Fate Of A Gamer

[You have rested in a futon, but your injury remains. HP, MP, and stamina partially recovered! Injuries must be healed for full recovery]

Agh…not…the best way…for someone to wake up…ouch…

Holy hell, everything hurts. Damn it, it feels like my stomach's being pried open, while my arms and legs are being tied and pulled by trucks or something! Hah…if only I have [Gamer's Body]…But, well, I guess I can't have everything.

Sighing, I run a hand through my unwashed and crumpled hair, loosening some of the knots that formed throughout the night's sleep. I stand up, then fall back down as an intense pain surges through my stomach. Silently cursing Lancelot's armor feet, I push myself up and walk out the room. Pain strikes me with every step, but the smell of wonderful foods from the living room drives me forward.

Shirou-kun's cooking is da best, fou!

"Fou, fou, Shirou's cooking best fou!"

"F-Fou-san!?"

In the midst of the castle of Uruk, Fou's lively and happy squeaks echo out, much to the confusion of Ritsuka and her servants, and to King Gilgamesh's amus.e.m.e.nt.

Glad you understand, fou!

…Em, a-anyways, after some painful walking, I slide the door open and walk into the living room. I'm swiftly greeted by 5 very shocked people, sitting around the dining table, some with chopsticks in their hands and one certain tiger holding a bowl of rice close to her mouth, probably getting ready to drain the contents down.

Each had very distinct hair.

"…Eh?" The silence stretches, perhaps for a bit too long to be comfortable. "U-Um, are you okay now, Tsunaka-san?" Shirou is the first one to ask, his face adopting a worried look as he looks at me, his eyes moving to the bandage on my right leg and the many visible bruises that had formed on my body.

"…As okay as I can be, I guess." I answer with a shrug, before wincing from the pain the little gesture did. Taiga, resident tiger and moocher of the Emiya Estate, is the next to move, giving me some space to sit and checking my injuries. It's an oddly a.d.u.l.t thing to do for Taiga to do, until I remembered that she is an a.d.u.l.t.

She just doesn't act like one most of the time.

"Are you sure, Tsunaka-senpai?" Sakura, the gentle, tortured girl asks me doubtfully. I shake my head lightly, not feeling like talking any further, mostly because of the searing anger I can feel bubbling in my heart. I can spot them, little marks, small as they may be, scattered across her body. She hides them well, tucking her clothes high to hide them, but I can see them peeking out, traces of torture from her family, both from her brother and her grandfather.

My hands clench under the table.

'Zouken…'

I don't care that he's some powerful centuries-year-old monstrosity or some crap, that leeching bastard's going to die by the end of this grail war. That, I can guarantee.

Pushing back the thoughts for later, I happily accept the bowl of rice Shirou prepared and began eating them with the fried tempura and karaage he made, with some pain and difficulty though. As the atmosphere descends back into a comfortable silence, I let my eyes wander to the other two girls sitting by the table.

One was the twin-tailed magus, Tohsaka Rin. Pretty girl and honor student by day, heir of the Tohsaka clan and master by night. Since she's now here in Shirou's house, I'm guessing that the beginning of the story has begun…but haven't I just woken up? Just how long did I sleep?

Saving the questions for later, my eyes move to the other girl, sitting primly in seiza, her blonde hair tied into a bun. Artoria Pendragon, daughter of Uther, king of Camelot, and the King of Knights. Her green eyes move constantly, seeming to search for any threats in the immediate vicinity. Our eyes meet for a moment, and we exchange a quick nod before we move on.

Now then,

"Um…how long have…I been asleep, Shirou-kun?"

The redhead stops eating for a moment. "An entire day." He answers, then frowns. "Please eat more, Tsunaka-san. You must be hungry." I blink, and I look down at my bowl to see that it's only half-finished, when I'd usually have already finished the wonderful dish. 'Damn, Taiga's finished another bowl already? I guess even the pain's warping my sense of time.'

"I'll try." Is my answer, but my stomach already feels full. Still, my Japanese upbringing's telling me to finish the damn thing, so I force myself through, slowly slugging bits of rice and tempura into my mouth.

It took only five minutes or so, but it sure felt like forever.

Chewing it is even worse. It's painfully slow, and it sapped most of my mental concentration to even move my jaw. I nearly choked a couple of times, getting some very concerned looks from the rest, before I actually choked, and Taiga decided that I had enough and forced me to stand and go back to sleep.

(At least I choked on some damn good food!)

Taiga reprimanded me on 'not getting into fights' or something like that. I'm not quite sure where that excuse came from, but I'm guessing Rin was the one who made it (Shirou can't seem to lie, at all). I respond with a silent nod, and Taiga sighs, before pulling the blanket over me and leaving.

I sigh softly, slowly drifting back to sleep.

[Hey, hey~!]

And then this piece of crap appears.

[H-Hey! Don't be so mean!]

'Then don't interrupt my sleep, damn it.' I glared at the offending blue box, hoping whoever is talking on the other side falls off her chair and bangs her head on the floor. Of course, an annoying peace sign emoji just had to appear on the blue screen, and I had to restrain myself from shooting a prana missile at it.

[Ooh, someone's grumpy]

Quiet. Let me. Go. To. Sleep.

[D-Don't sleep yet! I haven-, h-hey! Don't force me to do douse you in bleach!]

Oh my god…can't we save it for, I don't know, when I next wake up?

[And wait another 3 days!? Hell no!]

…I won't sleep for that long…

[Anyways! This'll be quick, so wait a sec…alright, here it is!]

[You have escaped Alaya's grasp, but she's no longer playful, and it is time for her to skew fate in her own d.e.s.i.r.es]

[Quest: Splintered War]

You, a threat deemed dangerous by Alaya, has escaped her grasps. Hindered by me, the [System], she now employs the Counter Force against you, and the Fifth Holy Grail War will never be the same ever again.

Requirements: Survive until the end of the Fifth Holy Grail War

Extra Mission: Destroy the Holy Grail

Reward: ?

Extra Reward: ?

Failure: Your absolute death, the burning of Fuyuki

…Huh-, wait, 'hindered by the [System]'? What does that mean?

[Hmph! Why do you think Alaya didn't just sic Gilgamesh on you after you killed that Atalanta clone, huh!? Why do you think she hasn't just placed Primate Murder here to kill you all!? I'm pulling my legs out here!]

Oh, I see. Thanks.

[At least sound grateful!]

I'm being sincere here. Just, tired. Really tired.

[But all you did was eat!]

I'm a human, and I'm injured.

[Ah~, fine. Have a good sleep, Hanami-chan]

"Mm…good night." I say out loud and watch the blue screen disappear, before sighing, nestling myself in my futon as its warmth begins to pull me back into my sleep. A yawn escapes my lips as my eyes droop, and before long, they close, and my consciousness fades.

............

Arturia Pendragon was stuck in an…interesting situation, one could say. But even then, that was an understatement.

She'd been summoned by Emiya Shirou, adopted son of Emiya Kiritsugu, her previous master, and a ruthless killer of magi. She'd feared that he'd be the same, but he acted more like Irisviel than his own dad, so that was a blessing for the King of Knights.

But, just as she fought away Lancer and founded a momentary truce with Archer's master, they went to the Overseer's church, before they were attacked by Hercules, and her master, Illyasviel von Einzbern. She knew her, she'd seen her before, a decade earlier, when she'd still fought under the command of her now-deceased father.

That was when things went…strange.

She was losing, and she'd been ready to decloak her Excalibur, but before his giant axe could reach her neck, Shirou burst forward, unsheathing the katana he'd kept on his waist, and in a single flurry of motions, unleashed three consecutive strikes on the Berserker's heart, stabbing right through. He spoke of its name, [Mumyou Sandan-Zuki], and though she knew not what it was, she could physically feel the power of its name, and its implications left her in shock.

The boy, her master, had just unleashed a Noble Phantasm.

She'd desperately wanted to ask how he'd gotten and learned such a technique, but the twin-tailed magus had beaten her to it. He'd stuttered for a moment, before falling to a contemplative silence, then finally answering, saying that it was a 'memento' from a friend of the past. She didn't believe it, nor did the other master, but they'd left it there.

Illyasviel shouted in shock, staring at her adoptive brother in a mix of rage and awe, before she shouted for her servant, who'd suddenly stood, the gaping hole on his c.h.e.s.t knitting together and leaving no scar behind. The berserker roared, before it followed its master's orders and carried her away.

The next day was surprisingly uneventful. She was incapable of going into astral form, most likely due to the odd...circ.u.mstances she is currently stuck in, and so she was forced to stay at his estate while he went to school. She would have been worried for him, but his katana was carried in a special bag with him, so she knew he had means to defend himself.

It was at around noon that she finally discovered the other resident of the house (excluding the mooching tiger from morning). An injured, heavily prana-lacking girl, roughly around her master's age. She had a bandage around her leg and c.h.e.s.t, covering two fairly grievous injuries. It confused her as to why she'd be here instead of the hospital, until she noticed that the wounds were created by something sharp thrusting through her, something like a sword.

She didn't know for sure, but the girl seemed to be a victim of a servant attack. Which servant, she did not know.

When afternoon came and her master returned, she'd asked him for a spar, saying that it was to test his skills. Although, in truth, she'd simply wanted to spar with a swordsman of skill, as it'd been truly a while since she'd sparred against another swordsman.

And he delivered.

Each strike he sent was fluid, fast, like a dancing tide in a river. His arms moved in speeds rivaling that of servants, and she found herself being cornered on several occasions. He was still human, she concluded upon his defeat, but an insanely strong human. It made her quite glad actually.

Night came, and that was when the girl, Tsunaka was her name, woke up. Her condition was as she expected: She was sluggish, weak, pained, and each move she made seemed to drain any energy her long sleep had created. Their eyes met for a moment, but no words were exchanged, and she simply moved on to her food, though she did spot a glint of recognition in those green eyes.

Did Tsunaka know what she was? Was she a magus then? She wasn't a master from what she checked, so was she perhaps a spectating magus? It was certainly a possibility, but until she has fully recovered, she didn't dare to ask.

Finally, as every resident of the Emiya Estate finally fell to sleep, Saber goes and sits by her master's side, unknowing of the darkening of the night sky above.

.............

Darkness.

Anywhere she looks, there only exists darkness.

Arturia knew not of where this place might be, but it spoke to her, whispered almost. She shivers, looking down onto the rippling void under her, and to her reflection upon that rippling darkness.

But what she sees is not here. It cannot be.

With a cold smile, the girl stares back. Her eyes were a bright gold, her hair a pale white, and her skin a sickly colour as if no blood or warmth flowed within her veins. Their eyes meet, and her smile shifts, growing wider, maniacal.

She crouches and her hand reaches up, past the surface separating them and grasping her leg. She gasps, feeling the cold of her pale skin, before the hand pulls, and she begins to sink, slowly at first, but once her other hand comes and drags her, her whole body easily drops through the rippling void, and everything shatters. Cracks spread like spider webs across the blackness, reaching onto her and the other her.

Then, a pair of cold hands moves and cups her cheeks, and memories come bursting in. It's of another life, where she kills Lancelot and Guinevere, where she rules as a titan, where the dragonic blood in her roars with glee, where she slaughters her son and her half-sister in cold efficiency.

That wasn't her story, yet at the same time it was.

She wanted to shout, to scream for her master, to plead for her foster father to save her, to call for Merlin to pull her back, but she can do nothing, as she begins to crack, her body shattering into pieces and fading into white.

She cries silently, and reaches out, at the shattering void, at her fading memories, at her other self, at the boy who had summoned her.

She reached none of them, and she falls apart.

.............

"…ber-san? Saber-san? Hello? You awake there?"

She opens her eyes, wincing as sunlight seeped in. Her vision slowly focused, and the girl who sits worriedly by her side came into view. "…Tsunaka-san…?" The brunette girl frowns slightly, before sighing. "Yep. It's me alright. My injuries are…fine, I guess. But how're you?" She moves her hand close to her, and the dream (was it a dream?) of that other her comes flashing back, and she flinches away. Tsunaka's frown deepens. "Are you alright, Saber-san? Feeling lightheaded maybe? Weakness? Any pain anywhere?"

"I'm…I'm fine." She rasps weakly.

"No, you're not." She glares back, worried.

(And was it just her, or did her eyes just flash blue?)

"I don't need to be a doctor to tell you you're sick." She begins, her glare waning to a worried glance. "Shirou woke up to see you shivering, and anything he did, you wouldn't wake up." She stares away for a moment, before turning back to her. "It's noon now. Shirou's not going to back for another 4 hours."

She sighs, running a hand through her unkempt hair. "Look, I know you're not supposed to be sick, and you're probably supposed to guard Shirou from his enemies, right?" Her eyes widened. 'Does she…?'

"I'm a magus, I know what you are, so don't worry about hiding it from me." She stops for a moment, casting a worried frown towards her. "I'm not a master either. I'm just a spectator, you see? Although I am Shirou's partner in magecraft, so there's that. Anyways, back on topic, you're not supposed to be sick, right?"

She nods slowly. "That's what I thought. Well…uh, look. Something weird's happening with the grail. The taint that's hiding inside is growing." She stops for a moment, letting her words sink in, before continuing. "I have a small connection to the root, you see? So I can feel something wrong with it. Alaya's also agitated, though she's being blocked from just destroying the entire of Fuyuki. All in all, not the best of situations."

"So…I guess I'll have to apologize." She bows, touching her head against the wood. "It's partly…no, mainly my fault that this is happening. I'm a threat Alaya's eager to rid off, but can't directly, so she's affecting the war to try to kill me. It's…well, sorry."

Silence descends on them both. Saber is struck silent, not really knowing what to say to such a genuine confession. A connection to the root? A taint inside the grail? Alaya's agitated? What do all those mean? Why is Alaya after her? What is enc.u.mbering Alaya from simply eradicating her now?

What was that alternate version of her?

She doesn't know. And perhaps, she doesn't ever want to know. But, at this moment, a mage is bending her head down in apology, and as a king, what else can she do but forgive?

"It…is fine, Tsunaka-san." Her head shoots up, her eyes wide with shock. Was she not expecting that perhaps? "I do not know most of what you talked about. You…hold many secrets of your own, and I will not pry into them…but, thank you for telling me. And…I assume you wish for this to remain a secret?"

She remains slack-jawed for a moment, before she pulls herself together and shakes her head. "I've…said what I want, and it's up to you whether you want to spread it or not." She rubs the back of her neck, an embarrassed smile present on her face. "But if you do keep it silent, then that'd be great."

A slight chuckle escapes her lips, and Tsunaka blinks for a second, before she too joins in, until she begins coughing that is and Tsunaka begins to worry. It only made her laughter louder, and Tsunaka's worry higher, though she seems amused as well if that wry smile of hers was any indication.

'She's…strange.' She surmised as she watched Tsunaka leave the room, heading towards the backyard to polish her magic skills. 'Magi are cold and aloof, keeping to themselves…or acting like idiots.' She couldn't quite resist scoffing, thinking back to that flower magus she had learnt under, and the many idiotics the man did on a regular basis.

'But, I guess that's what makes them special.'

She and Shirou were special indeed. One was connected to the root of all existence and the other can use a genuine Noble Phantasm while still being human. Perhaps that was why the two hardly followed any magi traditions.

'Whatever the case may be,' She smiles. 'I'm glad they are my allies.'

The small patch of white in her hair faded back into blonde.

..........

Hue~, so this is what the [Tool Station] is…Pretty neat!

To put it simply, it's my own personal workshop, with several different 'stations' that help bolster my equipment and skills.

There's the [Argon Forge], a pitch-black anvil enchanted by magic. It's where I can create new weapons and armors, and repair any damaged equipment I might find or receive along the way, and perhaps upgrade them once I'm good enough with the hammer. Of course, it's a forge, so only metallic weapons and armors can be created and fixed here, and I'll need to get and level up my [Blacksmithing] skill to use it properly.

Second, the [Loom of The Stars], a set of several cloth-making devices. Just like the forge, it's also enchanted, allowing me to work on magical items, specifically those that are made with cloth. It's basically the cloth version of the [Argon Forge], and I'll need the [Clothmaking] skill to use it to its maximum as well.

Next up, the [Alchemist's Table]! It's pretty much a mahogany table with a green cloth dr.a.p.ed over it, and several sciency objects placed atop it. It's where I can experiment with consumables, and maybe create potions to help me in my battles. Once again, need the [Alchemy] skill to use properly.

And finally~. The [Compendium]! This one's the most interesting! While it's literally just a think blank book placed over a wooden lectern, but it's where I can [Evolve] or [Splice] skills. Yeah, I know.

[Evolve] works when a skill is maxed out, and there's a skill it can possibly evolve to. If there's more than one choice, then I can pick.

[Splice] is me mixing two skills into one, brand spakin' new skill. The higher level each skill is, the higher chance of success I'll have. But! [Unique] skills cannot be spliced, which is understandable.

They both require a lot of money, which saddens me quite a bit.

The 'stations' aside, the room I'm in isn't all that impressive. It's just a room with white walls, with a door to exit the ID and return to where I first entered it. Although, I can alter it with my [Alteration] skill, but that'd take way too long for now, so I'll do it later once my skill level is high enough.

Anyways, that's not exactly why I'm here.

That honor belongs to the outright massive sword in my hands.

[Blade of Anarchy]

Rank B++

A greatsword crafted in the fires of brimstone, holding the soul and strength of the underworld. Brimstone flames flare upon its blade, lighting the world in a storm of chaos. Its history is left unknown, passed on from holder to holder. And now, it belongs to you.

"Hold your blades to your c.h.e.s.t, for we shall brave the calamity."

+150 Strength when wielded

+100 Intelligence when wielded

+25 Wisdom dan Dexterity when wielded

Allows the wielder to conjure brimstone flames from the blade

Brimstone fire cannot be extinguished normally, lest it is snuffed out by outside prana

The less HP you have, the more damage the sword does

-Can be [Soulbound] at the [Argon Forge]-

-The damage increase maxes out at +100% damage once you reach 0 HP-

It's a giant sword (it's taller than me!), with a blade colored a deep ashen grey, the middle of the blade glowing a searing red. The sword seemed to glow an almost eerie red, with its edges burning a deep velvet flame.

It's one hell of a sword.

Pun fully intended

Rather convenient to get a sword (and an unholy one at that) right after I lost mine in that void world. But this presents a problem for me:

How the hell am I supposed to use this?

I mean, I can hold it, and I definitely can swing it, but I'm not much a Berserker. Not one to focus on pure physical strength, you see? I'm more of an odd Saber-Assassin-Caster trinity, though leaning heavily on the Caster side. So…yeah, I doubt I can use this giant greatsword to its full potential. Well, unless I alter it somehow, but my [Alteration] level is too low and I don't even have the [Blacksmithing] skill.

Thankfully, my [Reaver Armour] fits to me just fine since I can just hide it under my vanity outfit. The armor itself looks like some weird medieval armor set covered in vines and plants, and it looks pretty damn rad, but I don't fancy fighting in some tight and heavy armor, no thank you.

Now, here's how my stats look with all my equipment on, including all my armor and my sword.

Spoilers: It looks absolutely awesome.

Name: Tsunaka Hanami

Age: 17

S.e.x: Female ; Human

Class: -

Level: 22 Exp: 4.581/65.000

HP: 4320/6270 (627HP/hour) [Injured]

MP: 15.000/17.860 (1.377,5MP/hour) [Injured]

Stamina: 80% (27%/hour) [Injured]

Strength: 224 (+7) [+185]

Vitality: 158 [+125]

Dexterity: 137 (+10) [+90]

Intelligence: 204,75 (+49,75) [+120]

Wisdom: 117,5 (+36,5) [+45]

Luck: 35 [+15]

Stat Points: 15

Pretty dope, no?

Now that that's over, moving on~

As I mentioned, the [Blade of Anarchy] is hardly a perfect fit for me, so I'm here to create one for myself. I do have some broken noble phantasms I can use as materials, but I think I'll leave using them for when I'm confident enough with my smithing skills. For now, I'll have to satisfy myself with the rather cheap bars of steel I bought from the [Item Shop].

(Why can't I just buy something from the shop, you ask?

'Cause that's boring)

So, after I brought out a bar of steel and heated it in the forge by the anvil's side, I begin the smithing, hammering it down with a prana hammer I constructed. My mystic eyes activated, I hammer and hit the steel to shape, using [Alteration] to give me an easier time and [Reinforcement] on the steel to cast out any flaws. Around 20 minutes of laborious pounding later, I dip the shaped steel into a barrel of water by the forge's side and let it cool for a moment before pulling it out.

[Reinforced Steel Sword]

Rank E-

An unpolished steel sword, reinforced by prana in its process of creation.

+15 Strength when wielded

…well, it's not bad. Still though…+15 Strength only? That being said, my skill in this isn't all that good, so I guess it's to be expected.

[Blacksmithing Lv 3 – 11%]

A skill with the forge and hammer, the power to craft and mold iron and steel into shape, turning them into objects of use.

Maximum rank of materials capable of being used: E

?

'Well, I guess I'll have to start grinding, eh?' I roll up my sleeves, and with a smile, I bring out another bar of steel and begin to smithing process once more.

..............

By the time I finally step out of the ID, day had turned to night, and the skies are now dark, glittering with far distant stars. It's beautiful, but not enough to distract me from the fact that my white shirt has become absolutely tainted by an ungodly amount of sweat. I would've switched out my clothes earlier, but I got a little too focused in my smithing.

But! Look at the rewards of my labor!

[Blacksmithing Lv 18 – 42%]

A skill with the forge and hammer, the power to craft and mold iron and steel into shape, turning them into objects of use.

Maximum rank of materials capable of being used: D

?

And this!

[Polished Sturdy Reinforced Steel Sword]

Rank E+

An polished steel sword, reinforced by prana in its process of creation.

+20 Strength when wielded

Well, the second one's not so impressive, but it went from an E- to an E+, so that's something!

The sword's stored in my inventory for now, ready to be brought out at any moment…which is great, since I can feel the cold atmosphere surrounding the Emiya Estate. Reinforcing my hearing, I begin approaching the house, stepping up the porch and into the many halls that this Japanese house is built with. I hear shuffling, sighing, and a distressed cry as a dull thud sounds. I can hear two individuals in the dining room, one of a roaring dragon, and another a jumble of clinking gems.

'Saber and Rin!' I realize, and with it, a sudden realization of what is happening. Since they just came home from Berserker's attack, then this night is when Shirou got whisked away by Caster!

Switching my sweaty shirt with another clean one, I rush in, sliding the door open right as Rin and Saber were about to leave. Their eyes bolt to me, both shocked, but Saber's quickly morphs into one of understanding. "Tsunaka-san?" Rin asks me, probably confused from where I suddenly came from.

"Hello there! Where are you two going?" I ask in faux curiosity, one that Saber clearly notices from the slight quirking of her eyebrow. Rin doesn't seem to notice however, and her voice trails off slowly. "Well, Saber and I were…um…"

"Going out to save Shirou from Caster perhaps?" Rin's eyes snap to mine, and understanding dawns on her. "…You're a magus."

"Yep, yep. Tsunaka Hanami, but introductions can wait, right Saber?" Saber nods. "Yes. We must make haste." She says with conviction, and I frown slightly. "Are you sure though? Aren't you still sick?" I ask in concern, one which she replies with a small smirk. "I've gotten better, but I should be asking that. How is your injury, Tsunaka-san?"

"Tolerable," I reply with a smirk, soon replaced with another small frown. "Just don't push yourself too hard."

"I won't." And with that, the three of us rush out of the house and towards Shirou, who Rin has discovered is being held in the Ryuudou Temple. She seemed pretty smug about figuring out where he was, so I withheld my comment about knowing it before she did.

Of course, since Rin's going, Archer's following closely as well, jumping from rooftop to rooftop in his astral form. I know of him, and he seems to know about me knowing as well, with how his eyes are boring into my back. Still, I ignored the unpleasant feeling with all my strength and push onwards towards the temple.

[You have gained the skill [Stoicism]!]

Nice! More skills!

It doesn't take long before we reach the staircase leading up to the temple. Since there's a huge boundary field around the temple now, Archer's forced to materialize and walk together with us. With him now staring closer than ever, my [Stoicism] skill's gaining level at an insane rate. With the unpleasant feeling held back by my new skill, all that remains is a tingling annoyance, one I decide to call out before we start walking up.

"If you want to stare, then make it discreet, Archer." I say nonchalantly before I begin walking up the steps behind Saber, leaving behind a confused Rin and a wide-eyed Archer.

We walk up the stairs in silence, then stopping at a small platform before a final set of stairs, where a man stands stoically, garbed in a purple kimono, and a katana is held firmly in his hands as he stares down upon them. "I'm afraid I cannot let you pass." He says, smirking as he begins to descend the stairs. "I've been tasked by my master to guard this gate, and I'm afraid I can't decline."

"I'll come through by force if I must, Assassin," I smirk. "Or should I say, Sasaki Kojiro?"

His eyes widen for a moment, before he smirks, wider than before. "It seems you know of me, but I do not know of you." He takes the last step down, and stands across them, sword held readily by his waist. "What is your name, girl?"

"Tsunaka Hanami." I tense my legs, flooding them with prana. "And I'm here to save my partner."

[Sasaki Kojiro Lv 100]

HP: 80.000/80.000

MP: ?/?

Stamina: ?%

A famous samurai, recorded to be the rival of Miyamoto Musashi. A man of the blade, one who trained his skills to dissect a fleeting swallow, allowing him to push into the realms of magic. Despite this, the man known as [Sasaki Kojiro] is fake, a mere tale of fiction, but his technique and spirit lives on in the body of an unknown samurai of old.

Oddly enough, you spot a strange patch of red in his purple hair. Why is that?

'F.u.c.kin' hell, the guy's over 80 levels above me.' I can't help but smile. Because, while I know of his level, Saber's remains as a set of question marks, meaning I'm still not strong enough to know of her true strength. It's nice knowing that Saber's stronger than him, but, then again, power's not everything in the Grail War…unless you're Gilgamesh that is.

"Saber, can I leave you with him?" She nods and brings out her [Excalibur] cloaked and hidden by [Invisible Air]. 'Why is she so understanding?' I wonder, but I saved the thought for later. Right now, my redhead partner's in danger, and I'm not letting Medea's hands to violate him any further!

[Reinforcing] my legs to its utmost limit, I bend forward, before blasting in speeds, passing by Assassin and leaping over the stairs and through the gate. I dig my legs against the dirt, sliding to a stop and bringing out my new steel sword from my inventory, before turning to face Shirou, dangled in a tight-knit cobweb of string, his mouth tied shut, and Caster floating ominously above him.

[Medea Lv 120]

HP: 95.000/95.000

MP: ?/?

Stamina: ?%

A witch, born as a princess of Colchis, who endured through countless betrayals. She holds great talent in magic, just as her father did, but was exiled when Jason, a man she loved, chose her sister over her. Upon their wedding, she appeared and burnt them all to dust, leaving only Jason behind.

While her magic and thaumaturgy is great, her true strength belongs to the crystallization of her life, the [Rule Breaker], a noble phantasm set to 'betray' all magic and sever contracts.

Her normally purple eyes have gained a red tint to them. Strange.

"Hmm? Who might you be?" Medea receives a hail of prana bullets as her answer. She evades casually, floating above the storm before floating back down, landing between me and Shirou. "How rude."

"Stealing people when they're sleeping is rude too, you know?" I retort, firing a volley of prana rockets. She easily blocks them with a magic barrier and laughs. "I suppose so!"

Purple magic circles come to life behind her, spinning and forming a sphere of energy at their centers. 'Ah crap.' I make a hasty run as beams of concentrated destruction fire follow behind me, all the while shooting prana bullets at her exposed self. Though all the bullets can do is pitifully bounce off the thin barrier she made around herself.

I grit my teeth, and reinforcing my legs, I burst forward, stopping a meter before her and jumping up, my sword swung downwards, aimed for her head. Medea smirks, and she raises her hand, casting a circle of prana to protect her.

I smirk, and in that moment, my steel sword is replaced by the much larger [Blade of Anarchy]. Medea only had a moment to realize before my sword easily tears through the barrier and into her shoulder, cutting her right arm cleanly off. She gasps weakly, her remaining arm moving to grasp me, but my greatsword suddenly lights up, burning in a magnificent burst of velvet flames. Medea screams as her body burns, the shock rendering any magic she was casting broken.

[Critical Hit!]

I switch my sword back to my steel one, but before I can strike, a fist collides against my abdomen and sends me flying back, rolling on the ground and left gasping for air. I stand back up slowly, but by the time I turn my eyes back to where Caster was, she and my attacker are nowhere in sight. 'Down by 2.000 HP, huh.' I smile grimly as I gently rub my hands over my stomach, feeling the lingering pain from that attack. Sighing, I begin to walk, before I trip, only to be caught by a now freed Shirou.

"Agh…hey, thanks there, Shirou-kun. You okay?"

"I'm…fine. Thank you." I smile slightly, wincing at the sharp pain in my gut. He frowns slightly. "Are you fine though?"

"As if. I just took a punch straight to the stomach." I deadpan, and he laughs awkwardly, rubbing the back of his neck. "Who punched me by the way?" I ask, although I already have an idea as to who it might've been.

"It's Kuzuki-sensei. He also carried Caster away." He said almost nonchalantly, oddly enough.

"…We should probably get out of here, Shirou-kun." He nods, proceeding to then carry my princess-style and walk out the temple gates like it's the most natural thing in the world. The moment we step out, four pair of eyes shoot to us, one shocked, two confused, and one amused, each and every one of them bewildered to see Shirou carry me so casually, and me being there with no apparent embarrassment or whatsoever.

That's a lie though. I'm embarrassed as hell, but [Stoicism]'s one hell of a skill.

Assassin stares for a moment, at a loss at the sudden development, before he sighs, ascending back up the stairs and past us. He stands back before the gate and turns, his lips curved to a small smile. "My task is to guard the gate. You seek to enter no longer, so our reason for battle has ceased. Go and rest."

Saber returns his stare and nods. "Thank you, Assassin."

With her farewell said, we walk down the steps, heading back to Shirou's house to receive some well deserved sleep.

And despite me saying that I'm alright, Shirou insists on carrying me all the way back to my futon, which was both really heartwarming and embarrassing. Saber's amused stare didn't help either!

[[Stoicism] has leveled up!]

Oh, shut up.

.................

It's now midnight, and I'm here, comfortably lying in my futon, and blankly staring at the wooden ceiling. I don't really feel like sleeping, but I don't feel like doing anything right now, so that leaves me here, staring at the unmoving wood.

But this gives me time to ponder over what happened before, mainly those little lines of text under Caster and Assassin's descriptions. 'What do they mean? Are they being changed? By the grail perhaps?' Which then leads to other questions. 'Is Alaya's influence showing? Is this going to happen to every servant then? Is that why Saber's sick?'

[Arturia Pendragon Lv ?]

HP: ?/?

MP: ?/?

Stamina: ?%

Child of Uther, crowned as the King of Camelot, once wielder of Caliburn and wielder of Excalibur. She is a legendary hero of old, her legend reverberated through time, and she stands as the King of Knights. The weapon she wields shines with the wishes and hopes of mankind, and the light it creates shall banish all evils that dare to stand against her.

Then, if every servant's being affected, why doesn't Saber's description have that weird line of text like the ones before?

I sigh softly. Well, whatever the case may be, since Saber doesn't have that extra line of text means that she's safe, for now at least. I don't know what other crap the grail can pull out, but fate is a cruel and sadistic mistress (literally), so anything can happen by this point.

Now, to engage in one of my new favorite hobbies: [Item Shop] surfing!

I might not be able to buy stuff above Rank C+, but damn if there isn't a lot of stuff I can buy, ranging from the classic Star Wars lightsaber to even Cloud's Buster Sword (which is a Rank C-!? Blasphemy!). There's also a distinct lack of [Skill Books] in the shop. Wonder if I need to make the [Skill Books] or something.

An hour of store surfing later, the crawling boredom has finally caught up to me, and now I'm forced to flee into my inventory screen, looking at all the random drops I've received from my past encounters and endeavors.

Turns out, there's a bunch of interesting stuff I haven't looked at.

[Overused heart]

-Material-

A human (?) heart, torn all over and stitched together. What is this thing even for?

This first one comes from that giant ghoul I killed with Shirou, and just like the description, I don't know what material this thing could possibly be for.

[Torn Red Sash]

-Material-

A strange red sash, torn from battle. It seems to glow occasionally, and the smell of gunpowder can be smelled from it.

[Broken Revolver]

-Material-

An old revolver with its barrel and ammunition wheel broken. Wonder if you could fix it?

These two came from that Billy the Kid I killed back in Alaya's prison. I can guess what repairing the revolver will give me, but what does the red sash do?

[Broken Shards of Ebony]

-Material-

A collection of ebony-colored shards. Its base material is unknown, but it seems to gain the shape of a bow when assembled.

[Tattered Purple Pelt]

-Material-

A magical purple pelt, torn in several places. You sense great magic from it, and the fur glistens with ominous purple light.

This one's from Atalanta, and I assume the first is for the bow and the second's for…uh, that thing where she transforms into her berserker self or something?

[[Voltaic Charge] Skill Book]

-Grants the skill [Voltaic Charge] when used-

-Requires 150 [Natural] Intelligence and 100 [Natural] Wisdom to use-

The sounds of distant thunder roar through the rainy winds, the burst of lightning striking down from the heavens above, burning anything it touches into ash. Cackling, jolting, it is the strength of nature, the wrath of the sky sent down from above. You now wield its power, and it has become your own.

Grants you power over lightning, either creating it or manipulating existing lightning

Cost depends on the power and intensity of lightning being created and controlled

You are immune from being electrocuted

When a lightning storm is occurring, all your stats are increased by 100

Passively grants +5 Intelligence and Wisdom at [Level 1]

…This one sounds-, nah, it is really good, but I'm not strong enough to use it yet. But if I do manage to get my stats high enough to use this, then I'll be getting myself one hell of an upgrade.

Guess I'll be sending my enemies a [Chidori] sooner than I expected.

Anyways, next!

[[Natural Body] Skill Book]

-Grants the skill [Natural Body] when used-

-Requires 100 [Natural] Strength and Vitality] to use-

Perfection in body structure, creating the absolute pinnacle of natural human strength. Thankfully, you won't suddenly become buff from using this, but your strength will increase many folds, and you will become the prime example of the pinnacle of human strength.

Doubles [Natural] Strength and Vitality

Again, same problem with the stats here, but if I do manage, well…double strength and vitality? Uah~…I can't really imagine how that'll be like. Will I be able to tank bullets without flinching and stuff? Hrmm, I'll have to wait on that one.

And with that, my inventory survey is over…and only 5 minutes have passed.

…Aaahhh~…what to do now? Should I do the [Gacha]? Just for the lolz?

(Hey, that's hell you're walking into)

Wait, the hell? Who was that?

A-Anyways, I decide to heed the words of that mysterious voice and cast away the [Gacha] panel I brought up earlier. I'll touch on it on a later date, when I have enough money to splurge perhaps.

And~…I've done all the interesting things I've listed in my head. Ah, what to do now?

Hmm…bringing up all those items reminds of me of those 'fake' servants Alaya dropped on me in that void prison, and…and me dying to Lancelot. I can still feel it, taste the blood in my mouth as his sword cut through my neck. The pain it brought was agonizing, before the drowning lull of unconsciousness pulled me in.

Oh god, the pain.

I realize I'm shivering, my breath short and cold sweat running down my face. The adrenaline may have pushed those memories back, and the recent events had pulled my attention away from them, but they are back now, and I can only hug myself close as those scenes played in my mind, one by one. I have no skills to repress those feelings, and there is no [Gamer's Mind] to stop myself from experiencing them.

I still don't feel like sleeping, but I have to do something, anything to pull my mind away from this.

I wince and slowly, I push myself up from the futon, my body protesting as my nerves lights in pain. I ignore them. I stand, and with a deep breath, I walk out the room and onto the porch facing the backyard of the Emiya Estate.

It is where I was dragged into that prison.

Phantom pains ignite across my body, and I'm shocked to only find myself slumping against the wooden supports beside me. I guess [Stoicism] helps a bit, but it sure doesn't lighten the mental burdens my past experiences inflicts on me. Nevertheless, I shake my thoughts away and straighten myself, stepping down the porch and heading to the small shack built in the backyard, where my magus hearing can hear the sounds of clashing metals.

Wonder what Shirou's doing at this time of night…Probably something to do with [Structural Analysis], since he's crouched on the ground, his eyes shut close in concentration and beads of sweat running down his cheeks as his hands hover over the [Kojiki Kiyomitsu]. Smooth lines of prana run across the katana, its glow contrasting against the darkness of the shack.

From what he's doing, he seems to be diving into the sword's history, perhaps drawing in as much knowledge and skills he can from the Noble Phantasm to use as his own.

It's…actually pretty weird seeing him be so competent this early on in the Holy Grail War. Well, it makes sense, since he's a [Sword] Incarnation, and his [Structural Analysis] borders on the ability of my Mystic Eyes, and he's got a pretty damn famous Noble Phantasm to draw his skills from. He's not on the level of servants just yet, but he'll get there pretty soon…maybe.

And of course, I can help by supplying him with more Noble Phantasms.

"…There, fully complete."

"With what exactly?" Shirou flinches and turns to meet me, blinking uncertainly. "…Tsunaka-san? What are you doing here? Shouldn't you be resting?"

"I can say the same to you." I quip back, though his worried stare remains, and I can't help but divert my eyes away from his golden ones. "…I can't sleep." He frowns slightly. "Is something bothering you?" He asks as he stands, picking up the [Kojiki Kiyomitsu] and sheathing it into its sheathe he placed by the wall. I sigh weakly. "…I'm just reminded of the servants who attacked us. Like…I-, we could've died at any time, you know?"

"Yeah, but we're alive, because of you." He smiles gently. "Thank you for that."

"A-Ah. No problem, Shirou-kun." I smile awkwardly, ignoring the heat that crept up my cheeks. Shirou then frowns as he straps the sheathed blade onto his waist. "By the way, what happened two days ago?" I blink, confused. "When you're suddenly bruised all over and your leg's injured and bandaged?"

"…I was attacked, by a servant." I say, and his eyes light up in realization. "…Which one?"

"It was too fast for me to notice, sorry." I say, not really explaining the context of which and what servant I'm talking about. I mean, I can't just straight up and say that I got dragged away into a white void and was forced to battle against servants before dying to Lancelot and getting revived, can I?

"I see." He says, short and cold, his eyes seeming to dampen for the slightest moment before it regains its golden shine. I noticed of course, and I'm guessing its Okita's personality getting intermingled or something…or maybe it's something different? Who knows.

"You should probably go to sleep, Tsunaka-san. Your injuries haven't healed completely, right?"

"Well, I'll try. See you in the morning then, Shirou-kun." I say and walked back into the house, missing the blue and white haori he suddenly has over his shirt, and the cold gaze his golden eyes have.

..................

It'd been an absolute failure, and Caster paid for it heavily. That…girl sliced her arm off with a cheap trick, and along with it a sizable chunk of her prana. Souchirou was there to save her and carry her away to this emptied church, but it doesn't change the fact that she's become a liability in battle.

She hated this. She hated being weak.

Right now, as her master rested in the back of this church, she sits on one of the many wooden chairs in the main hall, meant for a non-existent audience to pray and worship their lord. It's ironic that there had been many atrocities carried out in this place, one that contradicts the teachings of the religion this church is supposed to teach. But such is the nature of the moonlit world she supposed, and it'd take a massive event to change such a thing.

She's broken out of her musings when the church entrance suddenly opens, and someone enters, someone who is not Souchirou.

In fact, it's the boy who she'd captured and lost. But something is different. A sheathed blade is tied by his waist. A blue and white haori is dr.a.p.ed over his casual shirt. His eyes, one that she remembered being so full of life seems muted, distant and cold. They are not the eyes of a boy wet behind the ears, thrust into a battle of the ages, but of a killer. She knows so, for her master's eyes look the same way.

"You…" She grit her teeth, memories of that humiliating defeat rising in her mind. Her body pulses, and a gnawing irritation spreads all over. "YoU…!" His golden eyes remain steady, unfazed even as she stands, her cloak flowing. The crawling feeling makes it to her neck, then to her head, then to her mind.

Then everything went white.

"YOU."

Shirou watches silently as Caster slowly transforms before his eyes. Her hair, previously purple turns a grey white, and her red eyes deepened to blood crimson. A haunting dark aura surrounds her, twisting and folding the space around her.

Shirou holds no fear as he slowly draws his blade, pulling his arms back and holding the hilt of the sword behind his head, the tip aimed at Caster. Lines of prana stretch across the blade, a combination of [Reinforcement] and [Structural Analysis], the former to strengthen the blade from shattering, and the latter to pour the knowledge and history the sword held into him.

It feels exhilarating, feeling the powers of a famous swordsman flow into him, but he forces it down under the cold efficiency Okita Souji holds as she prepares for battle, reminding himself that this is the woman who captured him, caused his friends and servant to worry, and led to Tsunaka injuring herself even more than she already was.

Silently, as he prepares to launch forward, a small voice trickles in from the back of his mind, belonging to a naïve part of him that still clung on to the now seemingly impossible dream of justice. But he understands now, Okita's memories had taught him so, and the words his father said back then finally made sense to him.

"To save a life, another must die. It's the undeniable truth, Shirou."

"Now," He breathes out slowly, bending his knees slightly in preparation. "Let's end this." He springs forward, and so does Caster. They clash, sword against bolts of magic, finesse against uncontrolled power. Bolts of crimson magic strike at him, and he slashes them away, his reinforced Noble Phantasm slicing through the magic.

In that haze of battle, he manages to close in, and he delivers a diagonal cut across her c.h.e.s.t, digging a deep diagonal wound from shoulder to waist. He moves to thrust his sword forward, but the aura cloaking her finally acts, spinning around her into a tornado of malevolent energy, sending him crashing against a wooden chair.

He gets up, but before he leaps forward, he notices the floor is now covered with a thick layer of mud, burning away at any flammable objects it touches, including the chair he now stands on. Knowing that, he swiftly jumps from one chair to another before leaping out of the opened church entrance. He flips mid-air and digs his foot onto the ground, sliding to a stop, just in time to see the church blow apart, chunks of stone flying about. The black tornado grows larger, taking in the entire area of the now destroyed church, and the black mud continues to flow outwards from it.

Shirou doesn't know what that mud might be, but whatever it is, it causes his c.h.e.s.t to ache, and phantom pains from the fire a decade ago seems to return.

No. He knows what that is. After all, you don't easily forget the thing that burns your entire city down.

'But why is it pooling around Caster?' The answer eludes him, but he has no time to ponder for that. The mud is spreading, and if he doesn't act, it will reach the city behind him. An absolute Hero of Justice might be an impossible dream for him, but it's still a dream he admires. Letting lives burn down like that isn't something a hero would do, would they?

His eyes narrow. He needs to get over the mud, past the tornado around her, and thrust his blade into her c.h.e.s.t. Can he do such a thing?

It's not about you being able to do that or not, but whether you're willing to do so or not.

'What was…?' The world suddenly stops. The mud stops flowing, the tornado stops moving, and the stars remain frozen in the night sky. Colours dull, fading into a dim grey. The only ones that stand out is Shirou, and the girl before him.

Her hair is a bright, almost pinkish white, and her eyes are a pale yellow, wearing a tight-fitting white ninja outfit, and a blue and white haori he's fairly familiar with.

Worries and concerns are dismissed as you wield a blade.

Her mouth moves, but no sound comes out. Yet, he hears her voice, speaking directly into his mind.

Have faith, both in your skills and your blade, and it shall cut through any adversaries.

Memories the blade holds surge into his mind, from it conception to its destruction, from when it was first picked up to when it finally fell, from its first kill to its last. In all of that, it never wavered, never shattered, and only when its wielder fell into battle did it finally break apart.

You, incarnation of the sword, I leave with you my soul and strength. Use my sword, cleave through any who stands in your way. Okita will watch you until the very end, until we reach ultimate victory.

The unmoving stars above seemed to align, and [Fate] rewrites itself.

His [Element] and [Origin] roars in tandem, one of the same, and evolving as one. He is a [Sword], and any sword that exists is him, and he is them. Knowledge and strength bleeds into him, the abilities of Okita Souji filtering into him from the Throne of Heroes. His soul reaches enlightenment, an answer to his soul, and for the briefest of moments, he sees-

The world moves once more, and in that same instance, Shirou bursts forward. His sword is c.o.c.ked back behind his head, and he leaps, forward and onwards, over the spreading sea of tainted mud, crashing against and through the violent tornado of energy, and into the eye of the storm. Caster's crimson eyes widen, pupils dilating as three consecutive strikes occur, and he appears out from the other side.

Caster's drilled body falls into the mud-covered ground. The tornado dissipates into thin air, no longer anchored by the servant, and the tainted mud seeps back into the earth. Shirou heaves a sigh as he drops to his knees, copious amounts of blood pouring out from the many cuts and gashes running through a tornado created.

The haori's still unharmed however, so that's a plus.

'Still though…'

"Shirou-kun, DAISHOURI!" Unable to hold that cheery feeling of victory, he leaps into the air and shouts, a goofy smile on his face. It's only when he lands back on the ground that he crumbles down, both from the pain and the embarrassment on the realization that he did such a thing out in the open.

Still, even as he musters enough strength to stand and head back to his house, his smile does not fade. Thankfully, no one in the house was awake to see him enter the house, smiling and injured all over the place. With the skill of an assassin, he sneaks into his room, places his sword by the wall, and takes off his haori, letting it disappear into prana. With a sigh, he moves into his futon, and no sooner than 5 minutes, he falls asleep.

..............

It's truly too bad that he didn't notice whether Caster's body truly disappeared and returned into the Throne of Heroes.

Because if he did, then perhaps the news the next morning wouldn't have been so grim.