Jayr POV - Nasuverse, Moon, SE.RA.PH, Hidden Chapel - 2030 AD
The whole area is drowned in light, a light so intense that it burns into my vision.
At the same time, I feel the circuits flare, reality bend, and the Moon Cell's sterile air fill with heat and presence.
The shining figure steps out from the storm of light, red and gold gleaming as though forged from fire itself, as her voice rings, bright and imperious, "Are you my Master?"
Shortly after the summoned Servant uttered those words, the bright light emitted by her body faded away, fully revealing the Servant's features, leaving me completely stunned.
The summoned Servant is a blond-haired young girl of short but curvy stature with pale white skin, yellow-ish long, flowing, blond hair that are tied into a complex bun with intake and bright lime green eyes.
She dresses in a revealing red and white dress with long, poofy sleeves, a transparent front, a leotard, and knee-high golden armored boots.
She couldn't be more recognizable, as she is one of my absolutely favorite Servants of the whole Fate series, the one often called Red Saber, the one and only Nero Claudius Caesar Augustus Germanicus.
(Image Here - Nero Claudius Caesar Augustus Germanicus)
As I'm standing in stunned silence admiring Nero's figure standing just a few meters away in front of me, she flourish her sword, a scarlet long sword called Aestus Estus: The Original Flame while her scarlet skirts sways, golden hair shimmer like sunlight and her emerald eyes sparkle with theatrical confidence as she repeats, "Now then, I shall ask you once more. Answer me. Are you my master?"
My throat tightens, my heart skips a beat, and before I can actually stop myself, I blurt out, "Umu!"
Silence.
Her eyes widen, a tiny, stunned pause hangs in the air, then, she tilts her head, lips quirking as she mutters, "... Eh?"
At the same time, I freeze, feeling heat rush to my face while thinking, 'Oh shit! I actually did it out loud. I just answered her with her own damn catchphrase! But I just couldn't stop! I mean, it's Nero!'
The next moment, I stammer, clearly embarrassed as I wave my hands defensively, "I-I mean... Yes! Yes, I am!"
Immediately, Nero's confusion melts into a chuckle as she covers her mouth daintily, eyes glittering, clearly amused before she raises her chin and in a smug tone she says, "Umu! Your words are few, but beautiful. I like that. I won't ask you how privileged you feel for summoning me. All right, I give my blessing! I will bestow upon you the honor of being my Master."
After saying that, she offers me her hand, and without any hesitation on my part, I regain my bearing, take hold of her offered hand, and say, "It's my honor to be blessed by your presence."
The next moment, from the hand I've grabbed comes a sudden warmth, and then, a sharp pain, like I've been cut by a knife.
Then, on the back of my hand, as if tattooed, is a strange symbol that looks like some kind of crest, which makes me immediately realize that it is my Command Seal.
The heat coming from the Command Seal on my hand grows in intensity, and the resulting pain rises to the point that it would become unbearable and burns through the consciousness of a regular person. But I'm easily able to endure it as I've withstood much harsher pains when I was just a kid, during my training to become a Saint.
Suddenly, a male voice is heard seemingly coming from the sky above that explains, "The mark imprinted on your hand is your Command Seal. It is proof that you hold dominion over a Servant. You can use it to give three orders that must be obeyed. Think of them as disposable strengthening spells. It is also proof of your participation in the Holy Grail War. If you lose it for some reason, you will die."
Hearing that voice, I tear my gaze away from the Command Seal on my hand and calmly look up, making the voice comment, "You already knew that, right?. But before I forget... Congratulation. You had quite an easy journey to make it here. Anyway, you've still earned your rest, at least for a while; you've achieved your first goal. It was easily the most relaxed and easygoing effort to say the least, but that's what made it all the more entertaining. I've had this duty for a long time, but this is the first time I've seen a bunch of Masters as powerful as you seven Irregular. Root truly sent quite the monsters to take part in this Holy War. Nevertheless, be proud of your achievement."
Hearing that, I immediately focus on the small but crucial information that the voice, likely, has willingly let slip, 'Seven Irregular sent by the Root? This voice is likely talking about the other Champion... This means... That there are only 7 Champions! If I exclude myself, it means that there are only 6 Champions left!'
While clearly shocked by what I've just learned, I quickly focus back on the present and, more importantly, on the voice that sounds very familiar for some reason and also really irritantingly smug.
For some reason, I can see the owner of the voice as a certain annoying priest, dressed in a somber cassock.
At the same time, I'm wondering that, the voice says, "Oh, you are curious about my identity? I am honored, but I am insignificant. I am merely a part of the system. I am just a guide, tasked with giving a standard message and given the personality of a prior participant. I am no more than words, no more than the mountain you just conquered, no more than a record of the past."
Hearing that, I have no more doubts in my mind that the voice belongs to Father Kotomine, the advanced AI based on Kirei Kotomine, the Extremely Spicy Mapo Tofu lover.
Just as I come to that conclusion, the voice continues, "Now, let us commence your baptism. You have proven yourself worthy of the honor. For most, the monotony of everyday life continues on without end. Your decision to look beyond the accepted and progress means you have earned the right to exist. However, you have but taken the first step. Rejoice, young Irregular, for the Holy Grail War beings now!"
At this point, I mutter, "The Holy Grail, huh..." While realizing, 'That's where we will find our objective... Our true prize, the Blessing of the Champion of Power, is hidden within the Holy Grail.'
The voice of Father Kotomine briefly explains, "That is correct. An object of great power once existed in the world. One that could grant any desire. People called it the Holy Grail and fought endlessly in an attempt to gain sole possession of it. This war... The System you find yourself in now is an evolution of those struggles. You stand at the entrance of a deadly struggle where many magi will perish in pursuit of the Holy Grail. Listen, Irregural. Had I not bestowed upon the Earth desire, you'b be merely saints capable of committing sin. Now fight to the death. The fiery throne of heaven will only receive those with the strongest of desires."
The voice reverberates throughout this hidden chapel, as if it were the voice of a god, as it continues to ramble, "In war, a weapon is needed. That is your Servant. They're the spear that pierces, the shield that protects. A Legendary Soul whose purpose is to clear your way to the Grail. That is the one who stands beside you."
I take a moment to glance at Nero standing beside me, who is now looking back, and then, I offer her a silent but solemn nod that makes Father Kotomin comment, "It seems you have decided, and with that decision as payment, I now open the gates to the Holy Grail War."
Right at this moment, the marks on my hand, my Command Seal, once again begin to become excruciatingly painful, but I'm easily able to endure the pain without showing any kind of reaction to it.
After a few seconds, the voice of Father Kotomine concludes, "Now, let the Holy Grail War begin. No matter the era, deciding who is worthy through battle is the divine providence of man. Magi who have been invited here by the Moon; Irregulars who were allowed by the Root; show me your true strength."
Finally, the Command Seal stops fully imprinting itself on my being, and at exactly the same time, the remaining glass door opens, revealing an almost blinding light behind it.
Seeing that, I look at Nero standing beside me and say, "Let's win this Holy Grail War... Together."
Nero proudly puffs her chest and says, "Of course! With this Emperor at your side, victory is assured. All who oppose us shall fall, and we shall bask in triumph, roses blooming at our feet!"
Hearing that, I smile before I calmly walk toward the open glass door with Nero following right behind.
In an instant, the light dimmed while the sterile, solemn air of the hidden chapel shimmered.
Then our surroundings dissolve into light as I feel myself pulled forward, code unraveling around me, digits and circuits swirling as the Moon Cell reshapes the world, creating a new Reality Marble.
Jayr POV - Nasuverse, Moon, SE.RA.PH, Tsukumihara Academy - 2030 AD
When the light fully fades away, I find myself standing in what I easily recognize as the school infirmary; However, the school and the campus itself are very different now.
This isn't the small, contained academy of the preliminaries; this is larger, brighter, deeper, a vast Reality Marble designed to house hundreds of Masters and Servants at once.
The walls gleam with unnatural perfection, the floor is polished like glass, the air buzzes faintly with a mix of digital and magical hum, as though reminding me this is still code, not reality, but still something infinitely close to it.
Nero gasp, spinning in place before exclaiming, "Umu! A grand palace! Spacious halls, elegant ceilings... Why, this is most fitting for my station!"
She twirls, her skirts flaring as she theatrically declares, "Yes, yes, I approve!" Making me chuckle softly while thinking, 'As expected of Nero. To her, everything is a stage. And this stage is indeed magnificent. Cruel, but magnificent.'
Suddenly, I hear the sound of the lock of the infirmary's door opening, and with that Nero immediately disappears into the ether to stay out of sight and not carelessly reveal her identity, a very smart move, even more so, when considering the real possibility of a Champion easily indentifying her on sight as her and Arthuria are basically the icons of this universe.
As I praise Nero for her quick reaction, the door of the infirmary opens, and the next moment, a familiar female figure walks in, Sakura Matou.
Sakura has long purple hair and matching eyes. She wears a red ribbon on the left side of her head.
She wears the standard Tsukumihara Academy female uniform with a few minor differences; instead of a blue ribbon, Sakura wears a red ribbon with small white socks and a long matching lab coat.
(Image Here - Sakura Matou)
Naturally, she isn't the real Sakura Matou, one of the most unfortunate characters of the Fate series, but is instead an NPC based on the real one.
She works in the infirmary, where she supplies participants with food and healing items, and medical attention, where the system is at fault.
Sakura immediately notices my presence and says, "Ah, Jayr-sensei! You've finally arrived."
Shortly after saying that, Sakura approaches me and takes a good look before she says, "You don't seem to have any injuries, so feel free to leave when you feel like it."
Then, Sakura adds and explains, "Also, all of your memories have been restored by SE.RA.PH, so do not worry. Any magi who seek the Holy Grail have their memories suppressed and are given those of a student or a staff member. Only Masters who managed to recover themselves are allowed to enter the main tournament. Now that you have regained your memories, please review them to make sure they're complete."
Done with the explanation, Sakura pauses for a few moments, waiting for any kind of question before she mechanically says, "Oh, I should give this to you before I forget."
She gives me some kind of Portable Terminal, which I assume is for getting messages and whatnot, while explaining, "As a participant, you should pay attention to any messages that appear on your terminal."
In the end, Sakura says, "Good luck in the tournament. It will test your limits." Before she turns around and sits on a nearby chair, waiting for any other participants to arrive.
The whole interaction feels extremely scripted and mechanical, and very likely is, as the Moon Cell has likely programmed Sakura to repeat those exact same words to any Master who successfully passed the last trial.
Reaching that conclusion, I simply thank Sakura for her explanations, who replies back in a more humane manner, and then walk out of the infirmary.
For a brief moment, I am not sure to where to go as I look around at the few people around, many of them standing by themselves, apparentily alone and with a wary and tense expression on their faces making me realize that the Holy Grail War has truly started and even if we are not allowed to fight and attack one other in the campus area, that doesn't stops the participants to gain an advantage in any other possible way.
We are all predators now; it's kill or be killed. I acknowledge this upsetting truth, even if I don't like to.
Feeling the tense atmosphere, I opt for a change of air and head toward the nearby set of stairs, calmly climbing them, my destination, the rooftop, where I can hopefully enjoy a bit of breeze and observe the whole campus from a high spot.
After a few minutes, I reach the rooftop, and once there, look up at the sky, noticing that it is now full of endless codes of 0s and 1s, now clearer than ever as SE.RA.PH doesn't even bother to hide the true nature of this Reality Marble.
Then, I notice Rin's figure, who is now patting the walls and the floors, murmuring to herself, "I've investigated this school from top to bottom, but there's nothing unique about it."
She is different from the girl in class; the defiant gaze is nothing like the vacant smile of the popular girl, yet another proof that the school has completely turned into a battlefield, and Rin knows it, too.
Soon, Rin notices my presence, her eyes soften a little when she looks at me, and she says, "... Huh? Hey, you over there. Yeah, you. Hmm, I haven't checked the NPCs out much yet. Aha, I know a simple way. Don't you move."
After saying that, she calmly approaches me and is about to touch my cheek with her delicate finger, but before she can do that, I stop her by grasping her wrist and calmly say, "You are a little too careless, Tohsaka-san. Even if I were a staff member, it doesn't mean that I'm an NPC. More importantly, even if someone is an NPC, it isn't right to touch them inappropriately."
Shortly after saying that, I immediately let go of her hand as I don't want to cause a misunderstanding and turn her or her Servant hostile.
At the same time, Rin's eyes widen as she mutters, "That means he is a Master..." Before she takes a step back and lets out a girly scream as she realizes, "Kyaaa! W-Wait. That means that I almost felt up..."
At this point, Rin starts to blush heavily before she turns her head and snorts, "Ugh, how embarrassing..."
Suddenly, she turns around and yells, "Shut up! I can make mistakes too, you know! Don't call me a pervert!"
I'm pretty sure she is addressing an off-color comment coming from her Servant there, even more so, when an invisible Nero, who is standing beside me, comments, "Umu. Master is right. A woman should never be this vulgar."
Meanwhile, Rin continues to try to explain her reasons to her Servant, "It could have been my imagination. Or a hacker... or even a Magus... Such a detailed NPC would really exist otherwise."
Then she turns to me and exclaims, "Anyway, you're to blame for being confusing. I mean, I clearly remember you teaching in class and acting like all the other teachers who followed a very clear schedule every day..."
But soon she takes a more pensive look and mutters, "Wait... Now that I think about it a little bit more, there were a few things off, but I simply didn't pay any mind to it at the moment, thinking that they were simple glitches and actual hints to help the participants regain their memories... But you were just playing your part, huh."
At this point, she looks at me and comments, "It looks like I have to be more careful... This is a Holy Grail War, and the only way out is to win. Leaving prematurely isn't allowed. In the end, everyone has to fight. I'll do everything in my power to be the last one standing. No one will stop me."
After saying that, her gaze returns cold and defiant, giving me a glimpse of the real Tohsaka Rin, one of my possible opponents in the Holy Grail War.
It isn't personal; she rightfully considers everyone in the Holy Grail War her enemy.
At the same time, Nero, still invisible to everyone, comments, "Umu! That's the right mindset. You will be an intriguing foe, should you have the courage. Those are fighting words, Master. When we meet her in battle, I will give her my answer to them."
Unlike Nero, I have no witty response to her; I know perfectly well what's at stake, even better than her. I have to win.
After that, I decide to leave Rin alone and return to the main building, then as I step into the 1st floor, I find myself face to face with the creepy Extremely Spicy Mapo Tofu lover himself, Father Kotomine.
He is a tall man in his late 20s or early 30s with medium-length black hair, black, almost empty eyes, and an annoying smug grin on his face who wears simple priest vestments.
(Image Here - Father Kotomine)
It seems that he was looking for me as he stopped a few meters away from me and said, "Congratulations. You have been deemed worthy to be a participant in the Holy Grail War. You may call me Father Kotomine. I am an NPC assigned the task of supervising the Holy Grail War. As of today, you and your fellow magi have been given the honor of fighting in the Arena up ahead."
Then, without waiting for a response, he explains, "The war is run as an elimination tournament, with the Grail being awarded to the last person standing. In other words, theparticipating Masters will kill each other until there is only one person left. Simple enough to understand, yes? Even a complete idiot should be able to understand the rules. Masters get a six-day preparation period before the Elimination Battles, which occur on the seventh day. I'd advise you to use the time given to devise the most efficient means of slaughtering your foe. On the sevent day, you and your foe will fight. The winner lives, and the loser is... deleted."
After his explanation, Father Kotomine says, "If you wish to make a query, speak now. The right to ask about the rules is given to all."
In response, I shake my head and say, "I'm as prepared as I can be."
At the same time, I hear Nero, who is standing behind me, invisible to all, chuckle and say, "Fufu… a structured war, is it? How quaint! They think such an order can contain us? Well! Let them bring their rules, their opponents, their challenges! With me at your side, we shall burn through them all, leaving nothing but roses and ash!"
I almost laugh while thinking, 'Her confidence was infectious. With Nero Claudius as my partner… This is surely going to be fun.'
Meanwhile, Father Kotomine mechanically blinks his eyes and says after a brief pause, "... I see. Good luck, then."
Shortly after saying that, Father Kotomine adds, "One last thing... Masters that continue to advance will be given a private room."
He gives me a piece of paper with the number "1000101" written on it before he says, "Your room will be located in classroom 1-A. Please enter this password into your terminal."
In the end, Father Kotomine says, "Well, the time for conversation has come to an end. The door ahead leads to the Arena. For today, concentrate on becoming accustomed to the inner workings of the Arena. The Arena entrance uses the same door you went through during the preliminaries. Good luck."
After saying his piece, Father Kotomine finally walks away, and I immediately bring out the portable terminal and input the password given to me while thinking, '1000101... Nice! Wait! Why the hell is the password for my private room the number "69" written in binary code!? Is SE.RA.PH is actually messing with me? Or is it because I am the Champion of Culture that the sacred number keeps haunting me whenever I go? Oh well, as they say, Culture works in mysterious ways.'
While that existential question swims in my mind, I decide to take a look at my private room, and so, I head toward Class 1-A, which is luckily located on this floor.
Once in front of the door of the classroom 1-A, I do not hesitate and open the door before confidentily stpping inside.
A ripple of light opens before me that leads to a smaller chamber, our Private Room.
I step inside and blink as the room is furnished comfortably: a large bed draped in red, a desk stacked with books, a chalkboard against one wall, many paintings depicting my kids and wives pinned to the wall, very familiar ones as they are the exact copy of the ones I made and displayed all over my mansion in the Soulbound Territory, and faint starry spiral patterns traced into the floor tiles.
Clearly, the space adapts itself to my psyche.
The next moment, the door closes, and Nero appears beside me before immediately sprawling across the bed while sighing in satisfaction, "Mmm! Soft! Yes, this will do nicely! Truly, they understand the needs of an Emperor."
Hearing that, I smirk and say, "Glad you approve."
She rolls onto her side, propping her chin on her palm and asks, "And you, my Master? Do you approve of me? You didn't ask for my true name or even my Class..."
The question is teasing, but there was a flicker of earnestness in her eyes.
I take a moment to truly focus on Nero; she is radiant.
The way she strikes her poses, every gesture is theatrical, every word delivered as though to an audience.
A warm smile forms on my face while thinking, 'The Red Saber. Nero Claudius Caesar Augustus Germanicus. My Servant. One of my absolute favorites. Of all possible outcomes, of all the branching possibilities, the Moon Cell had given me this. The Emperor of Roses herself. I know that some don't like her and consider her Arturia's bad copy. And I also know that she isn't considered the strongest Servant on paper. Compared to overpowered monsters like Gilgamesh or Karna, she is regarded as low-tier at best. But raw numbers don't matter to me. Nero is charisma, willpower, and artistry. She has heart, and in a War like this, that counts for more than any stat sheet.'
While thinking that, I look at Nero right in the eyes and say, "I didn't need to ask those silly questions. I already knew who you were the moment my eyes landed on your magnificent figure. Your Class is the one considered the best and the strongest among all the Servants' Classes, Saber. You are the one known as the Emperor of Roses. Nero Claudius Caesar Augustus Germanicus. My approval of you is more than you can imagine."
Hearing that, Nero flushes faintly, then quickly recovers and, with a proud laugh, she exclaims, "Umu! As expected!"