plan you can think of, Tokiomi, it won't change your fate." Gilgamesh scoffs. "Still, I am interested in this mongrel. He may be the source of entertainment I've been looking for."

With that, the Servant quickly vanishes from sight.

Kirei's Room

Kirei Kotomine sits in the dark as he stares at his right arm, where the Moon Knight grabbed him and threw him to the ground. His hand was small, perfect for a child of his stature and yet he easily manhandled him. Not only that but he knew that he was right behind him.

He chastised his father, questioned his faith, and blatantly reveals that he intends to destroy the Holy Grail, effectively declaring war on everyone.

Why would he do such a thing? What is there to gain from destroying the Grail?

Just then, Kirei feels a familiar presence and turns to see his Assassin. "Report."

"Master, we monitored the Moon Knight and his companion as you ordered, however, they managed to find us and killed one of my other selves." Hundred-Face states. "He told me to send you a message."

Now this got Kirei genuinely curious. "What is the message?"

"If I so much as see you outside, I will kill you." Assassin told him. "You will never find your answers no matter what you do."

This actually caught Kirei off guard and actually made him tumble from his seat. How!? How did he know!? Has he been spying on him this whole time!? Did he spy on the other Masters as well!? So many different questions keep popping in his head, though there was one conclusion that he can agree on.

This Moon Knight is dangerous.

"Assassin…" Kirei keeps his composure. "You will continue to monitor the boy, but from a further distance. DO NOT let him or the White Princess find you."

The Hassan bows. "Understood." She then disappears in black smoke.

Kirei looks up to the night sky. 'Will the Moon Knight have the answers I'm looking for?' He was eager to see him, more so than Kiritsugu Emiya.

For the first time in his life, Kirei Kotomine was driven, not by curiosity, but by excitement.

Mackenzie House - Waver's Room

The Master of Rider, Waver Velvet, walks back and forth with a look of horror in his face.

"Will you calm down? You are working yourself up for nothing." The voice of the Rider-class Servant, Iskandar King of Conquerors, stops the mage in his tracks and turns his attention to him.

"How can you not be worried!? We have not only an unknown Master walking about but the White Princess! You know, one of the most powerful Dead Apostles to ever exist!" Waver yelled.

Iskandar laughs. "I know! Is that not fantastic!?"

Waver grits his teeth, frustrated at his Servant's bombastic behavior as always. How can he not see it?

The Moon Knight and the White Princess.

A wild card with unknown magecraft powerful enough to supposedly kill a Servant and another a monster birthed to be a powerful weapon and the planet's avatar.

Frankly, Waver believed he only said those things to impress the Overseer. I mean, there is no possible way for a magus, let alone a child, to kill a Servant. Don't get him wrong, it is possible but such a feat requires a lot of preparation and mana, something that almost nobody will invest time and resources in.

As for the White Princess, she's probably under some kind of powerful hypnosis. I mean, why would she waste her time on a human child of all things? It doesn't make any sense.

"Besides, are you not glad you survived? If we had gone there, we would have both ended up dead." Iskandar points out.

Reluctantly, Waver could not deny that Iskandar had a point. After using Alchemy to trace Caster's magical energy, he and his Servant flew to their location when suddenly the ground burst outwards and a massive monster rose from within. Iskandar remarked that whoever Caster was fighting must have been strong to force him to summon such a monstrosity.

And that's when he felt it. A cold, empty feeling that sent shivers down his spine. He could feel the hairs rising from the back of his neck, his human instincts telling him to stay away. Except… it wasn't because of Caster.

No… it was because of something else, something worse. He knew this because Iskandar confirmed it.

Death has descended upon Fuyuki.

As his Servant reigns his bulls away, Waver can only watch as the monstrosity erupts and explodes, the shockwave makes him lose his balance and nearly fall to his death.

Afterwards, they rendezvous back at the Mackenzie's where he got a message from the Overseer to discuss what happened, and the rest is history.

"Well, he has caught my eye with his performance. I wonder if he is interested in joining my army." Iskandar laughs and chugs a can of beer.

A tick mark appears on Waver's forehead. "Are you serious!? You want HIM to join your army!? That should be the LAST thing on your mind!" He screams before he gets a finger flick on his forehead. "Ow!"

"You really need to learn to relax, boy. Nothing in life will come from overworking yourself." Iskandar strokes his beard. "Hm, I wonder how I should introduce myself to him?"

Waver makes Waver noises as he smashes his head on the wall.

Kayneth's Safehouse

"Dammit, dammit, DAMMIT!" Kayneth El-Melloi Archibald was kicking a rusted sheet of metal. Nothing in this war has been going his way!

He was humiliated in the first battle of the war, his base was found and destroyed in less than a day forcing him to retreat to this abandoned warehouse unfit for someone of his status.

But nothing… NOTHING made him angrier than the two upstarts who are participating in the war: Waver Velvet and Moon Knight.

"Moon Knight…!" Just saying that name made the magus more furious, more so than his former student.

A no-named magus who refuses to show his face is the worst insult any magi could get. It tells him that he has no regard for their sacred honor. They spit on all of their ancestors by just existing!

He did not care that he was the one who slain the rogue Servant and Master. He did not care that he was partnered with the White Princess. He will kill him. He will kill him and restore honor to his name.

His Lancer, Diarmuid Ua Duibhne, looks at his Master with worry as he grows more and more unhinged. He could see the confidence and pride he exuded when they first met completely shifted to frustration and jealousy. Rider's belittling statement was pretty much the start of his downward spiral followed by the destruction of their base.

Then came the Moon Knight and his bold entrance, quickly taking credit for Caster and his Master's demise. While he was glad those monsters were put out of their misery, he wanted to defeat them in order to restore his Master's honor.

"Is he still at it?" The annoyed voice of his mistress, Sola-Ui, grabs his attention. "He should learn to take his defeats with some dignity."

"It is not my place to question my Master. His setbacks are due to my own incompetence."

Sola-Ui huffs before turning to the Servant, her expression shifting from annoyed to loving. "Do you think everything will be alright?"

Diarmuid looks conflicted. "I… cannot say."

Matou Mansion - Workshop

Zouken Matou sits in a chair looking over the large sink hole in front of him with visible anger. His deathly pale face contorting as the worms inside his body wry in response to their master's emotions.

Not only has that blasted boy become a Master, but he had to show off the fact that he was in an alliance with a True Ancestor and it's the White Princess of all things!

Zouken was no coward, but even he wouldn't dare to fight the White Princess unless he wanted to incur the Wizard Marshal's wrath. That, and combined with the fact he is a Magician made him nigh-invulnerable!

He's been played by a mere child, and the worst part is the boy doesn't even know it!

"Look at you, pouting like a child on the verge of throwing a tantrum. Seeing that boy gaining the one thing that you've been after all your life must be painful." The taunting voice of his "son" echoing through the room.

"... you certainly have a lot of nerve to talk to me like that." Zouken hissed out. It took him just a twitch of his pinky to make the man collapse and scream in agony.

After another minute, Zouken released his hold on Kariya. "I have an assignment for you." He ignores the glare his son was giving him. "You will find this boy, this 'Moon Knight'. You will find him and you will kill him. I don't care what methods you use, if the White Princess is with him, use Berserker to distract her. Do I make myself clear?"

Kariya slowly gets up. "... yes…"

"Then get out of my sight." Zouken demands as he resumes his focus on the pit.

Kariya turns around and limps away. As he limps upstairs, his mind plays the memory of when he first met the boy in that back alley. While he couldn't see his face, he could tell that he was very worried about him.

Almost like he… knew him.

'Maybe I can convince him to form an alliance with me. With a True Ancestor on my side, there is nothing that ghoul can do to stop me from rescuing Sakura.' Kariya thought with hope before thriving worms in his body brought him back to reality. 'No, Zouken will definitely keep an eye on me with his familiars. He'll kill us both the moment I betray him. Either way I'm a deadman walking.'

However, deep in the worm pit, no one noticed the smiling little girl swimming in that ocean of filth.

"Anyone who can strike fear into Grandfather must be very strong." Sakura's eyes flash red. "I can't wait to meet you, Mr. Knight~"

Einzbern Castle

Irisviel lets out a yawn that grabs everyone's attention.

"Are you tired, Iri?" Kiritsugu asked.

Irisviel hides her melancholic expression and shakes her head with a smile. "It's nothing, I'm fine. Please, continue."

Kiritsugu hums as he turns his attention to the large map of Fuyuki City spread out on the table with multiple red X's on certain locations.

"... two locations are at the heart of each area. One is the residence of the Second Owner, Tokiomi Tohsaka with the Matou Estate not too far. Based on what we know, the two families have a nonaggression pact but because of the war this has likely been rendered void." He explains. "The other goes without saying; Mount Enzō. All of the leylines in the region converge at Mount Enzō. The details are just as old man Archt had said…"

As Kiritsugu continues his explanation, Irisviel's eyes grow heavier as her mind drifts elsewhere. She lied when she said she wasn't tired, but she kept herself awake in order to support her husband. Kiritsugu, meanwhile, hasn't stopped for even a minute. He and Maiya spent the last two days tracking down all of the enemy Masters, in order to find the location of their bases as well as any weakness we can exploit. However, ever since that night Kiritsugu has been on edge and I couldn't blame him. That mana surge took us all by surprise but really got all of us on edge was the cold, empty and oppressive presence that suddenly attacked us, leaving us completely immobile for a few minutes and, as expected, we received a summons from the Fuyuki church. Kiritsugu sent a controlled familiar to the church only to watch as the White Princess of the True Ancestors strolls into the church and a child wearing white armor and a mask appears from nowhere.

Needless to say, Kiritsugu will not be joining her in bed tonight. Or any night from here on out.

"-there is a powerful Bounded Field around Mount Enzō, originating from Ryuudou Temple at its peak. Because of that, natural spirits - such as Servants - are only able to enter via the road approaching the shrine. Keep this in mind when approaching the area, Saber." Kiritsugu states.

These words of caution to Saber would be more effective if he had said it face-to-face, yet Kiritsugu simply refuses to turn to her direction let alone speak to her directly even when she's standing right behind Irisviel. This attitude wasn't recent either as it started as early as when they arrived at the Einzbern Castle.

"Apart from these locations, there are two more key locations in Shinto where the leylines gather. The first is the Fuyuki church on top of the southern hill and the other is the new housing development to the east of the CBD. To conclude, there are four key spiritual grounds in Fuyuki where it meets the proper requirements to carry out the Holy Grail's descent." Kiritsugu states.

"Then, once the war enters the ending phase and the number of Servants has been narrowed down, we must take control of one of these locations?" Maiya asked.

"Correct. Any questions concerning the topography?" Kiritsugu asked.

Irisviel looks at their Servant. "...Saber, is there anything you are not certain of?"

The disguised King of Knights smiles and shakes her head. "Nothing in particular. It was a sufficient explanation." While the girl in question is probably not aware, from an observer's point of view, it sounded like a sarcastic, flippant reply.

"What about the boy? Moon Knight?" The moment those words left her mouth the entire room grew colder.

Kiritsugu narrows his eyes. This "Moon Knight" as he calls himself not only took credit for Caster's defeat, but blatantly revealed that he was going to destroy the Holy Grail. What surprised him above all else was that a Dead Apostle was helping him, and just any vampire but a True Ancestor; the princess to be exact.

It only took one look at those ominous crimson eyes to shake him to his core. He has heard stories of her, everyone in the Moonlit World knew the name Arcueid Brunestud the moment it was uttered. From what he recalled, Arcueid resided in the Millenium Castle asleep and would only wake up for a special target.

Could she have come to Fuyuki to hunt down her target? Is that why she allied herself with the Moon Knight? There are just too many questions…

"... it makes no difference. If he is a Master, then we will have to eliminate him." Kiritsugu said.

Irisviel's eyes widened. "But he's just a chil-"

"He is not a child. Not anymore. The moment he took those Command Seals he became something else." Kiritsugu snaps before calming his nerves. He feels ashamed for snapping at his wife, the light in this dark road, the road to his ideals. "Iri, this is an important matter. If this boy has truly made an alliance with the princess, then this war has become more difficult than ever. Not to mention that he is a Master now, which means it's only a matter of time before he summons a Servant, if he hasn't done so already."

This didn't make his wife feel any better. "I… I understand."

Kiritsugu sighs. "Iri, it's already late. Why don't you head to bed?" He gives her a small smile. "I'll be there soon."

Irisviel reluctantly turns around and leaves the room. Artoria soon follows her, but not before giving her Master a glance before closing the door behind her.

She sees Irisviel slowly walking away and quickly catches up to her. "Let me take you to your room, Lady Irisviel."

Irisviel smiles."Thank you Saber, but you should stay with Kiritsugu."

"I do not think my input will make any difference." She admits, "More importantly, he should have yelled at you like that."

Irisviel sighs. "You have to understand, Kiritsugu is agitated. He has never encountered something like this before." They continue to walk the castle halls. "The True Ancestor has allied herself with a Master, that sort of teamwork could destroy everything Kiritsugu has worked for. Though I guess what surprised him further is that a child has willingly registered as a Master. Why would they put themselves in such danger?"

"Regardless of his reason, he made his intent clear. I will not allow him to destroy the Holy Grail." Artoria declares.

Irisviel brows furrowed. "So you will fight him?"

This time, it is Artoria who looks conflicted before it changes to a determined one. "While he may be a child, he is still a Master. If he becomes a threat, I will not hesitate to stop him." She will not let him have his way. The Holy Grail is the only thing that can grant her wish and she will do whatever needs to be done.

Irisviel looks down crestfallen, her thoughts and feelings turning to her children. She hasn't seen them in over a week or heard a single thing. The homunculus maids were ordered to only contact them in case of emergencies, but she had hoped that they would not have taken those orders literally. Hearing about Moon Knight and how young he was made her think about Illya and how she is also a Master with Theo caught up in this mess.

And knowing that there's another child walking into this hell just made her chest hurt even more.

'Please be safe, my babies.' Irisviel prays for her two children.

Meanwhile, Maiya and Kiritsugu continue discussing their strategies. Kiritsugu, however, can't help but think back to what happened to Kirei Kotomine in the church.

'He knew where Kirei would strike and easily disarmed him with no effort. It is evident that someone trained him well.' Kiritsugu grimaced. 'Yet, I can't shake the feeling that I've seen it somewhere before.'

"Sir?" Maiya calls out.

"... we're done for now. We'll pick this up tomorrow morning. Get some rest." Kiritsugu told her.

Maiya unhesitantly nods, stands up, and leaves the room. As soon as she leaves, Kiritsugu collapses on his chair, letting his exhaustion finally show on his face. He takes a small pack from his coat pocket and lights up a cigarette and takes a deep breath, letting the nicotine swim into his body before releasing it back out.

"... I wonder how Illya and Theo are doing." Kiritsugu mutters under his breath.

Meanwhile

I deadpanned at the bizarre sight before me: Merlin fighting evenly against a fluffy little white squirrel/dog thing.

Merlin uses his staff to parry them. "You dare strike your master, Cath Palug! After everything I've done for you!"

"Grr! Die Merlin!" Fou barked as he sent a fury of kicks at Merlin.

From the side, the maid trio all watch the scene with different reactions.

"... I have no words." A dumbfounded Sella comments.

"Were there any?" Fillia asked.

Liz was eating popcorn.

Arcueid stares with an unreadable expression.

Illya's body trembles with excitement. "Go little guy! Teach that white weirdo a lesson!"

"Fou, Fou!" Fou's attacks gain more ferocity until he breaks through and lands a hit to Merlin's solar plexus.

"Gah!" Merlin struggles to breathe and kneels. "Curse you, you little rodent!"

"Fou!" Fou stands upright, his paws firmly on his hips as he has come out victorious as light covers him literally nowhere.

… too bad I just can't take it seriously.

"Merlin-san!" Mashu goes to check up on him.

'So they know each other, which means Merlin already went through the Babylon Singularity.' I thought.

"Yay, you won!" Illya exclaims and runs towards Fou.

"Fou!" Fou jumps upwards and Illya catches him with a hug. "Kyu~"

"Mm~ It's so fluffy!" Illya cries out in joy, pink hearts surround her as she dances around.

Arcueid goes towards Illya with a blank expression on her face.

I look on as the True Ancestor stares at the little critter. Despite his appearance, Fou or Cath Palug is a very dangerous creature. He is the [Monster of Gaia], Primate Murder, a [Beast] that stands above anything on the planet in the same stature as ORT. He is counted as one of the strongest because he has the absolute murder privilege against the human species. Only the strength of all seven [Grand Servants] can ever hope to stop him. However, since Merlin was his caretaker, he gained a new perspective on humans and so won't fall to his urges.

But now the fabled monsters stare at Arcueid Brunestud, an Elemental and the Archetype Earth which is the closest being to Gaia herself. Sweat flows down my forehead as the atmosphere grows thicker around them, each waiting for the other to make a-

"Eeeek! He is so cute!" Arcueid hugs Fou and spins him around. "His fur is so fluffy! Mou~, I wanna take him home with me!"

"H-Hey! Give him back!" Illya demands as she runs after her.

Never mind, false alarm.

Merlin struggles to reach out to Mashu. "Mashu-chan… can I ask you for a favor…?"

"Yes, Merlin-san. Anything." Mashu said.

"… may I see your panties-AH!" A black heel stabs Merlin in the face.

"Pervert!" Mashu yells as she walks away from a bleeding Merlin.

I can't help but let out a chuckle. He reminds me of a certain musical skeleton.

Merlin wipes the blood off his face already healed. "Well, I'm happy that you're taking joy in my misfortune, Master."

"Well, it's what you deserve for asking something like that, you pedophile." I said.

Merlin dramatically clutches his chest. "Augh! Those words cut deeper than any sword!"

I sigh. "Of all the Heroic Spirits, why did it have to be you? Ozymandias would have been a better pick than you."

Merlin puffs his cheeks. "How rude! Most Masters would be ecstatic to summon a [Grand Caster] such as myself!"

At that moment, the entire room grew silent as he said those words.

"... what did you say?" I finally asked.

"I said-"

"I know what you said. I'm asking about your class." I elaborate.

This made Merlin smirk. "Why, I am a [Grand Caster], Master. Did you already forget?"

"That's impossible!" Sella screams out.

"And why is that?" Merlin "innocently" asked.

"Because the Holy Grail shouldn't have the authority, let alone the power to summon you." I explained.

From what I remember, Grand Servants are existences summoned by the CounterForce in order to prevent the extinction of mankind by the Beasts. They are granted Spirit Origins that are a rank higher than ordinary Servants, making them more like living gods than recreated humans. They are considered the "seven strongest from that era," the "first seven at the pinnacle of Heroic Spirits". However, it is possible for them to lose their rank like when they are summoned to Chaldea although this seems to only be a temporary loss.

In other words, with the exception of Chaldea, no one can summon a Grand Servant.

Illya just looks confused. "I don't get it. Is a Grand Servant better than a regular Servant?"

"Grand Servants are the pinnacle of Spirits, meant only to be summoned in case the World senses that humanity is on the brink of destruction. They are beings whose abilities far outclass anything humanity could ever produce. They are meant as the last line of defense against alien invaders." Sella explains. "The summoning ritual for the war is an offshoot of the original ritual, allowing humans to summon degraded versions of Heroic Spirits though they are still powerful in their own right. Another way to think of it would be that while [Servants] are weapons meant to fight individuals, a [Grand Servant] is a weapon meant to fight the world."

"Wow, and my brother summoned one?" She looks back at Merlin and Theo looking at each other with stars in her eyes. "That's so cool."

Sella just looks uneasy. How did Theo summon a Grand Servant, and Merlin himself much less? Is it because of his power or something else all together?

"Anyways, how are you here? According to legend, you're trapped in Avalon, still alive. How do you become a Heroic Spirit if you're alive?" I asked.

"Oh that's easy, you see-" Merlin was about to explain before his eyes wandered and something caught his attention. "Arcueid?"

Arcueid narrows her eyes.

"Arcueid!" Merlin leaps and extends his arms wide ready to hug her. "It's so good to see you-" He is smacked in the face and sent flying out of the balcony but manages to grab onto the edge, saving himself from falling.

"Don't come anywhere near me, you scoundrel." Arcueid growls.

I blink at the sudden development. "Huh?"

"Hm, so she can get angry." Khonshu remarks.

Merlin climbs back to the balcony. "Are you still mad at me from that time?"

"What do you think?" Arcueid glares daggers at him.

"Okay," I walked up to Arcueid. "Do you two have a history or something? Because it sounds like you do."

"This bastard," She points to Merlin. "Left me in a nest of zombies when he promised he was gonna take me to a festival."

"Oh c'mon, I already said I was sorry." Merlin dusts himself. "Besides, undead like them were no match for you."

"That's not the point, you imp! You dumped me!" Arcueid yelled.

"It wasn't on purpose. I can only leave the tower for a week before Gaia drags me back." Merlin reasoned.

I just look even more confused. "Wait, you two were dating?"

"Hmph, in his dreams!" Arcueid let out a huff.

"I met her when she was little. She used to call me Uncle Merlin." Merlin gives me a fatherly smile. "It was so adorable."

Arcueid starts releasing bloodlust.

"I promised to take her to a nearby town festival, but like I said I can only leave Avalon for a week before Gaia's influence dragged me back, and sadly my time was up." Merlin sighs.

"Okay, but how did she end up in that nest of zombies?" I asked.

"Oh well, we accidentally fell in a sinkhole and when my time was up, I sort of let her go." Merlin bumps his head with his tongue sticking out. "Tee hee~"

Everyone just deadpans at the explanation before Merlin gets smacked again.

I slap my hands together. "Okay, moving on. How are you here? And as a [Grand Caster] no less?"

Merlin tilts his head. "You don't mean you don't know?"

"Know what?"

"Oh nothing~" Merlin smiles. "Let's get along from here on out, Master!"

Though his behavior isn't exactly the best, I can tell he wants what's best for me. I felt a connection to Merlin.

I am Thou... Thou art I...

Thou has acquire a new vow,

It shall become the path to Fate

That severe the deceitfulness of corrupted Destiny.

With the birth of the Hermit Persona,

I have obtained the winds of blessing that

shall guide thee to a true route and new power…

[Hermit] Confidant [Merlin] has been attained!

The following perk [Garden of Avalon] has been unlocked!

Garden of Avalon: Rank A

Increases Health by 10

'[Hermit], huh? That's perfect for him.' I deadpanned, knowing just how thoroughly useless he is in battle.

"Now then," Merlin's obnoxious voice grabs my attention. "I should let you know that while I am a world-renowned mage, I am not suited for battle. So don't be surprised if I run away the first chance I get, okay?"

Everyone just gives the wizard a look. I can hear Mashu whisper the words "I knew it" under her breath.

"Well, he certainly is one of a kind." Khonshu sarcastically comments.

"I hate you all." I muttered.

Next Day

After the bizarre events of last night, we decided to take a little time off. So, the Artificial Human Squad (and also Merlin) are walking through the streets of Miyama Town and wandering through the various shops it offers.

"I have to say going to town was a great idea, Master." Merlin praised, wearing a black sweater with the sleeves rolled back with a rose motif embroiled on the left side of his chest. He's wearing black pants and black shoes along with a long purple scarf loosely tied around his neck.

I can hear women whispering as we pass by.

"Wow, who is that fine specimen over there?" One woman said.

"Is he a model? He certainly looks like one."

"I wonder if he's single…"

"No way. That boy is clearly his child."

"I think I might be gay now."

"Aw~ that little dog is so cute!"

"Dog? I thought it was a squirrel."

My eye twitches. "I told you to wear something that wouldn't make you stand out."

"But the magazine said these are what's hot right now." Merlin whined.

I look at Merlin and still have a hard time understanding how he's even here. Before going to bed last night, I looked into his stats and found that he had [Independent Manifestation], a skill that is usually reserved for [Beasts]. When asked he explained that he attained this skill from the sealing of a certain [Beast], and worked hard to keep it after it was defeated. This didn't make him a [Beast] himself but something "more than a dream" and that "I'll understand one day"; whatever that means.

"Frankly, being a Servant is just a hobby of mine, so don't think too much of it." Those were his exact words.

"Remind me to burn Fillia's magazines when we get home." I whisper to Fou.

"Fou!"

I notice Illya, Mashu and Arcueid running towards what looks like an old bookstore. I peek from the entrance and see the two engrossed in the manga section while Mashu picks up what looks to be a romance novel.

"Wow, this is so detailed." Illya comments as she flips the pages.

"Human books have come so far… I should get out more." Arcueid says as she grabs another novel.

Mashu blushes as she keeps reading her book.

Yup, those two are in their own little world.

As I take a step back, I notice Filia, and Liz walking into a clothing store while Sella went into an antique store.

"Hm, I wonder what shop I should go to. What do you think, Merlin?" I turn to look only to find the Servant gone. "Merlin?" I look around and see him talking to a pair of women.

"Oh hello, ladies. I'm new in town and I could really use a guide. Do you know any fun places around here?" Merlin asked.

"W-We might know a few!" One of the women stuttered and the other nodded.

"Wonderful!" He leans closer to their ears. "I'll make sure to repay you handsomely for your services."

The women's faces turn bright red at the implications.

"Oh brother." I cringe in disgust.

Fou dashes forward and jumps. "FOOOOOOOU!" He kicks Merlin in the face, sending him flying and crashes, face-first, on an open trash can causing its contents to spill all over him.

"Hahahahahaha! That little guy got that incubus good!" Khonshu laughed.

I sigh as I massage the bridge of my nose. "I can't take it. Tell Mashu I'm going on a walk."

"Fou!" Fou gives me a salute.

I put on my hoodie and quickly left the scene as people converged on the crime scene.

"One of these days, Cath Palug. Mark my words!" I heard Merlin yelling from the pile of trash.

I wander further into the shopping district by myself. I didn't care where, I just needed to get away from the dick wizard.

"How did Artoria ever deal with this guy? He hasn't been here for a day and I'm already done." I asked. "She has the patience of a saint."

I wander through the shops, looking at the various products they have for sale. I entered an old school candy store and the elderly owner gave me some candy. Then a bike shop where the cracky shop owner told me to get out if I wasn't buying anything; talk about a contrast in personalities.

After a couple of minutes, I reached a dead end.

"I should get back. Sella might start to turn this place inside out." I turn around and suddenly my face collides with something hard and falls on my butt. "Ouch!"

"Ho? Are you alright there, boy?"

I slowly turned my head up and I bit my tongue in an effort not to scream. Standing before me is a gigantic man standing over two meters in height. He has large muscles that give the impression of being able to kill a bear with his bare hands. He has short red hair that connects to his beard and his brown eyes give off a dazzling glow, the kind you would find in people looking for adventure. His outfit consisted of a white T-Shirt with the words "Admirable Great Tactics" over a map of the world in the center and a pair of blue jeans and brown shoes. His shirt was stretched to its limit thanks to his bulging muscles as he carried a large wooden barrel on his shoulder.

Iskandar

Title: Alexander the Great, Alexandros, King of Conquerors, Dhul-Qarnayn

Level: 63

Tier: 5 STAR

HP: 13,219

MP: 9,634

STR: 1,006

END: 1,788

AGI: 155

MAG: 278

LUK: 1,788

Weakness: Fire, Almighty

Noble Phantasm: Ionioi Hetairoi, Via Expugnatio

"Hey! I told you to slow down, you idiot!"

I tilt my head and running towards us is an feminine-looking boy with short black hair and black eyes. He's wearing a black vest over a white shirt and a blue/yellow tie. He wears dress pants with a small belt hooked on his right hip and black dress shoes. Overall, his appearance screams "student".

Waver Velvet

Title: Waver the Failure, Waver Mackenzie

Level: 9

Tier: n/a

HP: 178

MP: 61

STR: 9

END: 5

AGI: 4

MAG: 8

LUK: 6

Weakness: Melee, Gun, Fire, Ice, Electric, Psy, Nuclear, Bless, Curse, Almighty

They're Waver Velvet and the Rider Servant Iskandar the King of Conquerors or more commonly Alexander the Great.

I slowly begin to panic before I notice the edges in the corner of my vision. 'That right, I still have my hoodie up. They don't know that I'm homunculus.' I glance at the two. 'I should probably try to act my age.'

"Wow!" I try to sound as child-like as possible. "It's a giant!"

Iskandar blinks and lets out a laugh. "Well, I am the bigger man around here!"

"Rider, knock it off!" Velvet scolds him before reaching out to me. "Are you okay, kid? Here let me help you."

"UmU!" I grab his hand and he pushes me up. "Thanks, nee-san!"

An arrow hits Waver in the chest. "N-N-Nee-san…!?"

"Hahahahaha!" Iskandar laughs.

"I-I'm not a girl!" Velvet sputters out, his face crimson from embarrassment.

I innocently tilt my head. "Really? But you're so pretty."

"Guh!" This strikes another arrow and the Master falls to his knees in shame all the while his Servant laughs harder.

I hold myself back from laughing. He's so fun to tease.

"I must admit, I did not expect this. Who knew you were such a cheeky bastard." Khonshu comments.

'Takes one to know one.' I replied.

As Waver continues to wallow in misery, I turn my attention to Iskandar. "By the way mister," I pointed to the big barrel. "What's that big thing for?"

Iskandar glances at the barrel. "What, this? It's a barrel of wine I recently purchased." He smiles. "I'm preparing a party, you see. A celebration only for kings!"

'So, he's already organizing the King's Banquet. Which likely means that Einzbern Castle will be attacked tonight and since Gilles is dead, there's no reason for Artoria to leave Kiritsugu's side." I narrow my eyes. Still, why does it feel like something's not right?'

"So, it's a grown-up party?" I asked, continuing to put on my child façade.

"Why, yes. Yes it is." Iskandar said proudly.

"Mou~ That sounds so cool." I pout. "My dad has parties, too. But only my mom and aunty Maiya are allowed in. They would be gone for hours and they'd never tell me what they're doing there."

That makes Rider's smile widen. "Well, my boy, maybe they are-"

"R-Rider, knock it off already! How many times have I told you not to do this!? Do you think the other Masters will actually listen to you!?" Waver exclaims.

I look at the king. "Your name is Rider, mister? That's weird."

Waver's neck snaps as he turns to me. 'Crap!' He cursed. "I-It's just a nickname, think nothing of it!"

"Oh. Well, can I come to the party?"

"Of course!" Iskandar exclaims with gusto.

"I don't think that's such a good idea. The people that'll show up are not exactly nice." Waver states.

"But it's a party. Everyone loves parties." I argued.

"Indeed!" Iskandar laughs. "You should learn from this child. He is not a pansy or a spineless coward."

"You're only saying that because he's just as immature as you!" Waver argued.

Iskandar laughs and pads Waver on the back, causing the young magus to be lifted a few feet up and stumble a little.

I let out a small sigh. Honestly, I don't remember Waver being this much of a pansy. From what I remember from the anime, Waver Velvet was looked down upon by his peers and teachers in the Clocktower; Kayneth El-Melloi Archibald being a prime example. As a result, he developed an inferiority-complex over his abilities as a magus and Master, and he constantly doubts himself at every turn. He hides this with narcissism and being an overall spoiled brat.

No one would believe that this naïve and spineless idiot would one day become a great magus and teacher.

'He can become great, he has the potential to do it, but his overall self image needs to be amended.' I then get an idea. 'Maybe I can give him a little push.'

"So, not only are you a girly-boy but you're a spineless coward, too? You're really pathetic, nii-san." I told him.

This causes Waver to actually flinch as the final arrow finally runs him through. He looks down, crestfallen. His body shakes in anger as he clenches his fists.

'A child… even a child is mocking me.' Light sobs escape from his mouth. 'I really am pathetic.'

"Hehehehe…" Iskandar nervously chuckles at the sorry sight his Master is in. Even he was caught off guard by the child's sharp tongue.

"So why not just accept it?" I asked.

"Huh?" Waver looked at me with a perplexed look.

Iskandar looks at the boy curiously and decides to listen closely.

"I don't know why you're acting this way, but I can see that you're trying too hard to be someone you're not. So what if people are better at some things than you? Why should that matter? You should not let the words of others drag you down into the abyss, but instead work and improve on what you already have." I explained and gave him a small smile. "I'm sure you'll become a great man if you stay true to yourself."

This made Waver think for a moment. He was right. Ever since he decided to take the path of magecraft, all that he has been met with was the ridicule of his peers. And for what? Because he wasn't from a prestigious line of magi like everyone else? How does that dictate what he can or cannot do!? That's bullshit! Your lineage should have nothing to do with your abilities to perform magecraft! All you need to be a great magus is hard work, experience, and knowledge! All those idiots at the Clocktower are simply leaching off the achievements of their ancestors like parasites while putting no effort in anything. Meanwhile here he was, a participant in a ritual that is usually reserved for elitists of the elite. Him, a no-name magus from a no-name family, making history with every step he took.

Because that's who the magus, Waver Velvet, truly is.

"Hahahahaha! For one so young, you know your way with words. You could make the greatest of philosophers green with envy. I already like you!" Iskandar then slaps Waver in the back, causing him to actually fall this time.

"Augh, that hurt!" Waver yells, glaring at his Servant.

"You should take this child's words to heart, boy. Such wisdom is rare in this day and age, especially from someone so young." Iskandar grins.

"Well, I did learn from the best." Honestly, Waver Velvet reminds me a bit of both Yousuke Hanamura and Kanji Tatsumi. Both of them were riddled with insecurities that they always hide under a mask of false bravado and general arrogance, making them come off as jerks and overall violent. It wasn't until the protagonist (Yu) came into their lives that they eventually overcame their insecurities and became better people.

"Hm, he must be a wise and powerful warrior. I would like to invite them to join my army should I get the chance." Iskandar mused.

'I'd think he would if you asked.' I thought.

With a grunt, the young magus picks himself up but now he feels different. He felt… lighter, taller even (not physically, of course). Like he was being crushed by heavy stones only for the stones to suddenly float away.

"It's odd, I feel light. Lighter than I though." Waver looks at his left hand, his Command Seals ever present. "It's very strange."

"That's your heart telling you that you are on the right path. You have taken the first step into becoming a great man." Iskandar said.

Waver closes his hand and smiles. "I guess so." He turns his attention back to me. "Thank you. You made me realize something that I've completely forgotten."

It seems my words have had an effect on the unlikely duo. It made their connection stronger.

I am Thou... Thou art I...

Thou has acquire a new vow,

It shall become the path to Fate

That severe the deceitfulness of corrupted Destiny.

With the birth of the Chariot and the Fortune Persona,

I have obtained the winds of blessing that

shall guide thee to a true route and new power…

[Chariot] Confidant [Iskandar] has been attained!

[Fortune] Confidant [Waver Velvet] has been attained!

The following perks [Thunderous Chariot] and [Path to Lordship] have been unlocked!

Thunderous Chariot: Rank A

Allows you to ride any form of transportation

Path to Lordship: Rank C

Reduces SP Consumption by 30%

Hot damn, two Arcanas at once? That's a new one.

"Well, I better go or else Sella-nee-chan will scold me again." I said.

"Hm, we wouldn't want that, now would we?" Iskandar smiles. "It was great meeting you, child."

"Yeah. You better run along or else you'll get into trouble." Waver added.

"Okay, bye Waver-nii-san, Iskandar-nii-san." I said and ran off.

"!?" The two suddenly freeze up at the mention of their names, their true names.

"Wait!" I stop dead in my tracks. "H-How did you know our names!? Who are you!?"

At that moment, an overbearing chill runs down the magus' spine. The ambient atmosphere of the shopping district turns oppressive and unnerving. Finally, after what felt like an eternity, the boy slowly turned his head to us and we caught a glimpse of his eyes under his hood.

His glowing golden eyes.

"You already know who I am, young Master and Servant of the Mount." He said in an all too familiar voice.

"N-Now way…! Y-You-!"

"Until we meet again." The boy leaves a dumbstruck duo and disappears into the crowd.

The two stood there frozen as people passed by them, until a familiar noise snapped them out of their trance.

"Heh." Iskandar slowly chuckles and it evolves into a hearty laugh. "What a twist! I didn't expect to see the Moon Knight here so soon!"

"T-That was Moon Knight. The actual Moon Knight…." Waver mutters as his legs buckle and he falls. "I think I'm gonna be sick…"

"What are you going on about, boy? This is a great day!" Iskandar argues.

Waver gives his Servant a look. "And in what way is this great?"

"Simple, he went out of his way to consult you on your flaws and gave you the starting push to become stronger. Why would an enemy go so far? I'll tell you why," he gives his Master his signature smile "its because he sees your potential for greatness, just as I have. Why else would he give you such advice?"

Waver contemplates his Servant's statement. He sees potential in him. Someone actually believes in him aside from Rider. This made the young magus smile. His efforts were not a waste, now he had to make sure his faith wasn't misplaced.

Meanwhile, I made my way back to everyone as they gathered in the middle of the road. They're all holding back from the respective stores they visited.

"Theo!" Illya rushes in and snares me into a tight hug.

"Lord Theodore, where have you been!?" Sella demands.

"Well, I decided to explore the shopping district after Merlin was made a fool of himself (Merlin: Hey!). When I decided to turn back, I bumped into Rider and his Master shopping and we talked." I explained.
Sella's eyes widened. "Y-You ran into Rider and his Master?"

"Are you okay?" Mashu adds.

I'm fine. Rider is nice and his Master is pretty funny though he has problems believing in himself." I replied.

Sella sighs. "I am glad you are unharmed, but do not run off like that again. Am I clear?"

"Okay."

"Good. Now, let's head to the park." Everyone walks back towards the subway station.

"Yay!" The two children cheer with delight.

Later

We got off Shinto station and went straight to the park. It isn't any different from the last time we came here.

"I can't believe we're back here so soon." Illya said in a melancholic tone.

I gave my sister a look. "Why do you sound like that? I thought you loved the park."

"I do, but it's not the same if he isn't here." Illya replies.

"Oh? Have you made a friend, my lady?" Sella asked.

A pink hue slowly appears on Illya's puffy cheeks. "W-Well…"

A cheeky grin forms on Fillia's face. "Oh? Does our princess have a crush on a boy?"

"N-No! He's just a friend who happens to be a boy!" Illya exclaims.

I cover my mouth to stop the snort. She just gave herself away.

"Ah, to be young~ Women would come from every corner of the world just to see my magic." Merlin mused. "Oh yes, those were the days."

I am starting to think I may have summoned a different Merlin.

"Is that…? No way!" Illya and I recognize that voice.

We both turn to look and Illya can't help to smile. "Shirou!"

That's right, Emi-Muramasa Shirou runs towards us with a big smile on his face.

'That's right. His name is Shirou Muramasa right now.' If I remember correctly, it has been speculated that Shirou is in fact a direct descendant of Senji Muramasa which explains their abnormal compatibility with swords and why Shirou is his vessel when he's summoned. 'This is gonna take a while to get used to.'

"You came back!" Shirou exclaims.

"W-Well, we were just in the neighborhood and decided to rest for a bit. We're not here because of you or anything!" Illya justifies.

Shirou just smiles. "I missed you, too."

I watch the scene with a chuckle. 'Don't worry, Illya. You still have time to become a proper tsundere.'

"A-HEM!" Sella's clear throat got our attention. "Illya, Theo, wouldn't you introduce us to your new friend?"

"Oh." I turn to Shirou. "Shirou, I'd like to introduce you to our guardians." I point to Sella. "This is Sella, the mature one."

Sella bows. "Greeting, young man. I hope you have been a good friend to my master's children."

I point to Leysritt. "This is Liz. She's the cool one."

"Nice to meet you, Lady Illya's consort." Liz said.

Shirou tilts his head. "Consort."

Meanwhile, Illya's face goes atomic red in the background.

"This is Fillia. She's the loud one." I comment.

Fillia brows twitches. "Are you trying to piss me off, kid!?"

"This is Arcueid, she's the big sister of the group."

"Hi~ If you need anything, don't hesitate to ask. Onee-san will help!" Arcueid sends Shirou a wink.

Shirou blushed. "O-Okay."

"And here is Mash, but I call her Mashu. She's our cute mascot." I grinned.

Mashu blushes and fidgets around.

Fou leaps up and lands on my shoulder. "This here is Fou. Say hi little guy."

"Kyuu~" Fou purrs and snuggles on my cheek.

Shirou looks confused. "Is he supposed to be a dog or a squirrel?"

"No idea." I shrug.

"Wait, what about him?" Shirou points at Merlin.

"Oh, him? He's just a stray. If you ignore him, he'll go away." I told him.

"That hurts, Theo! Do you really think so low of me!?" Merlin cried.

"Yes/Fou." Fou and I said at the same time.

"Ugh!" Merlin is suddenly struck by an arrow and promptly collapses on his feet. "The humanity…"

I just roll my eyes. This guy is so melodramatic, it's not even funny.

"Hey, you guys wanna play?" Shirou asked.

Illya nods. "Yeah!" She turns to Sella and gives her the Puppy Eye Look(™). "Please, Sella? Please, please, please, pleeeeeaaaaaaaaase?"

"Guah!" Sella just can't resist her young charge's technique. "All right, you go and play. Just don't wander too far."

"Yay!" The three of us cheer.

"Wait! Before we start, we need to get someone." Shirou said.

"Is it another friend?" I asked.

Shirou nods. "Yup. Follow me!" He runs off.

"Let's go, Theo!" Illya grabs my hand.

"H-Hey!" The two of us run off, following Shirou in tow.

Sella sighs. "Good grief, what am I going to do with those two?"

"You need to learn to unwind, sis." Fillia said.

"Stress gives you wrinkles." Liz adds.

"S-Shut up! And I am not getting wrinkles!" Sella snaps at her sisters.

Mashu just smiles. "I'm sure Illya-san will be fine. He has Theo-san protecting her."

An arm slowly rises from the background. "Isn't anyone going to help me…?"

Meanwhile

The three children walk through a field of trees on a stone path.

"So… who is this friend of yours?" I asked.

"She's not my friend exactly. I only met her just a few minutes ago." Shirou admits.

"Oh… your friend is a girl." Illya's face twitches, her smile strained. "How lovely…"

"Yeah, she's really cool, though a little weird." Shirou shrugs. "She does stand out a lot, with her wearing a kimono and all."

'A kimono?' I thought.

"We're here." We reach a clearing and in front of us is a single tree. "Hey! I bought more friends like I promised!"

I notice something shifting behind the tree and the moment they move into view I can't help but instinctively take a step back.

Standing before us is a girl with straight ink-black hair that she keeps short, pale skin color and black eyes described as being of "clear void". She's wearing a pink kimono and yellow scarf around her neck.

I know who this person is, but who would have thought I would meet them in Fuyuki of all places.

"Took you long enough, slowpoke." The girl, Ryougi Shiki, flashes a smile at us.

"Shit…" I cursed.

0. Fool: The Artificial Human Squad (Theo, Sella, Liz, Fillia, Illya, Mash, Arcueid)

I. Magician: Shirou Muramasa

I. Councillor: Fillia

II. Priestess: Leysritt

III. Empress:

IV. Emperor:

V. Hierophant: Sella

V. Apostle:

?. Faith:

?. Hope: Mash Kyrielight

VI. Lovers:

VII. Chariot: Iskandar

VIII. Justice:

IX. Hermit: Merlin

X. Fortune: Waver Velvet

XI. Strength:

XI. Hunger:

XII. Hanged Man: Kariya Matou

XIII. Death:

XIV. Temperance:

XV. Devil:

XVI. Tower:

XVII. Star: Arcueid Brunestud

XVIII. Moon: Illyasviel von Einzbern

XIX. Sun:

XX. Judgment:

XX Aeon:

XXI. The World:

Author Notes:

Finally finished!

Yeah, that's right, I added Shiki Ryougi in the story. Why? Because I thought it would be interesting.

We already have Tsukihime characters, so why not more?

And trust me, there will be more.

As always, leave a comment. The good, the bad and what not.

Peace~

Chapter Text

Disclaimer: I own nothing, just the oc. Support the official release.

"Fuckfuckfuckfuckfuckfuckfuckfuck!" I was panicking, I couldn't even breathe, but I remained in place just so I could keep my eyes on her.

Her. Ryougi Shiki. The [Monster] among many other titles.

Too many titles for my liking.

How the fuck is she even here!? Also, shouldn't she be a teenager since her story takes place in the mid-90s and NOT in Fuyuki right now!?

"What the actual fuck, man!? Seriously, What the fuck!?" I was hyperventilating.

"Theo, calm down!" Illya exclaims, trying her best to calm her little brother down.

Shirou tilts his head. "What does fuck mean?"

"Calm yourself, boy. You are making us look bad." Khonshu demands. "You're acting like this is your first time meeting a monster."

'How the fuck am I supposed to calm down!? That's Ryougi Shiki! You know, the girl who can kill LITERALLY anything with just a simple knife!?' I screamed out.

"But she doesn't have that power yet, you dolt. She is still a mere child." Khonshu states.

My eyes widened in realization. '... oh, you're right.' But as soon as I calm down, I get kicked from behind. "WHAT THE HELL!?"

"What were you thinking!?" Illya screamed. "Yelling out bad words like that!? Look at what you did to Shirou-kun!" She points to Shirou.

"Seriously, what does fuck mean?" Shirou asked.

"You see!? You destroyed poor Shirou-kun's innocence! Stupid otōto!" Illya proceeds to hit me over and over with her magically reinforced fist.

"Ow, ow, ow!" I moan from the throbbing pain in my head.

Shiki giggles at the scene. "You guys are so funny."

Illya's attention quickly shifts and bows to Shiki. "I am so sorry for my otōto's behavior! He doesn't know any better!"

"You're one to talk… guerilla hands." I mutter before getting smacked again.

"Be quiet!"

Shiki laughs harder. "You two are just hilarious! You sure have some interesting friends, Shirou."

"They're not usually like this." Shirou embarrassingly comments.

"Though I am more surprised he knows grown-up words like that." Shiki comments before walking towards the boy. "Hey, you good lil guy?"

My head snapped up as I met Shiki's gaze. Ruby met onyx as time seemingly stands still. Neither of the children moved as the winter wind passed the group by.

"Yeah…" I mutter hesitantly as I get my bearings.

"Good. Here." She extends her hand to me.

I stare at the hand before grabbing it and, in a quick motion, pull me back up.

"My name's Ryougi Shiki, but you can just call me Shiki." Shiki said.

"Theodore von Einzbern." I replied.

"That's too long. I'll just call you Theo." Shiki states.

"O-Okay, Shiki-san." I said, still a little anxious.

Illya suddenly gets between us. "Hi, I'm Illya! Nice to meet you!"

A smile grows on Shiki's face. "Aw, you're so cute!" She tackles Illya into a hug. "Why didn't you tell she was so cute, Shirou-kun?"

"C-Can't breathe…!" Illya manages to get out.

Shiki immediately lets go of her. "Oops, sorry!"

'It's so weird seeing Shiki so… animated.' I thought. From what I remember about [Kara no Kyoukai], Shiki was a very bland character. She was stoic and seemed to care about nothing, well almost nothing.

She's the type that can't find meaning in living a normal life, preferring to live in constant danger where she can be her true self and actively hunts down any anomalies that cause harm to the world.

In other words, Ryougi Shiki finds meaning in [Death] and is very honest about it. She would happily live as a monster because that's what she views herself as.

"Oi! Shiki-chaaaaaaan!"

I turn to the direction of the voice, a VERY familiar voice. "No way."

Running towards us is a girl with long brown hair tied to a ponytail and eyes. She is wearing a blue jersey with pink highlights and black bloomers. But even like this, I can easily recognize her.

The Tiger of Fuyuki, Taiga Fujimura.

'What is she wearing?' The trio of kids stare blankly at the girl's outfit. She looks like she just got out of school.

"There you are, Shiki-chan! Ojiisan and Ryougi-san have been worried sick!" Taiga exclaims.

"But they're so boring and it has nothing to do with me." Shiki argues.

"Yeah, you're right. They are totally boring!" Taiga sagely nods.

'Is that why you're here?' The group thought.

I laugh. Avoiding responsibility, that's just classic her.

"Hm?" Taiga turns in our direction. "Who are they? Are they your friends?"

"No, they're not my friends. I just met them." Shiki states rather bluntly.

Ouch.

"Well, kids, I'm Fujimura Taiga, the soon-to-be crowned queen of Kendo!" Taiga exclaims with gusto.

Illya steps forward. "Hi! My name's Illya, and this" she pulls me forward "is my brother Theo. Careful, he has a big potty mouth."

"Did you seriously have to tell her that?" I asked.

"H-Hello. M-My name is Senji Shirou." Shirou stuttered with a light blush on his face.

"Kya! You three are so CUTE!" Taiga gushed and envelops us in a massive bear hug. "I wanna take you all home and keep you there FOREVER!"

The three of us gasp in pain as we struggle to break out of her near inhuman grip. Seriously, what has she been eating!?

"Fujimura-san? Fujimura-san!" Shiki calls her out but she isn't listening. "... Fuji-nee."

Taiga's neck immediately snaps to her direction. "Whaddya say?"

Shiki tries to look away. "Nothing."

"HMMMMM~" Taiga lets us go and slides towards the girl. "That's not what I heard, Shiki-chan~"

Sweat slides profusely on Shiki's face. "Shut up."

"Don't be so stubborn, Shiki-chan~" Taiga's face was now inches from Shiki's. There was a mischievous glint in her bright brown eyes. "C'mon, don't leave your nee-chan hangin'."

"Your breath stinks. Go away." Shiki states.

Taiga slumps over and starts to sob. "Shiki-chan's a meanie!"

Shiki lets out an annoyed sigh. "Troublesome."

Okay, time to break the ice. "So, you two know each other?"

"Yeah! Shiki and I go way back!" Taiga states, her cheerfulness completely restored. "I still remember it like it was only a week ago."

"We DID meet a week ago." Shiki points out.

"Right!? It's been so long!" Taiga proceeds to embrace the girl. "Anyways, my grandpa has been talking about forming an alliance with Shiki's family and he finally managed to convince her old man to come to Fuyuki."

Illya cocks her head to the side. "Why would your grandpa want to make an alliance?"

"It's because they're both Yakuza." Taiga replies.

Illya and Shirou look confused. "Yakuza?"

"They're the Japanese version of the Mafia. I think I read them to you once back in Germany." I said. 'Note to self: finish the Godfather.'

"Wow!" Shirou and Illya beam in awe with stars in their eyes. They rush towards Taiga and grab her legs like some sort of lifeline. "CAN WE GO SEE THEM!? CANWE!?CANWE!?CANWE!?"

I try to be the voice of reason. "Uh, nee-san, I don't think that a good-"

"Sure! The more the merrier!" Taiga smiles.

"YAY!" The two kids' smiles widened.

Why do I even bother?

"All right, just follow me!" Taiga walks back and the kids quickly follow.

I let out a defeated sigh, before following them. Meeting a crime family isn't a good idea, especially one that practically controls an entire city like the Fujimuras. But then I remembered that Taiga's grandfather, Raiga Fujimura, is actually a pretty nice guy and very energetic according to Shirou's description of him. Heck, Kiritsugu befriended the man and helped him remodel the old inn and turned it into their home.

"If things go south, we can always kill them." Khonshu adds.

I smile a bit. What could possibly go wrong?

"Hi."

"AHHHH!" I jump forward in fright by the sudden voice only to see Shiki standing right in front of me.

"Ha, got you. Man, you are such a scaredy cat." Shiki giggles.

'I-I couldn't sense her. How did she do that?' I asked in shock.

"..."

'Khonshu?'

"... I did not sense her approach." Khonshu reluctantly admits.

'... what!?' Okay, now I'm scared.

"You stopped talking. You sure are strange." Shiki comments.

"W-Well, can you blame me? You just appeared out of nowhere. Anyone would get scared from that." I point out.

"Hm, I guess you're right." Shiki said absently, almost like she was on autopilot

'This is too creepy. Just what the hell is she trying to do?' The Ryougi family is part of the Demon Hunter Organization. They don't appear much in the Nasuverse, but they hold an essential element in Tsukihime, Kara no Kyoukai and Kagetsy Tohya due to the main characters that hail from them. They are made up of four families, all of whom have a psychic ability. And that thought alone was enough to scare me since it's their job to eliminate demons or Mixed-Bloods.

The Ryougi's psychic ability allows them to create dual personalities within themselves in an attempt to learn more than one skill by mastering them under different personalities, although this would cause some of their members to go insane due to becoming unable to regulate their two halves within themselves and becoming murderous beasts. Their ultimate goal was bring forth a child with the origin of 「 」, nothingness.

And Ryougi Shiki was that child.

Shiki then sighs. "Whatever, I'm bored now." She turns around and makes her way back.

I sigh in relief, only for this to happen.

"One more thing," I look up to see Shiki giving me an "innocent" smile. "My family doesn't hunt homunculi, so you're safe."

"!" That made me freeze on the spot.

"C'mon, let's go back with the others." With that, Shiki skips away, leaving me standing there frozen.

Shiki has two personalities much like everyone in her family; one female and one male. The male one, SHIKI, is by far the most dangerous since he's responsible for their more destructive impulses.

That's when I realized that I've been talking to SHIKI this whole time. It would explain why my memory of her was so inconsistent, because it wasn't her at all. She was too cheerful, more friendly than the stoic and reserved Shiki I know.

Nobody would believe that this girl is a stone-cold killer.

With a deep breath, I take my first steps as I follow SHIKI while keeping my distance.

'If he says that I'm safe, then I'm safe. As long as I don't show off my powers.' I stare at the assassin girl's back. 'The last thing I need is an assassin with fuck-you power added to the list of bastards trying to kill me.'

Meanwhile, SHIKI hums a happy tune as he skips through the grass. He loves Fuyuki City, it's been nothing but one exciting event after the next ever since they stepped foot here.

The gas leaks, the children's disappearances, the homicides. Really, it's like this town was made for them.

'This place smells weird.' That was what his sister felt when they first got here.

Oh yes, the smell, a smell that he was so familiar with. The smell of anxiety, of desperation is strong in the city as well as the blood, human blood.

It was like stepping into one of those mystery novels… and he loved it!

But what could cause someone to be so desperate? What's in this city that would drive someone to such lengths?

Fuyuki City was a mystery… and SHIKI was the detective.

But the one mystery that SHIKI was more interested in… was the one walking just behind him.

Theo and Illya are homunculi, but why are there two homunculi here in Fuyuki? And the pair could not be any different. Illya was cheerful, innocent, and had all of the obvious signs of someone who's lived a sheltered life.

But Theo? That got him interested.

While her sister acted like you would expect any other child, Theo was reserved… more controlled. When he looked into his eyes, SHIKI immediately saw the look of surprise, fear and recognition.

He was confused by his reaction, especially the recognition.

There was also something else SHIKI saw that shouldn't be there: age. His eyes were old, much, much older, a gaze a 6-year-old should NOT have at all.

When the tiger girl left with the others, SHIKI used the opportunity to take a deeper look into the boy.

They say eyes are windows to the soul, and it could not be truer to her.

While Theo was seemingly in his own world, he decided to take a closer look at those bright crimson eyes and what he found was even more jarring. There's something there, it was faint but it was definitely there. A powerful feeling washed over his body, a familiar and dreadful feeling that threatened to drown them both. It was familiar because it was the same oppressive presence she felt a few nights back, when that earthquake hit the town.

For some reason, their eyes suddenly began to hurt so much that he thought they were gonna explode before it quickly passed. That's when the two personalities realize why this feeling was so familiar, it was something that has been part of them since the two can remember.

It was the feeling of death.

While the Homunculus boy jumped away in fright, SHIKI's mind went into overdrive. Was this boy the source? Does he know about their family and their current profession? Was that why he was so scared of them?

Despite the sudden bomb drop of revelation, there was one thing they could agree on.

Coming to Fuyuki was most certainly the best thing that's ever happened to them!

With a smile, the "yang" personality of the girl turns to the mystery boy. "Better hurry up, or I'll leave you behind!" She picks up speed and runs off.

"Hey!" Theo quickly picks up the pace.

SHIKI laughs, this is so much fun!

A meeting between two Yakuza families is always private and in closed doors, with a few dozen guards or so from both families and sometimes these meetings can quickly get violent.

Here though, there's none of that. Just two older men sitting on a table playing Shogi while drinking tea. Nobody would believe these two are the respective leaders of powerful criminal organizations.

"So," Raiga smokes his pipe. "Ryougi-san, how are you liking Fuyuki City so far?"

"... fine." The Ryougi patriarch grunts as he stares deeply at his side of the board. "Too rowdy for my liking."

Raiga laughs. "You're not wrong. This city is known for its 'Cursed Winters'. Bad things always seem to happen at this time of year without fail."

Ryougi-san takes a Shogi piece and moves it left. "Do you truly believe that nonsense on the news about gas leaks and earthquakes?"

"Ha! I may be old but I'm not that gullible. You don't get to survive in this world as a Yakuza without being able to discern fantasy from reality." Raiga states as he moves his own piece. "Though I wonder who is casting this fog of lies. What is it that they're desperately trying to hide?"

"Who knows. Probably best if we mind our own business."

"... perhaps." Raiga glances at his fellow Yakuza boss. "But the truth often doesn't stay hidden forever. Eventually, someone or something will lift this fog and we will finally see the truth."

"You may not like it. There is a reason why humans lie; it is instinct." Ryougi-san states and moves another piece.

"True." Raiga agrees and moves his piece. "Checkmate."

Ryougi-san blinks and stares at the board. "You shrewd bastard."

"Ojiisan! Ryougi-san!" The two men turn to see Taiga running up to them along with two others.

"There's my favorite grandchild." Raiga smiles and quickly gets tackled into a hug.

"Did ya miss me, Ojiisan? Did ya?"

Raiga laughs. "Nope!" His attention shifts to the two kids standing there. "And who might you two be?"

"My name's Illya, and this is Shirou!" Illya greets him with a beaming smile.

"N-Nice to meet you." Shirou bows.

'A homunculus.' Ryougi-san thought as she analyzed the girl's seemingly inhuman appearance. 'But why is one here?'

"Ha! Kids these days are so well mannered. You should learn a thing or two from them, Taiga-chan." Raiga states.

"What!? I'm a pretty well-mannered girl, old man!"

"Then why do you look like you just came from a sports festival?" Raiga asks.

Taiga looks away, flustered. "I-It's not my fault all of my best outfits were dirty!"

"That's because you never bother to do your own laundry. I told you the housemaid was going on vacation this month." Raiga sighs.

Taiga scratches her cheeks. "Uh… oops?"

Ryougi-san stares at the girl. "Where is my daughter?"

Taiga flinches at the menacing look and jumps off her grandfather's arms. "O-Oh, well… she is-"

"I'm right here, dad!"

He only has a second to react before he is also tackled by a bundle of black hair.

"Did ya miss me?~" The girl said with a beaming smile.

Ryougi-san was surprised but quickly cooled his features as she pats his daughter's head. "Welcome back."

SHIKI giggles at the show of affection.

"Hi," Ryougi-san looks and sees another Homunculus. "My name is Theo. It's nice to meet you, sir."

'Another one?' He thought as he paid close attention to the boy's features. 'And why does this one look so familiar?'

"Dad? You're doing that thing again." His daughter's voice brought him back to reality.

"...oh." Ryougi-san's features soften as she looks at his daughter. "Better?"

"Umu!" SHIKI nods.

With that, everyone spent the rest of the day playing and drinking. When Ryougi-san started talking about training, Taiga immediately took out two Shinai from literally nowhere and handed one to the Ryougi patriarch, challenging him to a spar.

It ended as quickly as it began.

Time passed and the sun was slowly beginning to set on the horizon.

"Would you look at that? We must have lost track of time." Raiga stands up from his spot. "I believe this meeting is adjourned, then?"

"Yes." Ryougi-san stands as well. "Thank you for inviting us here."

Raiga waves him off. "Think nothing of it. In fact, I should be thanking you. It's been a while since I've seen my granddaughter's competitive drive. She must have been bored out of her mind."

"I can tell. She has the ferocity of a beast, but not the discipline of a swordsman. If she doesn't learn to contain herself, she may falter and fail." Ryougi-san states.

"Hm, then why not teach her while you're here? Our compound has a dojo you can use if you wish." Raiga suggests.

"I will think about it." Ryougi-san looks at the children. "Shiki, it's time to go."

"C'mon, Taiga-chan, you too."

Shiki turns around and runs towards her dad. "Coming!"

"Perfect timing! I'm starving!" Taiga adds.

"You're always hungry." Raiga chuckles. "If I didn't know any better, I'd think you're more of a tiger than a human."

Tick marks appear all over Taiga's forehead. "How many times do I have to tell you, old man? DON'T CALL ME TIGER!"

The old Yakuza leader laughs at her grandchild's outburst. "I just can't help it! It's always funny to see you explode!"

"One of these days, old man. One of these days…!" Taiga growls.

The old Yakuza boss laughs harder at her granddaughter's attempt to be threatening.

After a short while, the two men gather their things and leave ahead while Taiga and Shiki say their goodbyes.

"Well, today was fun, wasn't it Shiki-chan?" Taiga asks the young girl.

"Hm." She hums a response.

'I'm guessing this is Shiki.' I thought.

"Goodbye, Fujimura-san." Shirou said.

Taiga waves off his response. "Don't call me, Fujimura-san. It makes me look old. You kids can just call me Fuji-nee!"

"Okay, Fuji-nee!" Illya exclaims.

I nod.

Taiga smiles. "Time to go! See ya later!" And with that, she rushes off at cartoonish speeds.

Shiki steps forward and holds her hand out. "Here. A present from both of us."

I hold my hand out and she drops three pieces of candy.

"They're strawberry flavored." Shiki states.

Illya and Shirou take their pieces while I put mine away.

Shiki smiles at me, it's graceful and genuine. "I hope to see you again." With that, she walks towards Taiga's direction.

As I Shiki walk farther and farther away, I feel something rising in my chest.

I am Thou... Thou art I...

Thou has acquire a new vow,

It shall become the path to Fate

That severe the deceitfulness of corrupted Destiny.

With the birth of the Death and the Sun Persona,

I have obtained the winds of blessing that

shall guide thee to a true route and new power…

[Death] Confidant [Ryougi Shiki] has been attained!

[Sun] Confidant [Fujimura Taiga] has been attained!

The following perk [Crazy Tiger] has been unlocked!

Crazy Tiger: Rank B

Enemies will be unable to predict you

Two Confidants again? Nice!

The perk definitely fits Taiga to a T.

'But why haven't I unlocked a perk for Shiki though?' I thought. 'Now that I think of it, I didn't unlock a perk for Kariya either, did I? I wonder if there's more I have to do before I get them.'

"I should probably get going. My parents are probably looking for me." Shirou's concerned voice brings me out of my thoughts.

"Alright, bye!" Illya said.

"I'll see you two later!" Shirou yells as he runs off.

Illya waves him off before turning to me. "We should probably get going, too, or else Sella will yell at us again."

"Knowing our luck, it's inevitable." I sigh.

"True. Well, let's go!" Illya grabs my hand and we run off.

First Arcueid Brunestud and now Ryougi Shiki.

Two main heroines from two stories that shouldn't interact; same but different.

Am I in some sort of Singularity, or a true Route?

What other characters will I run into in Fuyuki? Why are they all coming here?

So many questions, so little time.

Welp, Sella yelled at us, no surprise there.

Arcueid and Liz proceed to hug us while Mashu looks out of place, not sure what to do.

Don't worry, Mashu. You're cute no matter what, and that's all that matters to me.

Fou beat Merlin to a bloody pulp, not sure why but he likely deserved it.

We return to the hotel and have our dinner. Merlin was tied up and placed in a corner with a cardboard sign around his neck saying "Enemy of all Women".

I look at Merlin's state with curiosity. "What did Merlin do?"

"I dare not speak it, young master." Sella said.

"What did he do, Liz?" Illya asked.

"You don't want to know." Liz replied.

I arch an eyebrow. "It was that bad?"

"Just drop it, please." Even Arcueid didn't want to talk about it.

I turn to Mashu and she quickly looks away, embarrassed.

Fou growls and throws a knife at the Mage of Flowers, the blade embedded in his head.

Yikes.

After dinner, we, including a still bound Merlin, gather in the living room and discuss a plan.

"So, there's going to be an event tonight at the Einzbern Castle; a banquet between kings." I began.

Illya puffs her cheeks. "No fair. Why do you get to go? I wanna see mama and papa!"

Merlin smiles. "Don't worry, Illya-chan. I'll make a familiar and connect it to a crystal ball, that way you can watch it all from here."

"Really!? Thank you, uncle!" Illya smiles.

"Lolicon." Liz said.

"Ugh!" Those words stab Merlin in the chest.

"Rider is going to be there along with his master. It's a given that Saber will be there since it is Einzbern territory, but one Servant that we should really be wary of is Archer." I said.

"Gilgamesh… the King of Heroes…" Sella whispers out loud.

"The Wedge of Heaven, Humanity's Oldest Hero, and the most arrogant bastard you will ever meet." I said before getting smacked by Illya.

"Language." Illya scolded.

"He is more well known for his vault, the [Gate of Babylon]. It is said to contain all of the treasures in the world past, present and future. It is so vast that it even exceeds his own knowledge." Mashu adds. She has met King Gilgamesh before and while he was arrogant, he tempers it with wisdom.

However, the Gilgamesh summoned here is from a much earlier point in his legend, from a time where he was a tyrant. He would kill his subjects without a second thought and would simply take what he wanted when he wanted.

It was only when Enkidu came to his life did Gilgamesh start to mellow out and act more like a king.

"Gilgamesh's [Gate of Babylon] is his biggest asset. It grants him access to many things but most notably the prototypes of other heroes' Noble Phantasms, and he can launch them as the strongest arrows towards his opponents. It's why he is placed in the Archer class. Not to mention having so many Noble Phantasms makes it impossible to discern his identity at a glance." I explained.

Filla looks at me. "How do you beat someone like that?"

"Generally you don't, but he does have two notable weaknesses." I raise one finger. "The first is that Gilgamesh will never take you seriously in battle. In his eyes, unless you do something noteworthy, you aren't worth his attention or his time. He treats battles like pest control, and he's the exterminator." I raise a second finger. "The second is that while he owns all weapons in existence, he doesn't really know how to use them barring a few exceptions and can be overwhelmed by someone who's mastered their weapon to its absolute limit (or someone who can create copies of them)." I keep the last part to myself.

"And those are?" Sella asks.

"Aside from his [Gate of Babylon], Gilgamesh has three Noble Phantasms that he can use to their fullest." I began. "The first is [Enkidu], a series of golden chains of immeasurable length that are capable of sealing the [Divine] attribute of its targets. The more divinity its captive has, the stronger the chains become, keeping them in place." I said. "His second is known as [Sha Naqba Imuru] and it basically gives him [Clairvoyance]. He can discern heavily concealed truths with a single glance, making him fully capable of reading the True Name and Noble Phantasms of his opponents as well as accurately assessing their abilities and tell the exact number of spells a magus is preparing just by looking at them."

"Scary. Very scary." Liz said.

"Grandpa told me about him. He met the king once and while visiting his palace, he tripped and broke one of his vases. He immediately jumped into a portal to avoid certain death." Arcueid scratches her head in frustration. "Man, and here I thought this was going to be a walk in the park."

"I'm more surprised he didn't just hunt him down. With as many treasures he has, he likely has one that can allow him to travel to other dimensions." I shrug. "I guess he wasn't worth the effort."

Meanwhile, across the world in a certain clock tower, a troll sneezed.

"His final Noble Phantasm is likely the most powerful, and in my opinion, the most scary of them all." Merlin chimes in.

"What is it?" Filla asked.

"It's called [Ea] and it is the strongest weapon in Gilgamesh's arsenal." Merlin replies. "It was created before the concept of a 'sword' even existed. It is split into three sections, each representing the heavens, the earth, and the underworld. It exemplifies the world's way of being by having each one of them rotate in opposite directions. The "cosmos" is thus represented by matching all three of these representations." He continues. "When it spins, it recreates the moment of "creation" or the Big Bang, destroying everything and reducing it into their most basic components. You don't really need to imagine what would happen if it hit you."

"Yikes." Filla already imagined it.

Mashu gulps nervously. She remembers how King Gilgamesh used it on Tiamat back in the Babylonia Singularity. He simply pointed the weapon at the Beast and it was destroyed in an instant, broken down into literally nothing. She always knew his majesty was powerful but to have something like that in his treasury was mind blowing.

He could have easily stopped the Goddesses and Tiamat, but instead used most of his power to protect his kingdom. He turned his kingdom into a fortress, its people having survived thus far thanks to their resolve and Gilgamesh's efforts and because of that, humanity was able to survive the worst of calamities, divided but alive.

And it was all thanks to the king.

"Every pantheon knows of the story of King Gilgamesh. He is considered one of the most powerful demigods in all of history. His vault and its contents are legendary and Ea is the stuff of envy and awe. The Egyptians openly confronted the Sumerians for not only just keeping it hidden, but giving it to a half-breed as young as Gilgamesh. Ninsun said that she had a dream where the planet faced an impossible enemy and at the frontlines was her son using the weapon, which is what prompted her to give it to him." Khonshu explains.

Huh, interesting. I wonder if she meant Goetia or U-Olga.

"He is also the reason why Zeus went around having so many affairs: he wanted his own Gilgamesh. Of course, none of his children turned out like he hoped but he continued to father more under Hera's nose and there was nothing she could do to stop him." Khonshu said.

"So… how do you beat something like that?" Filla asked. It seemed like Gilgamesh was unstoppable.

I shake my head. "You don't. Frankly, it would be a miracle to just survive its 'awakening' as its sheer power destroys everything around it." I said. "The best way to survive is to use the king's own emotions against him, his pride as a king and the oldest hero. It'll make him lose his cool, making him more prone to make errors and more openings to strike."

"The best way to do that is to insult his kingdom or, in a certain Archer's case, disgust him with your existence." Khonshu said.

"Can't we just avoid him?" Illya asked.

Sella shakes her head. "Even if we do, it'll only be a matter of time before he comes hunting your Servants down. He may see you two as easy targets."

"He won't. Gilgamesh may be a cold-hearted bastard and an egomaniac, but even he has a moral code. He won't harm the young lady. Although my master IS another story all together." Merlin said.

Gee, thanks douche.

Arcueid leans back on her chair. "So, that's that then. There's nothing else to discuss."

"Can't you just use your Personas?" Illya asks.

I shake my head. "Most of my Personas have a certain degree of divinity to them. If he uses [Enkidu] on me, I'm toast."

"So then what do we do?" Sella asked.

I stand up from my spot. "Well, I was invited to a banquet. Would be pretty rude not to go, right?"

The scene switches to a shot of the full moon hanging silently over the buzzling city of Fuyuki, its residents blissfully going about their daily lives without care.

From the penthouse, the sliding door opens and I walk out into the balcony.

"It's a beautiful full moon tonight." I comment as moonlight washes over everything.

"Master." Merlin appears behind me.

"I guess Arcueid let you off the hook." I smirked.

Merlin scratches the sides of his arms. "Yes. Say what you will, little Arcy knows how to tie a knot."

"Call me that again and I'll use spiked chains next time." Merlin jolts as Arcueid strolls in.

"S-Sorry, Arcueid." Merlin stutters.

I laugh a little.

"It is odd having company." Khonshu said.

"Yeah." I said as I donned my metaverse outfit.

I grab on my mask and take it off. "PERSONA!"

As soon as I said that, something began to take form in front of me. It's a silver motorcycle with a woman's face where the main headlight should be.

I get on the motorcycle and Arcueid follows suit, wrapping her arms around my waist and pressing her very large breasts on my back.

I blush but no one can see it because of the mask.

Merlin looks at the motorcycle before turning to me. "Uh, Master? Exactly where do I sit?"

"Nowhere. This is meant for two people." I said.

"Yeah. So instead of complaining, start walking. You lazy demon." Arcueid spat.

Merlin cries while pulling on a tissue with his mouth. "So mean! You're both worse than Morgan!"

"Oh, stop being such a baby. Just use your ghost form to cut the distance." I suggest.

"Oh right. Good idea." Merlin said, the fact that he's a spirit completely slipped his mind.

I roll my eyes as I twist the throttle. "Let's roll, Johanna!"

The motorcycle launches forward off the rooftop, but instead of falling, the wheels stick to the windows of the building, allowing them to safely drive downwards without risk of falling before reaching the street and racing onwards.

"What a bunch of crazy kids." Merlin looks up at the moon. "I wonder how the king will react when she sees me. I can't wait!"
With that, the caster Servant vanishes from sight.

The people walk through the dimly illuminated streets of downtown Fuyuki before a barely visible silhouette is seen on the road which is followed by a large sonic boom that almost blows everyone back.

The silhouette races through the roads, avoiding cars with finesse and grace of a professional.

The silhouette slowly becomes visible, revealing Johanna's stylish silver form and stainless finish as it races across the city with its two passengers.

"You know, for a kid, you really know how to drive." Arcueid remarks.

"I know, right? I'm even shocked." I said. 'That's a high-ranked Riding Skill for you.'

We quickly pass the city suburbs and reach the entrance of the Einzbern Forest. The forest is the base established by the Einzbern family for the Fuyuki Holy Grail War. It is surrounded by a large Bounded Field that can allow the Einzbern Master to detect anyone entering the forest unless they manage to conceal their presence or magical energy flow.

But since I have [Presence Concealment] and Arcueid has complete mastery of her power, Kiritsugu and Irisveil shouldn't be able to detect us.

Pulling on the clutch, Johanna stops at the forest path, with the lights of the Einzbern Castle can be seen just beyond.

The two get off Johanna and she disappears.

"So, that's where your parents are. Looks tacky." Arcueid comments.

I look at the castle with unease. 'Why does it feel like I'm forgetting something?'

"Behind you!"

"!" Arcueid and I jump back just as a silvery tentacle comes into view and slashes the ground clean leaving only gaping gash.

"Oh, you dodged. A pity. I wanted to make this quick."

From the dark trees, a figure steps out. He is a man with swift back light blond hair and bright green eyes. He wears a navy scholar coat with white gloves, black pants, and black shoes. While his coat seems simple, its stiffly structured decorations show individualism. By his side is a large blob of mercury-like substance, almost like a slime of some kind showing off the mirror-like metal sheen of the substance.

There was also this aura of royalty to him, or is it arrogance?

"Hm. Originally, my plan was to attack the Master of Saber. But to think, I would find the rapscallion who robbed me of the opportunity of eliminating Caster. Well," the magus smirks. "Who am I to refuse such a blessing from the Holy Grail?"

Yup, definitely arrogance.

"The Holy Grail War, a ritual where Magi fight to the death for a single wish. It is a battle fit for the greatest of magi, such as myself. It is no place for vagabonds and no good children such as yourself. Your low born parents must be desperate if they only sent an inexperienced brat who doesn't even know the proper etiquette of battle." The man raises his hand up to his face. "And the worst part is that you are allied with the White Princess of all things!" He sends me a one-eye glare. "Truly vexing! It sickens me to my very core!"

"Okay, who is this guy?" Arcueid asks, clearly annoyed.

The magus smiles at the question. "I will gladly tell you, my dear."

"He is alarmingly excited for that question." Khonshu comments.

"I am the Lord of the Department of Mineralogy at the Clock Tower, and the ninth head of the Archibald family: Lord Kayneth El-Melloi Archibald." Kayneth bows. "It is a pleasure to make your acquaintance, Lady Brunestud."

A lightbulb lights up on the top of my head. 'Oh I remember him! He was that arrogant prick who got his ass beaten the third night of the war. I can't believe I forgot about him.'

"If you forgot him, it shows just how irrelevant and weak he is." Khonshu mocked.

I inwardly chuckle. How true it was. Despite being a main character, Kayneth only existed in order to showcase Kiritsugu's abilities as the [Magus Killer] and ends up getting crippled because he underestimated him.

I mean, Kiritsugu's infamy is known throughout the Moonlit World. You could have at least had some kind of plan in case you ever encountered him.

"Princess of the True Ancestors." Kayneth raises his hand at Arcueid. "I, Lord Kayneth El-Melloi Archibald, request the formation of an alliance. Together, we can destroy all of the Masters and claim the Holy Grail."

I activate [Analysis] and check his stats.

Kayneth El-Melloi Archibald

Title: Lord El-Melloi, Prodigy, King Moron, Little-Dick Archibald

Level: 17

Tier: Brand

HP: 2,314

MP: 3,000

STR: 95

END: 85

AGI: 66

MAG: 100

LUK: 32

Weakness: Fire Ice, Psy, Electric, Nuclear, Curse, Almighty

'Huh. He's stronger than the others.' I remarked.

"Not interested." Arcueid said flatly.

"Excellent, then let's-wait, what!?" Kayneth exclaims in disbelief.

"Like I said, I'm not interested." Arcueid said.

"P-Please reconsider! With your strength and my magecraft, we will be unstoppable." Kayneth pleaded.

Arceuid's eyes glow red as she glares at the Master. "I thought I made it clear, mage, I want nothing to do with you. You are just like every other blueblood in the Clocktower, all of them with a stick up their asses. You think that just because you are from an old family makes you better, but the truth is you're not. You're all just parasites who can't survive out of the shadow of their ancestors, flaunting their achievements around like they're your own." She massages her forehead. "It's no wonder why grandpa never stays for more than a week there; Root knows how much of a headache you all are."

"Y-You…!" Kayneth bites his lower lip enraged.

"Besides," Arcueid wraps her arms and pulls me into a hug, burning my head in her bountiful chest. "I already found my precious knight and I refuse to abandon him."

I blush under the mask. 'Is this what it feels like to have a crush?'

"Probably."

Kayneth grits his teeth. "You wretch. I was willing to form an alliance because you are the director's granddaughter, but I guess this is what I reap from thinking an inhuman monster can have common sense."

"Hey!"

Kayneth raises his left hand, his Command Seals begin to glow. "Lancer come."

On cue, someone appears beside Kayneth. He is a handsome-looking young man with quirky long hair combed backward in a rough fashion that has a strand hanging down his face and a beauty mark just below his right eye. He wears a skin-tight dark-teal outfit with armor plating on his left shoulder and vambrace on his left arm. He holds two spears: a yellow one on his right hand and a red one on his left.

Diarmuid Ua Duibhne

Title: Diarmuid of the Love Spot, Loyal Knight of the Fianna, First Spear of the Knights of Fianna, Ass-kissing Knight, Mr. NTR

Level: 69

Tier: 3 STAR

HP: 10,098

MP: 7,364

STR: 1,277

END: 989

AGI: 2,766

MAG: 785

LUK: 555

Weakness: Fire, Psy, Electric, Nuclear, Bless, Almighty

Noble Phantasm: Gáe Buidhe, Gáe Dearg

"Lancer, kill that wretch." Kayneth ordered.

My eyes widened at the command. 'Is he insane!? Does he not realize who he's attacking!?'

"Apparently not. He probably thinks he can put the blame on his Servant." Khonshu said.

'Zelretch may be a troll, but he's not stupid. The moment he learns of this, Kayneth will lose more than just his status as a Lord.' I said.

Even Arcueid was surprised, but more so confused. "You do realize who you're raising your hand against, yes? Do you really think you can get away with it?"

"Oh, I know I will." Kayneth simply smirks. "Once I bring your head to the Vice-Director, all of my problems will go away."

"So that's it. You're banking on the fact that the Vice-Director has a murder boner for all Dead-Apostles." I cross my arms together.

Arcueid raises her hand up to her face as she laughs. "Man, you really are an idiot! You think little LORELEI can stop grandpa's rampage, of all people!" She looks up, causing the man to instinctively take a step back. "For a so-called 'Lord of the Department of Mineralogy at the Clock Tower', you certainly don't understand just how FUCKED you are."

I can feel a sense of pride rising from Khonshu. "That's my girl."

"Grr!" Kayneth grits his teeth.

"My lord, maybe we should withdraw for now." Diarmuid suggested.

Kayneth's anger shifts to his Servant. "You dare command ME, Lancer!? I am your Master! And I ORDER YOU to kill this freak of nature!"

"But, My lord-"

"DO NOT make me use another Command Seal!" Kayneth threatened to prove his point.

"... yes." Diarmuid reluctantly obeys as he takes a battle stance.

New Quest Unlocked!

Topoling a Lord

Objective: Defeat Kayneth El-Melloi Archibald

Reward: 38,679 EXP, ¥5,782, Mugen Muramasa, Volumen Hydrargyrum

Failure: Death

"Arcueid, be careful. That's Diarmuid of the Love Spot. His beauty mark can charm any woman who sees it." I told her.

Both Diarmuid and Kayneth were surprised by my knowledge. How did he know!?

"Oh, so that's what that weird feeling was. I thought it was just the cold getting to me." Arcueid said. "Anything else I should know?"

"Yes, his Noble Phantasm are those two spears. The yellow one can inflict wounds that can't be healed while the red one can-"

"ENOUGH! Lancer, do it now!"

The Loyal Knight of Fianna steps before vanishing from sight.

"!?" Arcueid only has a split second to react as she bends 90 degrees back, avoiding Lancer's yellow spear from impaling her chest.

"You almost cut my hair." Arcueid remarks with a mix of anger in her tone.

Lancer retracts his arm. "Forgive me. I wanted to make this quick, but it seems there is no other alternative."

"Arcueid, be careful. Unlike Caster, this one is quick on his feet." I warned her.

The princess gives me a smile. "Don't worry, I know how to be careful. I've been hunting Dead Apostles all of my life, after all." She turns to the Servants. "Catch me if you can~" She dashes further into the forest.

"Don't let her get away, Lancer. After her!" Diarmuid obeys and quickly follows after her.

Kayneth looks down on me and smirks. "Now it's just the two of us."

"You seem excited about the prospect of fighting a child." I remark.

Kayneth chuckles. "Yes. though I wouldn't call it 'fighting' but more like 'instilling discipline'." He puts both of his hands behind his back. "I've been curious, why do you want to destroy the Grail? I would think such a thing would entice an outsider such as yourself. Just having it can elevate you to Fes rank."

"Oh believe me, it does… but the cost is not worth it." I said.

"What cost?" Kayneth asks, clearly confused.

"The loss of human life. The totality of its complete disregard for it. You people have your little wars, uncaring of what sort of damage your actions wrought to the city." I explained.

Kayneth finally understands. "So what? You want us to take responsibility for our actions? Why should we? We magi have done this for centuries and whatever damage we incur on the world, it is easily wiped away by the church."

"So, you don't care about the lives you inadvertently take?" I asked.

Kayneth just smiles. "Why should we? Ordinary humans are nothing but peddles in our feet. In fact, these mongrels should cry in jubilation at being part of such a sacred ritual."

A northern wind blows as the two stand there staring at each other.

I take a deep breath and then promptly exhale. "... I see. Now I can kill you without mercy."

Kayneth scoffs. "You think you can fight a Lord of the Clocktower on equal ground? How arrogant. Allow me to educate you on how a REAL magus does battle!" He yells. "[Fervor, mei sanguis]!"

The giant blob suddenly launches tentacles at me, but I manage to dodge them in time.

When I turn to look, all I see are sliced trees and destroyed earth where I was standing.

"Spectacular. You can cut down trees. It's not like anyone else can do that." Moon Knight sarcastically mocked.

Kayneth grits his teeth. "It seems I will have to teach you how to act around your betters."

'I just hope Arcueid is all right.' I thought.

"Hm!" Arcueid leaps back as Lancer swings his spears. "Hup!" Despite his finesse and speed, he can't seem to land a hit on her.

In fact, she looks like she's having fun!
"Tell me, why are you not taking this seriously!?" Diarmuid demands.

Arcueid lands on a tree branch. "If I do that, then it won't be as fun. Besides, I'm only serious to people I deem a threat."

"And you're saying I'm not!?" Diarmuid surmised.

Arcueid cocks her head to the left. "Well, yeah. You're too weak to be a threat."

Diarmuid jumps to Arcueid and sends a fury of stabs with his yellow spear at her.

"Oh, did I make you mad?" Arcueid taunted.

However, Diarmuid uses this moment to deliver another thrust at the ancestor. Arcueid dodges it, but the blade manages to grace her left cheek.

They both land and Arcueid wipes the blood from her cheek, the wound already healed. "Lucky shot."

"How odd. Normally, wounds from Gáe Buidhe do not heal. I suppose it must be because you are not human. So in that case," he raises the red spear on his left. "I will simply have to sever whatever magic you use to regenerate."

'So that's it. The yellow spear leaves cursed wounds while the red one cancels out magic. A terrifying combination, no wonder he's a Heroic Spirit.' Arcueid thought.

"In honor of the Knights of Fianna, in the name of my lord Kayneth El-Melloi Archibald. I, Diarmuid Ua Duibhne, shall vanquish you back to the dark pits from whence you came!" Diarmuid declares and charges forward. "Have at thee, monster!"

Arcueid dodges all of the Servant's strikes, all with a smile on her face. In the eyes of the observer, they're fighting at inhuman speeds, unable to be tracked by the human eye.

But to Arcueid? His movements were slow, just slow enough to dodge while humming a happy tune.

Diarmuid, meanwhile, was at his wits end. While he liked to think he was calm and collected, they were still things that could set him off like now.

This… thing was insulting him. Its expression, its movements, it all amounts to the fact that it was treating this like a game, not a battle. It's an insult to his and his lord's honor.

To his surprise, the monster grabs both of his weapons and, to his shock and horror, pulls him closer to its face.

"Say… aren't you bored of this?" The monster suddenly asked.

"What…?"

"I mean, it's clearly obvious that I'm stronger than you. So why continue?" Arcueid elaborates.

"Yes, your words ring true." Diarmuid admits but doesn't falter. "But even so, I must defeat you!"

"Why? Why go so far?"

"Because my lord commanded me and, as his Servant, I will fulfill it and bring honor to his name!" Diarmuid declares.

"... wow. Didn't expect that." Arcueid said, clearly bewildered. "It's a shame your master is a stuck-up douchebag. You and my knight would certainly get along."

"Ah yes, the 'Moon Knight'. Tell me, why did that child decide to take the mantle of a knight?" Diarmuid asks.

Arcueid shrugs. "Who knows. He was already like that when I met him. You'll have to ask him when you see him."

Arcueid loosens her grip on the spears and Diarmuid jumps back to make some distance. However, before he can do anything, he suddenly freezes and turns to the forest with a troubled gaze.

Arcueid sees this and calls his attention. "What's wrong, mister knight?"

The Servant of the Lace frowns and turns to the True Ancestor. "My lord is in danger..." His grip on his weapons tightened in frustration. "Was this your plan all along, vampire?"

A big comical question mark appears above Arcueid's head. "Plan? What plan? I thought the plan was to go partying at the castle."

Diarmuid's expression can only be described as "WTF?" before shaking it off.

"Regardless, I must rescue my Master at once!" He exclaims and vanishes into spirit form.

"Hey, wait!" Arcueid quickly rushes off.

Meanwhile

I lean against a tree as I go through my status menu, equipping some accessories.

"Why didn't you do this before we left the penthouse?" Khonshu asked.

"Well, because I wasn't expecting to run into LANCER and King Moron!" I whisper as I put the last touches.

The Victory Cup

S.E.E.S. Armband

Expedite Ring

Ring of Vanity

Orichalcum R

Warden's Baton

Omnipotent Orb

Demonica Device

Ghillie Vest

"Hm, wonder why I haven't done this before." That's when I notice something shine and see a trail of metal goop rolling on the ground.

"!" I jump just as the around me are instantly cut down revealing Kayneth standing not too far from me.

"Found you, pathetic rat."

I raise my hand at Kayneth. "[Eiga]!" A ball of darkness forms on my palm and fires at Kayneth, but the Mystic Code rises to form a wall and protects him.

"Hm, it seems you know some magecraft after all though I have never heard of such a spell." The wall lowers revealing an amused Kayneth. "Tell me, is it some kind of derivative of the [Gandr]?"

"Tch." I click my tongue.

"Not talking? Very well." Kayneth's smile never seized. "[Scalp]." The silver blob changes into two long and thin whip-like ribbons that launch themselves straight at me.

I dodge all of the whip attacks while firing an Agilao at the smug magus only for his Mystic Code to block it.

"Not just curses, but fire magecraft. You are becoming more interesting by the minute, boy." Kayneth said.

I summon my [Rebel Rifle] and open fire on Kayneth, but his Mystic Code deflects the bullets.

"I see, you let yourself be sullied by modern weaponry." Kayneth stoically stares down at me. "Very well, this is no longer a battle, but an extermination."

Bullets continue to hail on Kayneth, but his Mystic Code keeps protecting him.

"This is getting you nowhere." Khonshu said.

"You're right." I turn around and run off.

Kayneth just looks amused. "Running away, are we? Not that it makes a difference." He crosses his arms together. "[Ire Sanctio]!"

The blob starches towards the trees and begins to track the wannabe magus.

"You were a fool to pick a fight against me, boy. With no Servant by your side or help from that Dead Apostle, you are completely at my mercy." Kayneth comments as he patiently waits. The blob returns to normal as it begins to guide its user. "Ah, there you are. I hope you're ready for your final lesson."

I run through the forest before grinding into a halt. I look back to the sea of trees I left behind, "this should be far enough." A cyan sphere of light slowly descends to me, "is he following?"

"Yes. He seems to be walking at his leisure." Pixie giggles. "What an idiot. He doesn't even realize he's playing right into your hands."

The view switches back to Kayneth as he walks the forest path with a serene smile on his face. "What an audacious night. I get to remove one of the two biggest thorns in my side. And if Lancer manages to kill the White Princess then my name will reach even greater heights." He begins to chuckle. "To think, not only will I have my wish granted but also become the greatest magus in the history of the association. There's nothing that could go wrong now."

"You will regret saying those words soon enough."

"!?" Kayneth looks around in search of the voice, before the ground he's standing on begins to glow. "!"

A massive glacier suddenly bursts from the ground, trapping him within it.

From the bushes, Jack Frost walks out and looks at the glacier.

"Hehehe! That's what you get, hee-ho!" The snow fairy mocked.

*CRACK~*

The glacier bursts in multiple directions.

"Waaaaah!" Jack Frost cries as he is blown away.

Kayneth walks out of the remains with his Volumen Hydrargyrum in toe. "Clever, boy. But a trick like this only works ONCE."

"Then it's a good thing I'm not a one-trick pony, huh?"

From the bushes, a red humanoid with black hair and long crimson horns. It wears a black sash around its waist and holds two scimitars on both hands.

"...! [Scalp]!" The Mystic Code attacks with its whip blades, but the monster easily parries and counters all of its strikes.

As he focuses his attention on the familiar, he doesn't see the jack-o-lantern raising its lamp and launches a fireball, hitting Kayneth on the back.

"Aaaahh!" Kayneth screams and turns to the cause. "Damn you!" He commands Volumen Hydrargyrum to attack and pierces the familiar in the chest and disappears. However, he realizes his error and only has enough time to turn back and have the monster slash him with its scimitar, leaving two bleeding gashes on his chest.

"Aurgh!" Kayneth holds his chest in unbearable pain. "I'LL KILL YOU!" Volumen Hydrargyrum begins to shift and suddenly explodes into multiple spikes that pierce everything surrounding it, including the enemy.

Kayneth wheezes in and out as he watches the familiar vanish.

"Hah… hah… pathetic." Kayneth scoffs. "I didn't enter the Holy Grail War for this sort of battle!" He slowly gets up. "I refuse to bend a knee to a prepubescent child who doesn't uphold magus principles!"

He walks down the forest path as his blob of mercury follows in toe, forming two tendrils at its sides and using them to tear down all of the surrounding trees.

"Where is he? WHERE ARE YOU!?" The Lord demands, his rage already passes its limits.

Eventually, Kayneth arrives in a clearing and standing in the middle was Moon Knight. The Moon seemingly hanging just above him, its light shining like a spot light.

"You made it. Took you long enough." I said.

Kayneth smiles smugly. "Now you can't use your precious familiars, can you? You dirty plebeian!" He drags his hand through his hair to fix it. "I will give you SOME credit where it's earned, but that's all. A simple and improbable coincidence! I know you can at least tell the difference!"

"Familiars? I asked before chuckling. Ah, I see. I suppose a mere Magus like you would see them as such."

Kayneth grits his teeth at the insult. "I will make you suffer. I will rip your skin bit by bit until there is nothing but muscle and bone. Then, I will use healing magecraft to heal you and start the process again and again until I break your mind." His opponent doesn't say anything. "And as you die in agony, you will curse them… you will curse your filthy family for ever thinking they could fight against a Lord!"

"... Are you finished with your little temper tantrum now?" I asked.

"!?"

"You keep going on about your status as if expecting to bow or something, but let me tell you a little secret." I said. "Nobody gives a shit. Frankly, I don't see what all the fuss is about since you've been nothing but a disappointment."

"D-Disappointment?"

"Yes, a disappointment who can't even SEE the metaphorical landmine he just stepped on." I slowly walk forward. Kayneth's surprised by the immense Killer Intent washing over him. "Normally, I wouldn't get emotional during a battle, emotions making you predictable or whatever. But you made one FATAL mistake. You insulted my family, and for that… " I raise my hand and grab my mask. "YOU. WILL. SUFFER."

Kayneth stares in shock as the boy's mask is suddenly engulfed in blue flames.

"PERSONA!" I rip my mask off and from behind Khonshu manifests.

Kayneth looks dumbstruck before composing himself. "So, you finally summoned your Servant. Judging by its appearance, I'd say it's Caster. But it won't help you." He smirks. "I will rip you apart before he can make his move."

Khonshu scoffs. "Such arrogance. He truly believes that I'm in the same league as these copies."

I nod. "I'm afraid there's been a misunderstanding here. He isn't a Servant, but a true Divine Spirit. And I didn't summon him, he was always a part of me from the get go. He was born from my soul."

Kayneth just laughs. "Born from your soul? You expect me to believe that? Such a statement can have you hunted and put to death, boy."

"Enough of this. I have reached my wits end with this fool." Khonshu growls.

"How about we shut his shitty mouth forever?" I asked.

If Khonshu had a face, he would be smiling. "That's a wonderful idea."

Blood veils become more visible as Kayneth becomes further enraged. "[Fervor, mei sanguis]!" Mercury tendrils launch themselves straight for us.

"[Giant Slice]!" Khonshu charges forward and swings his staff in an arc, destroying Volumen Hydrargyrum.

"I-Impossible!" Kayneth screams in disbelief as droplets of mercury drop to the ground.

I summon [Victory Beam] and rush towards the dumbstruck Kayneth. "[Brave Blade]!" The energy wave from my swing strikes true, and slices the Lord vertically across his waist.

"GUAAAAAAAAAH!" Kayneth screams in absolute agony as his upper torso falls face-first on the grass.

I dismiss Khonshu and put my mask back on. "In the end, your titles and achievements meant jack against a real fighter, the idea that nobody like me beat you must be driving you insane." I summon [Governance] and aim it at Kayneth's head. "But don't worry, I'll take those nasty thoughts away."

However, before I can fire, a hand suddenly grabs my arm and, turning to look, the hand is revealed to be Diarmuid's.

"That's enough. I will not allow you to dishonor my Master any longer." Diarmuid declares.

I oblige before dismissing my weapon and taking a step back, allowing the knight to pick up the remains of his Master.

"... tell me, why do you willingly serve him? He doesn't respect you and treats you like a simple tool instead of an esteemed warrior." I asked.

"... I have sworn an oath to serve my Master. Someone who uses the title of knight so flippantly will never understand." Diarmuid states. "At the very least, I can bring him to his beloved so that they can say their final goodbyes."

"I sincerely doubt she'll be sad about this." Khonshu remarks.

"I see. Goodbye, Diarmuid." I said.

"... farewell." Diarmuid leaps out of the forest.

Quest Complete!

Toppling a Lord

Objective (Complete): Defeat Kayneth El-Melloi Archibald

Reward: 38,679 EXP, ¥5,782, Mugen Muramasa, Volumen Hydrargyrum

Failure: Death

Level Up(x11)

Mugen Muramasa acquired!

Volumen Hydragyrum acquired!

Mugen Muramasa: Blade of Lucid Dreams (Rank B)

One of the many blades forged by the legendary blacksmith Senji Muramasa. A blade as black as night, capable of not only cutting its opponent on the physical plane but also in the plane of dreams.

Special Skill: Universal Image

Creates four solid copies that destroy anything they pass through in an instant.

Special Perk: Quick Draw

Boost STR by 10

ATK: 580 + STRx1.5 Physical/Curse Damage

Volumen Hydragyrum: Marrow of the Moon Spirit (Rank D)

A Supreme Mystic Code, the ultimate expression of the Archibald family's magecraft and Kayneth's own exceptional talent. It acts as both the user's sword and shield, and responds to his movements and commands, shifting between forms for different tasks. However, despite its versatility, it is still an automaton and as such, can become predictable once it has been thoroughly analyzed. Also, since the Magical Energy required to operate it is directly proportional to the complexity of its shape, it is necessary to keep it in its basic form as much as possible—switching to a more complex form drastically reduces its reaction speed and power.

ATK: Based on STR

DEF: Based on END

I watch them go and sigh. "I feel sorry for him. He must be the third unluckiest bastard I've ever met."

Khonshu scoffs. "I don't know what you're whining about. His disadvantage is our advantage."

"Y'know, it wouldn't kill you to show a little sympathy." I said dryly.

"Yeah, when pigs fly and when Ra and Apophis become friends." Khonshu bites back.

"Theeeeeeeeeoooooooooo!" I turn to see Arcueid waving with a smile on her face.

"And the prodigal daughter returns." Khonshu chuckles

Arcueid runs up to me. "Sorry, that Servant guy ran away."

I arch an eyebrow under the mask. How is she slower than Diarmuid? As an Elemental and/or Brain of the Planet, you would think she'd be faster than a Servant.

But whatever, logic be damned.

"It's alright, Arcueid. I'm just happy you're safe." I said.

Arcueid beamed. "Great! Then I'd like a reward!"

I'm a little taken aback by her request. "A… reward?"

Arcueid vigorously nods. "Yeah! A reward for a job well done!"

A job that you somehow still messed up but okay. "Well, what do you want?"

I can practically see the metaphorical cat ears above her head twitching excitingly as she leans forward. "A head pat!"

I sigh in relief. 'At least it wasn't another painful hug.' I mentally groan at the memory. "Okay." I give her a head pat.

"Hehehe~" Arcueid purrs with delight.

[I'm starting to think she's more cat than vampire]

I stare at the large puddle of mercury. I believe the spell to activate it is, "[Fervor, mei sanguis]"

The puddle of mercury reforms back into its ball form and slithers towards my side.

"Cool." Arcueid said.

I look around and realize that something's missing. "Say, where's Merlin?"

Arcueid crosses her arms below her chest, making them jiggle a little. "Who knows. Probably perving on the young girls in the city. Sounds like something he'd do."

You're making him sound like a rapist. "Whatever, let's just head to the castle." I said and start to move when-

*CLICK*

… I hear the familiar sound of the hammer of a gun being pulled back as something cold is pressed on the back of my head.

I turn to see Kiritsugu Emiya, staring down at me as he aims his gun right at my face.

"... is this how you treat your guests, Magus Killer?" I asked calmly despite the gun at my face.

Kiritsugu is silent for a moment. "... why are you here, Moon Knight?"

The boy turns, and though he can't see it, he can feel the cocky smirk under that white mask.

"I believe I was promised a banquet." I said.

Meanwhile

At the top of one of the city's skyscrapers, a figure stands near the edge overlooking the forest in the suburbs. Her face is obscured by shadow but she seems to be wearing a nun's outfit.

"She's somewhere around here, but what is this strange feeling coming from the forest." She narrows her eyes at the sea of trees. "I will have to investigate, hopefully this will also attract her, too."

With that, the nun jumps off the roofs and makes her towards the forest.

At the same time, a girl is seen skipping through the night streets of the city with a big smile on her face.

"He's here, he's here, I can't believe he's here~" The girl sings. "Here I come, Gilles-kun. Your bestest friend is coming to see you~"

0. Fool: The Artificial Human Squad (Theo, Sella, Liz, Fillia, Illya, Mash, Arcueid)

I. Magician: Shirou Muramasa

I. Councillor: Fillia

II. Priestess: Leysritt

III. Empress:

IV. Emperor:

V. Hierophant: Sella

V. Apostle:

?. Faith:

?. Hope: Mash Kyrielight

VI. Lovers:

VII. Chariot: Iskandar

VIII. Justice:

IX. Hermit: Merlin

X. Fortune: Waver Velvet

XI. Strength:

XI. Hunger:

XII. Hanged Man: Kariya Matou

XIII. Death: Shiki Ryougi

XIV. Temperance:

XV. Devil:

XVI. Tower:

XVII. Star: Arcueid Brunestud

XVIII. Moon: Illyasviel von Einzbern

XIX. Sun: Taiga Fujimura

XX. Judgment:

XX Aeon:

XXI. The World:

Author Notes

Spell Translation:

Fervor, mei sanguis: Boil, my blood

Scalp: Cut

Ire: Sanctio: Track and kill

Welp, this has been a long time coming. I wasn't sure how this would go, but I like how it turned out.

I always thought Kayneth's Mystic Code was pretty interesting, a automaton that covers both attack and defense is a valuable asset to have. Sure, it's not like other powerful Mystic Codes like the Thompson Contender, Logos React, the Jeweled Sword and the Fragarach, it's still too useful NOT TO have (at least until I can come up with something better).

So, who are these two new girls? I guess we'll just have to wait and see.

Peace~

Chapter Text

AN: Hi, guys. Side-man again. I'm just wanted to update you all on how things are going with the rewrite. It's slow but its better to have an idea and give it time to be polished refined then have an idea and rush it without any work done. What I'm saying is that it will be sometime before any updates, and between school, work and my other stories that time gap may get wider, but fortunately the semester ends early May so I hope to have at least half of this list done before the end (if Finals don't keep me too preoccupied). So, thank you for your patience and I hope you enjoy my other stories. Peace~

Redone chapters:

Prologue 1: Death is only the Beginning

Prologue 2: Two Servants!?

Prologue 3: One Last Moment of Peace

Work in Progress

Chapter 1: Awakening under the Moonlight

Chapter 2: Tower of Babel

Chapter 3: Exploring Fuyuki City

Chapter 4: The Princess and the Elevator

Chapter 5: Declaration of War

Chapter 6: Grand Caster

Chapter 7: Unexpected Meetings and a Banquet

Yet to come:

New Chapter!