More of a personal creed," Assassin X replied. "It took me a while to understand it, but it's something I believe with all my soul." He drew in another breath, then continued. "Look, regardless of how the War's rules have suddenly changed, Saber and I now serve the same Master. Maybe there's a greater plan behind that fact or maybe not, but even still, I still believe we can accomplish more if we work together. I have a feeling I can trust you, Saber, and I'm willing to work to earn your trust as well. So please consider this a first step:
Assassin X tapped the left side of his chest with his right hand and bowed his head. "I am Kakashi Hatake, jonin-rank shinobi of the Village Hidden in The Leaves. I currently serve as Assassin X in this Holy Grail War." He gave them that eye-smile. "I look forward to our partnership."
For the longest time, Saber simply stared at the man in front of her, then a little smile emerged. "Well, it would be unbecoming of me not to repay your offer in trust." She copied his actions. "I am Artoria Pendragon, king of Britain. I currently serve as Saber in this Holy Grail War. I too hope our partnership is mutually beneficial and acceptable."
Irisviel silently watched their interaction in joy, delighted that her husband had summoned such amazing people and that they had reached this middle ground. It invigorated her hope.
A throat being cleared drew their attention. All three turned to see the Servants' Master standing in the doorway, hands in his coat pockets and an unreadable expression on his face. "Saber, Assassin X," Kiritsugu addressed them. "We need to talk."
Both nodded to acknowledge the request. The human then stepped into the room, eyes briefly darting to his wife before they focused on the female Servant. A flicker of pride went through him as he recalled listening to her test of Assassin X, but he'd give her kudos later.
"To be frank, I still have my reservations about you two," he started. "And I have my doubts that all three of us could ever see eye-to-eye." Saber's eyes narrowed while Assassin X inclined his head. This is going so well. "…But as one of you so eloquently said, we're supposed to be on the same side. And we can be more successful if we all know the plan." Kakashi breathed a mental sigh of relief. Looks like there's hope with this team after all.
Saber on the other hand had not expected this. From what she had perceived, Emiya had seemed completely assured in his own decisions. Why would he suddenly consider any sort of compromise? Unless… A corner of her mouth curled upwards as she eyed her partner. Merlin would have approved of you, Kakashi Hatake.
"With that in mind, I will have to alter somewhat the tactics I had in mind before you were summoned. And for that, I'll need you to elaborate on your capabilities." Kiritsugu's eyes sharpened. "Including your Noble Phantasms."
Saber agreed to this. "Very well." Holding out her right hand, she called forth her weapon for them to see. Or rather, not see; her legendary sword was wreathed in swirling winds, as when she had first been summoned. "This is the first of my Noble Phantasms:" Saber explained, "Invisible Air: "Barrier of The Wind King". Merlin enchanted the winds to ensure my sword would be hidden from enemy view."
"Excalibur is a legendary weapon," Kiritsugu conceded, eyeing the obscured weapon with gears turning. "At least we can let you fight against the other Servants with lesser risk of them figuring who they're up against." He scratched his chin. "Is that its only application?"
"No, Invisible Air is as sharp as any blade, hindering none of my cutting ability with my swings. I can also project it to an extent, allowing it to be wielded as a ranged weapon. However, I admit its simplest use is for Excalibur'sconcealment."
"And I can certainly see why it needs to be concealed." All three turned towards Assassin X who was looking at the hidden sword. With both eyes; he had pushed up his headband to reveal his left one. A small scar ran vertically over the organ as seen when he blinked, but what truly caught their attention was the eye itself. Unlike its right counterpart, this one was red in color and had three swirling shapes around its iris that Kiritsugu, the only Japanese native, realized were tomoe. An intriguing feature.
The Servant of the Shadows for his part continued to scan the sword with awe. "I've never seen a weapon that could be called its equal. It's… Magnificent." And that wasn't a word that Kakashi used lightly. But here, he wasn't sure even that word was strong enough to do "The Sword of Promised Victory" justice. Nobody who saw it once would be able to forget it.
"You can see my sword?" Saber asked in astonishment.
"Ah, right." Assassin X shook his head to reorient his thoughts. He then closed his right eye and pointed up at his left. "This is my primary Noble Phantasm, Sharingan: "A Gift from a Fallen Brother". It grants me a number of unusual abilities, one of which being that I can see mana and distinguish it by color and source." He pointed at the sword in Saber's hands. "My eye is currently discerning the individual currents of your Invisible Air and seeing the true sword underneath. Other obstructions, like a table or cloth, wouldn't hinder me much either."
"Incredible," Irisviel breathed, her own red eyes darting between the two Servants. She then tilted her head. "Could this… Sharingan be a sort of Mystic Eye?"
"Technically, it is. But I wasn't born with it." Assassin X sighed a bit mournfully. "It was transplanted from its original owner to me just before he died. A final gift. So, coupled with how it's a large part of the stories told about me, this factor is likely the reason why it's a Noble Phantasm and not just a Personal Skill."
Kiritsugu's mind was already considering tactics that could use this Noble Phantasm to its fullest extent. But then he remembered an important detail. "You said that eye gives you abilities. Plural. Mind filling us in on the others?"
"Not at all. The Sharingan also lets me place illusions in others' minds via eye contact, as well as analyze their movements to the point of slight precognition. I can even copy certain techniques by analyzing the use of chakra- sorry, Magical Energy and the accompanying body movements." He flashed a rather cheeky V-sign. "Back on my world, people knew me as the Copy Ninja because I would duplicate the jutsu of others even in the midst of battles."
"Then why would you conceal it with the headband?" An impressed Saber asked. "Is it to obscure your identity as I do with Invisible Air?"
"No, that's because I can't shut it off, and due to not having inherited it through birth, my body lacks the natural stamina for unlimited use of the Sharingan. Even as a Heroic Spirit, I have to keep it closed on a regular basis lest I exhaust my reserves."
Translation: We can't grow dependent on that eye. But credit where credit's due, Kiritsugu conceded, that is a very valuable ability. Even if I had summoned Assassin X alone, I could still think of a couple different ways to dispatch the other Masters just with that. Saber's wind trick is equally valuable considering we'll have to keep our cards close to the chest for as long as we can. But I doubt that's all with either of them.
Next to her husband, Iri's eyes sparkled with interest. "You mentioned something called 'jutsu,' Assassin X. What does that mean?"
"Jutsu are mystical arts we shinobi use, Irisviel, similar to the Thaumaturgy practitioners of magic use on this world. You see, on my world, the ninja can…"
And over the next two days, the four individuals discussed and strategized over each piece of information deemed important for the upcoming battles. But none of them were aware of how their current efforts would affect the course of fate.
-222:24:48
A little more blood was spread in a semi-straight line. "Fill, fill, fill'em up, fill…" Ryuunosuke Uryuu mumbled to himself while continuing to paint the weird symbol in the book he held onto the wooden planks of the house he had snuck into. Whoops, he had underdone part of the circle there. This thing was so freakin' complicated. Ah, well, easy fix. He still had plenty of material too.
"Repeat four times- hang on," he caught himself. "When each is filled, break it, or destroy. No, no, that's not right, is it? Four or five?" He checked the book he had found at his parents' house, not far from where he had killed his sister. Scrolling a finger along the seriously old texts, he tried again, counting with the other hand's fingers. "Fill. Fill. Fill. Fill. Fill. Yeah, five times it is!" This had been his fifth time trying to make the cool circle, so maybe it was good luck. Fifth time's the charm, right?
The TV was still on, showing a report of his last visits around. "…strange pentagram was found at all three of the crime scenes, painted with the blood of the victims." A few more images appeared of the different sites, then the story changed. "In other news, there have been so far no developments on the whereabouts of the criminals that robbed Fumihiko Bank last Thursday…"
"Bank robbing? That's kind of last century," Uryuu laughed briefly. "But I might've gone a teensy bit overboard." He admitted as his arms slumped onto the couch, causing the leopard fang around his neck to jangle.
And the head to fall off the dad he had left slumped on the couch.
"Concerning these recent crimes, an expert on criminal psychology we have consulted with said," He moved away from the television, not interested in what boring theories some bookworm might have on his works of art. Speaking of, I've still got half a bucket full of blood from those three I killed and the circle's all done, so I can decorate the walls of this bland old place.
But he hadn't killed all of the house's residents; the last one, a boy looking like he'd be in grade school, was tied up and quietly bawling in the corner. "Yo, kid," Uryuu moved over towards him, "do you think demons exist?" He only shook around on the floor. Well, he had gagged him. "Newspapers and magazines have been calling me a demon, but hey, a fully-loaded Tommy gun going off could kill more people than I could. Faster, too." By now, he was standing close enough to the kid that he could see his blood-splattered leopard shoes. "And wouldn't actual demons be offended if they were real?" Ryuunosuke shrugged. "Eh, who knows?"
"…Hiya!" He suddenly squatted down to the boy, hand raised in greeting. His victim let a muffled scream of terror. "The name's Ryuunosuke Uryuu, and I'm a demon." The "demon" looked up in contemplation. "Not sure that's the right introduction.
"But anyways, I found this old book in my family's stuff." He waved the collection of pages around so the tear-eyed boy could see it. Flipping through its pages, he explained, "I think my ancestors were trying to come up with a way to call up a demon. It took me a couple of tries," he showed the boy a page with the same pentagram-circle-thingy he had drawn on the floor with the blood of the boy's family, "but this looks about right, yeah?
"Anyways, if a demon were to show up," Uryuu sat on a wooden chair and leaned his arms on the backrest, "it'd be really dumb for me to just have a talk without giving him anything in return, right?" He grew giddy at the next part, like during some of his kills that really felt good.
"So, if the demon does pop up here," the man beamed down crazily at his latest victim, "mind if he kills you?"
The completely horrified child kicked and screamed more than ever before, desperate to escape his bindings. Laughter bubbled up from Ryuunosuke at this reaction. "Whew, what do you think it's like, being killed by a demon?" He chuckled at the struggles. "Is it quick or messy? That'll be an experience to remem-Ow!" The child stopped at the sudden sound.
Uryuu almost fell off his chair; it felt like all of his nerves were on fire for a moment, then the pain centered itself to two certain spots. "What the…?" he wondered out loud as weird red symbols slowly emerged on his hands. The one on his right was some swirls that pointed down to him, while the one on his left was a big diamond with a plus sign and a line underneath it. Huh, the killer poked the latter marking, it kinda reminds me of the number- But his thoughts ended when he noticed the light behind him.
Getting off the chair, Ryuunosuke spun around to see energy crackling across the symbol he had drawn on the floor. As the emerald static increased, a burst of smoke erupted from its center, flooding the entire room. A bemused Uryuu could only stare as a great light flashed from its epicenter. Then a heavy pressure descended upon the apartment, some kind of… strength surrounding the man and the tied boy, making them feel like they were suddenly underwater.
Two "demons" had answered his call.
The freshly minted Master's eyes widened as the newcomer facing him spoke. "I ask thee," began the pale man, high-pitched voice like he was some drama buff, tall despite hunching over, wearing robes of purple and crimson red, face looking young and without a single line, slim limbs trembling a bit, "ye that calls me, seeks me, summoning me before ye in the class of Caster, releasing this feeling of power that humbles me…" the dude opened eyes super-big and reminding Uryuu of that of a fish, "who are you?"
Ooookayyyyy… not exactly what you'd expect of a demon. Heck, aside from the weird robes, extra-long fingernails (how long did it take to grow them), fish-eyes Uryuu thought the guy looked like a normal human. But hey, he wasn't a demon expert.
"Huh? Well, I'm Ryuunosuke Uryuu." He scratched his orange hair. "I freelance with small-time jobs, and my hobby is kil-"
"What the fuck is this?" The deep snarl made Uryuu look up. Above the fish-eyed dude. Whoa.
Another man was standing right behind the first one, facing the other way, but then he turned around to look down at the others, bells ringing with the movement. He was even taller, wearing an old-fashioned black kimono and a white sleeveless haori over it, the edges all tattered and little black spots at the bottom. Plus Uryuu thought he saw a symbol in black on his back just like the one on his left hand. White socks under sandals covered his feet while a white belt was tied to hold the pants up. And keep a big-ass sword in place. The thing's handle and sheathe was wrapped up in white bandages, but it looked longer than any katana. The shirt didn't cover all that much of the guy's chest, showing some serious white muscle underneath. Kind of like one of those samurai in mangas.
And the face was sharp. Pronounced cheekbones, no eyebrows, pointed nose and chin, a seriously badass scar running over his left eye past his lip. The right eye was covered up by a black eyepatch with gold outlines, same as the thick collar around his neck. Two straps and one chain held it in place. The dude's long black hair was styled in, like, eleven spikes that pointed out the back of his head. And if he strained his eyes, Uryuu thought he could make out bells attached to all of the points. Weird hairstyle, but hey, he wore leopard-print boxers.
Besides, it was kinda hard for him to laugh at the guy with all that weird pressure weighing down on him. Everybody else in the room seemed to feel it, too, the squirt, that Caster dude, everybody except for…
Uryuu's eyes returned to the bell-spike guy who was just glancing around the room with complete boredom, the only one not looking like a filled-up swimming pool was pressing down on him. Is he doing this…? He asked himself, struggling to concentrate from the sensation. Man, it feels like somebody's got a blade up to my throat. Is this… how my victims felt before I cut 'em?
Cool.
"Hold up, you ain't the kid that beat me…" the dude mumbled in slight disappointment. He sighed. "Hair color's the same and voice sounds a bit like his, but he was stronger. Tch."
"Wh-who are you?" The Caster-guy almost whimpered, backing away from the bigger man. "Wh-what gives you the right to intrude upon m-my summoning?"
"Your summoning?" The other demon scoffed. "All I know is that I end up in this little box of a place with no light, and there's another Servant besides me here, too." The corner of his mouth twitched. "A big-eyed Caster, huh? Shame." His hand closed around the hilt at his side. "I'd have preferred a Saber or Lancer for my first fight." The atmosphere seemed to sharpen as the man's sword began to show. "Do me a favor and don't die too quickly, yeah?"
Caster's arm drifted for something underneath his robe…
"Whoa, cool sword there!" Uryuu's black eyes sparkled despite the tension. He swayed over to the bell-spike guy and eyed the weapon with the appreciation of a killer. "That is one long blade! I use kitchen knives myself, but I wouldn't mind walking around with something like that on my belt! You some kinda Oni?"
"…I've been called that from time to time," the Oni muttered, a perplexed look in his green eye. The pressure eased up slightly. "Oni, demon, monster, animal. Like I give a shit." He shrugged before noticing the markings on Uryuu's hands. "So you're the guy that summoned me, then? But what's with the extra set?"
"Extra set? Whaddaya mean, Mr. Oni?"
"The Command Seals on your arm, dumbass. And it's Berserker X, by the way."
"Oh?" Caster suddenly leaned over Uryuu's shoulder.
"H-hey, easing on the googoo look there, Mr. Demon!"
"My apologies, but I see now. Two separate sets of Command Seals?" Caster hummed in thought, tapping his chin. "Could that mean-" Then he straightened stiff as a board.
Same with the guy that called himself "Berserker X." Ryuunosuke glanced meanwhile between them in total confusion, wondering if he'd missed a step in the book or something. Guess demons and onis don't like playing around with each other. And what are Command Seals? Can I make them do stuff now?
Finally, Mr. Oni snorted. "So, we're supposed to be partners, huh?" He took away his hand from the sword and dug his pinky in his ear. "Eh, least there are more other Servants out there for me to fight."
Mr. Fisheye had also recovered from… whatever the hell they just had. "Indeed. A curious trial laid before us by God. Nevertheless, we shall prevail." He raised a hand towards the bell-spike guy. "You said you are the additional Servant of the Berserker class?" A bored grunt was his answer. The demon guy smiled. "And I am Caster. Quite the pair we make.
"And you," Uryuu blinked as those fisheyes shifted towards him, "are to be our Master?" Fisheyes nodded. "Then the contract is sealed. As I yearn for the Holy Grail, Berserker X does as well, and you as well, Master. The vessel of paradise shall soon be ours."
Mr. Oni rolled his eye. "Drama queen."
"…Holy… what?" Another blink. Right, I think that book might've mentioned something like that. Whatever. The orange-haired Master shrugged. "Eh, we can save all that stuff for later. Either of you up for a sacrifice right now?" He thumbed with a smile behind him. "I got a kid."
The Servants or whatever the demons called themselves moved in to have a closer look at the boy struggling in a futile effort to somehow survive this night. Fresh tears trickled from his already swollen eyes.
"…You shitting with me?" The spiked one replied, a disgusted look in his eye. The pressure from before began to emerge again. The boy felt like he was being slowly pressed against the floor like a fresh fruit.
He could barely make out the other one pulling something from his robe, the man that had slaughtered his family asking if it was human skin, and… something else. Then steps, and the man with big eyes was looming over him. He tried to scream for help through his gag and squirm away, but both were futile efforts. The boy shut his crying eyes as thin hands reached for him, awaiting the inevitable…
Then the sound of tearing made him open them again. "You have nothing to fear, boy," the strange man said in a reassuring tone that didn't fit at all his appearance. But he continued to undo the ropes even as the orange-haired man and the one with spikes on his head frowned.
After the last of the ropes were gone, Caster asked, "Can you stand?" The gag was gone, but he only nodded, voice yet to be recovered. His legs worked fine, though, as he quickly sprang to his feet. The man placed a spindly hand on his shoulder and pointed the other one towards the exit. "Now then, you can leave this place through that door, dear boy. You can go by yourself, yes?"
"…Y-yes…" was all he could at the moment, relief flooding through him. Caster gave another reassuring nod, prompting him to scamper past the other two men for the door.
"Hey, what're you-" the murderer of his family didn't finish the sentence and the boy couldn't care less. As he threw open the door, the hallway light blinded him for a moment. And as his eyes adjusted to the difference, there was the door to the outside, just a few feet away.
A single tear went down his cheek, but it was one of hope. He was safe.
A dark blue tentacle suddenly slipped inside his field of vision, then another, and another. His eyes widened in horror as they circled around him. A glance behind him revealed that the opposite end of the hallway was gone, only a black mass. And something… evil inside the darkness. But there was nowhere left for him to run. They were on him now.
Just before he reached the… thing, the boy shut his eyes for the last time and let out one last scream of despair-
Jingle.
That was drowned out by the sound of something wet being cut in half. And then a screech.
The poor kid stumbled away, free of the tentacles again. Slowly, his eyes turned to the left, then went up, towards the man that had called himself Berserker X and was standing right next to him. His right hand now held the sword he had been carrying at the hip, its blade chipped and worn all along its length.
But judging from the blood covering it and the two clean halves howling in agony like no human could, still serviceable.
Berserker X snapped the sword to the side to flick the blood off and clicked his tongue at the disintegrating creature. "Not even a warmup." He glanced down at the one he had just saved with a neutral expression. "Get a move on, twerp."
The boy blinked in complete shock, worried this was another trick. But the pressure from before… it didn't seem all that heavy for him right now. He could breathe again. And the large man seemed to be growing irritated by his hesitating, as a loud huff told. "Oh, for cryin' out loud," he grumbled, reaching down to snag the boy by the back of his sweater. He froze up again, frightened eyes locked on the sword in the other hand.
But it never touched him. Instead, Berserker X picked up the boy like a doll, strode down the hall and kicked the front door to tiny splinters, shoving him with surprising restraint outside. He stumbled onto the empty sidewalk, mostly unhurt, and glanced back with wide eyes. Hope was starting to spark in him again and look how that had turned out.
All he received was a sharp nod. "Beat it." Some part inside his young brain finally managed to start working again, allowing the kid to pick himself up and run away as fast as he could. Nothing and nobody else came near him again.
Ryuunosuke blinked in incomprehension at the bell-spike oni in the hall, long sword still out. One second, he was standing right behind him, watching that freaky-cool monster Fisheye had cooked up, the next, he was beside the twerp, chopping it (the monster, not the twerp) into sashimi. After another minute or so, the oni glared into the back of the room towards Caster and snarled, "You some kind of sick fuck that feeds kids to cheap-ass monsters?"
And just like that, the weird force from before returned with an extra serving, bringing Uryuu to his hands and knees. Caster himself wobbled about on his legs, clutching the cool book close to his chest. "N-now se-ee h-here, that w-" He couldn't even manage to speak right, such was the level of power inside the building. Power… and murderous intent.
"Like that freak Kurotsuchi wasn't enough of a pain in the ass…" Berserker X grumbled under his breath. "I had to go and get partnered up with a pair of sickos just like him. What a joke." He walked back into the living room, scraping the tip of his sword through the wooden floor.
…A nodachi! That's what that kind of sword was called. Ryuunosuke had been wondering about that…
Oh, right. Pissed-off guy calling himself Berserker X, massive pressure, kid still alive.
"H-hey, Mr. Oni-i, I was just t-trying to do you a favor," Uryuu tried to stress out from the crazy pressure bearing down on him. He instinctively reached for Berserker X with his left hand. "Dial this cool trick of yours do-"
The nodachi flashed again.
A second later, Ryuunosuke stared down at the diagonal stump where his left forearm used to be as it squirted blood like crazy. Wow, it's like some kind of big fountain. And that's… that's my blood, huh? Cooool… Woah. Thoughts're kinda… ffffuzzy…
"A favor, huh?" He could barely make out Bell-spike's irritated words. "Do I look like I'd get my kicks offing some kid scared as hell?" His scowl would've sent most people scrambling to get out of the building, hell out of the country. "There ain't no fun in cutting down someone as weak as that."
"Ffffunnn…?" Uryuu tilted his head quizzically. Or maybe it was due to the blood-loss and that sick trick the big man could do. Hhhhuh, Oni loooks… evn bigg'r… now…
Fisheyes was shaking like crazy now, then he opened his mouth. "Hey dare you! How dare you harm our Master that gave us our chance to lay claim to the blessed Grail, who offered us an innocent child, the opportunity to watch fresh hope become swallowed up by despair, how dare you how DARE YOU HOW DARE YOU!"
But the other monster merely looked more disgusted. "So that's how it is. Well, let me enlighten you, Caster:" the walls seemed to shudder with each word Berserker X said, "breaking a little kid isn't my idea of a good time. If I'm gonna butcher something, then it ought to be something that can butcher me, too. Where's the fun in going after something that can't fight back?"
Caster could only sputter incomprehensively, fingering his Noble Phantasm as this… beast drew closer.
"But…" the frown turned into something that sent a primal feeling of terror even in the crazed murderers before Berserker X: a feral grin stretching to either side of his face. "If you can pull out demons like that on the fly," the wooden floor underneath the big man began to crack, "then you might offer me some entertainment after all." The pressure sharpened.
Eyes far wider than usual, the Servant of Spells flipped through the pages of Prelati's Spellbook as the rictal happy Servant of Madness stepped closer, bloody sword drawn back.
Jingle.
Outside, a small handful of people were casually walking through the neighborhood, chatting with each other, checking their phones for messages, walking dogs. One or two noticed a little boy scamper past them, eyes swollen like he had been crying all day. Dogs started barking, though, and cats leaning on windowsills arched their backs, eyes darting everywhere.
Then every living creature collectively jumped, some even screaming, as the wall of the house that had borne witness to the summoning of the final two Servants for the Fourth Holy Grail War exploded in a shower of rubble. Amidst a chorus of inhuman shrieks.
Kariya snapped awake from a brief respite, the Crest Worms inside him writhing around in an even greater frenzy than usual. Beside him in the alley he had chosen to hunker down, Berserker stood snarling in his pitch-black armor, concealed as ever by an aura of darkness. There was also something off about his posture, staring up towards seemingly nothing.
And a part of Kariya felt it, too. His Magic Circuits weren't the best, but still, he could feel something. A tenseness, something of mana. Berserker and the Worms felt it too, this… apprehension.
A hand clapped gently down on his shoulder, causing the crippled man to look up into soft blue eyes amidst grey messy hair. "Master, is something the matter? Well," the Servant in grey robes and an old-fashioned pointy hat asked, clutching his wooden staff in the other hand, "more than usual in your case."
The Matou Master actually cracked a pained smile at the tangible humor even as his gaze travelled upwards. "…I'm fine, Caster X," he reassured perhaps the best thing that had happened to him since making that deal with the devil. "But… something is happening, isn't it?"
"Yes…" The elderly Servant stroked his gray beard. "Two great powers are clashing against one another in this city. Nowhere near us, or Berserker would have already left," they eyed the growling dark knight, "but close enough -and strong enough- that we can sense it."
Inside the luxurious room of the Hyatt Hotel, Kayneth El-Melloi Archibald had been sipping a delectable red when he felt it as well. A sudden burst of pure mana, somewhere out in the greater city. Is it an attack? The proud scholar pondered, narrowing his eyes. No, or at least, not one targeting here… the defenses I have established throughout the building would've alerted me to any opposing mana that was approaching.
And… He suppressed a light shudder as he processed the reaction from his Magic Circuits. This felt a little too… primal. Like two beasts lunging at each other with great power. Kayneth scoffed to himself. A master magus like him would have no trouble dealing with a mad animal.
But he still grew tense when a Servant materialized next to him. "What the hell was that?" demanded a deep, artificial voice.
Lord El-Melloi breathed through his nose. "Nothing that concerns us. Just two dogs snarling at each other somewhere in this little city." He glanced at the heavy suit of black armor, but not quite that of a medieval knight. It was a little too futuristic in his eyes. And for his taste. "How is my fiancée?"
"Outside window-shopping. Pretty-boy Lancer's keeping an eye on her like you ordered." The armored spirit crossed his arms. "And we both know that crazy mana ripple was from at least one Servant. We should track it down, take it out now-"
"What you should do," Kayneth shot a glare at the orange visor where his Servant's face was, "is remember that you answer to me, familiar. Not the other way around. Now calm down. Whatever that… thing was, it likely tore itself to pieces against whatever it was fighting." He sauntered over to his chair and poured himself another glass, not even gracing the Servant with another look. "You are dismissed."
For a while, nothing happened, making the ninth patriarch of the Archibald family wonder if he would have to waste a Command Seal on disciplining the unexpected addition to his resources.
Then came an artificially deepened, but obviously sarcastic, "You're the boss." And then he felt the Servant disappear into spirit form again.
Kayneth sighed in irritation. "Of all the Servants…" He took another sip to steady himself.
An ordinary house that had once been home to a family of four was now half gone. Plaster crumbled from the pulverized ceiling as giant dismembered tentacles writhed in agony before fading away into nothing. Berserker X stood uninjured amidst a field of debris and blood spatter, brushing some dust off his shoulder. He scoffed at the screeching, fragmenting beings that wouldn't have looked out of place in one of those manga books he found one time about stories from some guy named Lickcroft or something.
"Like chewing bland tofu…" The big Servant flicked his sword to get the blood off again before stowing it away in his sheathe, then trudged through the remains of wood and plaster, ignoring what was left of the demons that had fallen far too quickly for his taste. His sandal kicked something meaty in front of him that caused his eye to flicker down.
A second or two passed as he glared at it, then reached down to pick it up. "Sick little bastard. Might've summoned me, but that doesn't mean I'm gonna eat some defenseless brat just so he can snack on popcorn and watch." Berserker X moved on to where the back wall had been. He stared out into the early night. "Definitely nothing like that Ichigo kid…
"And that fish-eyed fucktard sicced his pets on me before scampering off with him." The Heroic Spirit from another realm frowned. "The least he could've done was make those things strong enough to wound me, but all I've got is an earache from all their screechin'." He dug his pinky in his left ear, then sighed.
Even Berserker X knew that without a Master he wouldn't be able to stick around for all that long. And he could hear people yelling and sirens in the distance, meaning that this place was about to be hot news. With no one left to fight, there wasn't any reason for him to stay anyways. And someone would probably look out for the kid.
At least he'd learned one good thing since he'd been summoned: that there were a lot more Servants out there than in a usual Grail War. So Caster had been a total pussy. Shocker. Twelve more for him to choose from, and there ought to be one or two that could give Berserker X a decent challenge. Berserker X licked his lips and smiled at the prospect.
Shifting into spirit form, the Servant of Madness leaped from the ruined building into the night. If I don't get at least one good fight before I'm gone again, I am gonna be pissed.
Berserker X's mana perception abilities weren't the best among Servants, though. So not only would he fail to find another opponent for a while, but he also hadn't realized that Caster hadn't fled that far.
Wheezing in a particularly dark alley, Gilles de Rais braced himself with one arm against the brick wall. His Agility was nothing noteworthy among Servants, but the biggest relief was to be free of that monstrous pressure that the Berserker had radiated.
"Truly… a… Berserker," he wheezed out, a trickle of blood running down the left side of his face. "A… demon … unlistening… to reason." He pushed back some now significantly shorter hair on that side and felt that a chunk of his ear was also gone. "To think… he could… cut down… my Horrors… so… easily. If I had not chosen to flee…" the Servant glanced down at his Master, "our quests would have very well ended there."
Ryuunosuke Uryuu lay barely conscious on the dirty cement, staring up at nothing. What remained of his left arm had been bandaged up to the best of Caster's extent. He was no medic, but it ought to be sufficient to keep the "freeter" alive. Reducing his pain or replenishing the depleted blood, though, was beyond his abilities.
Yet the killer had a bright smile on his face.
Caster looked on in melancholy. "Such a beast would have been a wondrous ally to our journey for the blessed cup. I pity anyone it bares its fangs against. Such bloodlust…" he sighed, taking on a more bitter note. "Alas, the wretched God has twisted the strings of fate so that he opposes us. Ah, but worry not- Ryuunosuke, was it?"
Caster pulled out the haunted grimoire his old associate Francois had painstakingly carved and transcribed. Affable fellow, if a bit mischievous. "I have not lost my drive or loyalty to you, for your precious gift touched this weary old heart of mine. Therefore," he flicked through a certain few pages, darkness beginning to gather inside the alley and what little blood bubbling, "allow me to grant you a gift in turn. To celebrate the birth of our faction."
"C-cool…" Ryuunosuke mumbled, in good spirits despite almost out due to the blood loss. "Hheyyyy… didn't… catch… your name…"
"My name?" Caster cupped his chin even while his Noble Phantasm continued to work its unholy magics. "I believe, in this era…" a squishing and squelching noise began, but he smiled brightly nonetheless. "Yes, you may call me Bluebeard. It's a pleasure."
-172:38:15
Kirei Kotomine gazed out over Fuyuki City, his vantage point in Miyama Town providing an excellent view of the entire area. Buildings and streets were illuminated by multiple individual lights. The moonlight glittered across the surface of the lake, a sign that night would soon give way to day.
It should have been a pleasing, beautiful sight. But to Kirei, it meant nothing. "The Church has confirmed our suspicions," he spoke to the hidden pair behind him. "The thirteenth and fourteenth Servants, Caster and Berserker X, arrived in the night before."
"And seemed to have a disagreement." Rider X shimmered into view beside his Master, arms crossed behind his back. "That tremor of mana we all felt… it could have only come from a clash of Servants. Interesting." Something about the tone rankled Kirei a bit; a sense of pleasure that the metallic Servant was exuding. Like this unknown variable… excited him.
A black mist whirled around Assassin as he materialized as well. "Regardless, all of the Servants have now been summoned." He intoned, noticeably looking directly at Kirei and away from his "partner." "Then the time has come?"
"Yes," Kirei answered, pushing aside his unease. "Assassin, head immediately for Tohsaka mansion. Rider X will follow you from the air."
The former silently stepped towards the edge of the cliff, a subtle tremor going through his body as he passed the latter, crimson eyes narrowed at the complex below. "And once I arrive?" he asked; this part of the plan still made little sense to him.
"Regardless of their power, the house's defenses should pose no trouble for you." The priest simply stared down at his supposed target. So, this is how it begins…
Hassan chuckled at the implications. "And you're sure about this? I was under the impression that Tokiomi Tohsaka was our ally." Indeed, the instructions he had received from the empty-eyed man had confused the Servant of the Shadows. More so when the Servant of the Mount had shown no surprise or explanation. "Perhaps Rider X could simply bombard the entire building, taking them all by surprise."
Rider X's sharp teeth curled into a familiar grin, one that always made the Heroic Spirit feel a bead of sweat run alongside his skull mask. "There is a time for heavy artillery and a time for a silent blade in every war. And as you may have noticed, Assassin," he tapped his broad silver breastplate, "I am not suited for stealth."
"Besides," Kotomine interjected to nip any premature argument in the bud, "even if you confront Archer or Lancer X, you needn't have any fear, Assassin."
Assassin now stood on the edge of the cliff, wind gently blowing around him. "I needn't fear two members of the fabled knight classes?" The mission continued to perplex him.
Rider X took a heavy step forward. "I will be watching above you the entire time. Your only concern is following the plan." Steel fingers drummed against his leg. "Unless our Master summoned an Assassin incapable of stealth?"
Assassin tilted his head back. "Are you joking?"
"But of course, Assassin," Rider X sneered as he began to crouch. "On my world, I was famous for my sparkling sense of humor." Then he leaped into the air and activated his Noble Phantasm.
Kirei was still curious about the odd nature of the "X" Heroic Spirit that had answered his call for a number of reasons. As metallic shifting noises rang throughout the air, he gazed with slightly wider eyes at one of them. Most Servants of the Rider class generally had access to some kind of mount or transport. But in Rider X's case, he became the transport.
Gone was the hulking titan and in its place hovered a sleek aircraft of the same size and mass, unlike the build of any modern plane in this world. Silver and violet covered every part of its surface. Wings sharp as any sword protruded from either side while powerful engines rumbled idly, as though they waited for the moment to tear through the skies and beyond. Merely hovering caused the grass and the clothes of his onlookers to ripple from the winds generated. Underneath the spikes at the front lay twin barrels, like a fighter jet's forward guns.
"Now I suggest you get moving, Assassin," Rider X's voice could still be heard with perfect clarity despite his apparent lack of a mouth or speakers, "lest you miss your opportunity. You would then have to determine which wrath is to be feared more. Lancer X's, Archer's," indeed the current form did nothing to diminish the menacing undertone that creeped its way into the message, "or mine."
Hassan-i-Sabbah forced himself not to let his nerves show as the winds picked up with his partner's ascension. Instead of blasting off straight ahead, Rider X simply moved up in the same spot, careful not to make any more noise than necessary. Well, he's not trying to make my mission any harder, the masked Servant thought as the strange craft gradually became a dark spot in the clouded sky. Then he stepped off the cliff and dropped down towards the forest below.
Kirei too had observed the movements of the Servant of the Mount, and with a certain bit of apprehension himself. His knuckles clenched. What was it about him…?
He took a breath and released it to glance towards Assassin. "As he said, the time is now, Assassin. Kill Tokiomi Tohsaka as quickly as you can."
Regardless of the distance between them, Assassin heard the final order as though he was right next to his Master. And regardless of his confusion or uneasiness towards his partner, the Servant would carry out his orders without failure. At least that behemoth is watching my back.
He raced through the trees with a speed even most automobiles would have difficulty matching and a grace they couldn't hope to. A hand reached down to scoop up some pebbles just before he reached the edge of the forest, then once out before the Tohsaka grounds, he leaped high, flipping through the air. Five of the stones he had collected were flicked by his thumb, each one striking a red gem on a pedestal surrounded by flowers. The crystals shattered as though they had been pierced by bullets, each one releasing a burst of mana.
With no magic barrier barring his way now, Hassan landed gracefully and noiselessly inside a flower bush. Petals fluttered about him as he rose (having replenished his supply of ammunition) and stepped towards the large manor in front of him. In front of the house was another pedestal, with a larger ruby under a metallic sphere. A pebble launched bounced harmlessly against an invisible field, red static crackling from the impact.
Adorable, the Servant of the Shadows thought as he walked inside the barrier. The suspended magical shapes that comprised of the defense field couldn't be seen with his own eyes, but he felt every tremor in the air as they moved in certain intervals. He stepped, leaned, ducked, rolled and jumped to avoid any shape that neared him. Sometimes, he needed to perform a handstand or remain still as they passed by, but Hassan-i-Sabbah was a physically thin man; nothing but wind touched him. Onlookers would've likened his performance to a traditional dance.
And as he flicked out more pebbles with his right hand to disrupt the system of the shapes, Assassin felt eyes watching him from beyond the Tohsaka grounds. Like the red ones of a large crow. Familiars of the other Masters, no doubt. Well, let them watch. They surely wouldn't hinder him.
The shapes around him slowed to a crawl, allowing him to stand up. "Child's play," the Servant muttered as he reached for the jewel…
And just barely managed to pull his arm back before something green chopped it in half.
"What-?" Assassin stumbled away, eyes trying to track the spinning weapon. That's when he realized his mistake; a smaller sphere brushed into his back, discharging a large surge of energy that wouldn't kill him but still stung as hell. Assassin was forced to flip out of the way of more constructs, his movements more erratic than before. He was rattled by the unexpected attack, and that had affected his timing. Blood dripping from his arm where it had been cut, the Servant burst out of the multi-structure and landed in a crouch.
A fist surged towards his face that he barely managed to block, but the force of the blow still pushed him back toward the defenses. Assassin desperately crouched low and spun to put some distance between himself and his attacker.
A slim hand reached high to catch the weapon that had thwarted his approach, having been impossibly thrown to evade all of the barrier's revolutions. "You intrude on private grounds," A velvet female voice spoke, moonlight glinting off all three blades of the ornate projectile resting between her fingers. Then she took a step closer, allowing Assassin to see his enemy clearly underneath the moon.
She was tall, dark skin with clear muscle showing through the jade-colored robes she wore. These in turn covered most of her body, certain parts being a darker shade, as boots of the same color reached the upper parts of her legs. Golden pieces of armor that shimmered under the moon were affixed to her forearms, shoulders, underneath her impressive front, by her knees and tips of her boots, and as small claws over her fingertips. Two glowing rods sat in a holster by her right hip. Hazel eyes peered out from underneath an emerald hood and above an ornate mask of green and gold.
This was one of the Servants Tohsaka had summoned then. Her appearance matched the descriptions of his Master and partner. But what they hadn't elaborated on was her abilities. As the female collapsed the tri-blade and stowed it away, taking a pronounced slow step towards him, the Heroic Spirit of Arabian origin shuffled backwards, cradling his arm.
Where did she come from? Was she lying in wait this whole time? Assassin's thoughts raced while he tried to slowly inch towards safety. But I was paying attention the whole time! How could she have slipped past my detect- He stilled as a worrisome possibility surfaced. …Could it be?
Does she have Presence Concealment like me?
Then she was suddenly in front of him and he didn't have any time to think. Assassin sidestepped a punch and redirected a knee meant for his stomach, then his left hand shot for her throat, a knife flashing. But the female easily batted it aside and dislocated the arm with one swift jab.
Grunting in pain, Assassin planted his foot against her and kicked, widening the room between them, only for the enemy Servant to reach by her side. The next second, something green cracked against his ribs and sent him tumbling across the grass.
On all fours, the Servant could see even through a fog of pain his opponent gracefully twirling a long bo staff of radiant jade. She spun it once more and slammed it against the ground, causing a light tremor. This was her Noble Phantasm, then, the symbol of her class. Lancer X.
"Surrender," the Servant of the Spear intoned, "and your death may be a quick one."
"Neither idea appeals to me," Hassan shot back, throwing a spread of pebbles right at her. Even as she spun the staff in front of her, turning it into a circle of green that reduced the projectiles to rock powder, he leaped simultaneously to the right, forcing his left arm back in place while its hand still clutched the knife.
It wasn't enough. Lancer X's whole body whirled clockwise before he could reach her, then the left leg struck his back while the staff smacked his jaw at the exact same time. For a moment, the Servant thought he would snap in half from the dual blows, then the green just below his eyes catapulted his spiraling body right into the barrier he had so deftly maneuvered through. A cry escaped his lips as crimson static seared his back, and he collapsed back on all fours in front of Lancer X. "And now?"
Assassin panted through his cracked Hassan mask. He knew it, he didn't have a prayer of a chance against her in an open battle. She was stronger, tougher, he couldn't even outmaneuver her in speed or flexibility. And he had no clue if that damnable pole had some secret power. Probably, it had to be her Noble Phantasm. The result of the battle had been obvious from the start.
Which was why he shouldn't have had to engage her in battle. Presence Concealment diminished in effectiveness once the Servant using it made for an attack, and neither was even trying to hide their presence anymore. So where are you, Rider X?!
Grumbling to himself about his partner's posturing, Assassin tried to push himself off his hands, but he heard something break the magical construct behind him. About time-
A golden spear ripped through his shoulder and nailed him to the ground. "Do not waste time with this worm, Lancer X," a new voice spoke over Assassin's pained groans. "This bout bores me." He could barely move his head back to see who had thrown the spear. W-wait. I-I thought I w-was fffighting Lancer eh-X already. Sssso who…
"Others are watching, Archer," the female replied evenly as her stance relaxed. "I wished to test his strength and see if a partner would intervene to save his life." She walked to Assassin's side, eyeing his futile struggles. "It seems he came here alone."
N-no! I didn't! Rider X, where are you, didn't you say you'd be watching?! I'm being massacred, and you still don't-Assassin made to scream out his thoughts, but a golden sword slashed his throat, silencing him, and went through his forearm.
"I care not if one or two worms writhe about in the dirt," that voice from before sneered, haughty and merciless. As Assassin tried to look up, weak voices coming from his now useless mouth, more weapons rained down upon him. Swords, spears, halberds, no two of them appeared to be of the same build, but they all tore through his flesh effortlessly. Shockwaves erupted from the ground where those weapons that didn't hit him landed; even Lancer X needed to flip out of range lest she become a casualty.
There was no way… no way to win… no way to survive… not against Lancer X… and certainly not… against… Archer.
"Who gave you pardon to gaze upon me?" The Servant stood arms proudly crossed in front of his chest atop the roof of the mansion where Assassin's target lay. Golden armor adorned every part of his body except for his head while a tailing red cloak hung from the waist. Blonde hair slicked back, piercing crimson eyes that glared imperiously down at him, like he was even less than worm. And behind him, the entire sky blotted out by rows and rows of golden circular portals. Each housing a weapon.
He said… he'd… be… watching… me. Assassin's dying thoughts stoked what was left of his fire. He… said I… needn't… fear. Needn't… fear… THAT?! Had his Master and partner lied to him? His mind cursed them in every tongue he knew-
A jeweled sword went through his head, knocking loose his damaged mask, the symbol of the Old Man of the Mountain.
The dying Servant barely managed to see a faint bow of Lancer X's head, a parting due to her doomed opponent, and Archer's dispassionate words from above. "You lack the right to gaze upon me. "Lowly creatures that they are, worms always face the ground when death comes for them."
A strange sound, like one of those airplanes, rumbled through the night.
…He understood now. Neither had lied to him. Rider X had said that he would watch over Assassin, but never made any mention that he would aid him. And Kirei was right to say that he needn't fear either Lancer X or Archer. The former had beat him down without malice or sadism, a simple act of duty. And then she showed him a final grace upon death. As a fellow Servant, she in turn had his respect.
And the gap between him and the latter was so great that fear was not the appropriate response. Only despair.
And as he barely registered the many eyes of the familiars watching his slaughter, Zayd the Base finally understood his true part in the plan.
Aaaand I've managed to carve out in this chapter a scene for every standard "X" Servant summoned in this little story. Booyah! Longest chapter I've ever written to date, though. And, admittedly, some of the intros are considerably shorter than others, but rest assured, I have every intention of giving each one a fair bit of time in the limelight.
Now then, onto the traditional stats for our guests. One "X" Servant per chapter, plus I'll post an additional chapter with all Servants and their full capabilities. Please note that certain Noble Phantasms are deliberately obscured, as they have yet to appear in the story itself.
And those who can guess who the as-yet unnamed "X" Servants are and what they can really do, good work. Have a digital donut on me ;-).
(Special thanks to Lord Mist, author of "Infinite Paths" for inspiring me with this Servant's stats. I've been given permission to use his version including a few personal adjustments to balance the character better. Ergo, it's not an exact copy.)
Assassin X-
Class: Assassin
Master: Kiritsugu Emiya
True Name: Kakashi Hatake
Titles: Copy Ninja, Man of One Thousand Techniques
Sex: Male
Source: Naruto
Region: Konohagakure
Alignment: Lawful Good
Strength: C
Endurance: C
Agility: B+
Mana: B
Luck: C
NP: A+
Class Skills-
Presence Concealment: The capacity to hide one's presence as a Servant. It is a common skill to the Assassin class.
A+: Assassin X is extremely difficult, if not impossible to sense. Assassin X has been trained to assassinate people and carry out missions stealthily ever since he was four years old.
Personal Skills-
Jutsu: A Skill which originates from an alternate world, where the shinobi can harness their inner energy (chakra) to perform feats similar to magic spells or curses. Special handsigns are required for more complex abilities, but not mandatory for all.
A: Assassin X is practically a walking library of jutsu. Thanks to Sharingan and his own prodigious mind, he is well-versed in all variations: ninjutsu, genjutsu, taijutsu, nature transformation of all five elements (with a natural affinity for lightning), summoning of a ninja-hound pack he trained since they were pups and formed a special contract with. The only true limitations are those techniques which require specific bloodline traits to perform and his own relatively average Mana reserves which limit the number of high-level jutsu he can perform. Assassin X compensates for the latter drawback with creative and carefully considered use of his resources.
Expert of Many Specializations: Access to and expert use of many Skills.
A+: Assassin X was known as "the Copy Ninja" in his lifetime due to his ability to successfully imitate techniques across a wide variety of styles and forms. He is said to know more than one thousand techniques and is at least a B-rank expert in all forms of combat- physical, ninjutsu, illusions, tracking, trap-making, etc. He is also a first-rate teacher.
For One's Comrades: Rank-up in stats when fighting to save or protect one's comrades.
B: Assassin X's philosophy in life has always been that "those who abandon the mission are trash, but those who abandon their comrades are lower than trash," having learned it from a fallen comrade. Despite slight diminishment of this Skill's rank due to his current Master's mentality, all stats besides Luck increase by one rank whenever Assassin X moves to defend a comrade.
Noble Phantasms-
?: B+ (Anti-Unit)
Sharingan: "A Gift from a Fallen Brother": A (Mystic Eye): Assassin X's left eye has been replaced by the Sharingan, a bloodline limit unique to his closest friend. Assassin X obtained his eye when his friend was on his deathbed on a mission. Among its many boons, it allows Assassin X to predict the movements of his opponents, and to see into the future to a limited extent. It also allows him to copy the physical techniques of his enemies, save for a limited few. Though technically of the Mystic Eye skill, Assassin X was not born with Sharingan. The unique way he obtained it and how it has added to his legend increases its nature to that of a Noble Phantasm. Since he was not born with this optical power, however, Assassin X's body lacks the stamina to use it eternally, hence his covering the eye with his headband to avoid unnecessary mana loss. It holds a second form called Mangekyo Sharingan.
?: A+ (Anti-Unit)