06: Please Open Your Nation

How's the Singularity looking, Da Vinci?

Fujimaru's signal is still strong and clear, so we can be sure he's safe...

...but we can't say any more than that until our comms come back online.

Ugh. What good are you, then?

A lot more than you, that's for sure.

What'd you say!? If you'd let me handle this, we'd already be done by now!

Ganryu Sasaki my ass. He gets a liiittle taste of fame and now he thinks he's the gods' gift to swordsmen everywhere.

We already told you, we literally can't enter this Singularity. This is your whole problem, Okada. You never listen.

For that matter, Mr. Sasaki doesn't think he's the gods' gift to swordsmen at all. You know just as well as I do that you could never manage the Swallow Reversal like he can.

Shut up! That's a pervert's move, not a real sword technique! It only works 'cause of some weird nonsense he pulls!

Hmph, putting up with you people is more trouble than it's worth. I'm gonna grab a drink and try to relax.

Geez, what's eating him?

SAITAMA. Izo went through a lot there with Takechi and Tanaka.

At any rate, we are still investigating how to circumvent these barriers to entry, so please just sit tight for now.

I hope Senpai's okay...

Like I said, his signal's still strong, so he should still be fine.

Huh? It's another signal... Is that Fujimaru?

Good day, people of Chaldea. It's a pleasure to make your acquaintance.

Wh-who are you!?

Are you...Shouin-sensei!?

And you are? ...Ah, I see. You must be Sakamoto of Tosa.

You were a key figure in the Satchou Alliance, and a hero of the Meiji Restoration. Katsu-sensei must be proud.

My protégé, on the other hand, continues to disappoint.

Protégé... Does that mean Takasugi's there, too?

Yes, but forget about that idiot. There is something I wish to discuss with all of you.

Which one of you is in charge?

That would be me. Goredolf Musik, director of Chaldea. Now, what can I do for you?

My request is very simple.

I would like you to hand Chaldea over to me.

And that is all I ask of you.

So you want us to transfer control of Chaldea over to you, including our prognostication systems like Sheba?

And those aren't even all of your ridiculously one-sided conditions. Why in the world would we agree to this!?

That bad? Japan once had similarly one-sided conditions imposed on us from Western countries. You don't hear us complaining.

But, very well. If that is your answer, then we will simply take what we want by force.

Shouin-sensei, are you really

Farewell, Chaldeans. Until we meet again.

Wh-what do we do now?

We still can't even contact Fujimaru! If we don't figure something out

It's okay. From everything we can see, Master's team is still safe.

And based on what Shouin-sensei was saying, it sounds like Takasugi's there too.

Takasugi? But he was the big bad last time! How can that possibly be a good thing!? Urk!

Right now, the best thing we can do is to keep working on getting comms back online and figuring out a way to get us in there.

I agree. We need to at least reestablish communication with Fujimaru, or we will not be able to send reinforcements.

Got it. Well, we'd better hurry. It really doesn't look like time is on our side here.

That should do it.

You knew they would never agree, right? Chaldea isn't in this for money, or even their own survival.

What are you waiting for? You have something no other Singularity has ever hada strong bond with some of their Servants.

So why aren't you infiltrating Chaldea right now? Any other villain would give their eyeteeth for a chance like this.

Everything must start with a discussion. Of course, if the talks fall through, then we may resort to force.

So you're not gonna ambush them, huh? How noble of you. ...All right, I'd better get going.

Indeed. It is time to set sail for the outside world. Ah, I have yet to even see that place.

Then we will make my dream come true.

What was that?

That is what happens when you give your enemies time to regroup. They're back. Looks like they haven't learned their lesson, either.

You didn't think we were gonna let you go that easily, did you, Sensei?

So, you've come to try your luck again, even after your vaunted Kishin was soundly defeated.

Yeah. I can't beat you. I know that now.

Then what are you going to do?

Get someone else to do it.

Okay, Kippoushi, let's do this!

Hey, are you really sure this is a good idea?

Trust me. Also, I hate to say it, but there's a reason absolutely nobody uses matchlock guns these days.

Aw, c'mon, man! Matchlocks are my whole thing! But, yeah, I guess I can't do much against the Kurofune with them alone.

So I guess there's no harm in trying. No, I'll even say it can't be helped.

Hahaha. Wow, you actually do say that. I thought that was just a little embellishment from my history teacher.

All right, here goes! Demon Descent! Behold, the Demon King's Three Line

Now! Boost!

What the...!? There are matchlocks appearing one after the other... No, wait. Those aren't matchlocks. Those are...Gatling guns!

That's right! This isn't my regular Three Line Formation.

This is my Ultra Hundred Line Formation!!!

My Noble Phantasm, Kiheitai, lets me endow anyone who has the will to fight with the power of a thousand ordinary soldiers.

So if the person I target ALREADY has the power of a thousand ordinary soldiers, you get a super soldier the likes of which have never been seen before!

Impossible!

No matter how effective your Noble Phantasm is at empowering another, it shouldn't be capable of enhancing other Noble Phantasms to this degree.

You're not wroGuh!

Did you just cough up blood!? What in the world are you doing to yourself!?

Whoops, sorry 'bout that. Filling your Spirit Origin with unlimited magical energy takes more of a toll than I thought.

Unlimited...magical energy?

Did you forget, Sensei? I built this Ki-ki Restoration City of SAITAMA expressly to be a city of magecraft.

It's designed to use its six huge Magical Reactors to gather magical energy in a designated target.

And right now, that target is me.

But, those Magical Reactors shouldn't be functioning anymore.

Right again. Which is why I've got my talented colleagues working on them as we speak.

All connections are set to go! Just one Magical Reactor left, Zanzaburo!

Zazan!

You know, I can't believe a headliner like me is working behind the scenes.

This had better be worth it, Lord Takasugi!

Because of their work, I have temporary access to unlimited magical energy.

Are you mad!? Your body can't possibly handle the strain!

What were those words you always lived by again? "If one can achieve immortality in death, one should be ready to die at any time"?

Don't worry about me, Kippoushi! Just keep firing!!!

Well said! Let 'em have it, thirty-centimeter Nobunaga Cannons!

You even have cannons now...? No matter. You will not so much as scratch the Kurofune's armor.

Such is the desperation these Black Ships brought to Japan's shores.

No one from this country could ever hope to damage them.

Here's the thing: this old man's actually from Greece. Chaldea's always been good with the concept of national boundaries and such.

What!?

Let me show you what I mean with my Noble Phantasm. Indestructable, rigid, and unyielding, My spear can penetrate everything!

Mow them down, Durindana!

Ghh!

Damn, you actually punched a hole in the damn thing. Guess you really are a hero.

Seeing me in a new light now, Ex-Prez? And yeah, the only way this Kurofune thing is defending against my spear is if it somehow gets its hands on Aias's shield.

Hell yeah, I'm seeing you in a new light! When this is all over, you'll have to tell me about your heroic exploits!

All right, mage and Kojirou, let's board that ship! Our next target's Shouin-sensei himself!

Once we take him out, the Kurofune'll be just another ship. We could even take it on a company cruise if we wanted.

Visiting a hot spring in Atami does indeed sound nice. Come, Master!

Get ready, Shouin-sensei, 'cause we're coming for you!

Now there's a killer idea!

？！

Intruder alert! Intruder alert!

The use of live ammunition has been authorized. I repeat, the use of live ammunition has been authorized! Eliminate the intruders on sight!

Take this! Mountain wind, three strokes!

Gaaaaaaaaah!

Damn, you just cut through my Kiheitai like a hot knife through butter. You really ARE Sasaki Kojirou of Ganryu, huh?

Close enough for our purposes, at any rate.

Look who it is: the uncompromising hard-ass who cannot see the point of friendly small talk.

Oh, I see it. I just can't be bothered. I'd rather just get my job done as fast as possible.

Well, aren't you the diligent guy? Let me guess: You're a workaholic who never has time to relax, right?

You do understand that people only work so they can play after, right?

Damn, not so much as a word of warning!? This guy really IS an uncompromising hard-ass.

Right? That is why I shall handle him alone.

Our last match may have ended in a draw, but I will settle matters this time.

All right then, I'm counting on you. And hey, if you end up both taking each other out all badass-like, that's okay, too.

You're not going anywhere!

Electric Catfish!

Damn Assassin!

This hallway may be a bit small for a gate, but regardless, you will not be setting one foot past this point.

I have no interest in what is best for a nation or its people. I am but a man who spent his life singularly focused on his own dream.

Let me show you now what my pursuit helped me achieve. Clouded as your eyes may be, I think they may yet see this.

So what, you starved to death while clinging to a dream? I swear, you swordfighters make no goddamn sense!

This must be the place! Hey, Shouin-sensei! Your most disappointing disciple's come calling!

So, you've come. Along with the mage of Chaldea, I see.

The least you could do is serve us some tea, but fine. So, are you finally going to tell me what's going on?

What do you mean?

Something was off about this right from the start. The Shouin-sensei I knew would never brainwash people with daifuku.

But your voice, your choice of words, all of it... You're definitely him.

So there can only be one explanation.

You think I'm being controlled?

I do, yeah. In fact, I took care of someone in a similar predicament recently. Well...okay, not me per se. Still, though.

You mean Ama-no-Sakagami, eh? ...I see. An astute observation.

But, I also know for a fact that Takechi killed him. So then, what could be controlling you?

Do you remember the Boshin Holy Grail War?

The Boshin...Holy Grail War. That was

And let's not forget the Bloody Opening of Edo Castlethe mass murder you, Takechi, and Sakamoto committed in Edo.

Surely you haven't forgotten?

The Bloody...Opening...?

On that day, you and your compatriots gathered high-ranking shogunate retainers and everyone who opposed you in Edo Castle, and slaughtered every last one of them.

That day...

That's right. I am the remnant of the old regime you and your compatriots killed.

That is to say, I now carry all the hatred and animosity of the regime brutally killed by the violent upheaval you call the Restoration.

Th-that can't be right! You hated the shogunate more than anyone... Hell, they were the ones who had you executed!

When the Holy Grail summoned me, I saw the records of what took place here in SAITAMA.

Along with what this so-called Restoration brought to this country.

What the Restoration brought...

At first, I thought your Restoration had finally accomplished what we set out to do.

In practice, it was anything but.

...

In the end, nothing actually changed.

Apparently, you yourself even said that the Restoration was meaningless, that the only difference was who was now in charge.

You completely failed to awaken the populace.

So what're you gonna do now?

We Servants are already dead. We don't have the power to change history anymore.

Well now. For once, it seems you understand the situation clearly.

For the record, I got that from a guy I can't stand, but it's still true.

It is true. Only the living can change history. People like you, mage of Chaldea.

So if you know that, why the hell're you doing this!?

It is precisely why I want Chaldea for myself. Once I acquire it, matters will be very different indeed.

We'll never be able to awaken the populace as long as we remain trapped in this tiny Singularity.

But once I go to Chaldea, new paths will surely reveal themselves.

Just like the dream I had that day, which never came true.

That day... Sensei, does that mean you

Indeed. That day, I stowed aboard one of the Black Ships in the hopes of visiting new lands.

But I failed. In the end, I was captured...

...and died, having accomplished nothing.

Accomplished nothing...? Is that really what you

？！

That's kind of you to say.

Now that I see them again, you truly do have a bright light in your eyes.

You remind me of Shinsaku when he first came to my academy.

Come on, Sensei! You don't have to do thi

There is nothing more to discuss. I am going to Chaldea, whether you like it or not. And if peaceful negotiation is no longer an option...

...I am left with force.

Come on, mage of Chaldea! We might have to get a little rough, but we're gonna snap Sensei out of it!

Hidden Sword... Swallow Reversal.

...I knew I couldn't dodge that move, so I did everything I could to take you with me.

How come you're still in one piece?

My armor made all the difference. The right outfit for the right occasion, as they say.

Lord Takasugi's enhancement is truly a dream come true. It protected me from your Noble Phantasm by a hairsbreadth.

I must say, Lady Izumo-no-Okuni calling this Noble Phantasm "bland" is unfathomable. It is the only thing that let a talentless man like myself fight with the power of a thousand soldiers.

...I see. You really believed that, didn't you?

You genuinely thought of yourself, a guy who became a sword saint despite remaining unknown, as a mediocre recluse.

...Now I get it. So that's how a Heroic Spirit was able to use Takasugi's Noble Phantasm to ascend even higher...

Sorry about this, Sensei. I'll make it up to you in the next world!

Guh!

You did...

...well...

Huh...? What did you just say?

You did better than I dared to hope.

You... You are the thing that was inhabiting Sensei's body!

Although, I never dreamed it would be a loathsome Choushu man who would save me.

Hang on. That voice... There's more than one of you, isn't there!?

Indeed there is. Now then, at long last...

...it's time we restored the Tokugawa regime!