The Underworld Scales (Part 1)

...Fujimaru.

I...I came as soon as I heard. I...um...

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...Are you hurt? Are...you all right?

...Sorry.

I don't know what I was thinking. I can see you're not injured.

Phew. That's good.

...I'm sorry. There's...nothing good about any of this, is there?

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...I know.

Dammit. Who did this to

Fujimaru!

It took longer than expected to convince the police to let me through. I should just have told them I was a teacher at your school from the start.

I just want to make sure: Are you okay, Fujimaru? You're not hurt, are you?

I already asked.

I see. Then, do you know anything about the killer?

Was this a standard breaking and entering, or something else? The timing would certainly seem to indicate the latter.

And then there's the question of whether a human did this, or

Hey, Mr. Sal. I get that I should be the last person to point this out, but...

...you ever think before you open your damn mouth? Look around you.

Oh, and while I'm at it...

...where the HELL were you when this was happening!?

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...After I escorted Kyrie here, I remained within fifty meters of the house.

Huh?

What did you just say?

Earlier today at the school...

...I knew Fujimaru would be safe with you and Kagekiyo watching over him.

I also knew Kyrie would still require protection after coming here. So I remained close by to watch the house.

However...I never sensed any trace of magical energy.

Nor did I sense any form of Servant aura.

The only magical energy I've noticed here in the last half hour belonged to you, Alter.

Once when you brought Fujimaru home, then just now when you returned.

That's all.

So, you're saying...

...you were right here...the whole time?

Are you serious?

So, even with you keeping watch here...

...all three of them still ended up...

I failed here. There is no question of that. I should have prevented this.

I am truly sorry, Fujimaru.

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Let's discuss our next move. We should all be on high alert after something like this.

If an enemy is responsible for this, there is a strong likelihood they possess stealth ability or

...!

What?

Don't give me that. In fact, not another goddamn word.

If you keep yammering on like this is just another weekday, I'm not gonna be able to stop myself.

From...?

Killing you.

...Ah. I see. Hm.

The original Antonio Salieri would probably be overcome with grief and regret in a moment like this.

But not me. I don't feel the way normal people do.

Huh?

What I am trying to say is that I cannot give you the kind of response you are looking for. So... Hm. Very well.

If you believe killing me will improve the situation, then please, do so.

I have long been blamed for crimes I did not commit, so this Spirit Origin is accustomed to being the object of enmity.

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The hell? That's not what I'm talking about! I just needed you to shut up for one damn second!

So, you would prefer to subject Master to greater danger?

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...I wasn't really gonna do anything. It was just a figure of speech.

Is that a fact?

Yeah. It is.

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You...

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Hold on. What the hell is this!?

Where'd everyone go? The police were just here! What happened to them?

What about the paramedics? The rubberneckers?

They're all gone! Does this mean

It's just like what happened at Tokyo Station.

So then

It's time.

If you mean to continue this journey...

If you wish to see tomorrow...

Then overcome the seven trials. Shatter the seven vengeances.

Whether the seventh and final trumpet blares in triumph or not...

...is up to you.

...I am fire. ...I am tears.

I am all that remains of a torrential overflow born of love and pride.

I am here to pass judgment on all that fouled my love and my royal authority. My flame shall become the Nile and bar the path to eternity once and for all.

You, who still bear a heart, listen well. I am the teardrop that will end your life.

The time has come. The second trial is upon us.

We are joined by the queen of tearsthe scales of the underworld.

Queen Nitocris's Spirit Origin may be false and absent the fires of vengeance but she comes to us as a true Avenger all the same.

As an Alter, she is unshakeably wise and mercilessly cruel. I wonder...

How will he fight back? How will he surpass her? As he is now, he would not survive two seconds against her.

The Avenger of this second trial is the weakest of the lot, but she is also the most soulless, the most heartless, the most bereft of lovea beacon of pure flame.

Heh. What a joke.

He is...

No, never mind. I am completely confident he will continue on his own journey.

So stand back and watch. That's all you can do, after all.

Then that is what I will do. Which is exactly why there will be seven vengeances. Seven infernos.

...Seven fragments of our broken souls.

...is up to you, Fujimaru.

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I have received your flame.

...Thus, seven flames will answer it.

That distortion...

Get back, Fujimaru!

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(So the shadow is providing transport? I see. It must be using his Noble Phantasm's ability to escape.)

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Bleeeah, I'm gonna be sick! Wh-what was that? Teleportation? Some kind of high-speed movement?

It really didn't feel like either... Wait. I know this place. It's pretty near the Tokyo Metropolitan government building.

This is one of the few major business areas in Japan, and yet, there is not a soul in sight. Just like last time.

But never mind that now. Something's here. Get ready!

A Servant...

No, wait. How can there be this much magical energy here!?

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Nitocris...Alter? But, isn't she a Divine Spirit!?

I'm not worried about that. We're strong enough to challenge the gods themselves. But...something doesn't feel right. What is this I sense from her Spirit Origin?

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She is your second trial.

The underworld scales, her love and throne tainted at every turn. She is the torrent of a great river.

She used the blessed Nile itself to obtain that form in exchange for her own life.

Which is why

...I am fire. ...I am tears.

I am Nitocris, Avenger. My Spirit Origin, Altered.

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You, who still bear a heart, listen well. I am the teardrop that will end your life.

My torrential waters shall swallow you. The underworld will make you mine.

If you would resist, then take up your sword.

Fight me. Kill me. Transform your inner fury into flame.

Or, if you wish to see tomorrow, then once again...

Defy me!

The hell!? What are those creepy things, Salieri!?

A group of ancient Egyptian spirits, most likely. But we have a serious problem: we're once again very badly outnumbered!

Fujimaru. Shall we stand and fight, or...

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Finish her, Salieri!

Raaahhh!

...Fool.

Dammit... An illusion!

You're supposed to kill her, jackass! Now look! Up there!

Blaspheming fools. Your insatiable greed has led you to forget your place. This cannot stand.

Now feel the wrath of my army of the dead and the night.

Say goodbye. To everything.

There's even more now than we just finished defeating.

Ugh, not again! Is that all these trials are!? Just wave upon wave of enemies!?

Beats me. Here they come, Fujimaru!

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...Got it.

So! Damn! Many!

And they're tough, too! Especially that big black cat-bird thing!

That would be the Sphinx, a Divine Beast. It has even more magical energy than a typical Servant.

It would seem to be a variant of some kind, but regardless, it is indeed a formidable foe.

A Divine Beast variant!? You've gotta be shitting me! And is it just me, or is that Spirit Origin weirdly tough!?

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Easier said than done! Still, yeah, I think that's a good idea!

I know I'm sick and tired of dealing with so damn many baddies at once. Salieri!

...Then I'll take them. Lamenting Exterior!

Rrraaaaaah! And now, for my next performance!

Dio Santissimo Misericordia de Mi!

Okay, we've put some distance between us. And I'm not sensing any magical energy sources approaching.

Looks like they're sticking to West Shinjuku. Ugh. Between this trial and the last one, I've had enough of fighting hordes for a while.

Anyway, what is this place? I don't remember there being a forest near West Shinjuku... Oh. Is this the National Garden?

It's Shinjuku Central Park. Doesn't your vessel remember it?

Hmm, looks like Oruta doesn't know all that much about Shinjuku. Seems like she mostly stuck to her home turf. And Shiba Park, apparently?

I'm fairly sure her home turf is still part of this city... Well, no matter.

We don't have any time to waste. Let's discuss strategy, Master.

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Okay, I'll start with the enemy's forces. They've got tons of armed skeleton soldiers, and tons of spellcasting ghosts.

Oh, and there were some of those big ghosts composed of a buncha ghosts, too. Basically, it's a standard army made up of mostly foot soldiers with some bigger guys thrown in.

We're facing the same problem as last time in terms of sheer numbers, but this time the Servant keeps summoning more.

With all that magical energy giving her basically an infinite army, there literally is no end to them.

But the worst one is that damn Sphinx thing!

Its Spirit Origin is way too damn tough. I don't think your everyday Servant would even stand a chance.

I mean, except me. I can totally handle those things.

And then there is the army's commander...Nitocris Alter.

I remember feeling there was something...odd about her Spirit Origin's aura.

Oh, that. You did say something about that, didn't you?

I think you're right. She's an Avenger. A pure one.

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You met that Spirit Origin before in a Lostbelt, right? When she showed up as an Alterized version of Nitocris?

The Avenger without vengeance. I believe that is how she introduced herself.

Yeah. Her Spirit Origin's pretty well-defined.

She's two classes in one: an Avenger and a Berserker.

Lacking vengeance, she can't be a proper Avenger...

...so there has to be an element of insanity in her Spirit Origin. That's Nitocris Alter.

But...

...I don't think that's true for this one.

I don't know who summoned her, but I know that feeling well.

She's pure fire. Just like we are.

So you're saying right now she's pure Avenger, not two classes?

It's just a hunch, but I'm pretty sure I'm right.

...I see.

(That does sound quite definitive.)

(It must be quite a hunch. She and the other Avengers are known as impossible Spirit Originswhat-ifs that could never be.)

(So I suppose it makes sense that she would be sensitive to minor differences.)

Aaanyway, how come it's been nothing but Avengers since we got here?

Counting Boudica, that's three in a row, yeah?

The shadow I assume to be lingering about Master's feet seems as though he might know something.

Yeah, but there's no telling when he'll pop up. Besides, when he does, it's always some cryptic shit instead of just talking like a goddamn normal person! UGH!

Hey! If you're listening, and you're gonna help us out with reinforcements like last time, move it along, would you!?

And no Command Spells this time! Just use the same method that brought us here!

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...Hello?

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Then it would seem we are on our own.

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