Jayr POV - Nasuverse, Moon, SE.RA.PH, Tsukumihara Academy - 2030 AD
After our brief but significant talk, our Private Room falls into silence as Nero still lounges across the oversized bed like it is her imperial throne with her legs crossed.
She is watching me with those sparkling green eyes full of curiosity, amusement, like a queen who knows her audience is about to perform.
I take another brief look at our surroundings and inhale deeply, then clap my hands together while thinking, 'Time to make this room truly mine.'
With that resolve, I let my will flow, tapping into the strange intersection that is me.
The full spectrum of the Spiral Cosmo starts blazing, my Divinity is surging, and the digital instincts and abilities granted by my Digimon Incarnation rise like a tide.
In an instant, Data itself bends when I command it, numbers, light, codes, all threads in my loom.
The Private Room shimmers as circuits crawl up the walls, glowing in the pure, royal purple of the Anti-Spiral Cosmo that destroys everything in its path and the pure, glittering gold of the Spiral Cosmo that purifies and reforges following my will.
Endless lines of code scroll briefly across the ceiling before vanishing like smoke while protective wards layer over one another, some magical in nature, some digital, and some even divine.
They don't just overlap, they intertwine, they fuse, cross-reinforcing like steel and silk, creating something unique, something strong, something that not even the creator of this reality can affect, interact with, or bypass.
At this point, I theatrically spread my hands while declaring in a tone full of confidence, "And done. This place is locked tighter than an imperial vault. No spying, no interference, not even the Moon Cell itself can get a peek in here anymore."
The change can clearly be felt as the air is thicker now, heavier with a protective presence that gives an enveloping and comfortable sense of security.
In response, Nero claps her hands dramatically while spinning on the bed, skirts flaring, then flops onto her back with a grin on her face and genuinely praises me, "Magnificent! A fortress worthy of Rome! Truly, you are a Master who understands the dignity of his Emperor."
Seeing that, I smirk, theatrically bow like an actor who is receiving a standing ovation after his masterful play, and reply, "Glad you approve, Your Imperial Majesty."
She smiles sweetly before she proudly nods and declares in a haughty tone, "Umu! Of course. Your devotion is noted."
Shortly after that, Nero turns serious and asks, "But now, I am curious about one thing. Why didn't you secure our Private Room before talking about and revealing my true name and identity?"
Hearing her question, I keep aconfident smile on my face and reply, "That is because your identity isn't that much of a secret and as such isn't worth worrying too much about protecting it. The reason for that is that I'm pretty confident that I won't be the only one able to recognize your majestic figure and noble identity in an instant. What we truly must be careful of is not revealing the true extent of our abilities too soon."
In response to my explanation, Nero nods and comments, "Umu! I guess this is one of the downsides of being such a renowned figure. One simply cannot hide greatness!"
I smile in response to her reaction before I further reassure her, "The good news is that when I secured our Private Room, I didn't notice any signs of foul play, which means that it is highly unlikely that someone was able to hear anything of what we said. After all, the Private Room is without any doubt the most secure location created by the Moon Cell. So very, very few would be actually able to bypass its protections."
After explaining that, I add, "So for the moment, your identity is still a secret, and this means that we can still try to take advantage of this by trying to feed our opponents false information and force them to make costly and possibly fatal mistakes."
Hearing that, Nero laughs out loud and declares, "Hahaha! That is perfect, my Praetor. As a master of the arts that rivals even Apollo himself, I'm sure to be able to fool our enemies in believe whatever we want."
I immediately notice the change in how she calls me. Until now, she simply called me "Master," but now it has changed to "Praetor," which was a title granted by the government of Ancient Rome to men acting in one of two official capacities: the commander of an army or an elected magistrate.
This is her own personal way to show me that she has fully acknowledged me and that she is ready to open herself, trust me, and fight by my side, a feeling that I'll make sure to fully reciprocate.
With that new resolve and our Private Room now fully secure, I realize that it is finally time to do something I have been avoiding since the moment I woke up in SE.RA.PH and fully regained my memories, I look inward.
Not just a casual glance, but a full diagnostic.
I close my eyes and reach deep into body, mind, soul, and the endless spiraling light at my core using all my senses and even my own Cosmic Awareness.
And for a moment, I freeze before I mutter with a wry smile on my face, "Oh… Oh, that's interesting... And it is an incredibly familiar feeling..."
Unlike the other Masters, whose souls had been digitized into this world while their bodies remained outside in the physical, I am different.
My entire being has been converted, body, mind, soul, and every piece of equipment I carry; all that is me is here within SE.RA.PH basically is like being back in the Digital World all over again.
No loose threads dangling outside, no body left behind somewhere in the Real World vulnerable to some opportunistic Master or Champion, for me, this is all or nothing.
Advantages? Plenty. I have all my powers, all my abilities, all my gears, absolutely everything that I may possibly use against my enemies at my disposal, nothing held back.
This obviously means that I can use my Soulbound Territory to bring out all kinds of useful items and weapons, summon Crateris, my Digimon Partners, and if needed, my other allies across the Omniverse to come to my aid, and so on.
More importantly, there is no risk of my unguarded body being assassinated in some external reality while I'm fighting here, something that Julius B. Harway does quite regularly as he hacks into SE.RA.PH's system to suit his needs, even going so far as to assassinate other Masters in order to secretly protect his brother by killing his opponents both in the real and virtual world.
But the catch hits me just as quickly as I realize, 'If this has happened to me, then it is almost certain that it has happened to the other Champions as well. Which means? No one has that vulnerability. No one has the "real body" Achilles' heel to exploit. And all of them are able to make use of any means at their disposal. In other words, I am not playing with a hidden trump card or any obvious advantage. Everyone is on equal footing.'
With that clear realization, I open my eyes, exhaling slowly before I mutter, "Equal footing, huh... Well… That's fair. Guess this Holy Grail War is really going to come down to actual skill, strategy, and pure overwhelming power."
At the same time, Nero tilts her head from her throne-bed and asks, "Something wrong, my Praetor?"
In response, I smile faintly and reply, "No. Just making peace with the fact that this Holy Grail War is likely going to be a very brutal and difficult one."
Hearing that, Nero laughs in a carefree manner before she says, "Fufufu! Nonsense! The Holy Grail Wars have always been like that. Do not concern yourself with such useless ramblings. With my sword and your brilliance, the path to victory is already ours."
Thanks to her words and infectious confidence, I decided to let go of all the possible what ifs and fully focus on the present.
After that, I spend some more time talking with Nero, this time about more casual topics, and I even show her the replicas of my paintings pinned on the walls of our Private Room, earning her genuine praise, and like that, what remains of the morning quickly passes.
Later in the early afternoon, we decide to test the Arena, so we walk out of our Private Room, where Nero quickly disappears into the ether to stay out of sight and not carelessly reveal her identity to the other participants.
Then I calmly start to cross the mostly empty hallway, my steps are firms and full of confidence as my destination is clear.
I turn the last corner, and what I find in front of me is the exact same wall with the exact same emergency exit like doorway of the Preliminary, only, this time, this is the door that leads to the Arena.
Without any hesitation on my part, I open the door and take a step forward with the invisible Nero standing right beside me.
In an instant, the Academy's almost desolate hallway twists into something alien when we cross the boundary.
The sky turns black and green, walls turn almost transparent and glows with crawling circuitry, and the air buzzs faintly, like standing inside a living circuit board.
On top of that, the area in front of us seems to expand almost infinitely in all directions, and through the transparent walls I can already see the making of a very complicated labyrinth.
After taking a quick look, I turn toward the now materialized Nero beside me and explain, "This is the Arena, a place where we are allowed to do battle whenever we feel the need to fight and train. Enemy Programs created by the SE.RA.PH roam the Arena. At the moment, this instance of the Arena is ours exclusively, but when an opponent will be assigned to us, they too will gain access to the same instance as us, giving the two Master a chance to interract and even briefly battle before SE.RA.PH forces both parties to stop. Because of that, this place will become both an opportunity and a danger."
At the end of my explanation, Nero steps forward, draws her scarlet long sword with a flourish, and exclaims, "Oho! A coliseum worthy of an Emperor! Yes, this pleases me greatly."
I take a moment to take a closer look at her sword, called Aestus Estus: The Original Flame, as the craftsman in me is quite interested in it.
Its name is Latin for "Passionate Heat," which reflects Nero's flamboyant and passionate personality, fitting for a character known for their artistic and theatrical aspirations, even more so when Nero views Aestus Estus as the ultimate instrument and believes that it would compel any muse to bow before its magnificent sound.
It is a hand-crafted crimson sword, made from meteor metal, and it has the following inscription carved on it: Regnum caelorum et gehenna. (The kingdom of heaven and hell.)
While possessing inherent magical qualities, Aestus Estus is not a Noble Phantasm itself, but rather serves as the catalyst to activate Nero's ultimate Noble Phantasm, the Aestus Domus Aurea.
It is overall quite an impressive sword, worthy of a powerful Heroic Spirit like Nero.
While I'm focusing on Aestus Estus, Nero strikes a dramatic pose with her blade gleaming and haughtily declares, "Now then, my Praetor, allow me to demonstrate my strength."
Like that, we advance through the corridor of this complex labyrinth until we reach a fairly vast room.
All of a sudden, Enemy Programs emerge from the shadows, faceless constructs of data, some humanoid in shape but jagged, armed with glitching blades, others in the shape of connected cubes, and insects like wasp.
Nero's gaze focuses on them as she muses, "Gladiators? Very well. Let them entertain me!"
She then lunges, laughing, her crimson skirts trailing like fire, her sword sings through the air, scattering sparks as the Enemy Programs shatter into fragments of code that quickly disappear into nothing.
Each swing is flamboyant, theatrical, but efficient beneath the flourish.
Nero quickly spins her body while crying out, "Witness my radiance!" Making her sword cleave yet another foe in half before declaring, "Umu! Truly, my swordsmanship is second to none!"
Meanwhile, I lean against the closest transparent wall with my arms crossed, watching Nero's battle while thinking, 'She's fast. Stronger than she pretends. And she's having the time of her life.'
After she wipes out the last Enemy Program, Nero flourishes her blade and points it at me and says, her smile wide, her green eyes burning, "Let us cross blades, my Praetor. Do not hold back. Show me yours so that I may show you mine."
Her words ring with both challenge and somewhat strange invitation, making me blink for a moment, sigh, and mutter, "... Phrasing."
Then I focus on the Emperor of Roses and ask, "… You want to spar? With me?" Which makes Nero proudly reply, "Of course! How else shall I measure the worth of my partner? Come, do not be shy!"
In response to her challenge, I chuckle before I open a small portal connected to my Soulbound Territory, and from it, I pull out my trusted weapon, the Tactical Arms in its massive Sword Form.
I rest the 2-meter-long greatsword against my shoulder, the massive blade gleaming dully in the fading light of the Arena.
Most men can't even lift this weapon from the ground as it weighs over 4 tons, yet to me it feels no heavier than a wooden practice stick.
Its weight is both my comfort and my weapon, its size an extension of my will.
I then tilt my head, returning her smile with a faint one of my own and say, "Very well. But don't expect me to go easy just because this isn't to the death."
Nero gives a light laugh, a sound almost musical, but her stance shifts sharply.
Her sword, Aestus Estus, glimmers in her hand, the hilt poised as if she is about to conduct a symphony with steel while the air thickens with tension.
Then she lunges forward, her speed is startling as her blade slashes at me like a red streak.
However, I still react and bring the Sword Form Tactical Arms down in a single sweep, the resulting collision ringing like a cathedral bell.
At the same time, sparks burst between us, and the shockwave sends my hair whipping back.
She pushes, trying to force me off balance, but my feet hold firm, my weapon doesn't tremble, making Nero exclaim as she presses harder, "Such strength! It excites me all the more!"
Then Nero suddenly spins, nearly catching me off guard as she darts around my guard while her sword is biting toward my ribs.
However, I quickly let go of one hand on my hilt, twisting the massive blade to intercept, making metal shriek as our weapons clash again, and I shove her back with a surge of power.
Nero skids across the transparent floor, her heels sparking, but her grin never wavering before she charges once more, flurrying strikes in rapid succession.
Each one is fast enough to cut down a lesser warrior, but to me, they are as visible as notes on a page.
I parry, deflect, bat aside her thrusts, my Tactical Arms moving with deceptive speed.
Then, with a flick of my wrist, the blade shifts, gears click, and metal splits apart as the massive blade splits down the middle, unfolding into twin blades that shimmer with mechanical grace as the Tactical Arms takes the Sword Arm Form.
In this form, my strikes become more rapid, staccato beats rather than sweeping chords.
The twin swords dart like fangs, crossing and uncrossing, weaving around her elegant slashes.
Nero blinks at first, startled by the sudden change of rhythm, then she laughs, "Hahaha! Marvelous! Your blade sings in more voices than one. Then let us dance to its tune!"
Her swordplay grows more flamboyant in response, flourishes, and pirouettes as if she is performing on a stage.
I match her tempo, blades flashing like paired instruments playing in harmony, each clash ringing as steel crosses steel.
The sound of our duel echoes across the rooms and corridors of the Arena, in a storm of ringing notes.
Sparks and petals swirl in the air, caught in the wake of our movements.
At last, I force her back with a sudden push, then leap high in the air with both swords arcing down.
She braces, raising her weapon just in time; the impact is massive. However, the ground beneath her remains firm, giving me a clear idea of just how stable and sturdy the Arena truly is; after all, such a blow would have easily created a massive crater in the ground in any other place.
Meanwhile, Nero staggers as her knees buckle a little under the weight and power of my blow.
I don't relent, and as soon as I land, the twin swords whir, shifting and folding back into the hulking shape of the Sword Form.
I swing it in a massive horizontal arc, one that would have cut in half an entire mountain. Nero ducks under, hair flashing, and counters with a stab aimed for my chest.
I step aside smoothly, letting the Tactical Arms' machinery whir again.
Its body bends and stretches, plates sliding with a metallic growl until the weapon snaps into yet another form: The Bow Form.
My Spiral Cosmo hums along the limbs, light tracing the line of an invisible string, and as I draw it back, the pressure builds not from weight but from raw power.
A blazing arrow of energy forms, thrumming with heat and power, making Nero freeze for a fraction of a second as eyes widen, then she bursts forward in an attempt to close the gap.
However, it is way too late. The energy arrow streaks toward her, exploding against her blade in a shower of sparks and force while throwing Nero backward and making her land hard on the floor, but the next moment, she quickly rolls to her feet, panting.
She wipes a bit of dust from her cheek and smirks while commenting, "Ha! To face such a weapon… Truly, you are a man of boundless artistry. Even I, Nero Claudius, must acknowledge it."
In response, I lower the Tactical Arms Bow Form, letting it reform into the Sword Arms Form again with a smooth twist, then, as the edges gleam, ready, I say, "You're keeping up better than most would."
Her eyes flare as she declares, "Keeping up? I have not yet shown you all of my brilliance!"
With renewed fire, she comes at me again, her blade weaving arcs of scarlet light.
She strikes high, low, thrusting, spinning, every move is infused with her pride as the Emperor of Roses.
Her breathing quickens, sweat beading at her brow, but she presses on with unshakable will.
I meet her steel for steel, blocking and parrying until the rhythm of her strikes slows just enough for me to break through, and in one clean twist of my blade, I knock her sword from her grip, sending it spinning across the transparent floor before I press the tip of one of the swords gently to her throat.
Silence falls as her eyes widen, then soften before she slowly raises her hands in mock surrender, laughing even as exhaustion catches up with her.
Then Nero's chest rises and falls with heavy breaths as she says, "Ha... Well struck! I am undone, it seems. But take heed, my Praetor. Though you have bested me today, you have also won the undying favor of Rome's Emperor. Such loyalty, such strength... I cherish them deeply."
I open a portal and store my Tactical Arms back into my Soulbound Territory before I extend my hand, and Nero takes it without hesitation, her grip firm, her smile bright, while I say, "You fought well, more than well. You fight with heart. That's rarer than strength."
Her gaze lingers on me for a moment, then she nods, pride still alight in her eyes as she says, "Umu! Yes. Today I have tasted defeat, yet my heart soars. For in this clash, I have found a comrade worthy of standing by my side."
The Arena once again falls into calm as a few rays of code slip below the transparent floor.
Our spar had ended in my victory, but it was more than a test of strength; it was a meeting of wills, of two souls measuring each other through the language of combat.
We clashed lightly. I held back enough not to overwhelm her, but not so much that she'd feel patronized.
The duel was short, energetic, and more about bonding than proving superiority.
And as I stood with Nero Claudius, the Emperor of Roses, I knew this was not an end, but the beginning of something greater.
After our brief but intense sparring, we decided to explore the Arena for quite a bit more, eliminating a few more Enemy Programs here and there, and mapping the complex labyrinth structure before returning to our Private Room to rest.
Back in our Private Room, Nero immediately reclaimes the bed, sprawling like she owns the place, which, in fairness, she does.
She hums contentedly, twirling a lock of hair, while I sit at the desk, staring out at the artificial sky through the window, thinking, 'So many lives had already been erased to the point that only 128 Masters remain. And so many more would be. This is a game, yes, but the stakes are brutally real. And yet… part of me is still buzzing with anticipation. A fan's thrill. A competitor's focus. A Champion's resolve.'
I glance back at Nero, who has fallen half-asleep, mumbling something about roses and glory, smile softly, and mutter, "Guess the Holy Grail War is really starting tomorrow."
The next morning, I hear an electronic noise coming from the portable terminal I have stashed in my pocket.
I pull the portable terminal out of my pocket, and I immediately see some words displayed on the screen.
[The next combatants will be announced on the second floor bulletin board.]
Realizing that it is finally time to find out who my next opponent is going to be, I dress up quickly while Nero, ever dramatic, adjusts her outfit with a flourish and exclaims, "At last, the curtain rises! Who dares oppose us first, I wonder? Whoever it may be, they are already doomed."
Shortly after that, we walk out of our Private Room together. Nero has naturally become invisible once more, before we walk together through the Academy halls, climb the stairs, and visit the bulletin board on the second floor.
I notice the presence of other Masters and also feel the faint presence of their Servants, who are also gathering in front of the bulletin board, while tension crackles in the air and whispers float, some nervous, some confident.
The bulletin board lights up with names, one by one, match-ups appear, until my eyes finally land on mine.
Masters: Jayr Pucci vs Run Ru.
Battlefield: First Chimeric Lunar Sea
My brow furrows as I remember her, 'Run Ru... A competitor from the original Fate/Extra timeline. A crazed but innocent woman that hide something far darker... Just great... The first opponent is already quite the tragic one...'
Nero glances at the board, then grins, utterly unconcerned, "Run Ru? Hmph! Whether she be child or tyrant, it matters not. None can match the Emperor of Roses!"
She then turns to me, eyes alight, and says, "Come, my Praetor! Let us prepare to carve our names in history!"
I stare at the glowing name on the board, my thoughts already racing about my very first opponent, Run Ru, while whispering in a tense tone, "The Holy Grail War has truly officially started..."