Nasuverse Holding Back the Sea

[Ryuugi]

XxXXxX

The Noble Phantasm closest to BerserkerÆs legend, Perseus, was not a æphysical objectÆ or even a æway of attacking.Æ Rather, it was a æset of abilitiesÆ that defined his legend.

PerseusÆ effect was simpleùit granted Berserker Divine Authority over his fatherÆs dominions. But Berserker was an illegitimate child, born against a sworn oath, whose very existence was considered a mistakeùhe has no rightful claim to that authority.

And yet, the sea obeyed him. Though it was being his fatherÆs son that gifted him with his power, it could not be his fatherÆs authority that he wielded, for he had no need to call upon his father to wield it and could use it in lands beyond the gods.

Then where did his power come from?

When he became a Heroic Spirit, his legend crystalized into an answer that was never given.

ùHis authority was a result of Deception. His father broke his oath and deceived the world. His mother hid him away and deceived the world. And so his birth, from which he drew his power, was shrouded in æDeception.Æ

And so, his authority, too, was æDeception.Æ

The Noble Phantasm Perseus functions by affecting not any single target, but the æTruth.Æ Over the Truth that says he has no right, it writes his Divine Authority. It says that he has that power over the dominions of his father, because it is his rightù

ùOr rather, it says that he is the God of those Dominions.

It is æThe Deception of Divinity,Æ because it says that he is Divine. Giving him power on par with a Divine Spirit by deceiving the world into thinking he is one.

ùAnd when he touches the water, perhaps even his body is caught up in the lie and thinks itself ædivine.Æ

XxXXxX

A hundred foot tall wave was not enough to defeat a Heroic Spirit. Of course, Berserker knew that, but it accomplished exactly what it was intended to do.

It went without say that in a battle of Heroic Spirits, not matter how good or legendary one was, fighting four other Heroes is dangerous, at best.

But even if a huge wave would not kill Servants, it could still hurt themùwhich meant it would kill their MasterÆs, if they got hit.

And any ServantÆs first reaction to a threat on their MasterÆs would be to protect them.

Rider and Saber had masterÆs present in separate locations. He didnÆt know about Archer and Lancer, but their masters could be present as well. As a result, with this single wave, he broke a group of four nto four separate people in different locations, all scrambling in different directions.

As such, instead of having to fight four opponents at once, he could pick who to fight first and battle them alone. Then heÆd move on to the next or retreat, as needed.

Deciding one his first target was simple.

Archer, while his primary target as the Servant of Tohsaka Tokiomi, was not his priority. For starters, he was a complete unknown. Second of all, Berserker knew where to find him later, if he needed tooùthe Tohsaka manor. Even if he wasnÆt there, Berserker could just go after his master until he used a Command Seal to summon him. If at all possible, he wanted to use this chance to get rid of his MasterÆs enemy, but it wasnÆt absolutely necessary. His presence here had just made this opportunity that much better.

Rider could fly and he couldnÆt. While he wasnÆt particularly afraid of him, that one fact would make fighting him annoying and it would likely take longer than he wantedùprobably long enough for the others to regroup.

So it came down to Lancer and Saber.

And he had already faced Saber.

Indeed, as he expected, his attack separated all the other Servants. The moment she saw the wave, Saber dashed for Irisviel. Rider and his master had never left the chariot, so they immediately took to the sky and attempted to outrun it. Lancer dashed away from the wave, back towards the way heÆd originally come from. Maybe he was running to his master, or maybe just to safetyùit didnÆt really matter. And Archer, still standing on top of the craneàlooked annoyed.

Berserker wondered about that for a moment before putting it out of his mind and focusing on Saber. SheÆd snatched her master up in her arms andàran towards the wave.

Berserker didnÆt understand her actions, but assumed she had a plan of some sort. In which case, it was probably best to assume the worst and act as if it would work.

He ran after her.

Even with a hundred foot wave bearing down on her and her masterÆs life in her hands, she showed no fear. Charging her body with prana, she pointed her blade behind her. As she neared the wave, the prana exploded and she leapt straight upwards, high into the air, her feet almost touching the waterù

No, maybe they did touch it?

Suddenly, wind roared. Invisible Air exploded, still pointed behind Saberùand thus, straight at the ground.

Accelerated by both wind and prana, Saber ran vertically up the wave and vaulted over it.

For a moment, BerserkerÆs eyes were wide in astonishmentùand then they narrowed as a smirk grew across his face.

ôMy turn.ö

Unlike Saber, he didnÆt avoid the wave in any wayùhe ran straight into it. Unharmed the tremendous force of the wave, he slipped neatly through the surface of the waterùand then up. Within the wave, he used the water to push himself up at high speed, until he was right beneath SaberÆs feet as she came down on the other side of the wave, her feet literally walking on the water.

Perhaps by chance but probably because she sensed him, she looked down and their eyes met for a brief moment.

Then he slid past her, a meter higher up the wave, and broke the surface yet again as he drew and uncapped his trusted sword. He hardened the water beneath him so that he could stand upon it as Saber did, but rather than run, he moved the water beneath him to æslideÆ down the wave.

Saber was already turning, her revealed blade in one hand and her master in the other.

He caught it easily on his own.

ôEn garde, Saber.ö He said. ôOr whatever they said in your era.ö

Fury was burning in her eyes and it only increased at his words.

ôIf I had use of both my hands, you would regret this briefly and then die.ö She hissed.

XxXXxX

 

[RJL333]

he broke a group of four nto four separate people in different locations
into

 

[SilverBack354]

Unharmed the tremendous force of the wave

Think your missing the word by in there

 

[Ryuugi]

XxXXxX

Kiritsugu looked at the oncoming wave in complete shock. BerserkerÆs attack had scattered the enemy Servants, casting chaos onto the battlefield.

He was glad to see that Saber was more than capable of protecting Irisviel, but a question arose.

æHow had this happened in the first place?Æ

The answer was obvious.

It had all been a trap. The entire fight had been leading up to this pointùBerserker had been planning this from the very beginning. First when he tried to push Saber closer to the water and then when heÆd allowed himself to be pushed to it. He probably hadnÆt planned for Rider to interfere or Lancer and ArcherÆs arrival, but all theyÆd done was make things better for him. Six of the Seven Servants had gathered here and several of them had brought their masters, as well. Even if his attacks couldnÆt kill Servants, a one hundred foot wave could end the lives of quite a few normal humans. Rider, Lancer, andùthough Berserker probably didnÆt know it was himùSaber all had masterÆs here and if they died, theyÆd almost immediately fade away.

And the three Servants that werenÆt in danger were Archer, Assassin, and Berserker.

Were they really working together? Was this all a trap theyÆd put together? It could beùand if it was, it had worked. Kiritsugu imagine the details; it was actually fairly simple, but also effective.

Have Berserker wait near a favorable locationùanywhere by the water. With Fuyuki being near the ocean and having a river straight through it, that gave Berserker huge swaths of area that he could stay by and never lose the advantage. Logically, someone would sense him eventually, or even just be near the beach. At that point, if Berserker couldnÆt beat them alone, Archer could interfere. Meanwhile, Assassin could hunt down the Master.

The situation Rider had caused may have thrown off their plans a bit, but it also gave them an opportunity. Archer waited until all the Servants had gathered and revealed himself, drawing everyoneÆs full attention. HeÆd then insulted both Saber and Rider, appearing to be ready to fight. Before that became necessary, however, Berserker had unleashed his attack, splitting all the Servants into their own groups.

Berserker pursued Saber, obviously intending to defeat her. Archer didnÆt seem threatened by the oncoming waveùwhat he intended to do next was a mystery. And Assassinà

KiritsuguÆs eyes widened as he realized something.

He couldnÆt escape. Even as the wave approached, Assassin was keeping an eye on the situation. If a Master was alone or their ServantÆs left them to fight Archer or Berserker, Assassin was in a position to see that and respond.

Which meant that none of his plans for getting to safety would work. The moment he moved, Assassin would see him and attack.

The only way he could escape would be by summoning Saber with a Command Seal, which would leave Irisviel behind.

He couldnÆt do it. He couldnÆt put Irisviel at risk like that.

But if he died, Saber would fade away, and sheÆd have no one protect her.

But how could he survive this and still keep her safe?

XxXXxX

Atop the water, Saber and Berserker clashed andùit became quickly apparent that Berserker would win. After all had to fight with one hand, while carrying her master, and on a surface completely controlled by her opponentù

No. It was more than that. Even with better conditions, she still might have been pushed back.

Somehow, this battle was different than the previous one.

Even taking into account how weakened she was by using only one arm, BerserkerÆs blows were much too powerful. Compared to the beach, where she could match him, even if it took both hands, nowà

He was stronger and faster than he had been before. And rather than the simple, but well executed, techniques heÆd done around his shield, now he was amazingly skilled, performing complicated maneuvers with his sword that kept her constantly off-balanceùespecially in conjunction with the series of step-like waves heÆd summoned on the back of the wave, in an attempt to sweep her underwater. Instead, they just greatly slowed her descent.

They fought on those æsteps,Æ which naturally favored her opponent. Sometimes theyÆd part beneath her and sheÆd trip or have to move to another step, or sometimes they were narrow enough that fighting was difficult. Berserker didnÆt seem to have any problems, though; the æstepsÆ would change size, shape, angle, and even location at his whim, which he used completely to his advantage.

Not that he needed any more advantages, at the moment.

Every time she parried, the force of his blows made her arms shakeùand it seemed as soon as sheÆd blocked one blow, another came.

ôùIt was a trick.ö Saber said, glaring.

ôHm?ö Berserker made a questioning sound, even as his blade lashing out in attacks that seemed, for a moment, random and amateurishùuntil a moment later when they seemed unspeakably dangerous as the nearly slide through gaps in her defense. He stepped to the side, maneuvering around her, and where there was empty air, the step they were on grew to accommodate him.

ôThat entire battle on the beach was just a trick!ö She snarled, her pride as both a king and a knight wounded. Turning that anger against her opponent, she lashed out with a quick slash towards her opponentÆs thigh. ôWhen you let me beat you back to the shoreàit was a trap! You could have summoned your blade to you at any time, but you held back to make me confident!ö

Berserker blocked the blade effortlessly and held it easily as she tried to force it away.

ôI guess thatÆs true.ö He admitted just as easily. ôDonÆt be insulted, thoughùit may have been a trap, but even if IÆd take out my sword again, I probably couldnÆt have done anything more than match you. So, rather than a trap, think of it as me pushed to this and youÆll feel better about yourself. ThatÆs the power of positive thinking.ö

Whereas he had been unmoving as she tried to push him away, he pushed back hers easily and stabbed at her chest plate and she had to quickly bring Excalibur back to block it.

Berserker continued taking like they were sitting at a table drinking tea and not fighting to the death.

ôYou see, Saber, if you have a glass of water and you drink half of it, would you rather it be half full or half empty?ö He said, even as he tried to sneak a attack past her defense with a series of feints.

ôSince you can control water and youÆre trying to kill us,ö Irisviel spoke up, glancing nervously downwards. Due to the æstepÆs constantly slowing their descent, they were still high above the earth. ôIÆd rather it be half empty, at the moment.ö

ôTouchÚ.ö Berserker said with a smile before suddenly æfallingÆ into the wave. A moment later, the entire æstepÆ exploded with enough force to cast them both away.

In mid-fall, BerserkerÆs voice reached them.

ôùIf youÆd rather there be less water, feel free to land on the ground.ö

Below them, the water parted, revealing the harder ground beneath. The displaced water created a cylinder around their landing spotùa cylinder that was sure to collapse the moment they actually landed.

Berserker, still inside the wave, speed quickly down its length, faster than even their fall, and Saber knew that more than water would be waiting at the bottom.

XxXXxX

 

[ragnarok1337]

You're on a roll here, and I don't want to break you out of it. Still, there are numerous grammatical and spelling errors in your story. Every update has more. Once you finish this, or get out of your roll you need to go back and fix the numerous errors.

Now with that done, I enjoy your "power of positive thinking" mock-aesop Percy gives.

 

[RJL333]

After all had to fight with one hand
missing the word Saber

 

[MinusMagnus]

You would think that being held by a Servant while said Servant is fighting would be a bad thing, since on the level that they fight the term "breakneck speed" take the literal sense. Not that Saber have much of a choice, anyway.

 

[Tbora]

If they end up alive out of this, Kiritsugu better give Avalon to Saber. If she had that, winning the war would be a heck of a lot easier.

 

[ragnarok1337]

Personally, I want Saber dead. Not because I have anything against her; I just think it will be a major cop-out if she survives.

 

[sytang]

Personally, I want Saber dead. Not because I have anything against her; I just think it will be a major cop-out if she survives.

If Saber dies, then who will destroy the corrupted Grail?

Not Gil, since he'll either not care, or he'll use it do "purge" humanity (iirc in the UBW route).

Percy probably doesn't have an NP that could do that.

And I don't think Rider's NP can destroy it, assuming he survives.

So yeah, if Saber dies, so does everyone else thanks to Angra Mainyu.

 

[Ryuugi]

XxXXxX

Kiritsugu tried to hold on for as long as possible.

His only hope of actually surviving was to summon Saber, but he had to at least wait for her to get Irisviel to safety. Then, he could summon Saber. Hopefully, by doing so, he could protect Irisviel as wellùthe act of summoning Saber away should reveal that she wasnÆt SaberÆs true master.

Butà

There was one problem in his plan which he couldnÆt avoid.

Both Saber and Irisviel were out of sight and he wasnÆt really in a position to locate the other Servants. He couldnÆt tell what situation they were in, much less if they were safe.

In other words, if he summoned Saber, the rest of his plan would rely completely on luck. Would the other Servants realize that Irisviel wasnÆt a Master? Would that keep them from targeting her?

But what other choice did he have? If he didnÆt summon Saber, he would die and she would fade away, leaving Irisviel just as unprotected.

He had to summon her.

Even if it felt like he was abandoning Irisviel.

XxXXxX

Saber had to react quickly, but also carefully. The fall probably wouldnÆt hurt her, but it could probably snap IrisvielÆs neck.

But then, even if it didnÆt, being underwater with an opponent who could control water would probably be just as bad.

Turning her blade towards the ground, she unleashed Invisible Air again, even as entered the cylinder. The sudden force shot her back out of it, even as the walls of water slammed closed, as sheÆd expected.

Flipping over in midair, she landed roughly on the surface of the water.

ôAre you okay, Irisviel?ö

Her substitute master nodded once, dizzily. While Saber had managed to avoid moving faster enough to kill her, all the sudden changes in direction were obviously taking their toll on her. Enduring the force of two Invisible Airs had probably hurt a great deal as well.

She had to find somewhere to put her safely. Not only for her own safety, but because Saber herself couldnÆt fight much longer while holding her Master. SheÆd been burning prana at an accelerated rate to stand even with Berserker on the back of the wave, but if she had to continue doing so, this fight would be over in minutes.

But everything was covered in water. No matter where she put Irisviel, she would be within BerserkerÆs reach.

Saber couldnÆt protect her while holding her, but if she let go, sheÆd be in even more danger.

And alsoù

Where was Berserker?

She bared had time to think of the question before she received her answer.

A bronze blade burst from the water, attempting to stab at her legs. Jumping away quickly, she instinctively tried to attack backù

But her blade bounced off the water as if it were solid.

Immediately, the water beneath her feet began to roll and buckle, trying to throw her off balance, even as more sword strikes emerged from beneath the surface. Waves of water appeared out of nowhere and tried to swallow her up, even as whirlpools began to appear anywhere she stood for more than a moment. She was forced to constantly jump around, able to do nothing but desperately evade.

She needed to find a safe place for Irisviel. If she had use of both her hands, she would still be able to win, but with just one, it was all she could do to stay alive. So far, she had avoided receiving even a single attack, but it was not just because of skill, but also the simple, desperate knowledge that if she was hit even once, she would be dragged beneath the water and have no chance at all. So far, she had managed to hold him off, but she knew a great deal of that was because sheÆd avoided being submergedùif she let herself fall into her opponents domainà

But there was nowhere safe to put her. There was water everywhere.

ùThen, there was no choice.

Saber would have to leave Irisviel in a dangerous position and hope that, by unveiling her true Noble Phantasm, she could keep Berserker from focusing on her.

ôIrisvielàö She began.

The Homonculus cut her off with a smile.

ôI know.ö

A moment of indecision before a hardening of her resolve. Saber quickly leapt high into the air and land atop the water that would have been knee deep if she hadnÆt been able to stride atop it.

ôI will protect you, Irisviel.ö She said, setting her down gently. Oddly, the water seemed strangely calm, as if willing to wait.

A spot several meters from them began to ripple as Berserker rose from it silently, his bronze armor gleaming, but not a drop of water on it.

Invisible Air unraveled one last time. She directed it at Berserker once again, but he simply braced himself silently and endured it without moving. At anything but pointblank range, such an attack would have no effect on him, now that he had revealed his true strength.

ôItÆs time to end this, Saber.ö He said, suddenly serious. Maybe the other Servants were recovering. The wave was already in the process of flooding the area, but soon it would be over and the other Servants would attack.

Regardless of the reason, Saber nodded. With her blade unveiled, she began to gather power for her final attack, knowing she had to act fast. Even if Berserker recognized Excalibur due to his nature as a Heroic Spirit, he wouldnÆt know the details of the attack without seeing it, butù

ItÆs a different story if he saw her preparing the attack.

The moment her prana began to gather, it became obvious that her attack would be dangerous. But, by virtue of having a charging time alone, it was unsuited to combat at close rangeùwhich was BerserkerÆs preferred range.

The moment saw her gathering power, he began to close the distance between them. Moving impossibly fast, he reached her in the blink of an eye, his sword already coming down.

In response, she brought up her strongest attack.

His blade was aimed at her neck and hers at his heart. WhoeverÆs attack connected first would win.

ùBut, she would not back down. This battle was something she would stake her life on.

XxXXxX

It was time.

He had no choice but to hope that Irisviel was safe.

ôSaber!ö

XxXXxX

BerserkerÆs blade met only air, even as his eyes widened.

In an instant, he was before Irisviel, grabbing her wrists in his hands.

As another Servant, he understood what had happened. Saber had been summoned away by the use of a Command Seal, but if her Master was hereù

IrisvielÆs hands were pale and smooth, unblemished by the markings that signified that one was a Master.

He had been fooled.

He felt her hands trembling in fear at his grasp and let her go.

ôWhat a waste.ö He said.

There was no point in being angry. It had been a waste of effort, but if Saber had escaped, then there was nothing he could do but move on to the next opponent.

The thought had barely had time to cross his mind before it was doneùfor he was not the only one now on the hunt. His attack had made him the target of everyone presentùno hero would back down from his challenge.

That was why heÆd issued it, after all. It meant they wouldnÆt run away.

Feeling sudden motion through the water, he stepped quickly to the side, turning slightly so that the blade aimed for his heart instead glanced harmlessly off his armor.

ùOnly, that wasnÆt what happened. Instead, it passed impossibly through his armor and scraped hard across his chest.

The moment heÆd felt contact, water lashed out violently, pushing Lancer roughly away.

Berserker glanced down at his chest plate. It was unharmed; the point of the lance having somehow gone through it without leaving a mark. However, his Curse had still protected him.

Of course, hurting him was nearly impossible in the first place, so that wasnÆt a surprise.

And yetàby failing to wound him, heÆd learnt his secret.

Upon reaching the Throne of Heroes, all Heroic Spirits are given a degree of knowledge of each other. It wasnÆt enough to recognize each other on sightùit wasnÆt even enough to know the effects of each otherÆs Noble Phantasms.

But the list of heroes that were immune to damage was fairly short.

Butàthe list of heroes who wielded spears like that was shorter still.

TheyÆd both given great hints to each otherÆs identities, which meant, of course, that if either of them wished to keep their identities secret, the best way to do so was to kill the other.

Berserker lifted his head to gaze at Lancer, whose eyes were cold and whose face was hard.

In contrast, he smiled.

ôThis war is certainly full of interesting people,ö He mused.

 

[Ryuugi]

SOmeone was kind enough to inform me that I was wrong about how Gae Dearg worked in regards to Curses, so I corrected the end of the scene.

 

[Ryuugi]

Holding Back the Sea
BattleÆs End

Lancer was fast, Berserker noted. Faster that Saber and faster than him.

But speed wasnÆt everything.

If his Master was here, he would have been able to immediately see the status of other Servants as a gift from the Grail. HeÆd have been able to see the exact abilities of other Servants and compare them to BerserkerÆs own.

But even without Kariya, the differences were easy to see, during a fight.

Lancer may have been faster, but he was only about as strong as Saber, physically, making him weaker than him. He probably had less stamina than either he or Saber, too.

So he would just batter through his defenses until Lancer died, Berserker decided.

Stillàeven he had to admit, Lancer was good. Using two spears at once should have been difficult, especially given their different lengths, but Lancer wielded them both expertly. Using the longer lance, he kept Berserker away, while attacking him with the shorter one whenever he tried to slip through his guard. Against an opponent who he couldnÆt hurt, he should have been crushed, butà

Somehow, he managed to stay alive.

However, Berserker had an advantage that could not be countered.

They were in the water. Unlike Saber, Lancer wasnÆt able to walk on water and had to wade through it, slowing down his motioned. Berserker, on the other hand, could move unhindered through the water, as well as onto of it. Further, he could easily hassle Lancer with waves and push him around in the water.

Even if he was blindingly fast and amazingly skilled, as long as he was in the water, Berserker had the complete advantage.

And yetà

ôùInsect. Do you really want to die that badly?ö

Lancer wasnÆt his only opponent.

The blades came from nowhere, streaking through the night air. Berserker barely had time to turn in alarm before they connected.

It was like a bomb went off where they hit, throwing up both water and dirt as they connected. Lancer, having been near the effect, had to stumble back quickly, lest he be caught in the blast radius.

And yet, as both water and mud fell down like rain, Berserker stood unarmed.

His initial surprise having faded, he looked up at the golden Archer with a smile on his face.

ôProblem, Your Majesty?ö

Even after seeing his own blade glance of BerserkerÆs flesh, Lancer was surprised to see him standing there unharmed after ArcherÆs explosive attack. Yet, rather than surprise, anger came to Archer, and his face distorted, frozen in an expression of fury.

ôTrying to attack meàI wonÆt leave even a trace of you behind, you scum!ö

At his words, the air around Archer began to dance. Like ripples, swords emerged with golden majesty, forming a flock of sixteen Noble Phantasms.

ùEven Berserker couldnÆt hide his surprise. As a Heroic Spirit, he could somewhat grasp the truth of a Noble Phantasm once it was reveal, such as recognizing SaberÆs blade as Excalibur despite having never seen it before.

Butàcould one hero really possess all those Noble Phantasms?

No, not just that. Rather than hide them and use them carefully, Archer cast them out as if they were nothing.

ôWell, trash, if you wish to fight with the King, letÆs see how long you can keep up!ö

At ArcherÆs command, the suspended Noble Phantasms were let loose, rushing towards Berserker. A thunderous roar shook the night air as a flash of light shone through the sky. The countless blades fell like rain upon the flooded street with looked as though it had received a carpet bombing.

And yet, still Archer attacked. Blades fell like lightning bolts thrown by a god, struck the place Berserker stood with enough force to destroy it completely, and kept striking, again and again. The attack did not stop but instead increased in ferocityùbecause its target, Berserker, would not fall down.

ôùIÆm afraid to say IÆm not impressed, Your Highness. So far, keeping up doesnÆt seem very difficult.ö Berserker lowered the armed heÆd instinctively rose to cover his face.

If anything, his casual comment enraged Archer even more.

ôIÆll acknowledge that the one virtue of a cockroach is how hard it is to kill.ö He said, he voice low but reaching. ôI suppose I should try a little bit harder then.ö

Again, the space around him warped, letting another group of blades materialized.

This time, the count reached thirty-two, silencing even BerserkerÆs bravado.

With that many Noble Phantasms, each with their own effectsàeven he grew serious.

XxXXxX

 

[Tbora]

Yay for Gilgamesh... Kill Percy, show him for the mongrel he is!

LIKE A KING!

 

[Ryuugi]

XxXXxX

ôGilgamesh is serious,ö Kotomine communicated through the jewel, even as he used magecraft to look through AssassinÆs eyes. ôHe intends to open the Gate of Babylon even more.ö

Tokiomi held his head in his hands at his partnerÆs comment. Safely away from the battlefield, he kept track of the situation in the comfort of his own basementùor rather, Kotomine, did. Using magecraft to peer through a familiarÆs eyes wasnÆt difficult, butàof course Archer would never allow it.

Even so, Kirei was bringing results, with the aid of Assassin. All of the Masters were still under the impression that Assassin was dead, allowing him to sneak around the city completely undetected with none of the MasterÆs being suspicious in the slightest. Everything was going perfectlyù

Except one thing.

Something that had occurred that was beyond his preparationsùthat Gilgamesh, strongest of the Heroic Spirits, would be summoned as an Archer class Servant.

It wouldnÆt be untrue to say that the defining characteristic of the Archer class was the strength of their Noble Phantasms. For Gilgamesh who owned a truly unbelievable one with a rank of EX, perhaps it should have been obvious from the beginning.

But the class skill of the Archer was æIndependent Action,Æ which meant that they did not have to rely on their Masters. GilgameshÆs rank, in particular, was very high; enough even, that if her were dead, Gilgamesh would be able to remain in this world without him for an entire weak.

And that was surely an extreme miscalculation.

Tokiomi respected the mighty King of Heroes as much as he could and as much as he deserved, butàto think is patience would be tried this much, so early.

If there was a flaw to GilgameshÆs power, it was definitely his recklessness. His power was such that Tokiomi should have felt no worries, even if he had to face every other Servant, and yet his pride was even greater. Tokiomi was sure that, if Gilgamesh wielded his power competently, he could surely end this war without any difficulty, but also knew that Gilgamesh would never listen to him on his own.

The only way to give him orders were to rely on his Command Seals. With them, he could make a Servant out of even Gilgamesh, butà

To use one this early in the War?

But if he let Gilgamesh act rashly, it could end horribly. He wanted to rely of his ServantÆs power, but if he acted carelessly, then even he could fall.

Such as by unveiling the full extent of his power in his first real battle, for no reason, in front of the majority of enemy Servants and Masters. Tokiomi was a bit relieved he at least hadnÆt said his name, but even then, Kotomine had reported that it was only because he took offense at the question.

At this point in the war, it was important to act carefully. The EinsbernÆs Servant, Saber, had revealed herself as King Arthur, the King of Knights. The Rider class Servant had made no effort to hide his identity and had proudly declared himself Alexander the Great, King of Conquerors.

Already, he knew the identity of two of his most dangerous enemies, butà

Servant Berserker had proven himself dangerous and his identity was unknown. HeÆd fought evenly with Saber and Lancer and now stood up to ArcherÆs onslaught without faltering.

He was dangerousàbut also reckless. Prior to his attack, none of the Servants had an particular enemy in mind, but heÆd made himself the opponent of all of themùincluding him.

However, Berserker was not an opponent he wished for Gilgamesh to face. His Servant was, if anything, even more reckless than Berserker. If he released the full extent of his power upon Berserker, it would become obvious that he was the most dangerous Servant in the war. And without knowing how to counter Berserker and his seeming invincibility, it was quite possible that the battle would waste a great deal of pranaùa risk he was unwilling to take with Rider, Saber, and Lancer in that area.

BerserkerÆs life wasnÆt worth sacrificing Gilgamesh.

Especially since it was unneeded. The MatouÆs had already submitted the identity of their chosen Master; TokiomiÆs æold friendÆ Matou Kariya.

Rather than risk Gilgamesh in a precarious situation, he could take the safer route.

This was, after all, the purpose that Assassin was summoned for.

XxXXxX

 

[Coelacanth]

I just noticed this fic. Despite my lack of familiarity with PJO, the fic is really entertaining! Well done.

 

[Ryuugi]

XxXXxX

The red eyes that stared at Berserker with burning fury slowly turned towards the south-east. Though it was far beyond his sight, he was looking towards the Tohsaka Mansion.

ôDo you think words from someone like you could appease a kingÆs anger? You assume too much, Tohsaka Tokiomi.ö He spat under his breath.

The Noble Phantasms that had gathered around him disappeared at once.

ôThank whatever pathetic gods you believe in, insect,ö Archer snarled, eyes returning to Berserker. ôYouÆve dodged death by a hair.ö

His voice remained full of resentment, but there was no longer hatred in it.

ôBefore you rats gather again, be warnedùI will tolerate nothing less than a true hero.ö

With that, he cancelled his materialization, his machine disappearing beneath him.

Berserker looked at the spot Archer had floated moments before as small glimmers of golden light faded away.

Then he shrugged and looked at Lancer.

ôWhere were we?ö He asked, raising his blade againù

Only to have to suddenly shift it to block an invisible blade.

Two pairs of green eyes met, one glimmering with surprise, the other with a furious anger.

ôAh,ö Berserker said, his surprise fading. ôYou came back.ö

Saber bore down on his blade with all her might, a nearly feral growl coming from her throat.

ôWhat have you done with Irisviel!?ö She demanded.

Before sheÆd spoken, Percy had wondered why she hadnÆt resumed her unfinished attack, but understanding dawned as he heard her words. She wasnÆt willing to use her attack without knowing where Irisviel was, which told him several things.

First of all, that she valued Irisviel greatly. Originally, heÆd thought that had been because the silver-haired girl was her Master, but he now knew that was untrue, so he assumed they were friends instead.

Second of all, if she held back from using that attack without knowing where her friend was, then the attack was probably very powerful, or at least had a wide range. Otherwise, it would have made more sense to simple try to kill him, and then find Irisviel. She could have been overcome with emotion, butàthat didnÆt seem like the type of person Saber was.

But perhaps he was just thinking too much of another blond-haired girl, and not really understanding Saber at allà

But he doubted it. He really did think they were alike in a lot of ways. If Saber thought that she had a way to defeat him, she wouldnÆt discard it unless there was some other factor. Even if she was a Knight, she struck him as the type of person who would do what was necessary to protect people she cared about.

The logical thing to do would be to keep Irisviel captive. He didnÆt know what her attack was; for all he knew, it was something that could hurt himùafter everything heÆd seen, he wasnÆt sure heÆd label anything as æimpossibleÆ anymore. There was probably something out there that would hurt, or at least ruin his day. After fighting someone whoÆd thrown nearly fifty Noble Phantasms at him, it was probably a good idea to act cautiously.

Butàhe wasnÆt always logical.

Even if it was safer, he couldnÆt hold an innocent woman hostage.

If he did that, heÆd have to turn in his hero license.

With his free hand, he gestured with two fingered. Away from the sight Archer had demolished, the water began to bubble lightly, before Irisviel broke the surface. When Lancer had first attacked, heÆd dragged the woman underwater and hardened it around her like a shield. HeÆd diffused the oxygen in the water so sheÆd have something to breathe, but in a battle between Servants breaking out, he hadnÆt had a choice to be gentle.

When Archer had showed up, heÆd felt pretty smart about it, too.

Still, hero or not, he couldnÆt help but notice how IrisvielÆs clothes had gotten wet. Sometimes he forget that happenedùmainly because it generally happened to other people.

ôIrisviel!ö Saber said, rushing to her side.

For a moment, he stared, but for forcing himself to prudently look away, even as Saber rushed to her friendÆs side. He caught LancerÆs eyes as he did so, noticing he was doing the same.

ôI just realized its cold out here.ö Berserker stated.

Lancer choked, making Berserker frown at him.

ôBecause sheÆs shivering, dumbass.ö He said reproachfully. ôYou should probably get out of the water, Irisviel.ö

ôAnd whose fault is it that sheÆs wet in the first place!?ö Saber demanded.

Prudent or not, Berserker suddenly look her way again, because she sounded about ready to attack him.

ôWhoever decided to put an uninvolved woman on the battlefield, maybe?ö He said, making no effort to hide who he thought that was. ôSheÆs wet because I had the water shield her. If I hadnÆt, then ArcherÆs attack would have killed her.ö

Granted, mainly because he was after Berserker.

And she was only unprotected because Saber had been summoned awayàwhile they were in the middle of trying to kill each other.

But she was still an uninvolved woman whoÆd been put on a battlefield full of resurrected superhumans, and that certainly wasnÆt his fault.

ôRegardless,ö He said, shaking away such thoughts. ôShe can go; I wonÆt lift my blade against an innocent woman.ö

The area around Irisviel cleared of water, drying even her clothes. A path of dry land formed through the water, leading towards safer territory.

Saber looked at Berserker suspiciously, but slowly walked towards Irisviel.

A wall of water rose in way, and would have collapsed on top of her, had she not jumped quickly back.

ôShe can go,ö Berserker said, his tone changing. ôBut you stay. You shouldnÆt have come back. IÆll escort her safely to the Church, after youÆre dead.ö

In respond to his words, both Saber and Lancer lifted their weapons.

ôVery well; then I shall end you here and now, Berserker.ö Saber resolved, narrowing her eyes.

ôPlease stop your jokes, Berserker.ö Lancer said. ôEven if you and Saber have a prior engagement, we ourselves have a battle to complete.ö

ôùWhat are you doing, Lancer.ö A voice said, coming from nowhere. It could only be LancerÆs Master. ôThis is a good chance to take out Saber. Lancer, assist Berserker.ö

XxXXxX

 

[Ryuugi]

For a moment, everyone was silent. The triangle formed by the three Servants was still and silent.

Saber was simply tense and prepared. An order from a Master to a Servant was something that would naturally be obeyed.

Which meant, of course, that she was in trouble. For Saber, who could not best Berserker in one on one combat, she still had her trump card, Excalibur. The strongest of all Holy Swords, she had absolute faith in its ability to grant her victory.

But even her sword had its weaknesses. If she was to fight an opponent at close range, Excalibur wasnÆt feasible. Furthermore, simply using it could be considered a weakness of the weapon, due to how much energy it took to use.

However, there was a much more important reason she couldnÆt use her Noble Phantasm.

She had two opponents, which meant if she missed, sheÆd be exhausted and would die. If she wanted to win, sheÆd have to kill both of them at once, which would have been easy at a distance, but at this rangeà

If one of them realized that she was about to do something, then they could easily move behind her and avoid the blast completely. And since the unveiling of her greatest weapon always involved her sword glowing like the sun, it was pretty hard to hide that she was up to something.

Berserker was silent. It wasnÆt a strategy he was unfamiliar with; the whole æthe enemy of my enemy is my friendÆ thing. He couldnÆt even say he was against it, reallyùfor what it was intended to do, it was a very useful tactic. If he and Lancer attacked Saber at the same time, then his victory over the female Servant was almost assured.

ItÆs not even as though it really meant anything would be different between he and Lancer afterwards, either; it was a tactic for improving oneÆs odds of success. No more, no less. If Saber was alive and that was enough to make he and Lancer æfriends,Æ then he was okay with that resultùbecause as soon as Saber was deadàwell, the entire concept of æthe enemy of my enemyÆ required a common, living enemy.

Without one, they would go right back to being enemies.

It didnÆt mean anythingàbut even so, it felt wrong to team up against Saber.

Even if this was a war to the death with everything on the lineàthe participants were still Heroic Spirits. Whether it was the arrogant Archer or the loud Alexander or the honorable, proud King of Knightsàthis was his chance to fight against heroes throughout history, impossibly brought together by the Holy Grail through time and space, and test himself against them. No, not just test himself; rather than fight, this was a chance to speak with the heroes that came before him and shaped the course of human history.

HeÆd already met Alexander the Great and King Arthur. Who else would he have a chance to meet before this war was over?

To gang up against such great heroes and kill them in such away, setting aside his pride and honor as a heroàit didnÆt feel right.

A single glance confirmed that Lancer felt the exact same way.

And yetù

If by doing so, he could save Kariya and Sakura, than Berserker was enough of a man to swallow his honor and pride. That, too, was a part of being a hero.

It wouldnÆt make his actions feel rightàbut he didnÆt have to feel right to do what needed to be done.

If all he had to do to save two innocent lives is tarnish his reputation and wound his pride, then that was a small price to pay, wasnÆt it?

ôMy lordàö Lancer said quietly.

ôLancer, did you not swear to fight for me in this War? To win me the Holy Grail?ö

Lancer glanced down before lifting his eyes.

They were resolved. But there was a measure of shame in them as well.

ôI did.ö He said quietly.

Berserker understood him well, as another who fought not for his own wish, but for the sake of another. Lancer, too, was a legendary hero.

If they could compose themselves as proper heroes, perhaps things would be different.

But there is more to a man than pride.

Without another word, Berserker and Lancer attacked. Moving in silent accord, Lancer leapt forwardùand when his feet touched the water, he did not sink, but was held aloft by BerserkerÆs will. Berserker, for his part, commanded the water that yet surrounded them to aid Lancer and hinder Saber, even as he moved in to assist.

Working together, their victory was assuredùand that was all that mattered.

And yet, before they were even in position, the battle was interrupted once more.

Lightning struck the battle field in a dizzying flash that could turn light into day.

And with it came a booming sound louder than simple thunder.

ôAaalalalalalalaie!ö

 

[The Eromancer]

o_@?

 

[Ryuugi]

No--the lightning hadnÆt simply descended from the sky; it trailed across the water like solid ground, sending agonizing currents of electricity through the water.

Or ratheràthat thing that looked like lightning was actually a kingÆs chariot, enshrouded with lightning.

Lancer quickly flipped back, eyes widening. Even BerserkerÆs redirection of the electricity through the water wouldnÆt be able to completely protect him, so he quickly retreated into the dry path around Irisviel. Seeing this, Saber was in front of her friend almost immediately, and the two Knight class ServantÆs matched glares.

But there was one Servant who would never back down on the waterùnot even from the power of thunder. He had fought the children of Zeus before andùas illogical as it may soundùhe was safest from lightning on the water.

And alsoùhe hadnÆt backed down for the Minotaur and he wouldnÆt back down before a pair of bulls.

But even if he wouldnÆt back down, the fact remainsàin a battle of speed and maneuverability, a æRiderÆ with their own mount or form of locomotion would naturally be faster than any class that had to rely on their own two feet.

When caught by surprise, even Berserker couldnÆt get out of the way in time.

The two divine bulls kicked him down with their four front hooves and then trampled him mercilessly with their four hind hooves. Enveloped in rolling lightning as they were, even a single hit would have been a heavy blow. After being trampled eight times, it wouldnÆt be surprising if even a Servant were to die.

And then Berserker was run over by the wheels of the chariot itself, which was larger than the average truck and also coated with lightning.

In the wake of the AlexanderÆs chariot, Berserker laid face up atop the water for a second, before suddenly falling through the surface.

ôùEven I must respect your backbone, Berserker, for daring to attack four Servants alone. But considering the circumstances, I must ask that you remove yourself.ö Rider said, smiling at the spot where Berserker had sunk away.

ôMaster of Lanceràthough I do not know who you are or from where youÆre overlooking this battle, you have disgraced a battle between heroes. Have Lancer retreatùif you insist on humiliating him any further, then I will join Saber and the two of us will defeat your Servant.ö

ôàRetreat, Lancer. That is enough for tonight. Farewell, King of Conquerorsàand you as well, Waver Velvet.ö

RiderÆs master widened his eyes, understanding.

ôYouàö

Lancer had already lowered his spears and nodded respectfully at Rider.

ôMany thanks, King of Conquerors.ö

ôùAh. And from me, as well.ö

The voice surprised everyone, but none more so than Rider.

Berserker stood once more upon the surface of the water, one hand to his head.

ôAh, this headacheànow that I think of it, you, too, are a son of Zeus, are you notàAlexander?ö Berserker asked, signs of pain already fading. And yet, his eyes now watched Rider wearily.

ôAnd if I am?ö Rider asked, his surprise having already faded. Rather than weary, the King seemedàexcited, as if he had found something interesting.

ôIt has been quite some time since I last fought a child of Zeus,ö Berserker said. ôIt will be a pleasure to fight you, cousin. Butànot today. Archer has left and Lancer has been called away, and both you and Saber have master to call you away. No, more than that, perhaps even I am beginning to worry about my chances. Against two KingsàI will stop attempting to save face and retreat for now. But before I goàI have to at least have the last word.ö

Berserker lifted a hand to his neck, where a small silver tube was suddenly present. He blew it, but it made no sound, instead simply shattering into ice. Shadows pooled around him impossibly, somehow staying on the surface of the water, before rising into the enormous form of a giant black dog. It was larger than a tank with red eyes, and the moment it laid eyes on the other Servants, it snarled.

ôYour bulls are impressive, King of Conquerors.ö Berserker said. ôBut I would say my hound is better, because for all the power of your bullsàthey cannot hunt down spirits. IÆll see you later.ö

The dog barked once, slightly louder than an artillery gun, and then it and its master faded away, sinking back into the shadows.

 

[biigoh]

INB4 Team Awesome Alliance with Saber and Iris....

 

[Ryuugi]

Holding Back the Sea
BattleÆs Aftermath

ôAs a fellow king, I wonÆt take advantage of your weakness as others would. Let us part ways here, for now, King of Knights.ö

With those parting words, Rider had left on his chariot, leaving Saber behind.

At his parting, Irisviel released the breath she was holding.

It went without saying that the site of the battle was a ruin. Surprisingly, the thing Irisviel had been most worried about, the wave, had been surprisingly contained. The water hadnÆt gone far past the beach and had a lot of it had receded quickly back into the sea.

Even so, perhaps it was to be expected. A gathering of five Servant, where each had released at least one Noble Phantasmàperhaps they were lucky that things had been so contained.

If that wave hadnÆt been held backà

Or worse, if Saber had actually used Excaliburà

For this to be the first battleàhad there ever been a War like this before?

ôIrisvielàI must apologize to you.ö Saber finally spoke up, looking honestly ashamed of herself.

ôAh?ö Irisviel asked, momentarily surprised at the apology, before understanding.

She was talking about when she had vanishedàbeen summoned away by Kiritsugu.

àIt would be a lie to say that her disappearance hadnÆt hurt heràfor a moment, she had honestly thought she had beenà

ôàWhat happened?ö She asked quietly.

ôKiritsugu had been nearby, watching the attack. The wave was about to hit andàAssassin was nearby.ö Saber explained. ôI had to fight off Assassin and save him from the wave?ö

Suddenly, fear was replaced with worry and it was IrisvielÆs turn to feel ashamed of herself.

ôIs he okay?ö She asked.

ôYes,ö Saber said. ôAnd if nothing else, Assassin is dead.ö

ôAh.ö Irisviel sighed in relief, the good news brightening her spirits. ôThatÆs good, then. And alsoàdonÆt apologize, Saber. I am alive because of you.ö

Saber shook her head, dismissing her words.

ôAs a Knight, I fight on the frontline for the purpose of protecting those behind my back.ö Saber said, before picking Irisviel up in her arms. ôWe should leave; tonight was only the beginning.ö

Her false Master nodded.

ôHeroes from all eras,ö Irisviel speculated. ôNone of them can be easily defeated.ö

Alexander the Greatàthe only person she could think of that had conquered more of the world was Genghis Khan. Having seen the power of his chariot, she felt that it could destroy an entire city in mere hours. HeÆd shown himself to be fearless and, in his own way, noble, and she could understand why his armies had followed him by simply being in his presence.

She didnÆt know ArcherÆs identity, but she knew, at least, to consider him someone extremely dangerous. In the face of his power, she would have simply died if Berserker hadnÆt protected her. After seeing his Noble Phantasms, she felt as if she were even further away from knowing who he was then when he had first appeared. When heÆd arrived in response to RiderÆs call, sheÆd kept an open mind, knowing that he could be any hero butàafter seeing his poweràwas there really any one hero who was like that?

Lancer; the Servant had been subtly dangerous, in his own way, even if he wasnÆt as frightening as Berserker and Archer. But perhaps he was dangerous because he was subtle? Next to the nearly inhuman Archer, Rider, and Berserker, she couldnÆt consider him dangerous, even though she knew she should. Yet she knew that he, too, was a legendary hero, or else he would not have been summoned by the Holy Grail. Of all the Servants that had fought today, she still knew the least about Lancer.

And then there was Berserker. She wasnÆt sure what to think about him. He was dangerous, though; she knew that for sure. HeÆd conjured a Tsunami out of nowhere and kept it from spreading, and had fought Saber evenly all the while. She had thought him foolhardy for starting a fight with four Servants, yetàSaber hadnÆt been able to beat him, even in a sword fight. LancerÆs surprise attack had failed against him, as well, and ArcherÆs monstrous bombardment had failed to even scratch him. The only one that had seemed to even hurt him was Rider, who had run him over with an attack that would have surely killed any other Servant in the same situation, but heÆd seemed merely injured.

She didnÆt even know his identity for sure, and that was, perhaps, what bothered her most. Throughout the entire battle, he hadnÆt once revealed it out. The moment his modern watch had unfolded into a shield, sheÆd suspected magic, which had been supported by his control of water, so sheÆd first thought of Caster. Yet heÆd fought evenly with Saber and Lancer, more akin to a Knight class. He seemed immune to harm, and had fought with children of Zeus before, or so heÆd claimed. He had summoned that monstrous black dog like a Rider..

She assumed him to be Greek, but that opened up a number of possibilities that wereàfrightening. In the modern era, when people thought of legendary heroes, their minds went naturally to the Greeks.

There was a reason for that.

But there was one possibility that especially scared her, for it made the most sense. It would explain his control of the sea and incredible fighting prowess, as well as why he was a æBerserkerÆ class Servant.

A man who possessed a bronze shield carved with images and had no need for armor. The son of the sea Goddess Thetis and the great-grandson of the King of Olympus, Zeus, through his father, and the Titans Oceanus and Tethys, through his mother; an invulnerable warrior that had earned his fame in the legendary Trojan War. A child that a Titan had prophesized would surpass his father, ending the competition of Zeus and Poseidon for his motherÆs hand and a student of the great Centuar, Chiron.

An ancient Greek hero that went down in legend, Achilles.

She still remembered two lines that she had read so long ago.

Sing, Goddess, of the rage, of Peleus' son Achilles
the accursed rage, which brought pain to thousands of the Achaeans.

XxXXxX

 

[spooky316]

I just thought I'd drop in to let you know that I'm really enjoying this story. Also, I've been waiting for someone to make that guess. It makes sense if you're expecting an ancient Greek hero.

 

[icefire]

I keep coming back here to see if you update. You did.

Smile.

 

[Ryuugi]

XxXXxX

His shared perceptions had ceased the moment Assassin had ædied,Æ but his thoughts still raced. His father, Kotomin Risei, had already left, making arrangements for cleaning up the damaged area by the beach.

But he concerned himself only with the battle.

Even if it meant sacrificing another Assassin, it had been more than worth it. Before being killed, heÆd reported a great deal of information, as well as allowing them to hold back Gilgamesh in time.

The Clock TowerÆs elite magus, El-Melloi, had been robbed of his original artifact, which heÆd intended to use to summon Alexander the Great. And yet, Alexander had appeared anyway, revealing himself as Rider.

And yetàthe master of Lancer was most certainly El-Melloi. Apparently, whoever had robbed him had chosen to compete in the Holy Grail War himselfùor, at least, had sold the artifact to someone who would.

Then, Saber, the Servant of EinsbernÆs, had revealed her true identity in the battle; Arthur Pendragon, King of Knights. Undoubtedly a powerful choice. She had shown a great deal in the battle, however, unveiling the truth of one of her Noble Phantasms. As a Master, Kotomine was able to understand it after witnessing its unveiling; it was the same technique that made her blade invisible and was a type of wind spell. It was only C rank, but sheÆd shown herself proficient with using it wisely, and Kirei knew that a deadly weapon did not always need to be powerful.

Lancer hadnÆt shown much, but his master had revealed some important points about his personality. He was smart, or cowardly, enough to at least stay off the battlefield and willing to use tactics that many would consider dishonorable if it meant victory. Kirei knew how dangerous someone like that could be; one did not need to be a brave fighter to kill someoneùowning a gun and shotting someone in the back of the head worked just as well, if not better. He wondered if that personality clashed with his ServantÆs; Kirei was lucky enough to have Assassin, who not only understood such tactics, but applauded them.

But the most interesting by far was that Berserker.

The other ServantÆs and MasterÆs probably hadnÆt seen it; it had been dark and a fight had broken out. Truthfully, if he had been there in person, he probably wouldnÆt have seen it.

But he hadnÆt been there in person. HeÆd been watching through the eyes of Assassin, a Servant of the class that specialized, among other things, in information gathering, as well as operating at night.

A small tattoo on his arm that read æSPQR.Æ

As a member of the Church, heÆd spent a great deal of time in both Italy and Rome itself. After all, the Vatican City was located inside of it. As such, he recognized it instantly.

Senatus Populusque Romanus. The literal translation was æThe Senate and the Roman People,Æ or alternatively as æThe Senate and the People of Rome.Æ

Naturally, the mere presence of the tattoo would imply that he was a hero from the Roman Empire.

But Kotomine couldnÆt think of any one that quite matched his description. His fighting style, once Kirei knew what to look for, did indeed have a great deal of Roman influence to it, but it couldnÆt be called æRoman.Æ There was a great deal of Ancient Greek in it as well, and he seemed to seamlessly shift between the states of æWarriorÆ and æSoldierÆ as needed.

His armor was the same way, bearing Greek Influences, as well as things that hadnÆt been invented until a much later dateùnot simply into the Roman Empire, but probably long past itÆs fall. It held traces of armor crafting that hadnÆt been invented into the middle ages, at least, and maybe into the modern era. It covered most of his body, rather than leaving the opening traditional to Greek and Roman armors.

But then, Gilgamesh had a flying machine that predated the plane by about four thousand years, so maybe he shouldnÆt be surprised.

Things simply didnÆt add upùhe couldnÆt be Greek and Roman.

Unless he was Aeneas, son of Aphrodite, but even he had been a Trojan and had predated the birth of Rome by a great deal.

Thenàperhaps, rather than having been both Greek and Roman, he was a hero that had been changed by his legend? Tokiomi held records of the previous wars; in the Third War, the Edelfelt sisters, bearing the magical attribute of æTwins,Æ had summoned two faces of the same Servant by literally summoning two Sabers.

Then, perhaps it was caused by a Sorcery Trait? Or perhaps even the Origin of the summoner.

Rome had taken both Gods and Heroes and adapted them; Heracles and Hercules, for example. Perhaps rather than summoning a normal Servant, an amalgam of a Servant acknowledge by both the Greeks and Romans?

It was an interesting thought, but he would leave it to Tokiomi. All he wished to do was figure out who his opponent was; his theory was probably wrong, but that wasnÆt important. As long as he had, at least, a possible explanation, he would work under the assumption that the hero wasnÆt actually Greek and Roman, which widened the possibilities from zero to a much broader category.

Kirei nearly sighed.

What a troublesome opponent.

When the MatouÆs had first summoned their Servant, Zouken had reported it to his father. At the time, neither he nor Tokiomi had paid any attention to the summoning of the Heroic Spirit of Fury; the Matou family had long been on the decline. Their number of Magic Circuits had steadily decreased and had almost died before the Tohsaka family had given them their youngest daughter, Sakura. When Matou Kariya had been elected, it had seemed like an act of desperation; the Matou may have had Circuits, but he had no training. He was deemed to have been accepted only because each of the three families had a æslotÆ in each war.

But was that the Servant of an amateur? He could have gotten lucky, but could luck summon a Servant that could match Saber and Lancer and withstand ArcherÆs assault, all at the same time?

Perhaps there was more to Matou Kariya then meets the eye.

XxXXxX