It started with people messing around in the group chat, and somehow the topic turned into everyone getting together for an Overwatch scrim someday.
From there, the whole thing spiraled out of control.
...
In the year 20XX, as mankind drifted through the electronic sea, an earth-shaking conspiracy devised by Dr. Frankenrat quietly began.
Electronic Spirit Origins were reconstructed through simulation. Player and Gamer were linked as one life. The former was the sheath, the latter the sword. The former was the arm, the latter the strength.
The Red and Black Factions, more than a dozen Players and Gamers in total, began a brutal, inhuman war.
Black Faction.
Saber: Genji Shimada.
Archer: Widowmaker.
Lancer: Zarya.
Rider: D.Va.
Caster: Zenyatta.
Assassin: McCree.
Berserker: Winston.
Red Faction.
Saber: Genji Shimada Alter.
Archer: Hanzo Shimada.
Lancer: Reinhardt.
Rider: Lúcio.
Caster: Ana.
Assassin: Sombra.
Berserker: Roadhog.
And with mysterious figures such as Avenger Reaper, Soldier: 76, and Ruler Angela joining the war...
The grudges and bonds between Gamers, the schemes and betrayals of the Players, and the hidden gaze of a third party all began to move beneath the surface, while smoke and gunpowder filled the air.
Thus began the Subspecies Electronic Holy Grail War: Singularity X, Reality-Reflection Domain.
…
"I ask of you. Are you my Player?"
The eighteen-year-old Satoru Suzuki frowned slightly.
"Then let your name be carved upon my Dragonblade."
The white mechanical ninja spoke in a voice as calm as water.
...
"Heh... so you're my Player? Looks like I got stuck with someone ridiculous."
"Shut your mouth. All you need to do is draw your blade according to my will."
The man with a cigarette in his mouth looked at the black mechanical ninja before him and smiled coldly.
"I didn't expect to pull this card. What a shame. There's almost no suspense now. Still, there should be strong opponents in this war, right?"
...
"Brother. I didn't expect you to be here too."
"You are no longer my Genji. My younger brother has already been reborn..."
"What...? He has...?!"
"This world has no need for any dragon besides my brother and me." The carbon-black mechanical ninja lowered his voice. "Noble Phantasm release: The Dragon Becomes Me."
"Ryujin no ken wo kurae!"
"Your Player seems strong too. I can feel how refined his technique is. Thanks to him, my Player is already smiling like he wants blood."
"Retreat, Genji Alter," the smoking man said coldly.
"What? Are you scared?!"
"No. The other side won't be that easy to finish. Let the decisive battle wait until the end." The man exhaled smoke. "Don't worry. He is the only one I will cut down with my own hands. The time just hasn't come yet. Retreat. Don't make me use a Command Spell."
"Tch..."
"They seem to have left, Mr. Suzuki," the white mechanical ninja said.
"They'll be back," Satoru said gravely.
...
"Your stealth has improved since the old days, McCree. But did you forget who taught you?"
A gloomy laugh came from the mass of shadow.
"Real shame. Didn't think we'd end up drawing on each other." McCree removed his cigar.
"Your Noble Phantasm is useless against me, because you cannot kill me. You cannot kill Reaper."
"Then let's find out."
"Heh. Did you think I would fall for your flashbang trap again? Accept your ending. For old times' sake, I can make it quick." Black shadows drifted all around him. "What's wrong? Even with your instant-kill Noble Phantasm, It's High Noon, if you can't lock onto me, you're nothing but a weak Assassin who relies on Knee-Walking to ambush people."
"I can't beat you."
McCree paused.
"But someone else can."
"What...?"
Reaper froze. A killing intent locked onto him from above.
"I've got you in my sights."
"Morrison! You again?!" he roared toward the sky, hatred twisting his voice as dark magical energy surged around him.
"You don't have time to look away, Reyes."
McCree's voice dropped.
"It's High... Noon."
"Feel the terror of hell!"
Reaper burst into wild laughter.
"Reality Marble: Unlimited Gun Works!"
...
"Crusaders, online!"
"Let's drop the beat!"
Time out.
"Run wild, Lúcio. True Name Release: Nano Boost!"
Reinhardt stared in silence.
"Hahahaha! I'm unstoppable!"
Wrapped in lightning and amplified by the lingering beat of his own Noble Phantasm, Lúcio charged through the Black Faction's defenses like thunder.
"No one can hide from my... ngh!"
Widowmaker, who had tried to snipe and interfere from the rooftop, fell.
Across that impossible distance, she saw Ana three thousand meters away.
This time, I win.
Sleep tight, baby.
Ana mouthed the words to her.
"We can't stop Rider's charge, and Archer is wounded. I'll cover the rear. Everyone, retreat."
Zarya's energy surged as she shielded the group.
"There's still a chance to counterattack..." D.Va said softly.
"But your Noble Phantasm can only be used once. Without the Sunwheel MEKA, your combat power will drop sharply."
"I have to use it eventually. A trump card that never gets played may as well not exist."
Tiny D.Va drove the Sunwheel MEKA forward without fear.
"Witness the mercy of the King of Korea. Watch closely. Annihilation is here, in this very moment. Burn completely, Sunwheel. Obey death!"
"I didn't expect a move like that. Looks like Reinhardt will have to cover the retreat," Ana said calmly.
Reinhardt remained silent.
"Everyone."
Roadhog, who had stayed silent until then, finally spoke.
"Thank you for staying with me. You taught me what bonds are. Leave the rest to me. My Noble Phantasm can drag that MEKA out of the battlefield."
"But how could we..." Reinhardt could hardly bear it.
"Then that's settled." Ana nodded. "As for the blast wave, Reinhardt will cover the retreat."
Reinhardt remained silent again.
...
"Look at you. You would actually go willingly to your death for friendship." Dr. Frankenrat looked at Roadhog inside the treatment pod and snorted.
"That proves the heart can change," someone beside him said.
"Don't pretend to be a saint, Dr. Angela. You're crueler than I am."
"I simply... wanted to rebel against fate."
The blonde woman sighed and said nothing more.
...
"Genji... you!"
Hanzo stared in disbelief at the short blade buried in his chest.
"Brother, give me your dragon's power too. Then I will have the strength to end everything." Genji Alter closed his eyes. "Once I seize the Holy Grail, everything will go back to the way it was. We can go home again. Back to Hanamura."
"B-but you..."
"I know. I am nothing but that man's dark reflection, an afterimage that can only exist through this Holy Grail War. Once the war ends, the world will deny my existence. That's fine. It only means... you will have to go home alone."
"Genji..."
"Hate me, Brother. Hate this younger brother who killed you to take your power. Hate this younger brother who made you carry the burden of returning to a beautiful world, yet forced you to endure that solitude."
Hanzo dissolved into spirit particles and vanished.
"Hmph. Is he really alone? That Genji from the Black Faction is included in your wish too, isn't he? How noble. You sacrificed this much, all for those two."
The smoking man watched the whole scene and sneered.
"...Are you done talking? Did you finish your own business?" Genji Alter asked.
"Of course. Ana's Player has already been dealt with. I usurped his Gamer rights. Come on. Drink it. Drink this Nano Boost, become the fire butterfly of the black prison, and let your roar echo through hell."
"With this, not even Master Zenyatta's Reality Marble can protect those bastards."
Genji Alter and the man both revealed cold smiles.
Behind them were the allies they had killed with their own hands.
"I still want to ask. Why kill them all? As cannon fodder, they should still have had value."
"Ah, that."
The man answered flatly.
"Because the winner of this war must be Genji. The summit of the Top 500 must belong to a Genji player. That is all."
"This is faith."
"And also... this world has no need for a second strongest."
...
"There's only one enemy! Don't be afraid, everyone! If we throw our Noble Phantasms straight at him, we can't lose!"
The black Genji walked toward the enemy alone.
"True Name Release."
Two-way circuit opened. Sync rate: 41.3%.
Harmonics within normal range.
Electronic Spirit Origin holding steady.
Fusion in progress.
No runaway detected.
Linkage beginning.
Operation confirmed.
Fifth core breakthrough released.
Release confirmed.
Second protection released.
First and second firewalls removed.
Safety devices one through fifteen disengaged.
Disengagement confirmed.
Status: [Free].
ALL GREEN.
Player-Gamer fusion complete.
Now we are one.
He began to speak words of slaughter.
To kill and usurp what each Gamer had obtained.
The Noble Phantasm sublimated to its ultimate form.
"My soul thirsts for the Blood Dragon."
The man's voice and the black Genji's voice overlapped as one.
...
"In the end, my blade was faster, Satoru."
"You... so you were..."
"Remember my name, and remember the shame of your defeat for the rest of your life. Then crawl back home. Let me savor the solitude and joy of victory."
"W-why?"
"Even I can only use Genji Alter's power. I cannot truly master it. The backlash from the Electronic Spirit Origin is far more terrifying than I imagined. Hmph... looks like my time has come."
The man's cigarette fell to the ground.
Satoru squeezed his eyes shut.
"Anonymous Dust. Your ending suits your name."
...
...
"Holy Grail, hear my wish."
The battered black Genji walked toward the altar.
"You did well, Alter."
"Dr. Angela...?!"
"Just as I thought. Once you had fallen completely into darkness, you really were able to control the power of the Three Heavenly Dragons. Add in the strongest Player I carefully selected for you, and this became a truly beautiful, admirable battle."
"So this was your scheme. What do you want...?"
"That does not concern you. A Servant only needs to accept their fate."
"I-I refuse to accept this! Dr. Angela! Get away from there! The Holy Grail is mine! Otherwise, I'll kill you too!"
"Say that after you manage to reach me, Ms. Symmetra. Ms. Mei, let him rest."
"Damn it! Angela!"
The end.
What a truly grand and chaotic battle.