Fifth Year of Kankou, Heian-kyo

Shut up.

Just shut up already.

Some great evil spirit threatenin' the Imperial Palace and all of Heian-kyo you turned out to be.

You're just another borin' old evil spirit who turned tail and ran at the sight of the Four Heavenly King statues at Toji.

Cheeky little punk.

Stuff it!

Hah! Done and done!

... ...

...Hmmm.

Nope, that wasn't it, either!

What'm I'm missin'? Things were never like this back when I was livin' on the mountain!

What's wrong?

What don't I got?

Dammit, this just ain't gonna cut it!

Guarding the City?! That's hardly a task worthy of one of Raikou's Four Heavenly Kings!

Dammit, at this rate...

...I'll never be able to be a Master.

... ...

...

A Master, huh.

There's somethin' about that that just doesn't sit right with me, either.

How'd you ever make your peace with it...

...Brother Tsuna?

... ...

...You there, young lady.

Yes, Officer?

What can I do for you at this hour of the night?

... ...

..."Officer," huh?

I suppose I can see why you would mistake me for one, but no, I am an officer no longer.

...?

I am a warrior, a retainer from Settsu.

Then, does that mean you're the famous swordfighter from the Genji family?

I see you are well-informed indeed, young lady.

In that case, I trust you also already know that the Minister of the Left has tasked the Genji family with defending this city from any who would threaten it?

Y-yes! Of course!

None of us city residents would still be alive today if it weren't for the warriors of Genji.

Thank you so much for all you've done for us.

If there is anything I can do to show my appreciation, O valiant warrior...

...you need but say the word.

Very well then, in that case...

...I would like a dance.

Did you say...a dance?

I did.

The moon is rather clear tonight.

...I would like you to dance atop the bridge so I may watch you alongside the moon's reflection on the water's surface.

...?

Do you still not understand what I mean?

You would do well to peer into the water.

Perhaps if you had not taken such undue pride in this transformation, Ibaraki, you might have noticed you forgot to change your shadow to match.

!!!

...

You...

How dare you! How dare you, how dare you, how dare you!?

You tricked me! You knew who I was, and you tricked me into embarrassing myself!

If this means you had me figured out from the start, then...

I'll kill you!!!

You're dead, you hear me!? Dead! Grrr, I hate you so much!

That's it! Tonight's the night I finally bite your head off, gouge your eyes out, skin you alive, and leave your mutilated corpse hanging for everyone on Suzaku Avenue to see!

You hear me, Tsunaaaaaa!?!?!?

...

...!

Hey! Look at me when I'm threatening you!

You're supposed to tremble at my fangs, shudder at my claws, and beg for mercy at my feet!

How dare you look at me...

...and see someone else, Tsuna!?

Look at me! Look at me, dammit!!!

...

Why you...!

Ahahahahahaha!

... ...

Heh. Hehehehehehe. My, my, little Tsuna, are you so terrified of me that you can't move? Good! That's more like it!

Yes, that's right!

I've grown stronger since that night! Much stronger!

I learned a lot on Mt. Ooe, Tsuna! In the time I spent with Shuten, I learned everything I needed to know about being a better oni!

And I'm just getting started!

One of these days, I'm gonna lead every oni in all of Japan!

As the pair of oni kings of Mt. Ooe, Shuten and I will descend from on high, wipe out you Genji, and devour every last person on the face of the earth!

Hehe...

Heh, hehe, mwahahahahahahaha!

... ...

...Is that all you have to say, Ibaraki?

Then it seems you still have yet to catch on.

You're clearly a long ways off from rivaling Shuten as a leader of the oni world.

?

What's that supposed to mean?

Neither your flames nor your claws came close to injuring me. For that matter, in case you hadn't noticed...

...I haven't even opened my eyes for a while now.

!!!

You... You...

Grrraaaaaaaaahhh! How dare you make a mockery of me, you... You... Human!

Curse you, Tsunaaa!

Ibaraki.

Aaaaaaaaahhh!

My...

My arm!

You cut off my right arm! Aah... A-aaaaaahhh!

Oh gods, it hurts! It hurts, it hurts, it hurrrts! Damn yooooooooou!

You...bastard...!

Tsunaaa!!!

...

Huh!?

Wh-wh-what do you think you're doing now!?

Why did you sheathe your sword!? Why aren't you coming for my head next!?

Come at me again, dammit!

Go on, I dare you! The next time you swing your sword at me, that's when I'll bite your head off! I mean it!

... ...

...It seems there is no Servant to be found here.

And you have yet to use a single support spell, even after having your arm cut off.

So clearly, you are not a Master.

Huh...?

Masters...? Servants...? What are you...talking about?

You have no Caster aiding you. You are just a lone oni, nothing more.

As such, I have no further quarrel with you.

...?

I don't know...what you're talking about, Tsuna...

But you said...I'm just a lone oni? Nothing more...?

I can't believe you'd try to trick me with that kind of nonsense... I hate you even more now!

A smoke screen made of fire...

And then she hid. If nothing else, Ibaraki, you do get better at turning tail each time we meet.

Next time, I'm gonna take my arm back, and then I'm gonna kill you. It'll be our last meeting!

You have my word on that, Tsuna, my hated rival! Don't you dare forget it!

...So, she's returned to the mountain.

Caster.

Yes, Master.

Her magical energy was far beyond that of an ordinary human, but it also didn't belong to a Servant...

Perhaps she was a Phantasmal, or

She's an oni.

Right. Of course. You never had such creatures in the land you hail from.

Ibaraki and I have something of a history, as you may have guessed. But never mind that now. For the time being, I shall hold onto this arm myself.

Understood.

...So, that is what it feels like to have one's senses enhanced with magecraft.

Magnificent work, Caster. As you can see, I remain without a scratch even after facing off with an oni.

Don't be ridiculous, Lord Tsuna.

All I did was cast a simple spell to temporarily enhance your senses.

You're the one who evaded those fearsome attacks without any physical enhancements, or protection from claw and flame.

And what's more, you did so entirely with your eyes closed! It was truly an incredible feat if ever I've seen one, Master.

Hardly.

Anyone who carries a sword couldWell, maybe not.

But I will say that any warriors at the top of their art that is, any of Raikou's Four Heavenly Kings could do as much.

...Or at least, they should.

All right, my Caster, let us be off.

We have more quarry we must find tonight.

Yes, Master. Understood.

Singularity! We've got a Singularity on our hands!

But, as I've mentioned many, many times, I'm very much a layman when it comes to Singularities, plus, I really don't want to get involved with them if at all possible.

So while usually, I would be sitting back and enjoying an elegant cup of tea back in my gorgeous director's office (currently still under construction)...

...the circumstances apparently being what they are, I decided to at least put in a brief appearance here.

In regards to the Singularity itself, I'll let my technical and administrative advisors handle the briefing.

All right, Technical Advisor, have at it. I'll be watching over the proceedings from a safeer, supervisory distance.

Thanks, Gordy! I'll take it from here☆

Fou! Fou fou!

Aww, is that your way of welcoming me, Fou? Thanks!

All right, Fujimaru and Mash, ready to get this briefing started?

Ready.

？！

Now, now, don't be hasty.

...So. This latest Singularity was first observed about thirty minutes ago.

Of course, with Earth currently bleached clean of human history, the only kinds of Singularities that can occur now are minute ones.

...Or so we thought.

Do you remember what Sion told us about minute Singularities?

Basically, the worst that can happen with an unrepaired minute Singularity is that it causes a few minor problems when Earth is restored to normal.

But that's not the case here. This is the real deal: a genuine, full-blown, capital "S" Singularity.

A real Singularity? You mean, like the original Seven Singularities?

Fooou?

Precisely.

Which means this Singularity represents a grave threat to humanity, even with Earth in its current bleached state.

The fact that this Singularity has appeared as a blot of black stagnation even on this empty Earth...

...suggests that its influence is far-reaching indeed.

That is the unfortunate conclusion Trismegistus II has reached.

？！

Yup. Black stagnation.

How can I put this...? It's basically like a giant sunspot. That's the kind of stagnation we're talking about.

？！

An excellent point! Which is why I think you should hear what she has to say for herself.

Go ahead, Sion!

I am so sorry! Please, just forget everything I said about the world remaining intact for a month!

The thing about Singularities is, the only people who can predict them are the ones who cause them.

That is why even Goetia ended up being undone by them. They are like insects eating holes in your map before you are even aware of their existence.

Anyway, there you have it. I will let the Singularity professionals take it from here.

Good luck fixing this one and restoring humanity☆

Make sense now, Fujimaru?

So, your mission this time is to investigate and eliminate this dark spot on human history.

The Singularity is located in Japan during the Heian period, in the fifth year of Kankou...

...or, 1008 by the Gregorian calendarthe early eleventh century.

More specifically, it's located in the city we now call Kyoto...

...though at the time, it was commonly referred to as "Kyo" or "Miyako," meaning "the capital"!

Kyofou!

Perhaps it would be easiest to simply refer to it as "Heian-kyo," as in Heian period Kyoto.

Heian! That's the period Raikou, Kintoki...

...Shuten-Douji, Ibaraki-Douji, Murasaki Shikibu, and Sei Shounagon all come from!

Now that's golden!

Did somebody say Heian-kyo? And the fifth year of Kankou, no less? Now you're really goldenuh, speakin' my language!

That time's right around when us Genji warriors were in our prime! As I recall, that was just before our big Ooe oni cleanup operation...

...which meaaans, you can expect to see yours truly!

So ya better believe me an' Boss Raikou are gonna be all over this!

Well, I know Raikou's kinda busy gettin' things ready now, but I'm sure she'd come runnin' in a flash if you gave the word, Master.

Hell yeah!

Right!?

All you gotta do's sit back, relax, and trust that you're in golden hands, baby!

？！

That's true.

You almost surely know this Heian-kyo place better than anyone...

...and if we could meet up with your historical counterpart, I bet you'd be perfect for getting him to cooperate with us and share what he knows.

So I agree that having you come along would be ideal...if it were possible.

Hm? What's the matter, short stuff? Why the long face?

Well, the thing is

Hello, everyone. Long time no see!

Fuuma Kotarou, at your service.

Katou Danzo, likewise.

Aah! Where did you two come from!?

Oh for...!

What is it with ninja Servants always popping up where you least expect them!?

Sure, I might be able to handle the surprise thanks to the nerves of steel cultivated during a lifetime of racing, but you could have easily caused Mont-Saint-Michel here to die of shock!

(Tubby's not even sticking to the food theme anymore!)

I-I am so sorry, Director Goredolf. I promise I will be more careful from now on.

Good.

But, um, only within reason, of course. I am aware you ninjas are all about stealth, after all.

Master, Lord Kintoki, Lord Goredolf. Other distinguished guests.

Will you please hear what we have to say?

Well...

Thank you, Master.

？！

You see, Lady Danzo and I sensed something was wrong at almost exactly the same time:

Thirty minutes ago.

The same time that this Singularity appeared!

Right.

Both Lady Danzo and I were momentarily overcome by the exact same sensation.

A sensation like hearing a squirming insect, which we think is directly connected to...

...Limbo, the Alter Ego.

!

Fou, fooouuu.

Limbo, huh.

I've heard the stories about him too, Master.

And it sure as hell sounds like he's one of the most goldenI mean, un-golden bastards ever!

He basically shows up outta nowhere and tries to pull some seriously un-golden shit on you guys all the time, right?

From what I've heard, it sounds like he's a dead ringer for Ashiya Douman.

'Course, I can't say for sure if he's the same Ashiya Douman I knew...

But I do know for sure that he was hangin' out in Kyo right around the year 1008.

That said, I get the feelin' that he didn't start competing with Abe-no-Seimei...

...or goin' down a seriously deranged path until a little later on...

？！

Limbo is truly a wicked creature.

And yet, I get a strong sense that he and I are entwined by threads of fate.

I feel the same.

What's more, when I heard you all mention Heian-kyo...

...that feeling only grew stronger!

So please, Master! Please, let us come with you on this journey, so that we may cut the threads of fate that bind us to him once and for all.

Fate, hmm. Well, I can certainly understand how you must feel, but I'm afraid we can't make the call on that alone.

What do you say, Technical Advisor?

Sending contracted Heroic Spirits along on a Rayshift may work for Pseudo-Singularities and minute ones...

...but were you ever able to send them to a real Singularity that easily?

Because as far as I can recall, you could only Rayshift two people at most.

Hmmm.

Well, of course, being able to Rayshift contracted Heroic Spirits from our time...

...would be a huge advantage on any mission.

But, as our director so rightly pointed out...

...we're usually not able to have contracted Heroic Spirits tag along.

Huh!?

While there have been Servants with extremely rare skills that let them Rayshift into Singularities on their own...

...for the most part, it just isn't possible.

Since most Heroic Spirits can't Rayshift on their own, their only choice is to sync up with Master.

As for how we determine whether even that's a possibility, it all comes down to a Singularity's essence.

By which I mean, how harshly it treats elements that didn't originally exist in that history.

To put it another way, how many gaps it has through which foreign elements might slip in.

For example, if a Singularity were to occur at a crucial point in human history, there would be almost no room to bend the rules regarding what sort of outside elements were allowed.

But a minute Singularity's restrictions aren't nearly so, well, strict...

...which means there's room to fudge things, presumably allowing us to Rayshift contracted Heroic Spirits in alongside Master.

The same mostly holds true for Pseudo-Singularities, too.

We've seen some cases where select Heroic Spirits were able to Rayshift along thanks to their bonds, temperament, traits, or other unique characteristics.

For example, with the Agartha incident, Astolfo and d'Eon had no problem tagging along.

In Salem, we managed to send Robin Hood, Sanson, and Mata Hari.

With the Shinjuku case, we could have technically sent a few Servants along...

...but they ended up unable to Rayshift all the way there thanks to a certain professor's interference.

All right, so what's the deal with this one? Can we go along or not?

I'm afraid that would be really challenging for this Singularity.

Well, I say challenging, but it's really more like impossible.

As far as I can tell from the numbers I got with the Paper Moon, there are no Servants who could accompany Fujimaru on

This is the Storm Border Command Room calling from our anchor point. Do you read me, Da Vinci?

I've been following along remotely, so don't worry about catching me up.

Sion's actually touching the Paper Moon right now, and she says she has some new information about your current topic.

Go ahead, Sion. She's here flapping her gums like a guppy.

Like a guppy? I admit that is a very cute expression, but you are aware I do not have gills, right?

Oh, right, the report. I was inspecting the Paper Moon...

...and heard your discussion of Heroic Spirits and the probability of Rayshift.

So out of sheer curiosity, I decided to try running some new numbers and the results were...interesting.

Um... Interesting, you say?

Oh yes, very interesting. It is not a result I would ever have expected to get on a first try.

It is almost as though someone is extending an invitation for the relevant parties to come along.

!

Hmm? (Look that says, "What is she talking about?")

Huh? (Look that says, "How the hell should I know?")

Fou? (Special Translation: "Is it bacon time yet?")

Ahh, it is wonderful to see you guys acting in such solidarity. It makes you all seem more dependable than ever!

But now is not the time for heartwarming scenes. No, no, definitely not. So I will jump straight to the point.

The good news is, I happened to observe two Spirit Origins that should have no trouble whatsoever Rayshifting with Fujimaru to this Singularity:

The Assassins Fuuma Kotarou...

...and Katou Danzo.

!

!

The bad news is, those are the only two. The rest of the Heian Servants, including Kintoki, are a no go.

As are Servants from other regions and time periods.

...Gotcha.

Lord Kintoki...

Nah, don't worry 'bout it.

It is what it is, right!? The only thing that matters is that you two keep Boss safe!

Between you two and Mash, he'll have a golden shield and spears at his command!

Make sure you do the rest of us proud out there, all right? I'm countin' on ya, Evil Wind and Black Kite!

Understood!

Right!

As for the rest of us, while you better believe we'll show up ta help fight battles an' stuff...

I've also got some golden advice I wanna impart before ya head out!

If you're headed for fifth year Kankou-era Heian-kyo, then yours trulywell, actually a few of our livin' selvesare sure to be there somewhere.

So make damn sure you find us, no matter what!

If you can just track us down and explain the whole Singularity deal to our livin' selves...

...Well, I can at least promise that Raikou an' me are sure ta believe you.

Protectin' the human world's the Genji clan's sworn duty, after all.

And Raikou in particular'd do anythin' to keep people safe! Even if that means she's gotta swallow what's gonna sound like a whole buncha nonsense.

All right, that's all I got. Sorry I couldn't be more help!

Good luck, Boss! I'll be golden rootin' for ya!

No problem, Boss!

Now that's what I'm talkin' about! Golden!

？！

Foooooou fou!

I see you're raring to go too, Fou!

I-I'm not letting that little fur ball tag along on yet another mission! It's staying right here this time!

Think about it. What if it gets lost and left behind at this latest Rayshift destination!?

It could end up single-handedly ruining Japan's natural ecosystems!

Foffu, fooou!

Wah!

Wh-what is it, fur ball!? You have something to say to me!?

Administrative Advisor! Technical Advisor! I'll take care of this brute with no sense of self-preservation...

In the meantime, go ahead and brief the field team...on the specifics of the operation! Raaah!

Foooooo.

...All right, let's get to it, shall we?

Fujimaru. Ms. Kyrielight. Fuuma Kotarou. Katou Danzo.

Your mission is to investigate and repair the Singularity in Heian-kyo in the year 1008.

That is the long and short of it.

It'll basically be business as usual. Find the Holy Grail that's causing the Singularity, and bring it back home.

And like Kintoki said earlier, he and Raikou's living selves should be there...

...so do everything you can to make contact with them, as they're sure to be a huge help.

Oh, and one more thing.

In regards to this particular Holy Grail's whereabouts, we actually have something of a hint this time:

Limbo.

Based on what we know about him, there's every possibility...

...that he managed to procure a Holy Grail and spawn this Singularity using methods we could never predict.

Limbo, the Alter Ego...

Every now and then, you come across people who will give up everything if it means causing as much destruction as possible.

These kinds of people leech the life from everything around them.

They refuse to see the worth in anything, themselves included, and stick solely to hurting and killing.

...So be careful, 'cause I suspect that's the kind of threat Limbo might be, too.

And we can't afford to let him slow us down when we've still got a whole bleached Earth to restore!

That's what I like to hear!

？！

？！

Excellent. In the meantime, we'll continue to work on stabilizing the Storm Border with real-world materials.

I'm afraid we are still woefully unprepared to send you on your way. In fact, you are almost certainly walking into a trap.

But, all the same, this is not a problem we can run from.

For the time being, it seems unlikely that the Foreign God will move from South America, and Limbo appears to be the only external force behind this latest Singularity.

Which means that right now, he is operating independently.

And so, trap or not, we cannot afford to miss this chance when we know he will be without reinforcements.

Ideally, I would love to interrogate him to extract every iota of information he knows about the Foreign God...

...but I cannot imagine he would willingly comply with any demand we might make.

At any rate, remember this: your primary mission for this Rayshift is not only to repair this Singularity.

It is also to eliminate a key figure of the Foreign God's forces before the Foreign God herself intervenes.

Understood!

You can count on me, sir!

All right, all hands, prepare for Rayshift! I want all of Novum Chaldea on standby ready to help out as needed!

Your destination is the southwest district of Heian-kyo!

We'll initiate the Rayshift in fifteen minutes! That is all!

？！

？！

Right, Senpai!

Fou fooou!

My apologies, but no, I am not Mash!

Yes, Master!

？！

It is I, Danzo.

I have scanned our surroundings, and can confirm that our Rayshift to the Heian period capital was successful.

However...

...in regards to Lady Mash and Lord Kotarou...

...I cannot see them anywhere!

？！

Nor can I sense their magical energy signals.

I also cannot find any signs of their presence, such as footprints in Lady Mash's case or shinobi ciphers in Lord Kotarou's.

This is truly baffling.

According to my preinstalled map data, I can confirm we are in an uninhabited area in Heian-kyo's southwest district.

However, given Lady Mash and Lord Kotarou's absence, and the fact that I am unable to contact Novum Chaldea...

...I am forced to conclude that you and I are the only ones to have arrived at our destination successfully!

Yes, I think so too!

...Yes, it may well be...

？！

... ...

...Master.

As a countermeasure against interference in the Rayshift, we were employing Presence Concealment.

Lady Da Vinci came up with the idea using the interference data collected from the Shinjuku Pseudo-Singularity.

Sabers could use Magic Resistance, Casters could use Territory Creation...

...and so on for each class.

Naturally, both Lord Kotarou and I used the skills we were directed to during this Rayshift...

...but just before the Rayshift ended, I felt an odd disturbance in my magical energy...

...almost as though I had run into a Bounded Field.

？！

Yes, I believe so.

As a matter of fact...

...I happened to sense Lord Kotarou's magical energy, though only for a moment.

This is only speculation on my part, but...

...I think Lord Kotarou may have acted as a decoy to draw the enemy's attention.

If that's true, I can only assume he wanted you to have at least one Servant by your side, rather than none.

？！

...I believe so, yes.

A painful reminder that there are areas where my skills are left wanting. Lord Kotarou, on the other hand, is a true shinobi.

At any rate, let us take stock of our situation, Master.

It seems clear that you and I were the only members of our party to successfully reach our destination.

At present, Lady Mash and Lord Kotarou's whereabouts remain unknown.

The Rayshift interference could have sent them both back to Novum Chaldea...

...or they could have each arrived in different locations somewhere in Heian-kyo.

？！

？！

？！

Understood!

Then let us get moving and begin our search for our teammates. Oh, and we should also try to find a local who can help us, such as Lady Raikou!

As for the comms interference, our solutions will vary depending on the type of Bounded Field the enemy is using.

If I can just find the Bounded Field's edge, or perhaps a seam, I should be able to reestablish contact.

？！

Yes, Master.

Wait. Just a moment.

I am detecting something in those shadows...

No, multiple somethings. And I expect they each contain a great deal of magical energy.

So I would urge you to slowly, carefully...

...get behind me. Please.

(I was too careless!)

(How did I fail to notice these readings sooner!? They must be Assassins with Presence Concealment...)

(...or monsters that are exceptionally skilled at hiding!)

Master! Get behind me! Now!

They appear to be enormous creatures with multiple legs... But more importantly, they are clearly hostile.

Understood. Whatever these creatures are, they are clearly hostile.

？！

Initiating combat routines... Unlocking all Mechanical Ninja Arts.

Since I cannot accurately ascertain their strength, I see no reason to hold back!

I shall therefore employ every tool in my possession!

Now, let us begin!

You fell for my decoy.

Fuuma Missile!

A mass of black blades!? Master!!!

...!

This is...nothing... All right, foul spider monsters, try this on for size!

Evil Wind Death Storm!

Are you all right, Master!?

？！

Oh, no, this is not a problem.

As you can see, my self-repair function remains intact. I will be fine.

There is nothing to worry about, since my Spirit Core remains undamaged. Rest assured, I am not about to fall now.

If Lady Mash and Lord Kotarou are not here, then it falls to me to keep you just as safe as they would.

Thank you, Master, but I assure you, this is not sufficient to harm any shinobi.

？！

All that aside...

These creatures we encountered were truly terrifying opponents.

I do not have many records of these large spider creatures in my database, nor do I remember seeing them myself during the age of war.

It is as though they are Demonic Beasts straight from the Age of Gods...

Or at least, that is the closest thing they remind me of from the many opponents I have fought in the simulator.

？！

Agreed.

Lady Da Vinci has told me that Japan was home to many ancient Mystics.

Even during the age of war, I remember seeing oni and monsters.

But even so...

...I never would have expected such ferocious beasts to be wandering around a city only a few hundred years earlier.

If this is any indication of the current state of affairs, this land may be far more nightmarish than we had dared imagine.

Truth be told, I am still reeling from the shock.

？！

... ...

...Indeed. I only hope we can win one over to our side soon. Such an ally would be a great boon.

(But, on the chance they prove foe rather than friend...)

(I will do whatever I must to protect Master, even if it should cost me my life!)

？！

...Never mind. It is not important.

(No matter the opponents we face, my duty remains the same.)

(I must keep Master safe. That is all that matters.)

All right, Master, I have recorded all the information I can about the creatures we faced earlier.

While they do use a skill similar in nature to Presence Concealment, it is more akin to camouflage than the true concealment employed by an Assassin.

So as long as I make full use of my sensors...

...I should be able to boost my detection rate by a far greater degree than usual.

Fuuma Scan, Karakuri-Style!

There. Those creatures will no longer take us by surprise.

？！

Thank you, Master!

At any rate, there you have it. If any more spiders should try to approach us, I will know about it.

That said, Master...

If we're somewhere in the old capital and this place is truly as deserted as it appears...

...then we should make haste to leave before any other deadly creatures show their faces.

？！

Then come, this way.

(Master.)

(Forgive me for speaking to you from out of sight.)

(I have detected a new creature not far ahead.)

(But worry not.)

(I shall deal with it.)

(In the meantime, please go around the creature and make your way towards the nearby road. I will give the creature the slip once you have made it there.)

(If we are lucky, there may even be an officer or two out on patrol.)

(All right... I shall see you later.)

？！

(Y-yes, Master?)

？！

(But Master, that would put you in)

(...Right. Understood!)

Forgive me, Master. I should have known better.

That is just the kind of person you are, isn't it?

Very well then, I will gladly fight by your side!

I feel a twinge of shame, using my more underhanded shinobi techniques in front of one so noble as you...

...but if that is the price I must pay to fight by your side, then so be it!

？！

Understood!

It's over! Take this!

？！

...You have.

While I have no recollection of the events of Shimousa myself, I did view them in Chaldea's database.

And that creature we just faced does bear a great resemblance to those dark armored warriors from then.

？！

Yes, Master. I was just thinking the same thing.

... ...

......

...Oh!

But never mind that now! For the moment, we need to get to the road as soon as possible.

I have a bad feeling about this. Well, more exactly, my ekikyou circuits are picking up a faint

!

I knew this matched one of my records! This manner of camouflage involves manipulating the very earth itself... Master!

？！

No! How could I be so careless!?

？！

？！

Please, run for it, Master! I'll hold it off!

You must make it to the road! Quickly!

？！

Master, no!

...Well, well.

I'm impressed you didn't abandon your companion to try and save your own skin.

Not bad. Not bad at all.

Still, you have rotten luck, crossing paths with a tsuchigumo. Are you the child of one of the nearby warrior families?

Or perhaps a relative of some court noble

Stay back! It's not safe to face this creature alone! Please, seek help!

Help? You want me to call on for help?

Me, ask for help? That's the funniest thing I've heard in ages.

？！

That's enough out of you, spider.

!

Did he just...cut it in two!?

B-but...my sensors didn't even see him move...

Please, tell us! Who are you!?

...

？！

Hmm.

So, as terrifying as a tsuchigumo must be for you, you still faced it rather than collapsing in fear.

And above all...your eyes still shine with life.

You dress in a manner unlike anyone else from this land. Your supplies look as if they are not of this world.

And the two of you clearly share a strong bond.

I think I can even sense an unusual type of magical energy from you both. Yes, there is no mistaking it.

You are a Servant and a Master, are you not?

Huh!?

？！

You wish to know my name? Very well, I can tell you that much.

I am the head of Raikou's Four Heavenly Kings, guardians of the capital. I am the warrior of Genji entrusted with our most prized sword, the Higekiri.

Escorting Special Agent Watanabe-no-Tsuna.