Jayr POV - Nasuverse, Moon, SE.RA.PH, Tsukumihara Academy - 2030 AD
After walking out of our Private Room, I, with Nero in her Spirit Form following after me, start to cross the hallway, keeping my eyes open for anything out of the ordinary, hoping to find some trace of the remaining Champions hiding within the walls of this virtual academy.
Suddenly, I notice Hakuno's figure as he runs past me, and taking in cosideration the direction he is heading in, it is clear that he wants to rush into the Arena.
This scene immediately reminds me of what happened in the game Fate/Extra, and I am curious to see if the events would still follow that scenario or change because of mine and the other Champions' presence in this Holy Grail War. I casually follow after him while also making sure to completely hide my presence.
It doesn't take him long to reach his destination, and while Hakuno walks toward the door that leads to the Arena, a knowing smirk forms on my face as I take notice of the presence of someone else hiding nearby.
As I expected, the moment he tried to enter the Arena, a barrier materialized over the door, making Hakuno slam right into it before he was flung backwards with a pained yelp.
Then, as he looks in confusion at the barrier that suddenly appeared in front of the door, Shinji, who was waiting for Hakuno nearby under an invisibility Codecast, finally reveals himself and, with a smug, annoying grin on his face, he says, "Hey there! Looks like you've been hitting the Arena pretty hard. Toughen up yet?"
Shinji's grin becomes even wider as he continues without giving Hakun any chance to say anything at all, "I was bored, so I decided to set up a few little surprises here and there. My bad. I'm actually doing bottom-feeding Masters like Hakuno a favor. The Arena is a dangerous place. But if you must enter the Arena, you'll need to track down the two magic sigils I set. However, once you make it into the Arena, I'll crush you like a cockroach. Show up if you dare. See you later."
Shinji turns around and starts to walk away, but then, as if he remembers something, he turns once more and adds, "Oh, and where are the magic sigils, you ask? Find them yourself, loser!"
After saying those last words, Shinji laughs loudly and walks away from the area, still wearing the same annoying smug smile on his face.
At the same time, I notice a figure suddenly appearing right next to Hakuno, who loudly complains, "Argh! What a pain in the... tail! Master, I'm going to put a death curse on that annoying insect! I'll apologize for killing someone outside of the Arena later!"
The figure is a therianthrope woman, a being with the appearance of a human possessing animal characteristics such as the ears and tail, with fair skin, golden eyes, and pinkish hair styled with two large blue bows.
She has prominent fox ears in shades of gold, and a large, fluffy golden fox tail is visible behind her.
She is wearing a blue dress-like garment with a black and white striped top section, a gold belt cinched at the waist, and the dress opens at the sides, revealing dark blue leggings.
Her sleeves are large and billowing, with black edges adorned with gold swirl patterns.
White tassels hang from the sides of her dress near the legs, and she is wearing blue platform sandals.
Naturally, I immediately recognize her; she is the Caster Class Servant Tamano-no-Mae, a fairly powerful Servant with immense potential.
(Image Here - Tamano-no-Mae)
Her historical identity is that of a woman of astonishing beauty who served as a courtesan for Emperor Toba toward the end of the Heian era (794-1185).
She was publicly known as a Kitsune, literally "Fox", and is credited with catalyzing the downfall of the Shang dynasty, among other powerful regimes.
In the Genpei Seisuiki, she is associated with Dakiniten, a tantric deity whose Japanese interpretation rode upon a fox; her power is invoked in one of Taira-no-Kiyomori's schemes for political influence.
However, in the Nasuverse, Tamamo-no-Mae is a soul originating directly from the sun goddess Amaterasu as a Divided Spirit and therefore a higher order of being than the Earth Spirit of myth.
Her manifested form was actually a Yakan, a kind of jackal, who suffers the fate of bearing a cursory resemblance to a Nine-Tailed Fox Spirit.
She is also frequently mistaken for a Uka no Mitama, or one of the many fox spirit messengers under the employment of Inari Ookami.
Since Tamamo-no-Mae is a soul that was created from the essence of the sun goddess Amaterasu, she is not a mere Earth spirit, but an actual, unique facet of the goddess from which she came.
Her true form is that of a Divine-class Spirit, and as such, it'd be a monumental mistake to classify her as one of the many human-spawned Heroic Spirits.
However, she willingly embraced the role of a Servant so that she could, in her own words, "become a good wife."
By deliberately accepting the limits inherent in that role, many of her original powers have been sealed away, putting her on the same level as other human Heroic Spirits.
Tamamo is also an Anti-Hero, as she is considered one of Japan's Three Great Monsters.
Supposing that we represent an A-rank Servant with a numerical power level of 100, not including Noble Phantasms, Tamamo with 1 tail would have 9% of its power.
However, when the number of her tails increases, and her spirit rank goes up to the highest level, it becomes impossible for humans to comprehend her full power.
This is only natural, as the foundation of her being came from an offering to the sun; thus, the scale of her existence is equivalent to it.
For each tail that Tamamo grows back, her power is multiplied by 9, giving her nine-tailed form a power of 387,420,489, just like Amaterasu.
Whereas she could never hope to defeat an A-ranked Servant with just one tail, as the number of tails increases, it becomes ridiculous to even compare the two.
In fact, if Tamamo got serious, she'd become an Evil Spirit capable of easily beating 100 or more Heroic Spirits.
If she were to transform into such a hideous monster, she would become a great demon strong enough to destroy 3,000 worlds.
An avatar of the apocalypse itself and a threat great enough to rival the King of Magecraft and his Human Incineration Order.
Overall, she is the perfect Servant for a "protagonist" like Hakuno, as she is relatively weak in her initial state, but capable of reaching truly insane levels of power with the right conditions.
While I'm mentally going over everything I know about Tamano-no-Mae, she huffs and says to her Master, "Once we find those sigils, the barrier should disappear. I guess he's just stalling for time. We need to find the two locations where he said he set the sigils! It shouldn't be too hard... I hope."
Shortly after saying that, Tamano quickly disappears as she returns to her Spirit Form, while Hakuno quickly leaves to search for those sigils.
Shortly after that, I hear Nero's voice in my mind as she comments, [I kinda understand that Servant's reaction,... If I were in her position, I'd give anything to be able to eviscerate that cowardly son of a bitch! Sadly, the rules won't allow it.]
Hearing that, I sigh and reply, [Don't be so harsh on him, Nero. As annoying as he can be, you have to remember that Shinji is still an 8-year-old kid who isn't even aware of the true consequences of his actions because for him all this is only a fun game... not a deadly Holy Grail War.]
In response, Nero snorts and comments, [Hmpf... I know that, it is just difficult to remember that he is a kid when he swaggers around with that annoying, smug smirk on his face. At least, we were able to catch a glimpse of Hakuno's Servant. Were you able to recognize who she was, my Praetor?]
At this point, I stop hiding my presence and start to walk around the main building searching for clues about the other Champions while telling Nero everything I know about Tamano-no-Mae.
While aimlessly walking around, I find myself on the second floor of the main building, and soon, I notice Shinji and Rin once again discussing in the middle of the hallway.
Seeing that scene makes Nero sigh and complain, [What is going on here!? Why do we keep running into this guy? Is the universe trying to annoy me to death!?]
However, I ignore Nero for the moment and focus on them hearing Rin ask in a mocking tone, "My my my... Did he manage to do that to you? It seems your reputation is grossly inflated."
Shinji seems to panic a little as he stutters, "Wha-!? I-I threw that fight on purpose! I thought I'd throw them a bone. My Servant will blow them full of holes soon enough!"
Rin clearly sees through his act as she smiles and says, "Oh, how thoughtful of you. I take it the defeated look on your face is an act, then? You suck."
Incensed by her childish insult, Shinji carelessly rebuts, "The power of my Rider's culverin is unrivaled! I can rip anyone to shreds in an instant!"
Hearing that, Rin's confident smile grows wider as she says, "A culverin, you say? It certainly must be... strong. Your precious embodiment of evil, that is."
At the same time, I hear Nero groan and comply, [For the love of Rome! That kid is absolutely unreliable... With just a little push, he reveals critical information as if it is none of his business. I have seen empires fall for much less!]
Meanwhile, Shinji, clearly oblivious of the huge mistake he just made, laughs and says, "Hahahaha... When it comes time for us to fight, it'll be too late to beg for mercy."
After saying that, Shinji turns around and walks away while a wry smile forms on Rin's face as she mutters, "Unfortunately, I don't believe that we'll ever get the chance to face one another."
At this point, Rin also leaves the scene, and I decide to resume my hunt for the other Champions, or any hint of them.
The rest of the morning quickly passes in quiet investigation. I drift across the campus like a ghost, the gardens, the classrooms, the central plaza.
Nothing feels different; everyone is where they should be, Rin poring over data feeds, preparing for her battle, Leo openly discussing tactics with Gawain, Rani elusively sketching diagrams of mana flow.
Even the NPC students carry on with their false lives with algorithmic cheer, it is almost too normal to the point that Nero muses, her voice faint against the wind, [Finding nothing can be more unsettling than finding too much.]
Hearing that, I stop for a moment and reply, [I know. But seven Champions are out there somewhere, counting Aletha and me. The world doesn't stack coincidences that perfectly. For the moment, I only have hints about 3 of them. Age, the Pokemon Trainer, and the Womanizer. I just have too little information at the moment.]
Nero then dryly comments, [And yet you wander as if you'll trip over them by chance.] Making me explain, [I'm not expecting luck. Just confirmation. For the moment, it should be enough... I just want to be sure of the identity of my opponents.]
The sky flickers subtly as the simulation's day cycle winds down, making the Sunset paint the architecture in muted orange, beautiful, in its own sterile way.
I stand there for a long time, admiring the light decay into static noise as the students and Master retire for the day, one after the other, then I turn around, heading toward our Private Room to also rest and restore my mental state.
The next morning begins just like the previous one, a polite chime, the quiet sunrise, and the faint hum of the Moon Cell's systems stirring to life once again.
I get up and say out loud, mostly to break the silence, "Let's repeat yesterday's plan."
This makes Nero reply in a tone that is both teasing and affectionate, "Ah, persistence... the Praetor's greatest vice. But very well. Let us hunt for your fellow Champions again."
Shortly after that, I once again walk out of our Private Room while Nero follows after me, hiding in her Spirit Form.
This time, I decided to cover different ground from yesterday, the upper classrooms, the library annex, and the rooftop of the main building overlooking the whole campus.
Still nothing, the other Champions, whoever they are, are all keeping their masks firmly in place, making it extremely difficult to spot them.
Until now, I was only able to catch a faint glimpse of Age the day the system announced the match-ups, and that only because I was familiar with his figure, but since then, it is almost like he is completely gone.
On top of that, there is also the fact that the Blessings granted by the Patron Concepts make it extremely difficult for a Champion to use any kind of means to identify another one, as it happens during a Random Battle.
This is something that Aletha and I already tested and proved true during our first meeting in this reality, as through my Cosmic Awareness, she appeared like a completely regular Master while her own Divinations proved equally ineffective.
It isn't until late morning that I hear a familiar voice calling me out, "Jayr!"
I turn around and see Aletha waving her hand from across the hallway, walking quickly to meet me.
She looks livelier than the last time we spoke, also much sharper, and confident.
Seeing that, I smile and wave back while greeting her, "Hello there. You seem in good spirits. That's a good sign."
Aletha's grin grows wider as she replies, "It is. Your guess was spot-on. My opponent's Servant really was Anne Bonny and Mary Read. The bastard tried to mislead me, but thanks to your tip, I was careful and ready for it. Blimey! You should've seen his face when his ambush with his second hidden Servant spectacularly failed. I almost took him out... Though he quickly ran with the tail between his legs shortly after."
Hearing that, I nod and say, "Glad to hear it. Though pirates lying and fleeing when something goes wrong is hardly shocking." Making Aletha laugh softly, "Hehehe... Yeah, you're not wrong."
Then her expression shifts as a flicker of thought crosses her face before she says in a much more serious tone, while she gives a secret signal with her fingers, "Actually, I've got something for you. Maybe you'll find it interesting."
Curious about the sudden change, I immediately understand what she means by that secret signal and start to check our surroundings and make sure that no one is eavesdropping on our conversation through any means possible.
I even immediately erect a crafty barrier that completely twists the system perception while muttering a simple, "Oh?"
After ensuring our safety, I calmly sent Aletha a cue that it was safe, making her say, "I think I found another one of our… What should I call them to avoid being too direct...? Got it! Let's go with direct competitors."
That immediately catches my attention, as anything that has something to do with another Champion, it must be confronted with the utmost caution, so I once again check everything before I say, "Explain."
Aletha nods and, after a brief pause to think over her words, she says, "I saw a... Cute young man yesterday near the Arena's entrance... Cyan hair, cyan and white jacket, average build. But the thing that caught my attention the most was the strangely familiar device on his wrist. It was like a watch but bulky, metallic, almost… alive in a certain sense. When he walked past another Master, the thing's dial lit up for a brief moment... I think it was that watch from that old cartoon with the kid transforming into aliens... What was it called...?"
A slow realization sinks in as I say quietly, "Ben 10... Are you saying that the device you saw was a freaking Omnitrix...?"
Aletha blinks before she tilts her head and asks, "That's the name of that thing? From your reaction, it seems like it may be dangerous. I admit I don't remember much about the show..."
Hearing that, I nod, and in a grave tone, I explain, "If what you saw is truly an Omnitrix... Then it is incredibly dangerous. The Omnimatrix, better known as the Omnitrix, is basically a portable library of intergalactic genetic data that allows the wielder to alter their DNA at will and rapidly transform into a variety of different alien species, each with its own unique abilities. Which may not seem much... Until one remembers just what kind of overpowered species one can find in the whole Omniverse, some of which have very bullshit abilities. Hell, the one wielding the Omnitrix may even be able to scan my own DNA and thus become a Dragonoid like me... Gaining all my biological abilities."
Aletha's eyes widen as she realizes the gravity of the situation, while I immediately start to plan how to actually protect myself and Nero from the Omnitrix's ability.
At the same time, I focus back on the topic and say, "However, the most important detail is that if what you saw was truly an Omnitrix, then it is reasonable to guess that the one wielding it is without any doubt..."
At this point, Aletha understands what I'm about to say and concludes on her own, "... Another Champion."
I let out a sigh and say, "Almost certainly. Keep your distance if you see him again. Some of those transformations could tear through a Servant with little to no problem. And I'm talking about those who are already within the Omnitrix by default... I have no way of knowing just what other 'species' the Champion may have at his disposal at this point."
Aletha nods soberly and says, "Got it. Stay away from the overpowered cartoon device... It's not like we are forced to fight until only one of us survives..."
Hearing that, I immediately reassure her, "Come on, it's not like the Omnitrix is completely invincible. In the end, it is still a piece of technology, making it vulnerable to external factors... For exemple an overload of Magic in general can cause the Omnitrix to heavily malfunction... However, that doesn't mean you can take the opponent lightly; he may have other dangerous surprises hidden in his sleeves. It is for this reason that I suggested keeping your distance."
She smiles and says in a cheeky tone, "Got it... You are just worried about me. But let me remind you once again that I won't join you in your perverted activities with your harem, no matter how nice you are... Though I wouldn't mind it if you just want to watch me having fun with your beautiful wives. In that case, I'm open to negotiating..."
At this point, I huff in mock annoyance before saying, "Shut it." before I let out a sigh and mutter in fake exasperation, "This is all Tio and Alvida's fault... They seem keen on the idea of adding more members to our family..."
Aletha looks at me with a deadpan expression and says, "Oh, the woe of every man. Your hot wives want to pull in even more hot women... What disgrace!"
Aletha and I look at each other in silence for a few moments before we both start to laugh, then Aletha starts to walk away while waving her hand and saying, "Well, this is all for now... See you later!"
I also wave my hand and say, "Thanks for the heads up. Good luck with your Elimination Battle. Bye!"
Shortly after, Aletha is out of sight, and I hear Nero's voice as she says, [The Omnitrix, huh... That's quite the powerful weapon, especially in the hands of our enemies.]
Hearing that, I smile wryly and explain, [What is ironic is that it wasn't even supposed to be a weapon in the first place. The Omnitrix was created by a very smart alien named Azmuth as a tool of peace in an act of repentance following the destruction caused by his previous creation, Ascalon, a weapon of terrible power. To the rest of the universe where it was created, the Omnitrix had a two-fold purpose. One was to promote inter-species understanding by allowing other beings to experience different ways of life. The other was to function as a repository for the DNA of over a million different species that Azmuth thought were intelligent. The samples were scanned, and when necessary, repaired. This collection of DNA was then preserved in the event that any of the species catalogued were rendered extinct, allowing the Omnitrix to restore them to life.]
Nero snorts loudly before she says, [Here's yet another example of a tool that was created with the best intentions in mind being twisted into something else by those with minds full of greed and malice... Such a common and hateful story...]
The rest of the day passes in silence, no new discoveries, no strange anomalies, just the sound of distant conversations and the faint digital wind that carries through SE.RA.PH's artificial courtyards.
I lean against the railing of the rooftop overlooking the campus as Nero's voice resounds in my mind, calm, thoughtful, [You search as though you dread what you'll find.]
I take a moment to digest her words before I admit, "Maybe. Every Champion I uncover raises the stakes. We're no longer just playing against Masters and Servants... We're competing against those who, like me, threw their lives into countless adventures across the Omniverse and survived who knows how many deadly battles..."
Nero then firmly comments, [And yet you smile when you say it.] Which makes me smile wryly and reply, "Old habits. I can't help but feel in part anxious and in part excited about all this."
Again, Nero's voice sagely comments, [A soldier's thrill before the clash.] Making me smile and say, "Something like that."
She chuckles softly and says, [Then take solace, my Praetor. Tomorrow we stop searching and start conquering.]
I look up at the simulated starry sky and agree, "Tomorrow."
The academy lights dim overnight, then brighten with the next cycle's dawn. Today is the day, the Elimination Battle against Run Ru will take place.
I get up and go through the usual routine before Nero appears beside me, solid and radiant, her crimson dress gleaming like a flare in the pale morning light.
She stretches, smiling, utterly confident as she declares, "The time has come, Praetor. Rome awaits its triumph."
I look at her, and with an equally confident smile on my face, I say, "Then let's give them a show they won't forget."
After that, we walk out of our Private Room, finding ourselves once more within the hallway of the first floor of the main building.
The next moment, I hear Father Kotomine's voice coming from beside me as he says, "Today is the Elimination Battle. I hope you're fully prepared."
I calmly look at the eerie figure of Father Kotomine standing right next to the door of the classroom 1-A, the one used as entrace of our Private Room, likely here to remind the Masters of what is going to happen and give them a few more instructions.
And indeed, Father Kotomine completely ignores everything, not even giving the chance to reply before he continues with his scripted speech, "Come to me when you are ready. You can do something trivial like stop by the commissary if needed."
As soon as he finishes, Father Kotomine quickly walks away, heading toward yet another Master, likely to repeat the same speech over and over again until he has informed all the Masters.
I continue to watch Father Kotomine's figure while thinking, 'This is it. The Elimination Battle. Today, 128 Masters will enter the Coliseum, but only 64 will come out victorious. All the other losers will mercilessly be deleted by the Moon Cell. This is the Holy Grail War.'