[Other Fanfic] The Unsure Third Path

I guess this is the part where I reveal that I was the bad guy all along, that this was all just apart of my plan. Well...you're dead wrong. If you haven't realized yet, things just aren't as they always seem. I wonder why I'm monologuing to myself currently, maybe it's because I'll be dead soon along with the rest of my world. Just as suddenly as all of these events had happened to me I was now slowly dying in a crater in the ground staring dully upwards to the encroaching miasma. It dissolved everything it touched, slowly turning it into a acrid black mist. Maybe that god had been right when he said I'd destroy the world with courses.

The world would end and it was my fault somehow. My mind wasn't clear and I doubt I'm thinking straight, but this miasma was once mine. A little bit of it still is actually, underneath my skin I could still feel it coiling around my insides just waiting to be used. If I was actually capable of chuckling right now I would be, but I settled for a weak smirk that I hoped had reached my face. In the end my efforts had been for nothing, I had wanted to live too much to allow myself to go through with my initial plan and so had tried my alternative, it obviously hadn't worked too well. There was time for one last act on my part, and it was by no means some sort of ultimate ability that would fix everything, however it could stop this before it killed the entire world.

I could still sense human life, so maybe this would make up for all the deaths that I was the cause for. My now gaunt and pale body struggled to get the strength needed to get up, but it didn't matter as I forced myself to my knees and from my knees up to my feet through power of will. I looked into the miasma as it swallowed up another building in its path before pointing my remaining right arm at it as it glowed a bloody crimson.

"Darkness Constraint." My voice was so unearthly that I must of sounded like one of the dead at this point, I didn't care however, the miasma that had been fit to slowly dissolve all to nothingness suddenly flooded towards me and soon I knew no more.

The thought about whether or not I should have taken that chance that thing had offered me weighed heavily on my mind, but I knew I really never had a choice. It had indirectly made me who I am after all.

It was total nothingness, wherever I was that was the feeling I got whenever I tried to analyze it. By all rights, you could say currently I existed as little more than a consciousness, a shadow of the full me. Maybe this was the end for me, I would just exist as nothing more than a mere shadow in this void. It would be a rather shitty end if you asked me, but guys like me don't get to decide how things go I guess.

I was going to die, it was an inevitability at this point. What I had done was simply drag the miasma into me once more, it would destroy me from the inside out and then become unstable once more, however I had also sent us into nothingness. There was nothing here that could be destroyed and the miasma would simply sit here, forever. It would be my last hurrah against that manipulative bastard. My shadowy form was slowly dissipating, there was no pain it was simply happening and I would soon no longer exist.

"Heh, I guess I won't be see you again girl. Maybe..I'll just close my eyes for a bit." The miasma had finally corroded me to almost nothingness except for my head and the last thing I saw with my eyes was a flash of light.

"Live on...please don't die...Live!" Those words startled me out of the encroaching darkness, it was a voice I knew, but I didn't, no could not remember who it was. All there was off in the distance was a little flickering light. The light shone so brightly that I was like a moth to a flame and my body just moved towards it, entranced by the feeling it gave off. It was a sort of feeling of remembrance...of hope, my body was still wraith-like, an amalgamation of miasma, but inside I was feeling something once more.

My black heart was beating I noted unconsciously as I kept moving forward, it had been so long since my heart had stopped. It had been when I had first gained this strange ruinous power, one that destroyed all without discrimination, it was my greatest strength and yet also a curse by itself. Perhaps the greatest curse because of its origins.

I didn't know what was going to happen as I reached my hand forward intent on claiming this light for myself as it called me to it or at least trying to see what it was, but I wouldn't regret it. I didn't regret damning myself, I didn't regret nearly killing the people I once called friends, I didn't regret almost destroying the world, I no longer held the compassion to regret such things. There was nothing left for one such as me so the least I could do was spare those that I had involved in my problems, grabbing the light a surge of pure emotion ran through me and for a long time in awhile I managed to smile just a bit. I knew what this was this was something that I had lost in the very beginning it was something that could've potentially stopped all of this if I had held on to it and not let my heart become dark. This light was pure, in a simple word it was... "Hope."

"Live anew, at least for me..." There was that voice again, I slowly reached a hand towards where I heard the sound and then soon light was what covered my vision. It was all consuming and it looked like it would burn one such as me, a distorted person like me shouldn't be in such a light, yet I still reached forward. Just as my hand touched the light was when the peacefulness of oblivion overtook me and I fell into the binds of sleep. My shadowy body dropped to the ground, as if I was a puppet who's strings were cut, all the while clutching a bright light in my hands.

---

I woke up from what seemed like a dream. The same dream that had happened six times before. The familiar fuzziness that made it feel as if I was staring through a TV monitor engulfed my vision or more precisely it surrounded everything I saw. I was walking to school, I had always been walking to school hadn't I? The sun beamed down on me, but the normal heat that I attributed to it was muted. Something was wrong, I could feel it in my bones. The normal sakura trees that were in-bloom seemed to be drooping despite their state being quite the opposite. Just another sign that something was wrong as I walked to school for the 7th time this day. It had been April 21st 2020 for the last week, and I was slowly freaking out more and more. No one else ever seemed to notice when I brought it up, and the ones that I thought knew something always seemed to be missing when I went to confront them about it.

To be a magi was to walk a path closely intertwined with death...


I jumped at the sudden voice that spoke and quickly looked around. I was just a single person in a crowd of students that were walking to school, but for a moment it felt as if something was looking down at me. Something that made me feel like an ant. I couldn't get use to this even if it had happened 6 times before this.

"I-it's okay. Nothing's there. You know this." I tried to calm myself down and succeeded slightly as I stopped jittering as much as I was previously. The dull sound of shoes connecting on the ground as people seemed to race to school made up the majority of the background noise along with chatter coming from other students.

This repetition needed to stop, everything constantly repeated itself over and over. I pushed to the side the student council member speaking and ran towards the school. Something was wrong, very wrong about this place. My head throbbed in pain that I tried to ignore and as I go forward I can feel myself shivering. Right now I only know one thing for sure, this was not the school I know, it couldn't be! I have to hurry, I have to wake up or it'll be too late. But, who am I awakening for?

The day passed as it usually did, it was the same lesson every day, my anxiety and headaches are only getting worse as time passed. Afternoon arrives while I desperately try to find a way to escape from this bizarre situation. As is now the norm, my normally clear vision was covered by some sort of strange static, or more accurately some sort of distortion.

Uneasiness.

Futility.

Nothingness.

I needed someone to explain to me the true nature behind all of these feelings that currently surround me like a cocoon. There must be some sort of key somewhere around this place. Something that would have all of the answers I needed answered currently. Talking to the people around me was like talking to drones, they didn't even seem to realize how very wrong things were currently. There were a few that seemed to think something weird was going on, but otherwise they droned on about other useless things. I kept running around intent on figuring out what exactly was happening but there were no answers for me.

The school building held a bleak sense of nothingness as I ran about. It was a large place that held three floors and also connected to a garden along with a track that was outback. There was nothing inherently special about the building, but as it was now I could almost feel the shadows that seemed to nip at my back whenever I stopped looking around. Maybe that was my anxiety affecting me? Whatever it was, I made sure to always look around every minute or so just in case what I was feeling was more than just a feeling.

I finally reached the first floor, but as I walked down the steps I stopped as I saw someone. It was Leo, the enigmatic student that had only joined our class yesterday. The blonde hair, green eyes, and orange uniform he wore stuck out among the dull grays of the current school building. He seemed focused on wherever he was going, but just as I began to move I froze once more. Another student ran by, he seemed to be following Leo and his eyes were filled with an intent that I couldn't quite read. Why were things so...off? It was as if the entire school was starting to not make sense, who was that little girl I saw earlier and what was up with the explosion that occurred from that Indian girl? There were so many things that just didn't seem to make sense. Now that I think about it honestly Leo wasn't the only abnormality here, the feeling around him is like a king looking down at mere plebeians.

It's becoming clearer now, there are people whom shouldn't exist, students that mysteriously vanish. The fabric of reality is coming unraveled at the seams that hold it together and it's becoming distorted.

Don't turn away now.

What is the "truth"?

Don't turn away now.

What defines the world you know?

Don't turn away now.

There is a reason why you're here. Come, do not allow yourself to close your eyes to the truth.

"Ugh..." I held my head in pain as words that weren't mine shot through my head with my own thoughts. I should follow Leo, maybe he would have the answers that I was searching for, getting myself balanced I began to run down the hallway that Leo had just went down with the other student. Leo and the guy from my class were talking in the hallway up ahead, I hid myself just out of sight and listened in on there conversation intently.

"The attention to detail is quite impressive. Even the surrounding air is surprisingly substantial." That was Leo, his aristocratic voice was one that I could easily realize. "If that is the case, this world is in some ways more real than the real world it represents. How about you guys? What are your thoughts on this?" You guys? For a moment, it feels as if he is including me in his comment. However, Leo begins speaking to my classmate, seemingly oblivious to my presence.

"Greetings. I believe this is the first time we've had an actual conversation." Leo gave a smile that held no hostility behind it a first glance. However, I have the suspicion that there is something malicious behind his smile.

"Attending school wasn't half bad. I've never had the opportunity to go to one before now. In that respect, this has been quite an interesting experience. ...However, the time for fun has come to an end. I did not come here to play at being a student. No matter how enjoyable the detour, eventually one must return to their appointed path, and for me, the time to do so has arrived."

With those final words, Leo turned his back on us, though for some reason it felt more like the action was targeted towards me. "Farewell. No, that's not quite right. I don't think farewell would be accurate in this situation. For reasons I cannot explain, I have the distinct feeling that we will see each other again. So I guess I should use the more congenial, "See you later." Well it's time for me to move on. I wish you the best of luck."

Leo said as much, even going so far as to look in my direction... For some inexplicable reason, I'm not surprised that Leo knew I was spying on him. I am trying to get things straightened out in my mind when Leo suddenly...disappears. The student that was following him also disappears after touching the same spot on the wall. At the same moment he vanishes, my vision distorts and the shock threatens to overwhelm me.

What is going on here...? I wonder if this place is the source of my unease... I walked around the corner slowly and just looked at the spot in which two people just disappeared.

"Should I...?" I murmured lowly to myself as I looked at the wall. Like Leo, I place my hand on the wall, expecting to be drawn in. I see now that the way to the truth, to why I have these feelings, begins right here... "I want to know." With those simple words uttered the atmosphere changes. There's a doorway, an entrance, where the concrete wall used to be. It's not something of this world. There's no doubt this door leads to someplace unfathomable. I bid farewell to the false world, and take my first step toward the truth.

An entrance to another world. Beyond this door, the previous statement perfectly describes the view before me. Walking behind me is my strange, silent attendant. It is to be my sword and shield for what lies ahead... A disembodied voice suddenly confirms my thoughts. Although I have yet to learn anything, I need to do something besides stand here. At the very least, there might be some clues to this bizarre experience up ahead. I have no choice but to head into the darkness with only this strange doll as protection. Walking forward through the digital like wall in front of me I entered complete blackness, the only thing that was illuminated was the floor below me.

"Only one way to go..." I muttered to myself as I walked forward resolutely.

There was a strange ambiance to the area with only the pseudo feet of the human sized effigy and my own feet being the only sounds, though as I moved forward my ears twitched slightly as I heard what appeared to be music in the background as the blackness around us exploded into color. If I wasn't worried with going forward I would stop to admire the beauty of it all. The area felt very...digital if he had to describe it. There was flashing blue and yellow cubes flying past every now and then and the blackness was now a dark turquoise. Shaking my head slightly I started to jog forward intent on going forward to my destination.

The colors all around me suddenly disappeared after a few moments and was soon replaced with the same blue panels that the floor was composed of and the tune in the background became louder. I paid it no mind as I finally reached a point where I stopped to catch my breath momentarily. No longer a typical school campus, the floors and walls, the air, even the aura were all different. It wouldn't surprise me to see a monster pop out from the shadows. It's very much like a dungeon here.

'Welcome, potential Master.' With a shocking suddenness, a voice begins speaking. It sounds like it's coming from the empty sky above me. 'If you are looking for answers, you must reach the goal. Now, please step forward.' There was nowhere else to go, turning around only revealed that the path that I had just walked down was now gone.

"I guess, I have to go forward." With nothing else I could do I walked forward as the effigy behind me quietly followed.

'The illuminated cube in front of you is called an Item Folder. Inside of it is a farewell present of sorts for those about to face the coming trial. Touch it to open it.' The voice from the sky supplied helpfully as I walked forward and cautiously touched the item in front of me.

It was some sort of green shard, something in my mind instinctively recognized it as an Ether Shard. Putting it in my pocket I turned and came face to face with a blue sphere. It had light blue lines over it and in the middle was a large red spot that glowed as the sphere floated in place. If I had to take a guess based upon my knowledge I currently have, the red spot was its weak spot. Walking forwards prompted the voice from the sky to talk once more.

'Before you is an Enemy Program. It is programmed to attack on sight. Touching it will initiate a battle. You won't actually fight it however, as you are too fragile. The effigy given to you will fight in your stead. If your effigy is ever destroyed in battle, you will no longer be shielded from harm. To put it bluntly, you will die.' My blood ran cold for a moment at the thought of potential death, but I swallowed the lump in my throat and listened intently to the information I was being told. This info currently probably could mean the difference between life or death for me.

'So be very careful in battle. However, there's no need to be afraid...for now. Just do what I say and you'll be perfectly safe for the time being. First off, why don't I explain a little bit about battles? There are three basic commands that you can issue in battle: ATTACK, GUARD, and BREAK. These are of course, the most basic commands that can be given but they are the ones that could potentially be the difference between victory or a cold death. You must share with your effigy or partner what your commands are as they will be your key to victory. Each of the actions can be quite easily countered by another, this fight should be easy as the program in front of you will only use the command "BREAK", which is focused solely on power, and isn't a problem against the command "ATTACK". Now, use the "ATTACK" command to destroy the program.'

"Fine, I will." I murmured as I looked at the program before me as I rose a hand forward that sent the effigy behind me into action. It attacked viciously and moved too fast for the program to react scoring multiple hits on it until it turned to dust. At one point it even jumped and did a spinning side kick, it was actually kind of cool if I had to be honest. I noted to myself after the fight that I hadn't even spoke, I had just thought about the command to attack and the effigy did. It was a bit of info that I kept in mind as I moved forward.

'...The goal is still far ahead. If you must bask in the afterglow of your victory, do so while moving forward.'

---

I sighed as I defeated a third program in what gathered to be a sort of tutorial with how it was intent on teaching me how to fight. This knowledge felt like something I had already learned so it was kind of tedious, the basic fighting pretty much seemed like Rock-Paper-Scissors. Going forward I reached a red program and it was at this point that the disembodied voice decided to speak up.

'All of the enemy programs you've faced so far only used one move, which won't happen in a real fight. Like you, your enemies will choose their actions based on the situation and general observation. Their actions will be very difficult for you to predict at first, but by facing the same enemy multiple times you will be able to read their tendencies and patterns accurately. ...Although considering your lack of fighting experience, I may be expecting far too much from you. But anyway, please try your best.' Before I could speak up the program in front of me attacked.

I could read the programs first few moves with ease which allowed me to easily counter the programs, but I was surprised when my effigy went for attack and was blocked. It was then subsequently knocked back by a rather hard blow, luckily for me we had already did enough damage to the program that a few more hits was all it took to finish it off. Looking towards my effigy I noticed that it had a few scratches here and there, but it seemed to still be fine.

'...Good job. All right then, please proceed to the final room.' I walked forward as calm as I could and as I reached a storm of what appeared to be small blue dust I took a deep breath and pushed through.

I made it. At the end of a very long road, after going through a door that suddenly appeared in the wall... The oppressive air of this place where the spirits of the dead still linger. Here's my goal. That's what I thought. I was standing on a large circular glass podium of some sort that shone a distinct blue color. Further in, it appears as if someone had collapsed. When I look into his face I realize who it is. It was the student who was following Leo earlier! "Hey!" I call out to him, but get no reply. Walking over to his body with my effigy behind me I shake him in an attempt to wake him up when I notice...he's stone cold.

I went as pale as the corpse before me and I can no longer think coherently. All I can do is stare in bewilderment. It is at this moment that the fallen effigy lying next to the male student comes to its feet with clatter. After having to fight several enemy programs to get here, it's obvious that this thing is an enemy as well. Without warning, it suddenly twists around and comes right at me.

I mentally command my effigy forward to fight and looking towards the other effigy I realized something important, I couldn't read it's movements. This was going to be much harder than the other enemies that I had fought before. I was confident however that I could win...in a mere minute that confidence shattered as my effigy was battered and countered quite thoroughly.

"Come on!" I quietly shouted as I lost my calm and just told my effigy to just attack as much as it could possibly. It worked for only a minute but my effigy was soon torn apart with its pieces littering the ground. Before I could even scream the effigy was in front of me and used its sharp pincer to slice right through my torso, I fell to the ground as I began to bleed profusely from the large slash across my chest.

'...Hmph, you seem to be lacking as well.' I can hear the sound of a distant voice as I lay nearly motionless on the ground. 'The time has come. With your inevitable loss, I will consider this round of preliminaries to be over. Farewell. I pray you'll find peace in your annihilation.'

That is the voice's final words to me. I don't have the power to protest. All I can do is stare at the floor. ...I think I'm going to die here. Suddenly, at the edge of my now hazy vision, a number of brown colored lumps seem to rise from the ground. Actually, it might be that I just noticed them now. They may have been there from the beginning for all I know. Those lumps are the bodies of an untold number of fallen Tsukumihara Academy students.

The guy before me wasn't the only one to fall. All of the others made it here and died, unable to do anything...and in a very short while, I suppose I'll become one of them. Maybe I should just close my eyes now. I did all that I could, so maybe it'd be better for it to end now.

No, I refuse to give up... I summon all of my remaining strength in an attempt to get back on my feet. However, as I try to move an unbearably intense pain shoots through my entire body. If that's how it's going to be... No, if this is...

"I still...refuse to...give up." ...That's right. I can't give up now. Even if I'm forced to concede defeat eventually, it'd be unforgivable to do so now. ...I feel as if something's wrong. All of my senses grow faint. The pain running through my body has long passed my ability to endure it. I now know what the damned suffer.

Even so I must stand.

The drive to go on is something I do not understand. It's not like the fear of death is urging me to not give up. I just want to be at peace. Keeping that in mind, why am I trying with all f my might to get back on my feet? I cannot figure out the reason why. I don't know why my life needs to be ended. Why am I here...? After a moment I understand. That must be the reason why. There were so many corpses. There were those many questions left unanswered. Now...I can't continue without knowing. No. Now that my spirit has been awakened, I cannot allow things to come to an end without knowing!

'...Hmm. As a representative of the Holy Grail, I can't ignore such overpowering doubt. You question your own existence even as it comes to an end, and seek answers for the dead as your own death approaches. Very well. I expect much from that spirit of yours. There are a couple of Servants left that fit a human like you, but you will be given one quite interesting. A nondescript anti-hero fighting for a nameless Master. I look forward to your valiant efforts in battle.' The sound of breaking glass is accompanied by a light cutting through the gloom. I manage to move my weary body and aching head to see what's happening.

I didn't notice it before, but something was slowly rising up from the floor in the middle of the room. A blinding flash of light soon obscured the area covering Hakuno's vision temporarily. The light itself dissipated quickly, but was followed by a thick purplish red dust that radiated a deadly feeling. I could instinctively tell that whatever the dust was it was much more dangerous than the effigy that had attacked him earlier. The dust came in between me and the effigy before stopping and then suddenly it began to coalesce. It was a fast process but to me it seemed to last a lifetime. It bubbled and made a shape that he guessed was a human, his vision was getting rather blurry to be honest, and then suddenly a person was there.

It's appearance isn't much different from that of a human being, but something was different. Clearly so. The power emanating from it transcended that of any, or of any enemy I've faced in getting here. An awesome power that seems as if it'd vaporize anyone it touched swirls within my body almost against my will.

"...It seems that he was right. Someone...rather interesting has summoned me. Even more interesting is what your goal is. I've never been the sort to flounder about uselessly, so I won't show any restraint. Your voice reached out to me and a few others, I just happened to get here first."

The person was facing away from me but I was able to get a pretty good look at his attire. His torso was bear showing off muscles that didn't suit the skinny frame the man had, he was wearing black jeans that had thick chains holding them up and was barefoot. The man was about six feet, just a few inches taller than myself I unconsciously noted. Flowing down from his head was bone white hair that fell to his mid back area and the most notable thing was the glowing red tattoos that spread from his back up to his shoulders and went down to his wrists.

" ..." The man eerily observed me as his eyes flashed a bright green for a moment and then turned back to a striking crimson. "Just as a formality since you are the only one here let me get this out of the way. You are my Master correct?" The man turned around as the dust from before began to stir behind him moving in a seemingly defensive manner.

I didn't know what was going on but nodded his head in a firm yes as my instincts told me that I was this guy's Master, whatever that meant. The man's eyes were hollow and were a stormy grey that revealed nothing but a very small hint of approval flashed in them for a minute as the man looked at me.

"I see. I've been in the role of servant before, but last time was something I regret. However, this time it seems that the person I shall call Master is quite unique, in a good way. I will lend my power to you for as long as you strive towards your goal, that's our contract. Only a short while ago you were shouting "Why?". There are not many people that ever figure out the answer to that question. It's the same wish I fought for myself and so as stated earlier I shall fight with you until your wish ceases to exist."

He takes a hold of my hand and helps me from the kneeling position I worked myself into up to my feet. From the hand he had grabbed comes a sudden warmth...and then a sharp pain, like I've been cut by a knife. On the back of my hand, as though tattooed, is a strange symbol that looks like some kind of crest. Totally confused, I alternate between staring at the mark in my hand and the person standing before me, and then a noise behind me brings me back to my senses. Turning around, I see that the effigy from before is still there, now in a fighting stance. I wince uncontrollably, recalling my previous harsh defeat at its hands.

"This seems to be as good an opportunity as any for you to show me what skills you possess as a Master. If you're worried don't be, it's nothing to get worked up over. I will let you know that I'm not going to be at my best with a novice Master, if what he told me was accurate at least. Whatever. I'm used to getting the short end of things. Just show me all of the power that you can!"

I didn't know why, but even now as injured as I am, I couldn't help but feel determined to do my best. It was as if the great power flowing through me combined with the person's encouragement gave me the power to do anything. The person walked out in front of me as he crouched low and gave a savage grin as the purplish dust began to rise around him. My eyes sharpened as he dashed forward and I gave my mental commands at a speed that baffled even me. 'GUARD!' I mentally shouted as my Servant blocked a hit from the effigy that had been aimed at his chest with a chain that snaked off of his waist and stopped the attack. "Ooryah!" A lightning fast fist struck out as a counter and hit the effigy square in its chest and launched it backwards. 'ATTACK!' I mentally shouted once more as I saw the effigy getting back to its feet slowly and preparing some sort of attack.

My servant dashed to fast for the effigy to react and launched his fist at it once more and then my mental command of 'BREAK!' the chains around his belt snaked out at and then split into multiple chains as it repeatedly hit the effigy over and over.

"Come on is that all you have!" My Servant shouted with what I assumed was blood lust in his voice as the chains on his waist grabbed the effigy like it was a paperweight and then lifted it into the air before slamming it down hard. The effigy after being released was very battered and tried to back away and keep up its guard.

I didn't even have to give a command as my Servant dashed forward as the grin on his face grew even wider as he took large swipes at the effigy with what I guessed were his sharpened nails and easily broke through its guard. Large gashes formed on the effigy all over and ten to put the nail in the coffin the chains once more separate and form into nine different chains as they repeatedly strike the effigy over and over before my Servant himself launched it away with a heavy blow from his fist.

The battered effigy stops moving. There's no way it'll still function after being effectively torn apart. "I guess you get a D, so you just barely pass. In the future however, we'll do things the traditional way and I'll fight while you give me support. I expect some great things from you in the future though."

He continues to talk...however, the sound of his voice doesn't quite reach my ears. The heat coming from the mark on my hand grew in intensity during the fight and the resulting pain has become unbearable and burns through my consciousness.

'The mark imprinted on your hand is your Command Seal. It is proof that you hold dominion over a Servant. You can use it to give three orders that must be obeyed. Think of them as disposable strengthening spells. It is also proof of your participation in the Holy Grail War. If you lose it for some reason, you will die.'

Once again, I hear that voice. I somehow manage to ignore the pain and listen to what it has to say.

'I can understand your confusion. Before I forget...Congratulations. You have endured much to make it here. Now rest for a while; you've achieved your first goal. It was an incredibly clumsy effort to say the least, but that's what made it all the more entertaining. I've had this duty for a long time, but this is the first time I've seen a Master as helpless as you. Nevertheless, be proud of your achievement. Your quick thinking came as a result of nerves and rashness.'

...Thinking about it, the voice sounds like that of a thirty year old man and it's really irritatingly smug. For some reason, I can see the owner of the voice as a priest, dressed in a somber cassock.

'Oh, you are curious about my identity? I am honored, but I am insignificant. I am merely a part of the system. I am just a guide, tasked with giving a standard message and given the personality of a prior participant. I am no more than words, no more than the mountain you just conquered, no more than a record of the past.'

A record...so if I raise any objections to this voice, does it mean I won't receive any answers in return?

'Exactly. ...Well, this is unexpected. You have received a commendation. Something about you "having a light."'

I have no clue who would say such a thing about me. ...But that short phrase struck my heart because, for some unknown reason, I knew the words were sincere. As for " I expect good things from you." It seemed like more of a command than an encouragement.

'Now, let us commence your baptism. You have proven yourself worthy of the honor bestowed upon you. For most, the monotony of everyday life continues without end. Your decision to look beyond the accepted and progress means you have earned the right to exist. However, you have but taken the first step. Be jubilant, young knight, for the Holy Grail War begins now!'

I have no idea what he's talking about. The Holy Grail War...? The right to exist...?

'That is correct. An object of great power once existed in the world. One that could grant any desire. People called it the "Holy Grail" and fought endlessly in an attempt to gain sole possession of it. This was, The System you find yourself in now is an evolution of those struggles. You stand at the entrance of a deadly struggle where many magi will perish in pursuit of the Holy Grail. Listen, magi. Had I not bestowed upon the Earth desire, you'd be merely saints capable of committing sin. Now, fight to the death. The fiery throne of heaven will only receive those with the strongest of desires.'

The voice reverberates throughout this hidden chapel, as if it were the voice of a god. Kill...? Magi...? Holy Grail that grants wishes...? These questions, and more, swirl inside my head and almost seem to carve themselves into my flesh.

'In war, a weapon is needed. That is your Servant. They're the shield that protects, the spear that pierces. A Legendary Soul whose purpose is to clear your way to the Grail. That is the one who stands beside you.'

I glance over at the man with white hair next to me, who glances back grinning at me before looking away. He's my Servant...

'It seems you have decided, and with that decision as payment for my services, I now open the gates to the Holy Grail War.'

The marks on my hand, my Command Seal, once again begin to become excruciatingly painful. It's over. I can't take it anymore. I reach the limits of my endurance and my mind starts to shut down. As I lose consciousness, I can vaguely hear the voice's final words.

'Now, let the Holy Grail War begin. No matter the era, deciding who is worthy through battle is the divine providence of man. Magi who have been invited here by the Moon; show me your true strength.'

End Segment 0​

The dreariness of the everyday sloughs off

A war between magi.

The wheel of fate spins.

Weak soul, temper your resolve

and defend that which you value.​

Leaving my room I had quickly found Kotomine.

"Ah, it's the young master. I have a few things I wish to tell you before you enter the Arena. Earlier, the computer registered that your Primary Trigger has been generated, did it not? Two Triggers must be retrieved by the end of each week, if you mean to participate in this war."

"I know."

I already knew that I needed both triggers, that event that had occurred to me yesterday had made sure of that. Now that I was in front of Kotomine a part of my brain told me that their was something more to him. It could've been the air about him or my imagination, but he seemed different. More ominous.

"Good. Combat between Masters is prohibited in the Arena and on campus at all times. If per chance a fight does occur the system will shut it down after a short amount of time. As a penalty, the status of any Master caught fighting on campus will be downgraded."

Well it seems I would have to head to the Arena to get this Primary Trigger Key. I suppose I should get going then, walking down the steps Kotomine's eyes locked with mine for a moment before he smirked and began walking away. I unconsciously shivered as I walked the rest of way down the steps. As I arrived on the second floor I was greeted by a familiar voice.

"Hakuno, going to try and get the Trigger? Well, it sucks to be you. I'm going in right now, too. A total cretin like you won't be able to find it, but good luck anyway! Hahaha!" Shinji walked away with a smug grin crossing his face, he was doing this on purpose wasn't he?

"...Well, I guess friendship doesn't conquer all then. Well it's whatever, this might be a good chance for you to get some practice in a battle against a Master. Hurry, let's go after him." My Servant intoned before disappearing. I ran after them and entered the Arena.

"That presence... We should probably be cautious Master. That boy and his Servant are somewhere close by. Though, this could be a great time to get some info on them. Let's track them down before they decide to leave. Oh, I should mention this now. A lot of extremely random stuff can and will happen while you're in here."

I found myself agreeing with my Servant's words, well the first part at least. This was a good time to gather some info, though I was a bit nervous. Despite knowing magic and being classified as a wizard or magi, I was not particularly skilled and was only good at one thing really. Taking a deep breath I calmed myself as we walked more and more in the Arena dungeon, I had to be confident.

"Heh, that boy and his Servant waited for us. How nice of them. While we don't know how this meeting will play out, probably through battle in my opinion, maybe we can get some insight into their strategy."

They stood there waiting for us, they knew we were here. If I ran now they'd just chase after so I was only left with one option then, to confront them.

"Hakuno, what took you so long? While you were crawling along the slug you are I obtained the Trigger!" I was honestly surprised, and it must've shown on my face as Shinji was quick to follow up.

"Hahaha, what's with that look? Your skills are utterly pathetic to mine so don't be so harsh on yourself! And speaking of you losing, let me introduce you to my Servant. I'm going to win; it's not like it matters to me. If you can't even get your cipher keys, you might as well accept your game over right here and now!" Looking towards his Servant he continued speaking.

"Seriously, feel free to turn him into a bullet-ridden corpse whenever you feel like it!"

"Okay, but are you sure you're done gloating? I found myself enjoying your meaningless chatter. As you can see, when it comes to talking to others, my Master is a total social retard, right? Seeing him actually have a conversation with you made me think we could actually settle this peacefully." Shinji's Servant shrugged at the end.

Shinji's Servant had long wavy crimson pink hair, blue eyes and a jagged scar across her face. She wore a brown choker collar that was almost attached to her dark pink captain vest, white pants, and long dark brown boots. I had to keep my eyes from glancing away from her face as the coat did almost nothing to cover her breasts from view.

"Where in the hell do you get off analyzing me?! Kishinami is my enemy here! Will you hurry up and maim him already?!" Wow...I wonder why I wasn't surprised Shinji valued our friendship so little. Seeing as I still saw him as a friend, reluctantly, that stung just a tiny bit.

"Look at the tough guy! I have to admit I admire the fact that you're evil enough to so easily give your friend a beat down. The darkness of your grubby little soul is impressive, Shinji. Oh yes, I expect a generous reward later!" Aiming her guns at us we had no choice but to fight.

"Let's go!" The loud roar of my servant was the sign of his charge into battle. As he charged he quickly dodged out of the way of the bullets being fired at him as he launched into the air and attempted an axe kick that was deftly evaded.

"You're fast, that's good. It means I can go a bit harder then." As my Servant spoke he stretched his hand out as an inky shadow seemed to coalesce. In a second within his hand was a fully formed lance, it radiated a malevolence off of it that enveloped the area. Gripping it in the middle with one hand he dashed towards her faster than I could track.

A clang of steel on steel was heard in the next instance as the lance collided with the opposing Servants pistols. Avenger had used it almost like a bat and had swung it at her, kicking her away in the process.

"You're like me, ain't ya? Your style of fighting is rather reckless, an all out offence with everything on the line. Just how I like it." Smirking she pointed her guns and began to fire in rapid succession towards my Servant.

Moving quickly Avenger began running around doing his best to dodge the bullets, though they just seemed to be coming and coming. Dropping down, Avenger ducked some bullets that whizzed over his head just barely and leaped forward swinging his lance at her.

Despite Avenger seeming to have the strength advantage it was easy to see that the other Servant wasn't having any trouble keeping up. It was as if she had the devil's luck, every time the lance seemed about to hit her she'd move in just the right way to take nothing more than superficial damage at worst. I just stood there watching, kind of lost on what I had to do.

Rushing forth at each other they suddenly stopped right in front of each other as their respective weapons ended up pointing at each other. Avenger's lance was poised to pierce her heart while her guns were both ready to shoot his face in.

"Seems to be a tie then." Avenger said as he stood there, and I agreed with how it looked currently. If either of them made a move, it could end badly.

"I suppose, though it looks like we'll have to settle this another time then. I'll take my win later then." Shinji's servant replied with a confident smirk, I could only presume she had a reason for such confidence.

A loud crackling sound assaulted my ears as both our Servants jumped to our respective side.

"Crap... It looks like the SE. RA. PH. has its eye on us now. Oh well, there's no need to take him out right now anyway." Shinji spoke aloud as tapped a finger to his head.

"You know, I like seeing you grovel in the dirt like trash. Beg hard enough and I might make you into one of my underlings. Who knows...I might even share some of the prize money with you. Hahahahaha!" In an instance both him and his Servant were gone, I stood there quiet as I tried to take in what had just happened.

"Well, that was fun. Despite that getting pretty dangerous near the end, the encounter gave us some info about your pal's Servant. Like her using a gun, a flintlock revolver to be precise. Very pirate-like, though how it fired so many damn rounds I wouldn't know. Guns could be counted a projectile use so she could be Archer, or perhaps she's another class."

My portable terminal beeped in my pocket as my own Servant finished speaking
.
"Bit of advice, the more info we get on the enemy the better chance we'll have against them. The Arena offers quite a bit besides just the cipher keys, you can also find things that may give you an advantage. So take as much time is needed to come through this place, wouldn't want to miss anything important now would we?"

He was right, if that was what a battle between servants is like we would need every advantage we could get. When I got a chance I'd make sure to come to this place often, it'd be my key to victory.

Day 2 Morning - Midday - Evening- Night

We stayed in there a bit longer making sure to pick up the primary trigger that I needed and any other items that we came across. When we got back to my private room a red scarf was wrapped around my neck, it was a Formal Wear. Something that held a magical ability locked within it. It was sort of like a conceptional object, it held the concept healing.

"So I'd say our first real day as a team was pretty successful seeing as we got a bit of info about our opponent. Though Shinji's servant now has a bit about us as well, something that couldn't be avoided though my use of lance should end up throwing her off in the end."

As my servant sat in his throne-like seat, my eyes were beginning to get heavy. The anxiety and pressure from day had firmly wore me out and I was beginning to think the couch was very comfy.

"Hopefully, tomorrow we can gain some more info now that you have a better understanding on how to do so. Well, we'll just have to see I guess. Things are starting to get interesting." The last thing I saw before I fell asleep was the grinning face of my Servant.

Day 3 Morning - Midday - Evening - Night

"Master, do you remember yesterday when I talked about how information would be our key to victory? For that reason, you've got to gather any and all info you can find on the campus every single day as well as the Arena. When you enter the Arena, you will most likely miss out on any further investigation for that day, understand? Humans do not easily replicate their actions, so missing something one day means it will be gone forever. Make a habit of listening to what others say and doing a bit of reconnasaince before going into the Arena."

"I understand." I replied as I took in what Avenger told me, come to think about it I had heard some of the students mention that Shinji was apparently a very renowned hacker in Asia or something. That made him even more dangerous in my eyes, though I managed to keep myself calm.

"I see. Good. Now then, let's begin the investigation!" Somehow a black police cap formed on Avenger's head as he spoke. I think he was rather excited about the prospect of being a detective.

I shook my head as he astralised and let out a chuckle, he was rather eccentric at times I guess. Walking out of our room we quickly spotted Shinji down the hallway. It looked like that he had already started something so early in the day.

"It looks like that guy managed to start a ruckus, even this early in the morning. This would be prime time for some investigation then, let's go!" Shaking my head I gripped the scarf I wore tightly before stealthily making my down the hallway to Shinji, lucky for me his conversation had drew a small crowd that helped me a lot.

"Have you been inside of the Arena yet? Interesting place, isn't it? I thought it was amazing at first, but it's actually rather primitive. It's like an ocean pulled from a storybook. I even saw a Master you summoned Armstrong. Sorry, I was just messing with you. I dig the sea theme. Overall the game's pretty well done." Shinji's voice was easily recognizable.

"What's this? You actually managed to summon a decent Servant, then. Asia's premiere hacker, Shinji Matou?" That sounded like Tousaka, for some reason I found that odd that someone like her could have a remotely civil conversation with Shinji. It just seemed...wrong.

"You know, I may have had to take crap from you in the past, but this time the winner is me! With her armada to back me up, I'm invincible. Nothing you can do will be able to even to touch me."

"Oho, you must be pretty confident to give out information about your Servant to an enemy, Matou." That confirmed it for me that, that person was Rin Tousaka. Only she could crush Shinji's pride with a sentence.
Looking at Shinji's face, it was bright red. He had just realized how big of a mistake he had just made. The word armada was important towards who his Servant was then, I quickly typed that bit of info into my terminal.

"Err...y-yeah. Yeah, that's right! One-sided fights bore me, so think of this as a gift! B-But is it really?! I might just be lying you know. You might want to forget what I said in that case."

"That is true. A single word would never expose a Servant's true name, after all. However, a class that controls an armada and is tied to a ship will thin out the candidates some. How will she attack? Bombardment, or maybe a frontal assault? It'll definitely be physical in nature."

"Gah...!"

"Well, I guess the only thing left for me to do is prepare a great many physical barriers."

Shinji's face goes from a bright red to a terrifying shade of blue before my eyes. Once you learn something about an enemy Servant, you can begin to make plans to defeat them. If both sides are strong, but only one side plans, the results of the battle would be obvious. So that's what they mean by knowledge is power, I wouldn't take it for granite.

"Oh, one more thing. I wonder if the Invincible Armada might be relevant to anything... I mean, others will start making references to that, right? Won't that just piss off your Servant?"

The Invincible Armada huh? Looks like I had gotten a very important bit of information for myself then. Now I'd just have to use this correc-

"W-Well...whatever. Knowledge means nothing if you can't do anything with it. There's a good chance that you and I will never have to face each other." With that final attempt at a comeback, Shinji decided to walk away. And of course he'd be heading in my direction, luckily enough I was hiding off to the side and in his current state he just missed me. Tousaka, did not.

"Hmm, you overheard all of that? It's good to see at least someone is taking this thing seriously." She let out a sigh as she flicked her hair away from her face.

"It seems that there are a great many Masters who don't understand the stakes involved. Hopefully you do not end up like the rest of them." Tousaka walked away after that, though it felt as if she complimented me earlier. Slightly.

"The girl would make one heck of a detective, she managed to get information from that guy easily. It's a bit scary when you think about it, but oh well she helped us with our job. We got a very important piece of information about the boy's Servant, though it won't always be this easy. So make sure that when the time comes you'll be able to do the same thing she did, even if you have to work harder for it."

My Servant was right, we had certainly been lucky to get such information today and I doubt that I would've been able to do it as easy as Tousaka had. I'd have to make sure to keep an eye and ear out for any info that I could possibly come across.

"So let's get back to the investigation, next place we need to check is the Arena! Let's go Master!" Avenger was way too filled with energy at times, it was just a tad bit tiring but I don't think it's a bad thing.

Day 4 Morning - Midday - Evening- Night

Walking through campus, I can see various NPCs, who appear as busy students, among the Masters. Not only do the NPCs look different, but their behaviour seems a little...off. Maybe it's their lack of a soul. To them, this battle is just a string of data variables. Within a small group of Masters, one person sticks out like a sore thumb.

"Oh, it's you... So you qualified for the actual tournament as well. I believe that I remarked that we would meet again."

It's Leo. The force of his presence overwhelms his seemingly innocent appearance. Before, it felt like he was a wolf let loose in the chicken coop. Now, I feel out of place near him because even now his presence is vast. He isn't alone either. Behind him stands a shadowy figure radiating the same aura of strength. The figure is clad in armour and armed with a sword. His aura marks him...as a Servant!

"...Oh, Gawain? Ah, how forgetful of me. Gawain. Introduce yourself."

"I am his servant, Gawain. I am pleased to meet you, and hope you will be a worthy foe." As the armoured knight nods in greeting, an enigmatic smile forms on his lips. He is the exemplar of knighthood and, though a Servant, has the same bearing as his Master.

...Sir Gawain, one of the Knights of the Round Table mentioned in the Legends of King Arthur. I thanked the fact Avenger had told me to do a bit of research in the library for that info. It's said that his prowess rivaled King Arthur's and his holy sword was equal in power to Excalibur.

It's obvious that he is a Saber-class Servant.

It won't be too hard to learn more about him. Maybe I'll discover a weakness of his. I'm sure Leo is aware of how much information he's given me, but he seems unconcerned. It's obvious that he chooses not to concern himself with such things as subtlety or tactics. For him, if something is to be revealed, so be it. From his point of view, his victory is all but assured; his superiority over others reinforced every day since he was born.

"I must take my leave now. I hope to see you again. Please fight with honor and pride."

With a polite bow, Leo and his Servant turn and depart, leaving me somewhat dumbfounded.

"Leo...?! I knew one of the Harways would be here, but the scion of the family himself..."

With that murmured comment, Tousaka, who had gotten here just now, shot a murderous glare at Leo that felt almost palpable.

"The power of the Holy Grail... I guess the plutocrats of Europe see a threat in the SE. RA. PH. But still, to risk him... Oh well, what was borrowed on Earth will be repaid in Heaven... Things just got more interesting, although my powers as a magus are far superior to his!"

I get the feeling that Leo has little concern for those like us. Ignoring my presence completely, the now fired-up Rin Tousaka almost seems to stomp away. I should spend some time looking more into Gawain's background. I'll head to the library later.

Day 4 Morning - Midday - Evening- Night

I had decided to speak with Avenger a bit before I decided to go and grab something to eat, I was feeling pretty hungry.

"I kind of wonder, out of all the places they could've held a war, why hold it in a school? I can only assume you've wondered about it as well at one point, but I have a strange affinity for this place. With the exception of myself, I'd think this place would be a bit of a nightmare for most Legendary Souls. I'd like to say the choice of venue was a fluke, but I doubt it."

"You have something against school?"

"Not exactly, I do see the reason for the venue as contact between humans makes for forced civility. Also, you're always required to be in class at a specified time which is perfect for those who can't plan themselves. Though my memories of school are quite muddled, I can tell you a society without an educational system is doomed to fail. The ability to learn is what makes one human after all. I can't see why'd you care though, this doesn't seem too important."

Avenger effectively shut his mouth as if to say, "This conversation is over.", it would probably be useless to try and pry for anymore information then.

"All right then we'll I guess we should get going then." Yawning I got up from the couch and existed our room with Avenger following behind me. Existing my room I saw Tousaka standing by the stairs and decided to wave at her as a friendly gesture.

"Ah, a pleasant evening to you. I trust you're doing well, all things considered. You will never catch a glimpse of victory if you insist on always running away. However, facing a foe you know nothing about is lunacy. In this war, information is everything." Ugh, if I had known she would launch into a full conversation I wouldn't have waved, my stomach was seriously needing some food.

"To defeat your opponent, learn all you can about them. With your actions so far, I trust that you're capable of doing such. You don't seem like the same Master I met a few days, so I suppose I can trust you to worry about yourself."

I...think that was a compliment?

"...Thanks." I reluctantly say, I honestly didn't know she was trying to help me out. It just seemed rather...odd to say the least.

"I know how hard it is for you to show gratitude. That, and I could be just using you, right? Anyways, do your best."

I think I'd go to the library after eating something, I could probably find some info about Shinji and Leo's Servants if I looked hard enough. First however, hunger is my enemy and it shall be defeated!

On my way down the steps I was met by a Tiger.

"Hey Hakuno!" Or more precisely Taiga had popped up again.

"So did you take care of what I asked of you?" She asked with expectant look on her face. Lucky for her I had decided to carry the thing with me, call it a hunch, but I had thought I'd run into her. As a side note, I swore the kendo blade was bloodthirsty. Summoning it from the data inventory on my terminal, Taiga quickly grabbed it from me and hugged it like it was a long lost friend.

"Yay! You actually got it for me! Thank you so much Hakuno-kun!" She twirled about happily before coughing and stopping as she looked at me slightly embarrassed.

"Um...by the way... I hate to ask you for another favor, but... Hakuno, do you think you can do your lovely teacher one more teensy favor?" I would've said not now, but the look she shot me was like a puppy.

"Sure...why not?" I reluctantly say.

"Really?! Oh, thank you! Truth be known, I really need a tangerine, stat! There should be a tangerine on the second floor of the Arena. If you could get it for me before the end of the first round, I'd be ecstatic! If you manage to get it, I'll give you a rare item to help you out. Good luck!" Running off to go do whatever she did, I decided I'd see if I could pick up a tangerine for her when I got a chance.

As I walked into the lunchroom I spent a bit of money I had acquired from fighting some of the AI programs in the Arena dungeon. While the food wasn't anything special, a couple of sandwiches, it would do. Sitting down I dug into my food with vigor.

"Well, I wasn't doing anything anyways~ Wasn't lonely or anything, though, I like to let loose and snap into some snacks when I'm free. Mmm, how about that, then, just choosing to do nothing, 's comfy for sure…I'm a real winner~ I mean, everyone's just too shiny. Too serious. Too desparate. Imma leave that holy war to the PKs. So, I should have no problem just hanging back 'til the prize winner shows! I'll win without fighting, ahahaha, oh Jinako, you're a genius!"

Looking around I searched for the voice that had just spoken, after a few seconds I spotted someone sitting in a far corner of the room.

It was a girl, she wore a pair of blue jeans along with what looked like a yellow button-up shirt and black cashmere sweater. She sat there with sandwiches and snacks on the table speaking to herself, she seemed a bit odd. The way she had spoken, it seemed as if she was in denial. As if she didn't want to participate in the war in the first place.

"You should go speak to her." The voice of my Servant took me out of my thoughts.

"She's nervous and is trying to ignore that her life is actually on the line, but inside she knows with the current way she's going it's only a matter of time. I'd rather you go speak to her than have her give up before even trying, I recommend taking it slow and be yourself." She didn't accept what was occurring? That was even worse than me, I...I can't let someone continue like that.

Steeling my resolve I get up from my seat and take a deep breath as I walk over to where she sat. Seeing how she continued to mumble to herself I suppose she didn't realize I was even here.

"...Excuse me."

"Waahhh!" She fell off the bench she was sitting on and quickly scurried to the other side of the table. It seems as if, by mistake, that I ended up scaring her.

"W-what do you want?" She nervously stammered out, I kept my facial expression calm so as to not frighten her anymore.

"I saw you sitting here by yourself and thought you seemed lonely. I wanted to ask if I could sit with you." Not exactly a lie, she did seem quite lonely.

"W-What you wanted to sit with me? With me?" She pointed to herself with a blush on her face, she seemed kind of embarrassed or maybe surprised?

I simply nod in response to her question.

"Why?"

"You looked like you needed a friend, or at least someone to talk to."

"You must be joking, right? You...don't find me strange or something?" She spoke nervously as she looked at me. She was a little odd, but not really strange. With all the stuff happening she seemed pretty normal.

"I don't think you're strange at all."

"You're just saying that so you won't hurt my feelings aren't you?" She accused me as if she couldn't believe what she was hearing.

"No, I honestly think you're not strange at all."

"...Are you sure?"

"Yes. Compared to everything else that's going you're nowhere near strange, in fact you're actually rather normal." For a moment I thought I saw her eyes tear up a bit, but it was quickly replaced by a smile on her face.

"Normal, huh? I haven't been called that before, it's nice. Well then, you can be this Jinako Carigiri's first real friend! What's your name?"

"Hakuno Kishinami, it's nice to meet you."

"So...do you like video games?"

---

It was a bit later that I found myself heading to the chapel due to something the NPC Kotomine had told me. What he told me being that it was possible for me to increase the power of Servant by going there.

I push open the heavy door to the chapel and go inside, it is dark and eerily silent. ...I get the strange feeling that this place is completely cut off from the rest of the world. There's no one in the pews. As I get used to the dim light, a flash colours assaults my eyes.

These two women, they didn't seem alike at all. They might've both given off an aura of power about them, but it was obvious that they barely tolerated each other. I decided to try and conclude my business here fast.

"Hey there, welcome to the chapel. You're here to perform an Alteration of the Soul, right?" The one with fiery red hair spoke first before the other person in the room spoke up.

"Ah, you're that... What was it again? ...Odd, I can't remember the last time I forgot something. Well, it's not like the details matter. And the more test subjects the better, I always say. Welcome to the Eden of the East. I assume you're here for an Alteration of the Soul?"

They kept saying that term Alteration of the Soul as if it was something everyone knew, I guess it had something to do with strengthening the Servant. I guess the red haired one realized I didn't have a clue about it as she speaks up.

"You don't know what the Alteration of the Soul is, but you came here anyway? Amateur."

"Well, what is it then?" I ask, she wasn't wrong about me being an amateur. Without memories I relied on instinct and books mainly. If I hadn't remembered that I was a magus, or wizard, to begin with I fear what could've happened.

"Alteration of the Soul? What is it, you ask? Hmm... Simply put, you link your soul to your Servant's. When a Master's rank increases, we can strengthen the link. That's done by hacking into each soul and choosing what to improve." The fiery redhead picked up the topic from here.

"Well, it's like my sister said. My job is to perform Alterations made possible by various events."

Sister... Are these two really related? I was about to ask if they were really sisters, but a sudden wave of hatred from the two stops me.

"You get the gist of it, right? If you want to do an Alteration of the Soul, let me know. As for that creature over there, she's totally useless, like 8-track tapes or the C:\ prompt." The red haired one says, she must not really like her sister.

"And you're lower than dirt. Don't screw up or the Moon Cell will come down on you...again."

"Gah! How many times do I have to tell you that the Master was at fault...that time! They specifically told me to do quasi-legal Alterations, so I added a few...extra skills."

"Laugh now, but it wouldn't be funny to the one who lost because of your towering incompetence. Listen well, boy. If you value your life, do not put any trust in that "thing's" abilities. If I were you, I'd stick to regaining the spiritual statuses your Servant may have lost." Well, that was interesting but still one question remained.

"So...what should I address you two as then?" I asked politely.

"Name's Aoko." The crimson haired one said.

"You can refer to me as Touko I suppose. You're slightly more interesting than the other Masters after all."

So the red haired one was Aoko, and the one with blue hair was Touko. I'd keep that in mind, though their names seemed a bit similar. I wouldn't comment on it, for safety reasons. My current rank was 5, I knew this by checking my terminal, so I guessed I should be able help my servant quite a bit seeing as I probably started at rank 1.

"Well then, what do you say we try an Alteration right now?" Aoko asked me, and seeing as my fight with Shinji is fast approaching, I said yes.

It was strange, my vision was suddenly encompassed by numbers and I could see the different stats of my Servant. The experience was slightly disorienting, but using the points I had apparently acquired from ranking up I decided to raise his strength, defences, and magical ability. After my selection I could that Aoko had gotten up from her chair and was typing on what seemed to be a holographic keyboard.

A red light formed around my Servant after a few moments, it was like an enormous amount of energy was building up. All of a sudden it seemed to explode outwards in an explosion of light and when it dissipated my Servant stood there with a pleased look on his face.

"The tuning process was very successful it seems. I regained some more of my power. When we get a chance we should test it out in the Arena." I believed him, he definitely felt stronger.

"Now what? Do you need another alteration?" I was fine now, but I could see that something was weird with the way she had done it. As if it was fundamentally wrong. I guess I should ask her sister.

Aoko when it seemed useful, but only just barely. No...that wasn't right, it's more like Aoko isn't really suited for this particular task. Even a pseudo-magus, I didn't really consider myself a fully fledged magus, like me can see that. For some reason, I had thought that all things Servant-related were going to be the preserve of Touko instead.

"Are you better with Alterations than Aoko?" I bluntly asked.

"What was that? Oh yes, I'm far more skilled at Alterations than Aoko. By a factor of ten or so..."

"I hate having to take Touko's abuse every day. I'll try to control my rage...for now." Even as she says that, I can see veins popping out on Aoko Aozaki's clenched fists.

"Aren't you exaggerating a little...? I mean, ten times is a large difference." I was amazed that Aoko didn't immediately throttle Touko after her snide and offensive comment.

"Why are you so surprised? And I wasn't trying to be snide, merely honest. In this case, shutting up and accepting her place beneath me is the only thing Aoko can do."

"Grrrrr..." Aoko gnashes her teeth in rage at that statement from Touko.

"But, if you're so talented... Why aren't you doing the Altercations then?"

"I have other things to attend to. Not to mention all of the stuff Kokutou dumped on me.. Right now, I'm simply keeping an eye on my lowly sister so she doesn't accidently kill someone. So just ignore me. If you need to perform an Alteration of the Soul, ask the monkey over there."

Well I'd gotten all the information I could here, I suppose I should go to the Arena now. Kotomine had told me that apparently the second floor was now open. Walking out of the Chapel I heard a commotion going on.

There's something going on in the garden. When I go to look, I see Shinji causing trouble...again. It appears that Shinji is being thrown out of the chapel after angering that old man. I wonder how I hadn't noticed them.

"A chapel is for quiet reflection. I do not know who your god is, but you should know that much." The old man wore pieces of armour as if he was a knight and with his disposition I figured he was or at least had been a knight at some point.

"Sorry, my bad! I'm an atheist...swear to god!" Shinji remarks snidely.

"Hmph. I have always believed that the Japanese were polite. I guess I was misled. Leave this place at once. The gates of heaven will remain closed to the unbeliever. It appears that in your haste to learn how to fight, you forgot to learn dignity and respect." With that the old man walked back into the chapel, going right past me.

"I really hate old geezers like you, always talking down on me! When it comes to fight, you can bet your ass I'll be teaching you a thing or two!" Walking away surrounded by female NPCs Shinji left. I was rather happy I hadn't been dragged into that.

: : The second cipher key has been generated on the second floor.

On my way to the Arena my terminal beeped signifying that the second key has been created. I need to get it before the battle three days from now. This also reminded me of the fact I needed to go the library as well. Which should I do first then Library or Arena?

"I recommend you go to the Library, seeing as I'm a bit stronger we can afford to lose a bit of time in the Arena so we should continue investigating. Especially since we got some good info on who the boy's Servant is."

Avenger was right, seeing as it was assured that he was a bit stronger than before we could use a bit of our time today doing more investigative things. Besides what was the worst that could happen?

"Hey, look who the cat dragged in. I never expected to run into you. Oh, who am I kidding?! Ha ha, I'm just messing with you. The library is the best place to find info. I know all about you, so I expect you to go all out against me." Shinji. Running into Shinji is the worst that could happen.

"But enough about me. It looks like you're having a hell of a time finding the book you want. Unfortunately for you, I'be thoughtfully taken every book about my Servant and hid them! I thought you'd have more fun this way. I hid everything somewhere in the Arena. I wonder if a weaksauce Master like you will be able to find them. By the way, what does your Servant want in return for helping you?"

I would've said that he hasn't stated that he wants anything, but Shinji just kept rambling on as if he already knew the answer.

"Money, right? I knew it! Do your best...while you still can. Hahahahahaha! Whelp, see you around. Good luck. I hope you'll put up a little more of a fight the next time we meet in the Arena. You're starting to bore me!" Shinji walked out on that note.

"...Annoying." I couldn't help but think that he was being this annoying on purpose. Spotting an orange outfit I knew Leo was here, but as it was now I had no reason to speak to him. Besides, the Arena now held the info that I needed to gather.

Entering the second floor of the Arena I was able to tell the difference immediately, it was just that different if one was to compare it to the first floor.

"Hmm... It seems that they've managed to make it this far as well. Their presence is unmistakable. It'd be stupid to let them ambush us later so we should try and deal with them now. Master, we should try to find those books before that little punk and his Servant find us."

We traversed the place and ended up running into some new programs along the way, as well as some ones from the first floor. With Avenger's newfound strength he was able to easily handle the weaker programs and only running into a bit amount of trouble with the stronger programs.

"Master, there's a hidden passageway...hidden here. There might as well be a sign saying the book is here." Going through the passage it was only a short walk before we saw the books that were turned into a data folder.

"This speaks volumes about that boy. This definitely a place someone like him would hide something. It looks like it'd be worth the time to root through the other data folder over there."

Obtained Faded Journals.

There it is. The books that Shinji was so desperate o keep hidden appears to be a diary along with pages of parchment. It is so old that the ink has begun to fade, but I am able to read the name of a ship, the Golden Hind, the names of several islands, and the partial manifests of hijacked ships.

This must be the ship's log of a pirate that sailed the high seas. It must've been constructed with a fairly powerful program since Shinji was obviously unable to delete this folder and had to hide it here.

"...Hm. Her true name has faded away, but this diary should prove very valuable in discovering her identity. Very, very interesting. I can see why the boy wanted to hide it so badly. This case is almost closed." Somehow the detective hat was once more on Avenger's head. It was only a few minutes later that Shinji made an appearance.

"...Heh! You must be getting really desperate if you're searching for info in a place like this! Anyway, too bad for you. You came all this way just for me to take that book away from you."

"What's wrong? I expected you to follow up with your jackass-like laughter, maybe you're starting to get nervous. It's time to give this boy a lecture, Master. Using this spear of mine I will show this boy the consequences of giving away information!" With a spear forming in his hand Avenger rushed forward.

If the previous battle had been close, this one could be said to slide into the favor of Avenger. His spear shattered any bullets that came his way and was able to avoid taking much damage.

"Hah!" Tapping his spear against the ground chains suddenly wrenched around Shinji's Servant and kept her in place as Avenger slammed the blunt side of his spear into her stomach and knocked her back.

"That was a nice trick, heh." The smirk on her face made me slightly nervous and as large barrels formed behind her my nervousness was justified.

"Culverin Cannons." The cannon fire made me shut my eyes in fear of what could potentially happen, but my fear unfounded. Not feeling any pain, I opened my eyes and saw a wall of detoriating chains. They must've protected us.

"Nice try. My turn now." It seemed instantaneous as Avenger's spear once more slammed into Shinji's Servant knocking her right into Shinji, putting both of them on the ground. As Shinji returned to his feet he seemed in disbelief.

"N-No way... How could I possibly lose? D-Don't start getting cocky now! And anyway, the SERAPH is watching. I'll be victorious in the end!" With that he ran away, teleported away if I wanted to be exact.

"Wow, I expected an excuse from him but that was just...cringe worthy. Anyway, I've realized a few things during our fight with them. First off, that book must be his Servant's and it appears to be a ship's log... Judging by the ship's battery that Servant just unleashed on us I can determine her class. Her prowess with vehicles is really advanced; that means without a doubt she is a Rider."

My terminal beeped in accordance to Avenger making this announcement.

"Well, now that we've got what we came for, I don't see a problem with us taking off now. Although we could go track down the Trigger right now, too. Stay and search or go and rest; it's up to you."

It was up to me then. We were well equipped to continue on and despite the fact that we may end up running into even stronger programs I think we can do this.

"Let's keep going."

"Alright, Master. Let's go."

Day 4 Morning - Midday - Evening- Night

I collapsed on the couch as soon as we returned to my room. We had a bit of a close call with one of the enemy programs, Avenger had apparently been a bit tired but managed to pull ahead just barely. It was quite nerve wracking. Along with that I managed to get the tangerine for Taiga, my second cipher key, and found a couple new formal wear that would help out a bit. While today was tiring, it was very rewarding.

"It seems I still don't have much power at my disposal despite my showing against Rider. While it looked like I had the upper hand, I have a feeling that she was holding back because I only got hits off when I surprised her. Well, all that matters today is that you got a feel for the importance of information. You probably noticed half the prep period has passed. Only thing we need to worry about now is gathering more information since we got both keys, maybe we can make me a bit stronger as well."

We had gained a lot of information today and I think that I was getting slightly more used to this process. With Avenger by my side I was quite more confident, and I had also made a friend.

Jinako...I wonder how her day was. Mine was rather hectic now that I think about it. Maybe one of these days I could just take it easy, apparently Jinako had games we could play here. Yawning I felt myself slowly drift to sleep, hopefully tomorrow will be better. I could use a break.​

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Innocence Part 3

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Day 6

Morning - Midday - Evening - Night

Yesterday, I had taken a break from my usual routine and hung out with Jinako. It had been really fun seeing as she had somehow hacked video games into this world. Asking her how she had done it had gotten me the response that she was a genius, and honestly I didn't doubt her much. Though, she needed to clean up her room because it was littered with junk food and anime.

"Are you prepared for the Elimination Battle tomorrow? Once it begins, there is no going back. The enemy master is just a brat, but his Servant's a pretty tough gal. Still, we'll win for sure."

The confident grin on Avenger's face reassured me quite a bit as I steeled myself a bit more for the upcoming confrontation between me and Shinji tomorrow. Having gotten both of my cypher keys I should probably go and do some last minute training, it would be bad if I lost because I decided to be lazy.

Walking through the second floor hallway I made my way towards the the first floor stairs at an easy pace, I listened to the other students, participants a voice in my mind reminded, chat amongst themselves.

"...win this round, I'm going to profess my feelings to the one I love."

"Hahaha, man that's really cheesy. Besides what makes you think you can make it past this round Maiko, no offence but you're opponent is rather strong."

"It doesn't matter how strong that red haired guy is. I refuse to die! My determination will not be vanquished!" The girl, Maiko if the person who said her name was to be believed, spoke with fervent belief. I hoped she was right, for her sake.

"...know what, though? It's just a game. If things get bad, I can still just cut the connection. So what's there to worry about? I need to chill out."

Two girls were conversing near the stairs, one of them was trying to calm their own nerves and it was understandable. A majority of people here knew the risks, that if you you died. However, a piece of me hoped that wasn't true. Walking down the stairs I took a deep breath to calm myself, I had already come this far, I couldn't doubt myself now.

I saw a familiar face standing around lazily near the bottom of the steps as I came down, it was Taiga. Her face lit up as she saw me and as I reached the bottom of the stairs she grabbed me by the arm and spun me around. Her eyes seemed to sparkle or something as she held her hands out. Pulling out my terminal I opened the inventory and clicked on the item labeled Tangerine and watched as it popped up in my hand accordingly.

"Ah, yes! You brought me the tangerine! Thank you oh-so-very much!" Grabbing the tangerine out of my hand almost as fast it appeared before pulling out a data folder, which really looked like a cube more than anything, from...somewhere.

"And here is your reward, as promised! Be sure not lose it or anything!" Pulling out a bracelet from...somewhere, she handed it to me. I wondered what it was exactly, it looked like a bracelet but more specifically it was identified as an [Enhancement Charm].

"This bracelet was made by yours truly after I got permission from the system to do so. It's a little gift I'm allowed to give students that decide to take time out of their busy schedule to help lil ol' me, but barely anyone does so." She said with a bit of a pout before she switched back to a wide smile.

"But then, you came along Hakuno and showed that you cared about your poor teacher and so you get the Enhancement Bracelet!" With a flourish of her hands the bracelet in my hands digitized and a notification from my Terminal told me it was stored in my inventory now.

"So what exactly does it do?" I asked Taiga as I thought about what it could possibly do. Knowing her it'd probably make me stronger or something of the sort. That'd be pretty nice.

"Well the term enhancement should tell you that it well enhances you. It'll make you a bit more tougher and a bit more durable than normal masters physically as long as you have it equipped, but don't expect to be fighting Servants or anything. You'd have to be as strong as me to do that!" With a grin she stuck out her arm and gripped her muscle, flexing it. She really was kind of childish, but it's not a bad thing I guess.

"Alrighty then you should go on and do whatever else you need to Hakuno before you run out of time, so shoo. Your loveable teacher is super busy anyways so bye." Before I could say anything she had ran off. She had way too much energy for her own good I noted to myself before I decided to go to the Area before I got too tired out to do even that. Walking to the end of the hallway that I was getting very familiar with, I stopped right before bringing myself into view of the door when I heard a voice.

"Shinjiii. What did I say earlier? I won't work without reward."

That annoyed feminine voice...that was Rider. That meant Shinji was there too.

"What? You want more money?! You greedy money-grubber!"

"Compliment accepted. I'm a pirate mercenary, the brighter my pile of gold the more gusto behind my gun."

"All right, already! Jeez, just hold your horses!" Bringing up a digital interface in front of him he began to rapidly type something and after a minute or so he dismissed it. "Okay, I hacked into the Arena and got it to generate more treasure, so..." His words were cut off as Rider stared at where I was as I kicked myself for not hiding better as I came out from my hiding spot behind the wall.

"Ooh. Why hello, little boy. Fancy meeting you here." The way she regarded me almost made me feel like a little boy honestly, but a reassuring arm on my shoulder allowed me to ignore her words.

"Faye! Y-You're eavesdropping on me?!"

"Um, that's not really how it is..." I had kind of just stumbled upon them on my way to go and train with Avenger in the Arena.

"...W-Well, whatever. Now you know. Some treasure was generated on the second floor of the Arena. My Servant get stronger the more she gets paid! Well, if you want any you better get there before me."

Turning to Shinji, Rider spoke.

"Hmm. Bold words, Shinji. But can someone like you really snatch all the treasure first? No, you can't! You're nothing more than a hapless, twisted knave!"

Shinji's face went red at Rider's words and he turned towards her as his arm flailed a bit in anger as started yelling at her.

"You just called me a knave?! You don't get to talk to me like that, you ungrateful Servant!" Turning away from her and calming himself a bit he looked towards me. "Okay, Hakuno. Meet you there. If you can't get in fast enough all of the treasure will be mine! Ahahahahaha!" He walked into the Arena on that note.

"Only a greedy person could love money that much. But we're the ones that would end up looking stupid if we let her power up, so let's go treasure hunting! I mean, get in their way..." Avenger quickly appeared and disappeared before I could say anything about his enthusiasm.

Shaking my head I tried to enter the Arena. Tried being the keyword, because as soon as I reached out to touch the door leading towards the Arena it felt like I ran into a wall and was flung backwards. It seems someone put up a barrier.

"Of course things couldn't be easy, looks like I'll have to figure out some way around then." I sighed a bit as I wondered on how I was supposed to get around and as I began walking away I saw a familiar face, Jinako.

"Hey Jinako." Calling out to her, she jumped a bit before looking around wildly as if trying to see who had called her before she looked over to where I was walking towards her from. She was standing by the exit that led to the Chapel, she was a bit jittery and shaking as if she were nervous or something. Maybe I should ask if she's alright.

"Oh, um...hi Hakuno buddy how are you?" She seemed to be nervous, she was fidgeting and avoiding eye contact with me. I wanted to ask her what was wrong, but I had something a little more important to ask her right now. Every minute Shinji was in there without me was another minute Rider could get stronger.

"I'm fine, but I really need your help with something if you could spare me some of your time."

"S-sure. I mean of course! You can ask of this Jinako anything and if I can help I'll try my best." She started off nervous, but her voice quickly gained enthusiasm as she shuffled in place a bit. Her stance seemed a bit more confident now.

Explaining to her my current situation with Shinji having blocked me out of the Arena and my lack of know how, memories, on how to break through the barrier, Jinako was currently in a thinking pose with hand on her chin. It kind of looked like she was stroking an imaginary beard or something, maybe it was a reference to something?

"Hmm, well before I can do anything I'll need to see the barrier first, so let's do that first." Walking over to where the arena door was at the end of the hallway she quickly began to poke and prod the entrance with an intense focus. She seemed to be really into, or maybe just really happy to help? I wasn't really too sure which one she was.

"Hakuno, I have solved the mystery of the barred entrance!" Her voice snapped me out of my thoughts. Pushing her glasses up with a finger they gained a glint to them which hid her eyes.

"What we have here is a common video game trope to bar you from going somewhere your not supposed to yet, that is to say, it's an objective linked barrier."

"So it's linked to me doing something?" That's what it sounded like from her explanation anyways.

Nodding her head she poked a finger at the door and I watched as a digital keyboard came up in front of her, I absently thought about how exactly she had done it but filed as a form of spirit hacking. She rapidly typed away at the keyboard for a moment before some sort of screen came up in front of her.

"Aha! It seems as if there are four linked energy sources in different locations around the school campus. All you have to do is go and get rid of them, and if I had to make a guess they'll probably be something like pieces of paper with sigils on them so it should be easy peasy." She looked around a bit and it looked like for some reason she was starting to get uncomfortable, but she pulled up the digital interface thing again before typing something else. After a few seconds a small ring appeared in front of me.

"That ring will glow when you're close to one of the objects. Yellow means it's close, Orange means it's in your immediate radius, and a flashing red and green means you found it."

"Thank you very much, Jinako." I said sincerely as I bowed my head slightly.

Her face lit up with a slight blush after my action, but it quickly faded when she looked around once more. It was only now that I started to realize that there seemed to be a lot of students chatting around in the hallway, I guess the school building was one of the more frequent hangouts during this time seeing as the artificial shone just as intense as it would if it was summer.

"So...I'm sorry to help and run, but I really can't handle crowds, so excuse me as I retreat back to my comfy lair." Stalking off as only someone shy could Jinako somehow managed to get through the group of people in the hallway, I wonder why exactly she can't deal with large crowds?

"It's pretty obvious she's anti-social, Master." The voice of Avenger sounded out from behind me making me turn my head to see him, but he wasn't there. How was he talking to me then?

"If you remember, when you talked to that Tousaka chick her Servant did something similar, it only makes sense that I'd be able to talk to you while in this state otherwise everyone here would almost always need there Servant to be out in the open." His words made a lot of sense now that I thought about.

"Yeah, I guess that makes sense. So what did you mean when you said that Jinako was anti-social, she seemed okay talking to me."

"Yeah, she was okay talking with the person that ignored what she perceived as her flaws and has been nice to her. Other than when she's talking to you, have you ever seen her actively out and about in the school grounds?" I tried to think of a time during this week that I had saw Jinako with some other people, but I couldn't think of one time. Maybe, Avenger had a point.

"Anyways, don't think about it too much Master. We have much more important things to do anyways, such as getting rid of those sigils. While I have no doubts of our victory tomorrow, it makes more sense for us to not allow that pirate to power up too much. We wouldn't her to actually have a chance at kicking us overboard and feeding us to the sharks."

"Yeah, let's start searching then." We needed to hurry up, we had already wasted about 15 minutes with figuring out how to get around the barrier in the first place. Hopefully these sigils wouldn't cause me too much trouble, Shinji was kind of stuck-up so I don't think that he would actually take the steps to make sure I couldn't find all four sigils easily enough.

"Let's start with the Nurse's Office." It seemed like a good starting place. Shinji had a connection to that place seeing as Sakura had been his fake sister for the preliminaries and it also gave me sometime to talk to Sakura as well, I hadn't had a lot of time to actually go and talk to her during the week with all the stuff that I had gotten caught up in.

Day 6Night

"Ugh, today was a total bust." My voice was annoyed as I looked up at the ceiling of my room as I lied on the couch. We had been to slow. By the time that we had managed to remove all of the sigils and returned back to the Arena, Shinji was walking out with a smug look on his face and a satisfied-looking Rider. He went on to gloat about how he probably should've kept with his original idea of only having two if he knew I was going to take that long with getting past them. I was questioning more and more how exactly me and him had become friends.

"Tomorrow's the Elimination Battle, Master. We're going to win, no doubts about it. I couldn't let myself lose to that brat, but there's no use getting worked up about it right now. While that pirate is probably going to be much stronger than what we had originally planned for it can't be helped, we couldn't have known that the brat would be smart enough to place the four sigils really far apart from each other. Anyways, tomorrow let's review our information before the Elimination Battle starts." Avenger's voice held an assured confidence that I felt myself getting swayed into, he never seemed worried about anything.

"How can you be so lax? If what they said is true tomorrow we might..." I trailed off as I didn't what to honestly think about it.

"Die? Yeah, if we lose then chances are we're done for, but if you're worrying about that this early on then you need to relax."

"Relax!? What do you mean relax!? How could I possibly relax knowing that me or Shinji could die just for some stupid wish!?" My voice had raised as I rose from the couch I sat on to yell at Avenger. Didn't he see how dire things were; how serious this situation truly was?

"So would you rather do nothing and die without finding anything out about yourself and accomplishing nothing?"

"What?" His words stopped my rage like a clod bucket of water washing over me.

"You wanted answers, so regardless of how nasty your path may be or how much regret you hold by the end it's your duty to see things through to the end. If you're not willing to put yourself through this pain, then maybe I shouldn't have come and helped you." Avenger's words cut deep, I had wanted answers but I didn't know I'd have to do this to get them.

"I...I'm not sure of myself honestly, but I'll fight. Even if it means one of us will probably...die...I'll still fight, I owe them and myself that much." All those people that had died without ever knowing why, I couldn't let their sacrifice be in vain.

"That's all I'm expecting of ya kid, just try your best." Avenger's words did little to reassure me and I found myself anxious of what was to come tomorrow.

Day of the Elimination Battle

A knock on my door woke me up, I had fallen asleep in my school attire so I didn't worry about having to get dressed or anything. Walking over to my door I sleepily opened it and my vision was quickly overtaken by the imposing figure of Kotomine.

"Today is the Elimination Battle. I hope you're fully prepared."

Right, the Elimination Battle is today; a day that will be the last for either Shinji or myself I noted grimly. Will someone really die today? I mean... Even though I can say the words, the idea that someone's going to die is just too surreal.

"Come to me when you are ready. You can do something trifling like stop by the commissary if needed." Apparently finished he opens my door back up and lets himself out, the door closing behind him.

The Elimination Battle has finally come. After I go to the Coliseum, I'll face Shinji in battle.

One of us will die.

I hope the information that I've collected is accurate. I should review it with Avenger now before we go. As if hearing my thoughts, Avenger appeared on the throne-like seat in front of me. The familiar detective hat was once again on his head.

"Let us begin the review!"

Pulling out my terminal I brought a page labeled "Shinji", I had stored all of the info I had gained here. Clearing my throat by coughing a tad bit, I began to read aloud my info.

"Shinji Matou. A friend of sorts from the prep period who I just can't bring myself to hate. The weapon that his Servant wields is a pair of pistols that she dual-wields, we found this out after our first confrontation. She and the socially retarded Shinji-" I didn't remember putting down that, and by Avenger's chuckling I think I know who did.

"-made a good pair of troublemakers. She's like his wild big sister. Also, Shinji hid the note he found about his Servant that told us that her Noble Phantasm was a ship. The ship's name was the Golden Hind and from her attack me and Avenger deduced that she most likely captained this ship. This led to the realization of her class being Rider."

"To add to what we have, that brat was rather relaxed at first but now that we've gained a lot of ground against him he's much more on edge."

Avenger was right, Shinji did seem to start to get more and more worried as time had passed. He's been rather annoying at times, like yesterday when he blocked me and Avenger from entering the Arena so he could his Servant's strength. Slowly but surely however, I pieced together the true identity of Shinji's Servant.

"Rider's true name is most likely Francis Drake." I could hear Avenger clap a bit as I continued. "Francis Drake, a renown pirate who circumnavigated the world around the Cape of Good Hope. A man-er, woman? Who gained instant fame after destroying the invincible Spanish Armada."

"Well done Hakuno, you'll be an ace detective in no time." Avenger's words made me smile a bit at the thought, I had at one time been the number 2 detective for the Newspaper Club so I guess I did have some experience.

"Well, at any rate, it's a lucky thing I managed to figure out her true name before the battle started. Shinji may be a idiot at times, but there's no arguing that he's an extremely talented hacker. I hope my information gathering and your strength Avenger can bridge the gap in our skill levels."

"We'll do all we can so don't worry so much. We will win, I'll make sure of it."

I really wanted to believe Avenger, but a part of me held some doubt. Getting up from the couch I walked out my room with Avenger in his astral state behind me. I was ready now, if I stopped walking I don't think I'd move forward anymore. Going towards the stairs I saw Jinako there standing around looking a little nervous, more importantly shouldn't she be fighting right now.

"Jinako, what are you doing around here?"

"Oh...uh just hanging around and stuff..." The way she said that made me a bit suspicious, but I had a more important question to ask her.

"Aren't you supposed to be in the Coliseum right about now?" I didn't what her to get disqualified or anything, she was kind of my only friend here besides Avenger and I guess Rin at times.

"Yeaaaa...I kind of won already or something." She let out a nervous chuckle at that. Was she really serious? The look on her face made me feel she was telling the truth or at least really believed what she said, if that was case how ridiculously strong was her Servant?

"That's really good, I told you that you could do it." I was happy for her. With the way she had seemed when I had first met her I had thought she going to attempt some crazy scheme and find some loophole to get out of fighting. A bright smile lit up her face as she puffed her chest out at my praise.

"Well, of course I could do it! This is your awesome friend Jinako you're talking about, Kar- her Servant is super strong and she will always win!" She flashed a peace sign my way at the end with a pose, I had caught her near slip-up but said nothing of it. She seemed really happy, no need to ruin her fun.

"Well, I guess I should be going. Wouldn't want to be disqualified for being late, wish me luck Jinako." With a wave I started to walk past her, but her cry of "Wait!" Made me stop and turn my head back around. Reaching into one of her pockets she pulled out a keychain with a little figure on it. They wore red armour and had spiky platinum blonde hair, it looked pretty cool.

"Um, what's this for?" I asked curiously?

"I-it's a good luck charm, you promised to come watch some anime with me some time so that charm will make sure you come back." The way she said that made me feel as if her words were slightly...desperate.

"Thank you, Jinako. I'll make sure to win then, well I'm off." Turning back around I waved with my right hand as I walked determinedly to what lied in wait for me. Had I stayed a bit longer I would've noticed the slight blush on Jinako's face. Seeing Kotomine on the first floor I walked straight up to him.

"You will now enter the Coliseum and confront the opposing Master. Are you ready? Remember, the only way to leave the Coliseum is to win. If you are ready, I will open the gate."

"I'm ready." His lips curled slightly at my response.

"The way to the Coliseum is now open then, young Master. I wish you the best of luck and hope that you will return or else I'm afraid you'll never get the answers you seek. Remember: It's kill or be killed."

Behind him the elevator opened, it must've scanned my terminal for the two triggers while we were talking. Walking in to the elevator I let out a calming breath as Avenger appeared behind me as we began our descent. Everything was covered in a veil of darkness, but I could see the two in front of me. Shinji and Rider.

"Look who didn't chicken out and run away. Oooh right, I forgot following directions is all you're good at." The veil of darkness faded as light peered in through the large windows on each side of the conjoined but split elevator. Outside of the large grey elevator was a digital looking background along with what looked like green bubbles floating here and there.

"Get a clue, huh? Well, you can't say I didn't show you how awesome I was in the prep period. Never in a million years are you going to defeat me. Shoulda ran away when you had the chance!"

"I might win, I might lose. I'll never know unless I give it my best shot and try."

"...Excuse me? That's some bull! Did you forget you never got the best of me at school, like, ever?! How many times do you plebes have to be reminded that you'll never be on the level of a genius like me. But, I guess I better get used to it, since nobody here can defeat me. My Servant El Draque and I are completely invincible."

He wasn't bothering with hiding the name of his Servant any longer, he must think that this battle is already decided. His gloating certainly made it seem that way I thought to myself as Shinji continued his tirade.

"Man, you have some seriously shitty luck to have gotten paired with ME in the first round. Don't worry, though. Since we're such good friends, I'll make sure you go out with a big bang! Oh, hey! Check out my great idea! You've gotta hear this, ready?"

"No thank you." I politely declined, any idea of his was one that I did not wish to get involved in if I were to be honest. It'd probably be something like me forfeiting and just letting him win and I would never do that.

"You really want to fight me, huh?" He let out a sigh as he looked at me with pitying eyes. "...You're a freaking idiot. I feel sorry for you. All this new power at your disposal is giving you inflated ego. Hey, Servant. Why don't you try talking some sense into the head of your stupid Master?"

Avenger looked towards me before grinning and patting me on my head.

"Master, you must have the kindness of Budha if you were able to extend the gift of friendship to idiot like this. I would've probably broken his jaw already had I been you." Shinji looked outrage at hearing Avenger's words.

"Whaa...?! How dare you speak about me like that! You're just a Servant!"

The mature feminine laughter of Rider made me turn my eyes towards her and I noted the coy smile on her face as she spoke.

"Hahaha, they have a point, Master."

"H-Hey! Whose side are you one?!"

"Your side, of course. You paid me, so I'll fight ably by your side. Letting them throw the match would not satisfy either of us. I dislike giving less than my full effort. Let your winning instincts take over. Everything's better if you fight for it; food, women, victory. Besides, we're villains. That means if nothing else we're allowed to be splashy. If you're going to be a villain, might as well be as flamboyant as you please. Don't hold back."

"I'm not a villain! D-Don't call me that, you...evil woman!"

"Hahaha! Temper, temper, little one! You've got big balls for being such a tiny man. I admire that." Reaching out a hand she started patting his head.

"Hey, stop! I said stop! Don't pat my head, you baboon! And you reek of alcohol!"

...They're perfect for each other. I know Masters and Servants are paired by compatibility, will their chemistry be constructive in battle?

The elevator rumbles to a halt. This must be where we're going.

"...Hmph. I was going to spare your life if you surrendered, but since everybody insists, I'll show you the vast difference in our abilities until you cry for mercy. Once El Draque's culverin makes Swiss cheese out of you, it'll be too late!"

Stepping out of the elevator what greeted us was an endless ocean, and on the ocean floor lied ships. More precisely the wreckage of an entire armada of ships lied scattered and broken with pieces of of their hull lying here and there. Looking up, I noted four wrecked ships floating along in the mid-water. They must be the remains that were from the Arena's second floor.

Amidst the vast wreckage, two ships stood out among all the others. Remarkably intact, their hulls lied gently upon the ocean floor where we stood. Me and Avenger stood on the fore of the ship we stood on while Shinji and his Servant took their spot on the fore of the opposite ship.

"Once this over we'll never have to bother with this brat again. Right, Master?" Avenger's words were filled with confidence. "Seeing as she boosted up quite a bit I'm not sure how much strength I'll have to use this round so I might not be able to show off or anything. Just know that I plan on winning."

"All bark and no bite. Right? That's what they say, isn't it? Well, that's you! I'm gonna humiliate you so bad that after this game you'll never crawl out of your mom's basement!" Shinji goaded us, but I was so used to it that his words seemed to fall flat at this point.

"Oh, so your goal isn't just victory, but humiliation? What a greedy little boy you are, Shinji. Very well, I'll bring the rope for you to truss them up. Tie them to the mast or whatever your little heart desires."

"Don't even think about going easy on them, El Draque. They should have backed down when they could." Rider shrugged at Shinji's words.

"Hmph, mercy isn't in my vocabulary. I have a thirst for the finer things in life, and that is all I care for. I may not always have good fortunes, but with humans or bombs, there's a certain fatal inevitability to life. Now, are you ready to go for broke? It's time to splurge!"

What power do you hold in your hands...?

Dancing flames, decaying Earth, withered ocean.

Live or Die by the Sword.​

"Why don't we start the day with a good 'ol sinking?" Her voice pierced the distance as she rose one of her pistols into the air. Portholes materialized behind her, the silhouette of her Culverin Cannons poking through.

"We need to move." I quickly voiced my concerns to Avenger, but was only met with a cocky grin in return. Tapping the inky black spear that I was becoming accustomed to against the hull of the ship planks began to rise, each of them stretching and becoming the same inky black as the spear.

"Let's send em to Davy Jones' Locker!" She cried out, twirling away from the cannons as they opened fire on her opponents, belching iron and smoke.

Even with the makeshift barrier in front of us, I almost fell as the shockwave from the explosion sounded. My ears were ringing and it made it hard to hear, but as we jumped down into the hole of the ship as smoke clouded around us I could just barely make out the words Avenger started to say.

"-at was pretty close. I doubted the strength of those cannons a bit too much, had they been any stronger they would've torn through that blackened wood and done quite the bit of harm." Avenger spoke amusedly despite the rather serious look on his face, from the way he kept shifting his eyes around made me think he was taking in the area.

We appeared to be in one of the sailor's room if I had to make a guess. The room was rather bare, with only a plain white cot in the northernmost corner along with a small wooden desk next to it. It was kind of dark but there seemed to be some sort of light around us that allowed me to see rather easily.

"So...you weren't sure that move would've protected us?" My words came out filled with disbelief once my mind ran through what Avenger had just said to him.

"Kind of. I had a vague estimate of how strong they were and if I am to be honest I did lower the barrier's strength a tad bit, but I was confident it would protect us or at least you anyways." Avenger shrugged his shoulders a bit as he turned to walk out of the room and I rushed after him.

"Weren't you worried about yourself?" I asked him as he rose his spear up in what I vaguely think was a batting stance and swung it straight at the wall in front of us. The wood easily shattered under the spear's force and splintered as it fell down to the ocean floor below.

"Just a bit. Now, more importantly, we need to move."

Grabbing onto me, Avenger quickly jumped out just as another rain of cannon fire came down upon where we were.

"Tch. I don't have much I can do about that cannon fire honestly, guess I'll just have to improvise then." If the look on his face wasn't serious, I would've thought he was joking currently. As we landed against the ocean floor Avenger was quick to move us out of immediate sight by using the smoke as our cover and goig to the other side of the boat.

"Why don't you just use those chains of yours to grab Rider?" I spoke up quietly as Rider tried looking around for us, from this far away I could just barely make out the smirk on her face. I think she thought that this was fun, I would admit that made me nervous just a bit.

"Well, besides it not really stopping her from using those cannons, it stops me from using the spear which lessens my combat ability quite a bit. As long as I can't lessen the gap between us this becomes a slanted battle of attrition."

This was a bad situation I thought to myself, if Avenger couldn't get close then we would lose. I couldn't let that happen, not after things had just started to become a bit more clear.

Creeaak...

A loud creaking sound made me look up and I noticed something rather dreadful. The ship was tilting over...onto the side me and Avenger were currently on. Oh shi- before I could complete that thought I had been grabbed up and tossed away. Hitting the rather solid sand multiple times over and over hurt much more than a I thought it would, my arms and back were sore and I had bit my tongue at least twice.

"Aghhh." I let out a groan as I turned towards where the ship was from my position on the ground, just in time for it to fall fast to the ground sending up a cloud of sand and dust.

"Avenger..." Could he have...not been able to move fast enough? The ship had collapsed fast yes, but even then I doubt that he'd be caught by something like that. He was a Heroic Spirit...he couldn't be beaten this easily right?

"Hahahahahaha! Look at the helpless look on your face Hakuno, it's priceless. Did you really think that you stood any chance against me." Shinji's voice bellowed from above me forcing me to look at where he stood on the other ship.

"Your servant was a bit too fast so I slowed him up with some created NPC's while hacking the foundation of that ruined boat along with some other stuff. Against me and El Draque you had no chance." The smugness in his voice was all too apparent to me, it made me really want to punch him in the face.

"Anyways, why hasn't the system declared me the winner yet El Draque? I mean Hakuno's Servant was crushed by that rubble, no way that weakling could've escaped."

"And that's where you're wrong."

Looking above me I saw it, a black streaking bullet struck the front of the ship and the effect was immediate. Wood splintered, fractured, and dissolved as the resulting explosion took out a huge chunk of the large pirate ship. With the way it soon began to collapse afterwards I guessed that the foundation of it was hit too.

The crunching of sand made me turn my head backwards quickly and I was quickly filled with relief as I saw him. Standing there with his arms stretched above his head and grinning was Avenger, my relief was dulled however when I noticed that he was wounded.

Their were scratches scattered on his torso from where it seemed pieces of the wood had nicked him along with a nasty looking cut on his left arm. Rather surprisingly, his overall attire didn't seem to have taken much damage, it seemed kind of odd. Avenger didn't look very injured despite the damage done to him, if anything he seemed rather...annoyed if anything. Standing there with his right arm extended Avenger was waiting for Rider and Shinji to come out, I somehow just knew that hadn't done them in.

"You were cutting things way too close you idiot! I mean if you had been even a second later I could've lost. I would've lost to Hakuno of all people! The bland background character would've beaten me." Why? Despite the fact that I knew Shinji thought very little of me, why did his words sting a bit?

"Insulting your enemy even after they almost made a fool out of us, huh? You're truly a villain in the makings aren't ya boy?" Stepping out of the dust cloud and onto the sand were Shinji and Rider. Shinji didn't look much worse for wear besides the amount of wood chips and dust lining his outfit and Rider was much the same.

"Well Master, they've taken away our advantage here so it looks like I'll have to actually fight now. It's a shame too I liked keeping our enemies scurrying like dogs, though I suppose I wouldn't have it any other way. A victory just isn't as sweet if the enemy's boat is already sunk before the battle." Taking a stance of some sort with her twin pistols she smirked.

"Now, let's fight for the treasure called victory."

Dashing forward, Avenger struck with his spear at a speed that made it seem as if he was a blur. His spear was poised to pierce straight through Rider but was met by the twin pistols she carried. Shifting the position of her gun a bit she tried to aim it at Avenger, but was forced back as sharpened tendrils branched off of the spear to get her. She didn't let the new surprise scare as she let out a hail of bullets at Avenger.

His spear seemed to move even faster than before as he twirled it so fast that the bullets were unable to get past. The bullets kept coming at Avenger for a good minute, though the only thing they served to do was annoy him if the expression on his face was of any indication.

Avenger dodged around the bullets roughly, trying not to get hit by them, but he was beginning to get grazed every now and then. Changing his tactics, Avenger threw the spear in his hand towards Rider with enough strength to make the air make an after effect. Rider dodged out of the way and let a smirk nearly come to her face only to be met with a fist in her face, knocking her backwards with a loud cracking sound.

"I've been taking it easy on you, but now..." Avenger hunched down with his arm hanging limply down at his sides as a malicious smile came to his face. The thick chains around his belt grew and floated behind him in tendrils, they looked like four snakes with the way they rattled and slivered back and forth.

"I'm going to go wild!" Avenger let out a beastial howl, the sound was filled with malicious intent. The air became heavy and it became hard to breath, I tried to calm my nerves but even after sucking in as deep a breath I could I still was shaking a bit.

Dashing forward even faster than before his arms blurred as Rider barely managed to get the twin pistols in her hands up to block. The force behind the blow was enough to send her flying into the rubble of the ship that Shinji was in front of. Looking at Shinji I took in the panic in his face as he began to ramble.

"C-come on this can't be happening! Rider can't be losing, right? I...I just got to help her then." A smirk crossed his face as he pulled up what seemed to be a digital terminal in front of his face and began rapidly typing. "Rider better thank me after this, I have to bail her out of this mess when it's her job to protect me."

What was Shinji planning I thought as I stood off to the side, my thoughts were drawn away from Shinji as another portion of the wooden hull shattered as Rider was sent through it with a loud crackling noise.

"Things are looking rather dire, aren't they boy?" Rider had quickly leaped over to Shinji's side and looked rather worse for ware. Her jacket was ripped and tattered here and there with the entire right sleeve gone along with the arm being covered in what looked like black ash.

"Tch, whatever. Things are going to start being in our favorited right about...now." As he finished Avenger had jumped out of the hull, but as soon as he touched the ground he was stuck. Hands and faceless NPC's raised out of the ground and grabbed him holding him in place. As the chains around his waist tried to skewer the data holding him in place more would quickly form as a NPC was destroyed.

"Use your Noble Phantasm now Rider!" Shinji's voice rang out full of confidence as I hung back and watched Rider hop backwards. Raising her gun up into the air, the effect was immediate as a fog rolled in.

Remember my name by the death from my passing! Temeroso el Draque!

There were hundreds of them. As the fog rolled in all I could see were ships that littered the fog and the many cannons that seemed to be aimed at Avenger and...me. On the forefront of the ship was a madly grinning Rider.

I am the woman who set the sun!

Avenger struggled to get out of the grips of the NPC's but no matter how much he struggled and destroyed them there always seemed to be another one that would form and grab him at a different angle to prevent him from getting away. What was I supposed to do? If Avenger couldn't get free we were both done for. I...I couldn't do anything but watch could I? I was helpless, but I didn't want to be. I wanted to help, I wanted Avenger to live, I didn't want to die here.

Avenger turned towards me as if sensing my plight and grinned. Why...why was he grinning while our situation was so bleak?

"Ya know, despite your faults I do believe in ya. So I know you can get us out of this mess partner."

You rascals, it's time!

Why did he believe in me? I hadn't done anything to deserve such trust. Despite the many times that I tried to assure myself, despite the many times Avenger had tried to reassure me I always doubted myself. I can't possibly let him down, I need to do something now! Shinji had been able to hack and create those NPC's so maybe...maybe I could get rid of them. They needed to meet a certain set of conditions for me to do this, but I think this counts. As I stick my hand forward it erupts with golden glow as I focus in on the NPC's. I winced as an arc of pain shot up my arm, but ignored it and continued to do what I was doing. I didn't have a lot of time to work with, but I had to do this. It was the only that could save us.

The king of storms,

Come on faster, I have to work faster!

a swarm of ghosts,

Come on now just a little bit more!

this is the beginning of-

Please just one more second!

the Wild Hunt!

Upon her words and the crack of her pistol, the entire Coliseum was engulfed in a thunderous ear-splitting roar of cannon fire. The cannon fire from the hail of ships eclipsed the battlefield in a torrent of flames and smoke, and all of it had been aimed at one target. Avenger. Amidst it all, the only other audible sound was the almost insane cackling of the English Privateer.

Moments turned to seconds before turning into minutes, the area bombarded with a constant hail of dust and fiery iron. All around and through the thick smoke, exploding shrapnel only added to the din and chaos of the Arena.

And finally, after what felt like an endless torrent, the rain of fire petered out and died down. And just as they had appeared, the cannons quickly returned to the void, the Golden Hind sailing back into the fog.

And replacing it all was a stunned and cowed silence.

"Hahaha! That's what you get for challenging a genius Hakuno! You're little Servant isn't nothing more than a fleshy little sponge blown to chunks." Shinji's voice carried itself around the Coliseum ignoring the cloud of dust and sand that lingered. "You gained a new power and let it go to your head, huh, Hakuno?"

All that answered him was silence, the dust from Rider's barrage slowly fading away as minutes passed by. As the dust cleared the field was littered in craters and was barren of life. Even the scattered shipwrecks were blown to nothingness.

"Hah! Guess I can't expect any sort of answer seeing as you've been blown to smithereens!" He let out a haughty laugh, assured of his victory as Rider walked up beside him.

"Gyayaya! Now that's the type of rush one can only get from a worthy conquest!" Rider laughed boisterously, it appeared they had won.

"Now, you didn't think you could get rid of me that easily, did you?" High above them me and Avenger floated in the sky. He had taken an inky black form and out of his back grew pitch black wings. I shivered as the malevolence this form radiated tried to seep into my very core, it was as if he was made up of the hate, strife, and despair of many. All of those things tried to latch onto me, but whether it was due to Avenger being my Servant or my own force of will, I managed to keep it from getting to me too much. More importantly-

I was still alive, I had made it in time. I was able to delete those programs off of Avenger, I had been right in using my magic even though my arm still felt like hundreds of needles were being inserted into it.

"Master, I'm going to use one of my Noble Phantasms to end this in one strike, so please don't be too mad at me for this." What did he mean? I suddenly found out as he threw me even higher in the air with chains wrapped around me.

"Well crap!" I was panicked as I began to fall what seemed to be a thousand feet or so.

Anger and Rage...

I couldn't see what was happening, but I could feel the amount of energy being charged up as I fell to the ground that was getting closer.

Pain and Strife...

I could see Rider and Shinji gloating down there unaware of the fact that Avenger and me were still alive. Whatever Avenger was about to do he needed to do it quickly, the ground was beginning to get a little to close for my own sake.

Be consumed utterly...

I was probably only 500 or so feet from the ground and I was beginning to fear for my life a bit, but I trusted Avenger to not let me die. He had to have thought about how much time it would take for him to do this before he actually went and did his Noble Phantasm, right? ...Well, whatever the case I had to trust him. My life was literally in his hands right now.

By this Accursed Flame.

It was over in an instant. For the brief second that I saw it had been a scene familiar to me, it was like hell on Earth. It had reminded me of the dream that I had had only a short while ago. I could see Rider get engulfed in flames and being scorched by the fire. The way it had clung to her for that moment, was as if the fire was actually grabbing her and trying to consume her. It was...disturbing.

Just as I was about to hit the ground I felt myself being yanked upwards.

"Gotcha. That was too close, almost had to rely on those chains making sure you didn't die."

I ignored Avenger in favor of looking at the defeated form of Rider. There were burns covering her from her neck down. Her coat was burnt to ashes leaving her in the white corset she wore under it and I looked away as I saw exactly how bad the burns littering her arms and legs were. One of her hands had been nothing but a cauterized stump, it showed me just how bad those flames were. Whatever those flames were, it certainly wasn't normal. I guess that this was why Avenger had been so confident.

"Wh-What the hell?! How did my Servant get defeated?! No matter how you look at it, I'm the best! I can't lose to someone in the first round! It...It's YOUR fault, El Draque! This happened because you suck!" Shinji was in disbelief as he looked between me and his own Servant.

From where she lied on the ground Rider managed to push herself up onto her elbows and spoke.

"...Huh? Flogging a waterlogged sailor, are we? It won't reverse our fortunes, Master."

"Argh! If you've got the energy to talk back, then go fight! There's no way I'm losing this!"

"Hmm, I don't think that's happening. Whatever those flames were...they did much more than just burn me on the outside, I can feel my heart slowing. I'm going to disappear."

"Say what?! You think you can run away and leave me here? I lost because of you!"

"...My fault? Perhaps. Or it could have been carelessness. Or a lack of tenacity, luck, ability, etc... Well, whatever. Fortune is fickle and fate is what we make of it. We lost for a reason. We may be strong, but we didn't have what it takes to win."

"Why are you making it sound like somebody else's problem? I did what I'm supposed to do! I'm the best! It wasn't supposed to happen like this. You ruined everything by becoming my Servant! Useless! Damn it! I can't believe I lost! This game sucks! Suuucks!"

"Master, the boy has been defeated let us take our leave before this reaches it's climax. When we get back, you should take a nap because you seem rather tired."

"...Okay." My words were dead as I remembered what it truly meant to win.

"Hey... W-Wait! Hey! I've got an idea. How about you declare that I won the battle? B-B-Because, you know, you just won this battle by accident! There's a 100% chance you'll lose in the second round. But I'll win in it for sure. Think about it. Isn't it better for one of us to keep winning than for you to lose in the next round? Hey... Wait. I said wait! Can't you see the equation? I'm saying I'll share the Holy Grail with you!"

"Cut it out, Shinji. You've lost and you know it. You can't change what happened."

"Shut up! We lost because of YOU! What makes you think you have the right to act so bossy?! ...Damn it. Argh, you may have won this one game Hakuno, but don't get a big head over it. In real life, I'm still a champion! Listen, when I go home, I'm gonna figure out who you really are and..." Suddenly Shinji panicked as his arm began to turn pitch black.

"Wha? Wh-What the hell is going on? M-My body's...disappearing?! I've never logged out like this!"

As a transparent orange wall formed between us Shinji lets out a desperate cry as his arms, legs and torso gradually fizzle into blackness.

"Losers die in the Holy Grail War. As a Master, you should have known that, Shinji." El Draque said as she lied in the sand, propped up on her elbows.

"What?! D-Die?! But just our avatars get erased, right? There's no way you can DIE in a virtual world..."

"Yes. You lose, you die. This is a "war," not a "game." Most everyone who joins this war ends up dead. The sole survivor is the only one who can go home alive."

"Wha... No way! That isn't funny...! But it's a tournament! So it's a game, right? Right?! Aaagh... Wh-Why isn't this stopping?! D-Do something! Isn't a Servant supposed to help their Master?!"

"If it was easy to break the rules, they wouldn't have created them in the first place. But, well...the good and bad both are sent off to another world in the end. It's nothing to complain about."

"Acting like you know so much...! Aren't you ashamed at all?! First you lose...and now this...?!"

"Hmm? Am I ashamed! Of course I am. I'm so disgusted with myself that I could throw up. But, I already knew this was a possibility. Remember what I told you when we made our contract, little boy? Be prepared, because a villain's final moments are laughably miserable!" She gives a hearty laugh, even as her body is being erased by the system.

"Considering the things you've done, this isn't such a bad death. Just let yourself go, Shinji. And you folks over there, let's hear some laughter, huh? It's sad when a clown can't get a laugh from their crowd."

Looking directly towards me she spoke.

"May the rest of your journey go well. I'd like it if you ended up stronger than me. In life, I fought against military ships. It's against my nature to enjoy fighting weaker opponents." Turning a forced smile my way, the female pirate disappeared. She was a great navigator, and the first person to circumnavigate the world. In her final moments, she went out laughing. Now that she's gone... Shinji must know what his fate is.

"H-Hey! Who gave you permission to disappear like that?! You gotta help me! Don't leave me! Oh... Oh god...! Then, you! You help me! If it weren't for you, I wouldn't be in this situation right now! You owe me!"

His pleas became more desperate as I could only watch as he faded away slowly.

"Nooo, no... I'm disappearing! Agh, didn't we used to be friends?! Help me! Waahhh! I'm really disappearing! Why? Why does it feel like I'm going to die in real life, too?! What the hell?! This is crazy...! Help! Why aren't you helping me?! I'm only eight years old! I don't want to die yet-"

Those were his last words, he's gone. The person known as Shinjou Matou has been erased from existence. The only thing that he has left behind...is me. The victor. Tears streamed down my face and I sunk to my knees, I hadn't been prepared for something like this. Is this what awaited all that loss?

-And so, round one of the Holy Grail War comes to a close.

The fight is over. I have won and Shinji has lost. And so, Shinji met death. ...Can it be true? I know what I saw, but it doesn't feel real. Has his life been lost forever? Just because I won? Without any explanation or greater meaning? Stepping out of the elevator I was met by a familiar person.

"It appears that the first round is now over."

I wonder how long I stood there dumbfounded. When I finally came to, Rin Tousaka was staring at me.

"Even though Shinji was the one who chose to fight you, he's the one that ended up dead. The reigning game champion of Asia is defeated. The moron didn't have a clue how to fight for his life. Such is the fate of any magus who treats the Holy Grail War like a game. A pathetic way to die, no?"

"Do not talk about Shinji in such a way." I automatically opened my mouth to defend the dead from desecration. The only sign of my anger was my clenched fists as I stared up at her.

"In a battlefield like this, there is no point in exalting the dead. As a Magus he should've known the consequences if he lost."

The look in her eyes and her words drove home a message: on the field of battle, losers die. It should have been obvious, but apparently not to Shinji and I.

"The winner of the Holy Grail War can be granted any wish. However, there is only one winner. Everyone who enters has wishes and dreams, things they desire to have at any cost. Things worth dying for. You don't seem to have regained any of your memory yet. ...It's better that way. To lack a motive, that is. But you should at least be mentally prepared. If you're not ready to be kill or be killed, it'd be better to go hide under a rock."

"I know I should, but really is this the only option? To kill each other just so we can have a chance to obtain a wish? Is this the sort of messed up war this is?!" My anger had finally flowed into my voice, but Tousaka remained indifferent.

"Hide from reality if you like, but round two will inevitably come. No remaining Master thinks they can win without being prepared."

She's right.

As much as I don't want to admit it Rin is right about this.

Everyone who makes a stand here fights with a strong will. I doubt that there's a single one that I could defeat without a hard fight first. I don't have much of a reason to fight, but despite that I want to live.

That said, what right do I have to trample other people's dreams?​