The Chronicles Of Zero

// Akatsuki Manor, Brave Duel Underground Stadium //

All the inhabitants are sitting in the spectator part of the stadium where a battle of Brave Duel will take place, even Sirzechs, Serafall, Aine and Grayfia who came for Aine's move to the mansion are among the audience

Hayate: Wow, an underground stadium dedicated to Brave Duel like ours at Yagamido.

Iliya: Since when do we have that under the mansion?

Kuro: Knowing Onii-chan he must have built it on a whim.

Miyu: Mmmh, if it Onii-chan he would do something like that

Sirzechs: I'm amazed at the technological advancement of this stadium, if Ajuka was here he'd be more than interested.

Aine: Now that I think about it, what is the Brave Duel?

Sona: Now that you're talking about it I've heard some students at our school say it is a popular card game but I didn't take the time to look at it.

Hayate: You don't know what Brave Duel is?

Hayate: Then let me introduce you to the world fabulous world that's Brave Duel

Hayate takes out a cardholder and a Cartridge

Lu: I remember Zero has the same items in his cardboard.

Hayate: Brave Duel is a motion-sensing card game with team battles, it includes many game challenges and to finish duels between players. This little cartridge is called a Data Cartridge which contains and records all the player's battle data and other information, it acts as their identifier. The cardholder on my other hand is called a "Brave Holder"; it's a protective case for his deck.

Then Reinforce explained how the cards are made and what composes a deck

Reinforce: Decks are composed of different cards each with different rarity also called "Card Rank" which measures the power of a card, the cards in play are Normal (N, N+), Rare (R, R+), Super Rare (SR, SR+) and Hyper Rare (HR).

Hayate: N-rank cards are more for collecting and N+ and higher cards are mainly used for fighting

Hayate shows everyone a card with a picture of her on it

Sirzechs: It has some similarities with our Rating Game but with a more interesting feature.

Hayate: Good point Asia-chan, this card is the most fundamental part of a Brave Duel deck, it is the Personal Card. In the game, your character's power and abilities, also known as "Avatar", are influenced by this card. The other cards that are found in a deck are the Skill card giving different attacks or actions depending on the card.

Serafall: I didn't know that there was such a game in the human world

Hayate: And I think I've covered all the basics of Brave Duel.

Aine: I see, thanks for all this information Hayate-chan

Hayate: It's nothing.

At this point, Nanoha, Fate and Zero arrive near the arena.

Zero: So how do we play it?

Nanoha: Same old rule the winner can request the loser.

Fate: Nanoha?

Nanoha: I'm sure because we'll win this duel.

I only smile a her

Zero: It's good for me too, good luck.

Fate: You too Zero?

Zero: Don't look like that Fate-chan, it'll be fun

The two girls move to one side of the stadium while the young boy moves to the opposite side and each gets on their stations

The three present their Brave Holder in front of them

Fate/Nanoha/Zero: Brave Duel, Stand By

Brave Duel system: Connection to the global Brave Duel network, Commencing player scan, Loading Avatar into the area. Connecting to sense, commencing dive.

Each player picks a card from their Brave Holder and scans it

Fate/Nanoha/Zero: Card Slash, Rerise Up

The avatars of the three players transform into their battle armour

Nanoha is in her Barrier Jacket of Force equipped with her Weaponry the Strike Canon and Fortress

Fate is in her Force Barrier Jacket and is equipped with the Device Bardiche Hornet

As for Zero, he appears in his Barrier Jacket consisting of a simple black t-shirt, black trousers, black boots and a black vest over his shoulders with one sword on the right side of his hɨps and a grimoire on his left side, the sword is all blue and the grimoire is all white with a complex magic circle design on it.

The blue sword on his left is Zero's first Device since his debut on Brave Duel, Stella Schwert (the Star Sword) and on his right is his new Device, Akasha-Rekorde (Akashic Records).

The only thing our friends don't know is that their fight was broadcast in every Brave Duel arena in the country.

Zero: Eehhh, Over the Sea of Clouds stage, that brings back memories

Zero: Ready for our first fight in a few years, Stella?

Stella: I am always ready to fight by your side, your majesty.

Belfast: At this time the match between Fate Testarossa-sama and Nanoha Takamachi-sama, actual leader and vice leader of the T&H Elements team against Zero Akatsuki-sama, former leader of the T&H Elements team will begin. Duelist are you ready

Fate/Nanoha/Zero: Ready

A 10-second countdown starts

5

A pair of energy wings appear behind me

4

Nanoha and Fate move into position

2

1

Battle start

Zero LP: 5000

Nanoha LP: 5000

Fate LP: 5000

// Granz Laboratory //

At the Granz lab, it's chaos, all the researchers are running around because someone has infiltrated the ultra-secure global Brave Duel network without them knowing how.

Amitie: Ah why does it happen now, just the day we get to see him again.

Yuri: I know how you feel but we have to do our best to find the source of this problem Amitie

Then the door of the laboratory opens to let in the members of the Dark Material team consisting of Dearche, Levi and Stern and they are followed by Kyrie Florian, Amitie's sister.

Kirie: Amitie, any news on the source of this intrusion?

Amitie: Still nothing and Yuri is doing her best to trace the signal, the only clue she found is a signal pointing to a city called Kuoh.

Dearche: Kuoh?! That wouldn't be where Karasumaru...

Before the leader of the Dark Material is done saying his sentence a transmission of a duel reaches them.

Kiriye: It's... Nanoha and Fate but who are they fighting?

Zero and Fate begin an aerial fencing confrontation with their device, while Nanoha supports her partner with magic bullet shots from a distance.

Zero manoeuvres his moves precisely to counter Fate's and Nanoha's attacks.

Dearche: Those moves, that tactic... Heh heh, you didn't lose your edge. I would expect nothing less from my rival.

Stern: Rival? Kings you don't mean...

Dearche: Umu, their opponent is none other than T&H Elements Ace of Aces... Zero Akatsuki

Girls : EEEEEEEEEHHHHHH ?!

Everyone turn their gaze to the monitor with a dumbfounded look

Zero: From the depths of darkness I summon you divine beast of calamity dance and unleash your wings on the battlefield

Stella: Skill Card: Abyss Phoenix Art: Third Dance: ...

The illusion of a Phoenix made of Azure blue flame appears behind Zero who raises his device above his head and a fireball starts to form above him

Nanoha and Fate stand next to each other and also start to build up magic energy with their device creating a big mana ball in front of them

Zero / Stella: Abyss Phoenix Breaker

Nanoha/Fate: Blast Calamity

The ball of energy and fire rushes against each other when it comes into contact creating a large explosion

When the smoke disperses Fate and Nanoha are surrounded by Nanoha's Fortress which creates a magical barrier of protection around her.

Zero did not move from his spot at all.

Zero LP: 4000

Nanoha LP: 3800

Fate LP: 3000

Everyone in the lab looks at the score with amazement

Amitie: Is it just me or has Zero always been this strong, especially against Nanoha and Fate?

Kiriye: In this situation, Zero should be at a numerical and technical disadvantage especially with Nanoha equipped with Fortress and Strike Cannon and Fate's speed and Bardiche's upgrade.

Yuri: But it turns out to be the opposite.

Stern: Zero is leading the fight and he doesn't seem to have given it his all yet.

Dearche: I'm afraid you're not the only one who feels that way. Just looking at him standing there in the sky gives me the chills from here. If I were to have a one-on-one against him, I wouldn't last long even if I used my Trinity form.

Levi: What are you talking about King? I understand that Aniki is super strong but I'm sure we can catch up and win against him together.

Stern: She's right even someone like Zero has his weakness...

// T&H Store, Brave Duel Arena //

At the T&H shop, chaos reigns within the Testarossa and Harlaowh family after the screens start broadcasting a Duel between three prominent members of their shop who are also known as the 3 Aces of the T&H Elements team, Nanoha the Ace of the Sky, Fate the Ace of Speed and Zero the Ace of Aces.

The most shocked of them all is none other than Fate Testarossa's sister, Alicia Testarossa

Alicia: Zero, Fate-chan, Nanoha-chan...

???: Alicia

Two voices are heard coming towards the young girl, and two other girls arrive at her side

Alicia: Suzuka-chan, Arisa-chan

Suzuka: We came as soon as possible, what's going on?

Alicia: Watch.

She points to the monitor in front showing Nanoha and Fate struggling against a young man with white hair and blue eyes with black irises in the shape of a cross.

Arisa: That's... Nanoha and Fate but against who... this device looks like...don't tell me... tell me it's a joke, it can't be him

Alicia: We've confirmed the identity of the device, it's Stella, Zero's device.

Suzuka: Why are they fighting each other?

Alicia: I don't know, but I can say that this fight will bring a lot of change here.

// Scaglietti Laboratory //

The two scientists Jail Scaglietti and Granz Florian, also known as the forefather of Brave Duel are watching the Duel from their side while other devices are collecting data from the fight from their side.

Granz: The card that Zero just used is way beyond the current Brave Duel spec but it doesn't affect the system at all, interesting.

Jail: I swear every time this kid shows up there's always something interesting going on, the data he's giving us is going to take the Brave Duel system to new heights.

Granz: I can't count the number of times Zero has helped us with this project. I should reward him when he comes to the labs

The two men continue to study the data they have collected like children receiving a Christmas present.

// Zero POV //

I sheathe my Stella and take the grimoire from its attachment on my hip which surprises Fate and Nanoha

Fate: He sheathed Stella? What he has in his hand, a grimoire? Bardiche, do you know what it is?

Bardiche: Negative, unknown Device.

Nanoha: Beware Fate-chan, that grimoire doesn't tell me anything worthwhile

Zero: Don't say it like that Noha-chan, people might think I'm one of those bad guys in those magical girl anime.

Nanoha: Isn't that the case right now?

Zero: I know you're mad at me but this is borderline cruel.

Nanoha: Huff

Zero: Fate-chan you're not going to treat me like that too, are you?

Fate: Sorry Zero but I am on Nanoah's side and you deserve this treatment after what you did.

Zero: I knew this was going to happen but it hurts a little especially coming from my sweet Fate-chan.

Fate: I'm not going to fall for your sweet talk this time, prepare yourself.

Zero (thought): A pissed off Fate-chan for some reason seems ėrȯtɨċ.

I punched myself in the face removing a good 100 LP from my life bar. This makes the two girls frown at my action

Zero(thought): Calm your hormones you idiot, you're in the middle of a duel, damn dragon mood swing.

I'm thinking when all of a sudden my grimoire opens of its own accord and a magic circle appears in front of me that is neither Middchildian nor Belkan.

Before me appears a girl in blue armour and platinum white hair

???: Yosei-Kishi Lancelot, the one known to be the strongest fairy knight of the Britain Lostbelt, has come in response to your summons.

Zero: ...

I look at my grimoire and then look at the so-called Faerie Knight Lancelot and use my skill [Akashic Eyes] to see her true identity

Name: Faerie Knight Lancelot, Albion, Albion's Remnant, Melusine

Class: Servant Lancer

Gender: Female

Strength: C

Endurance: A+

Agility: B

Mana: A+

Luck: B

NP: A+

// Brave Duel Underground Stadium //

Sirzechs: Yosei-Kishi...

Grayfia: Lancelot?!

Serafall: She's cute with her armour, what kind of mechanic is it?

Hayate: There's a mechanic that allows you to summon pet-like supports or something, but this is the first time I've seen something like this.

Lu: Yet another one has appeared, and one of his favourites at that.

Sitri: At this point, even I have to say that he might be cursed.

Serafall looks at Lu and Sona casually discussing what just happened as if it happens often

Serafall: What are you talking about So-tan? What does Lu-tan mean by "Another one has appeared again".

Sona: It's nothing important Onee-chan, I'm just talking about the fact that Zero always gets into trouble without meaning to.

Serafall didn't understand what Sona was trying to say, but those who know how the Akatsuki family works, or just the basics, can pretty much understand the meaning.

In this case, only Grayfia, Aine and the rest of the family including the new addition to the family know what is going on.

// Zero POV //

Zero (thought): If I'm the bad guy in this story I might as well do my part

Zero: Lancelot your task is to take care of Fate-chan, the girl with the blonde hair, try to gain as much time as possible

Melusine: Got it, Master.

Zero: Try to not be too rough with her, it is only a duel.

Melusine flies towards Fate at high speed and drags her away.

Nanoha: Fate-chan?

This sudden action of the knight takes Nanoah by surprise and she goes to chase them

Zero: Hydro Pump

But she is stopped by a huge volume of water launched under great pressure that she bȧrėly dodge when she turns around she sees a huge white flying creature next to me.

??? : *Lugia cry*

Nanoha: What is that?

Zero: Say hello to my new friend Lugia, the sea guardian. Lugia, meet your new playmate Nanoha.

I say while flying at the legendary pokemon petting its neck

Nanoha: When did you have time to summon her?

Zero: Thanks to my new jacket my spell casting time is doubled, Lugia use Hydro Pump again

The shields of the Fortress unit position themselves in front of the girl taking the brunt of the impact, removing a good 1000 LP without wasting a moment as she prepares her counterattack.

Nanoha: Don't think I'm going to let her do that to me

She runs straight at me and I get on Lugia's back.

Zero: Come on sweety, show me what you can do.

Then I scan a new card

Zero: Skill card: Ancient Song

I say as I start to sing a mystic melody, holding on tight so I don't get thrown off. The legendary monster starts to fly to the rhythm of the song.

Nanoha tries to chase the divine beast while throwing magical blasts, but Lugia dodges them by following the rhythm of the music telling her what to do and where to go.

Zero: Playtime is ending now, Let's blast Lugia.

Lugia: *Lugia cry*

A silver aura surrounds us and Lugia rushes at her maximum speed into the skies, Nanoha seeing my attempt to end it prepares her most powerful spell Starlight Breaker

Nanoha: Starlight...

Zero Sky...

Zero/ Nanoha : Breaker/Attack

When the two attacks come into contact a giant explosion occurs

Fate and Lancelot turn towards the explosion

Fate Nanoha ?!

Melusine Master ?!

// T&H shop //

Arisa / Suzuka Nanoha !!!

Alicia: Everyone

When the aftermath of the two attacks and the explosion scatters everyone sees Zero standing but without his summon his jacket is pretty damaged. As for Nanoha, she's a mess, Fortress is completely out of commission and the Striker Cannon is bȧrėly holding on.

Seeing this result some saw who won this confrontation but something shocked everyone.

Nanoha LP: 100

Zero LP: 0

Brave Duel System End of the duel. Winners: Nanoha Takamachi, Fate Terstarossa.

Alicia: Did they win?

Arisa Nanoha won against Zero

// Granz Laboratory //

Amitie: Zero... lost?

Dearche: ... no, he didn't have any intention of winning this duel from the start.

Levi: What do you mean my Lord?

Dearche: Zero showed at the beginning of the fight that he is invincible in close combat and terms of magic power, a well-balanced style. With that, he could have beaten Nanoha and Fate with some difficulty but he would have won.

Stern: But he decided to use a different style and became a kind of support mage using summons, a style that seems to be uncharted territory for him but he showed more than enough mastery to fight against Nanoha.

Kirye: I understand now when you say that he didn't intend to win, he didn't go all out for the whole match while Nanoha had to use Starlight Breaker and his best equipment.

Amitie: Why fight against those two if he doesn't intend to win, is it suspicious?

Yuri: I wonder why too.

Kirye: I think we'll get our answer when Nanoha et Fate come back.

// Zero POV //

Zero: I lost...

Zero (thought): When was the last time I lost to someone else...?

I murmur to myself with a smile on my face, as a shadow moves towards me.

Melusine: Master, are you alright?

Zero: Hmm? Oh Melusine... good job keeping Fate-chan busy

Melusine: Stop joking, we both know that you alone are enough to win this fight. You weren't planning on winning at all, were you?

Zero: No comment.

Melusine: You're a strange master but one worth following, see you next time

The fairy knight disappears in front of me, then I disconnected myself from the system to return to the arena.

After leaving my station, I let a slight sign

Nanoha: Ahem !!!

I turn to Nanoha and Fate who walk towards me while staring at me sulking.

Zero: Come on both of you smile a little you win.

Nanoha: I don't feel like I won

Fate: You had the advantage at the beginning and then you suddenly changed tactics in the middle of the flight, it's suspicious especially coming from you who is quite good at strategy, now confess that you didn't fight seriously.

Zero: Ok, Ok I plead guilty for not fighting seriously, but it wouldn't have been interesting if I beat you two too quickly

Nanoha: Say it again

Zero: I'll say it as many times you want

Nanoha and I stare at each other before bursting into laughter

Zero: *laugh*I'm forgiven?

I offer my hand to her but she takes me in her arms which earns me some looks of envy and jealousy piercing me from all sides

Nanoha: I think I can forgive you this time only.

Zero: Thanks

then I whisper to her quietly

Zero: I'm sorry for disappearing as I did and making you all worry for many years

Nanoha: You can say it, baka, it was hard for all of us to get over you leaving, but a small part of us was sure you would come back.

Zero: I know Hayate told me everything that happens

Nanoha: Does that mean...

Zero: To make amend of my past actions I decide to take my responsibility, even if it will be difficult for me.

Nanoha: Fuuun...you better

Fate: Nanoha... Zero... huhhhh

I and Nanoha turn our heads to see Fate on the verge of tears

Nanoha / Zero: Fate-chan?!

Fate: You're horrible, you're both in your bubble and forgetting about me

Nanoha and I look at each other before nodding our heads and taking Fate into a group hug

Zero: Happy now.

Fate: Hun... it warm, I miss this.

After I managed to calm down an almost crying Fate, I decided to prepare a big dinner as a welcome party for the new members of our big family, to the delight of all.

Especially the ȧduŀts when I let them taste my handmade alcohol which earned me two big orders from the two Maou.

The meals earned me a lot of praise and also was a shock for some people who didn't expect my level of cooking to be above the common people.

After the feast Sirzechs, Serafall and Grayfia returned to the underworld while the other occupants went about their business and the younger ones went to bed.

As for me, I was sitting on top of the mansion contemplating the celestial stars, when I felt something snuggle up to me.

Lu: It's been a long time since we've been together, hasn't it?

Zero: It has.

I say hugging back my lovely wife, after a moment Lu talk

Lu: What's going through your mind?

Zero: Hmm? Oh, nothing really important just some thoughts...

Lu: You know I'm... no we're all here for you if you need an ear to talk, so tell me.

I let a sign

Zero: Sometimes I wonder what would my life be like if I hadn't received the power of the Gamer and merged with the other fragment of myself... I can't help myself to think back about the choice I've made so far... good or bad...

Lu: Um... I see. Well, I think that we would have never met and you would have been completely different from what you are today. Maybe you would have become a sort of edge lord seeking revenge or you would have been reincarnated by Rias knowing her luck of ȧssembling mishap people or at worst you would have ended up dead.

Zero: Although I find your response harsh I can agree with you on some of these. Given the state, the old me was in and if he had stayed that way, he would have done more harm than good to this world.

Lu: That bad?

Zero: Indeed, this would have been the result I would have arrived after what Kumagawa Misogi made to me. He lowers my mentality to the level of a Minus for almost 3 years. This is one of the reasons why I had to cut myself off from my relatives and friends to avoid a calamity to befall them.

As I picture this scenario in my head I feel something touching my head only to realize that Lu is stroking my head

Lu: Chuuuu, you don't have to think about that, the past is the past, now you have a future that you have to protect, right?

Zero: ... You are right

Lu continue de pat my head making me more relaxed than before

Lu: Say Zero?

Zero: What?

Lu: I want a baby.

Lu sudden confession freeze me for a moment before I turn my eyes on her

Zero: ...

We looked into each other's eyes silently for a moment then I talk

Zero: Are you sure you want us to have a child now?

Lu: You don't want to?

Zero: It's not I don't want, me to I want to have kids to dote on, especially since I start to take care of Jack-chan, but I don't think the time.

Lu: It did have to be right now but I want to have one soon.

She said to me will patting her flat belly

Zero: One year...

Lu: Eh?

Lu: Give me a year at least to get this world, no this whole multiverse safe to create a comfortable environment where he or she can grow up safe.

Lu looks at me with eyes wide open then tear appear on her eyes

Lu: That means... ?!

Zero: Did you think I was going to deny you that wish my queen, for you I'll do anything even the impossible.

Lu kisses me passionately.

Lu: I love you, love you so much.

Zero: Me too