《Fate/Regalia》 The Summoning Introduction The Holy Grail War. The war centered on the legendary relic, The Holy Grail, which is rumored to be an omnipotent wish-granting device. Due to its miraculous ability, it invites attention from various sides. Unfortunately, the Grail will choose only one person as its bearer. To determine the rightful owner for the Grail, seven magi are selected to participate in this Battle Royale based competition, a continuous bloodshed that would not stop unless only one remains standing. Each magus is rewarded with three Command Spells, a special authority to summon and control an entity called Servant. Servants are extraordinary heroes, who achieved true greatness throughout their lifetime, and carved their very name into mankind¡¯s historic records. The summoned Servants are placed into seven distinct classes: Saber - the swordsman, Archer - the bowman, Lancer - the spear wielder, Caster ¨C the mage, Rider ¨C the mounted cavalry, Assassin ¨C the silent killer, and finally Berserker ¨C the mad warrior. They essentially accompany their Master in spirit form, and materialized when needed, especially in intense battles. On 24 April 20XX, a strong magical presence is detected in the heart of city of Malacca, the place once dubbed as Nusantara¡¯s land of prosperity. After conducting a thorough investigation, the Clock Tower of London finally announced their confirmation about this matter. The 812th Holy Grail had been found. And the Association will do anything to place their hands upon it. Prologue The sound of slashing. The sound of something sharp collided with the stillness of the surrounding air. The voices of agony. The horrifying scream, together with the melody of the butchered fleshes and broken bones. The smell of death. The stinging odor, a combination of blood and metal. Her eyes are closed, yet her other senses are still awake. Based solely on those senses, she tried to decipher the situation she is in. The last thing she saw is the face of a man, who is in a deep anger and misery. He spread fear to people around him. He killed whoever crossed on his path. Such madness¡­. need to be stopped. That was the reason she put all her strength on the wooden axe that she held in her palm. And without a single hesitation¡­ She swung it. A moment later, she finally had the courage to open her eyes. She watched the bloodstained axe, resting silently on an unmoving corpse. She gasped in terror. Not because of what she had done. But rather, because of what awaited her in the future. She was aware, that by that time, her existence as a human would be forever denied. She will be admired, but never loved. Known, but never understood. Honored, but never acknowledged. Yes, she had become a kris, a lifeless dagger. Day by day, she realized that her hands had grown colder by the passing of time. As cold as the blade she grabbed tightly in her hand, now immersed in the chest of the one she once swore to protect. She expected the usual shouts of despair from him, but that did not reach her ears at all. Instead, she heard a weak whisper. Following the whisper, is the warmness of her friend¡¯s body. Drops of water started to run across her rosy cheeks. That day, the soil of Malacca was stained, not only by the blood of the defeated, but also¡­ The tears of the victor. ************************************** ¡°If you abiding by this very will and reason, answer me!¡± The time is near. ¡°Guardians of Heavenly Scale!¡± The time for another battle to begin. As the ritual ended, the warrior in green surfaced through the heavy white smoke. She looked down at the floor. The traces of magical circle used for the summoning can clearly be seen on there. The newly summoned Heroic Spirit then gazed at the man standing in front of her. Most of his face is entirely covered by the hood of his red cloak. Yet, his confused expression can easily be noticed. She lowered her head in respect, and slowly asked: ¡°Are you¡­ my Master?¡± ******************************* ¡°Ah, along with the changes of era, this place definitely had changed for better!¡± ¡°Yeah, it would be cool if you were talking about the surrounding, people or anything else, but the thing is¡­ You just referring to the foods, right, Saber?¡± ¡°Ahahaha, you caught me!¡± I pat the back of my Master several times while laughing. He is not pleased with the action. ¡°But you got to admit, this so-called chicken rice taste really nice!¡± ¡°Yes, it had being really nice to my wallet too.¡± ¡°I¡¯m so sorry! I never meant to burden you, Master!¡± As I apologized to him, my stomach suddenly let out a huge growling sound. Master just sat at the corner of the table, with a sympathetic look in his eyes. ¡°It¡¯s okay, Saber. It¡¯s not that expensive, anyway.¡± ¡°So, can I have another six, then?¡± ¡°Are you trying to push me to bankruptcy?¡± He silently stood up from his seat, and proceeded to the door leading to the kitchen. While throwing the porcelain wrappers into the bin, he asked: ¡°I thought Servants doesn¡¯t have to eat?¡± ¡°Well¡­¡± He is not exactly wrong. Since Servants¡¯ existences are still considered as ¡®spirits¡¯, real foods are not actually needed for my survival. ¡®Food¡¯ for Servants is in the form of prana, the magical energy supplied by their respective Master. ¡°I will tell you¡­ but please don¡¯t get mad.¡± ¡°Continue.¡± ¡°The thing is¡­prana doesn¡¯t have a taste!¡± If only prana tastes like fried chicken, then maybe I would not bother about something like this. A loud crashing sound was heard from the kitchen. ¡°Don¡¯t¡­ don¡¯t worry. My hand just slipped.¡± He¡¯s angry, isn¡¯t he? ¡°Honestly¡­ are you really Hang Tuah, the well-known admiral?¡± ¡°Don¡¯t you think it¡¯s a little too late to ask me that?¡± Well, he had all the reasons to doubt me. I am passed down in the legend as a man, anyway. ¡°Master, despite for my gender, you believe in my capabilities as a Servant, right?¡± ¡°Well, the woman part kind of intrigued me, but on top of that¡­ That ill-mannered personality¡­¡± If you discover this tale on Amazon, be aware that it has been unlawfully taken from Royal Road. Please report it.¡°Huh, you¡¯re saying?¡± ¡°Ah, nothing.¡± I did not catch the last part, but¡­ whatever. ¡°Is there anyone, in your time, that is, that knew about your true gender?¡± ¡°Well, there¡¯s Tuk Guru Adi, and Bendahara, too¡­¡± ¡°Your teacher, and Bendahara¡­ the one that spared your life from the execution, right?¡± ¡°That¡¯s correct.¡± ¡°So, none of your ¡®brothers¡¯ manage to discover it, huh?¡± ¡°Hmm¡­¡± Except for Hang Jebat. Unfortunately, it was during our last confrontation. The one where I took his life, to be exact. ¡°Hey, did I ask a weird question?¡± ¡°Huh, what?¡± ¡°Your expression changed just now.¡± ¡°Oh, really¡­ hahaha.¡± ¡°Just tell me if you don¡¯t want to talk about it.¡± Our dialogue was interrupted by the sound of ringing, coming from Master¡¯s cellphone. Even for being a magus, Master had not peculiar issues with the usage of technology. As long as it beneficial, then there is no reason to forfeit it ¨C is what he said. To be honest, I am actually quite attracted to the concept of mobile devices. Master¡¯s cellphone looks awfully convenient¡­ that I wish I could possess one of them for myself. I mean¡­ look at it! You can connect to the person even outside of this country. And not to forget, you can also store games in it. Lots and lots of them. Master always scolds me for playing with his phone. ¡°You will drain off the battery!¡± ¨C How many times had he repeated that line? I am pretty sure he just doesn¡¯t want me to beat his high score. As I was engrossed in my own rambling, Master had already finished his conversation. ¡°Who is it?¡± ¡°The Church.¡± Before continuing, he flashed off an odd looking smile. That smile is so eerie that I even think of smacking him up. ¡°The seventh Servant had been summoned!¡± He then struck a ridiculous pose, which reminded of some superhero transformation scene. Yeah, I saw that in the television. The show is really entertaining, too. ¡°The War will officially start¡­. TOMORROW!¡± ¡°OKAY I GET YOUR POINT! PLEASE STOP DOING THAT!¡± Seriously¡­ by next morning, we¡¯re going to hunt down and kill some people. Drop off the ridiculous act, Master. Are we supposed to be a comedic duo or something? ¡°Okay, Saber. I will hit the bed early. We need a proper rest, you know.¡± ¡°Yeah, yeah. Go on.¡± Without even glancing towards me, he asked: ¡°Saber, can we really win this War?¡± ¡°The Grail is all yours, Master.¡± ¡°Hah, where¡¯s all that confidence came from? Well, you do have the geographical advantage, together with your Noble Phan¡­¡± ¡°That¡¯s not what I meant, Master.¡± ¡°Then?¡± I swallowed down a deep breath, and calmly replied: ¡°Because I had already promised you the Grail.¡± He then remained silent, then slowly muttered: ¡°You really are Hang Tuah.¡± ¡°Oh ¡­yes, and one more thing¡­¡± ¡°What is it, Master?¡± God, he can be pretty annoying sometimes. ¡°Do not touch my phone. We will depend on it a lot.¡± Noooo¡­ he sees right through me. *************************************** The sky is dark by that night. Not even a single star can be found shining upon its surface. Coincidently, all of the seven Servants are gazing into the same scenery. In contrast with the gentle wind which blows the night, a man, with the presence of a mountain, is facing the city, admiring the night lights. He gazes at his two hands, while heaving a deep sigh. These hands had taken him to the path of glory. Yet, these same hands had also brought him to the ruins of tragedy. After all that, he wonders: ¡°What kind of future will I have this time?¡± Breaking him from his reverie¡­ is the neigh hailing from his beast companion. As if detecting its owner sorrowfulness, the Phantasmal Being tries to rise up his spirit. ¡°Haha, you¡¯re right, Rakhsh¡­ you¡¯re right.¡± Rider then pulls the majestic white horse, which he also called friend, towards the warmness of his chest. On the other side of the town, Servant Lancer ¡®s pair of eyes is also illuminated by the streetlights. Instead of adoring it, she stares at the light with the expression of rage. The light somehow reminded her of the flames which once devoured her whole. The flames that denied everything she believed, loved and cherished. She grinds her teeth in annoyance. Truly, despair is something that cannot be obliterated, even by the power of Death itself. Home. That is the only wish that Caster ever carried. He just wants to return home. Being exiled for years, he yearned for the place where all his memories resided. Even after being exalted to the Throne of Heroes, this simple dream had never once faded from his heart. And here he is, once again stranded on an alien land of the far Eastern. Compared to his previous pilgrims, this situation is practically nothing. Yet, he can never stop cursing the ruthlessness of fate. ¡°Caster, I just got the information from the Church¡­¡± The sweet voice of his Master suddenly pierced through his ears. For some reason, the voice had invoked a deep nostalgic feeling right inside of him. A smirk forms on his face. Maybe fate is not that cruel, after all¡­ The nature had always been fair and just to the creatures that lie below their dominion. That is why, even in this pungent and confined room, there is still some glimpse of moonlight. The weak silver rays shone upon his scarred limbs. No, maybe the word ¡®it¡¯ is more suitable to refer to this Servant. Once a prideful warrior, the hero is now reduced to a maddening fiend. Wrath started to fill Berserker¡¯s bloodshot eyes. Then, a long howl shatters the silence of the night. As if reacting to that sound, Saber abruptly stops her meditation. She receives a very ill premonition. The heavy breathings started to torture her chest. ¡°Could it be¡­¡± She opens the window, letting the cool breeze touches her fair skin. ¡°No¡­ please don¡¯t¡­¡± ¡°Please don¡¯t let that happen¡­ once more¡­¡± There, she shed her tears again. The same tears which she shed almost 500 years ago. The Encounter ¡°¡­¡­¡­..¡± ¡°¡­¡­¡­..¡± Well, this is awkward. What should I do now? Should I go like ¡°Kyaa! Pervert!¡± and throwing my kris around? Wait, that sounds dangerous¡­. actually. Furthermore, that didn¡¯t suit my character at all. ¡°¡­. Saber¡­.¡± ¡°¡­¡­¡­¡­Good morning.¡± ¡°¡­I¡¯ll go brush my teeth first¡­¡± He closed the bathroom door. His face was beet red. From outside, a shout echoed: ¡°WHY ON EARTH DOES SERVANT NEED TO TAKE A BATH ANYWAY?!¡± ¡°But Master¡­ I want to try the temperature control feature¡­¡± ¡°STOP WASTING WATER!¡± And that is how we started the first day of the War. Mahkota Parade. Similar to the harbors back in my time, this is the place where merchants from all over the country would gather their goods. In simpler word, it is a¡­ shopping mall. ¡°Master, this place is so crowded!¡± ¡°I forgot that today¡¯s Sunday.¡± ¡°Uh¡­ I¡¯ll better return to my spirit form.¡± ¡°Wait¡­ we¡¯re in public, don¡¯t you even dare!¡± The people around started to look at us. They must have thought that we were in a middle of lover¡¯s quarrel. I can even hear some of them mentioned newlyweds. That impression was pretty much disturbing. ¡°Arghh¡­ why am I being dragged into this?¡± ¡°Speak for yourself¡­ we¡¯re out of foods all because of you.¡± ¡°Wait¡­ there¡¯s no more food? A warrior cannot prevail in war with empty stomach!¡± ¡°The food is meant for me¡­ not you!¡± After a few hours of fighting, we finally began our so-called ¡®shopping¡¯ activity. Master reminded me that he is currently tight in budget, so we must keep it simple. On second thought, how does a magus even gained money anyway? ¡°Can we request for some sort of funds from the Church?¡± ¡°HAVE YOU NO SHAME?!¡± Well, I¡¯m just asking. ¡°I¡¯m going to pick up the groceries¡­you better just stay here.¡± ¡°It is a Servant¡¯s obligation to protect their Master. Anywhere, anytime.¡± ¡°I¡¯M GOING TO USE MY COMMAND SPELL!¡± ¡°Please Master! Restrain yourself!¡± And with that, my Master disappeared into the swallowing shrouds of people. All of them seemed to be focused on the ¡®discount items¡¯ section¡­ for whatever reason there is. It is needless to say that Master had already become one of those scavenging zombies. He looked horrible¡­more than he usually is, I mean. As for me, I need to find something to kill this boredom. There is an attractive looking electronic store lying at the innermost part of the building. Should I go and check it out for a while? ¡°Why, hello there.¡± The moment I set my foot into that store, a man, who is around his thirties, welcomed me with a brilliant smile. ¡°Looking for anything peculiar, lovely lady?¡± My garment was consisted of my Master¡¯s metal band t-shirt and knee-length denim. Due to difference in size, the clothes were all loose and baggy. I don¡¯t know how he considered that as ¡®lovely¡¯. Not that I¡¯m complaining¡­ I am used to wearing men¡¯s attire anyway. ¡°So, what¡¯s new?¡± Triggered by that simple question, the man immediately bombarded with a storm of offers. ¡°How abut this one? It has large, touch screen and all¡­Wi-Fi, large RAM¡­ you name it! Or would you prefer tablet then? This one over here¡­¡± Okay, how should I react? Calm down, I don¡¯t even have any money! I just came here to mess around, all right! ¡°Here, slide through the screen¡­ really smooth!¡± He took out a phone from the glass drawer and handed it to me. His excitement caused me to feel guilty. Maybe I should just play along with him for now? ¡°O¡­okay¡­¡± I place my finger on the phone¡¯s screen. CRACK! Damn it¡­ this is bad. Really, really bad. I literally break the fragile piece of machinery. Because of my anxiety, I unconsciously applied too much pressure while pressing it. He silently stood there in shock. His hands are trembling. His eyes are watery. Wait, he¡­ cried? ¡°Forgive me, sir¡­I¡­¡± ¡°No, it¡¯s okay¡­ it¡¯s just that¡­ You reminded me of my wife.¡± NOW WHERE THE HELL DID THAT CAME FROM? ¡°My wife is really bad with machines. Every time she touches an equipment, it will explode¡­¡± THAT¡¯S EVEN WORSE! ¡°How I miss her, for now¡­ she is in another world¡­¡± ¡°Ah, please be strong, sir¡­ all who once lived¡­¡± ¡°No, she¡¯s not dead¡­ I think she is currently strolling around in the kitchen, baking explosive cookies and goes like ¡°My oh my my¡±, back in our house.¡± SO WHAT¡¯S WITH THAT DRAMATIC REMARK JUST NOW? AND ONE MORE THING, THAT DESCRIPTION OF YOUR WIFE IS FAR TOO DETAILED! ¡°Oh¡­ I want to taste her cooking¡­¡± DIDN¡¯T YOU JUST MENTIONED THAT IT IS EXPLOSIVE? ¡°Honey, I want to return home!¡± He left the store while bawling to his heart content. Is it really okay for him to leave like that? What about his shop? I think it¡¯s better for me to also flee from here. ¡°Ouch!¡± As I turned around, my head suddenly bumped into a woman who was running from the opposite direction. With glasses and executive-looking suit, she must belong to one of those professional fields. I can sense a strong distinction between her appearances and mine. ¡°Sorry, sorry, I¡¯m sorry¡­ARGHH!¡± While apologizing, she accidentally slipped her feet, causing her to fall face-first on the floor. I guess this type of women can be pretty clumsy too. I offered her my hand, and by that split second¡­ A wave of unpleasant aura started to rush through my veins. This presence¡­ could it be¡­ ¡°Are you¡­ a Master?¡± I couldn¡¯t be mistaken¡­ there¡¯s even a red circular pattern embedded on the back of her palm. An emblem of the Grail War¡­ the Command Spell. ¡°Urghh¡­¡± She retracted her hand, hastily got up, and ran away from me. I tried to give her a chase, but¡­ ¡°Saber, what¡¯re you doing?¡± Master emerged from behind me, with plastic bags hanging around his waist. So all those talk about saving money is nothing but pretense, eh? ¡°What¡¯s the matter?¡± ¡°I think¡­ I encountered a Master just now¡­ and her Servant is there, too¡­¡± ¡°So, where are they?¡± ¡°They managed to escape.¡± ¡°Hmm¡­ if they didn¡¯t have any intention to fight yet¡­then let them be.¡± I noticed something on the surface of the floor. There are traces of magical energy left behind by the Servant. A clear sign of invitation. ¡°At least one of them is not thinking that way, Master¡­¡± ******************** 9.00 p.m. It had been at least 20 hours since she was first summoned to this world. Unlike the other Servants, her summoning was done irregularly. After all, her Master is not even a magus. However, that fact did not shake Archer¡¯s steeling determination. There are some objectives which she must accomplish. But winning the War is not one of them. ¡°Uuuu¡­¡± Archer¡¯s Master sat silently at the corner of the room. She groaned in despair. These two days had become a total hell for her. ¡°First, I was dragged into this ridiculous Grail-thingy war¡­ ¡­then, my boss, that old fart, keep tangling around me¡­ ¡­ and this had to happen on my 26th birthday¡­ ¡­ on top of that, I STILL DID NOT HAVE A BOYFRIEND YET AT THIS AGE!¡± In response to her Master¡¯s absurd confession, Archer shook her head in disbelief. ¡°That is your highest concern at this time, Master?¡± ¡°Shut up, there¡¯s no way for a kid like you could understand my feelings!¡± ¡°Even with this look, Master¡­ I actually had the experience of marriage in my past life.¡± ¡°THERE¡¯S NO WAY FOR A MARRIED WOMAN LIKE YOU COULD UNDERSTAND MY FEELINGS!¡± ¡°Now you¡¯re being in the state of denial, Master.¡± Archer sighed a little, and continued: ¡°To be honest, I can understand your dilemma quite well. Due to my country¡¯s military and power succession problems, I had a hard time in finding love myself.¡± ¡°Oh¡­ really? In what age did you get married?¡± ¡°Sixteen.¡± The atmosphere in the room grew even tenser than before. ¡°Swallow this¡­I¡¯m 26 alright¡­TWENTY-FREAKING-SIX!¡± ¡°Master, our timeline and culture are completely different, in case if you forget about that.¡± A faint remnant of magical presence. That is all it took to change Archer¡¯s mannequin-like expression. She can tell that there is a being such as herself currently approaching this place. The female Servant from before¡­ as expected, she had accepted the challenge. She smiled. The opening curtains of the Holy Grail War will fall tonight. ***************************** ¡°This is where the lead ends.¡± ¡°Are you really sure, Saber?¡± Master furrowed his eyebrows at me. ¡°I mean, seriously¡­ an apartment?¡± Well, I can¡¯t deny that it looks pretty normal for an enemy fortress, but still¡­ ¡°Didn¡¯t change the fact that I can sense a Servant here.¡± ¡°So, where¡¯s their position? ¡°Around 26 floors from ground.¡± The lines on his forehead started to become more obvious than before. ¡°Quite high.¡± ¡°Well, not for me, Master.¡± Along with the arrival of the strong wind, my body had been enveloped with the traditional Malay battle apparel, a dark green baju melayu which I always bring into the heat of mayhem. I held my right hand high, and a dark brown object begun to take shape inside of my tightly clenched fist. The undefeatable kris, Taming Sari. The weapon which once shook the earth of this land in fear. I placed the renowned blade inside the wrapping of my sampin. After suppressing a great amount a mana on the sole on my feet, I proceeded to jump towards the building wall. Then, I started to run, as if the erected structure was nothing but a spreading plain field. I fasten my movement and looked forward. In front of me¡­ was the captivating face of the full moon. There was a soft knock on the windows pane of the apartment. That, in her mind, was entirely impossible. The only ones who can do that are basically ghosts and other supernatural things. She forgot, that the being, now resting serenely inside her house, does also belong to such categories. ¡°Oh, our guest of honor had arrived!¡± The ¡®spirit¡¯ suddenly shouted out and ran in joy, like a child celebrating her parent¡¯s arrival from work. ¡°Hey, Archer¡­ wait up!¡± She swiftly followed behind. But her footsteps were then put into halt. Surrounded by the pieces from the broken windows, the emerald warrior made her grand entrance. As the shining fragments of the glass fell hardly to the floor, the intruder faced her with a hair-raising expression¡­the expression only befitting for the harbinger of chaos. Fortunately, those dark brown eyes were not directed at her. Instead, it was meant for the person, or rather entity, who is now standing right ahead, confronting the cold stare. ¡°Servant Saber.¡± ¡°Servant Archer.¡± After that brief introduction, the two Heroic Spirits dissolved themselves into the realm of annihilation. Although it was not my usual approach to be on the offensive, my endless thirst for the battle cannot be contained anymore, causing me to take such action. Of course, the compensation for doing it came in a hard way. My attacks were immediately parried, and with another lightning movement, she rose her feet to the side of my rib. ¡°Guh¡­¡± I blocked the kick, yet the tremendous thrust can still be felt. Looks like I found myself a formidable opponent! I jumped back, rearranged my breathing and put back my fighting posture. ¡°You desire a weaponless dual?¡± I chuckled to the Servant¡¯s question. ¡°While a weapon does carry a warrior¡¯s power and pride, the true value of a combatant can only be seen when they defy the enemies without it.¡± ¡°Interesting¡­ then, allow me to silence you with these bare hands.¡± ¡°With pleasure.¡± She closed up the gap between us with a single push from her leg. ¡°Too hasty!¡± Judging by the kick from before, I can tell that she is a fighter who is more focused on the usage of pure strength. So, an agile counter is all it needs to take her down. After escaping her assault, I filled my fist with mana, and delivered a merciless uppercut to the center of her chin. The plan succeeded, as her small body had been sent flying towards the roof. However, that was not enough to finish her. She rolled her body and planted her feet onto the ceiling, obtaining a large sum of momentum. Then, with a loud cry, she surged downwards to my position. ¡°You got to be kidding me!¡± I dodged the surprise attack just in the nick of time. My body would be pummeled if I were to take that chop kick directly. No, this is not the time to be astonished. I must defeat her with my next move! Taking advantage of the thick smoke, I slowly approached her, and landed my hands on her nape. ¡°TAKE¡­ THIS!!¡± I quickly crouched and threw her over my shoulder with full force. She collided strongly against the thin wall of the apartment. After a while, she managed to get up, yet it was clear that she had taken some damage. ¡°You¡¯re pretty tough, aren¡¯t you?¡± I put on a sarcastic tone. However, I cannot deny the fact that a feeling of adoration had started to bloom inside of me. ¡°I¡¯ve been told that a lot.¡± Love what you''re reading? Discover and support the author on the platform they originally published on.There was no sign of arrogance in her reply, as if she was merely declaring an obvious statement. Again, she sprinted towards me, and readied herself for another deadly strike. I fully analyze her action, and calmly prepared for it. By that time, it seemed that the time flow had ignored our existence. My punches. A combination of three continuous blows towards the main vital points: the face, the neck, and finally the heart. Her kick. A diagonal slash to the neck, moving on to the lungs and stomach. We both knew the results and the consequences for our respective technique. The only remaining question is: Whose attack will meet their opponent first? ¡°SABER, STOPPPP!!¡± And with that scream, I was immediately returned to the real world. Taken aback, Archer spontaneously withdrew her previous action. A sign of irritation can be seen on her face. The new visitor walked playfully through the main door, paying no heed to the murderous intent that filled the space just a moment ago. ¡°Now what took you so long, Master?¡± ¡°The lift is really crowded, you know?¡± ¡°Li¡­lift? You¡¯re a magus, aren¡¯t you? Just use some freaking magic already!¡± ¡°Meh, too troublesome.¡± ¡°Why are you even a magus?!¡± Master completely ignored my frustration, and started to confront the other Servant. ¡°We need a change in venue. Even in the middle of war, ransacking someone else places is still considered immoral for me.¡± What with the overly formal attitude, Master? And one more thing¡­ I studied the crates and holes that resulted from my battle with Archer. It was closer to mass destruction rather than simple ransacking. Before I can open my mouth, a woman, from out of nowhere, suddenly emerged in front of Master. ¡°YOU¡¯RE WAY TOO LATE!¡± Thanks for speaking out my mind, young lady. She hysterically stomped on the floor, until Archer came along and fainted her with a hard smack on the forehead. I, as a spectator for this ridiculous drama, can only remain silent. *************************** Hello, everyone! My name is Suelyana, but you can keep Sue for short. Aged 21¡­ wait, what¡¯s with the cold glare? Okay, I admit it¡­ I¡¯m 26¡­ and pathetically¡­ single. I am a normal woman, working as a normal office lady, in a normal company, leading a normal everyday life. However, these two days were far from what I usually defined as normal. First, there is a little girl who vowed her loyalty to me as a Servant. She called herself ¡®Archer¡¯. I mean, what kind of name is that? Sounds like a cheap MMORPG character, if you ask me. Apparently, I had been chosen as a participant for the god-knows-what-war, in which I literally have zero idea about it. Now, sitting beside me, dressed in a freaky red costume, and munching a handful of popcorn, is the guy who declared himself as a magus, and also one of the contestant for the War. He is kind of good-looking, but everything about him is just plain weird. Besides, I hold no interest for younger man. ¡°Hey, what¡¯s your name again?¡± ¡°Sue¡­ just Sue.¡± ¡°Popcorn?¡± ¡°I¡¯m allergic to butter.¡± ¡°Too bad.¡± And like any other cheesy anime show, we were supposed to watch our Servants as they beat each other to death. Of course¡­ that is how I want to spend my precious Sunday night. ¡°Potato chips?¡± ¡°Where the hell does that food come from?¡± AHHH-CHOOMM!! Dammit, this place is freezing cold! I mean, on top of an abandoned construction site? At least be a little bit original in choosing the stage! This isn¡¯t an 80¡¯s fighting game. ¡°Instant noodle?¡± ¡°NOOOOO!!!!¡± My house, my poor house. Completely demolished, leaving only rubbles. I think it deserves a fine funeral. No, you couldn¡¯t die, my beloved home! I haven¡¯t finished your loan yet! ¡°Don¡¯t worry about the apartment, I will cut off Saber¡¯s daily meal to deal with it.¡± ¡°Master, not fair! This is oppression! I demand my rights!¡± ¡°SHUTTT UPPP!!!¡± Arghh¡­ I can¡¯t take this anymore! I went between the two Servants, took off my sweater and waving it like an idiot. I don¡¯t even care anymore. I just want this disaster to end quickly! ¡°ROUND ONE! START!¡± Why did I become a ring girl, again? ************************ As expected, all of her vigorous strikes were packed with an insane quantity of energy. However, there were still no observable signs of power exhaustion. If anything, her attacks only grew stronger, and perhaps, even more precise. The spear-like pole spun rapidly under her splendid command. Using that weapon, she can easily surpassed me in terms of strength and fighting distance. Yet, since the beginning of the battle, there was something bothering her. ¡°Aren¡¯t you going to unsheathe your blade?¡± ¡°Oh, why should I?¡± My provocation was replied by a straight stab near the neck region, which I easily avoided by moving backwards. Of course, I have my own reason to conceal this kris of mine. The javelin she held may be a fine weapon, but it clearly did not carry any qualities of a Noble Phantasm. From what I observed, it was just an ordinary steel strengthen with a sufficient amount of mana. She still had another trump card hidden behind her sleeves¡­ And I need her to quickly reveal it! ¡°Such a hard-headed person.¡± A crescent pattern begun to emerge in the air, following her abrupt slashes. However, the javelin only managed to rip the edge of my hair, as I already stooped forward and geared myself up for a direct hit. ¡°Like I said¡­¡± I focused all my attention to her head, which was fully exposed at the moment. ¡°I¡¯M DOING JUST FINE!¡± And then, a flying fist that could even shatters a mountain. ¡°This¡­ could not be¡­¡± I can only stood there in the state of confusion. The situation had been incomprehensibly overturned. My palm had been cruelly gorged by the shining long metal, leaving a bright red spot on the end of its tip. ¡°Wait, that kind of speed is impos¡­¡± My eyes trailed for an explanation, and I found the answer in the next seconds. The javelin which I evaded before was still clasped firmly in her left hand. So, the one that devoured me here¡­ was a completely different weapon. ¡°Ughh¡­¡± I pulled out my hand, though for the unspeakable pain that followed after. ¡°Heh, you¡¯re quite good¡­¡± Archer stared at me with her twin javelin, which is the mirror image of each other. The only dissimilarity is one of them had already been breached by my blood. ¡°So much for your trick, Archer¡­¡± I swayed my damaged hand into the cold wind of the night. The wound inflicted by her beforehand had completely disappeared, as if it was never even there. ¡°The skill of instant healing, eh?¡± ¡°Well, close¡­ but not quite.¡± This is one of the attributes granted to me as the wielder of Taming Sari. The gift of invincibility. The power to forbid any kind of physical interferences to affect my body condition. Well, to a certain magnitude. If one were to use a full scale Noble Phantasm which is meant to destroy a large structure, such as fortress, my body still could not survive from the blast, since I will be nothing but ashes. ¡°Prepare yourself!¡± Maybe due to impatience, Archer rushed in with a fast, yet predictable flow of attacks. I effortlessly deflected them, until she released a sudden sweep at the ground I was standing on, causing me to lose my stability. ¡°Urrghh¡­¡± I straightaway flipped my body and landed on my right hand. However, her other javelin had already set its vicious eye on me. I curled up my arm and immediately straighten it back, providing me with some force to lift myself up into the air. The elevation only lasted for a brief moment, yet it was enough for me to escape her killing attempt, and regain a comfortable spot in this battle. ¡°My turn!¡± Before dropping back to the ground, I promptly slammed her back using the lower part of my leg. She was pushed forward, yet she managed to prevent herself from falling down by exploiting her javelins as a balancing device. In my mind, this situation served as a perfect opening. Now that both of her weapons were embedded to the floor, she had absolutely no means to defend herself! ¡­and that was when I committed the fatal mistake. Two sharp objects pierced simultaneously at both sides of my shoulder. Of course, her twin javelins were still there on the ground, remained untouched. ¡°ARCHERRRRR!!!¡± I screamed, as her figure grew more and more distant. I tried to stand up, yet the severe pain hindered me from doing so. ¡°So that is your game, Archer¡­ Duplication magic, just how wonderful is that?¡± The song of destruction did not stop at here, at least not for Archer. Archer armed the two weapons which she discarded before, and threw it towards me within a single breath. Remaining idle was never an option for me. I tugged the bloodstained javelins out from my body, and used it to counter her upcoming incursion. A sharp and tingling sound broke through the tormenting silence. Upon the collision, all four of the javelins dissipated into thin air, engulfed by the shadow of the night. And the ones that followed those disappearances¡­ were the injuries that I acquired from before. ¡°Heh¡­ Saber, that skill of yours is quite bothersome¡­¡± ¡°Tell me about it.¡± Well, this ability might look convenient to an outside observer. In contrast, it actually placed a heavy restraint upon my body. After all, pain is not something which is entirely physical. Regardless of the effort, a person could not easily forsake the feelings they have when encountering such severe incidents of pain. The feelings, the emotions of being hurt, still lingered even with the vanishing of the wounds. I can still sense a stinging numbness at the areas which she once impaired. This occurrence is quite understandable, considering that my mind and body is currently in great conflict with each other. ¡°I think I have enough playing around.¡± Archer uplifted herself to a higher ground, enlarging the distance between us. Then, she performed a move which almost looked like an elaborate dance. Even with the presence of the bright moon at her back, her majestic profile remained unfazed. No, it would be more truthful to say that she had outshined the moon itself. The splendor suited for a goddess. An incessant voice of the dropping metals. One could easily mistaken it for a series of echoes. But that was not the case. Around seven deadly javelins had formed from Archer¡¯s empty hand, before they fell harmoniously to the ground, encircling their wielder. This is an indication¡­ or rather, a warning¡­ The goddess had finally bared her fangs, and shall consume her victim with the ferocity of a tiger. ¡°Begone.¡± One; a straight, direct plunge from above her shoulder, which cut through the opposing airstream. Two; a waist level fling which made the javelin flew in a saucer-like pattern, a complex sequences of motion. Three; a strong kick which pushed one of her weapons to spin vertically in mid-air, like the rampaging wheel of a chariot. Four; an upward leg thrust which sent the metal pole flying to heavens, before descending down with the acceleration of a shooting star. This is the capability that made her belong to the Archer class. Her whole body is a representation of a large bow, which shoots countless ¡®arrows¡¯ in a matter of seconds. The bewildering minstrel of madness still continued her pace. Unfortunately, I did not have the luxury of being one of its spectators. The performance will not stop by only taking your breath away. It is a deranged theatre that claimed the soul and life of its audience. ¡°Heyyah!!¡± The first assault was quite easy to dodge, considering its foreseeable nature. But the next one was somewhat tricky. The javelin hovering movement was greatly affected by other external forces, such as the wind, forcing me to take some great measures when dealing against it. ¡°Tchh!¡± It was a close call, as the javelin only managed to leave a small graze on my ankle. I realized that the other two threats had already conquered the ground and also secured the skies, respectively. Heck, I am pretty sure that she had sent more intimidations to both of my sides, too. Therefore, creating a perfect, inescapable prison. ¡°Well played, Archer. Well played.¡± I murmured. ¡°I give you the honour of witnessing my true strength.¡± More and more javelins were closing in with me. It was in the spur of a moment. Archer unending rain of weapons had been deflected, as if they were merely the fallen leaves of the spring. Those with untrained eyes would simply claim that it is a work of an invisible force. However, for Servants such as Archer, which upholds the skill of Clairvoyance, the reason for this unbelievable phenomenon can easily be perceived. ¡°A soaring¡­ dagger¡­¡± ¡°Hey, what¡¯s with the face, Archer? The true battle is only ¡®bout to begin.¡± Romance of the Three Servants ¡°Hey yah yah, take this, Saber!¡± ¡°Ahaha, not so fast, Archer.¡± Hey everyone, it¡¯s Sue again! We¡¯ve been pushing our imaginary controller for an hour now. Actually, I created this ridiculous game first, out of extreme boredom, and this red guy just decided to follow my league. Well, stupid things need to be done with a partner. It is some sort of unwritten universe law, just like Newton¡¯s. I bet that he must be kind of bored too. ¡°Ah¡­ that¡¯s it!¡± I tossed the non-existent gaming console to the ground. ¡°When will this battle end?¡± ¡°Beats me.¡± I silently returned to my seat. ¡°Dumplings?¡± ¡°Do I need to answe¡­ hey! Actually dumplings kinda good.¡± Munch munch munch. ********************** With the landscape of modern cities extending vastly behind its back, the fascinating swordplay which took place in there looked rather contradictory. Despite that, it did not make the battle any less beautiful. Like the continuous rush of a flooding river, Archer¡¯s javelins kept emerging between her hands, before they flew off to the air, carrying out their sole and only purpose. That is, to skewer the target into million of pieces. All of that ended up in vain as the mysterious coasting dagger obstructed their way, causing those accurate shootings of hers to be entirely misled, and finally evanescing in a dishonorable manner. Unaware to both of the Servants, was that their struggle to crush one another had turned out to be more or less like a contest, an unearthly exhibition to display each other¡¯s potency. The grim expression that once filled their faces had been replaced with a smile of delight. Truly, before they are weapons, before they are slayers, before they are Servants¡­ They are, unquestionably¡­ heroes. ¡°Haha¡­ Saber, do you want to continue this till the end of Time itself?¡± ¡°Didn¡¯t sound like a bad idea to me, but I highly doubt that our Master would like it.¡± Of course, the green warrior knew, that she could not remain in this defensive stance forever. Her kris is a weapon which apt to be both barrier and a straight-kill offense. However, assuming both tasks simultaneously would still be impossible. Thus, a change in her battle approach would be the most likely gateway at this point. But the cost for committing such action would be extremely steep. The stance-shifting phase. A truly crucial moment as it allows the combatant to be completely vulnerable to their opponent¡¯s assaults. Seeing Archer¡¯s aggressiveness, the word ¡®suicidal¡¯ flickered inside Saber¡¯s thought. Saber¡¯s next action was an unexpected one, as it betrayed all the thoughts that once crossed her mind before this. The flying dagger, which formed the protective layer around Saber¡¯s figure, had been put into an abrupt halt, causing her ultimate shield to be completely shed. Then, as if possessing a life of its own, the blade started to place itself between its wielder¡¯s slender fingers. A dark, reddish aura filled the place where she was standing on, signifying that a colossal amount of energy had accumulated around her. Witnessing this event, it would only be logical if Archer decided to launch her decisive blow during that instant. However, none of that ever happened, and the reason behind it was quite simple: The attack was never meant for Archer in the first place. A trail of crimson line began to appear across the air, following the release of the kris from Saber¡¯s extended hand. Unlike Archer¡¯s javelin, which its trajectory obediently abided to the law of physics, the movement of Saber¡¯s dagger seemed somewhat unnatural. Imagine an eagle that glided itself to the surface of the lake, pursuing from a school of oblivious fishes. As a creature which is equipped with the sense of predatory, it can completely alter its course of its action, according to the response of the selected victim. It would not be an understatement to say that the kris does also share such will. The will of a hunter. Inside the depth of the night, an exasperated shriek can be heard, signaling the success of the sudden attack. The weapon returned back to its owner hand in one swift motion. Without delay, Saber ruptured the quietness of the nightfall with her voice. She was barely shouting, yet her utterance was as clear as a cathedral bell. ¡°You¡­ who lurks behind the darkness, reveal yourself!¡± After that warning, I waited for a few seconds, giving that Servant some time before fully uncovering himself. A young man, possibly in his twenties, had materialized around ten meters from me, clearly distancing himself as an act of precaution. His white hair blends perfectly with the pale complexion of his skin. The red robe which he wore was left unbuttoned, exposing a cross-patterned tattoo which started from his chest, and made its path all the way to his abdomen. A grotesque-looking scythe can be seen dangling from behind his back. Its shaft was consisted by a series of disturbing carvings, and on its blade, was an ornament clearly resembling an eyeball. ¡°Hello, peeping Tom. Watching some girls having fun sure is exciting, eh?¡± ¡°Sorry about that. I guess I get a little¡­ carried away.¡± He let out a soft laugh, before giving us an elegant bow. ¡°Good evening. I am Servant Caster of this Holy Grail War.¡± He raised his head, causing his eyes to meet mine. His irises were stunningly painted in deep black, that they someway reminded me of a boundless void. After a short moment of silence, the male Servant finally spoke. ¡°So, what are you going to do? Kill this harmless man over here right away?¡± A condescending smile appeared on his face. By ¡®harmless¡¯, he was clearly referring to the class which he is summoned in. Unlike the other classes, with the exclusion of Assassin, Caster class is usually non-adaptable for battle involving close combat, considering that their primary forte is the usage of magecraft. In other words, direct clashes with Servants such as Archer or me would be the very definition of impetuosity. He is looking for a chance of retreating. The most reasonable deduction at this point. But still, I could not ignore the glint of confidence existing beneath his eyes. ¡°You may leave.¡± Archer, who remained quiet all this while, suddenly voiced out her thoughts. ¡°In such a state, I have no reason to kill you.¡± What a display of chivalry. Thinking back, my previous attack towards Caster was a careless one, an emotion-ridden act. If she were to take advantage of that situation, I may not even be standing here right now. Still, I was left unscathed. Her warrior pride would not allow such dishonorable victory. I understand her manner of thinking at all. After all, I used to have that kind of philosophy too. But that was the thing of the past. Right now, all I am is a sword¡­ a weapon in order for my Master to retrieve the Grail. And that is why, regardless to Archer¡¯s earlier statement, I had already placed myself above Caster shoulder, and readied to severe his head in one simple slash. Just when I thought that the scene of endless red will fill my view¡­ I was served with the picturesque image of the Southern Cross constellation instead. Beneath the starry skies, all I could do is to stare aimlessly, as Caster¡¯s willowy frame sent me off the cold ground. Even after being dumped hard to the floor, my mind still could not grasp fully of the event that just happened. This is Caster we¡¯re talking about right now, okay? So what¡¯s with that implausible speed just now? His hands were still tangled firmly around my left wrist, and with one careful push, my arm had been twisted at an irregular angle. ¡°Arghh..ARGHH!!¡± The crackling sound of bones scraping against each other. The unbearable heat produced from those frictions. Driven completely by instinct, I placed my unbound hand onto the floor, channeling a large burst of mana. And with that, a small explosion occurred, causing Caster to lose grip of my hand, freeing me from his frightful grapple technique. I can feel a jolt of energy travelling along my nerves, and with a slight jerk, the perturbed bones from before had already returned to its former position. ¡°So that skill can also handle dislocated limbs, huh?¡± Yeah, but for your information, it still hurts a lot¡­ thank you very much. If you encounter this narrative on Amazon, note that it''s taken without the author''s consent. Report it.Caster then pulled out his scythe, and began to spring directly towards me. A really slow assault. Believe me, this is definitely not one of my usual brag. Compared to his previous move, this attack sure is sluggish. Disinterestedly, I caught the blade of his weapon with my palm, preventing it from getting any closer than me, while also reducing Caster¡¯s chance of withdrawal to nil. And that was when it happened all over again. Caster¡¯s oversized leather boot found its way to my stomach, followed by the sound of twitching muscles being pushed inwards. ¡°Gurghh!¡± A splash of saliva, mixed with a certain amount of blood, gushed out through of my mouth, dripping down to the floor below. As I fell backwards, his foot still remained attached to my body, causing me to stay passively underneath his left leg. A position comparable to a serf being trampled upon by his unmerciful landlord. I tried to get back up, but that effort was halted due to Caster¡¯s sudden yet precise footwork. Shifting from my stomach, he moved his foot sideways and pressed it against my breast. All I could do was to let out a sharp scream, as, for some unknown reason, even the act of flinching a muscle became totally impossible for me during that time. I want to move¡­ I want to move¡­ just freaking move already! No matter how much I struggled, my body just would not budge. It seemed like my whole body was disobeying me. He intentionally inclined his stature forwards, making sure that the gravitational stress will lie mostly on my chest. ¡°Urgh¡­URGHHH!¡± My lungs thirsted for air, my heartbeats gone weaker by minutes. With that, Caster¡¯s sadistic grin had turned into a hysterical laugh of pleasure. ¡°Guhhehehe¡­ HAHAHAHAHA!¡± His sinister giggle turned stronger, along with the pressure he forced upon my body. A flash of white crossed the area above me, scraping Caster¡¯s cheek as it relentlessly flew to the other end of the building. Stopped by the presence of a concrete wall, the true nature of the object had finally become clear to my eyes. It was a shining silver metal, brilliantly reflecting the dim rays of moonlight. ¡°Ar¡­ Archer?¡± While wiping the droplets of blood from his face, Caster let out an agitated moan. ¡°I still have an unsettled dispute with that Servant. Besides, I wouldn¡¯t approve such act of humiliation.¡± Archer slowly approached the two of us. Her footsteps echoed under the silence of the night. ¡°Accepting murder but not degradation, I can never understand such conflicting ideals.¡± Caster rose his feet from my body, and began to take a step backwards, avoiding himself from meeting Archer. ¡°I granted honor the ones I killed, for I also wished to die in that way.¡± ¡°I truly could not fathom you people.¡± ¡°No one asked you to. Now, would you kindly remove yourself from here?¡± Caster made a deep obeisance and immediately dissipated into tiny shining particles, leaving nothing but an irritating titter. To my surprise, Archer extended her tiny palm towards me, offering me some help to get back up. I timidly reached for her hand and delivered a weak smile. ¡°Jeez¡­ thanks, I guess.¡± ¡°Aren¡¯t you a carefree one?¡± She gave me an exaggerated shrug while turning away from my position. I was about to call her, but a somewhat obnoxious voice had prevented me from doing so. ¡°HAHAHAHAHAHA¡­ Saber, that was lame!¡± ¡°Shu¡­ shut up, Master!¡± Tears were visible on his eyelids. His hands were held closely to his belly. This is not funny, dammit! I almost get killed down there! Before I can respond to his teasing with a powerful mana-filled punch, Archer¡¯s Master had emerged behind me. She appeared to be quite restless. ¡°Well, it¡¯s your fault for fooling around in battle. You sure slowed down a lot when facing that freaky dude.¡± Did she seriously took the role as the battle commentator?! Wait a second, what she said just now¡­ ¡°What do you mean by¡­ slowing down?¡± ¡°Exactly as it means¡­ why?¡± I directed my gaze towards Master. He seemed to be genuinely surprised with my reaction. ¡°I may be underestimating him¡­ but slowing down is¡­¡± A sudden spark of realization hit me hard like a jolt of lightning. I looked back at my Master. Judging from his expression, he must had come to the same conclusion as well. The ¡®World¡¯, as we know it, can be viewed through two different perspectives; the objective World, and of course, the subjective World. The objective World referred to the concept of the Earth itself, also known as the will of the Planet, the physical world constructed by universal law of nature. Its existence is independent from any kind of observers. Meanwhile, the subjective World is the world seen through an eye of an observer, and as long as it did not contradict with rules of objective World, it can easily be manipulated for the usage of its observer. This, later, gives birth to magi, the humans whom managed to reach and grasp such law. Time is an important aspect in differentiating these two Worlds, as its existence is considered to be relative. A minute, in the objective viewpoint, is a mere sixty seconds of cycle, and an unchangeable fact. Meanwhile, definition of a minute can change according to a person¡¯s situation. It may be short, it may be long, it may be an eternity¡­ all relying fully on the observer. And what¡¯s this had to do with Caster? Well, let¡¯s just say he had altered my subjective view of Time. By changing the concept of time in the observer¡¯s head, he can create an illusion that made him looked fast, while, in truth, it was the observer who had been slowed down. A slick technique, indeed. But this skill has its limitation, and if I have to guess, it must be that it required a physical contact with the observer. That explained the earlier provocation, the low agility he had while he was away from me, and also his fear for Archer as a long-range fighter. ¡°So we just need to avoid dealing with him directly, right?¡± I voiced my opinion to Master. ¡°I wouldn¡¯t be that sure. We did not know about his Noble Phantasm, let alone his true name.¡± While rubbing his forehead, he continued: ¡°Well, this much intel is good enough, as we still only in the first night¡­ and I think we had a bigger issue here.¡± He lazily trotted to Archer¡¯s pair, with potato chips crunched between his teeth. ¡°Hee ho Heh Hud Hu Hip Hunih? (Where on Earth would you sleep tonight?)¡± Oh, I forgot. That bulldozed apartment. And by the way, Master, please swallow the food properly before you speak. He bended his body a little, making sure that he is on par with Archer¡¯s tiny physique. ¡°Since you were the one who invited that idiotic Servant over there, I assume you have some sort of plan?¡± Her expression did not waver even a bit, and she calmly replied: ¡°I considered of calling all Servants there and beating them up in one go.¡± Even with that blasphemous answer, her expression remained calm as ever. My Master and me could not help but to perform a high-pitched facepalm. ¡°And I thought I was the one with an airheaded Servant.¡± ¡°Hey, Master¡­ I was a great war strategist back in my time.¡± ¡°Yeah¡­ strategic enough to get your ass whooped in the first battle.¡± ¡°Shu¡­ shut up, Master!¡± After a short discussion with my Master, we managed to reach our final decision. ¡°For now, let¡¯s have a short alliance. I think my house can handle two more people¡­ or spirit¡­whatever¡­¡± Archer¡¯s Master initially rejected the idea, but finally succumbed due to the lack of choice. As for Archer, well¡­ I don¡¯t think she cares about this stuff at all. I still felt indebted to Archer, so I patted her shoulder and offered her a handshake. ¡°Hey, we¡¯re comrades for now. Quit being so tense¡­here, take my hand.¡± ¡°Com¡­ rades?¡± She looked confused. My right hand remained unaccepted. ¡°That¡¯s not how you do with comrades.¡± She suddenly spoke in her usual uninterested tone. ¡°Wha¡­what do you me¡­ WOAHHH!¡± Archer surrounded me with a nicely strung hug, lifting me a little from the ground. This position was quite awkward, considering I was the one with a larger body frame here. But still, I could not deny the warmness that came from this embrace¡­ ¡°Hey, Archer¡­ easy there¡­¡± Tighter¡­ tighter¡­ tighter¡­ ¡°Ar¡­Archer, I ca¡­ can¡¯t breathe¡­ my¡­ bones¡­ earghhh¡­¡± Night of the Living Dead The sandy coast of the Upeh Island had long become the witness for series of warfare, done by men throughout the ages. Once a hiding ground for pirates, the sound of blasting guns and anguish-ridden shouts had turned to be somewhat synonymic to this location. Even in the historic event of World War II, this particular island served as an important stage, leaving behind various relics and ruins until this very day. Due to the rapid process of modernization, those chaotic years were far-gone, and tourists from all over the country would flourish to enjoy the beauty provided by this scenic isle. However, on this night... this place, which had been subdued by the ghosts of the past, will finally resume its old role again. As the arena chosen by two great Heroes of the ancient to display their supremacy, which can simply surpass the rigorousness of any present-day wars. It was a scuffle between animals, and this description was not even meant as a metaphor. Hiding beneath its undeniably magnificent appearance, was the quadruped¡¯s one and true nature, a belligerent and unruly attacker which fearlessly trampled upon whoever foolish enough to cross its path. Opposing the coldblooded stallion, was a human-like beast, or rather¡­ that creature had actually once lived as a proper human being. However, calling such mindless monster as a human would be nothing but preposterous. As an individual who had abandoned his sense of reasoning, the privilege of being called a person would inexorably being deprived from him. And, with a single, synchronized roar, the two beasts collided with one another, tearing the tranquil environment of the shoreline like a typhoon. Dignifiedly sitting with an eminent steed as his pedestal- Servant Rider. Trading his sanity for an inexplicable amount of power ¨C Servant Berserker. Their confrontation had lasted for quite a while, as both of them did not show any intention of giving up. ¡°Come! Let me end your torment.¡± Rider exclaimed as he ordered his horse to sprint towards the enemy. ¡°Guhh..guhh..GUARGHHHHH!!¡± Berserker bellowed in reply. Launching his body in one straight line, Berserker¡¯s action was irrefutably nimble, though its blatancy will cause him to pay later in the game. Rider skillfully dodged aside, driving the outraged fiend to catch nothing but air, and concurrently acquiring a spot to deliver a lethal blow on Berserker¡¯s back. He took out his mace and landed a direct strike onto the monster''s spine, rendering Berserker immobile. Rider then ringed his target, releasing a barrage of onslaughts, as his remorseless charger galloped around Berserker''s weakening body. Due to its swift nature, the attacks seemed to be delivered at random, without any organization, and almost barbaric in disposition. But looks are always deceiving, and the truth is far more fearful. What lies behind those assaults, was a carefully planned hit, which targeted only the fundamental parts of the body. Starting from the back: the nape, the middle point of backbone, and the area above rear. The side: all articulation point of the arms, with the addition of ribcages. Front: the Adam''s apple, the chest, the testicles and the pair of knees. Rider, in his legends, was once said to have slain an elephant as a child, so his gifted strength had already reached the level of extraordinaire. Such unbelievable damage power, now dealt upon Berserker''s frail region repetitively... even the matter of surviving itself had become improbable. And that is why; the scene that surfaced in front of Rider''s eyes was so terrifying that it could even bring cold sweat to that legendary hero''s face. Completely unharmed, Berserker just looked at him with a pair of empty, lifeless eyes. Those eyes drew nearer, and a gigantic impact had sent Rider flying off from his beloved mount. Rider enclosed himself within his ruby mantle, reducing any unwanted combat injuries. While it appeared to be a simple piece of clothing, that mantle actually served as a Barrier-Type Noble Phantasm, an item well known for its protective ability. However, it failed to absorb much of the shock, and Rider was suddenly pushed into a pinch. Smiling deliriously behind the swarthiness of the island, was a young magus, whom had been intoxicated by his aria of triumph. The red leaf-like pattern, which was currently hidden beneath the sleeve of his baju layang, suddenly began to glow, as if reacting to the magus anticipation. "Berserker... finish him." Though it was actually only a weak whisper, that command had already pierced right through the Servant''s skull, and echoed across his head. Berserker raised his hand, and a silhouette of red began to take shape, and finally materialized into a blade with scalloped edges. The size of the blade was nowhere near large, but did not make the weapon any less threatening. Bizarre hisses can be heard, streaming from the dagger, announcing its hunger for blood and soul. The wind howled, in the presence of Servant Berserker¡¯s ultimate Noble Phantasm. Victory for him was decided! Or at least, that is how the situation should have been. ¡°No¡­ not this again!¡± The remark that came from the young magus¡¯ mouth indicated that this event had happened more than once. If you discover this tale on Amazon, be aware that it has been unlawfully taken from Royal Road. Please report it.He tried to recall what actually happened; yet all he remembered was the sudden gush of light, that scorched the entire area with heat that was enough to turn the surrounding trees black as charcoal. And in the centre of the confusion, lies the magus¡¯ Servant, completely static, with smokes of white coming through the pores of his skin. There was no clear sign of damage, yet Berserker¡¯s inability to move had spoken more than enough in describing his condition. The magus fiercely stepped on the ground, channelling his anger towards the undergrowth below. The same exact thing had occurred before, where Berserker originally dominated the battle, but was mysteriously denied by an unseen force, driving Berserker to corner. He initially had mistaken it for a mere fluke, but what sort of coincidence would happen two times in a row? Servant Rider¡¯s Noble Phantasm ¨C yes, there is no other plausible conclusion. But what good would this information make in this battle? He needed to end this battle. Any action further than this would be utter stupidity. And that is when the veins of his hand began to swell, he felt as if his blood was boiling. His Command Spell acted irregularly beneath his thick embroidered hand cover. Mana started to flow mercilessly into the skin of his palm, producing a burning sensation, damaging his Magic Circuit in the process. Stop it Berserker ¨C he cried, but with that sheer amount of insanity, there¡¯s no way for that Servant to step down in this battle. Berserker leaped out from the crate ¨C a dark reddish aura swirled all over his demented self. His cry of war was replied by the Master¡¯s scream of agony. At this rate, his Master might lose his life due to the overexertion of mana consumption, but what does this fact even mean to Berserker? All he knew, all he knew was this ¨C The horseman needs to be destroyed! Without any expression, Rider stood in front of his opponent, waiting for Servant Berserker¡¯s next blow. He was somewhat surprised by the Servant¡¯s tenacity, but he could already expect that from a Holy Grail War contender. Yes, a Servant might be an invincible god during his lifetime, but in the end¡­ ¡°SERVANT BERSERKER!!¡± They were still tied down to a weak, mortal being ¨C magus. ¡°DEMATERIALIZEEEEE!!!!¡± Several inches from Servant Rider¡¯s face, Berserker intimidating eyes immediately dissipated into thin air, producing a layer of thin grey smoke. Berserker¡¯s Master let out a long sigh, signalling the end of his torment. ¡°You¡¯ve made the right choice, young magus.¡± After exclaiming that sentence, Rider quickly jumped on his horse, riding towards the endless night, leaving the fatigued Master behind. ¡°DammitDammitDamnDamn DAMMIT!!¡± He cannot control his frustration. His right hand was completely limp due to the previous incident, severing several important circuits in the process. Despite being the Association¡¯s acclaimed genius, he still could not control the behaviour of his Servant. The wound on his hand, the scar on his ego ¨C fuelled his anger even further. He needed to get out of there as soon as possible. Retreat, retreat ¨C return to the safety of his Workshop. ¡°Ah, good evening , fellow Master.¡± He turned his face. A youth with white hair, smiling dazzlingly. He inspected the boy¡¯s clothing, and noticed something really threatening. ¡°Kuzuryu family crest?!¡± Damn, of all the times! He swiftly targeted the boy¡¯s exposed neck, but was halted by the sound of clicking guns. ¡°I advise you to calm down, Mr. Zulfaqr of Magic Association.¡± The armed men started to encircle both of them, ready to blast their mark with complete precision. The kind of precision that would make even an experienced magus tremble. ¡°Tchh¡­ I might find an opening if I distract them a bit.¡± Zulfaqr opened his mouth: ¡°To think that the proud Kuzuryu family will stoop this low. Degrading into a yakuza organization, and following orders from a kid. Where¡¯s your old fart leader, anyway?¡± As far as Zulfaqr knew, the Kuzuryu family was led by an aging magus, his age had almost reached 130, and might draw his last breath at any given time. He did not have any heir, so this boy might be the next line of leader. Perhaps the old man had already passed away, and the union turned into complete shambles. If he could provoke and manipulate some of the gunners, maybe¡­ ¡°Step away from my Master.¡± A woman dressed in dark blue clothing, tight enough to emphasize her ample pair of breasts. Her dress looked ancient, almost as if she was preparing for a play in a theatre. The outfit ended right above her knee, showcasing her healthy thighs. Zulfaqr tried not to focus on her body too much, yet it was truly impossible, considering her strong sexual attraction. It didn¡¯t help that the young magus is a virgin with zero experience with female¡­ Trying to avoid eye (?) contact, he finally realized the ominous-looking crimson spear, and the unearthly force emanating from the woman. There were some undecipherable cravings on the spear, perhaps curses dating back to the Age of Gods. Zulfaqr finally comprehended the nature of his situation: ¡°She¡¯s a Servant.¡± Completely doomed. The youth smiled again, and said: ¡°Quit with the aggression. I just want to talk.¡±