-MY FATE IS WRONG AS I EXPECTED-

*I own nothing*

attention this chapter contains an abuse of onomatopoeia, characters from other series (qualidea code, Full metal Alchemist, attack on titan, food wars, how to train your dragon, classroom of the elite & maybe more) and of the English language

brief synopsis before you get tangled in this ff

This story is a WHAT IF battle/shounen crossover between Fate stay/night, Apocripha and Oregairu.
It is set in Fuyuki during the fifth Holy grail war and it will tell the adventure of the three protagonists (Hachiman Shiro and Sieg) as they fight, grow and struggle to win, the war pulling out from their sleeves the dirtiest tricks possible and the sickest noble phantasms.

PROLOGUE

Trifas Romany, the day the destiny started to move its gears

THE ARROGANT

Ti ti ti ti ti

"Ugh stupid alarm!"

I muttered soundly smashing my fist in that hellish device.
finally that blubbering sound had stop

"What time is it ?"
I said slowly I turning the screen of my alarm.

I couldn't even imagine how late or how early it was. Today was the first day of the new year, the sun was still hidden from the horizon and surprising enough I was sober, or at least not as drunk as I usually am after a new year's eve

"6 o'clock….."
Was someone messing with me why in the name of Gaia my alarm was set at 6 AM I went to sleep two bloody hours ago, how can I Gordes Musik show myself to other people without my beauty sleep, I'm fifty-one this year, I'm not awesome ( or thin) as I used to be.

"well if I GORDES MUSIK set my alarm at this hour I must have had some kind of purpose, yet even I Gordes Musik can't remember which was… GORDES MUSIK god my name has a nice ring"
I thought as I got up from my canopy bed, a majestic piece of Victorian furniture made of the finest Elm adorned by cobalt silk sheets of high quality and wool blankets. With light steps, I reached the bathroom in order to start my morning routine.

(* the floor below Gordes's bedroom*)

"Hey, the castle is shaking again."

"Naw, that's impossible. Each wall is protected by high-level magecraft."

"Well, what could make this entire castle shake?"

"I dunno. Maybe an elephant with a single leg rolling down the stairs?"

"But why would there be an elephant in here?"

"I didn't say there was one. Just let it go."

*wasssshhhhh

"Ah the only way to start a day should be releasing some weight in the toilet, I may aim to lose some pounds this year"
I said while dressing up after my morning pit-stop.

"Yggdmillenia uniform,Yggdmillenia uniform..."
I muttered searching in my wardrobe.

"Ah, there it is!"
I exclaimed when I found my uniform:

White pants, an XXL shirt of the same colour, both of them embellished by golden embroidery with shape of roots on shoulders and knees, nothing too fancy or to plain, just the uniform I used for formal meeting and I was pretty sure that if I, GGGGGG GORDES MUSIK slept so little I probably had a formal meeting in the morning.

After finishing to dress up I checked my appearance in front of the mirror I keep above my desk. Ten minutes of struggle against few rebel hairs and my aspect is as it should be… regal: blonde hair perfectly ordinated, my mustaches awesome as ever and my belly… not flat as I wanted, in my simple yet elegant outfit, I could stand proud as the noble I was.

"sir Musik"
A voice called me from outside the room.

"What"
I replied with sour voice

"It's half-past seven the meeting for the admission of the Ainzworth family in the Yggdmillenia clan has started"
Oh that's right, I knew it was a meeting, but wait half-past seven? When I looked in the mirror it was barely seven o'clock , how long did I stare to my reflection! Probably not enough I still have some rebel hairs

Well, it doesn't matter.

"Yes yes … I'm coming"

I said opening the door.

Waiting for me I found a woman in her late teens early twenties, or at least with that appearance.
This chestnut haired, red-eyed girl in front of me was nothing more than an homunculus, an artificial human being I created a few weeks ago, if I remembered correctly she was from the second generation and the first homunculus able to perform simple magecraft I've ever created.

"Escort me homunculus"
I said without any kind of emotion

"Yes sir Musik "

"..."

A crude conversation the highest form of communication that an homunculus deserved to have with their creator.

"That's right! I didn't create homunculus to be kind to them, I created them because I needed tools, I created them because I'm an alchemist and as one I have to develop a new form of magecraft to transcript in my family's magic crest."
I thought focusing on the meaning my homunculus had

but after walking for a few minutes in the hallways of the Yggdmillenia castle, my eyes began to square the girl besides me, not with the eyes of a lover, but with the eyes of a master artisan.

"Yes, she is just a tool but, really I can't stop from studying the beauty this individual I created; this immaculate pale skin, thin pink lips, shiny red eyes and perfect chestnut straight hair, each part of this girl tall one meter and seventy is a part of an hetaira beauty that only something artificial like a homunculus can have. "
I reflected

In all my years as a magus I've created my fair share of homunculus, but for now she is the best homunculus I ever created, she can't feel or express any strong emotion and for this reason, she is both a primitive and a functional homunculus...There was a time, when I was younger, when I desperately tried to make my homunculus more human, by giving them emotions.
Unfortunately, those individuals with a single year lifespan couldn't bear the emotions I gave them.
They became difficult to control, and all of them started to ask me if I created them only to make them die. Quite a traumatic event that taught me that homunculus with emotions are useless, in fact, all the homunculus I created since joining the Yggdmillenia clan had only one thing that resembled emotions: Sarcasm.
None think about it but sarcasm is probably the best insurance in case an homunculus starts to develop emotions or feelings, every growl of anger, every sigh of sadness can become a bitter laugh with the right dose of irony, forcing every homunculus discard each emotion they come across. In this way, I can keep all my homunculus under control, like this girl next to me for example.

After a few minutes of walking across the endless hallways of the castle, the homunculus and I reached the great hall of the great castle of Yggdmillenia.
in the middle of the room, huge rectangular mahogany table towered the scene. In the long sides of the table an equal number of chairs was set, yet in one side had all those chairs occupied by the other member of Yggdmillenia's council, in the other part of the table only a chair was being used, by a young man with deep blue shades below his eyes.
The homunculus beside me had told me who he was… The offspring of the Ainzworth family a noble Magus family who had fallen in ruin a few years ago.
I didn't know what kind of magic this family researched, but I was pretty sure someone said that the Ainzworth family did experiments in order to reach the hero's Throne. A dimension outside time and space were the souls of those recognized as heroes, slept in eternal slumber, of course any kind of result with this kind of magic is a mere dream.
Being able to summon an heroic spirit from the throne of heroes was something practically impossible for the high consumption of mana, and more importantly because it was extremely dangerous, an unknown heroic spirit out of control had already enough power to destroy an army by himself, a famous heroic spirit such as king Arthur could probably destroy countries without even sweating. Many great Magus had tried to understand what defined a true hero, which was the reason that allowed human being to ascend to the Throne of heroes making them become guardians of humanity and granting them power equal to their fame.

Only three magus families, Tosaka, Matho, and Einzbern, working together managed to summon a weaker version of a heroic spirit with the ritual of the holy grail war.
Thanks to this ritual an incredibly powerful magical device, The Holy Grail, accumulate mana from the dragon lines of the planet and allows seven magi, know as masters, to summon a servant, the weakened version of a heroic spirit. Once the seven masters have summoned the seven servants, they fight against each other and the last one standing with his servant fin order to conquer the Holy Grail and all the mana within it; a power able to make one wish comes true.

As soon as my noble presence was noticed the leader of the Yggdmillenia clan Darnic Yggdmillenia greeted me.
"Finally you've arrived Gordes now we can start this meeting"

Darnic Yggdmillenia... probably the eldest Magus I have ever known, yet he showed no more than thirty years, no one knew which was his secret to keep, his appearance so youthful. His built was pretty slender, his hairs were the only thing that betrayed his young appearance: they were grey of medium length with a few particular blue shades that run on some hair lock.

"Good morning uncle Gordes "
"You are finally up uncle"
The other two young Magus greeted me.

The first one was a young woman of nineteen years old, Fiore Forvedge Yggdmillenia; quite a cute girl with brunette wavy hair, clear blue eyes and a gentle smile, her body appeared fragile. Due to a magic circuits malfunction during her birth, she became crippled and wheelchair-bound.
If I had to make a paragon she was like a snowflake something light and beautiful that must be handled with a lot of care.

The second Magus who greeted me was none other than Caules Forvedge Yggdmillenia, the younger brother of Fiore. Though Caules is eighteen, he has a childish, freckled face that does not match his age even if his black glasses give him a somehow a more mature look.
The story of this child was quite particular from my point of view. An unspoken law of Magus families is to give birth to only one child. Caules birth is an exception that was granted by the crippled state of his sister. Fiore was born with exceptional Magic Circuits that appear in someone only once in a hundred years, but since it was uncertain whether the paralysis of her legs could be cured, the present head of the Forvedge family had his wife give birth to Caules as both a spare successor and a caretaker for Fiore.
Unfortunately, a miracle didn't occur a second time, and when he saw Caules's mediocrity that embodied the decline of the Forvedge family, the family head decided that Fiore should be made the successor even if her legs didn't function and ordered Caules to be her caretaker.

"Sorry for my late arrival my alarm seems to be broken"
I said as an excuse for my lateness while sharing a nod of greeting with the two young Magus who playfully called me uncle, and to the last two people of the Yggdmillenia clan sat at the table that didn't even bother to salute my person

Celenike Icecolle Yggdmillennia, a sexy… I mean a comely silver-haired woman in her twenties specialized black magic, (that is nice way to say she was a freaking psycho, that torture living beings with a magical help.)

And Roche Frain Yggdmillennia, the youngest Magus among the council he is sixteen, with wavy blond hair and a cocky smirk always on his face, in the moonlight world he is known as a prodigy in golem making,( but in my opinion he is just a little sociopath.)

"Good now I can sit"
I thought finally reaching my seat.

"May I continue my speech"
Said with an annoyed voice the Ainzword kid

"please"
Responded Darnic

The Ainzworth kid took a deep breath and took a hair lock of his black hairs behind his ear and started.
"As I was saying the request of my family is to become part of the Yggdmillenia clan and become independent from the Clock Tower, of course I'm well aware that an offering is required in order to join this clan, so here I'm ready to disclose all the secret that my family discovered on heroic spirits"

"Oh interesting, better shake him up, and make him more impulsive from the beginning"
I thought starting to laugh

"Is something wrong with anything I said sir Musik?"
Asked the boy with an bothered by my reaction

"What's your name again kid" -
I said with a relaxed voice in order to annoy him more

"Julian"

"and tell me, Julian, what can be the use of the knowledge of your Family to our clan? "
I told to the young man watching my words hit his face like punches.

"well he is already cracking another little push and he will be very easy to manipulate"
I said inside my head

"I'm sure you're well aware that any experiment on the Throne of heroes had been incapable to bear fruit so, which can be the developments that your family have made in this field? I highly doubt you reached any kind of achievements otherwise you wouldn't be here… am I right"
I stated looking at the kid

"And that was the last provocation, now I just wait for him to take the bait and reveal some information"
I thought looking at the guy that...was smiling?

"Indeed my family lack any kind of tangible results but, the knowledge we got in all the years is no joking matter in fact with the right instruments we may even summon a servant"
announced the brat with a calm I believed he had lost.

" Unexpected this kid has enough data to attempt the summoning of a servant... but if this is the case why is he even here to begin with. It doesn't make sense unless...he knows"
I realized while a few drops of sweat appeared on my forehead.

"Of course I know what all of you, member of the Yggdmillenia clan, are thinking: how can he now that we … have access to the Holy Grail"
Said the Ainzworth offspring emotionless.

"Oh Shit"

As soon as that brat, no, that evil schemer said the words "Holy Grail" the agitation on the faces of all the Yggdmillenia council member was visible.
Drops of sweat came out on their head front, everyone was too astonished to even speak.

Only Darnic kept his cool, smiled back to Julian Ainzworth
"I see you are well informed Julian Ainzworth, may I ask how you got this information"
said the ancient magus

"Is nothing special in reality, last year for my nineteenth birthday I went to Fuyuki a simple city in Japan.
there I found out that the fourth holy grail war had just ended."
The kid began to narrate...but there was already something off in his story.

"people don't, found out, an holy grail war "
I thought averting my attention from the kid's story

"I corrupted the priest in charge of Fuyuki's church and he gave me quite a bit of information about all the events that happened in the war.
Of course, most of what he said was false, but thanks to him I understood how to use the dragon lines of the city in order to track down the Greater Grail, the physical manifestation of the holy grail system.
It took me a while but after two weeks of work, I found a cave under the Shinto Temple of Fuyuki where the Greater Grail was hidden. To be honest I didn't expect the Grail to be a gigantic sphere made by crystallized golden women, it was a shock, but what was even more shocking was a crimson crystal embed in the Grail... I needed three days to figure out that, that crystal was a magical device built to connect the holy grail with some other system.
There is no need to say that I tracked down this new system in Romany exactly in your castle"
That brat concluded smirking.

None in the Yggdmillenia council could say anything that Ainzworth brat discovered the biggest operation of Yggdmillenia by himself (from what he said), and only God knows with how many people he shared this secret with. After all he came to us with too much confidence and immediately revealed what he knew about us without any kind of fear.

"He must be well aware that if we consider him a treat for our plans we won't hesitate to silence him.
but if he is as smart as I think, he must have many insurances ready in case we attempt to get rid of him."
I thought trying to figure out a way to get out from this unpleasant situation.

*clap clap clap*

"My compliments Julian Ainzworth I underestimated you"
said Darnic clapping his hands,

"Indeed"
Responded the kid with a cocky grin, proud of himself and of having his skills recognized by a great magic as Darnic Yggdmillenia.

"he says indeed, cheeky brat I will teach him respect"
I muttered under my mustaches

"May I ask one question?"
Asked the brat

Darnic rose his hand giving consent

"How did you put the crystal in the Grail?
it's the only thing I couldn't figure out."
he said putting his thumb under the chin.

" Ah so smart and couldn't figure this out"
I exclaimed

"You probably know that during the fourth Holy Grail war the Caster servant went on rampage and the other servants were called in order to stop him."
began Darnic explaining how the crystal was implanted in the Grail.

"Yes"

(I had just been ignored)

"What you don't know is that we had an agent that was in Fuyuki to check the course of the war and that, the holy Grail every time a servant is summoned or dies becomes susceptible to some magical frequencies, so with the right knowledge is possible to connect mystical codes to the Grail"

"... you had your agent reach the Grail and wait until a servant died in the battle against Caster"

"Precisely"

Well now the cat is out of the bag the brat knows 99% of Yggdmillenia plan... I still remember how bored I was while I was waiting in front of the Grail, hoping that a servant decided to die quickly.

Now all this meeting seemed to be frozen in time none try to speak so I decided it was time to introduce a topic that everyone seemed to have forgotten about

"Ehm "
I coughed while scratching my chin

"You said that with the right "tool" you could achieve the summon of a servant, a remarkable thesis indeed but, how we can trust it isn't just a bluff to get closer to the Grail?"
I provoked the Ainzworth

"Okay Is a bit desperate for attempt to provoke this child to make him shows his cards but better than nothing".
I told myself

"Sir Musik what you said is indeed possible, I could feint the results achieved by my family just to get closer to the Grail, but I highly doubt that you would give me access to your data without any kind of proof of the knowledge I claim to possess, so .."
the child stated taking my bait

"Yes say it show me your ace in the hole"
I muttered

"I brought this"
Julian said while pulling out from his pocket a card.

(I know, I wanted him to show his cards but I didn't mean so… literally.)

"What you see in my hand right now is the mystic code that embody, the power Yggmillenia will achieve if the Ainzworth family joins in"
Said the Ainzworth offspring with a dramatic gesture and a deep voice I'm sure he didn't have two seconds ago.

"Can you explain?"
Said Caules barely able to suppress the curiosity in his voice.

"of course, you see in this card right here is a mystic code that contain a powerful magic able to collect the power of a servant and allow the user to use this power as his own"

"I feel a, but, incoming"
added Caules showing the serious side of himself

"But this card has a few flaws It need an enormous amount of mana in order to work and it must be linked to a servant"

"Linked to a servant?"
I asked because even with my outstanding genius I didn't exactly get what the kid meant with " linked to a servant" and judging from the face of the other member of the council I wasn't the only one: Fiore, Celinke and Rosche were confused like me

"Yes What you mean by linked to a servant"
said Fiore enforcing my question.

For a second I see all the confidence from this brat disappear, but all his insecurity is gone in the blink of an eye, and his brave front is reborn.

"when I said linked I mean that this card must first get the data of a servant.
see the card as the monitor of a computer, if is not connected to a modem it can't display anything"

"So without the Grail that act as a modem, your mystic code is useless"
Said Caules that among all of the members of the council was the only one that used a computer regularly and was, Of Course, the first one to get the similitude.

Actually that explained why this Ainzworth kid went through all this trouble in order to join Yggdmillenia.
His family possessed a mystic code extremely powerful, but that only one that can make it work was us.

"This Julian was probably more desperate to join us than I originally thought.
well...Yggdmillenia possesses great resources so the Mana issue can be easily overcome, but what makes us indispensable to him is our connection to all the data of the Holy Grail. In the past few months, I stole many information from the Grail but, they were only about the Einzbern's homunculus, thanks to those information my skills sky rocked and now I could mass produce homunculus that can be used as mana batteries."
I thought putting together the pieces in front of me and wondering how difficult could be to activate that card.

While I was lost in my thoughts Darnic stared in the eyes of the young Magus in the other side of the table, eyeing the young magus that was barely twenty years old, and then saying

"I've one last question for you Julian of the house of Ainzworth, how many of this cards you can produce?"

"This one is part of an eight pieces set, they are still prototype, my family had made one card for each regular class plus one for the special class Ruler, this heroic class was never summoned in an Holy Grail war before, but it owns the peculiar skill of a magical defense of class EX.
I named these cards the series of Black.
The material to produce each card are rare and everything except cheap so right now eight cards is the maximum amount of mystical codes available "
Said Julian

After a deep breath Darnic said the last sentence of the meeting

"Who's in favor of letting the Ainzworth family join the Ygddmillenia clan raise their hand"

Needless to say, everyone raised their hand putting the word end to that meeting of the first January two thousand and seven.

"yet something still feels off about this kid"

THE HOMUNCULUS

Cold,
Yes, it was cold the first sensation I ever felt.
But how can I know what cold mean if I have never known anything else?
And this I
who's I?.
Well, I is me,
yet what define me,
what define myself

my person.

Let's start again my name is S.i.e.g.1 or at least is how the people behind the glass call me, Siegfried ìnsere essentia generation 1.
That in Latin means, Siegfried essence transplant generation one.
It doesn't make much sense, but the people behind the glass wanted some kind of "cool acronym " for their "secret weapon"...or something like that.

Basically I'm a homunculus, an artificial human being, I'm capable of magecraft and right now I live, no, I'm alive in a tank wearing nothing except for a pair of underwear.
Every day some cables connected to my back start draining my mana in order to aliment a project for the people behind the glass,

"There he is "
A voice roared sour.

"Wait sir Musik he is not ready"

"Oh shut that trap already Julian, I know he isn't ready I just wanted to check how he is growing"

And there they are, the people behind the glass, two of them to be precise, they check on me periodically and every time they start arguing about something.
Usually, they talked about: my grown, my magic circuits and how I looked, thanks to them I obtained information on myself. Standing to what they: I've been alive for a month, I'd excellent magic circuits and that I looked like a nine years old boy, with brown hair and red eyes, and unfortunately for them, I needed to have the body of a fully grown man in order to be part of their plan.

"Do you think it will work?"
Said the younger person behind the glass.

"I don't know, if I had been sure of the success of this experiment, we wouldn't have called this homunculus generation one, don't you think?"
Responded the older person behind the glass with an unnaturally calm voice.

By the way... Another of their favorite topic was, if I was going to die.

The two people behind the glass checked a few screen in front of me and noted down some data, but then the older person behind the glass said

"Kid you know why you are here?"

"… "
remained silent the younger person behind the glass taken aback from the sudden question.

"Don't bother to answer,
Your cards, the answer is your cards Julian, but as all Yggdmillenia has seen there are a few issues… each class card is very powerful item, but every single class card is also too unpractical. Think how much Yggdmillenia expend each in summon, we need an incredible amount of mana to charge them, we need to let the card devour the catalyst of the summoning and then have someone to "install" the card on themselves. For what? I ask you, three minutes of transformation before the card runs out of mana and the user with his soul destroyed by the power of a heroic spirit?"

"I could not imagine how fiercely the mind of a servant would try to suppress the user of the card one, no one could and now I'm working on the new series of red to elimina-"

"Luckily I, GORDES MUSIK, came out with the idea of using homunculus as one use soldier and Roche discovered, during the summon of the Caster servant, that if the card is charged with the mana of a heroic spirit we need less power, and no catalyst"

"Wow It's very lucky that you decided to use homunculus instead of your-fat-self thank you… asshole"
I thought staring at that man, Musik

"I still don't get how Roche had Avicebron give him jewels filled with his own mana, but I'm sure that the day after Roche could barely walk"

"Less you think about that part and better you will sleep at night"

"I mean Roche is sixteen and Caster was forty is disg"

"I said SHUT UP JULIAN!"

"That's right shut up they were right beside me, I heard everything E-V-E-R-Y-T-H-I-N-G and believe me, it was atrocious."
I thought trying to forget that night...ew

"Let's think about more useful things.
this homunculus will be ready in a week, so you need to have Siegfried's catalyst for that time, am I clear, it's the first time we attempt to summon a Saber-class servant and if someone dares to mess up I will entrust them to Celenike's care "
said Musik brushing his moustaches...wow those mustaches were awesome.

The young man, Julian
"wait it is just me or Julian seems a girl's name, well whatever"

After listening to the words of the older Magus soundly gulped intimidated by the threat.
"Yes, sir… eh sir, if we manage to transplant Siegfried's mana core, his heart in this homunculus, we will create a powerful weapon, but… I mean…, I have one doubt.
We might be able to save this homunculus body and make him transform into Siegfried as many times as we want, but can we control him? And after a few transformation what will happen to his mind?"
He timidly asked

"Wait. Hold on, are you going to do what?"
I wanted to ask

"From our data, we can make a hypothesis, with repeated transformations the mind of the heroic spirit will replace the homunculus's one, and this might be a problem."

"so we return to the problem of the command seals right? We might kidnap the priest of Fuyuki, Kotomine Kirei, he should be the one in charge of the custody of the seals"
Said Julian with careful voice.

I don't know this KotowhateverRei but kidnap him doesn't seem something easy

"Wrong, I have already a solution ahaha, all my homunculus can't resist my orders so even if a heroic spirit takes possession of the body I will still have control over him ahahah I'm a genius we don't even need command seals anymore"
Said Gordes proudly

"Now come with me youngster, the Grail began to send strange data yesterday, it seems that some kind of defense system wanted to start, I need your help to change our mana impulse frequencies"

As soon as those two people behind the glass finished their conversation I was left alone this Cold tank.

I Moved my eyes and looked around the great basement I was kept in.
The panorama never changed, just hundreds of tanks shining of a spectral blue in the darkness while cables filled with mana took energy from the tanks to some strange machine at the entrance, if I put a bit of effort I could see in the machine a card with the symbol of a sword master on it.

"So in the end the plan of the people behind the glass was pretty simple. They used hundreds of other homunculus like me to power their card, while I will become the shell for some random hero from the past… yeeee what a shitty situation …"
I thought floating in my tank

A week

They said a week before I become a living weapon or another failed experiment,

Another week of life,

No,

Of being alive.

A few days passed, now I looked like a teenager, and my time on this planet was coming to an end.
Yet no matter how sad that might seem I could not feel any emotions just a discomforting emptiness.
Floating in my tank one time the thought "I don't want die" crossed my mind,
but when I asked myself why I couldn't find any answer.
After all I was created for this purpose if I couldn't accomplish it, which was the point of my existence, to begin with.

I even thought of escaping,

"Yeah with a miracle maybe"
I told myself

"But , even if I could somehow escape then what… I didn't know the world, I didn't know what to do, the only things that I knew were the information that the people behind the glass gave me, the ones I have seen always behind this goddamn glass, and in none of those information was an answer to the question how survive outside my tank.
If the results were always the same, which was the difference from dying in this castle or outside it?"
I continues to repeat

Yet the thoughts kept coming

"I don't want to die"

"I don't want to be replaced by a heroic spirit"

"I WANT TO ESCAPEEEEEEEEEEE"

But I had to face the reality...I was even incapable of moving.
"ahaha pathetic"
was the only thing I could think, while all my attempts of screaming and writhing during the mana draining flashed in front of my eyes.

"How can I want a genuine life to live when I can't even react to my own pain hahahah"

I wasn't sure but I think I felt something coming out from my eyes.

*ta *ta *ta

A few light steps interrupted my thoughts, another person behind the glass was now walking in front of me
I believe his name was Caules

"Finally a place where nobody can disturb me"
The boy said while looking around, then he pulled out from his pocket a device I couldn't see it perfectly because some bubbles where in front of my eyes, but it was some kind of communication thing...

Looking around once more the Magus turned the device on…

"Ha ha ha ha ha
Yo, I'll tell you what I want, what I really, really want"
and began to sing...scream or just emit sounds from his mouth

"Wait what?
He, he is listening something…music! Why Is he listening to music here?"
Really I couldn't understand what was happening, but in a second later I felt my ears begging for mercy.

Caules was… he was singing, and shaking his butt…

"So tell me what you want, what you really, really want
I'll tell you what I want, what I really, really want
So tell me what you want, what you really, really want
I wanna, (ha) I wanna, (ha) I wanna, (ha) I wanna, (ha)
I wanna really, really, really wanna zigazig ah"

"Aaaaaaaaaaaaaaahhhhhhhhhg someone anyone make him stop please."
I said and I, literally, opened my mouth for the first time... all those substances I was floating entered in mouth they tasted of coconut and metal.
And then it happened my hands moved to cover my ears, my first reaction, my first movement, the first time I acted in order to survive, yet the first time ever I thought "god please kill me".

"I can't believe it I moved I could move, I COULD MOVE! I CAN MOV"
I happily said in my mind, but my joy was interrupted by a false note of Caules.

"AaaaaaaaaaaaAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAA"

I had to get out.

The seconds went on and each word that left the mouth of the magus behind the glass was like a stab in my ears, even with my hands to cover them.

"I can't take it anymore I must do something"
I told myself, so making recourse to all my willpower I took off from my ear my right hand, stretched it with all my might in front of me, touched the glass of my tank and put in practice the only idea I could come out with

"Logic pathStraße/opengehen"
I said.

as I pronounced these two words, my Aria, I felt my magic circuits open for the first time, it was like being on fire and freezing at the same time.
My mana was reversed in my right hand and then in the glass, I was touching; with this spell, I could feel all the molecular structure of the glass and modifies it in order to… shatter my prison.

"Yo I'll tell you what I want, what I really, really want
So tell me what you want, what you really, really want
I wanna, (ha) I wanna, (ha) I wanna, (ha) I wanna, (ha)
I wanna really, really, really wanna zigazig ah"

"I WANT YOU TO SHUT UPPPPPPPPPPPPP"
I screamed
Or at least it was what I wanted to do, as myself and the substances I floated in were reversed out of the tank... but it was the first time I spoke so it sounded more like a whisper.
a very intimidating whisper.
Enough intimidating to make Caules stop singing, (good) but also to make him immediately attack me out of fear (not so good).

Yes, I know that a screaming, (whispering) homunculus, announced by some blue mana's lightning can be a surprise for a dancing teenager but I think, Caules overreacted.

As soon I was out of the tank, the young magus stopped singing, and in his eyes, I could see a beautiful mix of confusion and panic that even for an emotionless homunculus like me seemed amusing.
Unfortunately, for me, his confusion lasted less than a second.

From disoriented and scared, to calm and lethal, that's how his eyes changed, I couldn't even move when, out of instinct Caules reinforced his left leg and hit me with a flawless roundhouse kick in the face.

"FUC"
Was the only thought in my mind before his foot connected with my right jowl.

In a fraction of second, my world started spinning. I was sure I had lost at least two teeth, that my cranium was crack in a few points, and that my underdeveloped lungs made me unable to catch breath.

I felt a painful shock through all my body, and the world in front of me stopped to spin, I had crashed on something, I couldn't understand where I landed, my vision was too blurry, scorching pain was the only thing I could feel from my body.

"That's right living, no, being alive in a tank since I was born, no, created didn't reinforced my bones and muscle I'm like a newly born baby…yes, a newly born baby with all his bone shattered. I can't believe I was worried so much about my death the day after tomorrow and now I'm going to die like this…ahaha… this is pathetic… yet I still want to live genuinely."
And these were my last thoughts before I fainted.

When I regained my senses I found myself bounded to an hospital bed, every inch of my body was screaming in pain and I felt the taste of blood in my mouth.

"Tell me what happened again Caules"

"I've already told you, Fiore, I was checking the homunculi and S.I.E.G.1 used a spell to break out from his tank"

"And then why there was your portable radio in the basement"

"I… well"

"You were singing again were you?"

"I, well, you can say…. Yes I was singing"

"Goddamn Caules ! you know bad things happen when you start singing"

"Oh, so it's my fault if a homunculus tried to escape while I was singing? "

"do you remember what happened to our cat?"

"Mister furry butt did NOT jump in front of that car because I sang to him happy birthday"

Two people right-now-not behind the glass were approaching the bed I was laying on, they were having a strange conversation that I wisely decided wasn't worthy of my attention.
I closed my eyes and pretended to be, still unconscious.

"Gosh this is a mess, we need to implant the mana core in this homunculus now…"

"Are you sure I mean he still need two days to be fully grown up if we act too soon he will start aging normally, he looks fourteen, we should at least put him back into a tank and wait for another day"

"wow thanks, little brother, you just enlighten me, I wonder why I didn't thought to this plan before… oh yeah I now, is because this homunculus is on the verge of death after an idiot mistook him for a soccer ball."

"I'm sorry…"

"You better be"

"Fuck this conversation was worth my attention, they want to substitute my heart with someone else one, I need to escape."
I thought after I realized ignoring people was an art I had yet to master.

Aware of my situation, I carefully tried to move but, I was still bound to the bed.

"Maybe I can destroy the belts around my wrists and ankles with magic"
Was my first thought, unfortunately, I couldn't reach the belts with my powerless hands and even if I managed to, I wasn't sure my magic circuits could take another spell.

*BAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAM*

An explosion roared through the walls of the castle.

Voicing my thought Fiore said.
"What was that?"

"I don't know"
Responded her brother.

I didn't understand what's happening but maybe this situation could buy me some time to think a way to get out of here.

"Is everyone listening "
A voice resounded from a speaker on the left side of the surgical room I was in.

"The Holy Grail security system kicked into gear. I repeat, the Holy Grail security system kicked into gear. A female servant from the Ruler class is currently attacking the castle, the homunculus are keeping her busy but they won't last for long, all the council members of Yggdmillenia and Julian Ainzworth go to the surgical room and complete the project S.I.E.G 1 or we won't stand a chance against the ahhhhh"
said the voice before the connection died

"Oh my god we are in a pinch I've never heard uncle Darnic so troubled, do you think he is fine?"
Said Fiore with trembling voice.

"I think I would be more surprised if he wasn't, that man knows a trick more than the devil, but a Ruler class servant uh, the only servant with a magic defense of level EX, that's quite a problem, uncle Darnic is right we need a Saber class servant, if we want to defeat her."
Calmly answered Caules, I couldn't see his eyes but I was sure they were calm and sharp like when he kicked me.

"well. Look at the bright side. We don't have to tell anybody the mess I made anymore"
He continued, and this time I was certain his eyes returned childlike.

"So the attack of this mysterious servant, my only chance to escape, became my death sentence…FUUUUUUUCCCCCCCCCCKKKKKKKK."

It was a matter of minutes before the members of the Yggdmillenia council came together with Julian and a tall homunculus, that looked in his thirties, arrived in the surgical room, most of them locked, surprised I was already here, but none asked any questions, they couldn't waste time.

"Ok we are all ready"
Said Gordes

"Yes"
Answered in choir everybody

"I'm going to give instruction only one time so listen to me : Fiore sedate the homunculus and open his chest, Caules support her, me and Julian will turn this homunculus in to Siegfried, Celinke you will take his heart with your black magic and Roche you just keep him alive until the operation is complete with your Golem control magic. Now Go!"

All magi started moving with precision at frightening speed, like the gears of a clock. I saw Celinke put on latex gloves, Roche's hands starting to glowing of blue, he must had activated his magic circuits, while Julian was putting a leaf dirty of blood on top of the same card I have seen in the basement from my tank, and Gordes was skilfully drawing a magical circle with mercury around the tall homunculus.

For some reason, I could recognize that magical circle, probably thanks to the knowledge that was implanted in my brain when I was created.
That circle was the original magical seal used in the Holy Grail war to summon a servant.
If what in my mind was right the cards of Yggdmillenia could only give the user, the clothes and the weapons of a servant, while the mind of the heroic spirit was forced in the user's body granting mastery over the weapon summoned and, in the meantime corrupting the user's mind.
Using the original magic circle of the Grail and the power of the card, Gordes and Julian could probably transform my poor brother homunculus in the hero Siegfried for a brief time to take out his mana core and transplant it in me.

"Wait now I get it why Roche went in the basement with mercury, a homunculus, and the Caster card, before… "convincing " Avicenbron, he had drawn a magic circle, and used the magic of the card so the essence of the Caster servant could completely replace the mind of the homunculus… so much bloodshed for a fu"
I thought before I felt a sudden sharp pain in my forearm.

it was Fiore that with a needle (way too big for my tastes), was piercing my skin and was pumping inside my veins some kind of anesthetic.
It was a matter of seconds before my conscience faded away. The last thing I heard was Julian whispering to Gordes

"I thought we changed our mana impulse frequencies"

"The Grail retraced us faster than we expected, now we can't go back we must fight"

"Ahaha you must fight… Wrong I have to fight in your place Assholessssss zzz."

"Is he still alive Fiore?"

"Barely, uncle Gordes, his body started to change the moment we finished to implant Siegfried heart, his muscles have now stopped thickening and his bones are now fully repaired"

"What do you mean by "fully repaired" ?"

" Nothing Celinke, nothing my sister meant nothing eheh... it's possible that I dropped S.I.E.G.1 while carrying him here eheheh"

"Roche bring me my whip"

"Aye ma'am, may I recorder while you abuse him, if we get out of here alive I'll have some blackmail material"

"Suit yourself"

"Wait Roche Celinke, it's a joke right…right, I DON'T WANT TO BE LASHED AGAIN!"

"Stop all of you we don't have time for this bullshit"

"Thanks, uncle Gordes thank y"

"You can punish him later Celinke"

"Traitor"

"What was that Caules?"

"Nothing uncle…"

" Now. Hear my command homunculus I, GORDES MUSIK, order you to stand up"

The first thing I felt was pain (wow I always woke up in top shape), then some voices, they seemed so far away, and at the two words roared in my brain

"STAND UP"
And so I did without even thinking, without even trying to oppose.

After I stood up I opened my eyes, before me six magi looked at me in awe while the corpse of a dismembered homunculus remained immobile in a corner of the room.

"It's just me or they seem all smaller"
facing the people right-now-not-behind the glass

"Cool he is alive, include in him the card and send him against Ruler so they can kill each other"
Said the smallest magus, Roche, with an exaggeratedly cheerful voice

"Sociopath," I said without realizing

"Uh"

He responded

"Uh"
I echoed

"I talked, god, I talked without any effort I can't believe it"
I joyfully said in my brain

And judging by the stares all the other Magi were giving to me they couldn't as well.
except Caules he was less at disbelief than the others, maybe because of the shenanigans we had before.

"hahahahahah"
Erupted in laughs Roche.

"You are a funny guy"
He said

"But I hate funny guys"
He finished while punching me in the guts with his fist reinforced by magic

*ugh*
I emitted a deaf sound and fell on my knees.

The little Magus then kneeled and whispered in my ears
"Now that you have stopped being funny get out of the castle and kill that bitch out there"

It was strange I thought I would have died from that punch, but it was lighter than I imagined, no, my body was tougher than before, so the punch felt lighter, it's like the moment I woke up, all the people before me seems smaller, but they weren't, it was me, I was bigger. I could feel in my chest a new heart beating loudly.
Siegfried's heart was now in me and after each beat, I could feel new strength source from my body.

Fully aware of my new power I tried to grab Roche's right ankle as he was standing up but...

"Homunculus GORDES MUSIK orders you to come to GORDES MUSIK"
said the fat magus

"Is it necessary to refer yourself in third person"
I said… in my mind this time.

Without any kind of choice, my body followed the orders, and in spite of my desires, I found myself in front of the fat middle aged Magus.

"Carve my words in your mind: you will INCLUDE in yourself this Saber card and then you will depart to fight the Ruler servant and"

"Bla bla bla, I'm going to die anyway so I can ignore his anti-motivational speech."
I thought while I finally mastered the art of ignoring people

"I never realized how small Gordes is, wow he is under one meter and seventy, he is probably one meter and sixty-eight, while I'm one meter and seventy-two at least, and I should look like a sixteen years old boy after Siegfried heart was transplanted in me.
Wow, he needs to bend his neck to look me in the eyes, it's too funny,
and his mustache, they are awesome why didn't they gave me moustaches."
I monologued in my mind

"AM I CLEAR S.I.E.G.1"
Roared Gordes

"Yes Sir"
I responded while taking the Saber card from his hands.

"Strange"
I thought

I couldn't believe how an object so light could weight so much in my life,

No,

In my being alive

I walked through the corridors of the castle following a female homunculus, in that looked in her early twenties, she owned the classic features of a Yggdmillenia homunculus: red eyes and brown hair.
I was displaying the standard outfit of Yggdmillenia's homunculus black pants, a white shirt, a black vest, and I looked pretty awesome… for a dead man.

When we reached a massive door of wood she stopped turned her head to look me in the eyes and said
"Here, after this door you will be out of the castle, your target will be around 500 meters away from you, do not try to escape you are still bounded by the orders of sir Musik, try to disobey would only make you lose time and energy, and S.I.E.G.1, for what is worth good luck"

"Thank you… eh which was your name again, I could have forgotten it"

Mmf*
She lightly laughed.

"Do not worry, you didn't forgot anything, I simply have no name so I never told you one to appeal me, but if have to be honest I started to call myself Tool"

I smiled softly and said while turning my back
"well, then thank you Tool, I will need a bunch of luck to survive today."

"Tool eh she chose her name, she saw what she is, and was able to transform it from the symbol of her irrelevant existence to the one her individuality, her name.

I wondered for all my life, no, my being alive what defined my existence, but I never thought about S.I.E.G. 1, my own name as a symbol of my individuality, I always saw my name as my death sentence, Siegfried, ìnsere, essential, generation 1. Those words meant literally that I would have been replaced by an heroic spirit, or by S.I.E.G.2,3,4,5,6,7…God knows how many.

Yet I think I may want a name in my last moments, I have been alive as S.I.E.G.1 all this time, but at least when I'll die I want to do it with a name. Sieg."
I thought focusing for the first time on who I really was.
With my mind made up I, Sieg, opened the door holding the Saber' card in my hand so tightly that my knuckles, became white.

When I got out of the castle for a moment I forgot all my fears, it was the first time I saw something different from a dark room and it was beautiful.
Outside the Yggdmillenia castle, the panorama was probably nothing special but, to me, it was the most amazing thing I ever saw. Hectares of a bare forest encircled the castle, a thick blanket of snow covered the ground and mountains that I couldn't recognize stood out in the sky. Everything looked so far away but I felt like I could touch the wrinkled bark of trees and the snowy tops of the mountains with my fingers… snowy tips, eh.

I wonder how snow feels like.

I kneeled on the ground, put the Saber's card in my pants pocket and put my hands together to form a cup then, I pushed them in the soft snow that was around me.
Pleasant chills ran through my body and the cold penetrated into my fingers, after a few seconds I raised my hands and put them on my chest.

"Ahahaha I never thought the cold could warm my heart up so much…wait ah ah ah it's not my heart anymore"
I sarcastically said as my last moment on the earth began

*Boooom

Another explosion make snap out from my brief moment of happiness, and the words of Gordes resounded
"There is a place and time for everything but, not here and not now"

So I stood up on my feet again, took out the magical card again, I held it with both my hands and started to pour my mana in it.

When I first reactivated my magic circuits I immediately realized they were different, they were wild and stronger, I felt like each beat of my heart made come out from my hands more mana, but that wasn't my mana anymore, it was a more ancient one: the mana of the Dragon Slayer Siegfried.

The card was ferocious, every drop of mana that came out from my hands was immediately devoured by the magical code. It took me two minutes of continue emission of mana, and an annoying ache to my magic circuits to fully charge the card when I finished the unknown swordman on the card was gone.

In its place, there was the picture of an awesome tall man with silver-grey hair. His body was encased in radiant silver woven plate armor. He carried his Phantasmal Greatsword, Balmung, on his back. His exposing skin was dyed brown with a light green glowing scar on his chest.

"So you're Siegfried uh"
Was my first thought

-Well, at least my body will remain beautiful-
Was my second one.

With trembling hands, I raised the card above my head,

"I could still try to escape"
Was the only sentence echoing in my mind, but I was well aware that once Gordes gave me the order to fight the Ruler servant I couldn't run anymore.

"INCLUDE"

I whispered in the cool air of Romany, and the last thing I saw was after that was a magical circle spinning around me.

The body of a dead dragon, people asking for my help, countless swings of a greathsword, and countless men dying under them.

Those were the imagines that went through my mind, memories of a hero, which heart now beating my chest.

When I came back to my senses I felt powerful. I could feel newfound strength in each of my limbs and on my back a sheathed great sword.
Following the noises of the battle, I reached the place where Ruler was fighting.

It was a matter of seconds.
My speed, right now, was something that no human being could hope to achieve, I ran through nearly five hundred meters in the blink of an eye, and then I found her standing on the battlefield surrounded by Roche's broken golems and death or dying homunculus.

Ruler.

I had to admit that the servant in front of me was definitely the most beautiful girl I ever seen. Her eyes were amethyst-colored and they were… I don't know how to put it, completely pure, her eyes didn't have a shadow, it was like looking in a crystalline mirror of water. She didn't have the precise and molded beauty of a homunculus or the kind of cuteness that made one's heart flutter just by being nearby. She possessed a wondrous beauty that scarcely felt real if I wasn't sure it was impossible I would have thought I was standing before an angel. Her long blond hair was gather in a braid, and a French helm from the fifteenth century covered them.

I squared her with my sight and I lingered, for a bit on her… eh generous chest, then on the one-handed holy sword on her right hip, and the long pole she held in both her hands, probably her main weapon.

When she saw me, she stopped to make any movements, she realized that I was her last opponent.
I slowly went to her, each step I made was beside the corpses of my brothers and sisters, definitely a sad scenery, yet no emotion surged from my heart.

While I was walking in the snow in a puddle of blood I saw my reflection, after INCLUDING the card in me the same armor Siegfried wore was on my body, his scar was on my chest, my skin was now tan like his, and our hair had now the same silver color.

"Gosh I'm hot, and a dead man, but a hot one"
I playfully whispered with a faint smirk on my lips.

I was now in front of her, in front of Ruler, and… I realized that I didn't know what to do.

"I think I should have changed from the beginning instead of walking".
I thought while having a staring contest with her.

None of us was doing anything ans probably she was thinking the same thing I was.

"Please! someone break this awkward silent"
I screamed internally.

Still waiting for something to happen I begun to make order in my thoughts
" Good reasons to attack: my transformation will last only a few more minutes so I shouldn't waste precious seconds,
Good reasons not to attack: maybe I can talk my way out of here, get back with my skin in my tank… or in any other place in the world and I don't think I can win"

"Aren't you going to attack me"
Ruler asked me with an unrealistic melodious voice.

That was bad hearing the word "attack" made me remember the voice of Gordes.
"Fight Ruler, kill Ruler, fight Ruler"
Was the only thing I could hear

The urge to fight Ruler, that until a moment ago, was canceled by my burning desire to run away, now was forcing myself to assume a fight stance: with my feet at shoulder width, my knees slightly bent, and Bahalmung, Siegfried's greatsword, held by both my hands in front of me.

I wasn't sure how long I could stop my body from attacking her, but I seriously doubted that I could beat her in a fight. I had indeed the power of a servant but I didn't have the proper experience to wield it against another servant, so fighting her head on was a suicide. That thanks to Gordes orders I couldn't avoid.

I didn't know what I was thinking but for some strange reason, I bit my tongue to regain some control and still tried to talk my way out of there.
It was a pure madness, I couldn't imagine what made me decide to waste any more seconds of my transformation, maybe was her beauty or the desire to talk for the first time to a decent human being that made me say with trembly voice.

"Attack you is indeed the order my masters gave me, and I don't know how long I can restrain myself from attacking you… yet I'd like to have a short speech with you before our fight"
After those words came out from my mouth I waited for two long seconds before hearing

"Fine, but first answer my questions."
she said with serious voice

"First who or what are you? My sight as a Ruler allows me to discover the identity of every servant I see, in you, I see the power of the hero of the "Nibelungenlied" Siegfried, yet you are not him. Second, how can the Yggdmillenia clan use the holy Grail power? I was sent here with the purpose to stop the abuse of the power of the Holy Grail, yet I do not possess the knowledge to accomplish my mission without killing all the people in the castle. If you could tell me a particular artefact to destroy or anything like that in order to stop the abuse of the Grail's power, I would be very thankful for letting me avoid any more bloodshed"

She said after a bit of hesitation with her melodic voice.
At first, she had an inquisitive tone, but when she asked me who I was she instinctively sweetened her voice. She probably got from my earlier speech that I was not fighting because I wanted to but because someone ordered me to.
Who knows maybe she felt pity for me, or she was just so stupidly kind to be considered to everyone, after all, she asked me information to avoid killing those assholes of my masters.

"Well well well, you really know your business… fine I shall answer your questions.
Who am I?
I'm Sieg

What am I?
this is a more tricky question, I'm a homunculus with a heart of a servant…basically I'm a proxy of a servant made for… bah I actually don't know my purpose, I think I'm a disposable weapon of some sort…

How to stop my masters from drawn power from the Holy Grail by destroying something?
I don't know and even if I knew I highly doubt I will ever be allowed to say this information aloud…"

I said in a monotone, while in my mind I was happily thinking.
"ahaha I know where the room of the crystals connected with the Holy Grail is but if you think I will deliberately save Yggdmillenia assholes you are wrong"

Then I said
"if you have finished with your questions I'd like to ask you one question too"

"Go ahead"

"What is your name?"
I asked the gorgeous lady in front of me.

For a second she looked at me in shock and a faint blush spread across her cheeks.
I couldn't understand why her reaction was so surprised until I realized a thing.

It was dangerous to ask a servant to reveal their name. Knowing the name of a servant you become able to find precise information on their history, strengths, and weaknesses, so giving away their identity for a servant might be a fatal mistake, even so, I wanted to know "who is the hero that will take my life".

"Jeanne… Jeanne d'Arc, pleased to meet you"
she said over-politely

"Jeanne… thanks to be the first person that had with me a human conversation"
I said to her.
it was stupid but the bittersweet voice she used with me and the concerned expression she assumed when she asked for my identity was the kindest thing anyone ever did for me.

Looking at her in this snowed battlefield I couldn't think how such a kind girl could have been a warrior.
I knew the story of Jeanne d'Arc, a holy maiden that inspired people to fight with her faith and that died burn at the stake.

She had suffered more than I could even imagine, yet she could still be this kind.

Thinking about her story made me feel… sad, Yes I was sad for this girl because as much as me, she found herself in a situation she didn't ask to be in, she fought and died for others, truly an hero.
I was sure that Yggdmillenia attacked her first because I could read in her eyes that she didn't want to kill anyone, she may even felt guilty about it.
so I decide to tell her the only advice I could give.

"Jeanne one thing, I can see you are a kind girl but, let me tell you this: do not have mercy for the people in the castle or me because"
Unable to restrain my urge to fight her anymore I stepped forward and rose my two handed sword, covering the last meters between me and her in the blink of an eye.

"None will be given to you"
I said swinging my sword to the right side of her neck

As much unexpected as my blow was, nothing could against Jeanne's pole, that the girl swiftly moved to stop my incoming swing.
After my first attack, she immediately responded, with a sudden thrust of the lower part of the pole in my ribs, I tried to dodge by twisting my body to my left but, my action was anticipated by Jeanne that promptly made her thrust became a wide swing aimed to my chin.

When I saw the pole coming for my face I waited for the pain. It was only when the pole hit my chin and bounced off

"Siegfried was known for his indestructible skin the ARMOR OF FAFNIR."
I realized as the weapon of ruler could barely scratch me

"When this hero killed the ancient dragon he bathed in its blood and gained the power to talk with animals and an invulnerable body, except in a part of his back where a leaf stuck during the bloodbath and prevented the dragon's blood to empower Siegfried's skin…
Holy shit the leaf that Julian had in the surgical room was that leaf"
I thought analysing the information I knew.

After coming to this realization a voice in my head said something about me being immune to any kind of attack made by Noble phantasm below rank B.
Aware of my advantage I drove my right fist in the still confused Jeanne stomach, the B+ strength of my punch blown her away, throwing her ten meters further.

Without waiting her to land I used the skill of the Saber class, Prana burst, making a great amount of mana that swelled in my body was reversed outside it, empowering me,
The blink of an eye and I was dashing towards the point Jeanne would fall, swinging my sword in a wide arc aiming at her torso.
The girl twisting her body in mid-air dodged my sword, and kicked my head with all her might, I was forced to flinch, her strength was around B so she was barely able to hurt me, but those two steps I took to regain my balance gave her enough time to land and start savagely attack me with her pole.

We started to exchange blows,

"Here it comes the pole"
I thought

Swing to the head. Intercept.

To the tights. Dodge.

To the waist, Dodge again.

To the left arm, parry.

To the right arm, parry once more.

Thrust in ribs, fuck!

Metallic noises filled the air, while bluish and purple arcs were traced around Jeanne and me by our weapons.

*clank, clank*

I was staying on the defensive, parrying and deflecting her blows with incredibly precise movements of my blade, even if I could take many of her attacks without, suffering any injuries, thanks to my skill let her break my defense would be suicidal.

"If I let her hit me, god, know how many blows she would land."
I thought while countering a strike,

My feet were sinking in the snow, and dodging with a hair thin space another thrust of Jeanne's pole I readied my sword.
"Now is my turn"
I screamed feinting a descending diagonal swing.

She took the bathe and rose her spear-like pole,
I swiftly thrust the of my sword pommel in her waist's left side.
She was left without air in her lungs,

"Leave her no time to react"
I thought headbutting Ruler.

After taking two powerful blows Jeanne was forced to back away few steps giving me time to overturn the situation.
Now I was leading the fight, I kept slashing and thrusting my sword at Jeanne using my superior Endurance to attack her no stop, without giving her any rest.

With each swing, with each blow I exchanged with Jeanne I felt my movements get better, my footwork improve, and my instincts sharpen. Unfortunately, as the time went on my mind was also slipping away and the Siegfried one was taking its place in my body.

When I realized that I lost the track of the battle and hesitated.
Suddenly I wanted to stop, in order to preserve, my existence, but the orders of Gordes and the fury of the battle made me unable to back off.

Two seconds, it was that the time I let Ruler and her Seizing the chance, sped up all the attacks and hit all my joints at the same time a lightning fall on the ground.

Jeanne had now stated to fight more aggressively all her attacks had become faster, sharper and more powerful, I could barely keep up with her without returning to a fully defensive tactic.

"She had stopped to hold back"
I thought as the spear-like pole began to storm on my body.
At the beginning of the fight, Ruler's movements weren't even the shadow of the ones she was displaying now.
"they have become more refined, without any kind of waste"
I thought Surprised by the development, yet I was puzzled.

" Why she would hold back against me and then go all out.
If this is her real level of skill she had played with me all this fight,
why would she go all out now, when she could fake to barely beat me and trick all Magus in the castle about her real power"
I wondered as the ARMOR OF FAFNIR, my ace in the hole; the one I "didn't" want to abuse was now, the only thing that stopped Jeanne to cut me in tiny little pieces.
her blows descended on me like heavy rain and I didn't even dare to think what would happen if my transformation ended right now, but of course, I began to feel my body very heavy.

"Bad news I can feel that the transformation is about to end…"
I cried in my head.

Funny thing my plan at the beginning was to wait until the right moment and then counter one of Jeanne's attack and end the fight with the mightiest blow I could muster. But with the countless blows she was landing on my joints and the imminent end of my "Siegfried mode", I decided that I couldn't waste any more time and I musted end the fight in the next seconds.
With a powerful jump, I backed away trying to gain precious space and rest to plan my next actions.

"It is a matter of seconds before the card runs out of mana, and I'm not even sure if I can survive the change back.
I have only one chance to win"
I thought realizing that I needed to throw away the defence and focus on one finishing blow.

Jeanne was charging me for the umpteenth time, holding the pointed tip of her pole in front of her, she was probably thinking that I would easily dodge her first thrust and then we would start one more dance of blows exchanges, but her plan wasn't going to end well.

Recognizing that moment as my only possible occasion left, I rose my sword for the last time and charged against Ruler pouring all the man I had left in the Prana burst.

I and Jeanne clashed, but this time instead of parring or dodging her pole I threw myself in front of it.
The tip of the pole sank into my flesh right above my belly button ( yes homunculus have belly buttons!), the nauseating taste of blood filled my mouth and a troubled expression was painted on Jeanne's face.

"sorry Ruler but now it's over"
I said with ominous voice.
Making recourse to all my will power I stopped Jeanne from moving by "hugging" her with my left arm, even if it meant making the pole carve even deeper into my guts, while with my right arm I slashed at the girl's head, with my great sword that was still glowing of blue after the prana burst.

"I win"

Was the only thing in my mind

But I stopped my arm before hitting the girl.

"I won but how can even matter.
She fought me holding back for almost all the fight, out of concern for me.
Only now I get it, when she started to get serious all the blows she landed weren't meant to kill but to stop me, my shoulders, my legs, all my joints were repeatedly hit, to make me stop fighting. I said her not to have any mercy so why she remained so stubbornly focused on showing ruth to me?"
I thought until painful shocks went through my spine.

"Well if she wanted to save me... haha I ruined her plans with my suicidal attack.
now I've really made a mess"
I muttered before a blinding light came out from my body and the Saber's card fell on my feet.

suddenly I felt my head split in two, my brain was trying to eliminate all Siegfried's memories: faces places, and battlefields I never saw ran through my head, only to disappear.
My magic circuits started to scream and all the pain I had ignored until that moment tore apart my consciousness.
I was sure I would have already fainted, if not for Jeanne's pole still embedded in my body.

The last thing I saw was a shocked Jeanne that could barely keep her tears while muttering
"My lord… this wasn't supposed to happen… he was innocent…I was careful not to hurt him… why…"

I couldn't stand to see her sad face, my existence wasn't something worth tears.
Trying to prevent her from more sadness I used my last strengths to bring my mouth next to Jeanne's ear and whisper

"shh you don't have to cry, you did nothing wrong
Me, and all my brothers and sisters were ordered to fight and so we did
you just defended yourself as it's right"

"But but…"

"R-Relax we are just homunculus we are disposable
and look, you left alive nearly half of those that were sent against you.
I find that impressing"
I continued raising my index and indicating all the bodies still grunting on the battlefield.
I couldn't believe how tiring was that simple action.
For some reason, this fact didn't help her to cheer up, on the contrary, she, now had definitely started to cry.

"But all of you were innocents"

"Jeanne you're a kind girl, but do not have mercy for the people in the castle or me because none will be given to you"

I concluded with the suggestion I said to her at the beginning of our fight and left my conscience fade away, I swear I heard a melodious voice it saying
"You're wrong, if what you said was true then why you stopped your swo"

"Shit shit shit shit S.I.E.G.1 failed, we are all going to die"

"Calm down Caules, despair won't help us"

"Oh shut up Julian, wasn't yours and uncle's Gordes duty, prevent any of the Grail security systems to track us?"

"…"

"You're saying nothing, speak goddamn, wasn't your duty to prevent THIS SITUATION"

"Silence both of you, Caules, you're my brother, but I swear I'll slap you in the face if you don't calm down, Julian we will discuss your faults later, am I clear!"

"Yes"

"…yes"

*screek

The door of the control room where the Magus were gathered opened

"Coff coff coff, you're all alive good"
Said Darnic covered in dust

"Give me information what happened after I ordered you to summon Siegfried"

He continued.

"Well. We went into the surgical room and successfully, transplanted Siegfried's heart into S.I.E.G.1 chest, the homunculus was modified well enough, and didn't rejected the heart on the contrary he was able to fully complete the graft."

Started Celinke.

"After he woke up we immediately sent the large mouthed homunculus against Ruler, He managed to charge and include the Saber card and started fighting with the blonde girl (bitch) that destroyed all my golems, they were like pow bam swing boom"

Continued Roche

"Now Ruler has just defeated S.I.E.G.1, the transformation ended before he could deal the finishing blow, and… and for some reason Ruler hasn't attacked us yet, she is gathering the bodies of some homunculus around S.I.E.G.1 in this moment, we believe she is preparing her noble phantasm"

Finished Gordes just before the angered voice of a woman resounded in the walls of the castle.

"Yggdmillenia Clan your champion is defeat, you no longer, have any chance of victory.
I will now retire from the battlefield, collect you wounded, and treat their injuries, I will give you time until sunset, to decide whenever surrender, or face me again."

"Amusing. It appears, Ruler was not preparing a noble phantasm, but collecting survivors. Right now is 4:27 PM we have roughly three hours before sunset. Mmmm, Gordes send your homunculus to retrieve the Saber card and S.I.E.G.1 or his corpse we can't lose Siegfried's heart if some of the other surviving homunculus can be ready to fight again in two hours retrieve them too otherwise kill them. Roche, I want you to create disposable golem as many you can use the Caster card of Avicebron for support. Julian Celinke prepare the Lancer card. Fiore overview the medical treatment of the homunculus and Caules I want that special magic code ready in an hour, take the Ruler card with you. Do not waste any second, if you need me I will be repairing the damaged zones of the castle.

WE ARE GOING TO WIN THIS BATTLE!"

When I regained my senses I found myself bounded to a hospital bed, every inch of my body was screaming in pain and I felt the taste of blood in my mouth.

"Wait dejavu haven't I woke up in the same situation not too long ago…"
I thought,

"Mmm no this time I'm hungry, wow it's the first time I actually feel hungry. Wow it's a strange sensation it's like having a hole through the stomach" I said aloud, while looking at my tummy, only to see that I had an actual hole through my stomach.

"Why the fuck I have hole through my stomach!?"
I screamed.

Then all the memories of my fight with Jeanne came back into my mind, our weapons clashing against each other, the fury of the battle, and the teary expression of a distraught girl.
Regaining some semblance of calm I quietly said

"I survived, I Sieg survived, yet I'm anything except happy, I'm still here in this castle, and if even one of my masters is still alive they will gave me again that cursed card and will make me fight against Ruler again"

Always bounded by leather belts to the hospital bed, I closed my eyes and focused on the noises of the medical machines around me, many of them were attached to my body, in particular around the hole in my stomach. I remained immobile on the bed listening to those bip* and tiiii* that every machine made, with a hole that big above my belly I was lucky to have survived long enough to be rescued, I was sure the only thing that now kept me alive were these devices connected to me.

I was thinking about what was going to happen when suddenly, a girl on a wheelchair, Fiore entered the surgical, room.

"I can't believe it twenty homunculus still alive and uncle Gordes took back only four of them. Ahhhhh the ultimatum is in two hours and I have to fix you"
She said exasperated while approaching my bed, she checked my vital parameters on a random monitor muttering, some lines of a spell.

Immediately after she stopped mumbling, I felt pleasant chills run around my wound, she had cast on me a healing spell, but judging from the speed of regeneration I doubted she could heal me for the ultimatum.

"Hey sister I finished my magic code and uncle Darnic told me to help you"
Said a bespectacled guy while entering in the room, Caules the singer.

"Lil' brother thank god you're here help me healing S.I.E.G.1"

"Of course"

A few other muttered lines of a spell and the pleasant chills doubled.

"Hey Caules"

"What Fiore?"

"Can you tell me what is the "secret magic code" you worked on"

"I don't see why not "
Said the boy, stopping his healing magic and taking out from his pockets a dagger long twenty centimetres (He had pretty big pockets) and a sphere of dimension of coconut.

The dagger had an obsidian blade rectangular shaped, so it wasn't meant to stab people, was bereft of guard and had a simple hilt made of black wood.
Meanwhile, the sphere was transparent and judging by a thin line, it was possible to open it.

"What is it?"
Asked Fiore.

"Well, you see, what I have here is an insurance made in case a homunculus went out of control.
This poniard is a mystic code that drain mana, while this ball is where the mana is collected"
He said handing the devices to his sister. (That has stopped to heal me as well… ouch)

"Ah pretty awesome how many mana units can be accumulated the ball"

"Roughly five hundred, the problem is the speed of the drain and the overheating of the poniard "

"Uncle Darnic plans to stab Ruler and take her mana?
Five hundred mana units is impressive but, a servant is made of much more mana, stab (oh it was meant for stabbing) her would probably slow her just for a second"

"Indeed that would be the case"
Said Caules while taking the ball from Fiore,

"But using this tool"
He said pulling again something out from is pocket (Just how big are those pockets!)

"I can drain instead of her mana her soul"
The magus said holding the Ruler card in his hand.

*pop*

Quite a funny sound announced the opening of the sphere. The young magus slipped the magic card inside it with a gesture he told the sister to hand back the dagger.

"Admire our secret weapon " (Not so secret anymore)
Caules said after hooking the ball to the end of the hilt, leaving a quite ridiculous result.
The ball that should have looked like a pommel was way too big, so the mystic code in its whole looked completely disproportionate.

"Wait how it is possible to "drain" the soul of a servant with a device studied for steal mana"
Said confused Fiore

"Let me ask you how do Masters sustain their servant energy when they can't supply any mana?"
Asked Caules ready to start an explanation.

"Consuming the souls of living being"

"Exactly.
As you know souls can be turn in to mana, but the other way around is not possible, or should I say it wasn't possible until he was created."
Said Caules pointing at me

"Look at S.I.E.G.1 he turn into Siegfried because he can produce the mana of the heroic spirit and then he pours it in the card.
you know that the card filled with mana connects to the Holy grail and allows the transformation, but what you don't know is that every time he produces that mana Siegfried soul grows inside him"

"Wait Caules, what do you mean with "produce" didn't we replaced all his mana with Siegfried's"
Interrupted even more confused the wheelchaired girl

"No we couldn't replace all his mana, the strain on its body would have been too much, in order to use Siegfried's mana he must first gather his own mana in the mana core we implanted in him and only then he is able to call at forth the power of the heroic spirit.

Think about it, we put in S.I.E.G.1 the heart of Siegfried, a mana core, instead of transplanting something easier like an arm.

Why?

Arms may contain magic circuits and if those of a mortal and those of a heroic spirit were to connect all the information of the heroic spirit would uncontrollably flow in magic circuits that can't simply resist that power, and the soul of the servant would immediately try to devour the mortal one with catastrophic results. A Heart instead is more difficult to use for extracting information and mana of a servant but the strain on magic circuits is exponentially lower. The information of the heroic spirit still goes through the mortal magic circuits but the power is less violent and more controlled so the servant's soul replacing the mortal one is a slower and safer procedure."

Said Caules at the speed of light.

"So…Basically S.I.E.G.1 can use Siegfried's mana when he wants but will kill himself doing so.
We didn't transplant the arm of a servant on our homunculus because otherwise, the mana would have flowed in an uncontrollable manner killing S.I.E.G.1 immediately."
Asked Fiore slowly

"Caules simple is better you know…"

"yeah, I know but you got wrong one thing."

"..."

"S.I.E.G.1 can't summon the magic of Siegfried at will, he still has no idea how to channel his mana into his new heart, he must always touch the Saber card.
The card steadily search for the mana and soul of an heroic spirit and, in this case, force S.I.E.G.1 to produce the mana of Siegfried"
Said Caules puffing his cheeks

"That means that mystic code can take Ruler soul because the card with the same mechanic. You said the card always search for servant's mana, so if we stab Ruler with your dagger, the card will absorb her mana and her very soul."
Said Fiore understanding the situation

"You stole my lines."

"Uncle Darnic wants to prepare as much firepower as we can, before twenty past seven. Then he will surrender to Ruler and lure her in the castle.
Only to let us attack her with the noble phantasm of Lancer, Roche's Golems and all uncle Gordes's homunculus left, in theory, this will weaken her enough to be vulnerable to my dagger"
Responded her brother puffing his cheeks even more, and then assuming a calm tone

"Interesting, the only problems are: how to lure Ruler, if we can weaken her, how to stab her, how long it will take to absorb her with her attempts to free herself. HOW THE FUCK CAN YOU THINK THIS PLAN WILL EVER WORK"
Said angrily Fiore.

"Hey sister I never said it was a good plan, but it's our best way out, we can improve our chances if you can fix S.I.E.G.1 in time, we can make him unleash Siegfried's Noble Phantasm against Ruler and wound her more"

"Ok…I'll do my best, but I'm pretty sure he will die after using his noble phantasm, two fights as Siegfried in less than 24 hours, his body won't survive the strain"

"Yeah I know but look at the bright side if this plan works we are still alive and we can create a homunculus that will replace Ruler, imagine a servant with magic defense of level EX, no Magus will ever try to oppose us."

"Seems fair, now start healing him again otherwise he won't be of any help"
Concluded the conversation between siblings Fiore starting to heal me again.

"Aaaaa that's better"
Was my first thought after hearing their conversation

My second thought was
"oh God this nightmare is still going on, and this time Jeanne might die too, fuck, fuck and once more fuck"

"it isn't a plan with a 100% rate of success but, with a bit of luck, they may even defeat Ruler.
I don't know who was the Lancer servant that Yggdmillenia wanted to use but he must have an anti-army or anti-unit noble phantasm, and pretty strong too.
Me too, while on Siegfried mode I possess the powerful noble phantasm Balmung.
The demoniac sword when called with its true name the sword could release an A+ beam that could destroy entire armies, it was a wave-like attack so closer to the enemy is more damage will take. If I was to unleash my attack on Jeanne it possible to even kill her"
I thought during the healing...Darnic's plan was dangerous

Feeling my energies disappear after thinking I slowly lost consciousness again, being healed was more tiring than I imagined

When I woke up again The pain in my stomach was pretty much gone but I could still see a pretty big hole in my belly. The Forvedge siblings had stopped to magically heal me and now I was left alone in the surgical room, in the corner of the room I could catch a glimpse of the magic circle, drawn by Gordes a few hours ago.

"Wait what time is it?"
I said voicing my thoughts,

In the candid surgical room, fortunately, for me, there was the blandest clock ever created right in front of me.

" 7: 10 PM, if I remember correctly, the singer said the plan would start at 7:20…yee still ten minutes of life, no being alive"
I said in my usual emotionless style

With a great amount of depression in my bloodstream, I started to imagine the near future.
"Chance number 1 Jeanne kick everyone asses and I might even survive"
"Chance number 2 Jeanne is defeated and becomes the new picture on the ruler card, while I die after using my noble phantasm"
"Chance 3 I free myself in ten minutes find the Saber card and destroy the castle before anyone of the Yggdmillenia council can give me a direct order, this is a blind bet I may or may not die."

Ti* 7:11

The sound of the clock made me chose the chance 3 immediately.

I checked the situation of my magic circuits injecting a bit of mana in them: they were a strain but I could manage to cast at last one spell.
-Logic pathStraße/opengehen-

From my hands a blue lighting of mana erupted and ran towards the belts around my wrists, a burning pain surged from all my body, my magic circuits had been use too much for only a day. Looking at my mana I realized that Caules was right this was my usual mana, not the one I used to charge the card.

Using the same spell I used to break my tank, I changed the molecular structure of the leather belts, and gave them the consistency of a deadwood.

*urgh

With a violent yank of my arms and I'm set free, unfortunately, the abrupt movement I made, reopened my wounds including my "fantastic" hole in the belly that had stopped bleeding for some kind of witchcraft.

Ti* 7:12

Sharp pain ran through multiple parts of my body while warm blood started to stain my patient clothing, weakly standing up I limped to the closest table and searched for something to stuff my ears with. If I couldn't hear any order I couldn't execute them, after a second of treasure hunting I found some paper napkins, and I made them work.

Ti* 7:13

Slowly reaching for the door I tried to remember the layout of the castle, but every time I traveled through the halls I was unconscious or walking to my death so I didn't have clear ideas of how to move in the castle.

Ti* 7:14

My head starts spinning, I have lost too much blood, trying to walk straight I arrived in front of the door and pulled the handle, it was closed.

Ti* 7:15

"daamn five minutes left, think something think something"
Was the only loud thought In my mind

I extended my hand towards the door and pronounced my aria, but the pain of activating again my magic circuits stopped me from completing the spell

*a..a..a*

A throttled shout came out of my mouth, the metallic taste of blood numbed my tongue and my knees couldn't hold up my body anymore.

Ti* 7:16

I was on the ground, my hand could barely touch the door, my face was smashed on the ground and another droll of blood started to come out of me, this time from the nose, I couldn't move, again, like my whole life, no my being alive, I couldn't move, even a finger.

Ti* 7:17

"Why…Why…Why, why I'm alive…why me, I'm part of nothing but a product of an assembly chain, then why… Why I should be Sieg, why I should be S.I.E.G.1.

WHY THE FUCK I CAN'T MOVE WHEN IT MATTERS, I CAN'T MOVE FOR MY SAKE, I CAN'T MOVE FOR OTHERS SAKE, I'M A PATHETIC ALIVE BEING THAT SHOULD ONLY BE IN A GODAMN TANK AND BE LIKE A GOLDFISH"
My whispers of sadness and screams of rage engulfed the room.

Ti* 7:18

"I want to have purpose in my being alive, I want to be proud of my choices not be someone else puppet.
I thought "do something good before dying",
I thought I could stop that beautiful girl from crying, but I couldn't.
I thought I could help her, and I will be the one that would inflict her the final blow,
that's quite ironic.
Maybe I should die before someone decides it's my time to go in battle, maybe I can in this way save Jeanne, maybe my only purpose was to die… "

Ti* 7:19

"But if my purpose is to die I won't die alone"
I said forcing my body to stand and slowly getting on my feet.

I had left a bloody puddle on the floor but I couldn't care less.

-Logic pathStraße/opengehen-

I opened my magic circuits again, I felt like tearing apart.
tightening my teeth I started to direct my mana in my heart, no Siegfried one.
It was an incredibly tiring task, Caules was right without the card I couldn't use, heroic mana.
yet I was able to create a bubble of it, I could feel it in my blood,

Ti* 7:20

Vibrations from the ground reached my feet I was sure it was almost all the Yggdmillenia council, I reached that bubble of heroic mana, and use it to reinforce my arm, the glowing scar of Siegfried appeared on my forearm, and my strength was incommensurably bigger than before. It was a mystery how I was still conscious I could feel my body fell into pieces, and then the white patient vest I was wearing was now completely red.

The door was opened in front of me by a hurried Roche, that had the Saber card in his hand , followed by Celinke, Gordes and Darnic.

I didn't wait when I saw their faces I decide it was time to act. I smashed my fist into the ground.

*vrommmm

A roar echoed in the castle, I looked at the faces of my masters, they were saying something but I still had paper in my ears so I didn't quite catch what they said probably something along the line of "what the hell".

I felt my body thrown in the air like a rag doll, the panels of the room's flooring, flew in all directions.

In a second everything ended, I had landed on the panel were the magical circle was drawn, I was sure to have kill the Psycho kid Roche, and the other magi were also death or heavily wounded, now Jeanne could hope to peacefully, accomplish her mission.

"Who knows what she will do next, if my knowledge is right she will remain on this planet until the next Holy Grail war starts, I bid her good luck…
I wanted just to live a genuine life…"

Those were my final words, said when my breath couldn't find a way out from my lungs, probably all my bones were broken.

*shhhhhhhWING

A red light sourced under me and my right and started to tickle, or at it was what I thought was but it was too late whatsoever was happening didn't concerned me anymore.

"HELLO TO THE HOLY GRAIL SYSTEM I'M JUSTEAZE LIZRICH VON EINZBER!
YOU ARE THE FIRST SERVANT SELECTED FOR THIS FIFTH HOLY GRAIL WAR!"
Said a cheerful lady with beautiful platinum hair and red eyes.

"Wait what !?"
Responded a Japanese man around his late twenty.

"HERE IS YOUR NEW MASTER, please look in the magic mirror"

"Oh shit that boy look like a gruyere"

"HERE ! IS ALL THE THINGS YOU NEED TO KNOW ARE IN THIS CONTRACT OF PARTICIPATION"
Magically an awful amount of paper appeared in front of the man

"These are at least eight hundred pages am I supposed to read this before helping that guy?"

"EXACTLY AND THE PAGES ARE ACTUALLY 976"

"Okay… if the guy dies before I finish reading can I go home?"

"NO THE TIME HERE IS STOP SO TAKE AS MUCH AS YOU NEED"

*five hours later*

"aha I got it"

"have you done?, I mean, HAVE YOU DONE?"
Said the woman

"yes Holy grail war seven servants and masters, command seals one wish shall be granted bla bla bla, just one question, what's this part eh paragraph 1200, all the servants must sponsor Einzbern's product in change of the 2% of the earnings of the servants merchandise"

"OF COURSE IT MEANS THAT YOU MUST APPEAR IN EINZBERN'S COMMERCIALS AND BE PAID WITH 2% OF THE EARNING THAT YOUR MERCHANDISE PRODUCT, IN THE THIRD HOLY GRAIL WAR THE RIDER ULYSSES FOR EACH COPY OF THE ODYSSEY SOLD WHEN HE WAS ON THE EARTH GAINED MONEY, of course you must chose the currency"

"Ahan interesting probably I can make a lot of money"

"NOW LET'S CHOOSE YOUR CLASS"

Suddenly red error writing started to float in the air

"it app..IT APPEAR WE HAVE A PROBLEM, YOU'RE AN HEROIC SPIRIT FROM THE FUTURE AND THERE ARE MULTIPLE VERSIONS OF YOU THAT HAVE DIFFERENT NOBLE AND CAN FIT THE SAME HEROIC CLASSES"

"Said it again but be more precise Einzbern san"

"YOUR PAST-SELF IS LIVING RIGHT NOW, BUT HIS POSSIBLE FUTURES HAVE TOO MANY OPTIONS, SO IS IMPOSSIBLE TO SUMMON ONE VERSION OF YOU"

"And what determine these futures"

" YOUR WIVES "

" What I only have one wife and her name is… fuck why do I feel like I have six wives"

"BECAUSE RIGHT NOW THERE ARE EIGHT VERSION OF YOU MASHED TOGETHER"

" And is it impossible to just summon one…"

"LIKE I SAID"

"Did I just stop time forever, without even a Stand"

"FORTUNATELY NOT.
WE CAN MAKE THIS WORK IF YOU MUST BE SUMMONED WITH ALL VERSION OF YOU, YOU MUST BE SUMMONED AS AN ASSASSIN, IT IS THE ONLY CLASS THAT FIT THE WHOLE YOU.
UNFORTUNATELY, THERE IS ANOTHER PROBLEM EACH VERSION OF YOU GOT DIFFERENT NOBLE PHANTASMS AND EVEN BY GRANTING YOU THE DOUBLE CLASS RIDER/ASSASSIN CLASS, YOU WOULD STILL HAVE TOO MANY WEAPONS. THE ONLY WAY OUT IS TO SEAL YOURSELVES"

"Define seal please"

"YOU WILL BE A SERVANT RIDER/ASSASSIN, AND CAN EMBODY ONLY ONE VERSION OF YOU AT THE TIME"

"I still don't get it"

"AAAAAAAAA YOU WILL HAVE 8 MODE FROM ZERO TO SEVEN, IT WILL TAKE LARGE AMOUNT OF MANA TO SWITCH FROM ONE TO ANOTHER, EACH MODE GIVE YOU ACCESS TO A DIFFERENT NOBLE PHANTASM YOU CAN'T USE TWO MODES AT THE SAME TIME AM I CLEARRRRRRRRRRRRR"

"Ok I get it calm down"

"THEN HIKIGAYA HACHIMAN I BESTOW YOU THE TITLE OF ASSASSIN SERVANT YOU WILL TAKE PART TO THIS HOLY GRAIL WAR"

As she said so with solemn tone a red light engulfed the young man that asked

"just one question I must really say "are you, my master?" I mean I already know he is my master.
and in which year I'm going to go"

"You have signed the contract you must follow each part, and 2007"

"okay… Wait a minute 2007? I still don't have any merchandize it's a fraud!"

"A..u..m..stert"

Someone was talking to me but I couldn't open my eyes to look who was or hear anything I guess I still had paper in my ears.

*slap *slap

A hand hit my check forcefully opened my eyes and then the same voice screamed
"ARE YOU MY MASTER"

A man was in front of me.

He was tall around 1.85 meter, he wore black military pants, black boots, and some kind of armor on his torso, it looked like a weird combination of a military jacket and a medieval armour…, oh and of course, it was black. He touched my head with his tight cloves that reached his elbows, of his favorite color.

For a moment I could look at his face, he was… cool not the dashing awesomeness of Siegfried, but he had the cool and sharp beauty of a predator, his eyes were… death, like those of a corpse, his irises were grey and a little purple Romanic 1 shone in his pupils.

I tried to say something to this unknown man, but I couldn't speak. He noticed that and said

"Guess you can't talk right now well you have the command seals on your hand so I think it's fine"

-transfer dolor-

Immediately all my pain stopped my wounds were turning in to a black mist, that touched the unknown man disappearing leaving all my injuries transferred on my savior's body.

-dolorem accipit potestatem-

Another spell and all those cuts and fractures become again a black smoke that started spinning around the man

-mentem a corpore-

Three last words and the smoke disappeared. This man here could eliminate pain... Incredible.

"now for the last time. Are you my master?"

I looked at my right hand and saw a black tattoo shaped like a dragon and I slowly took out of my ears the paper leftovers.
"Holy Grail War"
I muttered astonished

the only thing in my mind, all the information in my head seemed to disappear except what I knew about the Holy Grail War: seven Magus summon seven servant and fight each other in order to achieve a wish-granting device.

"Yes I am"
I whispered.

(I have been chosen to fight this incoming war)

"I am your master Sieg, I'm a free homunculus"
I said standing

(I was going to fight again, I couldn't run away because now I had a chance, I had a purpose for my life, no for my being alive)

"The pleasure is all mine. Then master you may call me Assassin"

"What happened here!"

A voice screamed it was Julian followed by a dozen of homunculus and a figure that stood out more than anybody else. I didn't need to think about it twice it was Lancer or at least the homunculus equipped with the Lancer card, dressed in a royal fashion, appearing as black as a shadow in the night, contrasted with his pale face and long, silk-like white hair.

"Assassin"

I whispered while Julian said

"Kill the aggressors, Lancer, homunculi find survivors"

"Fight for me"
I ordered

"Aye Master "
Responded Assassin with a deep voice.

He took a step and it was like the room had frozen and then he said
-Stealth Hikki-

Whatever that meant.

It was absurd ! Assassin was there and then he disappeared.

He was using a skill. That was sure, but it wasn't the usual presence concealment of the assassin's class nor was some kind of invisibility.
it was more like he had become a detail of the room, something you see but you don't watch.

Dashing like a snake on his prey Assassin charged at the homunculus, he covered the distance between them rapidly, he wasn't as fast as I was in Siegfried mode, yet my brothers and sisters couldn't even react.
With swift movements of his limbs, he broke joints, knocked out and pushed away all the homunculus, without killing anyone.
He was like a river fluid and unstoppable.

After finishing my brothers he jumped in front of Lancer, him caught by surprise thrust his spear where Assassin should have been only to miss him of nearly an inch.
"He can't see Assassin, Lancer is just attacking at feeling"
I realized

But even so Lancer was able to stop , the barehanded, Assassin.

" You're pretty fast uh"
said Assassin while his eyes turned from deathly sleepy into sharp and cold.

"He is scary"
I thought looking my servant face thrusts and swings of Lancer's unstoppable weapon, without even blinking!

Silver arcs traced by Lancer's spear engulfed the room yet none of them managed to hit Assassin that like a dancer, was twisting himself to dodge every blow.
It was like Assassin could see every thrust from a mile.

"Lancer stop to play around and kill that MAN!"
screamed Julian tired of the fight.

But even with a direct order from Julian the Lancer homunculs could keep up with Assassin they were on two different leagues. (like me and Jeanne...why do I feel depressed now?).

The battle went on for another good minute, but the outcome was already decided.
Assassin's eyes followed each movement of Lancer and after dodging all those blows and thrusts, he had adapted himself to his opponent fighting style.
Assassin movements became bolder, he started to slip through the barrage of Lancer's thrusts and landed a powerful punch in Lancer's stomach.
My homunculus brother wasn't ready for the blow and was propelled two meters backward.

"Just how high is his strength!"
I thought after seeing my servant's attack.

Seizing the opportunity Assassin began to throw every medical machine he found near himself to the, still dazed, Lancer.

"Eat this !"
Assassin said while many of the machines that kept me alive fled across the room.

Unfortunately, Lancer wasn't really bothered by all that flying stuff, in fact, with swift movements of his spear, he reduced everything to a mass of garbage.

"This was probably the least cool thin Assassin had done in the entire fight"
I apathetically thought watching all the furniture being cut in to pieces, but

"AAARRRRGGGHHHHHH"
I had to change my opinion when Lancer began to scream because he had a bistoury in his right eye.

"they were all decoy to distract Lancer from the real threat"
whispered Julian looking at the suffering homunculus.

Assassin near to the victory dashed one last time against his nearly defeated opponent, that on the other hand wasn't ready to give up.
Lancer trying to finish the fight with one last move, poured all his remaining strengths in one last thrust, more powerful and fast than he had ever done before.
but Assassin had everything under control.
so much under control that I didn't believed to my own eyes when I saw Assassin deviate the pole of Lancer's spear with a calculated movement of the back of his right hand.
The blade of the spear brushed Assassin's face drawing for the first time in the entire fight a drop of blood.
However my servant didn't even notice, he suddenly twisted his hand, grasped the pole of the spear and pulled it with all his might.
Making Lancer, that had his hands still firmly on the weapon, be pulled forward just to receive Assassin's left fist right in the guts.

"UGH"
groaned Lancer spitting blood.

-memento mori-
whispered Assassin making his body cover in wounds for the blink of an eye and then letting five ropes of black smoke shot from his fist and tie Lancer.
A pale blue light appeared to protect the fake servant.
The magic resistance of level B, classical feature of Lancer's servants.
however the black tentacles broke that barrier and the black smoke started to open injuries randomly on the fake servant.
When the smoke disappear Lancer was on the broken floor and had many of the wounds I had when Assassin healed me.

The battle was over.

For a few seconds, none dared to speak not me nor Julian; we were too shocked from the cold and merciless brutality Assassin displayed.

"He doesn't make pain disappear.
he take it on himself and the use it as a weapon"
I thought watching him standing near his bloodied opponent.

"Fuuuuu...Other master-san can you make stop this stupid situation, your puppet right here is not even the shadow of a servant, can you please retire"
said Assassin with bored voice making two steps back and stopping that -Stealth Hikki- he used to be undetectable.

Julian hearing my servant's words assumed an astonished face, he had been defeated and shamed.
"How dare you to speak to me in this way, you don't know who you're talking to"
Replied the young magus angrily

"Homunculus use you're your Noble phantasm"
He Screamed with the pupils dilated

"Fuckkkkkkk, well at least Jeanne is saved for sure now"
I thought while Lancer, filled with holes, stood up and raised his spear.

- Kazıklı Be..e-
said (whispered in an intimidating way) my homunculus brother, too injured to correctly stand and aware that releasing his Noble Phantasm now was like a death sentence.
I really remained speechless when instead of the true name of his Noble Phantasm just blood came out from his mouth.
An obsidian spike stuck in Lancer's chest.

"What!"
I thought instinctively looking at Assassin...he was surrounded by black mist and those mysterious black spikes.

Before anything else could happen a flash of light engulfed the room; the effect of the card was over.
when the light disappeared Julian had probably done the wisest decision of his whole life… he ran away.

"That was... impressive"
I said to Assassin a bit uncomfortable

"I know, I was all Ka ka ka ka kachi daze, and he was like why I can't hit him…eh I mean indeed master"
Said him at first cheerful and then with his usual monotone.

"Right... For now, let's get out of here"
I said to the scary-looking man

"Yes, but Master can you wait a second?"
he asked me.

I slowly nodded curious of his intent

-transfer dolor-

-dolorem accipit potestatem-

-mentem a corpore-

"He chanted those three spell that healed me "
I thought

The usual black mist started to fly into the air and moved towards Assassin, I saw him battered again by those injuries, and then like before all wounds turned again in smoke and disappeared.
All the homunculus stood up confused even the Ex-Lancer

Assassin looked in their direction and screamed
"GET THE FUCK OUT"

They didn't need any clarification and flew.
Assassin then conceded himself a smirk for a second, and then his lips returned like a thin line

"Okay Master we can go"
He said

Yet I couldn't respond to him, I was too confused by this man, I couldn't read him.
First, he was ruthless and lethal and now...he saves disposable homunculus without thinking twice.

"Why, did you heal them?"
I asked in soft tone.
It was beyond my comprehension, he wasn't like Jeanne he didn't look kind nor he seemed reluctant to fight, on contrary he probably enjoyed it.
Yet he just decided to take their injuries and let them go.

"Because is what I wanted to do"
He simply said, understanding what I meant.

Looking around me I realized what kind of monster he was, outside the castle a few hours prior Jeanne had fought in similar situation and even with her kindness ended up killing many homunculus, while him took all of them down in less than three minutes without killing anyone.

"Just who are you?"
I wondered looking at my servant trying to read his stats.

STR B-

END B+

AGI A

MANA C

LUCK D

N.P ?

"And now someone is messing with me, his stats are too average how could he control that fight so perfectly"

After the fight I and Assassin went through the door I destroyed a few minutes ago and begun to search for the Saber card Roche had in his hand.
I found it beside a big debris dirty of blood.
I was ready to tell Assassin we were moving out, but

"Help someone help us"
Two overlapped voices screamed

I recognized them

"they are Gordes and Celinke voices."
I thought They were still alive… uff

Before I could stop him Assassin had already run towards, the point where the voices of the two Magus came out, he lifted some debris and took them out.
I watched my two ex-masters still bloodied coughing dust out of their lungs they looked very pitiful and I liked that.

"Assassin kill them"
I said without any emotion, looking at them had made my mind froze that was probably the first moment of my life in which I felt hatred.

Stopping to cough for a second, they looked at me with eyes filled with fear
But Assassin responded

"I'd rather not, I have never killed with my own hands, and I would prefer not dirt them now… the Grail gave me information about you Sieg, and I can understand how much you must hate them, but kill them is not the answer"

"What you suggest then "
I retorted wondering if I should have inaugurate my command seals

"We take their wallets We let them go, we collect the remaining cards and we destroy the castle"
He said diplomatically

"What about I kill them, we take their wallets, we collect the remaining cards and destroy the castle"
I counter offered

"Oh and we meet Jeanne outside"
I added

"Who is Jeanne? your girlfriend, imotou"
He asked confused

"Eh? NO! and what's an imotou... never mind, I'm talking about the Ruler servant I fought like three hours ago, you said the Grail gave you information on me! how could you miss that! you a… unless you were bluffing, just to convince me..."

"…"

"…"

"…"

"Were you bluffing Assassin?"

"We take their wallets ,we take the cards,we"

"DON'T CHANGE TOPIC, AND WHY THE WALLETS?"

"BECAUSE YOU'RE AN HOMUNCULUS AND I'M A SERVANT WE DON'T HAVE ANY MONEY"

"I SAID TO NOT CHANGE TOPIC!"

" YOU CHANGED IT THIS TIME"

"YOU'RE RIGHT SORRY"

"NO PROBLEM"

Assassin and I started to shout at each other, standing one in front of one another until

*crack

a sound made us stop arguing and turn our head painfully slowly.
Gordes and Celinke were trying to sneak away on hands and knees.

"Fine you win we take their wallets, we steal all the cards in the castle, we let them go, we destroy this place and meet Ruler, she should be in the castle by now."
I said, and added

"But ,don't you dare to heal these two, and you must shave the fat one's moustaches"

"Seems fair, I decided to not kill for now, but I won't save them"

"I would have liked more this sentence if they were still under those rocks"

"Just leave it be"
He said with his usual bored voice, while walking toward the two Magi paralyzed from fear.

Assassin made appear a leather belt around his waist, on it there was a metal stick 3 inches long with a double axe shaped head and a holster.
From the holster he took out…a can? Yes a yellow and brown can where was written on "MAX COFFEE".He opened it with a *tizz and gulped it in one go.

I wanted to ask him what was that but before I could his mana flared.

"It must be some kind of miraculous potion his mana is replenished and I did nothing"
I thought.

"Ah that's better"
Said Assassin while a bluish aura was swirling around him

"Yukino"
Was his last word before all the mana around him was devoured, the stick on his belt vanished to be replaced by a black one-handed Japanese sword, and the I in his pupils became a II.

Unsheathing his new blade, the temperature of the room seemed to have dropped of 10 degrees, he lifted Gordes Musik face and said

"Time to shave those moustaches"

"WAIT NOT MY MOUSTACHES EVERYTHING BUT NOT THEEEEEEEMMMMMMMMMM"

"Okay Jeanne"
Said a girl slapping her cheeks

"You can do it, you have to act casual, when they will surrender you are going to tell them you will take the sexy… I mean Saber homunculus with you. End of the story...why I'm so weak to pretty boys that do not smell like an horse, and talk to me before trying to kill me… I should improve my tastes a bit"
The young girl smiled shyly.

Her mind and her heart were devoted to God, but she had already died once and in this second chance she was granted she wanted to live not as an holy maiden but as a girl like she deserved.

"I hope he is fine, he was wounded pretty badly, all his cloths were torn apart, of course I didn't look at ABSolutely nothing"
She continued while doing her first step, she was in front of the Yggdmillenia castle's frontal gate, that was strangely unguarded

"Well they must have surrendered"
She thought innocently

She made the second step towards the gate, but before she could made the third one every part of the castle was destroyed by dark water

Leaving the young girl
"What the heck"

[one minute before]

"Are you ready Master?"
Asked Assassin

"yeah, I think…. No let me check again: all 8 servants cards here , wallets too, I'm wearing new cloths, that look exactly the same from my old ones, and everybody that had not escaped already is behind us tied up, hello Caules thanks for your mystic code. Okay I'm ready destroy this place... uh why you have again an I in your pupils and your sword is gone?..."
I responded

"I will tell you later, now less speaking more action give me your mana"
He told me.

I opened my magic circuits, that after Assassin's cure were like anew and charged him.

His voice started to resound in the air

Audi vocatio mea

(hear my call)

saeva mare

(cruel sea)

repraesentet altum somnum

(deep sleep carrier)

Images of shipwrecks appeared around us

annegatore stupra

(drowner of lives)

Men and women drown in impervious waters were shown

iram tuam adversum me tempestatis

(pour your wrath and storm into me)

All the images turned in black smoke and condensed in a sphere on Assassin right palm

capti animarum liberator meus in te

(I'm the one that shall free the souls inside you)

A flashback was now being projected around everyone.

A younger Assassin walking on the sea floor, reaching for the hands of black bodies chained to the ground. When his hand touched one body, it lost the black shell that covered it.

That black shell ran towards Assassin and he stated to absorb it while a smiling white shining man came out of that black tomb.

The shining man now free to fly to the surface, extended his hand to Assassin. Assassin grasped the hand of the shining man, just to close it, he gestured towards the many people that, were still trap in those black shells, with a soft smile. The shining man stopped to smile he assumed a sad face but started to nod. Before flying away he touched Assassin's chest giving him a tear of shining light that like the black shell begun to be absorbed by Assassin.

This scene was repeat countless times: every time a different shining person was saved, tried to help Assassin, just to be refused, until only Assassin remained alone on the sea floor.

"He saved everyone but who saved him?"
Was my question

The flashback suddenly ended, and now a bubble filled with dark water and a tiny light in the middle, was suspended on Assassin's hand

"Is that a bubble?"
I asked him

"No this is a marble"
He responded

TYPHOON QUANTISQUE NAUFRAGIIS

(Celestial typhoon of the shipwrecked)

The marble broke into pieces and a tornado of dark water appeared around us, just below the surface I could see skeletons and remains of ships from every age, while pillars of light rhythmically stood out in the sky.

The spell went on for a full minute my mana reserves depleted, and probably I should have asked to stop, but every part of me wanted this castle in ruin.

When the only things that remained from the castle were memories the spell ended, for a brief moment before all the water disappeared, I realized it wasn't dark anymore but crystalline.

"what the heck"

The young girl remained immobile until the water disappeared.
The castle was gone, but in front of her stood the homunculus she was searching Sieg, and beside him a tall wrapped in dark clothes.

Her Ruler eyes immediately told her he was a servant yet she couldn't even think something to say before her feet moved and she went in front of that bizarre duo.

"Hi Jeanne "

" Yo"

Said Sieg in monotone and his, apparently, servant.

Mixed emotions filled the heart of the girl, happiness, relief, rage, fear, and mostly confusion.

"Do not "hi" me. What you did to the castle and everybody inside it?"
She said with a cutely angry voice.

"We destroyed the castle freed the homuculi and tied up all the others, I thought it was pretty clear.
don't waste my time with stupid questions you can easily respond by opening your eyes."
Said the dark servant with bored voice while, pointing his left thumb behind is back.

In fact there were many seated homunculus and a few bounded magus behind them.

"By the way I'm starving!, I wanna find a restaurant or something"
he added

"What Assassin meant is that we dealt with your mission and everyone there is unharmed, but we'd like to move away from here"
Said Sieg trying to cover for his servant rude behaviour.

After hearing to the word of the servant and the master, the young girl ran around all the debris, looking for clues, after a few laps she said.
"All right I will follow your plan, but you will tell me the whole story and do not spare any detail."

*growl

A sound resounded between the three magical beings

Sieg with confused voice asked
"Was that your stoma"

"No It wasn't"

Said a blushing Ruler

"You said you were looking for a eatery, well I will go with you"
Continued the still ashamed girl.

It was late evening when we reached the city beneath the Yggdmillenia Castle, Trifas.

For most part of the travel we walked while me and Assassin told Jeanne all our eh….adventure. when we realized we were probably going to find all restaurants closed if we didn't speed up so Assassin took me on his right shoulder, like some kind of injured soldier and started to run , while Jeanne was following using an hand to restrain herself from laughing.

"The first we need to search now is dress shop"
Said Assassin

"Why ?"
Asked Jeanne confused

"Because he has nothing adapt to winter to wear, and Me and you have only our battle gears.
we should kinda keep a lower profile"

"but I can change my outfit"
Said Jeanne

transforming her armor in a white tunic, slightly too light for winter

"S-s-s-s-see...brr"
concluded the girl

"okay now we have to move, before Ruler freeze to death"
stated my servant looking around to find the shop he wanted.

We began to sneak around the town and suddenly an obscure thoughts crossed my mind

"Hey Assassin if we have to move around and I need to call you, what should I do, I mean Assassin is not exactly a name"
I said to the scary japanese man

"…"

"…"

"Oh right I didn't told you my name, my true name is Hikigaya Hachiman, so call me Hikigaya"
He said with careful voice, after all he had just disclosed his most important information to me but

"Hikigaya Hachiman… I do not know your fame… even with my Ruler's eye, I can't see your legend… who are you?"
Jeanne said anticipating my thoughts.
I never heard of an hero named Hikigaya Hachiman, even with all the knowledge about heroic spirits Yggdmillenia implanted in me, I couldn't even imagine who my servant was and what he did in order to get his title of hero.

" This is not a conversation that is made to be done right now let's focus on getting clothes"
He said ending this topic.

It took us a while but we eventually found a sweet shop open till late. There I chose to buy an heavy brown coat, while Jeanne a white cotton shirt, a blue skirt, a pair of white shoes, and a long blue coat with black fur around collar, and cuffs, everything she wore was simple but she looked like incredible anyway.
Last but not least Hikigaya chose for himself a white shirt, a green comfy hoodie and grey winter jacket.

Of course everything was paid with the credit card of Gordes Musik.

Wearing our new stylish outfits we went to a restaurant nearby.

While walking I noticed that even without weapons or armors, we three stood out quite a bit: two teenagers one cool and red-eyed, the second beautiful and blonde, both of them followed by a scary looking Japanese man. God knows what we seemed.

Once we seated at a free table, me and Jeanne were seated abreast, and Hikigaya was in front of us. Three menu were given to us, I fortunately had knowledge of Romanian so I could easily read everything, Jeanne instead seemed to have some difficulties.

"Are you okay?"
I asked Jeanne

"Yes just having a bit of trouble with these writings, the Grail gave me knowledge of every language but when I was alive I couldn't read or write so I'm having some problem to read correctly"
She answered blushing

"Fine let me know if I can help you, you Assas… I mean Hikiygaya have you decided what to eat"
I said trying to make conversation with the other servant

"Yes"

Talkative like usual…

When we were ready to order a young man came to take our ordinations, I took a meat plate, Jeanne a vegetables soup, and Hikigaya went for some grilled fish.
I have to say it, I was nervous It was the first time I talked to a simple human, and the first time I ate as well.
when I entered in this place the smell of food made realize how hungry I was.

A few minutes later our ordinations arrived with a cool bottle of water, unfortunately when my steaming beef steak was under my nose that I realized I didn't know how to use cutlery.

I stared at my ordination for a full minute until Hikigaya flicked my forehead with his finger.
"Brat look at me, right hand on the fork hold it like this"

He said while moving my hand

"The knife in this way"
Again bustling with my hand

"Ruler please stop drinking your soup from the plate and use the spoon dammit"
Assassin said after moving his gaze on the other person at our table

Hearing his last sentence I suddenly turned to my left just to see the always splendid Jeanne with her face dirty of soup… that was funny.
As the dinner went on Hikigaya corrected me on more things: manners, colloquial courtesy etc.
Jeanne was no better her displays of clumsiness were unbelievable, and so Hikigaya corrected her too.
Looking us the exasperated Assassin stopped respectfully addressing us with Master or Ruler and called us simply brat and gamine.

When we finished eating an hot coffee was served for Hikigaya and he stated to put spoons and spoons of sugar in it and asked
"So what's your plan brats?"

"…"

"…"
I and Jeanne stayed both silent we didn't exactly get what he meant but...he wasn't just talking about were to sleep right?

"Both of you know that we can't stay here in this restaurant for ever, the next holy Grail war sooner or later will begin, none of us know how long we must wait, one day, one month, one year, ten years, our entire lives?
Mine summoning and gamine's one were exceptional cases, and this mean that for indefinite time the Holy Grail won't support my summoning or Ruler's one.
you get it brat?
Fortunately I can use one of my noble phantasm to replenish my mana reserves."
Said Hikigaya making appear on the table the same yellow and brown can I've seen before

"This is one of my noble phantasms "Imōto no ama-sa" the sweetness of a little sister.
This can has the power to contain an unlimited amount of a divine beverage named MAX COFFEE, sold only in japan.
Drinking from this can, I can replenish my mana resources and when I say the Noble phantasm's true name I can enchant my physical stats to a certain extent.
The only problems are First that I need to actually fill this can with max coffee to use it, for example right now is empty so it's useless.
and Second that I need lot of this beverage to recharge myself, not the easiest thing to do during a fight. Usually twelve portions refill all my mana reserves. ( but ten cause diabetes)

So you can say that my mana problem will be irrelevant if we move to japan.
Gamine instead lack a a master or a cool noble phantasm like mine, and judging from her hunger"

Said pointing at the tower of dishes near Jeanne

"She is going to go through many difficulties, she will need a great amount of food to sustain the mana expense of a servant body, and her body will slowly decay, unless she forge a pact with a Magus or start collecting mana in other ways… "
Finished Hikigaya

"What do you mean by other ways?"
Asked Ruler puzzled

"I think he meant consuming souls or the exchange of bodily fluids like blood, saliva or perhaps sperm with a magical being"
I explained

Jeanne cheeks flared up.

"If you want, I can give you my bodily fluids"
I offered

Hearing my words Hikigaya started to sneer While Jeanne face became even redder

"Did I say something wrong?"

I asked confused
"Just to confirm how would you share with Arc your… ehm bodily fluids"
Said Hikigaya amused, while tomato Jeanne was muttering something

"Well. For the blood I think the best option is to put it in some vials and then let Jeanne drink it. The saliva is a more powerful source of mana but the transmission must be direct so a… how was called again …yes ,a kiss, and for the sperm I think the only way possible to transmit all the mana is a coitus…I'm pretty sure that sperm is the most powerful source."

When I finished explaining Jeanne had practically fainted,

"Ara Ara Ara…this is going to be fun, then finished the pause about Sieganne, let's get to serious business, Snap out of your trance Ero-Ruler"
Hikigaya said smirking

Jeanne insisted not to react, so Hikigaya used his hand to hit the girl on her head, while saying Hachiman chop

"It hurts"
Said Jeanne awaking from her trance

"Okay now I'm going to tell the plan.
We will use Yggdmillenia's credit cards for another day, we will buy anything that can be useful for travelling, me and Master will use suggestion magic to gain documents for all of us, our cover will be that I'm your uncle and you two are cousins.
Once we have documents I will use my magic to make someone let me open a Bank account and charge money directly from the bank, all that we will need.
Then we will travel to Japan, so I can obtain my MAX and we get to stay closer to the Grail.
We won't stay in Fuyuki or at last not from the beginning, we will move in a city near by.
And…. you two will go to a school, independently from the Holy Grail if we have to live in a socialized world. your lack of common sense is unacceptable."
stated Assassin...he had already planned everything

"Stop yourself Assassin. Why should I the Ruler of this fifth Holy Grail war accept this plan.
I'm a neutral servant by associating myself, with you I will cease to be one."
Interrupted Jeanne with solemn voice.

"Really, why you should accept free meals documents to move in this world a home to return in the future and A magus ready to help you with your destined lack of mana that will make you disappear.

I don't know.

You probably think it would be better to stay in a convent or some kind of church, asking for charity, without realizing we are not in middle ages anymore, and that you won't be able to hide forever from church's executioners, that will try to trap you or worse ,while your body slowly disappear from lack of mana."
Responded Hikigaya with a brutal speech in monotone.

"I…."
Babbled Ruler

"Should think before you speak, I agree"
Said Assassin concluding the argument.

After dinner we paid always with Yggsmillenia's money and found a Bed and Breakfast to sleep in I had to use a bit of suggestion magic to let us in at midnight.
Jeanne had gone to sleep in her room while Assassin assumed his spiritual form.

Stripping myself and remaining only in my underwear on the fluffy bed I had in my room, I tried to sleep. the air of the room was warm so I didn't suffer from cold even if I was nearly naked, but my bed was too soft, I felt like falling and I managed to sleep only after two hours of attempts.
Unfortunately for me the only thing that waited for me when I finally reached my dreams were nightmares.

At first I was again in my tank surrounded by ghostly lights and Magus that behind a glass looked at me, I was unable to move while their distorted faces stared at me.

Then the dream suddenly changed I was fighting against a dragon in a forest that was set on fire. With the great sword Balmung in my hand I was slashing at the ferocious beast dodging torrents of flames and razor sharp claws, I fought with the dragon for a few minutes or maybe hours I couldn't feel the time flowing around me, until the winged demon with his lethal breath caught me.

The dream changed once again.

I found myself in an empty white room, from far away I could hear noises of war and battles, then for some reason those noises ceased, replaced by soft steps that grew louder and louder and louder. I looked around to understand where those steps came from until a sharp pain went through my chest and a crimson blade surged from my guts.

I was being impaled by Siegfried with his sword. The German hero behind me twisted his sword dolor invaded every inch of my body, I opened my mouth to scream, but no sound came out from my lips, It was again like being in the tank unable to move, constantly in pain, without the chance to hear my own voice.

"You… are… disposable"

Said a voice behind my back wakening me.

"AAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAA"

I screamed, instinctively my hands reached for my stomach, fortunately I didn't found any blade, but I noticed that were I was impaled by Jeanne's flag pole (she corrected me when I told her how I summoned Hikigaya and how he healed the hole made by her weapon. Apparently I wasn't injured by a simple pole but from a flag pole yippie)
there was a little scar Assassin's magic probably wasn't something absolute as I thought.

Sweaty and gasping I stood up dressed up and went out on the roof to take some fresh hair.
The bed and breakfast I was staying at, was a building probably from the 80's high fifteen metres with three floors. It was made out of bricks, outside painted of white, and inside covered of deep green wallpaper, all the furniture was made of wood and was probably older then the building itself.

Climbing the stairs I reached the top of the building, and a locked door barred my way.

-Logic pathStraße/opengehen-

A simple destruction magic and my way was free of any obstacles.
Finally on the roof, chilly wind bit my face, snow, like the one on the ground when I went to fight Jeanne, was falling from the sky, looking at the sleeping Trifas beneath me I deeply breathed trying to calm my self .

"Having hard time sleeping"
Said a bored voice

"No, you know nostalgia of my tank ah…ah…ah, am I that obvious…"
I responded failing to sound fine

"Pretty much, I mean ,you screamed in the middle of the night, destroyed a door and stood outside for about an hour before I talked to you "

"THAT LONG!"

"you know I'm not the right person to say it but, sometimes you should ask for help.
Figure out problems on my own is my favourite hobby, but even I understood(with a looooooooooooooooooooot of time) that someone alone can do only a certain number of things, and eh. … God I think I had this conversation before with my sons/daughters…I'm here if you need help, you just have to make a request, yes a request for service."

Hikigaya said with his usual bored voice, yet this time I could feel that his bored tone was just something to cover all the care he put in choosing every single word.

"Thanks, Assassin"
I said in soft voice, while finally every ounce of energy had left my body.

The suggestion spell and the destruction one had robe me of the last energies I saved from my… intense day, and now all my limbs were numb and couldn't support me anymore.

I expected to fall on the floor, but before that happen a pair of strong arms held me.

"Mmm looks like you really need to sleep Sieg"
He warmly said

"Maybe you are right"
I said with sleepy voice

"Hey Hikigaya you said I should talk, about my problems.
but where I can found someone that holds power he didn't ask for, that is about to fight a war he might die in , accompanied by a strange old man and a cute girl?"

"Have you ever heard of anime"
Assassin responded amused

"No, but teach me about that, like you did at the restaurant…teach me about this world, I want to be alive gen… no to live genuinely, not behind the glass of a tank."

"You're asking a lot…but I think I accept your request, good night"

And those were the last words I heard that night.

I dreamed again that night. There weren't nightmares waiting for me this time just a room. A room that smelled of tea, where many desks were amassed in a corner, and a long table with three chairs was in the centre, the entire room was illuminated by the colours of the sunset and for the first time in my brief life I felt in peace with the world.

HE LONER

Sometimes I think how many people have never thought that what they see, their reality, is not the only one.

Let me elaborate
we
humans
do not see the world directly, we see it reflected in the deformed mirror that is our consciousness.
So where someone see a wide world, someone else see a narrow one, where someone see a happy world, someone else see fake smiles that only serve to save superficial impressions.

We
humans
are incapable to see the world objectively, we are all bounded, chained, by our own perceptions, our own subjectivity.

Scientists say we are the most powerful species on this planet because we can communicate between us in the most effective way, yet why we can't genuinely understand one another.

Why can't we find a way to see the world with someone else mirror.

I have thought about it for a long time and then I found my personal way to understand other people…Pain.
It's funny if you think about it.

Empathy, kindness, wisdom, courage all this things, some of the most beautiful features of the humanity… all come from pain: empathy (noun) the ability to understand and share the feelings of another. When you console someone why you do that?

Because you feel is the right thing to do.

Because you can understand them.

Because you can understand their PAIN, because it reminds you of your own PAIN, because you start thinking how much PAIN you would suffer in their same situation.

…

I said our consciousness is a mirror, now I will say that pain is like cracks in that mirror.

When they appear: these cracks, they… change the reflection we see in our mirror. We may try to ignore them but those cracks are there, they prevent us to look at the world as we had seen it before…they give us new perspectives to look from, and maybe in those new perspectives there's one that someone else share.

Through pain we get new points of view, we get to finally understand one another.

So my conclusion was that to understand everyone I needed to accept all the pain, to fill my mirror with cracks in order to see the world from every angulation possible… the only question is how long I can go on before my mirror (mind)… shatters.

T..

Ti..

Ti* Ti* Ti*

"ONI-CHAAAAANNN RISE AND SHINE IT'S TIME TO WAKE UPPPPPPP"

"ugh I got it Komachi please stop screaming"

" Ok , theheeh, breakfast is ready, so don't take too long to come down "
said my little sister after her "lovely" morning assault to my ears.

"aw waking up like this is terrible, how many hours I slept?"
I said watching the alarm.

-7:15-

"Three hours good, better than my average… wait 7:15….shimatta is late"
I thought jumping off my bed and landing in an incredibly messy room.

"well everything is as I remember it"
I said looking the floor littered of dirty clothes and some manga.

With careful steps I avoided every one of them, until I was in front to my writhing desk. I felt like something was wrong with it.
My eyes ran on its surface seeing: a pencil case, my reading lamp, my homework, Vita-chan, a light-novel I had yet to finish, my gun and my sheathed battle dagger…wait

"MY GUN AND MY BATTLE DAGGER GERBER MARK II WHY THEY ARE NOT HIDDEN, last night I forgot to put them in their place."
I screamed in-panic

"did you said anything son?"
a voice came from behind the door

"Nothing mom, There was a spider"
I invented on the moment

"Okay..."

Safe

Leaving in the past my careful steps from before, I ran towards my desk, took my weapons and dashed in front of my wardrobe.

"That's what happen when I agree to a drink after work!"
I thought opening its doors , taking out my school uniform and throwing it on my bed.

"just a glass of wine they said, its been so long since you trained the newbies... Stupid members of training facilities that burn half of their budget in alcohol"
I lamented putting my hand on the back panel of the wardrobe.

*bzzzzzzz

A green light scanned my hand, and a robotic voice said

-Vocal password-

" 8-man rocks"
I responded, making my voice reach the hidden microphones of a secret drawer.

"But after all it was my fault for have given in when they said - we have the new list of epic fails during training-... damn if that was funny"
I thought opening my drawer.
In it there were: another gun, passports of different countries, jewels filled with mana, a can of MAX COFFEE, a bottle of sake, notebooks filled with documents, an album of pictures, a first aid kit, a few keys, a small black box and my…porn magazines, all my precious proprieties.
In hurry I putted the dagger and gun in the drawer, and closed everything without leaving behind any proof.

"uhs that was close I wouldn't dare to think what would happen if my cute Komachi, had entered in my room instead of screaming from outside"
I thought imagining the scene.

"MOM DAD! ONI-CHAN HAS BEGUN TO COSPLAY AGAIN"

"NO KOMACHI IS NOT WHAT YOU THINK"

"YOU TRASHY OTAKU ARE NOT MY BROTHER ANYMORE"

"NOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOO"

After avoiding the first crisis of the morning I made my way towards the bathroom.
Stripping from my pyjamas, my underwear, and a fake skin layer on my torso.

"an hot shower is the best way to start a day"
I said for some reason. Probably I unconsciously wanted to think that today was going to be a good day.

I entered in the shower and let hot water fall on my body to awake my senses:
the steam in the air, the sound of water drops hitting my body, the smell of soap and the water flowing on my skin.
All these sensations switched on my brain that was still sleeping on my pillow.

the magical adventures of brain-kun!

WHY IS RAINING ON MY BED !?

(naa it's impossible to have brain fan service...unless CENSORED and maybe CENSORED)

Five minutes later I came out from my warm heaven, tied around my waist a towel and started to dry with the hairdryer. For some seconds I studied my reflection in the mirror, my hairs were black and messy as usual, my eyes (lacking of a more be fitting adjective) were like those of a dead fish, my whole torso was entirely covered in scars that ran through my lean and defined muscles.

"If I take a bit of time I'm sure I can remember where and how I made each of my scars...That or the list of every gadjet ever appeared in Doraemon"
I thought trying to make the imagines of battles from my head

Swiftly I took my fake skin and started to wear it again.
All my scars disappeared and my muscles were hid by a thin layer of padding.
Now I looked like a person without any kind of training.

It took me a while to get used to this synthetic cover, but I recognized how useful it was.
-if no one saw my scars no one will start asking questions or at very least it was what I told myself to endure the annoying feeling of the fake skin.

Returning in my room to get dressed, I wore my school uniform and checked if in my pockets there were my wallet, keys, small knife and picks, they always come handy when I use my 47th loner skill lock picking. Everything was fine so I prepared my school bag and went in the kitchen for breakfast.

"Hi mom, Hi pops"
I greeted my parents as I saw them ready to go to work.

"Good morning Hachiman"
They responded to me simultaneously before leaving.

"mmm in hurry like usual I see, being a corporate-slave really sucks"
I thought watching the door closing behind their backs .

I reached the dining table of my home with small steps.
warm miso soup, rice and grilled fish ready to be eaten.

The magical adventures of brain-kun ep 2

"FOOD FOOD FOOD FOOD FOOD FOOD FOOD FOOD FOOD FOOD"

I didn't need to think twice, maybe it wasn't a dish cooked by Gourmet Hunters but it was fine for me.

"ittadukimasu-
I said digging in the breakfast.
at a certain point while I was happily eating my free food Komachi tapped on my left shoulder I had my mouth still full, but I turned towards her.
she was holding her smart phone in front of me.

"Wednesday 3 February 2016?"
I asked swallowing the food in my mouth

she puffed her cheeks and shook her head…so cute.
"how can my little sister possibly be this cute"
I thought while an opening song began to be played by my brain

She raised her index and pointed something on the screen

-8:30-

"Ohhh I was going to be late"
I realized

"KUSO I am going to be lateeee!"
I realized again, just with more cause cognition finishing my breakfast at god speed.

A quick brush to my teeth and I was riding my bike in direction of the Sobu Highschool

Dashing through the streets, my feet rhythmically pushed the pedals propelling my bike.
the colours of traffic lights were the only things that could make me stop.
In one of those moments of rest a quick glance to my smartphone informed me of imminent late arrival at school

"well If I'm going to be late, at least I won't be sweaty, It's still winter who knows what kind of cold I could contract"
I said starting again to pedal at slower pace.

Five minutes later I was in front of my school gates

9:05

"Fifteen minutes late, well it could be worse"
I thought like nothing was wrong in the world (...ahah actually no the world is a pretty screwed up place)

Coming down from my bike, I phlegmatically putted it in the bike holder and chained it.

"Japanese school are safe but precautions are never enough, a lesson that I learned at dear price… I miss you biky-kun."
I said to myself remembering that time in ninth-grade when I lost one of my most precious friends

the magical adventures of brain-kun ep3

"WAHAHAHA BIKY-KUN WHERE ARE YOU? WAHAHAHAHA I MISS YOU"

With the speed of a sloth I entered in the school building and went to change my shoes, with indoor ones, walking besides the rows of lockers I spotted five or six love letters.

"that's right a bit more than a week and is Saint Valentine, I can't wait to see which kind of expensive chocolates my sweet imotou-chan will give me this year theheheheheh"
I muttered receiving weird stares from the janitor

I was quite sure he said something along the lines of
"creeeeeeeepy"
Or so.

Step after step I finally reached the class 2 F…my class.

"Right now there is homeroom's period that means that Hiratsuka-sensei will ask why I was late, I say some bullshit, make a sideswipe about her age or her lack of husband she hit me end of the story"
I told to myself carefully planning my next moves.

"maybe when I blatantly fell on the ground I can get a panty-shot
who was that had a black lace Kawasaki?
No it doesn't feel right...
Kawahonda
No...
Kawamochi
I give up
maybe I can get another glance to Kawasomething's daring underwear if I crushed on the floor with the right angulation "
I thought.

But unfortunately when I opened the door there was no time to start any kind of diplomatic approach,as a fist immediately entered in my view.

My instincts kicked in to gear:
Fist direction-stomach
Power-medium
Martial art- karate,
Threat- minimum

Foe- Shizuka Hiratsuka

Counter- catch the fist with left hand, connect right elbow with forearm of the foe, grab neck of the foe with right hand, pull foe towards self. Connect right knee with foe's rib cage, push away foe with medium strength, draw knife from pocket, take the foe from behind, left arm around neck partial chocking, blade in right hand pointed in the eyes. Time 3.02 s

Result- Foe with right radius broken 2/3 cracked ribs, acquisition of hostage Shizuka Hiratsuka... ABORT THE OPERATION, cover imminently blown and injuries on treasured person.

Reworking- Let self be hit by Sensei's punch, force muscles to not contract, ignore any possible way of counter attack.

"UGH"
I grunted falsely as the punch struck in my stomach falling on my knees and hugging my belly

"HIKIGAYA you're late AGAIN!"
screamed outraged my teacher

"Good morning you too sensei"
I sarcastically retorted

"What was that"

"Nothing ma'am"

"I hope you have a good excuse"

"My alarm broke"

"Old one"

"The wheels of my bike caught fire?"

"Try again"

"I over slept..."

"We have a winner"
Said Hiratsuka sensei concluding our argument

"Okay maybe my plan was a bit off, and some actions were before other actions, but I have come out victorious without any punishment.
Hey I didn't even need to use a zinger"
I thought in my mind pleasing myself of my 15th loner skill, people's actions anticipation (88% success rate)

I slowly stood again and went towards my desk, pleased of my brillant ability to improvise, until.

"For punishment today's cleaning duty pass from Tobe and Ebina to y"
Started to say Hiratsuka-sensei

YABAI I needed to stop her before she finished the sentence
A quick look to my classmates Tobe Kakeru, and Ebina Hina, told me that I wasn't trying to skip my punishment only for me, but also for the brown haired boy that with his one sided crush, wanted to take every chance to stay alone with the bespectacled fujoshi girl.

"Think Hachiman think dammit, say anything that can stop that woman...brain any ideas"
I thought looking at my teacher face

the magical adventures of brain-kun ep 4

"Deal with it by yourself!"

"AH FUCK YOU!"

"SENSEI
I interrupted her using the only idea I could came out with

"Are those earrings new "
I asked her betting all I could on my last attempt for salvation

"Uh?"
She muttered puzzled

"And now I seem crazy...oh wait! She really has new earrings"
I thought blessing my luck

"Yes…I mean you always have a pair of simple silver earrings, but the pair you're wearing today has a blue line in the middle"
I said studying the small circles half-hidden by her long hair.

Hiratsuka-sensei was indeed a beautiful woman, tall, well endowed, with elegant lineaments and a mature aura that for boys of my age was, undoubtedly, attractive.
So with the right amount of focus I easily noticed the changes in her appearance.

"Please pointless observation don't let me down now"
I begged while in the air of the classroom whispers started to float,

"What is he serious?"

"Damn he is right"

"But sensei's hair are long so it's difficult to even see her ears how did he noticed"

"I don't know, which was the creep name?"

"Mmmm Hikitani?"

"Isn't he the one that made Sagami cry"

"Oh yeah he is that douche"

*coff *coff
Coughed Hiratsuka-sensei restoring silence.
her cheeks were slightly red , she stared at her feet and while pushing awkwardly her indexes against each other

(In lack of a more befitting word can only comment with

"Kawaii")

"I..in..indeed these are new, I'm surprised that you noticed, they are a present fro"
sensei said in embarrassed voice

my jaw opened on his own
"OH MY GOD YOU HAVE FINALLY A BOYFRIEND….did I said that out lou *ugh"
I unconsciously said, yet I couldn't finish my sentence because a fist stuck in my belly.
this time I actually hardened my muscles out of reflex and… ouch

Treat-medium

Martial art- karate empowered with basic magic.

The power of the fist was transmitted in my whole body, I was propelled back of a metre.
It was really hard to tank a blow so sudden, but I managed to remain on my feet with effort.

"My mother has given them to me saying that I would make a hit on my date…he didn't even noticed"
Hiratsuka-sensei muttered more to herself than anybody else

"No this is too sad please someone anyone marry this woman or I will marry her myself"
I thought wondering if it was more painful hearing my sensei's words or the punch I had just taken.

meanwhile Hiratsuka realized that her punch was more powerful than it was mean to be, with worried look my teacher, dressed in her usual lab coat smelling of tobacco, stared at me…

"Ah now I have an excuse to skip homeroom"
I thought

"May I go to the infirmary?"
I asked in weak tone and with my best suffering face.

"Eh sure… I exaggerated this time"
said Hiratsuka -sensei scared

Putting my left hand were I was hit, I left my school bag on my desk.
while my club mate Yuigahama Yui, my angel Saika Toutsuka and the official riajiu of Chiba Hayama Hayato gave me a concerned look

Just by looking at them, Yuigahama, Hiratsuka and Hayama, I could tell what they were wondering.
"Oh God he has just sustained a direct hit from sensei's reinforced punch! someone call an ambulance"

Well...They couldn't know, but I was a person full of surprises, in fact like them, I was a third tier Magus.

(Of course the look Totsuka gave me was pure concern, my angel was just worried about me, I'm sorry Saika-chan I will never make you worry again)

Walking out of the class I kept my suffering expression, until I was sure no one could see me, then I took a light breath and returned to my usual emotion less expression"That was close, if I had been less surprised I would at least broke her arm out of reflex"
I thought walking towards boys bathrooms.

"Hiratsuka sensei's punch was stronger than I expected, maybe I should revise the list of dangerous Magus in city."
I whispered, thinking back to that powerful fist.

In Chiba there are five Magus Families, and two or three disinherited Magus.
Hayama, Yuigahama, Isshiki, and Hikigaya, are Magus families that produce mediocre Magus, with low number of magic circuits, mana units, and have not particularly powerful family crests.

Then there are the Yukinoshita, they are the only serious Magus family in Chiba, they produce first tier Magus, and thanks to Kori Tomi, now Kori Yukinoshita they have a respectable amount of money.

Entering in one of the toilettes I stripped of my blazer, shirt and fake skin.
Looking at my abs I could see a faint purple spot, the pads in the fake skin had weakened the impact, but that punch of Hiratsuka-sensei still was quite something.

I took out my IPhone from my pocket, and dialled on the phone's keyboard a 20 numbers code.

The screen suddenly became black, like I had turned it off, and after ten seconds a white logo appeared.
it wasn't the usual bitten apple shining on the screen, no it was a snake biting its tail with the shape of the infinite symbol.

A quick scan to my retina and my IPhone unlocked again.

This time on the background of the phone's glass there weren't any games (except tetris I LOVE TETRIS) or stupid apps.
There were folders full of information: codes of bank accounts, positions of all the secret war ships across the oceans, locations of safe houses, every possible information about financial movements of the major companies across the world, and more than 200 contacts (so sad my work phone as more contacts than my personal one). Information that every government would kill for were in my hand every day.

Touching on a folder I opened a file

-List most dangerous Magus in Chiba-

Entering in edit mode I searched for the person number 13

"Shizuka Hiratsuka

A third tier Magus, second born, No magic crest, Affiliation to Yukinoshita family, best Thaumaturgy Hiratsuka clan reinforcement

Treat low."

I Changed the level of treat from low to medium I raising her position from 13th, to 10th.

" And with this my job is done, time to go to the nurse"
I thought closing turning off my phone…
Yet before I saw the light fade from the screen I threw a glance to the most dangerous Magus in Chiba placed in position number 1

Hikigaya Hachiman

A third tier Magus, No magic crest, Affiliation to Oroboro, best Thaumaturgy, Pain magic

Treat incalculable.

*bip

The phone was finally off

Looking at my reflex in the screen I did a sad grin

"It's funny .
I know the identities of all Magus in Chiba, but not even my parents or my sister know I can actually use magecrafth"
I said trying to forget all the lies I hid behind.

-dolorem accipit potestatem-
I whispered looking at my bruise

My mana started to drain and a black mist surged from my small bruise that disappeared.

-mentem a corpore-
I continued making all the mist fade away.

" 3, 2,1...where is the drawback..UGH !, There it is"
I said before for a long second a sharp pain went through my mind.

"Okay like new"
I said looking at, my scarred belly free of bruises

the magical adventures of brain-kun ep 5

-mentem a corpore-

"what did he just said?"
*punch

"UGH son of a bitch always sending his pain to me"

What I had just used was my personal Thaumaturgy, Pain control.

This magecrafth Pain control, my best Thaumaturgy, my pride and curse and the only magic allowed to me.

I'm a rare case of Magic user with double origin, that means I'm someone who sucks in every type of magic except one, in which I'm unbeatable.

My spells consist in the Manipulation of Pain, physical, emotional and negative emotions in general.
I can create Empathy so receive and share emotions, I can convert mental pain and physical pain in one another, physical pain in a black smoke that I can manipulate and convert in any kind of injury or mental trauma I have ever suffered and I can even condense it in order to from black crystals.

To be honest mine is a very occasional magic and is effective as long as I use it on a conscious being.

In fact my real strength is alter people's pain as I want.
erase
lessen
increase
or change its nature.
that's my real power that make able to heal, manipulate or crush who I want.

Unfortunately when I mess around with my magic I'm driven to madness because all the suffering I come in contact with is automatically stored in my mind.
I'm literally incapable of forgetting pain, physical or emotional.
Of course that means I can call it upon me, from my memories and turn it in black mist, but with my mana reserves is not that easy.
actually not that easy do not describe the idea of having all the pain I ever felt explode in every cell of my body...

(positive thoughts positive thoughts)

All my spell's Arias (or magic words) are all in Latin… no well I also have one spell that is in Japanese but I don't really use it often because it's quite tiring to cast…
it allows me to find all the pain in one place or in a person and transform it in a bubble that remain stored in my mind.

Sometimes I close my eyes and I can see where all those bubbles go… where they float…

It's a quiet place: a desert covered in black sand, save for a point where a peach tree stands in the centre of a circle of white sand, for some reasons I always see a snake moving in his branches, it doesn't seem dangerous…

*knok *knok *knok

"Hachiman are you there?"
A voice called me

"Uh Totsuka?"
I asked snapping out of my trance

"Finally, I found you Hiratsuka–sensei sent me to check you at the infirmary but you weren't there so I started to search you across all the school"

"Sorry I came to the toilettes because, I thought I would puke from that punch… give me two seconds"

I said to my angelic classmate to calm him. Putting my fake skin in its place, I pressed the belly button for five seconds and started to massage lightly where sensei hit me, purple ink was released from little glands in the synthetic fabric, creating a fake bruise large like an apple.
I re-buttoned my shirt wore my blazer and came out from the toilet.

In the exact time I opened the door a divine vision revealed itself

"Thank goodness you're fine"
Said the most beautiful human being with watery eyes.

Watching at Toutsuka in this state, my cheeks were set aflame.
He was just too cute maybe more than Komachi.
Incapable of talking I had to take a very deeeeeeeeeeeeeeep breath before muttering with embarrassed voice

"D-d-d-d-d-d-don't...w-o-rry I'm fine"

"Really ?"

"Really, let's go to the infirmary"
I said regaining my cool

The rest of the day flowed quietly, I looked over at the windows and the sun was still elevated high in the sky. The length of the afternoon had progressively gotten longer

According to the calendar, the vernal equinox was coming up soon. But every year around this time when it's this cold, you ended up thinking, "How could you even call this spring, is 'Spring Has Come' playing in your head all the time or something?"

But there's also the saying: "If winter comes, can spring be far behind?"

It was after school and the atmosphere of the class was showing steady signs of the upcoming spring.
A little less than a month to go and that would mark the awakening of insects on the calendar. Thanks to the effective heating in the classroom, my classmates had suddenly become animated just like how insects, frogs, and snakes would wake from their hibernation slightly earlier than expected by the calendar.

The window side of the classroom looked especially warm due to the heating being right below the window frames. A single group occupying that area was incredibly lively in spirit. Today like every other, I could hear their loud, conspicuous voices.

The raijus crew is in the middle of a conversation

"…ohohoho Gossip.
Not that I really care my status as loner prevent me from display any kind of interest in the life of those popular guys…yet they are too loud so I guess I will listen what they say."
I thought

"Man, I could go for something sweet any time today,"

Tobe said, flapping the ends of his hair. Oooka and Yamato hit their knees as though they knew what Tobe was talking about and pointed at him.

"You got that right."

"Totally."
Then, the three exchanged gazes.

"You know what I mean…? Better chocolate than never, yeah?"
Tobe said, being pointlessly dramatic. The three of them made triumphant looks and shot glances over at the girls…

"Mmm, I thought we were nearing spring, but it still feels like we're in the middle of winter!"
I whispered

Miura's reaction was far more callous and cold compared to their trite act.

"…Ha?"
After a small click of her tongue, she gave the idiot trio an apathetic look that shut them up. Yuigahama and Ebina-san made a stiff smile.

"Oh yeah, it's about that time of the year, huh…?"
Hayama said, taking the middle ground between the two groups. Oooka and Yamato nodded their heads.

"You've got it good Hayato-kun, but we're pretty screwed."

"True."
Oooka stated solemnly while Yamato nodded in assertion. His words certainly did make it sound like it was a serious problem.

"Still, this opportunistic virgin's jealousy is so garbage that it's kind of wonderful…"
I thought. Then, Tobe made a giddy smirk while patting Hayama's shoulder.

"Nah, Hayato-kun usually doesn't accept anything."

"Are you kidding!? What a waste!"
Oooka shouted causing Hayama to make a strained laugh. I see, he likely chose that route so he could avoid unnecessary trouble.

However, for girls that were in love with him, they might not be so eager to accept that. The head of that pack, Miura, was listening in on their conversation in silence while facing away from them with a disinterested expression.

Watching her, Yuigahama went "ah" and spoke.
"But hey, it's kinda scary getting things from people you don't know."

Yuigahama nodded her head to show she could sympathize with him.

Following her, Ebina-san struck out her hand with a serious look and stopped the conversation.

"Wait. If he won't accept anything, that means… he'll take them instead. So the one getting taken would be Hikitani-kun?"

The moment she finished, Miura flicked her head. What the hell is she saying with that serious look of hers…? Miura took out a pocket tissue and pressed it on Ebina-san.

"Ebina, your nose is bleeding."

"Oh, thanks, thanks."
Ebina-san held back her suspicious laughter as she blew her nose and Miura showed a soft smile. Being immediately next to the heating as well as various other factors, all the individuals gathered over there looked rather warm.

No, they weren't the only ones. The entire classroom was enveloped by the same warmth. The giddy mood wasn't limited only to the idiot trio of Tobe and the other two, but other groups spread out in the classroom.

Officially, Valentine's Day was coming very soon.

In other words, it's the day you received chocolate from your mom and little sister.
Valentine's Day was a day full of blessed love, but that understanding wasn't without problems. Considering how the event came to be, it's actually a day when blood was shed. Originally started from a saint, it's also the day a struggle occurred between gangs. Besides, someone from Chiba wouldn't even think twice about chocolate because they'd think about Bobby4 instead.

But it didn't matter what the opinions of someone like me had, it's impossible to overturn the general understanding of the event. In fact, if I were to preach the event as a conspiracy of the current confectionary industry, I'd easily be branded a heretic.

Valentine's Day had already firmly taken root in the culture of Japan. Christmas was more or less similar in that regard. Eventually, Halloween might even get adapted to Japanese customs, too. The summer festival, the Bon Festival dance, or the graveyard visits during the spring or fall equinoxes weren't all that much different.

Basically, it's an issue of whether you liked them or hated them. No one's questioning that they're orthodox or blasphemous. If you're going to reject them, whether it's Christmas or Valentine's day, you should just scream, "I hate them!"

Since Komachi would slyly give me chocolate every year, I didn't hate Valentine's Day all that much. As a matter of fact, since I loved Komachi so much as her older brother, I was anxiously waiting for the day to come.

I wonder what kind of expensive chocolate she's going to force out of me as a return gift this year… As I engrossed myself in happy thoughts about wasting money on my little sister, the class grew boisterous.

"God, I'm not going to make it!"

"It's okay, you still have time! Just keep going! Don't give up!"
I casually looked over and a caste of girls sitting at different seats, either the second or third group from the top, was knitting some kind of muffler or sweater. It's almost like I was listening to a conversation between a light novelist and his editor. Look, normally, you're not going to make it. It's almost Valentine's Day and your progress is only at about ten percent. Rather than putting effort into making it on time for the deadline, it'd be more productive and realistic to try to extend it instead!

As it turns out, I wasn't the only one watching that heart breaking exchange.

Miura was twirling her hair with her fingers and breathed out.
"…Well, handmade things might be too pushy? Makes sense why you wouldn't accept them."

After listlessly saying those words, a faint sigh came from a different direction.

"Pushy… I guess so…"
Yuigahama rubbed the bun of her peach-colored hair with her thin fingers that stretched out of her slightly loose cardigan. She then made a troubled, but embarrassed smile.

After seeing that smile, something suddenly came to mind from some time ago.

"Handmade, huh?
Just who was she making those cookies for?"

As I thought that, I looked towards her and our eyes met. Yuigahama and I averted our faces away in reaction.

"Well, it's the feelings that count, not what you get."
Hayama's voice had a strained ring to it.

"You got that right! Nah, but see? I'm totally all over that, you know what I mean?"
Tobe immediately hit his knees and expressed his agreement. Diagonally from him, Ebina-san crossed her arms and slid her gaze to the side.

"But you can't screw up with handmade chocolate or else you'll get exposed. And since it doesn't cost that much to begin with, that's kind of off-putting. Wouldn't it be easier to just buy premade ones instead?"

"Yeah, totally!"

As soon as Ebina-san finished, Tobe changed his opinion… Come on, you could at least try a little harder.

"…Mmhmm, handmade, huh?"
Following Miura's disinterested voice was a burst of their cheery laughs.

There existed a division in their group just a little while ago, but it was no longer there.

Hayama was sincerely acting as the Hayama Hayato that everyone sought while Miura was slowly, but surely trying to shorten their distance in her own way. As for Tobe and Ebina-san, well, they looked the same as always, but after some time had passed, they had created a mood that fit them both.

And Yuigahama happily watched them.

The classroom was restless, but even so, their place which had leisurely grown warm like the slow transition to spring was a little too bright to watch from the side that I slightly closed my eyes.

And I could feel it in the air troubles where coming.

(but most importantly I WASN'T GOING TO GIVE HAYAMA CHOCOLATE EVEN IF THE HELL FROZE)

The hours of lessons ended I took all my stuff and got out of the classroom, walking for a moment I decided that I was far enough from the classroom and leaned against the wall. Closing my eyes I tried to put in order my thoughts

"Today I have a meeting and a raid, but I don't remember when, I'm pretty sure that the mission starts at 8 PM in Saudi Arabia… there are 6 hours of difference from Japanese time zone… and tree hours of flight so 11 PM I have to be at the encounter point at 11 PM

How many days, until my eighteenth birthday.
How many days I can still live between two worlds like this, going to school during the day and "

*tap *tap *tap

I turned around and my shoulder received a light shock. I was met with a glum look from Yuigahama.

"Why'd you leave first…?"

"You didn't say anything about leaving together…"
I said unpleasantly, not having an idea of why she took that attitude.

Yuigahama's mouth dropped open and she gently brushed her hair in embarrassment.

"…Oh, I totally thought you were waiting for me. You stayed in class for a while, so…"

"That's not really…"

While speaking, I gave some thought to the reason why I stayed behind. It's true that Yuigahama invited me to head to club together several times. Perhaps that's why I found myself waiting with the assumption that she'd come over to talk to me.

But another proper reason came to mind.

"Yeah, I just wanted to see how Hayama and Miura were doing."

"Ahh, right. I think they're good now, so I'm glad."

Yuigahama let out a small breath and weakly nodded. She then proceeded a few steps ahead of me in the empty hallway and twisted her body.

"It's kinda nice, you know? I'm sure everyone's thinking about all kinds of stuff, but it's like they're trying to live their lives as much as they can now while cherishing it…"

She stated each word in emphasis, wearing a gentle smile on her expression.
"Yeah, I guess. We're probably having the best time of our lives right now."

"Ohh, you're unusually positive…"

"When you recall the past, you want to die from regret and when you think about the future, you get depressed from anxiety. So by elimination, our time now is pure bliss."

"You were being negative, after all!"
Yuigahama dropped her shoulders with a sullen look. She then briskly walked ahead and voiced her complaints.

"There you go again with that stuff… Can't you read the mood?"

Said disconsolately Yuigahama

"Mood, huh…?"
I muttered, before starting a monologue in my mind

"Like what kind of mood?

For example, the mood on Valentine's Day?

I suppose I could understand in that case. Occasionally, I'd learn from the masses, take in the mood, and play it off. Then, I'd just brush it all off with a simple "it's what everyone's doing." Doing that made you want to have expectations, be spoiled, lose yourself, and wait.

But I don't think that's something you should do.

It'd be insincere if all you did was wait. Regardless of the answer and conclusion awaiting you at the end of the tunnel, you should make sure to take that step forward without deception and incredulity and leave the regrets for afterwards."

That's why, I took in the mood and decided to ask now.

"By the way…"
I squeezed out those words with a hoarse voice and Yuigahama turned around. Her inclined head and her eyes urged me to go on. Seeing her straight-on was somewhat dazzling that I slightly averted my face.

"…Do you have a day you're free on soon?"

"Huh? U-Um, yeah, I do… I think"
Yuigahama said, prattling on and moving her hands in surprise. She fidgeted as she frantically took out her cellphone. But then, her movements abruptly stopped.

She shot a glance to the special building through the window, we were exactly in front of the door of the service club's room. After that, she had trouble bringing out her voice. And unlike earlier, her expression sank.

I was slightly surprised to see that and hesitated to ask why she was making that face, finding myself choking as well. The air in the hallway was awfully cold and dry that I had an uneasy sensation as if something was stuck in my throat.

Asking her that now in this place might've not been the best choice. Or perhaps, there might've been a better or smoother way to do so. Would it be weird to ask again? I just wasn't confident in any of those.

Unable to exchange any more words, I glanced at her face, my back still slumped and my eyes downcast. The problematic smile that she wore caused me to lose my breath.

To fill up the silence, Yuigahama quickly said,
"Let me think about it and I'll tell you later!"

She made a few steps ahead then she turned towards me

"Hikki"
With playful voice called me.

"Let's go to Yukinon"
Said Yuigahama cutely.

I nearly blushed she was too cute, my face that until a second was lamenting about the cold was now growing hot, this was bad I needed a genial plan to avoid awkward situation

* ooooooooouuuuuuuu

I yawned and said smoothly
"Sure, can we just have a pause at the vending machine before?"

"Uh…oh sure"
Responded her puzzled.

We walked for a minute dodging all the students that were going to their clubs; when we reached the vending machine I took out from my pocket my wallet.
Tossing some 100¥ coins in the machine I pressed two buttons, and waited for two cans to fell.

*tunk * tunk

One can was warm yellow and brown… the divine beverage MAX COFFEE, while the other was cool and pink, it was peach tea.

Taking both cans out of the vending machine Yuigahama looked at me in amazement. I wondered why….

I left the MAX COFFEE can on the floor, unbuttoned my shirt around the area where the purple spot was visible and brought the cool, pink can on it, releasing a sigh as the cold penetrated through the synthetic fabric.
I needed to keep my cover safe, and making Yuigahama see the fake bruise was the best way to make all the Magi of the school quiet, they would believe I had been lucky today because I sustained sensei's punch with just a bad bruise.

I looked at Yuigahama in order to confirm the results of my plan and… I wasn't quite sure if it had work out or not.
Yuigahama's face assumed many expressions in a fraction of second: first puzzlement, then apprehension and at the end disappointment.

"Something is wrong?"
Asked her

She puffed her cheeks and left me behind saying
"NO, Hikki no baka"

Hey hey hey you're sending confusing signals

She was mad at me for something, what… she thought that the peach tea was for her….ahhahaha impossible.

I eventually bought another can of lemon tea

"Well she is Yuigahama she will calm down in no time"
I muttered catching up with her to bring the sweet drink. Seeing a third can in my hands she gently smiled. From her reaction I could tell my action pleased her…unfortunately didn't pleased my wallet.

We walked in silence another minute and we reached the door of the service club.

The door flung open. We walked through it and the room inside was enveloped by an air of coziness.

There were far more people then there should be in the classroom, yet strangely enough, I found it more comfortable here. Though, that could've been just a side effect of the sunlight that easily penetrated this clubroom in the special building.

With the gentle sunlight pouring on to her, sitting at her usual seat was Yukinoshita Yukino.

She lifted up her face from the paperback in her hand, quietly brushed her hair upwards, and softly smiled.

"Hello."

"Yahallo, Yukinon."

"Sup."

Yuigahama responded with a raised hand while I returned my typical greeting and we proceeded to take our respective seats.

I wasn't sure exactly when, but this seat had become my place. No one had qualms with me sitting here, nor did anyone decree I had to, nor did anyone force me to. It was far more pleasant than I was expecting it to be.

And that alone was reason enough for me to feel pangs of discomfort from the presence I wasn't accustomed to seeing.

"Senpai, you're so slooooow."

"And why are you here again…?"

Laying on the desk while indignantly kicking her feet was this school's resident Student Council President, Isshiki Iroha. Her gestures, whether it's her intentional sullen look or the way she was averting her face, were all so sly… No, but seriously, I can't believe she got here earlier than Yuigahama and me. Is she trying to be as swift as some kind of breeze?

"I asked her if she had some business here, but she wanted to wait for you two to come. So, she's been here ever since,"
Yukinoshita said, mixed with a sigh.

She then deliberately sent an even colder glance to her. Despite that, she didn't forget to be hospitable and had prepared some tea for her. There's just so many ways of being hospitable that I want to start a Collection!

"But what I see"
Yukinoshita said to me with an inquisitive glare

"you have stopped to buy drinks while I was here…with Isshiki-san"
She continued with cold voice.

"oh I don't like where this conversation is going"
I thought

"May I assume that the peach tea can is for me?"
She said quietly

"Crap"
Was the only word in my mind, looking at my hands one carrying my school bag and the other two cans

"Yep"
I said in monotone putting down my stuff and throwing the pink can to Yukinoshita.

"Yuigahama read in my thoughts do not say I used that tea as an ice pack"
I stared at the girl trying to make her read my thoughts, but…

"Hikki didn't you"

*ehm ehm ehm ehm
I coughed as loudly as I could, silencing peach haired girl and giving time to Yukinoshita to open the can.

She brought the peach tea to her lips, but before starting to drink she whispered
"This can smell funny…I don't dislike it though"

And began to drink the sweet tea.

Yuigahama and I where at loss but wisely decided to remain silent.
Yukinoshita drank a few sips and then returned to coldly stare at isshiki

"Now that Yuigahama-san and Hikigaya-kun are here would you mind explain your presence in this club?"

As for the aforementioned Isshiki, she wasn't concerned with Yukinoshita's ice gaze. She turned towards me, placed her hand to her mouth, and whispered secretively.
"Yukinoshita-senpai had such a nice smile when I got here, but she got really bummed out right after… She's been acting like that the entire time."

Ahh, really now… Well, duh, every time Isshiki shows up, she's always accompanied with nothing worthwhile, hahaha.
"No seriously, why are you even here?"
I thought.

Then, there was a weak cough.

"…Isshiki-san?"
Upon looking, Yukinoshita had a broad smile.

"Uh oh, it's that smile! The one that Yukinon makes when she's being scary!"
screamed in my mind trying to remember thing less intimidating...like a bomb

"Y-Yesss! I'm so sorry, I really do have some business here!"
Isshiki ran behind me and pushed me forward, as though it was her conditioned reflex to cower away from that smile.

"Hey, stop it, that smile scares the hell out of me too, you know."
I tried to say...key word tried

"W-Well, let's calm down. Iroha-chan, are you here for the Student Council?"
Yuigahama mediated and waved at her to come back with a nonchalant face going

"Yui-senpai, you're so nice!"
She returned to her original location.

I gave her an inquisitive look asking what she needed. Then, her face became even more nonchalant and she flapped her hand.
"The thing is, it feels like I have a lot more free time than I thought I would or something?"

"Huh?"

"Again with her nonsense… I hope you didn't forget that you were the one who made us go through all that trouble last time… Or is it because we finished all that work for you that you have nothing better to do? I don't suppose this is one of those burn-out syndromes that happens when you're constantly subjected to cruel labor or something…? But it feels like we're the ones who burned out, so what's her issue again?"
I gave her a stern look, digging into the meaning of her words.

She placed her index finger to her chin and cutely tilted her head.

"There's like no school events around this time of the year and the VP's taking care of all the small stuff for me. All I have left is just to stamp our year-end report."

You don't say. I wasn't familiar with what the work of the Student Council entailed, but surprisingly, that's the kind of things they're involved in, huh? The third years were well into their testing season while the school administration was occupied with the school entrance exams for new students.

That meant the current students were left unattended. Anyone would have nothing to do because of that.

"That's why, when there isn't anything going on, I put the Student Council on break."

Ohhh, a manager from a white company… Coincidentally, this club that forced us to gather in this room even when there wasn't any work to do was undoubtedly a black company!

And speaking of our resident black company manager, she nodded her head, moving her hand to her chin.

"Don't you have club to attend to as well?"
Yukinoshita said, slanting her head to the side.

Isshiki cheeks slightly blushed as if from embarrassment and she sweetly averted her face.

"…It's really cold at the Soccer Club nowadays."
That's something to be ashamed about, not embarrassed.

Yukinoshita pressed her hand against her temple in an attempt to hold back a headache while Yuigahama forcibly laughed.

"A-Ahaha… So, what did you need?"
Yuigahama asked.

Then, Isshiki cleared her throat and turned her body towards me.

"So senpai, I don't really care, but do you like sweets?"

"What?"
I asked genuinely confused

"what's that supposed to mean…Oh I got it"
I thought upon hearing this sly fox sentence

"If you're talking about Hayama, I'm sure he'll be happy to eat whatever you give him."
I understood Isshiki's general behavior all too well. I took the initiative and answered causing her to inflate her cheeks from boredom.
Listening to her, Yuigahama seemed to recall something.

"Oh, but it sounds like Hayato-kun's not accepting any chocolate, though."

"Ehhh, why's that?"

"…Wh-Who knows?"
Yuigahama inclined her head in confusion.

Then, Yukinoshita let out a brief sigh.
"It's obviously because of the disputes that will ensue. During elementary, the classroom the follow day would see sparks flying all over the place…"

"…Ahh."

"…Ahhhh, I think I can see that."

Isshiki and Yuigahama nodded.

"Yep, yep, I totally can see that, too. Totally!"

I could easily imagine a huge commotion in the classroom next day where the girls would hold a "So Exciting Women Only Witch Trials of Absentia! Don't Forget the Betrayals, Too!" Conversations between girls were mostly about insulting other girls (self-research).

How scary, I thought. Isshiki, who had been living her life being subjected to resentment from the underwor—I mean, the society of girls, let out a shallow sigh.

"Fine, I'll just have to make do with you, senpai. So, do you like sweets?"

"That's one bizarre way of asking me…"

How do you expect an honest answer out of me when it's the same question from earlier? That feeling of being treated like a supplement and her apathy was out of this world. As those thoughts ran through my mind, a chair rocked. I looked over and Yuigahama was leaning forward.

"Hikki likes them a lot!"

"That's true."

On the other hand, Yukinoshita made an overbearing smile with a patronizing chuckle for one reason or another. Pressured by their behavior, Isshiki muddled her words.

"It's kinda weird how you both answered for him, but… that's good to hear!"

"Right… Wait, what is?"

"I've been wondering how sweet I should make my chocolates, you see. People have their preferences, right?"

Isshiki continued, ignoring my question.

Yukinoshita tilted her head.

"How sweet… Isshiki-san, are you planning to make them on your own?"

"Now that's a surprise…"
I said.

Then, Isshiki made a resentful look.

"Why's that? I'm good at making sweets, you know."

"Dang, that must be nice. I wanna learn how to make them too, but I'm just so bad at it…"

Isshiki puffed out her small chest while Yuigahama ducked in her shoulders and hunched over in contrast. Hmm, that's funny, the chest that's puffing out looks a lot smaller… Is the perspective off or something? In any case, I'll go ahead and request that be fixed for the Blu-Rays!

Anyway, in Yuigahama's case, she was nowhere near the level of being just bad, but whatever. It's a trivial problem in light of her chest.

"Yui-senpai, cooking is all about being sincere. When you're making something by hand, your feelings of kindness and sympathy are what's important. The shortcut to improvement is to consider the person you're cooking for."
Isshiki gently patted the depressed Yuigahama's shoulders to comfort her and she then erected a finger. With a peaceful smile, she encouraged her.

"Where did you hear this one "
I asked raising an eyebrow

"From a lady in a café in centre"
Responded isshiki for a brief moment before continuing

"After all, we're dealing with boys here who know absolutely nothing about handmade sweets. So, handmade chocolates are a piece of cake. It doesn't cost much to make a lot and you can add your finishing touches by customizing each one to your liking. The boys will be all over them."

"Your sympathy's gone far beyond the horizon… Even your kindness was purely for your wallet"

"It's more problematic because that way of thinking isn't wrong in the least as well…"

"It doesn't make me happy at all…"

Met with all that feedback, even Isshiki found herself taking a step back. She then forcibly changed the topic as if trying to brush off the topic while growling.

"Well, that was actually a joke. It's what senpai would say… "

"Seems fair"
I thought

"That being said, I'd like some references for making obligatory chocolate. So senpai, what kind of sweets do you like?"

"What kind, huh…? I guess this."
I said taking out a thing.

What I took out was, of course, MAX COFFEE.

Why, you ask?

It's because it's special to me, all bitter and sweet memories had at least one can of MAX in them.

As soon as I placed the can on the table, the three of them focused their stares on me.

Um, what's with those skeptical looks…? There isn't a person in Chiba who'd get upset from receiving this as a sweet. At least, that's what I wanted to say, but everyone's faces looked considerably doubtful…

Yuigahama stared at the can and whispered.
"…I bet even I can make that"

"Like hell you can. Quit screwing around and stop looking down on MAX COFFEE. If you're thinking you can just dump condensed milk and sugar into coffee, you're quite mistaken. No, seriously, don't even bother."

"He's actually angry at that!?"

Obviously. It's a completely different beast from just putting condensed milk in coffee. In fact, putting coffee in condensed milk would be more convincing to me. You couldn't achieve that sticky sweetness through normal means. It wasn't something amateurs should stick their heads into.

Isshiki placed the tip of her finger on her lips to think and opened her mouth.
"Actually, that would put me over my budget."

"I don't know exactly how much you plan on making, but you're under a rather severe budget if you're limiting yourself to less than 130 yen a piece…"
Yukinoshita said in disbelief, rubbing her temple. That, however, wasn't a concern.

"No problem. MAX COFFEE is cheaper if you pick the right store and buy it in bulk."

"Jeez Hikki, just how into it are you…?"

"How much is "I survive to my sleep deprivation by drinking this""
Was what I wanted to say but I went for a more composed

"It's what happens when you don't get many opportunities to drink sweet stuff. I'm always having to drink bitter stuff, after all."

I snorted bitterly while in my mind I triumphally said

"NICE SAVE high five Hachiman"

"of course Hachiman"

*clap

Then, stopping my celebrations, Yukinoshita brushed aside her hair along her shoulders and wore a tenacious smile.
"Bitter things aren't something you drink, but something you experience."

"Yeah, yeah, whatever. But the pain I have to deal with doesn't change. In that case, I just want to live the rest of my life drinking sweet juices."

Uhg I remember my first experimentation with pain manipulation I tried to share the pain I felt drinking black coffee the first times,( it was hilarious all my class mates from middle school puked the juices they were drinking)

"It sounds like what you're tasting aren't bitter things, but life itself…"
Yukinoshita let out a profound sigh.

"ah…ah…ah You have no Idea how right you're, I swim in dark bitter waters from all my life, and to find some sweetness I had to dive in even darker waters…"
I thought

Isshiki sneered.

"Right. I really don't care, though."

How mean. Isshiki gulped down the rest of her tea, placed her paper cup down, and turned towards me.

"I wanted to hear your thoughts on the basics of obligatory chocolate."

"Obligatory chocolate, huh…?"
I scratched my head and sifted through my memories. Unfortunately, I had no experience of receiving any, so I didn't have much to say. The chocolate I received from my little sister was love chocolate! And all the other chocolate I ever received was from family

As though those thoughts showed on my face, Isshiki made an unpleasant snicker.

"Ohh, senpai, you're the type to not get any, huh? But don't boys usually compete over who gets the most chocolate? Won't you hurt your pride as a boy if you don't get anything?"

"Uh, it's not like I need them… When was Valentine's Day a sport?"

There's nothing simpler and clearer than determining the winner by number, but the rules were all over the place. Especially the incoming successive offside traps called obligatory chocolate! It was clearly a red card in that simulation. So, what's an offside trap? Here I am, not knowing a single thing about the rules of soccer.

I rambled on, saying one thing after the other. Isshiki seemed to have taken my ramblings as a bluff and didn't even bother to listen. She then sighed in disbelief while sending me a strangely warm gaze.

"I guess there's no helping you. In that case…"

"You don't need to be concerned for him."

Isshiki was then, interrupted by Yukinoshita. She smoothly lifted her hair and wore a composed smile while Isshiki's mouth hung open in contrast.

"Huh…? Don't tell me, Yukinoshita-senpai, you're going to-"
Yukinoshita didn't let her finish speaking and softly chuckled.

"Because Hikigaya-kun doesn't have any friends he could compete with."

"Oh, that makes sense."
I found myself nodding in conjunction with Isshiki, and we somehow looked like a couple of hens in a hen house. Right, that totally makes sense. So loners operated under primitive, jobless collectivism when it came to competitions, huh? The only problem is, it's too primitive and a loner's just one person.

When I was on the verge of falling into a thinking pit of what true peace really was, Yuigahama who was sitting on the side puffed her cheeks.

"I don't think you need to worry… Besides, Hikki will get chocolate… right?"
She said and sent me a reserved glance.

I nodded back with a small smile.

"Wha…? You mean…"

Isshiki alternated glances between Yuigahama and me. When her eyes that trembled as though from bewilderment crashed with mine, I instinctively let out a proud laugh.

"Hmph, you got that right… I have Komachi, after all!"

(and around 300 member of a secret organization (°_°)...wait a minute those bastards never do anything for saint Valentine)

"And that's exactly why I'll get chocolate! Woohoo! I'm so glad to have a little sister! As long you have a little sister, you're good!"
I happily thought

However, Isshiki tilted her head while blinking in confusion.

"Huh? Komachi…? Who's that? Is that rice?"

"No."

What, was the staple food at the Isshiki household Akitakomachi rice or something? Heck, just give me some rice from JA-Ugo9 or the collaboration rice they have. Then again, please get out there, JA-Chiba.

"Oh, Komachi-chan is Hikki's little sister."
Yuigahama explained.

Isshiki made a completely apathetic face and let out a flat voice.

"You had a sister, senpai?"

"Yeah.
I do. She's a world-level little sister. As a matter of fact, she's the world's little sister."
I triumphantly answered and Isshiki stared at me suspiciously.
She glared at me, her eyes narrowed as much as possible, and cocked her head to the side.

"…Siscon?"

"No stupid, obviously not,"
I said, but the reactions from my surrounding were cold.

"Um, I'm not too sure if I can deny that,"
Yuigahama said. Yukinoshita then looked down with a pensive face. Oh come on, help me out here.

Irohasu nodded her head convincingly to their responses. Then, she erected her index finger, moved it to her chin, and tilted her head with a perky smile.
"Senpai, you really do like younger girls."

"No, not really."

Older, younger, it didn't matter. I was the type that almightily found most people hard to deal with.
I brushed her off and Isshiki clicked her tongue.

"Then…"
Isshiki coughed to check her throat, sent me a single upwards glance, and immediately looked away.

She tightly gripped one hand at the bosom of her uniform while the other weakly trembled and adjusted her skirt. With moist eyes, the breaths she let out were hot.
Then, she spoke in fragments.

"Do you hate… younger girls?"

"I… do not! Yeah! If you had to ask, I absolutely loved them!"
I wanted to say, but the situation might have become a mess

Yuigahama briefly sighed and looked at Isshiki.
"You know what, the way you're asking really is the problem…"

"…Yeah, I guess."
Yep, I can agree with that. Though, I was finally starting to get used to it now. Isshiki didn't find that pleasing and looked at me with resentful eyes.
That attitude caused me to make a bitter smile.

Isshiki, her behavior, and her speech were charming, but there were several reasons why her actions didn't affect me all that much in the present. Had I been myself from long ago, I'd lose my wits within the instant, no doubt about it.

There's just one big reason amongst them all, however, and that was simple.

"As long as I have my little sister, I like them either way, older or younger."

"That sounds like a disease far worse than being a siscon or someone into younger girls!"
Yuigahama's tragic scream reverberated in the room and Isshiki nodded in agreement with disgust. Now you just made me imagine what a slightly older Komachi would look like. I looked around the room hoping for someone else to agree with me and Yukinoshita was tilting her head with a complicated face and crossed arms.

"The problem is what qualifies someone as younger. Their school year? Birthday? Are they considered younger if their birthday is only a little later…? The definition's rather vague. I believe we should sort that out first, don't you think?"
Yukinoshita said, blubbering on.

Yuigahama tapped her hands.

"Oh, but hey, Hikki seems like he'd be compatible with an older girl, for sure…! I think, definitely."
She squeezed her fist, putting a lot of strength into it.
But I certainly didn't have that obsession, yes.

"…That's not really applicable here. If we're talking about a year gap, it's not that big of a difference."
Like mainly from an income perspective! The important thing was that they could take care of me. And in regards to that, Komachi was perfect. She possessed the talent to become a top breeder.

Isshiki moaned.

"Ehh, are you sure? Does Hayama-senpai think that way, too?"

(Unless he is a SSJGSSJ virgin)

"No idea."

"But senpai, you said that being younger is an advantage, right?"

"Yeah, I guess I did…"
Upon hearing that, I pondered.

Speaking of which, she's a year younger, isn't she…? It certainly didn't feel that way because she didn't show the least amount of regard, honor, courtesy, and respect towards me, so she didn't feel like an underclassman at all…

Seriously, isn't she taking me too lightly? Sure, my initials may be H2, but I wasn't as trivial as hydrogen nor was I in any way related to baseball like a certain baseball manga10 out there. As a matter of fact, it wasn't even about baseball as it was just a romantic youth comedy. But really, it's so famous I find myself rereading all the volumes every summer vacation.

"If anything, you were born in April, so you're less than a year apart from me. So you don't feel all that much younger than me, anyway."

"It's only after I took a couple of steps back that I could feel the gap between us. If we're talking about the age gap from like Komachi or Haruno-san, that was obvious. Hiratsuka-sensei, that'd be… yeah.
Mmmm
List most dangerous Magus in Chiba
Yukinoshita Haruno n°4,Higaya Komachi n°8, Isshiki Iroha n°9, Hiratsuka Shizuka n°13 no 10…
I should chose, my acquaintances better...
what was I thinking

oh right !
Isshiki's really only about eight months away from me and three months from Yukinoshita-"
I thought.

Isshiki didn't seem to be on the same page as I was and blinked at me in surprise.

"…"

"What…?"

"Oh, no… I was just a bit surprised."
When I spoke to her, she fiddled with her front bangs and tried to play it off.

On the other hand, Yuigahama at the side noisily moved her chair back to make some distance from me.

"How the heck do you know her birthday!? That's scary! You're creepy, Hikki… No, seriously…"

"…You seem rather informed."
Yukinoshita smiled firmly. Though it's closer to the smile of Nikkari Aoe than just a pleasant smile, so there was a transparent feeling of pressure oozing from it.

"No, Isshiki mentioned it the other day with her pointlessly sly appeal…"

"Did you say pointless!? I-Is not! Actually, I'm not the one being sly, it's you, senpai!"
Isshiki jumped up from her chair and pointed her finger at me. Actually, I'm not the one being sly, you're the one normally being sly, Isshiki…

"I have an amazing memory, that's why…(I can speak 9 different languages)… Anyway, if you're done here, go back to your Student Council or Soccer Club already,"
I said.

Isshiki pouted in outrage while reluctantly making her way out of the room. Good grief, this girl's acting like that again. Yeah, yeah, you're sly, so sly.
Yukinoshita, Yuigahama, and I smiled wryly as we watched her leave. Then, the Service Club's door, ahead of where she was heading, was knocked on.
After a gentle knock, our eyes were locked onto the lightly knocked door for a few moments.

Isshiki was about to leave the room, but after glancing back and forth between us and the door, she quietly returned to her seat. Well, I can only imagine how awkward it'd be to meet eyes with the visitors on the way out.

Before long, festive voices came from the other side of the thin wall.

"It's not like we need their help…"

"It's fine, it's fine. Besides, I don't really know all that much, either."
The voices consisted of a familiar blunt speaker and a tone that, while amiable, seemed forceful.

There was a knock at the door again, only this time it came across rhythmically.

"Come in,"
Yukinoshita answered, and the door slowly opened. Appearing within the opening was Ebina-san's face.

"Hallo, hallo! Do you guys have a minute?"

"Hina? Oh, sure, come in, come in!"
Yuigahama motioned her in with her hand, and Ebina-san returned a nod. Indeed, the quicker you enter, the less wind makes it inside. My seat is the closest to the door, after all…

"Excuse us for the intrusion,"
Ebina-san said in polite greeting as she entered. Following wordlessly behind her, with a gloomy expression and averted eyes, was Miura.

"What can we do for you?"
Yukinoshita asked.

Miura's mouth distorted as she shot a glance at Isshiki.

"And why's she here?"

"Oh, you know, that's exactly what I wanted to say… or something!"

Isshiki shot back a smile as Miura twirled her hair with a displeased glare.

"Oh, what a bizarre atmosphere…"
I thought.

Her perception must have been similar, as Yuigahama came in to mediate.

"Ummm, does having more people here make it harder for you to talk?"

"No, not really…,"
Miura answered, her attitude still curt. This certainly didn't look like she'd be able to talk about anything with ease.

"We can always make Isshiki leave if you want,"
I offered.

"Huh!? Why!?"

It's not like you're a member of the club or anything… You being here as if it's a given is the abnormality, you know?

Ebina-san patted Miura's shoulder to calm her down.
"Now, now, Yumiko. Just think about what you want to talk about, see. If you don't get too specific, it should be fine. Right?"

"That's true… I imagine it may be difficult to discuss… I don't mind, however."
Yukinoshita glanced at me, seeking confirmation.
I acknowledged her with a nod.

"Well, why don't we just hear you out first? If it's too confusing, you can talk more personally with the others afterwards.-

"Uh huh, that sounds good… Oh, but hey, Iroha-chan might have some good ideas, too,"
Yuigahama added.

Isshiki clearly wasn't pleased with being treated like an outsider, but I slowly inclined my head to Yuigahama, who answered with a relieved smile. I felt rather sorry for her since she had to be considerate to both parties.

"Let's start from the top then,"
Yukinoshita said, restarting the conversation.

Miura eyed Isshiki for a moment longer, but eventually removed her glare. She fiddled with her hair as though looking for split ends, then opened her mouth to speak.

"…Well, you know? I was kinda thinking about making chocolate… Um, we have exams and all next year… So this is kinda like our last time or something."
She quietly trailed off with a voice dripping with shame and embarrassment. Her cheeks gradually reddened as she spoke.

"Fuck this is some kind teenage love comedy, I don't wanna get involved into "
I thought stopping to listen to Miura's conversation.

Yet even If my ears where disconnected, my eyes still worked and made me read Miura's lips

"Super fuck I need a way out of here"
Then like a lightning in a cloudless sky a voice roared

"HIKIGAYAAAAAAAAAA"

"Thank god someone is calling me out of here….oh god someone is calling me out of here"
I thought undecided of being happy or scared

A ferocious beat opened the door, Without knocking so rude, grabbed my left arm saying.
"You now come with me"

and took me away from my clubroom. Oh it was Hiratsuka-sensei

Hiratsuka-sensei dragged me at the entrance of the special school building and said

"Shit, shit, shit "

"Sensei? What's wrong?"

"Ehm Hikigaya do you remember the punch I gave you this morning"

"It's not something that I can easily forget…"

"Well for some reasons the headmaster came to know about it and now wants to confirm. I didn't leave on you, evident marks right?"

"Actually"
I said showing her the purple spot on the fake skin,

"You kind of made this"

"Oh shit, I'm so sorry, and I'm screwed too my career as a teacher is over, over over over"
She entered in trance repeating "over"

I snapped my fingers in front of her eyes but nothing

"Wow that's pretty bad, I don't hold grudge towards her, on contrary I treasure Hiratsuka-sensei, so I wouldn't mind say that I had this bruise before coming to school but I doubt it would work. I 've to find a way… I can't make the ink disappear…I can't make become the headmaster blind… I don't have any body painting … oh I got it I can just show my real torso ahahaha no… I guess I will run at home, sorry Yuigahama Yukinoshita, this request is for you"
I thought

"But first…HIRATSUKA SENSEIII"
I screamed in order to take her attention

Nothing

*slap

Nothing

"Okay plan C"

With much care I brought my face near Sensei's ear she was whispering something like

"over…over…over…I couldn't learn suggestion magic noooooo I wanted to solve everything with punches… over…over…"
I cleared my throat and said in calm voice

"Do you, Shizuka Hitatsuka, take this man as your husband"

"I DO"
She said snapping out of her trance

"matte matte matte It actually worked"
I thought with eyes full of pity

Hiratsuka sensei looked around herself, sorry is not your big day yet…

"ehm sensei I will go home before I run in to the principal, so this Monday I can cover it with something okay?"
I said finally catching her full attention

"Really?"
She said with her hand united in front of her

"Really really, now I just get my stuff from the club room and I'm out of he"
"There you are"
Said loudly a small man, with black hair and dressed in a three pieces suit…THE HEADMASTER!

He had some papers in his hand, and from a glimpse I had seen I could tell It was my data has a student.

"Fuck he has my photo under his eyes I can't say I'm Tobe"
I muttered seeing my plan disappear

The headmaster reached Hiratsuka sensei (approaching another panic attack) and I. Looking on his papers he squared me and then said

"Are you Hikitani Hachiman young man….wait Hikigaya Hachiman "
And there we go

"Yes sir"

"May I have a word in private with you and Hiratsuka-sensei?"

Ok this wasn't a question

"Oh sure headmaster, I just need to conclude a small discussion about my club with Hiratsuka-sensei,…right sensei"
I said grabbing Hiratsuka's arm and dragging her away before, she had another panic attack or the headmaster did something else.

After dragging sensei in front of the service club room, she freed her arm and told me

"Hikigaya what are you doing we don't have time for this"

Hearing her I couldn't help but think

" is she stupid ?! Who the hell does she think I am, I'm Kamin….no Hachiman the man with a plan"

No..I had to calm downClearing my throat, I answered

"No the club is more important…IS THAT WHAT YOU THINK I WAS GOING TO SAY?"

"Uh?"

"I can't believe I have to explain it, I have a plan to come out of this shitty situation "

"Oh that makes sense….what's the plan?"

"I have a… ehm cosplay thing that can cover the bruise I need you to make everyone in the service club, come out"

"okay… what's this cosplay thing you're going to use?"
Asked me with shining eyes Hiratsuka sensei

"Crap her otaku senses had awakened I need to distract her"
I thought

"Less words more action"
I ordered like some kind of general

Fortunately Hiratsuka sensei remembered her situation and roamed in the service club, screaming
"EVERYONE OUT OF THIS ROOM"

"What is haaaaaa"
And Isshiki was out of the room

"Uh"

"Ah"

"Eh"
And with a sequence of onomatopoeia came out of the room Miura, Ebina-san, and Kawa…something-san, when did she arrive?

"Sensei where is Hikkiiiiiiiiiiiiiii"
Yuigahama out of the door

"Sensei you didn't knock kyaa"
And Yukinoshita was the last.

Hiratsuka-sensei came out too

"Thanks sensei"
I briefly said entering in the empty room,

*sbam

I closed the door, and started to strip for the second time today

"This isn't a stupid ecchi manga dammit"

I folded my fake skin and put it in my school bag, I hoped that the" cosplay thing" I mentioned would make Hiratsuka-sensei believe all these scars are fake, maybe she will think the scars are for some kind of cosplay of Kenshiro… or not I don't have the Big Dipper on me. I began to wear my shirt, but I noticed that my left shoe was untied, I leaned down for rectify, when the door at my back opened.

"Hikigaya-kun would you mind explain what's going o…"

"That's right Hikki you let Hirastuka-sensei thrown us ouuuuuu"
Said my two club mate that had rudely interrupted my change of clothes

"Oh great, now I need to start the play before I wanted"

I muttered, then I counted 1…2…3

"OI what do you think are doing, I'm changing…do not peep on me hentai"
I said turning to face them with my shirt still unbuttoned.

It was just me, or Yuigahama's and Yukinoshita's...faces where kind of…red

"W-w-w-why would you ASSume we entered here to peep Hikicreepy-kun"

" Yukinon is ABSolutely right! we were just SCARed because we didn't know what was going on, and we wanted some explanations"
They said looking a few inches below my eyes...okayyyyyy.
I snapped my fingers to catch their attention... and because I felt molested.

"Sensei today punched me harder than usual, and left a bruise the Headmaster heard about that and now wants to check, I have to trick him with this, fake otaku shit Zaimokuza bought forgetting about is weight"
I said as fast as I could pointing my index to my belly.

Uncaring of their reaction I took my blazer, started to button my shirt and went out of the room while sentences like " Oh, that's why his bruise, was gone" or " Ah this actually make sense " floated in the air.

Leaving the room, I ignored the other four students outside the room, that for some reasons had their cheeks red too, I raised two fingers and gestured Hiratsuka-sensei that had her mouth open to follow me.

When I finished buttoning up my shirt, I put on my blazer with a swift movement and turned my head back, to confirm that sensei was actually following me… I only saw five people staring at the door where I came out, without moving.

"….have you seen a ghost…?"
I asked puzzled

" …"
They volubly responded

"SENSEI GET YOURSELF A GRIP I DON'T HAVE TIME TO WASTE"

"Eh right"
She said following me.

Finally some reactions!

I and Hiratsuka-sensei reached the Headmaster and he made us go in his office, it was a simple room with a table, some posters of famous phrases of shoji players, book shelfs full of documents, an armchair and two simple chair.

He made us seat on the chairs in front of the table while I seated in the opposite side of the desk on his red armchair. Giving a quick stare to me and Hiratsuka sensei he asked me

"Has something happened this morning ?"

"mmmm I don't remember anything worth of notice, I suppose I arrived a bit late, you see I had problems with my bike "
I said playing dumb,

"Oh good, may I ask you to show me your belly, some rumours from the nurse reached my ears… something about Hiratsuka sensei hitting you really hard in the stomach leaving a big bruise.
Because act of violence on students are inadmissible in my school I decided to check this rumour… also because Hiratsuka-sensei has precedents of violence on students…"
He said quietly.

"Okay"
I said to the small man

"But I had a few accidents in my life so please do not overreact looking at my scars"
I added in order to keep my cover. A few fast movements and the area where I was hit was in front of the principal eyes, his face contorted in horror for a moment and then trying to keep his cool said

" I-I-I-I see the rumour was just a rumour after all"

"AH see I told you Kurogane, I didn't do anything

this time"
Said triumphant Hiratsuka-sensei

"Now we are free to go"
Affirmed proudly my teacher, but the principal wasn't of the same advice.

"Actually there is another thing I have to discuss with you two"

"Uh"
We responded at unison.

"Hikigaya Hachiman-kun do you remember the exchange project you signed in June"

Flashback

"Hikigaya"
Called me Hiratsuka-sensei

"Nani"
I responded

"You're the new volunteer for the exchange project of a month next February, you will go in a city named Fuyuki. You will go to school there and live with the family of one of the archery club member, and then you will host that member, so he or she will participate to the national tournament of archery in Chiba this April yeeeeeee"

"Wait what! Why me?"

"Because none offered"

"What about NO"

What about the school will receive state subsidies if someone accept"

"What about NO AGAIN"

"If I told you that you can skip the math exam at the end of semester"

"Where do I sign"

"Vaguely "
I responded to the principal

"Well you need to make your parents sign these papers. We had some problems so they have just arrived, oh and you are going to depart the day after tomorrow"

He said calmly

"Are you serious, this is too short notice, problems or not, it seems like some lazy writer needed to make the plot move faster…"
I responded frantically

"I'm sorry but that's how it is"
He said handing me the documents

"Hiratsuka-sensei you're his homeroom teacher explain to him the other details and answer his questions"

After fifteen minutes of information sharing between me and my teacher, and her promise to not making me re-do an essay ever again, I went to the service club. When I opened the sliding door I saw six girls seated around the table they all had assumed the pose of Gendo Ikari and stared at the nothingness.

*ehm

I coughed
"Is everything all right?"

"Well"
Said Yuigahama explaining me the whole situation.

"So Miura and Isshiki want to give Hayama chocolates"

"I never said it was for Hayato"
Miura interrupted me blushing furiously.

"Is she serious? does she think I would believe it"
I wondered

"….isshiki and Miura want to give Hayama handmade chocolate, and Kawasaki want to teach her sister some simple sweets to make…I got everything right till now"

"Yes"
Responded Yukinoshita

"But you don't know how do these things because Hayama doesn't accept chocolates and Kawasaki can't take her little sister here in order top let Yukinoshita oversee the all the cooking"

"Seems about right"
Said Yuigahama

"ugh I can't believe I have to think about this shit! I have too many thing to do"
I complained in my mind.

Thinking about all the possible solution to these problem only one seemed fit to solve both of them at the same time

"Isshiki…now follow my instructions, the student council is in pause, right, well not anymore, book the social centre, and make stock of chocolate and kitchen tools, we will make an event this weekend, where Yukinoshita will teach girls how to make chocolates while boys will do taste tester. Clear
Ebina, Miura, Kawasaki spread the voice that the weekend before Valentine's day there would be this event "
I said after a full minute of reasoning.

the magical adventures of brain-kun ep 6

"OVERHEATING"

Six pairs of empty eyes look at me then Miura said

"Could it be that Hikio is actually smart"

"Shut up, fire queen"

As I gave my instructions the four girls started to move and left the club.

"Thank goodness!"

I thought.

Minutes flowed and the un continued to come descend, Yukinoshita and Yuigahama, were checking on their smartphones chocolates cakes and other things to cook during the event. Seated on my chair I was reading a book until I stared at my phone looking for the time, my technological device made me realize it was quite late, and that I had to go home.

"Well I think we can call a day"
I said standing up.

Hearing my voice the two girls looked outside to see the nearly disappeared sun.

"Oh is later than I thought"
Said Yuigahama in amazement

"Indeed, we were too focus on the sweets for the event, I still need to find something that even Yuigahama can make…"
Echoed Yukinoshita, when Yuigahama heard about Yukinoshita concerns puffed her cheeks and hit her with soft punches

"Yukinon no baka"

*ahahha

Looking at this scene I couldn't contain my laugh and say
"Yukinoshita you have one hell of a mission"

"Moo Hikki you too, my cooking have improved a lot since you last tried"
Hearing her talking about the first request of the service club made feel so nostalgic

"This weekend you will taste "Yui's super chocolate"
Said Yuigahama puffing her chest, making me remember I haven't told them about the project yet…

"Ehm Yuigahama, Yukinoshita actually(….)"

"You what!"
Said the two girls at the same time

Returning at home from school I found the cars of my parents in the garage, it was pretty shocking because usually they came out from work way later. I left my bike in it's usual place and walked in the house, leaving my shoes in the entrance, I slowly moved in the living room where my little sister was watching some kind of anime on television

"Oh oni-chan, you're back"

"Sup"
We greet each other.

After that I began to look around the house searching for my parent, but I didn't manage to find them

"Imoto-chan… where are our parents, their cars are outside"

"They are in the workshop, do you need me to get you in?"

"Thanks I'm just going to change myself"
I said going in my room and changing my clothes in a green track suit.
then came back in the living room where Komachi had turned off the TV, she stood before the bookcase of me and my father filled with our favourites book.

I nodded to my sister, she took out from a shelf an old book hardcover in leather, she let her mana flow in it, and then she put it back in its place.

*vrom

A creepy noise filled my ears and a secret passage was displayed behind the bookcase.

"Thanks Komachi… what are we going to have for dinner?"

"You're welcome oni-chan, and mom said we will have pizza"
She responded

"Oh pizza the only food I love and hate.."
I muttered heading in the dark passage.

Step after step I followed little magic laps that were attached at the wall every three meters lighting up of orange light the dark hallway.
As I went through spider webs until my hair were all dirty I wondered how was possible that no matter when this palace was always full of webs.
I reached a spiral staircase and following the noises of my parents working I descended the steps arriving in a room two times the size of my bedroom.
The air smelled like mud and inside the room there was a whole set of strange things: crystal of curious shapes, death animals in jars filled of strange a liquid and many tools of dubious purpose.

My parents were wearing safety goggles and were fumbling on a silver bracelet, with a ruby like stone, and the shape of a peach seed embed in it.
Hi dad, hi mom"

They continued to work… they probably didn't hear me with the noise they were making.

"HI DAD HI MOM"

Nothing again…, tired of not being heard I searched for my attention gainer device. I went to look under the metallic table in centre of the room, and found a blanket covering my special device, 2 old pans…I took them, leaving the papers for the exchange project on the metallic table, one in each hand I looked at my parents one last time and then

*BAM *BAM*BAM*BAM

"What the fu… Hachiman!?"
Said my parents

"FINALLY! REACTIONS"
I pleasantly saw

"Hi dad. Hi mom, how was your day?"

"Usual"

"Awful"

"What are you doing, another mystic code for the summoning familiars…like every other mystic code in our family?"
I asked with a bit of sarcasm

"Yes, and for your information the familiars summoned by the Hikigaya clan are amazing"
Retorted my father mustering his pride as a magus...but,well

"Yes yes, I know, judging by how focused you two were, you are struggling a bit…"
I responded condescending

"We may have some problem with magic stone for the summoning"
Said my mother throwing the bracelet to me, my father nearly screamed when I caught it in mid-air.

"Let's see"
I said looking at the mystic code from every angulation, the cold of metal ran through my fingers and all the runic incisions on the bracelet surface were felt by my sensible fingertips.

" What is this bracelet supposed to summon?"

" A Kitsune"
Said my father drily

"Oh sweet, how many tails?"

"From one to four, you turn the red gem to choose"

"Ah so tuning the gem analogically, you redirect the flow of the mana in order to activate more runes"

"Basically"

"But you can't make it work, right dad"

"…."

"What if I told you that there is a mistake with the runes here"
I nonchalantly said pointing a rune near the gem

"Really?!"
Said my father in shock

"Yes look you missed one line so the mana flow stagnates before the gem can trigger the summoning"
I explained tossing the bracelet to my mother.

"He has no magic circuits that function properly but is always a step ahead of us, darling"

"ah you're right…
wait a minute our son had just helped us

Hachiman tell your father what you want"
Said my father seeing through my actions

"…"

"…"

"Do you remember of that exchange, I talked you about last June?"

Flashback

"Dad"
I called him

"Nani
He responded

"I'm the new volunteer for the exchange project of a month next February, I will go in a city named Fuyuki. I will go to school there and live with the family of one of the archery club member, and then you will host that member, so he or she will participate to the national tournament of archery in Chiba this April yeeeeeee"

"Wait what! Why you?"

"Because none offered, and my teacher suck"

"What about NO"

"What about I will be able to skip the math exam at the end of the semester"

"what about NO AGAIN"

"I will give you the list of all the boys Komachi hangs out with"

"Where do I sign"

"Vaguely "
He responded

"Well I need you to sign those papers on the table. The school had some problems so the documents have just arrived, and I'm kinda going to depart the day after tomorrow"
I said calmly

"Are you serious, this is too short notice, problems or not, it seems like some lazy writer needed to make the plot move faster…"

"I now I said the same things, but that's how it is.
I talked with Hiratsuka-sensei she said that most of the expenses will be paid by the school of Fuyuki and the family I'll stay with but, I should take with me some emergency cash like 15000¥ "

*fuu
My mother and father breathed

"Let your mother and I look at those paper, meanwhile can you order pizza delivery, with your phone, I will take a vegetarian and you dear"

"I will take a four seasons"

"Sure, I will send Komachi to call you when they arrive"
And as I said so I started to come out from the workshop leaving my pans where I found them.

I needed to return in the living room before calling the restaurant, because in that goddamned hallway there wasn't signal.
I asked Komachi what kind of pizza she wanted , called the pizzeria and then retired myself in my room.

*click

I locked the door, took my laptop on my writing desk, turned it on.
I waited for the screen saver to appear, and pressed on the keyboard the same 20 numbers code of this morning, the screen went black and the symbol of the snake of Oroboro appeared, It started to move in shape of the usual horizontal eight.
I hated waiting for the computer loading

(2 minutes later)

(five minutes later)

"Welcome back" shone on the screen a red writing

"Finally"
I esclamed after that nerve wreking waiting.

the magical adventures of brain-kun ep 7

"BRAIN-KUN WAKE UP"

"no...fufmfufmfu...loading screen...banana"

facing my laptop I entered in serious mode began to open my e-mails and look at all the reports I needed to check.

"YOU HAVE 99+ NEW MAILS"

It felt like a gun pointed on my head
"shit..."

Movement of Chinese army, diagrams of new inventions from the research and development department, reports from all the agents undercover in terroristic groups, U.N., U.S.A, U.E., Clock tower, progresses of all the shadow companies of Oroboro and the news about the training of new recruits.

Thousands and thousands of words that ran under my eyes, information and information of the subtle plots that decide how this rotten world move.
Finishing to read the general reports I checked all the personal messages I received

"Oh Winry developed a new model of Automail, I hope she doesn't try to replace someone's limb in his sleep...it wouldn't be the first time
Kyotaka is bored of his new school, Yeah it's kinda of a waste to send an operative like me to a boarding school but Ototou-kun need to socialize more with common people
(said the pot that called the kettle black)
Levi taking the reins of Tri-corps doubled the receipts and he hadn't kill anyone… yet...I hope
Sora and Shiro have all the informatics department under control…I should invite them in a co-p on Monster Hunter,
Megumi as found herself in some problem at Totsuki academy, if she encounter any major problems she will ask help
Ashua has just ended her mission under cover and is now nursing Kazumi, He is still in rehabilitation,
my best sniper,
fuck...
Hiccup had secured a position of power in Norwegian government
and Edward is still in radio silence in London."

"Well no emergencies until no"

I Closed the e-mails I opened another program. This time in front of me there was the 3D structure of a skyscraper high one hundred and eighty metre:
I checked plans of each floor, and projected all the routes the guards use during night patrols, with red lines.
Opening another window on my PC I searched in various files all the weaponry of the P.C.A. (Petroleum and Coal, Arabia), had bought in the past days to fortify their main building.

I was ready to add all those weapon to the simulation when

"ONI-CHANNN the delivery boy is here"

"Okay I will be there in a minute"
Two swipes of my mouse and all anti-aircraft guns were place in all possible spots, leaving my model of the skyscraper complete.

*grumbl
my stomach grumbled, apparently I had work enough.

"Damnit I should really hire a secretary, to deal with all the reports and paper work"
I thought heading towards the dining table where my family was already seated.

"hen they saw me coming my sister said
"He's here Itadakimasu "

Digging her face in the food,

"Oh god does my little sister eat like this all the time, she's gobbling the food like a starved animal"
I sat on my chair, said the Japanese sentence "itadakimasu" and started to eat my ultra-cheesy pizza

"Good"
I muttered while hot wires of mozzarella cheese went down my throat.

The meal was consumed in silence with occasional request for water until my mother said
"Hachiman we looked all the paper for the exchange project and signed them you will have to give those papers to the teacher…Taiga Fujimura was it ?
she will be your legal guardian for all your time in Fuyuki"

*vaeggfkaegvwiulflgbqw
Komachi almost choked, she had her mouth full and when she heard kaa-san talk about the exchange, all that food went sideways.

I poured a glass of water and brought it to my dying sister, she drank it in one go, and then watched me with incredulous look

"What is this story you are talking about? Exchange project?"

"Your brother is going to go in a city named Fuyuki for a month starting from this Friday"

"How? Why?"

"By train oh
Hachiman you have to buy your ticket online
and because in this way he will survive this year math final exam"

"Do not forget kaa-san that I will be fed for free for a whole month"

"This…make actually more sense than it should, Oni-chan taking the effortless easier way, choosing free food…"
Unconsciously I started to nod.

Me and my parents shared other few information; about what I should have taken with me for a whole month and if it was the case to take a prepaid card.
after many agreements I excused myself and went in to my room leaving Komachi to wash the dishes for that evening.

*click

Locking the door was an habit I took a few years ago, after all you never know when a loud sister will break in or a strange creature summoned by your parents will try to make their nest in your underwear drawer.

"Forget those strange worms"

I Checked the time on my smartphone 22:24 it was time to get ready.

I opened my secret drawer and took my two guns, the dagger, one of the many keys and some jewels filled with mana.

"Ok here I have everything"
I said beginning, the most difficult task of that night

pull everything in my pockets

the magical adventures of brain-kun ep 7

Tetris song in the background

"WHY, why don't you fit in...WHY!"

it was a difficult task but I managed to put very thing in my pockets.
From under my bed I took out a pair of black trainers and wore them then I opened the window of my room and jumped down.

"Weeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeee"

For many people a fall from the second floor was a nice occasion to sprain their ankles or worse, but for me it was like stealing candies from a kid...a thing that I have never done...before.

I landed in the backyard without making a noise and sneaking like a ninja I reached the road in front of my house.

"perfect none have seen me who needs Kamui"
I said walking on the side walk passing in front other five houses at the left of mine and then turning in front of the sixth one .

In front of me there was an house that at first sight looked like all the other in my block, but the closed curtains and the slightly neglected grass of the lawn suggested otherwise.

"safe house number 13 code-name tea party"

I jogged in front of the house's garage and with the key I brought with me I opened its door.

Inside the garage there was a motorbike, that looked like those of moto GP, but it was without any kind of sponsor or writing.
it was a pure obsidian brand-less bike.

"hello Biky-kun 2, did you miss me?"
I asked to the motorcycle closing the door of the garage behind me.

I looked around checking that all the stuff I left here was untouched: the old dusty mirror still on the wall and the metal closet still in the corner.

"Good"
I said stripping from my track suit and fake skin and stretching my back.

"stay hunchbacked all the day kills me"
I muttered opening the closet and taking out a jar of plastic filled of hexagonal pills.

I took one and swallowed it then I walked in front of the mirror only in my underwear.

"Time to change look"
I said staring at my reflection before my skin and hair started to get Itchy on my skin black marks started to appear and my black hair started to change from pitch black to red.

In a few seconds a tattoo of two black snakes twisting around my body formed; the tails of these two animals were on my ankles. Their body spirally rose my legs, then switched sides encircling my hips, continued to go straight up on my torso's sides, descended on my arms again spirally, reached the back of my hands and made an U-turn, headed to my neck rising up spirally one more time creating many "x"s on my arms.
After covering my arms the snakes reached my neck and they climbed it up in the same way they twisted around the other limbs, then went behind my ears, and ended their body above my eyebrows where two reptilian heads with their fanged mouth open enclosed my eyes.
(one time a drunken guard started to scream that a pair of snake was eating my eye balls ).
On my belly also appeared a big black zero while on my back was written in gothic letters "ANGRA MAINYU" the code name I chose for myself, "All the World's Evil", a title that I felt quite befitting for myself.
Of course the effect of the pill I took before didn't end here my hair, that had started to become red had become crimson like blood.

"Anybody who see me in this state will never recognize me"
I said checking my dyed hair and tattoos in the mirror confirming that all the invisible ink had reacted to the drug I ingested before.

everything was fine.

I headed again towards the closet and took out my mission suit: Military boots, black pants, a bulletproof jacket made with the most advanced technology and magecraft (of course rigorously black) a leather belt where I attached my guns and dagger and a pair of gauntlets that covered all my hands and forearms with some kind of black leather and metal .
I wore all my clothes and tapped on the metallic plates of the gauntlets revealing secret cavities, that I filled with the jewels I brought from my drawer.

"Secondary mana reserves check"
the gaunlets responded emitting two blue sparks

"Perfect, now"
I picked up my integral helmet from the closet.

"Angra Mainyu out from tea party 22:36"
I muttered in the helm microphone jumping on my black bike,

"Power on"

My motorbike in response made its engine roar then I pushed a button to make the door of the garage open and I gave gas

the wheels screeched on the ground, in one second... I was just a black bolt in the night.

Streaking for Chiba's empty roads was one of my favourite things...it made me see my city from a different point of view, but unfortunately today I couldn't laze around on my motorbike.

Ten minutes later I came out from the safe house I was from the city and reached a desert area.
I stopped next to a solitary street the night was clear and a chilly wind was blowing. I came down from my motorcycle and breathing fresh air I took my helmet off and said the magical words to make my adventure begin.

"OPEN THE FUCKING DOOR OF THE PLANE HICCUP"

As if responding to my words suddenly a grey jet appeared above my head and slowly landed with the precision of an helicopter, 3 metres away from me.

the plane was named "NightFury Family model" but from many Oroboro's members was known as "Copyright" because it vaguely resembled the "Queen jet " from the MCU

"Geez how did you know I was already here!"
A voice said in perfect Japanese

"The air under the plane is hotter"
I responded

"Oh right,… eh well…come aboard of my beautiful vehicle the others are already all inside"
Said a thin young man around nineteen, with one prosthetic leg, a big nose, a black wyvern large like a parrot named Toothless on his shoulder
(Warning he is not actually toothless do not put your hands in that thing's mouth)
He had his face filled with my same tattoos and had my same red dyed hairs, trade marks of a full fledged member of Oroboro.

"Hey Dragon trainer you may be the one that pilot this jet but I paid for it! stop saying it's your beautiful vehicle"
I groaned

"What a killjoy boss Hachim… I mean Angra Mainyu, when I'll buy my own jet you won't be allowed to enter"
He retorted crushing me in an unwanted hug .

"How long ago was the last time we saw each other?"
I asked searching for air

"don't know... a month maybe two.
After all not every day I fly from Norway to Japan for a meeting of all the high council of Oroboro"
He said with an easygoing tone while I freed myself

"You mean that handful of kids that likes to make things explode and sometimes try to conquer the world"
I asked sarcastically

(And yes! my dream/hobby is to conquer the world...or at least change it)

"Nooooooo. What? I meant those idiots that had seen a lonely Japanese boy throwing his life away for the others without thinking twice and thought -Nice idea let me try-"
He retorted even more sarcastically as I laughed bitterly.

With a sign of my hand I gestured my friend it was time to go

"Friend…no he isn't a friend.
Him and all member of Oroboro are not my friends... they are my weird family...composed of weird people that do weird stuff with me.
No wonder they are the only people I can handle for more than 36 hours"
I thought entering in the plane

"Oh Almost forgot my masculine bike."
I muttered

"Get here !"
I said trying to sound authority.

*Vroom
My motorbike got onboard too.

"Hey give me two wires I have to bound my jewel"

After I tied up my bike Hiccup and I walked a few steps and reached a pressurised door.

"Welcome back N6 and N0"
said a female robotic voice after my companion touched the handle

"Geez I should really get rid of this greeting system It was fun at first but now it's just annoying"

"Ah I remember when you set it to call you GREAT DRAGON LORD"

"Oh com'on it was during the chuuni period of the organisation, wanna talk about the experiments to create Pokemons"
He said crossing a small room and opening another pressurised door.

"Is a beautiful night isn't it?"
I said switching topic and following Hiccup

Behind, the second door there was another room 9 metres for 9 metres lightened by white neons, with a glass looking table was in the middle, surrounded by small armchairs where 8 serious people sat...or at least was I hoped to see.

And don't get me wrong in the room there were indeed 8 people but
... I couldn't understand how was even possible to make a mess this... This...messy and judging from Hiccup face, the room wasn't with Coca-Cola's cans on the floor, chips bags floating in the air, and heavy metal music coming out from the stereo when he came out.
Every person in the room was seated in strange poses (that even L would have been proud of) and everyone was minding his own business.

"This is what happen when you fill a room with loners, they don't socialize they're alone... together"
I thought holding back tears of pride

"Hello"
I said

*completely ignored*

"hey why no one is noticing me! am I invisible or what?!"
I thought falling in depression

the magical adventures of brain-kun ep 8

"You're not invisible they just don't care"

Taking a deep breath I walked in the room painfully slowly, none appeared to have noticed my presence really... It made me sad.

"okay...they want to play like this...now I'm going to be serious"
I muttered letting my eyes grow sharper and colder

I reached the middle of the room, cleared my throat and calmly screamed.

"HELLO BUNCH OF TEPPISTS...it's nice to BE COMPLETELY IGNORED
now I'm going to be clear
SORA SHIRO STOP PLAYING MEAT BOY ADVENTURES"

"We are doing our third, no death run tell him oni-chan"

"Just one more level Hachiman...(stare)Shiro give me the game"

"WINRY STOP MODIFYING THE ROCKETS DO YOU WANT TO BLOW UP?!"

"Relax it won't happen...again"

"MEGUMI GODDAMN CAN YOU STOP TO EAT THE KANJI OF PERSON WE ARE NOT GOING TO DO ANOTHER DAMOCLES OPERATION!"

" yes, forget DAMOCLES forget DAMOCLES"

" LEVI STOP CLEANING THE BOOGERS UNDER THE ARMCHAIRS"

"..."

" on a second thought END CLEANING FAST"

"ASHUA STOP LISTENING MUSIC NOW"

"Uff aye oni-N2"

"KYOTAKA PUT AWAY THAT BOOK"

" Fine...Ni-san"

"AND"

*Ronf

"..."

*Ronf

"Someone wake up Kasumi"

*Slap

"Thank you Ashua, HICCUP MAKE THIS PLANE FLY"

"Music for my ears"
Said the boy rushing in the pilot room.

After my speech I took an armchair and beside the table as the other eight did the same.
we looked at each other 7 Japaneses, a German, and a British... the start of a joke.

"Well, let's begin this meeting"

But a joke that will change the world.

Usually I hated Oroboro's meeting, many people in a room that show their many progresses and the same number of people that respond with sarcasm.
9 out of 10 the whole thing turned in a brawl or a storm of insults.

so everyone was always ready to show all their progress...or had an endless list of insults prepared

(Thank god I have Yukinoshita as sparring partner)

Without further delay the meeting began and everyone started to show their progress in each of the fields they dealt with.

The one first to talk was Chigusa Kasumi a boy of my age that, according to rumors was "my twin divided from me at birth"
And I guess I can see their point. When we do not look like demons, both of us have messy black hair (he doesn't have my ahoge though), built, lazy aura and way to speak .

He is the chief of the economic department, and the best sniper in the whole Oroboro, the last mission I gave him...didn't end well.

Long story short.
He was making inoffensive a group of terrorists in Russia, the building he was on caught fire, The fire scorched his left arm,with third degree burns that damaged his nerves, making his arm unfeasible:
Unfortunately that fact made me unable to heal him with my magic

I can heal a person until he's in pain, otherwise I can't do nothing.

you can say
" a problem is not a problem if is not seen it as one"

Right now with the most advanced medical treatments of Oroboro he is making progress, but I'm pretty sure Winry tried to cut off Kasumi's arm and replace it with an automail.

"Well (-BORING FINANCIAL STUFF-) and last but not least our ten-annual plan is following it's schedule; our shadow companies are now the major producer of food, energy and public procurements in the world.
Is only a matter of time before we rooth permanently in the world's economy...etto… our biggest company right now is the Tri-Corp,
so I think that is your turn Levi, I mean Stronger Soldier -
Said Kasumi with sleepy voice, while projecting on the glass table data.

"okay he said pretty much nothing new... the information I have under my nose speak for themselves, the growth of our companies is slow but constant."
I thought analysing the data under my eyes

The strategy of Oroboro was simple, different companies worked in the same area and created synergy with each other without making it obvious. Let's say if, we operate a ski facility, then we make sure to be the only ones in that area to sell the right equipment, to posses the hotels, and groceries shops: so everyone who use or work in that implant willing or not make us earn money.
Of course the quantity of money we needed to invest in order to create this kind of system was enormous but the results didn't lack.

Now I kinda cut the part in which we currupt, blackmail, steal and do industial espionage...but who cares we pay taxes!

After being, called in into question, Levi "The Strongest Soldier", who was a quiet small man with his hair cut in military style, expressionless eyes and a nearly maniacal hobby of cleaning.
Standing up from his armchair (with is 160 centimetre of glory) cleared his throat and said

"Everything is fine"

"..."

"..."

"talkative as usual...or maybe he has ready some cool insults"
I wondered

"..."

"..."

"Why is everyone staring at me?!
NO no and No I won't start an insults war with Levi! I might have trained him but he is too scary"
I tried to communicate telephatically

Understanding that none had decided to battle him Levi took a deep breath and said
"Everything is fine.
I took command of the Tri-Corp with, as you know, the alias of Eren Jager.
I believe that all of you have seen the report about the increase of receipts, what you haven't seen is how.
In the past few months the Tri-Corp was losing money, for continuing delays in the building of the new facilities in France and Italy. I went to check on them and discovered that our competitors corrupted the workers and hired local Mafias to damage the buildings.
I made sure the local polices caught them, I interrogated them (with my sweet boots) and collected enough evidences to incriminate our competitors."

"I haven't seen anything on the news"
commented "Ultrasonic shot" aka Kasumi Chigusa

"Because all the information will be public tomorrow, I told the various CEOs that if they repaid all the damage done to the Tri-Corp I wouldn't sue them but...I lied.
I guess what you always say is right Hachiman
the best defence is the blackmail"
responded slightly smirking Levi while I struggled to remain impassable

"He has used my words I'm so proud"
I squirmed in my mind

"Ahahah You made them pay you and then make them pay even more lol, I understand how YOU managed to make so much money this fast"
Said [ ], Sora with a shameless grin.

"what did you mean, with...that...YOU, Blank"
Responded Levi annoyed

"Nothing sir,rightShiroImeantnothingIwouldntdaretocriticizaLevisamaskills"

"Ni-Chan, none is going to bully you"
Said pitifully the gamers siblings with teary eyes.

"I can't believe how easily they can change from sharp and cunning to helpless."
I complained in my mind

"Well, I guess I have nothing else to add... Except two things:
first who had the brilliant idea to forge a document that says I'm thirty five, look at me, people ask me my documents every time I go to a pub for a beer, I'm 22 dammit. "

six fingers pointed at me
"traitors"

"And second, the younger Elric has shown sign of recover from his coma he may be able to wake up in the next few months, you should tell it to Full Metal, Mechanic-

"YES!, Thank you Levi I'll tell it to Ed right away"
Said Winry excited

"How nice! finally after Alfonse Elric is going to awake Ed will be really happy but wait...how can her, tell him right away..."

"Hold your horses, isn't Edward in Radio silence?...please tell me you aren't in contact with him"
I said with exasperated tone to the girl.

I didn't need her answer...

"Well..."

"Goddamit Brat you know how difficult was to make Edward enter in that fucking Clock tower"

"But
I'm sorry"

"If this operation doesn't work I'm going to cut your salary
No...
you will finally confess to Ed"
I said finding all the malice in my heart

"WHAT!"

"All of us here can take it anymore of this trashy love story from a series B shojo manga.
Am I right minna-san? "
I said conveying my feelings

"YES "
Echoed the council

"Wait aren't they already together?"
Said Hiccup from the pilot room leaving everyone confused.

"Please define"
asked Kyotaka

"I've seen them kiss this new year party, you now when we rented that cruise ship and gathered all the member of Oroboro"

"Yeah I remember, because someone (Kyotaka) distracted me while someone else (Ashua) called the cruise company and Sora paid with all the budget for Recreational Activities"

"Why I'm the only one you called by name?"

"Because after you wasted money buying a Keijo team I had to spend three hours talking to ten girls about the aerodynamic of their asses!"

"Lucky bastard...ehm what were you saying Dragon Trainer"

"I was saying that during that party Winry and Ed were piss drunk, I was searching Tootless and I saw them kissing in an empty room"

"What!"
Said Winry with her cheeks on fire

"I don't remember a thing"

"Which part of piss drunk you didn't get... wonder if Ed is as forgetful as you..."
I responded to her amused as I saw Winry reach level of embarrassment I've never seen before.

"damn here we are all fucking alcoholics"
I thought watching all the budget we spent in alcohol

" I 'm forgetting something...Oh right!"

"New topic the wedding of Fa Mulan is coming leave yourselves free the 28 of July"

"Oh God She's really Marring General Shang"
Said Kyotaka

The meeting continued for another hour where:

Megumi exposed how she gathered sensitive information from all the most important food producers and from chefs of high class restaurant where politician and other VIPs usually go to eat.

as expected from the chief of the Kidannapping division.

"the funny thing is that her approach is so delicate that people realize they have been kidnapped only after the police shows up"
I grinned recalling a few cases in which the hostage was like "EH!" when showed raising their guns.

Then Kyotaka complained about his new school, but well none cared
he blackmailed some important people sending pictures of their sleeping sons, daughters, from his school. (thing that I didn't tell him to do)
and gave a brief summary of all the Charity project Oroboro was running.

Apparentely there were not immediate problems.

Ashua explained how she dismantled a terroristic organisation that made money with drug dealing.
she complained that the makeup to make her appear older was too difficult to apply and said that we had in stock 150 kilo of marijuana...

I just hope none decide to enjoy himself...alone like has already happened

Flashback

"I'M A FUCKING DRAGON !"

"someone stop Hiccup before he gets on the Night Fury"

"Roger"

"Let me go!"

"all is well that ends well, right Kyotaka"

"yeah...uh where is Levi? Ni-san"

"KENNY!"

"Oh shit! he has his equipment, Why can't he just start eating like a normal stoner "

"One problem at the time
how do we take him down?
any ideas ototou-kun?"

"ehm...
Eventually he will run out of gas...
and fall
...besides
who is Kenny?"

"Long story"

Dammit Levi and Hiccup...they didn't invite me

Sora and Shiro (that had started to play chess on their mobiles) ran down the list of countries already under Oroboro's direct control
and begged to be again the chiefs of the "Recreational department".

answer NO.

"why I always want to do things in great, couldn't I just found a club where people do nothing all day like in any respectable eroge"
I thought watching all the paperwork I had to do for each country.

Then at the end of the meeting last but not least Winry, still red, gave all of us the last product of the research and development department.

"Here there are 2 for everyone"
She said passing to each of us two small silver bracelets with a small blue stone embedded in it.

"These babies are the new level of one-use amulets."
She said raising one bracelet

"They are made of a special alloy that allows the circulation of mana
"If you look inside you can see a small hole"
the girl explained, it seemed she was in a commercial

I looked inside my bracelets to check and saw the hole Winry was talking about, but it was too small a millimetre at best.

"There you must insert this"
She continued pulling out a needle from her pocket that I recognized as the Oroboro's micro hardware from the standard equipment.
(try to beat that Conan Edogawa)

She inserted the needle in the bracelet making blue light come out from the small jewel embed in the amulet. She waited few seconds in order to look for a brief moment her public.

-Reinforcement magic-
She said with solemn tone wearing the bracelet and clenching her fist, suddenly blue lines ran on her forearm.

"This the OROBORO MSA (multi spell amulet), a device that allows the user to activate spells using the mana contained in the gem of the bracelet. You see the memory needle I just inserted in the amulet was loaded with codes of various spells. The circuits of the bracelet send those codes in the mana gem, produced with the plants we genetically modified at the Tri-Corp, and then an hidden microphone hear the name of the spell I request and"
she said with proud face

-Gandr-
A black orb red glowing appeared on Winry's palm

-Activate it, repeating the name of the spell, is possible to increase its intensity, it's not possible to use two spells at the same time on one bracelet and each piece last for 10 spells before breaking, any questions?-

The young girl explained with professional voice. She had overseen, no, she had poured her soul in this project for the last three months, and probably she was more anxious than she appeared. I still remember, how excited she was, when I received her e-mail, when she started the project

An amulet that let all members of Oroboro use magic freely, a groundbreaking technology, that could make exponentially grow the organization's power.

For a few seconds no one spoke we were all trying to think all the weaknesses of this new equipment, or eventual imperfections. Then hands rose up.

"Megumi-chan"
Winry pointed her index at the Japanese girl with a frail looking body and hair gathered a ponytail

"How much memory a spell code occupy?"

"Simple ones 100 GB while anything like the Gandr 500 or more"

"Then there is a flaw in the design"

Said N1, Kyotaka Ayanokoji my second in command.
a boy younger than me of one year, with amber eyes and usually brown hair.
(right now he is with red hair, and the one time I forced him to cosplay, he dressed like Zoro and had his hair dyed of green)

"each memory needle can hold one TB of data.
That means it can only contain 10 simple spells at best, if in the middle of a fight we want to change spells, we lose about 15 seconds taking of the bracelet and exchanging the needle. But if you can put the hole of the needle in the side of the amulet, we can drop the exchange time to 5 seconds."
He explained with bored voice.

"Right I will change the design when we start the mass production
Said the girl cleaning a drop of sweat from her forehead

"On this topic how much does it cost every amulet?"
Asked Kasumi with the air of a business man

"Around 3000 yen right now, but I valued that with the mass production the product will cost around the 10% of the initial price"
responded confident the mechanic

"I'm sure that if me or Levi take the direct supervision of the mass production the price will drop to 5%"
retorted the boy arrogantly

"It depends whenever you are able to design a machine sufficiently proficient for the mass production"
Said Winry skeptical

"Hey Winrycchi what happen when you activate a spell when the bracelet is not on wrist"
Asked the little sister of Kasumi, Single Moment, Ashua a girl of Komachi's age that with her bored behaviour and natural scarlet hair made me and Kasumi depressed each time she said a nasty comment about our being siscon

( totally falsehood).

"Em...I don't know"

We all gave blank states to the Mechanic girl

"Well, we can try out later..."
the girl muttered to save herself.

"hey girl! how do you do if you want to transfer the Reinforcement magic from the arm to the leg"
Asked Sora the tall 18 years old teenager that had eye bags that could rival mine.

"You're need to create the program to send the magic where you want beforehand"

"Can you also prepare a program that reinforce all the body uniformly"
Said Shiro, a small girl with long hair.
She was probably the most intelligent and youngest member of Oroboro. I mean she is like twelve now, I don't want to remember how young she was when she first joined, I had hard time deciding whenever allow her, the little sister of Sora, to join or not.
It was only when I realized how powerful the team SoraShiro, how powerful "blank" was, that I decided to let her became part of Oroboro.

"YES! You can but the problem is that you need at least three consecutive spells to have an acceptable result"

After Shiro's question none had nothing else to say... Winry seemed reviled. So we did what we usually do when we were gathered together, started to project a new anime on a wall of the plane while Megumi took out some snacks she prepared for all of us.
(what a sweet girl she is... until she doesn't have explosive in her hands)

"after all the meeting went pretty well...nobody tried to kill Sora... I guess it's a success"

"Ah I love Assassination classroom"
Said Megumi

"I don't really get the purpose of the show"
Said Kyotaka

"Why?"

"Because it's pointless they train to kill an octopus, none of them will have the guts to kill at the end"

"You haven't read the manga have you?"

"..."

*Tin tin tan

"Is your charming pilot to talk, Hachiman we will reach the location of your mission in 15 minutes"

"Finally! Saudi Arabia! thanks powerful engines of this plane ! the flight lasted less than three hours.
take that amazon same day delivery.
Now I just have time to raid a building and return at home before dawn...
Why do I feel… observed?"
I thought slowly turning my head.

I saw all the eyes in the room on me.

"Is something wrong?"
I asked puzzled, incapable to understand what was happening.

"I have a mission nothing strange..."

Then Kyotaka took a deep breath and said with emotionless tone
"Are you going to do a mission now? "

I nodded

"You didn't tell anybody about it"

"I told it to Hiccup"

"Do you think to complete this mission by yourself? While we wait on the Night Fury"

"Eh...yes?"
I said confused

"Where does he want to arrive?"
I thought

"There he goes again"

"I can't believe it"

"He can't possibly be this dumb"
Said exasperated all the people in the room.

"Uh"

"Uh?"
I said speaking my mind

"Why all the people in this room are giving me a cold stare? Even Toothless Hiccup's wivern is looking at me disappointed."

I thought

"Ni-san "
Said Kyotaka

"When will you begin to rely on us more, and I don't mean giving us tasks, why you never asks for help..."
He continued with sad voice

"Com'on Hachiman you have done this game for years"

"You can't prepare a six Pokemons team and only fight with the starter"
Said the gamers siblings shaking their heads

"Sometimes I don't get you, you hate to work but you always do the most dangerous missions on your own"

"Tell him oni "
Continued the Chigusa Brother and sister

"Guys it's just a mission, what's the problem if I do it alone, you can finish Assassination Classroom episodes while I break some legs"
I said pissed off by my family's behaviour

"I mean really...it's just a raid I can do it on my own and they know that."

"Ha...Ha...Hachiman what all of us want to say is that, why do you want to do a mission alone (again) while we are all here with our gears, we just want to help"
Said Megumi with her usual agitated voice

"..."

"..."

"I see... the same as the club eh...no logic just a genuine desire they want to fulfill...God they have all grown so much...
apparently you all start to need me less every day...your brother is proud"
I thought

"Fine suit up"
I gave up

"No we are not letting you... wait what?!"
Said Levi confused

"I said Fine, you can come with me, a bunch of high ranked members of Oroboro? We will end this mission in less then 30 minutes"

"Since when is so easy to convince you?"
Asked Shiro with her index on her lips

"It must be his new friends at school"
Said Kyotaka with an amused smirk

"Ah those pretty girls he started to hang out with"
Added Winry ready to tease me

"Wait a minute!
First! I don't "hang out with people".
Second how do you now about them, ototou-san knows about it because I have told him...how do you?"
I asked in serious manner.

" if the situation continue in this direction all my wise and mysterious aura is going to disappear"
I thought while a lump of panic rose in my throat

"Ashua, show him "

"Are you sure oni-chan?"
Said the Chigusa siblings making appear on the table pictures of me and my clubmates, plus Isshiki, Kawa…something and Haruno

Suddenly a terrible revelation was in front of my eyes.

"You've been stalking me!"

"Now that's a bad way to put it"

"Megumi-chan is right we were observing your potential romantic partners"

"Shut up Sora or I will make Jibril and Steph of the informatics department know about your fetishes"

"YESsirIwillshutupsirdonotdisclosethosesecrets and... Levi takes count of the best girl points"

"Best girl what ? Levi explain..."
I said with angry voice, the situation was completely out of my control.

"Well me, Kasumi, Kyotaka, Sora, Ed, and Hiccup put together a list of parameters to decide who's the best girl..."

"Okay now everything is getting too weird"
I thought

"You now what! Fuck all this shit, we have a mission, we will talk about the invasion of my privacy later"

"You talk like you have never stalked us"

Flashback

"Kyotaka's first day of highschool"

*click

"okay now I have another photo to put next all Komachi's ones"

"Shut up ototou, or I will display your photo at Comiket"

"You wouldn't dare"

"Bite me"

10 minutes later, we were around the table once more, and Hiccup using the autopilot joined us.

I projected the hologram of the skyscraper I had worked on that evening.

"Now! ladies and gentlemen, let me show you the main building of the P.C.A. company specialized in the extraction of coal and petroleum."
I said displaying various holograms

"Recently their coal caves began to dry
So the company was failing and the Tri-Corp should have acquired it next week to have a new base in the mass production of amulets.
But something happened, some workers discovered in one of the empty caves a secret grain filled of gems and other precious stones, an information still unannounced that I got from my contacts.
Unfortunately, the P.C.A. was also noticed by Clock Tower that sent five Magi to take control over the CEO of the company's mind with, you won't believe it..., magic in order to ensure a new source of jewels for the Magi society"
I continued making appear pictures of the CEO Ashraf Khalil and of the other five Magi

"Our objectives tonight are to get rid of the Magi that reside in the building break the mind control of the Ceo and do as much collateral damage as possible.
this will speed up the union with the Tri-Corp.
It's pretty late so there won't be many people left in he building, but in the past days many weapons have been bought by Clock Tower in order to fortify the building and a group of mercenaries had been hired to patrol the halls…
they know we are coming, but they won't be able to stop us am I right?"
I said sounding too optimistic

All the people in the room started to nod.

"I planned to do a stealth operation and silently take down everyone, pull them on the roof, Ignite the petroleum and other combustibles in the basement and call the fire fighters.
But since we are all here and Clock Tower provoked us I think we should give them a bit of show"
I said while a dark light sparkled in my dead eyes.

I snapped my fingers and made a holographic version of the plane and of its passengers was display near the skyscraper.

"we will divide in three groups: me, Kyotaka and Ashua will be the team Alpha, we will sky dive from 1000 meters and land 300 meters away from the building, there is nothing around here so don't have to worry about indiscrete eyes.
Once we have landed, we will approach the building in stealth, when we reach the ingress door I will send a Signal to the team Bravo: Hiccup, Kasumi and Winry. Hiccup will catch the attention of the guards flying around the building while Kasumi will use the guns of the plane to destroy all the heavy weapons plus, the emergency helicopter on the roof, Winry you have to jam the communication devices and security cameras.
When the team Alpha has clean the first fifteen floors out of the thirty-six of the building, I will send a Signal to the team Charlie Levi, Megumi. Megumi, You have to destroy all the glass of the building, I let you decide how give them a boom if you get what I mean. Levi when the windows are all shattered, you with your tridimensional device of movement will move around the building attacking all the enemies you find from the seventeenth floor and above.
Sora Shiro dress up, you are going to deploy five pawns of the chess series and give us realtime report of what's happening.
I said displaying my Angra Mainyu side

"Roger "
Responded all of them

"The location of the CEO is his office on the thirty-fifth floor, I think we will find a Magus every seven floors, no kill, like always , we are going to make the five Magi prisoner and take them to the Elicarrier, someone warn Maihime. Oh I will do my thing to ensure the complete loyalty of the CEO."
I concluded sending everyone to make their last preparation for the mission.

"If one of the Magi is an hot chick can I keep her?"
Asked Sora with a jerkish smirk... just to have his little sister look at him and say with puffed cheeks
"Ni you said that until you had Shiro. You will never need another woman"

Sora aware of his mistake started to beg for his little sister forgiveness while all the member of Oroboro gave an horrified look at the gamers siblings.

"Okay ready for the raid"
I muttered checking my equipment and taking with me a few magazines for my guns.

I was standing in front of the hatchback of the NightFury Kyotaka was beside me and without a word he pulled out a cigarette from one of his pockets.

"Right the last vice"
I lighted it up and we started to smoke it letting the taste of tobacco fill our mouth the smoke enter in our lungs and the memories awake.

Smoking one cigarette before a mission was a tradition Kyotaka and I created on our first operation.

we were around ten, at that time Oroboro didn't exist yet and we were going to raid a lab where a Magus did experiment on children ...where we met Kazumi.

We thought that if we were going to risk our lives we should have tried something prohibited for kids so I pick poked a man and then we smoked one of his cigarettes.(needless to say that the first time we just coughed )

"Hey the goggles"
Said Ashua reaching us with three pair of goggles in her hand.

"Thanks"

"Thank you"

We said while putting on the goggles ready for the sky dive.
I plugged my earphones and looking at the two teenagers beside me, I said
Are you ready both of you? Are all your weapons loaded? Have you made stock of magic jewels? Have you gone to the bathroom? Did you cle-

"Just stop already daddy we are fine"
Said Ashua flustered.

"Good, now brats, Are you all ready!"
I screamed in my microphone

"Yeah"
I heard.

On my goggles Sora and Shiro appeared, they were wearing a tight suit made of cybernetic material and were surrounded by a spherical hologram where many keyboard floated. With precision and speed the gamers siblings typed a sequence of codes and deployed out of the plane five drones.
Other few movements of their hands and five videos appeared in the corner of the lens of the goggles.

"Real time reports activate"
Said Shiro and Sora disappearing from the lens

"mission begin in 1 1"
started with the count down a robotic voice in my earplugs

*Vroom

The hatchback opened the whole team Alpha jumped off the plane, falling in the night.

Skydiving... no matter how many times I did it, it was always an intense sensation.
there aren't many people that can fully get the sensation of jumping out of a plane with, the cold wind slashing on my face and the doubt of having forgotten something

...THE NEW VOLUME OF ONE PIECE DAMMIT!

Descending like an hawk aiming at its prey or like a teenager that even trying to be cool is praying to avoid death I looked fearlessly the ground.
the ACP's skyscraper was the only building I could see in the night.
My two colleagues were skydiving beside me, they both had my same mission suit but, Kyotaka had a long sheathed sword on his back and Ashua had four guns on her belt.

We approached the ground quickly

"less than 10 meters from the soil"
I thought when Ashua used her "Kinetic stealing" gun.

Three blueish bullets that hit me, Kyotaka and the girl herself, making all the speed we had disappear leaving us harmless and immobile.

the magical adventures of brain-kun ep 8

"brain-kun, brain-kun, how could you tell that Hikigaya was at less than ten metres from the ground when you were falling at nearly 10 metres per second?"

"with the hypothesis that my owner had only 0,89 seconds of life left...Plot armor"

For a moment, we were floating In mid air, then we restarted to fall.
We landed on the ground bent our knees letting the energy release on the ground (I had trained all the team Alpha so a ten meters fall was a joke) propelling ourselves forward in a neck breaking rush.

We were running on a dry land while sand, dust and little shrubs, were rhythmically crush under our boots, until we found a dune of sand and took cover behind it.

"Blank give me a report, we are 150 metres from the target"
I said sitting on the ground and activating my microphone.

"Blank to Angra Mainyu the west side is currently unguarded, the technology of the suits hide you.
proceed carefully, you have yet to be detected by any weapons of the building, but in 50 metres not even the concealing technology of the mission suits will be able to erase your presence from their scanners"
Said Shiro speaking from the plane.

"Okay my team charge and team Beta act as decoy"
I thought hearing the report and gestured my partners to prepare.

Ashua took out from her "kinetic stealing" gun an azure jewel filled with, all the kinetic energy we had after sky diving, that she placed in her second gun "Kinetic payback". Those guns were her main weapons, a brilliant mix of magic and science that enabled Ashua to steal momentum from every possible thing and then shot it back when she desired. When she first designed her guns Ashua had some problems to shot herself in order to stop mid air or do other cool stuff...I made her play Persona 3.

Meanwhile Kyotaka drawn his sword that more than a sword it was a single long blade with the end wrapped in bandages (basically, it was Sekki from Noragami), it was his personal mystic code, capable of amplifying his magic "Control". Kyotaka like me, he had a double origin, but while mine was "PAIN", his was "WILL" (no he isn't a green lantern), with his magic he is capable to impose his will on people and objects, till a certain extent, making them become his tools.

When he starts to use his magecraft the bandages around the blade wrap around his arms, allowing him to impose his will on anything that came in contact with his blade or the bandages.

With his Aria"my will is now your will" Kyotaka poured his mana in the the blade making it glow of a faint blue, while many bandages wrapped around his right hand.

Following their example, I drawn my knife and said

-Memento dolor-

Making memories of hundreds battles and fights run through my mind... some were battles I fought myself other that I had seen them with someone else's eyes.
I felt thousands of slashes and cuts on my body in every possible place.
A faint smell of blood reached my nose

-Dolor meus et fortitudinem-

A second Aria left my lips, and all my wounds turned in black smoke swirling around me that converged in my dagger.

This spell like "dolorem accipit potestatem" exchanged my wounds with my black mist, but instead of letting black some fly in the air until I gave it a command, "Dolor meus et fortitudinem" channeled all my pain in a object.

Responding to my magic my black dagger turned of an even darker color: its straight blade, its serrated sides and its handle, covered in my black mist, started to deform.
The shape of the dagger in my hand molded in base of the pain I poured into it; screams and blood were now, what resided in my weapon… letting, my dagger become something else.
Once the transformation ended my weapon wasn't a nameless dagger anymore.
It was a dark blade, born from nightmares battlefields and traumas, it was… it was…kinda, the daedric dagger of skyrim just completely black and surrounded by a thin black mist.

"N1 give us a cover"
I said to my subordinate.

Kyotaka nodded and thrust his blade in the ground; his will ran into the soil that reacting in accord made a gigant cloud of sand and dust raise from the ground.

I didn't even give the order, in the same moment my team was sure the cloud completely hid us we started to run at maximum speed toward the sky scraper.
In the middle of that cloud of dirt I couldn't see pretty much anything, the stars in the sky were a mere memory, anything past my nose was a pure misery and even with all his lights I could barely notice the great building in front of us.
I it was a pain move so blindly, but now we were sure none would have seen us.

(meanwhile two guards)

"hey dude a single cloud of sand"
"cool let me do a story on instagram"
"shouldn't we shot it or something"
"naa it's too far, besides is just sand "

Ten seconds, the time we needed to cover those one hundred metres that divided us from the wall surrounding the building

-my will is now your will-
I heard Kyotaka whisper.

He was a few steps in front of me while the bandages of his sword had covered all his right arm. I knew what he wanted to do.
Whenever Kyotaka had to quickly move past obstacles, he used his magic to program an object he had on himself and made it do all kids of complex movement while he remained attached... like he was doing now.

Kyoraka's blade started shining of a pale blue light and then he slashed towards the sky propelling himself above the wall high five metres.

If I had to describe N1 actions with one word would be "flashy", but I was well aware that or he did a glowing swing in the sky or ordered the wall to crumble.

"that would be pretty awesome though"

Meanwhile Ashua to jump the wall simply shot a bullet on the ground near her feet with her "kinetic payback" gun letting the power of a teenager falling from an airplane push her above the high wall of bricks.

Looking at them I couldn't stop from praising their skill simple and effective, each movement was precise and calculated, sign of the countless times they had done jump of that kind with the same technique.
On the other hand I found myself in a strange situation because before the beginning of the mission Winry sneaked behind my back and intimated me, with her creepy smile, to do a….how should I put it… a "test drive" of the OROBORO MSA.

So when I reached the wall I said
"Reinforcement magic"

Releasing a stream of mana from the two bracelets around my wrists.
Blue lines spreaded across my arms strengthening my muscles, then facing the wall I did a cart-wheel and pushed my self above it only with the power of my arms (and some magical artifacts).
I landed on the tips of my feet in the sand after tracing a parabola in the air.

"spell number one gone, the mystic code is working just fine"
I men tally noted down

My team was besides me: Kyotaka was doing his best to keep us covered in a thick veil of swirling sand and dust, but let him use too much mana outside the building was an orrible choice so, looking at the skyscraper fifty metres away from us I activated my microphone, started to walk and prepared for the assault.

*step*step

"3"
I began moving my feet while my teammates started to follow me with careful steps

*step*step*step

"2"
I continued, starting to speed up, letting Ashua and Kyotaka follow my example

*step*step*step*step*step*step

"1"
I said ending the count down and running a on the sand quick like a snake.

Kyotaka had now stopped to maintain our team's cover, so the dusty cloud started to clear

*step*step*stepì*step*step*step*step*step*step*step*step*step*step*step*step*step

"TEAM BRAVO NOW"
I screamed jumping out of what remained of my cover.

Suddenly a sharp sound descended from the sky (Toothless sound from how to train your dragon)

Followed by a gigantic

*BBBBBOOOOOMMMMMMMMMMMMMMMMM*

A tongue of fire rose from the rooftop of the skyscraper: the emergency helicopter had been destroyed, reacting to the incoming treat all the defence weapon activated and in second the light of the stars was replaced, by explosions, bullets and missiles.

I gestured my team to split up, and silently dashed toward the west entrance, where two poor guards, armed with AK-47 were too busy at looking the sky to notice me approaching. Two quick slashes of my dagger and they were down, unconscious covered covered in tens of cuts on all their joints.

My dagger brimful of my magic, had injected massive amount of physical pain magic in their body, opening multiple wounds where I wanted. The sudden suffering had overcharged the guards nerves making them faint.

I briefly checked them judging from their faces and builds and European traits I could say they were definitely the mercenaries hired from Clock Tower

"Aha if this is the average level, this mission will be a joke"
I thought triggering an insane amount of death flags

I looked at their equipment and decided it was wiser to throw away their rifle, gun magazines and walkie-talkie.
I leaned against the wall of the building right next to the door and touched my goggles in order to watch the video from Blank's pawns cameras.

Pawn 1 showed Ashua knocking out the guards in front of the main entrance in the south side of the building. Pawn 2 showed the same thing but with Kyotaka as protagonist in the north side of the building. Pawn 3 displayed a thermal scan of the ground floor where eight men were in a circle... they were probably trying to use their radios to get a report, unfortunately for them Winry was Jamming the signal. Pawn 4 was showing an antiaircraft cannon *boom*…. Showed an antiaircraft cannon that Kasumi had just blown up. Meanwhile Pawn 5 was displaying…me

"Where is it? Where is it?
Oh there it is"
I said looking at a white flying chess piece with two tiny wings, a blue flame that was coming out from its bottom and a spherical shaped camera in its head.
I waved my hand to the little robot then I put in its shead my dagger (I always carry to sheads because my dagger change shape)

"time to abuse my power"
I thought activating my microphone

"Single Moment eight men in the ground floor they are yours"

"Fine…boss"

"What a pain, why oni number 2 make me do this things? Couldn't he send Kyotaka?"
A red haired girl thought while kicking open the door of the skyscraper revealing what seemed the reception of a hotel.
White tiles covered all the floor, green armchairs and sofas were casually display across the room, while a big semicircular table was against the north wall.

The sound of the entrance door being brutally opened made turn eight men that in hurry raised their rifles to a teenager with a yellow and black gun in each hand.

"Do you want to surrender?"
Asked the girl in perfect English still pointing her guns to the bunch of mercenaries.

"Fire"
Said a black bearded man in his mid-thirties

"I guess is a no"
Thought the girl pressing the trigger of the gun in her left hand.

The gun released a sequence of magic waves that stopped all the bullets in midair, bronze ammunitions filled the space between the girl and the armed men in a few seconds.
Unable to understand what they were seeing the squad of mercenaries stopped to shoot.

"What the fuc-"
muttered the same black bearded man before a sudden voice of an old man came out from the speakers of the room

"BUT THERE IS ONE THEY FEAR"

"Oh god I can't believe he is doing it"
Thought the girl releasing the trigger of her left gun, making a rain of bullets tinkle on the floor.

"IN THEIR LANGUAGE ID DOVAKIIN, DRAGONBORN"
The girl stepped forward, rose her right gun to the group of confused sweaty men, and kept pressed the trigger of her other gun

"FUS RO DA!"
Powerful waves of magic came out of her gun once more, but this time instead of stealing movements, it gave them back.

The power of an hurricane hit the men and the furniture, making them fly like death leaves in autumn, everything in the room crashed against the Nord wall, all the armchairs and sofas were in pieces, all the men had lost consciousness and had at least two bones broken.

After all the fuss ended I slowly opened the door, I walked in a devastated room where Ashua was standing alone.
I wanted to reach her quietly, but unfortunately I stepped on a piece of broken furniture

*crack

Ashua looked at me with cold eyes raised one of her gun, I didn't know which of the kinetic duo was, my heart started to beat faster as I saw the lisp of the girl move saying in bored tone
"Really, Skyrim?"

"Hey matte matte matte, you got it wrong I didn't do it
I responded trying to keep my cool

"Then N1"
Continued the red haired girl aiming at the boy that had just entered in the building her gun

"Wait What!"
Said the confused Kyotaka with his surprised voice
( it's slightly different from his bored voice you notice it only if you pay close attention)

"I did it "
Said in soft tone a feminine voice…Shiro

"I hacked the speackers….I thought it would be fun"

"Get back to work brat"
I said in the microphone

"And send Kasumi and me the photage"
I whispered in direct line with the twelve years old girl.

After Shiro's shenanigans team Alpha quickly checked all the unconscious men, none of them had treating injuries.
Kyotaka Identified one Magus (apparently the only one that had peed himself) and ordered him, or at least his body, to walk where we landed with his magic.
Thanks to the explosion outside apparently no one heard the "noise" Ashua made on the ground floor.

"From the pawns' cameras I see there are 2 men on the first, second and third floor, while on the fourth there are 8 mercenaries, apparently the fifth and sixth floor are empty"
Said Ashua providing interesting information

"Interesting…for now Single Moment, take care of the first three floors I will go to the fourth floor, N1 you go straight ahead to the seventh floor take care of the second Magus use the elevator"

"You want me to order it to only work when I'm on? to avoid…inconveniences."

"Do as you want"

We divided Ashua took the west stairs
I took the east stairs
(their door was hidden by a sofa, Ashua made explode before)
and Kyotaka took the elevator.

Running silently on the stairs I reached the fourth floor, I Stood in front an anti-fire door that divided the stairs from the floor, there were some noises, so I put my left ear on the door ans sharpened my senses trying to ignore all the explosions outside.

A group on men was discussing about something on the other side.

"I can't take it anymore, I want to get the fuck out of here"
Said a man with his voice alternated by fear

"Don't be an idiot! Have you seen the jet outside, it has taken down more than half of our defences, going outside is a suicide"

"He is right our best shot is to group up and endure in this building until that black monster runs out of fuel"
After listening to their conversation I realized how desperated they were and…well I had heard enough so I took two steps back and raised my hand.

-Memento dolor-

I whispered my Aria, recalling from the depths of my mind, dark emotions: Fear, Despair and the feeling of being betrayed. My organs twisted, my mouth was fill with the taste of blood and tears that were not my own descended from my eyes.

-Dolorem accipit potestatem-

A second spell came out of my lips and all my pain turned in a black mist surging from every part of my body. I focused all the smoke on my right hand shaping in a mass of darkness constantly changing. Judging from the amount of mana I used for my first spell I could say I materialized the pain of roughly fifty people… now I had nearly run out of my mana.

I raised my right hand and blew on it, making all the smoke go under the anti-fire door and fill the fourth floor.

"One two three "
I counted in my mind.

Then the screams began

*AAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAA*

Fear, despair and betrayal were feelings that a mercenary must have felt countless times.
that meant they had already the fuel I had just to give them the oxidizer and trigger the reaction.

Groans and cries filled my head, I drawn my guns and opened opened the door.
My field of view filled immediately of a smoky hallway where three men were immobile in fetal position on the floor while another one was repeatedly headbutting a wall whispering apologies.

"Looks like my magic was effective"
I thought walking towards the rhino wanna-be.

*tung

A hard blow with the handle of my gun and he was down. 1, 2, 3, 4 half of my targets was down.
the other four were on the fourth floor but following the patrols ways I was sure I would have found them.

I had memorized the layout and the structure of all the floors of the building, so I needed just a minute of careful and silent steps to found another mercenary, but unfortunately for him, his mind was too weak to handle my magic properly.

He was seated cross-legged on the floor, two steams of tears flowed on his cheeks while his shaking left hand was holding a gun pointed on his own head.

"Oh shit this is bad, really really bad, extremely bad"
I said aiming my right gun to his weapon.

*pum *pum

With surgical accuracy, I shot pair of 9 millimetres bullets from my gun: the first bullet freed the gun from the desperate man's grip, and the second pierced his hand making the idiot unable to attempt again something this stupid. The man barely understood what was happening when my boot hit his right temple letting his consciousness fade away.

"Minus one, three left"

"Straight to the Magus…..this is gonna be tough"

"…"

"…."

"Oh god how slow can an elevator be"
Said a boy full of tattoos.
his eyes were looking in pained manner a small screen that projected the number 4 while his ears had been martoried for the past five minutes by a horrible song.

*AAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAA*
screams echoed

"Mmmmmm, for some reason I think Ni-san is doing something"

-Gandr!-

Two black orbs flew from my indexes to the heads of two men, punching each other, taking them down.

"Minus two one left"
I said staring at my amulets, even attack spells were working perfectly, the only problem was that the aim was a bit off

*step

"It seems we have a fighter here"
I thought coldly listening the sound of an adult man limping around.

someone had sustained my psychological attack.

Unsheating my dagger with my left hand I bent my knees and back, opened my ears and held my breath; It was time to ambush
the smoke of this floor blinded everyone even me so I had to rely on my hearing and with all the explosions outside plus the heat of this country I couldn't even use thermal sensor of my goggles.

*step*step

"five metres away, right at end of this hallway, he's walking beside the wall at my left, breath accelerated, he is scared, but he can withstand my magic.
two hypothesis his companion have absorbed too much smoke or he has realized the pain he was feeling was not his own…
probably the first.
nine out of ten he is still enough self aware to shoot me"
I analized the data I had in my hands.

I switched the portion of my dagger in a reversed grip and with my right hand I took out from my spare magazines a bullet without making a single sound.

"3, 2, 1,"
I thought then I threw the bullet down the hallway

*tin*tin

My ammunition tinkled on the floor behind my target… he, in full response to that sound, squealed like a bear with a crosswise fish in mouth
(it sounded kinda like this "nqewhfkjghatbybviu"... pretty clear) and facing the direction where the sound came, started to shoot around blindly.
Flashes of light lighted the hallway, then I dashed towards my hopeless target and swinging my black blade I traced an arc full of darkness on the mercenary's back.

"Minus one zero left"
All my targets of the fourth floor where down, now I could clean up all the smoke that was surrounding me.

-Mentem a corpore-

I said calling back all the black mist around.
Dark memories flowed in my head while the fourth floor returned to its usual appearance; a giant white room filled with offices and lighted by cheap neons.

Once I reclaimed all my darkness (how cool it sounds, I'm a really cool guy), I used my microphone and asked
"Single Moment I have finished here. What about you?"

"I have don-"

"Jesus Christ"
I said turning towards the voice I heard behind me.

"Ashua had sneaked up on me God... I believe she gave me a heart attack….calm down I need to calm down, be the cool leader"
I told myself

"Aahahah you should have seen your face "
Said the red haired girl too amused for my tastes

"ah ah ah very funny brat, I could have shot you out of reflex"
I said emphasizing the AHs

"But you didn't"
She responded teasing me

"deep breaths, deep breaths Hachiman"
I thought trying to find my inner peace

"Let's go to N1, brat"

*ting

"Floor seven"
Said a mechanical voice

"Thank god is over "
Said a boy coming out from an elevator with a sword in his right hand and a gun in the other.

"Have you heard, the elevator"
An angry voice said.

The inconfondible sounds of heavy footsteps reached the ears of the young man
"Well lets begin "

-My will is now your will-

*AAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAA!

After we met, Ashua and I reached the stairs and went for the seventh floor, we run through the fifth floor in silent, but then that brat started to told me things about her protégé, a Greece girl she met a year ago that I would meet in a month or two in order to complete her training.

"And so I told her "girl if you don't want the Oroboro's tattoo get out"

"Really just like that, aren't you too severe with your student, Single Moment?"

"Are you kidding me, too severe…it's rich coming from you Angra Mainyu"

"Okay maybe I was a little Spartan"

" A little? When you were teaching me Tiānguó zhī hé de quántóu you assaulted me in the middle of the night for a WHOLE MONTH"

" Oh dear we reached the seventh floor"

Safe

"By the way one month and she is ready"

"Why! Why! Why I had to work so much, couldn't I really become a househusband"
I thought while a small tear came out of my eyes.

With my heart filled of sadness, I opened the door of the seventh floor.

Cracked walls unconscious men and blood on the floor, these were the things that welcomed me and Ashua in this floor, Kyotaka really went all out

"Die!"
Screamed a voice I couldn't recognize, followed by the sounds of small explosions that made hot wind flow through the seventh floor of the skyscraper.

"Do you think he is in trouble?"
Asked me Ashua

*BOOOOOOOOM*

"Naaaaaaa, he is a tough guy"

*BOOOOOOOOOPOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOM (if is not clear this boom is louder than before)

"But I guess we might check on him"
I said slightly concerned by the explosions.

Ashua and I slowly followed the explosion and we reached the central hallway of the floor where Kyo, and a blonde Magus were fighting, or at least the Magus dude was fighting throwing explosive jewels all over the place, while N1 on the other hand was just dodging and making nasty comments on his choices in clothing.
"Really ! The brown pants with that grey jacket H-O-R-R-I-B-L-E"

It was common technique when fighting a Magus, to provoke him or her with sharp comments in order to make them more reckless.
(just kidding he is keeping in train for the next Oroboro's meeting)

"Just die already"
Responded the "vaguely" angry Magus throwing a bunch of rubies filled with mana at Kyotaka.

Seven precious bombs flew in the air tracing light blue arcs, aiming at my companion. The only problem was that throwing so many mana bombs in an hallway, wasn't exactly a great idea.
in this cases the energy of the explosion would cover a big radius, so in order to avoid the explosion, the Magus must distance himself from the target.
Needless to say that while running away, shooting any other stone or magic would just increase the radius.

"Losing temper so easily after an insult… Pride was indeed the greatest weakness of all Magi."
I thought while a running Magus's, with terrible taste in clothing, deadly jewels approached my lieutenant
…apparentely It was a golden chance to counterattack for .

N1 seizing the opportunity, made the bandages of his sword extend in the air, like a spider's web; the silk looking pieces of cloth intercepted all the jewels mid-air and Will magic flowed inside all the rubies subjugating them to Kyotaka's desires.
The furious Magus, that was trying to set the new world's record of 100 metres, turned his eyes towards my subordinate and closed his eyes expecting seven crimson explosions to fill the whole hallway… but with, his surprise, nothing happened.

"Uh?"
Said the confused magician slowly opening his eyes

Looking at Kyotaka every kind of colour faded from his face, the seven rubies suspended in mid-air, while all the bands returned around the sword handle.
With a mechanical motion, N1 pointed his sword to the terrified Magus.
No pride or glory was inside his next words, just a sequence of motionless syllables.

-As my will command "return to your owner"-
chanted N1

Hearing those words seven red comets flew at incredlible speed towards their immobile owner, landing three feet before their target, the seven rubies exploded in crimson light, sending the, by that time, defeated magus to crash against the windows at the end of the hallway.
Fortunately, the window was bulletproof so it didn't break…we are pretty high here uh.

I must admit that seeing Kyotaka's face shift from "easy…I just won this fight, using 10% of my strength" to "he is flying pretty far", and ending in to "Do not fall out of that window!" was, pretty funny.

"Well I guess it's fine"
Said Kyotaka checking the vitals of the unconscious Magus, and forcing him as well to reach the point were team Alpha landed.

"Puppeteer, to Single Moment and Angra Mainyu, I have done here, what about you"

"We are don-"
said sneaking behind his back Ashua and I

"Jesus Christ"
Said Kyo with widen eyes turning to us

"Now you have to admit it IS fun"
exclaimed Ashua and damn she was right

The next floors were pretty much, empty, except for the fourteenth where, the third Magus had the entire floor patrolled with Golems…and I hate Golems. Atrocities made out of rock and metal, that can't feel pain, so against them 90% of my magic is useless… Another 9% use too much mana and magic so I can't cast it alone…and the reaming 1% takes always a lot of mana and do less damage than a pistol…basically whenever I saw a Golem…I let someone else work in my place

"KINETIC PAYBACK MAXIMUM OUTPUT"

"I switch to, mana of the support jewels, As my will command CRUMBLE"

Like in this case

"Gambatte, you can do it, team Alpha, team Alpha"
I thought staring at my teammates while sporadically shooting a bullet or two from my guns when I saw an exposed golem's core.

"40% of the floor clear"

"N1 I have seen her, I've seen the Magus, she just turned the corner"
pointed Ashua looking in a specific direction

Without thinking twice, they dashed after the magician leaving me surrounded by Golems…Fuck

"Damn brats"
I cursed dodging a bird golem realizing that around me there were five humanoid Golems tall two metres and a dozen of bird ones

"Why I have to destroy them, I have subordinates in order to make them do these annoying things"
I said dodging a clumsy punch from a Golem

"Let's end this"

Two foes coming- bird golem, size howl

Directions- head, right knee

Treat-minimum,

Counter-Plan ADD (anticipate dodge destroy)

Surrounded by a multitude of golems I decided it was time to take this mission seriously, I couldn't afford to make stupid mistakes, it didn't matter whenever I was alone or with a whole team, I always needed to be indestructible, Unbreakable.
With this mindset, I dashed towards the two flying Golem, while in my eyes my usual bored attitude have been replaced by blood thirsty stare.

"1…2..now"

After founding the perfect moment, my feet and body acted on their own I jumped before the rock birds and twisted my self in mid-air passing through my foes.

*bang *bang

Two shoot left my gun while I was flying between those bastards turning them in dust. The plan ADD was complete.

"Two less still too many Golems left"
I said with confident voice, but thanks to my renowned luck

*crash*

A wall went down and for an entire second I sincerely hoped that it was just a case.
But karma was a bitch so other six humanoid golems joined the party

"…yippie…happiness…can I go home?"
I whispered forgetting about how badass I must have looked two seconds before.

Aware that I had the worst matchup possible with those opponents, I changed decided to test the limits of Winiry's amulets

-Reinforcement magic-

-Reinforcement magic-

-Reinforcement magic-

-Reinforcement magic-

-Reinforcement magic-

-Reinforcement magic-

-Reinforcement magic-

-Reinforcement magic-
I said making my amulets shine in azure light.

All the magic left in those bracelets flowed inside my arms enchanting them, until both the blue stones on the silver talismans turned into dust and the amulet itself cracked.

I rose my hands above my head and vigorously clapped my hands

*CCCCCCCLLLLLLLLLLLAAAAAAAAAAAAPPPPPPPPPPPPP*

A sonic wave unleashed by my hands scarred the remains of the fourteenth floor and made all the golems crash on one another reducing them to rocks and dust.

Now I just needed a sassy sentence to look cool to eventual watchers

"Fortunately I didn't went with sarcastic claps…No it sounded better in my head"
I said with sad tone returning to my usual bored self.

(It's fantastic that I was wearing the earplugs I avoided to destroy my timpani, if I have had to heal them, I would have wasted precious mana.
How can you be so provident Hachiman )

After pulverizing my new friends, I followed the path N1 and SM

"…..Oh god I never realized Single Moment, become SM, why I never teased Ashua about that-

What was I narrating… I followed the path N1 and Ashua took to run after the Magus."

While walking in the hallways I became deeply absorbed in my thoughts letting existential question fill my brain, like: are we alone in the universe? Is there any Max left on the NightFury? Can I magically teleport back into my bed? Should I shoot down these goddamn Golems flying towards me?

Answers: probably not, probably yes, no, YES!

*bang*bang *bang

"Three down thirteen incoming"

"Mmmmm tomorrow, what I have to do tomorrow *bang*, an essay for Hiratsuka sensei, or maybe not, after all she owes me,*bang* *bang*, should I call team Charlie now. Levi could clear the whole floor quickly enough with his Beyblade spinning, and Megumi…would probably turn everything in ashes*bang*"
I casually thought emptying one magazine.

"Other four down nine left"

"well I want to go home already so…swich to, mana from the support jewels"

upon hearing my words my gauntlets started to warm up while blue lines of mana appeared on them, injecting new energy through my magic circuits.

-Memento doloris-

-Dolorem accipit potestatem-

I said surrounding myself of black smoke.

For a brief moment I rapidly filled my self with random of injuries, and turned them in to smoke, multiple times…It hurted much more than my usual spells.
The dark cloud, I was in, started to become thicker and blacker until, around me there was only a somber shell, my personal corner of hell.

I let more mana flow into my body… I wanted to take all my foes out with one shot

-Pura ei tormentum-

One second, the blink of an eye and from the black mist I was surrounding my self with, nine dark spikes arose towards my foes, nine obsidian rays that pierced through all the flying golems.

*crash *crash *crash *crash *crash *crash*

"And with, this, I can conclude my Golems experiences for today"
I said pleased of the mess I just made.
I knew of the other two Magus left to fight so I quickly tapped on my gauntlets revealing a small monitor, probably smaller than a credit card, with a 90 % written on.

"That's why I hate direct attack spells they take an insane amount of mana and they hurt a damn lot to activate…Team Charlie is your turn"

"Now! Cry Tadokoro Full-house"

"Not so fast Ackerman poker of six"

"Shit"

"Ahaha I won now you have to give me your precious degreaser, ultra clean, multi surfaces premium edition"

"Team Charlie is your turn"

"Oh no, we-have-to-take-action-what-a-shame-we-will-resume-our-game-another-time"

"Levi stop!"

*bam*

"He shutted the door, I'm so… so *snif* so *waaaaaaaaaaaaaa* saddddd why everyone bully me
Soma-kun at Totsuki and everyone else here"

*snif *snif

"At least you're always here for me right C4"

I gave my signal to the third team a floor in before planned, but highly doubt it mattered.
Stepping on rest of various golems I reached the window and saw Levi throwing him self of the Nightfury. Most of the defence systems of the skyscraper were destroyed already, yet one of the cannons still intact shot two anti aircraft rockets to my falling teammate.

"Noooo Leviiii"
I should have thought

But I knew what Levi was capable of, so…my thoughts drifted into

"I wonder how he is gonna dodge those"

And

"Levi should have skydived after Megumi destroyed all the windows of the building not before…
Well first things first…"
I intensely watched my falling subordinate, activate his equipment:

A personalized Oroboro's uniform reinforced by a black exoskeleton, ideal for highspeed movements in mid-air. A pair of the sharpest twin swords on the planet with interchangeable blades (when you hit different targets at insane speed or you always have sharp blades that can cut through anything or bye bye arms). Two apposite scabbards, two grappling hooks that could be shot and withdrawn by, two small Helium compress cannons on the hips in order to move in all possible directions and the most important part: a gas propeller placed at the end of Levi's back able to push him at incredible speed.

Levi stared at the two rockets aimed at him, they were about ten and fifteen metres away from him and were approaching fast, I had only a second to watch what happened next… Levi unsheated his blades and activated the propeller, compressed gas burst out from it making the fittest man in the whole Oroboro spin like a tornado.
Fast as a lighting he splinted in half the first rocket with a clean cut,from the top to the bottom, letting a Hollywoodian explosion light the night. After that without even the time to take a breath, Levi stopped to spin and shot a grappling hook towards the top of the skyscraper.
The hook crashed in the building with a terrifying *crash, and my subordinate, skilled as always, released again a stream of gas making his fall stop and his rise began.

One second maybe two and everything was over, Levi who had stopped falling dashed towards the top of the building and cut down the second rocket with a vertical slash

*boom

"Another explosion worthy of Michael Bay.
Mmm in this mission Levi really made a ballsy entrance" the only problem was that as I watched as his amazing display of skill…

"I belive I can fly I believe I can touch the sk-"
I had to listen to Levi's singing…

"Hey, Strongest Soldier your microphone is on"
I said trying to remain serious, nearly an impossible task.

"Reached the top of the building explosive girl is your time to shine"
Was the response I heard from my earphones

"Matte, matte, matte did he just pretended nothing happened?"
I muttered

"Roger I'm ready to deploy the Trinity Shatter, get away from the windows, the weather is going to become spicy, Blanck withdraw the pawns for a moment"
Said Megumi,

"I hope I am not repetitive but, matte, matte, matte did really Levi pretended nothing happened?
And everyone is going along with it?
What's the Trinity Shatter?
But most importantly what the hell it means the weather is gonna be spicy?"
I mentally screamed

"Hey Megu-cchi, I mean Dynamite, what is this trinity thing?, by the way third Magus down"
Asked Ashua with her microphone

"Oh nothing the Trinity is a demolition weapon I came out with after a friend made me taste a disgusting spicy icicle, open your eyes and look * bam *bam *bam *bam"
Answered Megumi shooting four missiles with some kind of bazooka out of the Nightfury

Each rocket aimed to a different side of the skyscraper, north, east, south, west, and divided in three parts.
Scared from what coud happen next I rushed away from the windows almost falling on the floor.

Then I heard the voice of Megumi
"You see Single Moment-chan each Trinity Shatter rocket divide in three parts. First a projectile filled with an highly inflammable gas Fullmetal synthesized, hit the target and is ignited"

*wfuuum

Four walls of blue fire enveloped the building, and started to melt the glass of the windows

"Second, another projectile hit the target but this time is full of Mechanic girl's special cooler"

*cshhhhhhhh*

The flames disappeared and white clouds appeared around the skyscraper making the glass instantly cool down and crack,

"Then the third part of the rocket a special sonic device I designed myself emit, a shock wave "

*booom

The third part of the Trinity shatter activated breaking all the cracked glass making crystalline shards start to fall from the building like snow
It was a breath taking show the pieces of glass falling on the ground reflected the lights of the moon and the starts and…Wait Levi was outside!

incredibly fast I used my microphone and said
"Soldier are you still alive?"

"…"

"…"

"Kinda"

"Good… Get back to work!, Team Bravo if all the defence systems of the building are down, clean from floor nineteen to floor twenty-eight with Dynamite, Blank set the Pawns in attack mode and clean twenty- nine to thirty-four, team Alpha finish your job here and retrieve all the Magi left "

"I want a raise"
Said Levi in monotone

"Roger, toothless get down!"
Added Hiccup

"We couldn't nuke the whole place nooo we are the good guys...sucks to be good"
Continued Kasumi

"Hey Ni-san if me and Single Moment end up here what are you going to do?"
Asked Kyotaka

"Ototu-kun I….I'm gonna meet the Ceo of this corporation"
I said smirking and turning off my microphone.

I reached, again, the windows, or at least what remained of them and looking outside I said.

"It's funny, no matter how much I try, in the end I always, want to move alone. Here at school nothing change…everyone say "I want to help you", but I doubt anyone realized, that I don't want help.
I know… I can't do everything alone, but I also know that I alone am strong enough to endure the pain of countless people and realities.
They know what I can do
How I think
How I can love every form of light while crawling in the darkness,
And
What's my dream.
Still they exact to stay at my side and suffer meaninglessly with me.
And… if there is one thing that I hate from the bottom of my heart is meaningless pain.

Oceans of tears and blood shed in vain…lives lost for no purpose at all…yet if it's me to suffer it's fine…I can literally turn the pain in to power…so no matter how much it hurts, no matter how much I hate it… my pain will always have sense…my pain won't ever be meaningless.

So why everyone I treasure want so…genuinely…meaninglessly… to suffer with me"

*boooooom

One of Megumi's bombs made me snap out from my reflexive pause.

"Right no time for monologues"
I said slapping my cheeks

I was one step away from falling down from the sky scraper, I united my hands in front of my chest and started to draw magic from my gaunlets.
To reach the top of the building as fast as possible I had to use one of my strongest spell

-venite ad me animabus pereunt-

(Come to me lost souls)

I said with my voice filled of sadness and sorrow, letting all my pain flow in my words and creating a transparent marble of magic in my hands

tuum grauasti vitae

(you oppressed by life)

Memories of me when, I wanted to abandon my life, memories of hundreds no thousands of people who had abandoned their life, ran in my heart and started to fill the marble of the darkest smoke possible.

quae de caelo cecidisse in terram

(you who fell from heaven to earth)

Thousands black bodies of every age and race started to fall from the sky around the building, they were the representation of all the pain I received from who died from suicide, and it only took me a step to join them. Inside my marble images of the last moment of life of those people.

Iam vos mos reperio a viribus volare

(now will find the strength to fly)

I said the last line of this spell whispering. suddenly me, plus all the dark bodies, stopped to fall. We were immobile in mid-air. The marble big as a bowling ball in my hands was now pitch black with a small white sparkle in its centre.

mortale ascensionem

(Ascension of mortals)

And that's it. The name of my spell two words that completed the chant of this story of despair and hope.
Two words I screamed with all the breath I had left in my lungs.

Flashes of light enveloped the area, all the people of darkness became bodies of pure light, that emerging from the ground ascended towards the heaven. My marble shattered in thousands pieces making the gravity around me change suddenly.

My bound to the ground was replace with a new one with the skyscraper. I closed my eyes and waited until my feet were on a stable surface, then I opened my eyes… I was standing on a vertical surface while white souls flew around me.

"Yosh"

It was always psychologically and physically intense summon a spell that contradicted the laws of the World, but the results were unquestionable. Without wasting a second I started to run on the skyscraper, I had to walk only on the metal parts left from Megumi's Trinity Shatter, but it wasn't exactly a difficult task. In my spiderman like rush I was able to watch Levi storm around the building with his swords, the pawns of blank shooting drugs to scared mercenaries and the Nightfury destroying the last defence cannons.

It took me only a few seconds to reach the thity-fifth floor, from a broken window, or from one of the broken windows I entered in the office of the CEO.

*snap*

A quick sound came out from my fingers and in the blink of an eye all the white people outside disappeared

"oh you gotta be kidding 40% left, I can't use anymore spells until I do the "thing" to the boss of this company….speacking of which…why he is not in his office? "
I thought looking at my gaunlets, and around the room I was in: A green office with two drinking tables made of glass, four armchairs across the room that put shame to the ones we had on the Nightfury and a enormous desk with a computer on and various papers.

Always animated by my vice to gather information I sneaked behind the desks and pried the various papers

"Human resources, human resources…..nothing useful, let's see his computer"
I said disappointed by the lack of results

With a swift movement my hands shifted from the papers to the computer, that had, of course, a password…

"Okay think Hachiman think :
Ashraf Khalil, CEO of P.C.A.
high IQ, born fifteen October 1966
, he is married has two daughter and…an older illegitimate son he secretly meet twice a month…Kassim"

With these information in my head I tried the password "Kassim1".
Khail was smart so he wouldn't have chosen a password easy like the name of his son/daughters, but the fact he constantly tried to meet his son, show he also propends to act emotionally, and given that the identity of kassim is a well guarded secret, I can assume that "Kassim1" is probably THE password. Otherwise I could always ask Shiro to hack the computer.

"Kassim1…damn I hate Arabic alphabet"
I taped struggling on those evil letters

"Password wrong"

"Dammit…-password-?"
I tried once more

-Password correct-

"… high IQ my ass!"
I screamed

"Hey have you heard"

"It came from the office"

"CRAP"

"Okay I have to admit that I lost my temper in the worst possible place and time but com'on password really ?"
I thought

*step*step*step*step*

The footsteps of some of the last mercenaries left reached my ears, I knew what was going to happen: before entering in the office a burst of bullets will pass through the only thing that divided this office from the hallway…a thin drywall. (and really? you are the CEO of a company and you have dry walls for your office Khail you disappoint me).

So moving as fast as I could I drawed my guns, went in front of the drywall next to the door and I lied down on the floor.

"3 2 1"

*bang *bang *bang *bang bang *bang *bang *bang bang *bang *bang *bang bang *bang *bang *bang bang *bang *bang *bang bang *bang *bang *bang bang *bang *bang *bang bang *bang *bang *bang bang *bang *bang *bang bang *bang *bang *bang bang *bang *bang *bang bang *bang *bang *bang bang *bang *bang *bang bang *bang *bang *bang bang *bang *bang *bang

"Thank God none ever aim at the ankles"
I thought looking the wall filled with holes above my head,
The door of the office was open with a kick and three men armed with AK-49 entered, I couldn't waste a second.

Foes-3 armed men

Threat- medium, no…not allowed to use magic,
Correct- elevate

Weapons- AK-49, pistol still impossible to recognize, military dagger

Strategy- sneak behind the last man that had entered,the biggest one, he is without helm, take down with the back of the left gun.
Throw him to the first man that had entered, the smallest one, immobilized for at least ten seconds.
Shot with the right gun the left ear of the second man who had entered, pain will distract him, left leg kicks away the assault rifle, headbutt, and hit with right knee in the stomach, lost of conscience. Conclude with kick to the temple of the first man.

Time 4.36 s

Resuts-three unconscious foes, with respectively, contusion to occipital lobe; right ear tored off, contusion on frontal lobe and light internal damage to internal organs; contusion to temporal lobe

Without waiting they noticed me I dashed towards the back of Man 3 and hit his nape with my left gun and all my brute strength, the weapon slammed against is skull making the tall man faint, Unfortunately…

*ugh
He emitted a dull sound warning his companion of my presence

1

They started to point their rifles towards me, but it was too late, my right boot slammed in the unconscious man's back throwing him against Man 1 and from my right gun I shot a bullet that tored off Man 2 left ear in a splash of blood
The first mercenary ended up crashed by his sleeping comrade, while the second one screamed losing precious seconds and tried with trembling hands to aim at me.

2

Of course, I didn't let Man 2 even properly rise his rifle I covered the two metres that divided us in the blink of an eye.
Facing the man I kicked away the cane of the AK-49 with my left boot, while two shots left the weapon killing innocent air (what a monster!), then I slammed my forehead against Man 2's nose that erupted in a fountain of blood and eneded the whole scuffle embedding my right knee in his guts.

3

Man 2 fell on the floor groaning then I stepped at my last and staring the eyes of the still conscious man struggling on the floor, I kicked his temple.

4

After my stunt, fortunately, no more mercenaries came in my direction but the computer of the CEO now was trash

"It could have been worse"
I thought aware that I could have been shoot down a few seconds ago.

switching on my Microphone I said
"Hey blank here the office of the CEO is empty, have you any idea where I can find him"

"Oh well come back from the land of jerks"
Responded Sora while in the background I could hear Shiro screaming " PENTA-KILLLLLLLLL"

"…. Where I can find him?"
I asked again without paying attention to his insult

"aahhhh… try the north side of the thirty-fifth floor, a square of windows sustained the Trinity Shatter, probably they were reinforced from magic, and judging from the thermal there is a person right behind them"
Said him with careful voice

"Thanks"

"Shiro look at me NO SCOPEEEEEEEEE"

Following Sora's information I sneaked around the thirty-fifth floor in my "Stealth Hikky", apparently there weren't anymore mercenaries, but a question popped out in my mind

"A certain number of windows remained intact after the Trinity Shatter, so as Sora said, someone must have reinforced them, but none in this building could know about the Trinity Shatter, so it was impossible to enchant them beforehand.
there was a magus….there is a sixth magus that reinforced the glass during the explosions"
I realized sharpening my senses and speeding up my pace.

Going through hallways and turning corners, I continued my thoughts remaining on alert for eventual noises or suspicious scents
"it must be a pretty strong Magus, probably with a "high" treat level and with a great amount of resources….
Oh god I know who it is, please not her, please not her"

Smell of roses.

She was behind me…fuck.
Aware of the presence of my opponent, I turned as fast as I could and shoot all the bullets I had left in my magazines.
Nine projectiles merciless flew in the air but a green light suddenly appeared; It was an magical shield summoned by a jewel an to be precise emerald.

Usually a shield of that type would have sustained thousands of normal bullets, but mine were made of a customized alchemic alloy, so nine of them were more than enough to break that rectangular shield big as a desk.

"Always so violent snake"
Said an invisible conceited voice.

Not bothering to answer, I replaced my right gun with my dagger and slashed where the voice came from
A distinct sound of tored cloth resounded in the air.

"Invisibility cloak are the best way to waste a small patrimony, you know"
I said in English, to my opponent.

"Money have never been a problem for me OH OH OH OH OH"
Responded a gorgeous blonde girl, about my age, taking off what remained of her invisibly cloak: a white, tored, cape.

" Luviagelita Edelfelt"
I said trying to suppress the exasperation in my voice and the desire to headbutt a wall until my conscience faded away.

Now let me be clear usually be in front of a golden haired, well endowed girl,that wore a long sleeveless blue dress, would be a fest for my eyes.
BUT each time I met Edelfelt-san, the situation tended to become extremely annoying.

"Here in person the beautiful head of the Edelfelt family, ready to (BLA BLA BLA)"

"How long can this girl take to introduce, herself ?"
I thought changing the magazines of my guns, while the girl continued her speech.

"And so today I will defeat you *bang* Kyaa"
Concluded the bishoujo dodging a bullet aimed to her left foot

"Tsk missed"

"You brute!"
Screamed the girl dashing towards me with her gloved fists.

Luvia Edelfet:
a master of reinforcement magic, jewel magecraft and of the Lancashire-style (an English martial art similar to pro wrestling)

"I have to say it she is an opponent I don't like to go against on regular basis...talented, aware of being at disadvantage and weaker than her opponent, but smart enough to have many ace up to her sleeves to win
...she basically is like me"
I thought while Edelfet reinforcing herself to breaking point reached me with the speed of a lightning, performing a roundhouse kick towards my left temple.

Treat-High

"If I let her hit me I would probably be knocked down."

Unfortunately I have fought against individuals stronger than me my whole life, and created a precise martial art for this purpose

Counter-move 3 of Tiānguó zhī hé de quántóu

Time 1.00 s

Following with my eyes Edelfet's foot, I let fall from my hand, my left gun and rose my forearm.
I knew the trajectory of the kick so I anticipated my opponent.

Usually when a person raise his forearm to protect himself from a kick intercept the blow, in order to defend the head, but this particular strategy doesn't work against opponent with superhuman strength.
So I move my forearm in front of Edelfelt's leg while it was still bent a little, then I hardened my arm.

The kick connected with my arm, but instead of hit me, the foot of the girl just pushed me powerfully.
The tremendous power of the Magus's kick went through me like an electric shock.
Channeling all the strength of that blow, I rotated on my left foot and performed a roundhouse kick myself.

*ugh

A pained groin left Edelfet's mouth when my foot stuck on her cheek with my, and her own, strength.
The surprised girl soddenly lost her footing giving me the chance to grab her kicking leg with my left hand, throw her away while turning myself and regaining footing for my right leg.

1

The blonde Magus flew in the air across the hallway.

"Geez she is faster than I remember, better end this up quickly"
I muttered aiming my gun to her I shot three bullets

I hoped my move would deny the fight but the girl still filled with fighting spirit erected another emerald shield with a jewel she had hidden somewhere on herself.

The bullets crashed on the green barrier. Twisting herself in midair Edelfet faced me and used her hands to stop her…flight, gloved fingers carved through the floor leaving ten small lines.

The gorgeous magus with "drills"

the magical adventures of brain-kun ep 9

…Now pause! What the fuck is wrong with her hair! ... she probably made the hole in the ozone by herself with the amount of hair spray she must have used to make those hair locks remain always in shape…. environmental Protection!.

The gorgeous Magus with some kind of environmental disaster golden cones made out of hair locks, swirling in the air, after slowing down, did a back flip, wonder how is it possible while wearing heels, and threw to me five small Lapislazulis.

I assumed a defensive stance admiring the girl progresses
"Also improved judgment, I see"

Then I couldn't see anything else.
Five extremely powerful flashes exploded from the gems big as a pistachio, blinding me

-Gandr-

"SHIT I let those things blind me, a rookie mistake"
I thought incapable to see the spell casted towards me

In order to avoid my doom I forced myself to remain calm down.
I heard four clean shots so I came up with a last minute strategy.

I was unable to fully predict the direction of the runic spheres so, I raised my arms and crossed them in front of my head while I was performing a triple axel that every character of "Yuri on ice" would have envied.

I had fought Luviangelina Edelfetl multiple times and I had a vague idea of the points she aimed at, Fortunately Gandrs were much slower than bullets and while they reduced life energy they didn't leave any dangerous wounds, so I could take one or two shots and continue to fight .

Spinning in the air, I had my ears parallel to the floor I felt a sphere fly slightly above my head, where my head had been. Two under my torso, probably aimed towards my stomach, the last one was aim towards my gun…...or towards where my gun was, that for coincidence was the same space my legs were occupying now….

The Gandr stuck my right leg and made begin an horrible sequence of actions:
first my legs were propelled behind,
second I lost whichever form of balance,
third I lost my right gun and fourth I shamefully fell on the floor smashing my noise….

"ouch I think It broke."

My legs felt numb my face hurted and a small line of blood started to come out of my nose….now I really wanted to return home and go to sleep…

"Well I have been much worse"
I said in monotone in my mind.

*tiiin

The sound of another Gandr coming at me resounded in the air

"Dammit"
I said pushing the floor with my hands and starting to roll aside.
One sphere after another hit the points where I had been, until pointing my feet on the ground I dashed forwards to counter attack.

"I guess I have to use a bit of magecraft to defeat her, it was all fault of my incomplete information"
I thought running towards my enemy

"...Damn… I let her sneak behind my back and blind me, Hachiman! What the hell! Were you thinking! And don't even try to say her shaking chest…is good point though.
With my sight still foggy, I managed to barely dodge another Gandr moving my neck at the last second

"Well fuck it!"

-Scio ubi dolor-

(I know where the pain is)

I said calling forth to the magic I wanted to spare.

I used my premonition spell.
Something simple really, it gave me a taste of the pain I would have suffered in a few moments in the future.
a spell pretty occasional and full of drawbacks
first the pain I feel actually is not just a taste, is the double in comparison to the real thing…
I feel pain in a point where I'm going suffer, but I have to understand where the attack will come from on my own…
Blows that kill instantly are impossible to predict…
I have to ignore all the pain….
And things get confusing when I use offensive Magecraft cuz I have to turn my injuries in smoke or summon past wounds and turn them in to smoke...

To be honest is really a shitty spell that took me forever to master and is useful in very few situations like this one or dungeons filled with traps….and before any hypothetical reader asks: yes I have been in dungeons filled with traps (more times than I'd liked) and no it wasn't funny.

Able to predict any possible treat I covered the distance that divided me and Edelfet faster than she could ever imagine, dodging each Gandr with barely no movements.
When I was in front of her I dodged one last Gandr shooted at point-blank from her pistol shaped right hand, then I grabbed her right wrist with my left hand.
I twisted it and squeezed it with enough strength to fracture some wrist bones.
Edelfet bit her lips in order to stop a scream coming out from her lips and reinforcing her left elbow she tried to hit my right shoulder
…key word tried.
I grabbed her elbow with my right hand and bent my knees under the power of that jackhammer, again I made all her strength run through me and channelled it how I wanted.
Still grabbing her wrist and elbow I used Edelfelt's power to slip between her legs dragging her down.

"Pure white Uh"
I thought while my eyes passed under the magus skirt and she crashed on the floor after I let go her arms.

The fight was over.

I was standing and she was with her face on the ground, usually in animes the cool protagonist would say something cool like "now it's over" if the enemy is a man. Yet if his opponent was a girl he would say "Are you okay" or whatever along those lines to show his reluctance to hit the girl again, making her fall in love for…reasons.
But with the capital B I believed in gender equality so I crashed both Edelfet's ankles with my boots making her scream and pointed my dagger to her throat.

"You've gotten better Edelfet, but I'd like you to stop to find every possible occasions to be a pain in my ass"
I said without any kind of emotion

"Oh a compliment from the snake I guess it should be an honor"
responded her trying to hide her pain and fear behind a façade of pride

"Yeah yeah be proud of your skill and blab bla bla, hey why are you so obsessed with us again?"
I continued with annoyed voice

"Because you tainted my pride and the honor of my family"

"Oh right…that was before or after you remained stuck in that farm's wall for an entire night, with your clothes tored?"

"…."

"…."

"Well whatever, you know the procedure we make your family pay for your release, eight thousands pound was it?"

"Nine"

"Thank you, and you will back home in less than seven hours no one will know about your defeat and etcetera, Blank will take care of you this time"

"Wait what? No! Blank no he is a perver*uhg"
She said until I shut her down with my Loner skill N 7 imotou chop version for annoying rich girls.

Edelfet was now unconscious so I left her immobile on the floor and went to take back my guns, it was quite easy to find them. After that I checked my gauntlets and a discouraging 27 % was on them.

"Shit this is going to be tough"

After finally taking down Edelfelt, I reached my original objective, the room where the CEO of the P.C.A was kept in. I opened the door with a strong kick, and I had to drag the unconscious businessman outside, because all the room was filled with a particular hypnotic gas to keep him quiet.

Staring for the last time to my gauntlets, I decided it was time to take action and opened the eyes of the man with my hands.
His unnaturally big pupils looked in the depths of my eyes I took a deep breath, and used my only true spell

-the eyes are the mirrors of the soul-

I started to pronounce a few words that were nothing more than a help to focus.
when I say this is my only true spell I do not lie: all my spells are usually in Latin, but is nothing more than convention I use to manipulate pain magic as I want, without need to focus too much. It's like the experiment of Pavlov, the man that every time he fed his dog made a bell ring and after some time whenever the dog heard the sound of that bell it started to salivate like it was about to eat his meal.
I, like that dog have done so many times some action with a sound in background, to be stimulated whenever I hear that sound.
In fact I never needed an Aria to perform pain magecraft, but I had to have mnemonic references to use immediately a particular variation it,
(and if I choose Latin as a language to perform my magic…was because I…I liked and like Harry Potter' books.)
Yet the Aria I was about to pronounce wasn't something I came out with.
Three words that my own brain screamed to my soul, the source of all my power

-Tamashī no kagami-

(mirror of souls)

My eyes flared of white light suddenly making the word around me and the man disappeared.

"Okay Dragon Trainer, all the skyscraper is clean, and the team Alpha is finishing to gather all the Magus"

"Good work with the various cannons and missiles if you hadn't shot all of them, I don't want to think what would have happen to the Nightfury family model"

"Ahah you're right…I go to check on the others"
Said a boy with one of his arms covered in bandages turning off his microphone.

He pushed a button on a small keyboard on his right side and the armchair he was sit on rose from the floor taking him to the conference room

"Good work with the system jamming"
He said to a sweaty girl

" Barstards with anti-jamming radios, made my work harder. Oh Kasumi! Good work you too, even with one arm and half you are still great at handling weapons"

"I know right… do you know where Hachiman is? His microphone is still off "

"I don't now try with Sora he is the last person who talked to him"
Following the girl's advice, the Japanese teenager walked towards a small room right beside the conference room. He opened a sliding door revealing a set of lockers and two siblings with their technological tight suits half taken off

"Hey occupied"
Said a skinny, but defined, tall boy, named Sora for his friends….unfortunately he doesn't have friends…

"Hey Blank, where is Hachiman?"
Asked Kasumi ignoring the protest of the companion

"You have no chills have you?"

"…."

"He should be on the thirty-fifth floor"

"Thanks"
Concluded the conversation Kasumi closing the sliding door.

One minute later the injured sniper threw himself out of the plane and landed with a somersault on the roof of the skyscraper his organization had just raided, the boy walked reached the stairs and descended to the 35th floor of the building, where his leader was supposed to be.

When he reached his desired floor, he knew something was off, the air in his lungs felt heavier and the entire floor seemed to be infest by some sort of demon.

"Oh no"
The young man muttered.

He had a bad presentiment, so to confirm his doubts he closed his eyes and activated his superhuman hearing, a mad Magus gave him through crazy experiments.
He scanned the floor via sound and what he heard wasn't a good sign…soft screams of thousands of people, probably imperceptible for any ordinary human.

"Shit he did it with less than 30% left!"
Said terrified the boy running towards the source of the screams

He rushed in the hallways turned two corners and found himself in front of the face of his fears.
A sliver skeleton wearing Oroboro's mission suit and emitting dark mist that constantly changed his shape, assuming form of suffering and screaming faces.

"H..Hachiman…"
Whispered Kasumi, without emotion

The skeleton turned towards the Japanese boy.
Bony orbs, filled with with imagines of tragedies of the story starred the dull eyes of the sniper.

"Kasumi"
Said the skeleton with spectral voice.

Then a white light came out from the skeletons skull, making reappear his eyes and after that his skin and everything else.
"Why are you here?"
Asked Hikigaya Hachiman shining like a white star and surrounded by a terrifying black mist, with his usual voice.

"You fucking idiot you used it with less than 30% mana left"
Responded Kasumi ignoring the question and smashing his bandaged fist against his boss face that suddenly stopped to flare black and white energy.

"Ouch"

"Ouch"
They said in the same time, one shaking his arm and the other caressing his cheek.

"Why did you do that?"

"Because you scared the shit out of me"

" You were worried about me ?"

"No I just saw a fucking skeleton call my name"

"… It's sarcasm?"

"OF COURSE IT'S SARCASM, I thought you were going to go on rampage again, remember last time!"

"Oh com'on it was during operation Damocles, everything went south during operation Damocles and today I just had some problems resealing the pain inside me "

"That's not the problem!"
The two teenagers continued to argue for other ten minutes until Kasumi took a deep breath and said.

"…listen I can't take it anymore, I drop out, I'm done being an operative"

"What…"

"Hachiman I will be honest with you, all your sacrifices, all the pain you gather in yourself…stop it everyone in Oroboro, can't take it anymore none can look at you continue to selfdestroy"

"Is this supposed to be a joke? I have never heard a word…"

"AND YOU KNOW WHY? IT'S BECAUSE ALL OF US, YOU INCLUDED, ARE GODDAMN HYPOCRITES!

Every member of Oroboro hate see you suffering someone else pain, yet no-fucking-body have ever told anything about that. You know why they shut the fuck up? Because they know their own screams are inside that broken and deformed thing that is your soul! How can they ask you to stop, when they know that each of them is part of your suffering "

"…but this…how is it connected to your drop…out"

"Because I decided to be the biggest hypocrite of all and throw away all I owe you, to make you wake up…

I have walked with you from nearly the beginning, but not me nor anyone else has ever reached your side, we always just stared at your back. YOU DIDN'T EVEN TOLD US WHY YOU WANTED TO CHANGE THIS GODDAMN WORLD.

IS BECOMING SOME KIND OF MESSIAH THE ONLY WAY TO MAKE YOU THINK YOUR LIFE ISN'T MEANINGLESS!"

"…"

"When a member of Oroboro end his training, he gains the right to receive our tattoo, and a code name. I chose Ultrasonic Shot, it brought together the two things that I hated of myself: my magical hearing and my being a sniper. Two things that you made me learn how to use to help who was in need and without killing anybody…Two things you made me love about myself.
I owe you this much, you turned my darkness in someone else's light, thanks to you I was able to give meaning to my life."

"… "

"I drop out because I hope this will make you stop from becoming Angra Mainyu, All the world's evil. You know why all of us were excited when you started to talk about your club…because with baby steps you started to live…creating meaningless relationships outside of Ororboro that you treasured not less, was something amazing for us… We were, we are genuinely happy…probably because it was the first time in I don't know how long, that someone made you cry your own tears.

Hikigaya Hachiman please don't…ehm…It's a big world, try not to do your best to fight it alone. Please "

"..."

"I see, bye Hachi"

"…Kasumi…it isn't like that…I'm fine being meaningless…but…but I can't let all that suffering remain in vain; taking them in me, using the power they give me to create something good, to ensure nothing like that happens again is the best and only thing I can do to make all those pointless screams and tears worth something. "

"Oh that's so…because you can't stand meaningless pain… is that the reason why you're always ready to throw your life away so easily…don't make me laugh, I know you, you're not that idealistically selfless.

Maybe erase all the pointless pain is what is keeping you going, but I'm sure that the reason you started all this bullshit is more selfish… isn't it

Listen, I don't really care why you began all of this, but I want you to realize that you shoulder a cross that is too heavy for yourself alone…

Let us help you goddamn, we, the founders of Oroboro at least!

We choose to follow you because we wanted to reach your side and see the world you walked towards, so why don't you just stop a for one moment and let us be beside you"

"but how, HOW! I can ask help from any of you

(I just want you to be safe).

I saw you fall in pieces

(I looked in your eyes and saw myself),

I've seen you in your darkest moment and what you had was barely a drop of the ocean of darkness I live with, every day

(Please, I don't want to see you suffer again)

…how can I ask you to …dive in shadows so black

(Or you will end up like me) "

"Maybe you're right…

(I don't care)

Ask you to wait for us to reach your side is selfish and will only make us suffer pointlessly,

But maybe you are wrong

(You want to protect us, well we want to protect you)

And should have more faith in us, we are not helpless kids anymore, we are Oroboro, we are your family

(We are ready to suffer, we are ready to fight, we are not weak and you know that) "

" …"

"If you ever decided you need help, you know how contact me…Sayonara brother"

The Sword

Shiro (white) that's the first thing I could remember, a pure white void.
Then there was fire, death and despair
in another word hell...or at least that is I would remember that landscape

And at the end when I was ready to close my eyes to let that hell take me.
Light, hope and a man that even in the depths of loss could find a drop of pure joy

A TRUE HERO OF JUSTICE

*brush *brush

"...e...np…"
I heard a voice

Someone was softly shaking my shoulder

Brain Activated

"s..npai…"

Who am I?
Emiya Shiro

"senpai…"

Where am I ?
Tool shed,

When am I ?
Thursday 4 February

"Senpai, wake up "

What's happening?
I fell asleep in the tool shed, and now my kohai Sakura Matou is trying to wake me up

"Okay I have a general grasp of the whole situation"
I thought while a small sparkle of conscience appeared in my mind.

What should I do?
Respond with plan six

"afdghdefw (still five minutes Sakura)"
I spluttered"

Mission complete good work

Brain Deactivated

"But Fujimura-sensei is alone with the fridge"

RILEVATED CODE RED

EMERGENCY ACTIVATION OF BRAIN

"SOMEONE STOP THAT SORRY EXCUSE FOR AN ADULT"
I screamed waking up and dashing towards the kitchen leaving Sakura behind.

"And that's how my morning starts"
I told myself running through the door of the tool-shed and silently praying for the well being of my groceries.

"please let my miso be, let my miso be"
I, Shiro Emiya madly muttered running across the backyard of a typical Japanese maison that could welcome at least eight people, but where I lived in by myself.

The sound of my scared steps on the ground, the small clouds my breath made in the cool morning air were the only things that kept me company as I jumped on the lateral hallway of the house.

"the kitchen the kitchen the kitchen the kitchen the kitchen the kitchen"
I chanted sliding on the wooden floor of the house, turning two corners and opening the sliding door of the kitchen.

"STOP TIGER"
I screamed entering in a six tatamis room with my eyes closed, scared...no terrified of what I might have found.

I focused on every noise of the room to be prepared to the inevitable but...

*Silence (or for those who like onomatopoeias " ")

I couldn't hear a single sound.
something was wrong!
Usually Fuji-nee would have immediately responded "It's not like it seems" with her face covered in leftovers of her feast still chewing

(A/N ehm ehm Shiro just covered 50 metres in 5,51 seconds if he had been timed he would have set the new world's record)

"Maybe she heard me coming and ran away...it would be the first time she managed to escape"
I thought, opening slowly my eyes.

flashback

"you will never get me alive Shiro!"

"GIVE ME MY MISO SOUP BACK TIGER!"

*sound a scooter's engine switched on

"see you at school boya I WIN"

"TIGER STOP !"

"never!"

"WATCH OUT THE GARBAGE TRUCK"

"The what?"

*crash

"that day she nearly got me but I snatched the soup before the ambulance arrived"
I remembered as I turned around and watched every corner of the kitchen.
...it was, in some way, astonishing I really couldn't describe what I was looking at

…the kitcken was how I left it while Fuji-nee was nowhere to be seen.

The small Chabudai in the middle of the dining room was untouched, all my kitchen tools were in their place, no crumbs were on the floor and...there was no proof the Tiger had been here…

"it's impossible unless…"
I gasped while all the pieces of this malevolent plan converged.

"Ahaha senpai you fell for it"
Said a voice behind me

I slowly turned around and saw my cute kohai, Sakura softly laughing with a hand on her mouth.
"It was a j-o-k-e "
She cutely added a wink and put her index under her lips.

"unless it was a joke"
I told myself listening to Sakura's words.

my heartbeat rate suddenly dropped when I realized there wasn't any emergency, but after I stared at Sakura's playful pose, her violet hairs eyes of the same color and generous chest, my heartbeat rate rose up once more

"Bad Shiro, banish impure thoughts, she is the little sister of your friend"
I thought regaining my cool

"ah ah ah you got me Sakura but please,
don't do it ever again
I might have lost ten years of life"
I said to her bowing my head

"I don't know Senpai's face was pretty amusing…What do I gain"
said Sakura uncaring of the bold tone I used when I said -don't do it ever again-

"Uh… How about I promise to cook your favourite dish"
I offered trying a diplomatic approach

"Just one time…"
She said puffing her cheeks

"I promise to cook your favorite dishes next Saturday and Monday"
I responded automatically...

"For crying out loud I can't resist that face"
I muttered

"Deal! Now senpai go to change, you're still with your work suit and you're all dusty"
She she said clapping her hands

"I Guess you got a point, sleeping in the tool shed wasn't a great idea, I'm all dirty.
I'm gonna take a shower, would you mind start with breakfast cooking?"
I asked Sakura checking my clothes covered in a thick veil of dust and spider's webs

"Of course senpai take your time"
sakura told me while I took my leave and went towards my bedroom.

"Sleeping again in the toolshed...I'm really hopeless"
I thought dragging my feet on the floor

"fortunately Sakura still doesn't know I was training my magical powers... she believes I'm just fixing anything that comes under my hand
Now that I think about it miss Tokoyama threw in the garbage her microwave yesterday.
I bet I can make it work agaiiinnnn

maybe Sakura's right"
I muttered passing in front of my late father Kiritsugu room.

unconsciously my breathing stopped.
Since he died I have always felt uneasy in front of that room.

"Good morning dad one day less until I become an Hero"
I muttered watching the room in which I never entered except for cleaning.

"I hope you have finally found peace…"
*aaaaaafff
Deeply sighing I averted my eyes from that moment empty room, walking away from my regrets.

step after step I reached my room a few moments later.
I moved a sliding door with ease and studied my room
A futon, a desk, a wardrobe full of clothes, many shelves filled with pictures and different trophies from various archery competitions.

"what are my today's plan?
school
part-time
dinner
training

okay pretty ordinary schedule"
I said as I took from my wardrobe the school uniform color caki, a pair of boxers and one of my many white shirt with blue sleeves.

Fully equipped I headed in the bathroom, closed the door behind my back and began to strip.

Meanwhile A sixteen years old girl with careful steps was wandering in Emya household aiming for the bathroom.
With a malicious smile on her lips the girl was waiting for something,
for someone…

She reached the corner before the bathroom and leaning against a wall, she putted an hairlock of her violet hair behind her ears and focused on all the noises around her.
A quiet, monotonous sound reached her ears: it was the sound of steps. Steps that she could recognize from a mile.
Steps of her target
Steps of her beloved senpai,

"He is near"
She thought like a predator

A few seconds later the girl's,
Sakura Matou's intuition revealed to be faithful.

Shiro Emiya an

("should I write this list Sakura?"
"yes "
"but."

"yeah I got it, I will write the list now put down that knife")

Shiro Emiya an awesome, auburn haired, masculine, tall, kind, golden eyed, hot, sexy and, one more time, awesome teenager.
Her senpai,
had arrived.

Unaware that his kohai was staring at him the boy entered in the bathroom like nothing in the world was wrong whistling an happy song.

*tac
A quick sound announced the glorious entrance in the bath of her senpai.

almost incapable to restrain herself Sakura sneaked behind the door that had just been close on her tip toes.
she bent her knees while her eyes were dripping of lust and in absolute silence she slightly opened the sliding door of the bath.
like a professional stalker

(PUT DOWN THAT KNIFE WOMAN!)

Peeping through the small opening Sakura Matou came across a feast for her eyes.
Her senpai was sloooooooooowly stripping

"yes senpai do it first the top make me look at your body, your muscular perfect body…yeah all the suit away, now take away from my sight those boxer and let me see you tight butt"

Muttered he girl drooling half wondering if it was the case to join him
But thanks to the third law of animes
(Harem protagonists remain virgins until the end of the show)

"Shiroooo Sakuraaaaaaa-chaaaaaaaaaannnnn"

Fujimura-Sensei entered in Emiya household saving the chastity of Emiya Shiro

"Shirooo Sakura-chaaaaaaaan"
I heard an exuberant voice scream

"oh Fuji nee has finally arrived"
I thought as I entered into a blissful rain of hot water.

I tried to get out from the shower and scream a Good morning but invisible hands of steam kept me from doing it

"well I will greet her later"
I said letting my nerves relax and covering myself in soap with the scent of lemon.

As I scratched my chest I observed my shower

"three weeks ago you were a true piece of garbage eh
I was going to trash you
but after a good dose of magic you became good as new uh"
I said touching the hot metal tubes of the shower

"That's right Shiro-kun is all thanks too you"
I muttered with small voiced moving my hand like a mouth

"you are too kind Shower-chan
you are probably my best result with reinforcement magic"

"well after all you suck as a mage and I'm the only thing you can be proud of"

"hey shut-up ! shower-chan you don't know me, even if I'm not a great mage I will train harder than anyone and accomplish my dream"

"yeah...if you say so...but right now I just see a boy talking to his right hand"

"..."

"did I just lose an argument with my hand...that sees me without even have eyes"
I sadly realized

"But god if it feels good"
I said enjoying the water drops on my skin.

Five minutes later I came out from the bathroom wearing my school uniform and with my red hair still slightly wet.

"Good morning Fuji-nee "
I introduced myself entering in the kitchen

"Oh Shiro good morning you too"
She greeted me back from the table.

There she was
Fujimura Taiga the woman I affectionately called Fuji-nee a teacher in her mid twenties, playful and kind by nature with light brown hair and glossy lips.
that for multiple reasons was also my legal guardian.
And currently had her face dirty of countless crumbs

"…Tiger…did you open the fridge without my permission?"
I said concealing as best as I could my anger...I did an horrible job

"No shiwo *crunch"
She said stuffing her mouth with a chocolate biscuit I kept hidden in a remote corner of the fridge.

*pop
I felt a capillary in my brain explode while a bloody stream of rage ran through my veins

"…do not lie to me you!"
I snapped snatching away from the woman all the cookies she had in front of her

"Sakura we have a scenario four!
why do we have a scenario four?
You should have been in kitchen"
I asked on the verge of autocombustion.

"dammit a scenario four is the worst one"

Scenario 1
is if the house is on fire

Scenario 2
is if there is a storm incoming

Scenario 3
is if water, electricity and gas are out of service

Scenario 4 also known as "WHO THE HELL LEFT TAIGA ALONE"
is if Fuji-nee is left aloe in the kitchen, the consequences of this scenario can be multiple.
complete loss of food stocks, a drunk crying woman that asks herself why she can't find a boyfriend or my least favourite
"Shiro the (insert any kind of electro domestic) doesn't work anymore".
[in this cases Scenario 1 and 3 can be triggered as well]

and Last Scenario 5 a.k.a. "I OVERSLEPT"
that's a tricky one a fearsome scenario in which I overslept and most likely triggered the fourth Scenario

"I'm sorry senpai, Fujimura-Sensei entered and I was …concerned by something else...
when I went to greet her she was already launching herself against the fridge"

"Damn you Tig-"

*crunch*

"stop eating! you will ruin your appetite!"
I scolded her

"Buf theyf sof goof...hgzhgazha"
blubbered Fuji-nee nearly choking

"Yare Yare"
I muttered passing to that stupid adult a glass of water

"Thank you Shiro you saved me"
jumped on my neck the over enthusiastic woman

"No problem...are you okay"
I asked falling prey of her antics

"Now yes thanks to you"
she whispered

in that moment I was completely immobilized Fuji-nee had forced all her weight on me and I was barely managing to remain on my feet.
my arms uncertain of what to do were stiff on my back.
It was really an embarrassing position, but I enjoyed my sisterly figure affection once in a while...
it keeps me from starving her

"really I can't stay mad at he-"
I tried to thought but..
*crunch

That sorry excuse for a woman hugged me just to snatch the package of biscuits in my hand

"Correction I can stay mad at this woman and I will begin to starve her"
I thought while my hands went towards Taiga's neck...that woman was even dirtying my shoulder with cookies crumbs!

"Sensei it's bad you know, if your diet is so unbalanced you will never get a boyfriend"
Said Sakura stopping my attempt to murder and making Fuji-nee stop to eat.

the young woman taken aback from my Kohai statement baked off and seated down, then with trebling hands pinched her belly.

five seconds of pure silence lasted in the kitchen before

"WAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAHAHAHA"
Fuji-nee began to cry

I didn't quite get how an unbalanced diet was related with boyfriends

"…but she had now stopped to devour my cookies so it's fine…I guess"
I told myself bewildered by that show

"Waaaaaaaaaaaaaa Sakura-chaaaaaaaaan"

Averting my eyes from that glutton I moved towards the fridge and took out all the ingredients to cook a traditional Japanese breakfast: fish, eggs, rice, various vegetables and my miso soup

"thank all kami you're okay"
"Shiro-kun I was so scared she was so big and voracious"

"Senpai what are you doing with your hand?".
"nothing!"
I said

I turned on the rice cooker, took out a sharp knife and began to cut the vegetables, Sakura rapidly joined me, following my pace giving me support. We moved like a well oiled machine no waste of energy was done, no words were needed.
a nod
a stare
that was more than enough to coordinate us.

Ten minutes later the breakfast was warm and ready to be eaten, Fuji-nee at first stared at the food guiltily, eating slowly and pinching belly every five seconds; But it didn't last long.
she returned to her usual way of feasting in less than ten minutes

"She is like a starved animal and she eat three meals each day (five to be honest)
how could I even hope to survive against that woman if I tried to starve her "
I thought looking at Fuji-nee stuffing her mouth with rice until she looked like a balloon.

Squeezing my eyes I decided to push aside my guardian's shenanigans and start to eat.
smooth moves of my chopsticks brought to my mouth rice, fish and vegetables while Sakura happily chatted with Fuji-nee about frivolous topics.

Ignoring the two girls in front of me I finished my the rice in my bowl, put down my chopsticks and assumed my pose of deep reflection: two hands in front of my nose and eyes that stared to the nothingness. (Gendo Style)

"Goooooooooood I'm so damn awesome at cooking!"
Was the deep thought in my mind

"What is he doing Sakura?"

"I don't know Fujimura-sensei, but it's not the first time I've seen him doing it"

"He has stared nothing for five minutes and he hasn't even blinked one time, let's try to wake him up"

"Is not that easy when he is in this state he is completely vulnerable he doesn't react to almost anything..., so defenseless ehehehe"

"What are you giggling about?"

"NOTHING! He has still with his hair wet I will get a towel to dry them, maybe this will awake him"

"I could get my own cooking show
-Emiya-san Chi no kyou no Gohan-
What's for dinner Emiya-san
And I can have special guest every episod-"

*brush *brush

"a tactil sensation...Something is touching my hair
How many possibilities is a racoon...again
Not so many
well I guess it's not important I can think about it later"

*pochi *pochi

"another tactil sensation And now something insanely soft is pressing on my back
Marshmallow
no...
and it has a pretty interesting diameter too
Focus this is important "

I thought snapping out of my trance and quickly turning my head to comprehend what was touching me

"Well come back senpai "
Said Sakura with calm voice a sweet smile and a towel in her hand.

"Oh so that's the situation I'm in,
I was in mediation,
Sakura decided to dry my hair while she could and her opp….
wait
….so this is the feel
…is she wearing a br…..soft"
I thought realizing my position while all the blood in my body went in two different directions: upward and downward
With my flustered face and my sword ready to be unsheathed, I coughed a little and said in the most confident voice I could muster
"Thanks Sakura…"

"You're welcome senpai"
She responded kindly as usual.

Sakura's mind

AHAHAHAHAHAHAHAHAHAHAHAH YOU'RE GOING TO BE MINE

"oh crap is late I have to go, see you at school guys, Shiro after lesson I have to tell you something CIAO"
Fuji-nee said looking at her watch

And there she went. My ever childish guardian flew out of the house and disappeared on her scooter after realizing she was late.

"Really, she never changes"

"That means is always amusing staying with her senpai"

Sakura's mind part 2

But if that old jezebel pull out another stunt like when she hugged Shiro...I will need a shovel and an ax, maybe a few garbage bags and towels
Do I have enough pocket money for all this stuff?

"I guess you can say that. Shall we clean up and head to school as well?"
I responded fixing my amber eyes in Sakura's violet

"Sure"
She said stretching out her hand

The cleaning of the kitchen went good both of us just did mechanical movements without thinking, just to give an idea of how many times we had cleaned that room after breakfast.

Unfortunately, or fortunately, that day while Sakura was doing the dishes a rice bowl inadvertently fell in the washbowl. A splash high a foot hit the chest of my kouhai soaking her shirt

"uh"
Was the reaction of the girl, pretty plain in my opinion,
I expected a more feminine kya or similar

"No my shirt is all wet senpai what I'm going to do "
She said with an annoyed voice, turning towards me

"Oh no stop turning, your shirt is transpa…."
My Thoughts died when a white bra with sakura flower entered in my field of view

"Breath breath I need to breath, it isn't something too pervert.
she isn't naked or anything, it's like she's wearing a bikini…right bikini
Dammit it isn't working"

Sakura's mind part 3

Always take out the best from the worst situation
That's right look at me senpai

I've seen your eyes, just take the bait.

"geez Sakura your clothes are all wet, go dry a bit in the bathroom before you get a cold, I will fetch you one of my shirts"
I said trying to hide how flustered I was.

"Fuck...I mean…wearing senpai's shirt…I mean yes of course"
Responded the girl almost whispering and heading towards the bathroom

Poor little thing wearing one of my shirts maybe was too much,but right now it was the best solution I could come out with.
probably she could find some spare uniforms at school.

I walked in my room having to ignore the picture of Sakura's bra each step I took

"Fly away impure thoughts fly aware impure thoughts"
I thought or at least tried to, but the words in my head sounded more like

"How could they be so damn soft"
Yeah a pretty shameful aspirant hero of justice I was.

After I finally drove away those memories I opened my wardrobe.

"An old Shirt that Sakura can use...
.oppai...
HOW THE HELL I COULD THINK ABOUT THOSE NOW !"
I thought as that segment of my memory refused to disappear.

In this state I couldn't take out...and not because I was groping them
I had to clean my mind first.
I stretched my hand in the boxer's drawer and reached a hidden box of paper…my treasure chest.
I didn't bother to fully open it and display its contents, I already knew where was what I wanted.
My hands reached the desired prize and with a nearly affectionate took it away from the box.

I applied some pressure.

*pop

My senses made peace with the universe

*pop

One more time

*pop

"Aaaa it feels good"
I said watching with my amber orbs the sheet of bubble wrap in my hands
one pop of those plastic bubbles and all my worries begone.

" really popping these things is the best...Maybe I can do better"
I told myself while an epochal idea sparked from my neurons

Trace on
I whispered.

Two words
One spell
the only one I knew to activate my magic circuits.

Azure lines spreaded from my left arms to the wrapping paper.
I consumed my mana and the blueprints of my treasure ran through my mind.

-Analysis of basic structure-
I began to chant mechanically

Now I had all the information of that 16 x 10 centimetres long, thick 2 centimetres piece of bubble wrap.

Now I just had to reinforce everything.

-Reinforcement of the protective nylon and increase of the air pressure-
I whispered pouring my energy in that object while the Azure lines invaded all the bubble wrap.

A small drop of sweat formed on my forehead, what I was doing wasn't a taxing operation but it required a great amount of control, so the effort I had to use was not small

Ten seconds later I stopped to use my magic circuits and a little excited I pushed my inch on the bubble wrap

*POOOP

A glorious sound echoed in my room leaving me ecstasiated On the floor

"Reinfocement really improve anything…"
I muttered intoxicated

"now let's get Sakura a shirt"
I said as I put back in its place my treasure box and took out, from the wardrobe one of my white shirt.

"I hope it isn't too big for my kohai."
I reflected delivering the package to Sakura.

few moments later and she seemed a bit too happy, about that oversized shirt, but I didn't really had time to waste questioning

I reached the entrance of my home wore my lucky shoes and whistling a song I heard a few days ago I waited for Sakura

Sakura's mind part 4

SENPAI'S shirt Oh dear Oh dear

Calm down

I have to keep myself together, but
SENPAI'S SHIRT
he must have wore it many times, it must be filled with his delicious scent

"It smells like senpai"
I heard someone say while Sakura appeared in my view field.

"Did you say something Sakura"

"No Senpai, why?"
Said Sakura reaching me

"ah nothing"
I said escorting the girl to follow me with my hand.

Once Sakura and I rushed out from Emya's maison we headed to school, jogging through streetlights, and elementary schoolers.
We barely arrived ar school in time, we changed with pur indoor shoes and each of us went straight to his class.

"I'm not going to be late I am not going to be late"
Was the lyrics of the song played by my brain while I dodged a few students plus Rin Tohsaka

"Uh it seems I'm not the only one that had problem getting up today"
I thought looking at the black haired honor student: she had her two twin tails slightly asymmetrical that morning but, for some reason, she looked even prettier.

"Emya-kun"
Rina

She called me, why in whole world would Rin Tohsaka call me.

"Yes Tohsaka"
I said puzzled

"You dropped this"
She responded handing me a sheet
…my math homeworks…

"well I guess now I know why in the whole world would Rin Tohsaka, call me"
I realized while an embarrassed smile rose on my lips

"Oh thank you I didn't notice"
I awkwardly said

"You're welcome"
She politely said turning away her head.

For two embarrassing seconds I remained immobile staring at her disappearing in the hallways, until an annoying voice in my head made me remember about classes.
"Shiro-kun... your classes"

*driiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiin

"Here I come 2C"
I declared putting the narration on hiatus.

The rest of the morning was quite normal: lessons of math, physics and Japanese, flew.
Then there was lunch pause, that I spent buying a yakisoba pan from the cafeteria and eating it in the student council room with my best friend Issei Ryuudou
a.k.a the always tense bespectaled student president…
I heard quite a few people call him in that way…and also another rumor

apparently if you say that nickname three times in the girls toilette on the third floor your grades will drop by 20%.
but in reality

"hey Issei have you heard of that awfully specific rumor..."

"you mean about the grades ghost"

"that one"

"..."

"..."

"the girl's bathroom is beside the student council room and many teachers owe me something"

when we ate together Issei and I usually of talked about trivial matters, made the list of clubs that needed a bit of my cool magic...
I mean my help with their equipment and/or planned a way to keep Ayako Mitsuzuri, my other best friend, calm when the small gremlins in her head whispered it was time to increase the budget of the Archery club or to force me back in the club.

(I know what many of are thinking: how can he possibly have a best friend, who's also a girl, she must be his kind of girl-friend…the answer is no in the bloody hell no, we were clubmates, we both enjoy archery, but no never)

"Have you thought about her offer Emya?"
Suddently asked Issei after finishing his egg roll

"You mean Mitsuzuri ninty-eighth request to return in the archery club?"
I responded relaxed

"So you actually kept count…I swear I thought she asked you only ninty-six times"
He exclaimed

"Yesterday: while I was changing my indoor shoes and when I had lunch with her"

"SO I WAS RIGHT...
I mean
Oh that makes sense…"

"..."

"so the captain of the Archery club of Fuyuki is coming back or not"

"No Issei I'm not going to rejoin the archery club. I would only cause problems"

"Suit yourself, but in my opinion you're letting Shinji influence you too much"

" yeah I know you don't like Shinji…well practically none likes Shinji
(except all those chicks that for some reason follow him around).
But even him with all his arrogance and his nasty temper and his arrogance and his nasty temper an-"

"I got the point"

" was right.
an year ago I hurt myself before an important competition and caused a lot of problems…
so I don't deserve to be in the team anymore, beside I just used the club to keep fit"

"Shame
an exchange students from Chiba is arriving tomorrow in order to enable a member of the archery club to take part to the next Sutāshūtā tournament (star shooter)"

"Wait you mean that Sutāshūtā tournament, held in Chiba every three years, where all the best archery club from all over Japan compete!
it was my goal to take par-"
I said while Isseis sharp eyes pierced through my soul

"…"

"and before you say anything It was"
I clarified

"Okay I got it…I have to say I was quite surprised when I heard of this exchange project"

"Why?"

"Because is nearly before the final exams and because all the permission where signed a week ago.
apparently the teacher who supervisionated the project forgot about it"
said Issei adjusting his glasses, while in my head
"How does he do that, how can light do an effect so cool on glasses".

After that my brain returning to function normally suggested me four words to slowly whisper
"It"
1

"was"
2

"Fujimura"
3

"sensei…"
4

"You didn't hear anything from me"
said Issei brushing off mt statement

"…she is really, incredible"
I muttered remembering that that stupid woman was my legal tutor

"apparently she even forgot to ask anyone to host the exchange student"
Added Issei making me sink even more in shame

"but maybe is just a rumor…"
said my friend noticing my gloomy state

"y-y-y-eah "
I whispered

"going to hotter topics there are two heater that are broken can you try to fix them Emiya?"
Asked the boy changing topic

"Did you just make a pun?"
I exclaimed forgetting everything about Fuji-nee

"I most probably did not"

*two hours later*

"Kuzuki-sensei it's possible to share two words with Emya-kun"
Said Fuji-nee interrupting the hour of self-study

"I don't mind"
Said Kuzuki-sensei with his usual scary voice and empty eyes

Hearing his response I stood up from my desk and walked towards the door passing through the desks of my classmates.
among which Shinji Ika…
I mean Shinji Matou the older brother of Sakura, who tried to make me trip with his left foot…but he stretched his foot too late so I just stomped his foot.

*ugh*

Was the choked sound that came out from his mouth.
"Oh sorry Shinji"
I said hoping he wasn't really trying to make me slip.

"Emiya how dare you (blablabla)"
completely ignoring his rants I followed my way and without wasting more time I got away from the classroom closing the door behind me.

"So what's going on Fujimura-sensei"
I inquired looking in the eyes of my guardian

"Well Shiro remember that time, when you said that thing about that other thing and…"
She started to digress pointing her index against one another

"Get to the point Fuji-nee"
I cut her

"Last year, when you were still in the archery club I created an exchange project to enable you to participate to the Sutāshūtā tournament…stop rising your eyebrow!
Okay it wasn't exactly for you, someone gave me the idea and I have received a bonus for organizing this project."

"that sound more like you"
I said lowering my eyebrow

"I was sure you would have been chosen…
because you were the captain
but then you dropped the club
I forgot about the project itself and

and now none in the archery club can host the exchange student with so little notice"
She said staring at her feet

"…"
I remained silent trying to count all the redeeming qualities Fuji-nee had...dammit

"so"
she began, I knew where this was going to end.

"So…can you host in your house the exchange student please please please please"
She begged in dojeza

"Really.
I knew it every time she make some mess is my job to repair.
To be honest I wouldn't mind host the exchange student
but really I can't spoil her forever"
I thought while the tiger was crawling towards my feet

"Okay I got, I will host him or her, but you will pay back all the expenses for the food"
I said softly sighing

"Yes Shiro of course Shiro"
She said hugging my legs and wetting my trouser with snot

"Oi really stand up TIGER!
its embarrassing looking at you
I said it's okay
I will prepare a room for the new guy after my part time

so stand up"
I stated removing that excuse for an adult from my legs and going back In my classroom

when I re-entered I felt countless eyes on me

"there is something wrong here"
I thought while Fuji-nee sticked inside the classroom her head

"Thanks your availability Kuzuki-sensei"
she said cheerful as usual

"You are welcome Tiger-sensei… Fujimura-sensei"
responded the scary teacher

"oh we were too near at the class that's why they are looking at me and Fuji-nee with strange eyes"
I realized.

Two seconds later Fuji-nee discovered that all my class now knew her nickname and ran away holding back her tears

"…ops"

The schoolday went off without nothing else worth to mention.
When the bell rang, I said goodbye to Issei agreeing to meet him tomorrow during lunch pause with the new student to show him the school, plus other things
(FIX HEATERS!)
and went to change my indoor shoes.

Masses of boys and girl, in front of me, moving like ants, headed towards their various clubs or left the school to return to their homes exchanging jokes.
Estranging myself from that show, I came out from the school building and walked across the courtyard whistling a song I heard on radio

(OOOOOOOOONNNNNNNNNNNNNNNNNNNNNNEEEEEEEEEE PPPPPUUUUUUNNNNNCCCCCCCCCCCHHHHHHHHH)

I only stopped myself, while my eyes indulged on the Archery dojo
"…nostalgia"
I said letting that single words out of my lips

"…and Rin Tohsaka that for some reason is watching the archery club members"
I noticed puzzled

"Where are you? where are you? oh the archery uniform KAWAII"

"…Okay
Wonder what is she doing"
I averted my eyes.

Allowing my feet to dictate the way for ten minutes or so I stepped out from the school and found myself in front of the Copenhagen; a nice café I have worked at for the last two years as a part timer.

At first.
I worked for a charming older woman with long black hair named Otoko Hotaruzuka and nicknamed neko: an old friend of Fuji-nee, she was kind, mature
(more than Fuji-nee),
a bit childlish sometimes
(less than Fuji-nee), for some reason liked to call me Emiyan and was unable to stand lazy people
(wonder how she could be friend of Fuji-nee).

Three months ago her father had serious health problems and to cure himself properly he needed to go in an specialized hospital in a city far away.

Neko couldn't abandon her sick father and fortunately she managed to get in touch with two old friends of hers: a married couple that owned a café near that hospital.
she asked them help and so they switched.

(End of the story...a bit convenient though)

In fact, the Copenhagen was currently managaed by Sigmund Erou, his wife Janet and his adoptive dad Nijito
They were very funny people...I guess

Sigmund was a very tall man, a bit younger than Fuji-nee, he had got waivy black hair, brown eyes, was very smart ( he helps me sometimes with math) and had an insane passion for anime and mangas…
I mean really once a month he make a shounen jump night and all the cosplayers get 60% discount on desserts.

Janet is a foreign woman, that couldn't be described without the word beautiful.
she was around the same age of her husband and had long blonde hairs and blue eyes.
on my notebook she was probably the most patient person on the earth and a very capable teacher.
(In everything really except math… phisics… science…Japanese, or any scholastic subjects… but she taught me how to bake cakes)

Nijito was well Nijito… An old man with a few silver hairlocks in the black forest he had on his head, rider of wheelchair black with flame designs.
and had always his face covered with a blue scarf.
Always able to understand two words from one and always…and I repeat always ready to tell stories of his past…
(don't get me wrong most of them are interesting, but he repeat the same story minimum twice a day)
its really the stereotypical grandpa (yet I have no clues about his age) .

"Good afternoon"
I said announcing myself in that old fashioned café full of wooden furniture

"Oh Shiro-kun you're early! How are you?
Immediately responded a cheerful blonde woman

"I'm good Janet-san and you?"

"Busy as usual.
since Oto-san decided to make a 20% discount on hot chocolate this place is always full"
she said pointing at the tables of the room filled with people.

"Then you should thank me, I and my baka-son created an awesome recipe and now we will make a bunch of money"
Complained Nijito-san arriving on his wheelchair with his scraping voice.

"Hey Brat how are you, ready to work?"
he greeted me

"Fine and I'm ready as you are"
I retorted with a smirk

"so…zero"
He winked to me with his dull grey eyes

"Maybe"
I responded grinning

"NO NO NO NO you are not corrupting also this child Oto-san.
Shiro stay away from this creep and go to change"
Intervened Janet moving her hands between us

"This place really is warm "
I thought moving away from my coworkers and reaching the changing rooms.

I opened a small red door with a white signboard on that said "PRIVATE", after that I walked through a small hallway.
surpassing two rooms full of groceries and spare chairs, a few boxes on the ground with inside
"Are those rockets!
God I hope I have no shifts during the next Shounen night"
I screamed discovering the mysteries of those boxes.

I entered in the changing room and searched my locker.
I put away my school uniform's: jacket and pants, wore a pair of jeans and the Copenhagen's brown apron.

"Oh Shiro! "
Said a tense voice immediately after I came out from the backstore.

"Good afternoon owner-san need an hand?"
I asked to the man behind the counter.
He was simultaneously cooking, receiving ordinations and calculating two bills

"Please! here I have my hands full
go to take the ordinations of table seven and eleven"
he said cleaning a drop of sweat from his forehead

"Sure boss"
I said beginning to take ordinations and to clean empty tables.

"Kuzuki-sensei dropping here for a drink after your job?"

"Not quite Nijito Eru-san, I just desired to try the hot chocolate my students spend their time talking about"

"Really? I didn't imagine you were the hot chocolate type…or maybe there is more"

"I don't quite follow your statement"

"Well you know the monks of the Ryudou temple may or may not, have told me about your fiancé, by the way congrats, and so I was wondering if you weren't"

"Trying a beverage in order to know if she could like it"

"Yeah, basically that…Soichiro-san there is something wrong with you face, the corners of your mouth went upwards for a second"

"Is indeed a possibility"

*Screech

"Ohhhhhhhhh"

*tung

"Do not push yourself back so violently when you are on a wheelchair please.
You might have fallen if I didn't catch you"

"Thank you Kuzuki-sensei"

"Emiya one hot chocolate for table 13"
Nijito's voice called me from the other side of the cafe

"Ok"
I responded noting down the order on my notebook.

with a few of ordinations in my hands I walked towards the counter

"Owner-san we have three more chocolates, five coffees and one Mampo spicy Janet level"
I listed

"Janet level!
Who's the crazy man that order something like that and at this hour!"
exclaimed Sigmund

"Your wife she took a pause"
I said drily taking with me a few coffees

"This actually makes sense"
he muttered returning to his job

"I have to tell him something"
I realized before my feet drove me in front of that battle field also known as table 24
(the table 24 is a dangerous place were a bad karma hangs around...usually used by Kotomine Kirei)

"Ehm owner-san"
I called him with insecure tone

"Sigmud
I told you to call me Sigmund Shiro"
he cut me of

"always this story...why he wasn't bothered by my owner-san ten minutes ago"
I wondered before giving up

"Okay Sigmund…san,
please don't look me with those eyes,
I am gonna host an exchange student so I might have problems with the shifts of the next week"

"Oh don't worry I was going to tell you later, but we will be closed next week…
my old man found a rat
a pretty one
and then another one
and another and another.

we will to disinfest the whole café"
he whispered in my ears

"Is even legal, be open in this condition"
I asked assaulted by doubts

"Three hot chocolates ready"
responded cheerfully the owner

"But"

"Here the five coffees"

After the owner-san ignored my question I calmly ended my shifts, all the costumers were gone and I was helping with the last cleaning until.

*screech

The wooden door of the Copenhagen opened screeching
(I really had to oil that)
as three man dressed with heavy winter clothes and cheap green winter jacket entered in the cafe.

"Excuse me we are closed"
said Sigmund at the three balaclava wearers.

they didn't responded as the air became to feel "electric"

Then two of them dashed in the cafè two reaching quickly Janet and Nijito in the corners they were cleaning.

"ROBBERS!"
my neurons screamed as I saw Janet and Nijito with a knife pointed on their throats.

Both the two adults freeze while the mop they were holding in their hands fell on the ground
*tun

"the counter now"
intimated the only man that remained in front of the entrance drawing a grey gun.
He had a soft voice that reminded me of autumn leaves; cold but elegant

Sigmund watched around the shop indulging his eyes on Janet and his father.
at the moment only I and him were able to freely move, but we were the most near to the man with the gun.

"If I can disarm him I can create a stall mate"
I thought gripping the mop in my hands until my knuckles became white.

"I don't care if it is dangerous
I have to do something.
I have to act like an hero of justice"
I told myself steeling my resolve

I fixed my amber eyes on the man with the gun and lowered my posture.
I felt every muscular fiber of my body tense ready to dash.
No more than two metres divided from the man I could do it

"I must do it"
but

"Okay you win"
resigned Sigmund with a faint smile and at looking me with furious eyes that seemed to say "WHAT WERE YOU TRYING TO DO"

"dammit he stopped me "
I angryly thought gritting my teeth and tightening more my mop.

"Hey son what did he win?
I haven't got my hearing aid
and these punks all wear balaclava! I can't read their lips"
exclaimed Nijito trying to sound as old and senile as possible casually ignoring the knife at his throat.

"THEY WANT THE MONEY DAD"
responded screaming Sigmund.

"PIECES OF SHIT"
Cried the old man gesticulating towards the robber, that were slightly taken aback by the indifference of the son and father duo.

seeing them for some reason made me immediately relax and I unconsciously soften my grip on the mop...I had held it so tight I opened a few cuts on my hands.

"Wait Nijito ji-san doesn't use an hearing aid"
I realized watching at the old man.

"he is up to something to something, but what "
I thought noticing that the gestures he was doing were the same we used during work

index and pinky towards me
NOT NOW

left fist grabbed by right hand towards Sigmund
INDULGE THE CUSTOMER

index and middle finger pointed towards Janet
SERVE THE CUSTOMER

"Enough!"
said the man with the gun while his companion poked Nijito's throat with the knife to keep him quiet.

"get the money now and nobody will get hurt"

"Okay"
said quietly Sigmund moving towards the counter.

"Janet everything is going to be fine tonight I will prepare you duck liver your favourite"
added the man looking at his wife

"Sure"
she replied nodding and smiling like nothing was wrong.

the man with the gun followed Sigmund pointing the gun towards me.
his message was clear "do something strange and I shot you"

"unfortunately you have yet to understand...
you messed up with the wrong people"
I thought before five seconds of hell broke out.

Everything happened so fast.
my eyes could barely keep up with the world around me

First Sigmund with calmly take out from the counter and raised the metal box with all the yen we earned that day.
Showing its contains to the robbers that gasped at the sight of so many bills.

"they are lowering their guard...Good"
I told myself seeing their muscles relax.

then the robber armed with a gun in front of Sigmund extended his left hand trebling to reach the loot, but...
When the robber grabbed the box the owner still held his grip tight and said.

"omae wa mou shindeiru"

"NANI"

and then the fight began.
At the same time the bizarre family of restaurateurs counterattacked the robbers.

Janet smashed her right elbow in the guts (or to be more precise the liver) of the only robber that had stayed quiet all the time, gripped his arm, the one with knife and projected the man on the floor with a judo move that gave me cheels only to see it.
a demonstration of brutal efficiency.

Nijito on the other more than brute strength played on surprise effect, in fact he draw out of his pocket a swiss knife and stabbed his robbers wrist.
the man injured and confused instinctively stepped giving Nijito enough time to turn his wheel chair of 180° degrees stand up and smash a direct on the robber's nose.

(SHIRO'S MIND
"HIS LEGS ACTUALLY WORKS!")

and last but not least Sigmund that after "his" catch phrase gripped the right wrist of the robber twisting it in a interesting angulation disarming the man, then with a strong kick the owner sent the man towards me and

*CRASH
I smashed my wooden mop on the head of the robber so hard that it broke.

"Nice work everyone.
waa!"
said Nijito watching at the three unconscious robbers before falling on the ground.
apparently his legs really had problems

"Oto-san!"
screamed Janet rushing towards the old man

"I'm fine I'm fine... go call the police"
he said brushing off his daughter in law

"I'm gonna search something to tie them up Shiro keep your eyes open"
said Sigmund-san with unexpressive voice.

Five minutes later the police arrived and took away the robbers while Sigmund and Janet went in central for the verbal and Nijito oji-san and I were left alone in the cafe.

"I can't belive that just five minutes ago there was a robbery"
I thought finishing to clean up the place.

the air of the room was static as if the time stopped.
Nijito was in a corner of the room rolling what seemed cigarette in his fingers, I underline seemed, for the first time since I met him he really looked like an old man; small and marked by time.
his eyes stared at me

"So aren't going to ask?"
he said breaking the awkward silent between us.

"I don't get what you mean"
I responded taken aback by his statement.

"Don't try to hide it lad, you have been starring at my legs since the police arrived"
he calmly retorted lightning up his...weed..

"yes he is smoking cannabis"
I thought recognizing the scent

"Well I thought you couldn't stand at all, yet you dashed to punch the robber"
I said quietly manifesting my curiosity

"and I thought you were smart yet you were willing to dash in front of an armed robber.
with only a mop
the world is full of surprises"
he retorted with a strange mix of seriousness and sarcasm.

"I.."
I tried to say something the word refused to came out from my mouth.

"Listen kiddo just think before you act, this time the situation was -thanks to all gods- undercontrol...somehow,
But that hot blood of yours, try to keep it under control otherwise you won't be able to become an awesome old man like me."

"...right...sorry"
I muttered avoiding to say unnecessary things about justice, heros and heros of justice.

"Don't apologize to me, apologize to your dumb brain for not having listened to him...
come here I have to show you something"
Nijito said returning to his usual self.

with impatient steps I reached the old man and sat beside him

"Look"
he said exposing part of his low legs.

my breath died.
my eyes widen
and my stomach twisted like it had never done before.

Nijito's legs where completely covered in scars, the kind of scars left by third degree burns.

"See boy that's what happened to me when I acted as I could take on the world by myself.
a price I had to pay, now my legs are completely unfeasible, I can still move them but the sense of touch and my equilibrium are gone
be careful bo-."
said the old man with knowing eyes, but I couldn't hear him anymore.

I was hypnotized by his scars until

"ah...AH"
I began to gasp searching for air and images of ten years ago started ran through my mind

"fire"

"b...y"

"Fire"

"br...t"

"FIRE
FIRE
FIRE
FIRE
FIRE
FIRE"

"Em...ya"

"hey that's the hell you're walking through"

"SHIRO!"

"AH!"
I exclaimed snapping out of my trance

"hey boy are you ok?"
asked the man

"yeah...sorry I'm not good to fire related things"
I excused myself.

"don't worry just take a breath...and well since you are here can you check my wheel chair?"
asked the man knowing that the best way to calm me was a manual job.

The rest of the evening passed quietly, I checked the transmission of Nijito ji-san wheelchair and returned home taking the long way.

I kinda had to clear my head.

In this period of the year Fuyuki is perfect; chilly but not cold, so it's pretty pleasant to take a walk and watch at the shining city during the evening.

I was lazily putting a foot before another locking up my memories when in a tiny figure appeared in front of me.§
She was a little girl maybe around ten or eleven, with silver hair, red eyes and a skin so pale that put snow to shame, she was indeed beautiful, but there was something wrong with that beauty, she was like too perfect.
In her little violet coat and Russian hat of the same colour, the doll looking child walked beside me making bones shiver... a thing that even the robbers from before managed to… I couldn't understand why though.

"You should summon your servant quickly or you will die Oni-chan"
the whispering voice of the girl echoed in the night

"OH NOW I CAN UNDERSTAND WHY! THIS CHILD IS CREEPY!"
I thought as I turned around to face her, but by that time she was gone.

"Ok…that was strange, or scary, or both"
I said while my feet mystically started to run on their own towards my home.

When I arrived at home sweaty and with my lungs begging for rest.
I remained outside my household an entire minute trying to forget what I had just experienced.

"I didn't saw an albino girl, I didn't hear a terrifying treat, I was just near Nijito ji-san when he smoke his "therapeutic" stuff"
I thought moving towards the entrance

"forget the girl, forget the girl forget…what I was supposed to forget, oh right the girl…SHIT"

"Shiro what are you muttering?"
Said a voice making me return to reality

"NOTHING!
uh?
why are you here Fuji-nee?"

"What kind of question is that, you know why"
She responded confused

"In order to help me with preparation of the room for the exchange student?"
I said trying to persuade her with a faint smile

"Uh…Y-y-y-yeah Shiro of course, after all it was my fault"

"You came here just for dinner, did you"
I deadpanned her

"NO!
Stop rising your eyebrow!
uff
Com'on Sakura-chan is inside she was worried about you"
she began to complain

"Aye aye"
I whispered following the older woman and wisely choose not to mention the robbery at the Copenhagen.

The time flowed quietly; Fuji-nee, Sakura and I ate together a simple dinner and Fuji-nee introduced the hot topic of the evening
"So about the exchange student..."

"Which exchange student"
immediately asked sakura confused cutting off Fuji-nee discourse.

"Uh we start well "
I thought before explaining the whole situation to my kohai.
after she discovered the exchange student was a boy calmed a lot.

"I see
so I will do the dishes so you and Fujimura-sensi can talk.
But really Fujimura-sensi you have to be more careful"
said the girl moving away from the table.

"okay now Shiro first question in which room do we put this Hikigaya Hachiman guy?"
Began my guardian

(two hours later)

"Fine he goes in Kiritsugu's room"

"Finally we have reach an agreement"

"but you will help me with the cleaning now!"
I said concluding the argument.

It had been a tough choice but eventually me and Taiga decided to put Hikigaya in Kiritsugu's old room.
at first I disagreed with the decision, but... it was fine.
that room deserved a bit of life.

Soon after Sakura and Fuji-nee went home and I was finally free to go train my magecrafth.

"I wonder what type of person is this Hikigaya. Probably he likes archery"
I thought wearing my work suit and reaching the tool shed

"today pipes"
I said entering in that dusty building and taking out a metal pipe from a basket

I sat cross-legged on the floor and made my hands run on the smooth and cool surface of the pipe trying to get the right feel, but the events of the evening didn't allowed me to "get good"

"A robbery and a creepy girl...the only thing I did in both cases was remain immoble and watch
truly pathetic"
I said gripping the pipe

"ouch...oh right I cut myself today, fortunately fuji-nee and Sakura didn't noticed.

SAKURA & TAIGA!

"what did he do to his hands Sakura?"
"don't now...maybe they made him angry"
"they?"
"yes you know senpai talks with his hands sometimes"
"OH right"

once I finally relaxed myself and get the right feeling, I put down the pipe and activated my magic circuits with my Aria.

-Trace on-

The usual blue lines appeared on my hands and on the pipe, while a great amount of information filled my brain

-Tracing basic structure-

-Tracing component materials-

I said with my mechanical voice.
Now I knew every secret of that pipe.

"it's time to do the actually empower."
I thought continuing the spell

-Altering fundamental structure-

-Strenghtening component material-

It was hard, it was difficult, I had to clenge my teeth to remain focused.

I continued to pour my mana in metal, but the blue lines on the pipe began to glow of red and yellow, it wasn't working;
I tried to increase once more my mana output, but that only resulted in the complete failure of the reinforcement magic.

"Damn. I failed again.
I can't believe that I still can't do something this basic, I'm gonna be a novice forever "
I said disappointed laying down on the floor

"Just how can I do…How can I become an hero of justice…Kiritsugu"

I whispered while I fell in the arms of Morpheus-

THE NIGHTMARE

Hello!

my name was Nijito,
but my parents only called me Ni, literally the second.
I was a Magus born from a family of Magi born in order to replace my dead brother…
I never knew his name probably it was Ichi, literally the first.
From as far as I can remember I have always been a disappointment for my parents;I wasn't talented like my brother, on the contrary I wasn't even able to use magecraft.
apparently my magic circuits, if they were there, couldn't handle mana.
I was too young to remember it, but I still have some flashes of a tall man with a white coat telling my parents I would have never become a Magus and the tears in my mother's eyes.

When I was three years old I became a big brother of a little cute girl and with my parents pleasure my little sister was by no mean like me; she was full of magic circuits and mana.
truly a gift from the heaven.

As It easy to imagine my parents gave all their attention to her and I began to be ignored.
but I didn't mind, A
after all it was my fault for being weak and beside I liked to spoil my little sister.

Until I was six I consider mine an happy childhood.
Sure it was hard to understand that my parents never scolded me because they had no expectation and it was hard to see them always too busy to play with me.
but I still remember those rare pads on my head when I took back from the nursery school some drawings I created pouring my soul in them.
My teacher said I was talented and praised me, but I didn't care I just wanted to do something so beautiful that my parents would have been obliged to pad my head and ruffle my black hair.

I lived an hard life yet an enjoyable one.

Then it happened, one snowy day a letter appeared, it was orange, it had a red pretty seal and shocked the core of my parents.

I never discovered the contents of that letter, but I know that they ruined my life.
The next evening my parents wearing their best clothes left alone my sister and I for dinner and went to an important meeting,I remember we had pizza that night.
Then my parents began to lock up in the workshop of our home rarely coming out.
And little world began to change in a thing that I would have recognized with the word

hell.

My name was Nijito and this is the story of my death.

"Pizza delivery"
I heard a voice outside the door

"Oh it's here imotou-chan!"
I said looking at my little sibling playing with a stuffed bear on the couch

"Piwwa Piwwa"
she said trying to properly speak

"Ah so cute."
I thought as I ran in front of the door and opened it

"Hello"
I said to the pizza man

"oh! Hello to you young boy"
He responded surprised bending his neck to watch me

It was funny

"Did you ordered these Pizzas?"
He asked

"YES I did"
I said happily

"Really?
aren't you cheerful uh?
Are you also the little man that is going to pay for them?"

"Of course HERE"
I said giving to the man a bill and a few coins

"Wow there is no need for change, don't tell me you calculated the bill on your own"
He said smiling, looking at my shaking head,

"here your pizzas good evening lil' boy"
He said giving me two squares of cardboard.

"Thank you"
I said saluting the delivery boy.

with a small amount of droll I closed the door and placed the two pizzas on the kitchen table.
then I went in the living room and took in my arms imotou-chan.

"Now repeat with me "i-t-t-a-d-a-k-i-m-a-s-u""
I said to my little sister to teach her manners

"Ittawasusmasus"
she blubbered

"I guess it's a start"
I muttered

"Good girl"
I padded her head

"eheheh"
she laughed

then the time for me stopped, like it wanted to give me a last moment to enjoy the happiest moment I have enjoyed in a long time

Really, this was the nicest of my dreams…

"but now I have to wake up"

" it's time to get up it's time to get up"

"Time to get up"
I muttered with my eyes still closed snoozing my alarm while I was keep warm by a blanked of dictionaries

"OH It is six AM, I have probably slept two or three hours… well it's enough, I have to go in a few places today"
I said rolling out of my bed covered in books

crawling on the ground like a lizard I checked the rooms of my parents and little sister.
both of them were empty.

I squared those rooms and nothing was out of place, but that was the problem
"They are still in the workshop...
It's already a month"
I whispered descending the stairs and entering in the kitchen; a small yellow room with green cabinets and a kitchenette

step after step I reached the centre of the kitchen while my mental faculties returned to me
"I hope they have at least eaten"
I suddenly thought remembering the habit of my family to forget about food.

I ran towards the only small painting in the kitchen.
It was a stil...a still life that's it; a simple basket full of fruit
staying on my tip toes I lifted the painting revealing an elevator not bigger than a metre.

"good they didn't forget again"
I smiled seeing three dishes still dirty of rice and curry in the elevator.

with a faint grin on my lips I took the dishes and began to clean them in the washboard

"When I have saw my parents the last time…?
I began to wonder rubbing a sponge on the dishes

"a month ago"
I decided

"yes I have seen mom's head before she disappeared under the trap-door of the livingroom in may...
dad
well I have seen him in april…maybe"
I said finishing to clean the dishes

"Imotou-chan I haven't seen her in a week, since she opened the trap-door with her mana"
I whispered gripping on of the dishes with all the strength a seven years old boy could muster

"Too bad I can't open it otherwise, I would bring mommy and daddy their meals."
I said releasing my grip while a strange itch started near my eyes.

"But even if I could, there are mommy's rules:
never enter in the workshop
and never talk about Magi"
I thought turning my head towards the clock

6:15

"Crap
I lost myself in thoughts!"
I gasped as I realized I was going to be late.

I had to speed up,

"first mum and dad's coffee"
I thought

"Turn on the machine"
"Pour the water"
"Add the soluble coffee"

"And wait 68 seconds"
I listed my actions a habit I took over an year ago .

"Second, I'm in my pajama, I have 65 seconds to get changed."

"Run in the room"
"Take a t-shirt and short trousers from the drawer"
"Strip from the pajama"

"is becoming too tight I have to buy a new one…but I don't wanna spend money in this way"

"2 seconds lost"
reminded me a voice in my brain, Dammit!

"Dress up"

"And rush back in the kitchen"
now I was dressed and out of breath

"Third the 65 seconds are over, I have to complete the preparations for the family's breakfast"
I robotically said searching for air

"Pour the coffee in the thermos"
"Take out from the fridgeimotou-chan's apple juice"
"Put on them plus a pack of biscuits on the elevator"

"I am forgetting something...Oh the lunch"
I said remembering I was going to be out all the day

"add 3 instant ramen and a thermos of hot water"

"Okay my morning chores are over"
I told myself opening the fridge and taking out a can of coffee.

the cool metal on my hand made me shiver as I read the ingredients of the drink
"sweetened condensed milk, sugar, coffee, flavoring, caramel color, emulsifier, sodium casein, stabilizing (carrageenan)"
ATTENTION KEEP OUT OF THE REACH OF CHILDREN"

"mhe"
I said gulping down the whole can in one go.
that was my "healthy breakfast"

the sugar and the caffeine rapidly entered in my bloodstream shocking my whole body with energy

"BREAKFAST DONE"
I said under the effect of a sugar rush squeezing the metal can in my hand until it remained just a craped mass of aluminium.

I now was ready to go:

I had made breakfast for my parents
i had dressed up
and I had breakfast myself

it was PERFECT

"6:25"
I saw on my Pokemon watch

"I have to go
bye bye"
I said heading towards the door..I didn't really know who I was saluting but...I did it notless
I took from the livingroom my back pack and run to the door.
then I put the hand in the handle an-

flashback

"I TOLD YOU TO DEAL WITH IT! "

"AHHHRG"

"AHH!"
I suddenly screamed while an unplesant memory came to visit me.

In two seconds my heart beat rose.
drops of sweat came out from my forehead
my left hand began to burn painfully
and I found myself incapable to breath

"ah...ahh..."
I gasped until

"Sleep"
a quiet voice from the depth of my soul resounded in my head.

suddenly all those sensation disappeared and with a plain quiet voice I said
"Fourth look at the bills of water, light and gas"

I moved again in the livingroom

"crap I hate bills"
I said taking a few paper I left on the sofa yesterday.

"Nothing out ordinary"
I thought checking those evil number I studied for so long.

"today I will go to the post office and do the bank transfer with my money"
I decided adding another thing to my list of chores and looking at the contains of my Doraemon's wallet.

"6:27"

"now I really have to go"

coming out from my house I began to Run beside the street.
I reached a bus stop I came by every morning and looked at my Pokemon's watch

"6:32"

"Eight minutes to wait "
I said clapping my hands in child fashion

*tunk
A weird noise reached my ears I still had the crumpled can in my hand.

"Ops I forgot to trash it"
I said searching a trash bin.

fortunately for me there was one beside the bus stop.
I went in front of that bin and let go the can, or at least tried to, but my hand wouldn't work.
I didn't know why my hand was stubborn, but I knew that every time I watched a coffee can I felt, weird.

"Sensei one day at school said children of my age shouldn't drink coffee"
I began to mutter with empty eyes

"I agree with her, coffee is really really bitter… but without it I feel too sleepy"
I told myself trying to understand why I was doing something I defined "bad" consciously

"Maybe I feel guilty?"
I said trying to understand my feelings

"But why do I feel guilty?
I don't drink coffee because I like it..
I drink it because I had to stay awake to learn quickly how to read and write on my own!
to pay the bills!
because I have to wake up early to make money!

while my parents

Arg*"
I grunted interrupting my monologue that from a whisper had nearly become a scream,

"What hurted me"
I thought looking at my hands.

Apparentely I had unconsciously clenged my hands and made the metal of the can cut my plam.
Fortunately, my mission was now complete;
reacting to the pain I had let go the can…
but now my right hand was bleeding.

"Crap again!
Do I have plasters in the backpack today?

Yes! Lucky"
I said before treating my small cut.

Six minutes and eleven seconds later the bus arrived I greeted the driver Takamine-san and completely forgot about the whole can mess.

At that time I had yet to understand why I squeezed as hard as I could every can of coffee I drank.
It wasn't because I felt guilty

…

It was because I felt furious.

"Here is your stop Nijito-kun"
said the tall driver

"As always thanks Takamine-san"
I replied smiling like a normal child...so tiring

"One day you have to explain to me why you have to meet your granma so early in the morning"
he smirked pointing at me

"You know she wants to be the first to do the shopping in the morning so she get the best things, but now she is old and she needs my strong arms"
I shamelessly lied

"ahaha you're a pretty tough kid, but be careful here we are near to the red light district, do not go near the love hotel, there is a lot of strange people"

"Okay… but I don't know what a love hotel is, why there are strange people?"
I asked keeping my act

"I will tell you another day"
he cockily grinned

"You said that every time, bye bye"
I said getting down from the bus and watching it disappear on the streets

"Sorry Takamine-san but I have to ignore your advice"
I muttered checking out a Polaroid and a digital camera in my backpack and rushing in the red light districts.

It was early in the morning.
there were very few people on the street of the red lights district.

my feet acted on their own moving me towards my destination
I had been in that district numerous times, I knew all the streets, the corners and shortcuts so I was able to reach any part of that dirty suburb quickly.

"Today my objective is the love hotel named "Amai hachimitsu" (sweet honey), room 20 C."
I mentally revised

Unseen by indiscrete eyes I went through the dirtiest paths of the district where none dared to watch.
I jumped over one or two drunk homeless and reached my destinations; an high building with a glowing honey jar before the entrance.

"1, 2, 3 I can do it ...I can do it"
I told myself taking out from my backpack a black notebook
(THE DEATH NOTE! Just kidding)

I browsed its pages until I reached what I wanted.
two pages of yellowed paper where three photos I took with my Polaroid were trapped

A court judge
the wife of a defendant
and the two of them heading towards the love hotel

they were my today's targets.

I have stalked them for the past week after I smelled a scoop.
and eventually discovered their "plans".

Flashback

"Here is you happyMeal boy"

"thank you"
*stp step step

"free table!...but there are two loud adults near...
guess I can't always win"

"are you sure it's safe to meet in public Akai?"

"don't worry dear one the process is over we can be together"

"yeah..Still we have appeared on TV people would pay ten of thousands Yen for a photo of us"

"aghdagdyu" (sound of a boy choking over a burger)

Then I studied the layout of the building they were going to meet.
I paid a few homeless to make them book all the rooms of the hotel from telephone booths for me
(Usually people don't let seven years old boys rent rooms).
And cancelled the reservation for the room 20 C when my targets arrived in the hotel.

putting back in its place my notebook I encircled the building and reached the fire escape on the back;
it was an old type similar to those people see in American movies.

"So now I have just to make this metallic stair go down and earn my money
I said facing the high fire escape...I tried to smile, but the height of the stair demoralized me.

Following my plan I opened my backpack that, if I forgot to mention, was with a design of Pretty Cure and took out a rope.
Of course, it wasn't a normal rope... it was a rope with a rock tied to its head!

"okay if that in the movie could do it I can to"
I said starting to spin the rope .

the Idea was "I bound the handrail with my rope and pull down the stairs"
once the rope was spinning fast enough I threw it towards the handrail of the metallic stair.
the rock and the rope flew in the air pointing towards the stairs, but
*tung
I failed.

"Second attempt"

"Spin"
"Throw"

Another failure

Third attempt

"Spin"
"Throw"

Nearly

Fourth attempt

"Spin"
"Throw"

"Yeah I did it!"
I exclaimed

My rope had passed under the handrail then above it and had returned down, now I could pull down the stairs.

for a second I felt like a winner.
Then I grasped tightly the two heads of my rope and pulled as hard as I could trying to make the stair descend.

*clang *clang

"Uh? Why is not coming down"
I said studying the fire escape

There was a hook to block the stairs…crap

"Plan B."
I said trying to remember which was the plan B

"Draw rope back"

Done

"Spin it"

Done

"Throw it on the handrail of the metallic platform of the first floor"

D...no

…

Done

"yeah third try"

"tighten the straps of the coolest backpack on earth"

Done

"Wear the coolest backpack on earth"

Done

"Tie one head of the rope around hips
One bird flies around the sakura tree, goes under a branch and makes its nest."
(Nijito's song to tie his shoes"

Done

"Grab the other head of the rope"

Done

"PULL!"

I exclaimed Using all the strength in my arms I began to pull the rope making my little body abandon the ground and rise towards the metallic platform

Argh*

"It hurts it hurts"
I thought while the rope digged in my hips and the cut on my palm reopened.

(Now It has to be said that I was really fit and strong for a boy of my age, but climb a rope with a bleeding hand for two metres and half wasn't exactly easy)

"I can do it! I can do it!"

*slip

"I can't do it! I can't do it!"

(In fact, I muttered this Shakespearian, sing-song of "can-s and can't-s" for my whole climb)

"af...af..d-d-done"
I said after completing my first challenge of the day.

Following the rest of my plan I reached the platform of the third floor then walked for just one metre on a cornice wide fifteen centimetres and arrived in the perfect spot to take my pictures.

As it easy to understand leaving only the room 20 C available, was something I planned to make my job easier;
first in this way I knew from the beginning in which room they would have "slept",
second this was the easiest room to make incriminating pictures.

I had already two pictures of my target's "games" from yesterday night, but I couldn't photograph their faces clearly.
So now I had to finish my job.

That morning I took four other pictures with my digital camera:
In the first one the targets had just get up naked from the bed.
In the second and third ones, the judge and the married woman were dressing up.
In the fourth one they were leaving the room.

The fifth and last one was the trickiest to do, because I had to return in front of the love hotel before the targets arrived and catch the brief moment in which they exchanged a kiss on their lips.

"and with this my job is done"
I said ready to receive my pay

"Oh kiddo is you!"

"Yes sir"

"ahah you are a quiet one aren't you?"

*nod

"Well, what have Two-san given you for me today?"

"What you asked him…a scoop"

*sound of pictures moving on the table, a very omnius sound

"Are these what I think they are?"

-Pictures of the court judge Akai and of the wife that man, Mikuto Ayumu, he was on the news the other day"

"Yes yes the man that stole various millions of yen from a company"

"YES IT WAS HIM!"

"suddenly cheerful..."

"I'm sorry…"

"Don't sweat over it, you forgot who was that man after Two-san told you right"

"Yes…"

"Well this Polaroid photos are an interesting premise."

"i-it's the usual.
you accept pay for the photos and receive the digital versions that can be used on the journal"

"Yeah.. yeah I know...
will be very lucrative"

"..."

"I accept
Here is the usual payment in cash, 60.000 yen"

"Thank you
here is the memory card"

"perfect!"

"ehm ehm"

"WHAT kiddo?"

"the last number"

"the last number oh tight the 10% of the last week number!
really Two-san's photo had made my small scandalistic journal grow very fast in the past months.
here other 50000 yen"

."Wrong there should be 99000 yen"

"How do yo…ahaha you got me, here take the money"

."Thank you, bye bye"

"Send Two-san my regards and close the door behind your back"

"Yes"

"Finally it's over, I really dislike that man; he is fat, bald, smell like an old cigarette, has all his teeth crooked and always try to steal my money.
he is… is garbage"
I thought coming out from a stinking office of an old building, in the bad part of my city.

"How did it go Ninsei-kun"
a punky voice called me

"OH Right I'm called Ninsei here"
I thought turning myself

"Well like usual he tried to steal some money"

I said dropping the shy and passive façade I used to talk with Nagumo-san, the owner of the place, and rising the façade of the child that tries to act mature I used with his secretary and niece Kuroi-kun.

"Really my uncle never changes."
exclaimed the bottle blond teen

"Listen boya I'm going in lunch pause wanna join me"
he asked obviously with an hidden intent.

"Sure why not"
I responded aware that I had to agree.

The two of us went out from the dirty building, headed to a ramen-stand nearby we seated in front of the counter.

I went really really often to that ramen-stand so the kind owner bought a stoll with additional footrest in order to let me climb on that high chair without making fool of myself.

"Oji-chan a Tonkotsu Ramen"
I screamed to the muscular old man behind the counter as Ninsei would do

"Make two"
Added Kuroi-kun

"Aye two Ramen incoming"

Ah I loved Ramen, it was cheap, full of calories and with many proteins.
the ideal food for a boy with little money like me.

"So how is Two-san Ninsei-kun"
Asked me Kuroi pretending to be bored

"Right Two-san, my supposed mentor, the fake person I created"
I thought recollecting my lies

"He is doing fine"
I said drily

"No I mean what kind of person is he?"
he retorted intensely

"Uh?"
I hesitated

"Don't "uh" me brat, a good photographer that catch important people in the city in their darkest moment and send a six year"
he pressed me

"Nearly eight"
I cut him

"This is bad I have to be careful"
I thought in those precious seconds I stole from the punk

"A nearly eight years old boy to deliver his pictures taken with a Polaroid is not just someone that likes anonymity.
He must be someone important am I right?"
Said the teenager happily, combing his spiky hair with his hands.

"Really!?"
I exclaimed like any ordinary kid of my age would have done seeing a golden change to solve my problem

"Wait, why are you more surprised than me?
You should know him"
He blurted

"I have already told you.
I have seen his face just once, he always wear some kind of disguise and he use me for dealing his pictures to your uncle."
I said quietly

"If you say so…but really,you have never seen his face on newspaper, the news?"
He continued annoyed

"I told you I have seen his face O-N-E T-I-M-E, besides I (do)n't read newspaper, I (do)n't see the news,
I watch anime like any normal seven year old boy"
I lamented sounding like an actor of a C series movie

"Okay suit yourself.
I just can't understand why he spends so much effort to use a brat like you, no offence meant"
Kuroi muttered playing with the silver piercing on his nose.

I never liked piercings.

"He knows I can't betray him because he knows that my family needs money."
I responded to his words letting my voice soften and a bit of sadness rise from my guts

"He gave me this job and made me understand this is the best opportunity I will ever get.
I deliver some pictures for him and receive easy money...
everything without getting involved in bad situations.
But one mistake and I'm done... he finds a new delivery boy"
I lied

"Well, if you put your situations under this light it actually makes sense"
The fake blonde said scratching his chin.

"But Two-san give pictures to other scandalistic journals right, "Idol stream" and "USC", do you also deliver photo to them?"
He added

I shook my head

"No,I don't get pictures of Idol or restaurants.
I just receive photos of financial and politic stuff.
I wouldn't be surprised if Two-san sent other kids around my age to deliver pictures to those news paper though"
I lied again.

really for me lying had become easier and easier.
I just had to say a few fake things with the right voice and wait the other person to invent a story by himself .

"Again it makes sense... is just difficult to understand why he choose kid so young,
none takes you seriously,
a middle schooler would be more effective"

"I think that's why"

Bait

"why what?"

Here's the prey

"Why he choose kids like me; if he piss off someone and someone else come to talk with me wouldn't be taken too seriously"
I said alimenting Kuroi's imagination

"Ohhh"

"Still someone, your uncle, might take advantage of my age and try to steal money, but that's where you come in to play Oni-san"
I said handing to the teenager 15000 yen

Anf the hunt is over

"Ahahah that's right!
To be honest when you said Two-san would have paid me to control he always received exactly his 10% I was confused, but receive money to prank my uncle is really the best"
He said while two steaming bowl of ramen arrived in front of us

"Rejoice brat today, I-sama and Two-san will treat your lunch"

"Yeeee"
I said digging in my bowl and mentally shaking my hand with me

The next two hours of my day went of quickly.
I had no more photo to deliver that day so I reached the mall of my city and took a walk near some stores I knew local Idols frequented.
I managed to snap a photo of Maki-chan and Nozome-chan, while they were trying cute outfits.

"Lucky!"

I always liked the mall it was there I snapped the first photo that made me receive money
I began to walk around the various shop and bought a few items for my cameras.
then it happened I had just laied my eyes on a writing " the new Pokemon movie in the theatr-

I wasn't able to read the end of the writing because an obese woman ran over me with her bag

*tung
I fell on the ground and my head smashed against the floor.

Flashback sequence

suddenly the world around me faded.

I found myself on the sofa of my house my parents were arguing and imotou-chan was sleeping in my arms.
I remember that night like it was yesterday...
it was an year and half ago, my parents had just dropped their jobs, they had began to spent more and more time on the workshop and a lot of strange items arrived in our home.

"WE HAVE NEVER DONE A PROJECT THIS BIG"

"BUT IT'S OUR LAST OCCASSION TO RISE UP FROM MEDIOCRICY"

"I'M THE HEAD OF THIS FAMILY!"

"AND I'M YOUR WIFE BUT THAT'S MEAN NOTHING NOW!"

"TO RESPECT THE DEADLINE WE WILL WORK TO DEATH"

"I'M TIRED OF BEING A THIRD RATE MAGUS ARENT YOU!"

"YES! I'M GODDAMN TIRED...I'm tired of not being never enough"

"..."

"let's do it"

"sure..."

"yeah, we are not doing it only for us...there is also her our daugther...she is incredibly talented
she can become more than us"

"for her?"

"for her"

The images in front of me began to swirl around and this time I was on my bed.
I was looking at illustrated books normal books and dictionaries.

for some reason I was feeling very tired, my eyes continued to open and close even if it was just afternoon

"10..."
I slowly began to count looking at the scenery
...I knew what was going to happen...

"9..."

this memory was from three months after my parents started their project...

"8..."

my sister was still with me

"7..."

and my parents still came out from the workshop once in a while

"6..."

but..

"5.."

strange blue letters started to arrive

"4.."

every day and they made mom and dad angry

"3."

I couldn't understand them, but I wanted to

"2."

I learnt by myself, to read and write I mean

"1"

they were bills my parents forgot to pay

*swoommmmn
with a strange sound light went missing.

I was scared and ran down in the livingroom, I had to warn mommy and daddy.
…daddy came out from the trapdoor very angry, he didn't even watched me and went to pay the bills.

"I hate to see daddy angry."
were the last words of my older self before the world around me changed again.

I didn't even to focus to recognize were I had been sent this time.
it was the second time the electricity was cut from in my house, six months later than the first one.
mom had already stopped to do all the chores, so I did all the jobs: cooking, shopping, cleaning, laundry, took imotou-chan to school paid all the expenses with her mom's card and began to drink coffee

then one night the lights didn't turn on.

Again daddy came out from the trapdoor angry

"FUCK IT'S TOO LATE"
he screamed turning his head towards me.

his face was read and there were many veins pulsing on his forehead...
for the first time in months my father was looking at me

"son..."
he called me

"yes father"
I quietly responded with my heart that was ready to explode

"tomorrow think about it"
he said as he threw me his credit card and disappear again.

that night I didn't sleep, I read books the whole night using a torch; I wanted to complete the task daddy gave me, I wanted to make him proud.

after that night I managed to pay the bills with my parents cards for a few months but
Seven months ago two red letters arrived at my home.
they were filled with a lot of black difficult words; basically they said that the bank accounts of my parents were empty. I waited an entire day and night in front of the trapdoor to inform my parents, but when I explained the problem to my mom she said
"deal with it"
like it didn't mattered.

I stopped to go to school and began to do anything that could procure me money, I even learned how to pickpocket.
I amassed money for a whole month and barely managed to pay the bill in time.

I had dealt with it.
I had been a good boy.

Unfortunately, a night a blackout occurred in my neighbourhood while imotou-chan was sleeping and I was boiling some vegetables. It was dark, fortunately I was used to darkness because I always tried to use lights as small as possible during the evenings, but then dad came out from the trapdoor he was angry.

"please not this, please not this "
I begged aware which was going to happen

"I hate to see dad angry."
I said in monotone while a spiral of memories ran in my mind.

the memories of seven month ago.
of the day

I was born

*Slap

A hard hand hit my cheek while I was boiling vegetables

"ahhhhh"
My head started spinning tears came out from my eyes

*Tung

I fell on the floor of the kitchen

"What have you done!
I TOLD YOU TO DEAL WITH IT! "
Dad screamed

"Nothing"
I wanted to say but the word refused to came out from my mouth

"Aren't you enough of a failure already!"

Please stop I have done my best
I began to sob

"You're useless!"

No, I have done everything, I have been a good boy, why do you say I'm useless.

*clang

I heard a metallic sound then It was a matter of seconds before a steaming pot fell on my hand.

"AAAHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHH"
I screamed while the kitchenwas replaced by something else.

When I opened my eyes I wasn't on the floor of a dark kitchen anymore, I was laying on the golden sand of a bright desert.

"I'm again here...is it possible to have an hallucination in an hallucination"
I thought watching that dry land from my younger self eyes.

at that time (and even now)I didn't know how I ended up there
and frankly I didn't cared,
I just wanted to give up
to sleep,
after all I was useless
meaningless.

I stayed immobile for a long time, until the light of the sun started to come in my eyes then I lazily rose my left hand to protect them. It took me a while but after staring for a bit to my hand I realized my it had a disgusting scar on its back.
I felt the urge to vomit.

But then a voice called me…it was a calm voice, a reassuring voice.

"Are you Sad"
The voice kindly said

"Yeah"
I responded

"Do you want to give up?"
he asked

"Yes"
I responded without hesitation

"Do you want to avert your gaze from this world?"

"Yes"
again no hesitation

"Then what now?"

"Maybe I'm going to sleep.
I'm very very tired, even with all the coffee I drink
you see I have got two eye bags really big"
I said trying to smile, but my lips refused to work

" Yes, I see, do you want me to help you sleep?"

"Please"

Then a person appeared
he stood before me.

He looked familiar.

With careful steps he reached my side and leaned forward, his small hands caressed my hair, like my parents did, then he said

"Sleep"
Clenghing his hands around my throat.

I immediately began to shake like a mad man trying to find air, but I couldn't free myself from my aggressor grasp.
My lungs started to burn.
my eyelids became incredibly heavy and tears came out from my bloodshot eyes.
I knew I wouldn't win that fight,
still
I wanted to know who was attacking me
I claimed every bit of strength left in my body and tuned my head towards my aggressor.

"So it was you"
I whispered before my eyes closed.

"Yes it was me, me.
Rest here Nijito, I will go on from here"
I said staring at myself laying on the sand.

And that's how I was born
A person created by another's one death

His road had now ended and mine had just begun.

*step *step
I walked away from me

"I really am Ni (2)-jito now"
I thought turning to watch the other me.

He and I looked the same, but he was tired, consumed by his short life, with a hand scarred and the eyes of a deathfish.
while I was ready to fight.

"Sleep well me"

I said while the desert returned to be a kitchen.

That night a part of me died

And a new part of me was born

"boy are you okay?"
asked me the obese woman that had ran me over lifting from the floor

"yes I'm fine"
I responded taken aback by having returned to reality

"are you sure, you are crying"
retorted the woman.

"really I'm fine"
I said finally escaping from the woman grip.

Fortunately I managed to get away from the woman.
with my eyes still wet I started to walk around the shopping centre trying to bury the memories I just revived.

*rrgrr
I grunted trying to ignore the pain to my head and for some reason hand.
I had to clear my head
so I took a countless amount of steps making back and forth the whole building many times until my legs begged for rest.

"are you sleeping well Nijito?"
I whispered suddenly stopping to work

Flashback

"I ASKED YOU WHAT HAVE YOU DONE!"
My father screamed.

"Nothing"
I said with a voice so calm, that I could barely recognize as my own.

"There was a blackout the lights will return soon"
I continued standing from the floor.

"Oh"
Said my dad caught with his guard off

"Ah! What a mess! The floor is all dirty now, daddy please move, I have to clean, and while you're here take two instant ramen;
the vegetables for tomorrow's lunch are ruined"

The day after, while I was watching the morning news a scoop caught my attention; "An Idol with a secret boyfriend". It was a simple scandalistic news that talked about an Idol, Misa Amane, her possible secret boyfriend, and a reward her fans had put together to discover whenever she in a relationship or not. In that moment I told myself "easy money" and suddenly run to search my mom's old Polaroid.

I knew Misa-chan she frequented my same groceries shop, always wearing a plain hat and an old pair of sunglasses.

I began to stalk her on a Friday
(and no I wasn't the only one, there were many different fat and sweaty guys)
at first it was difficult; she was good at moving between crowds and she was even better to hide her relationship. However one day after she managed to disappear from all the paparazzis and otakus radar, she went to a cozy café in my city's mall and met her boyfriend, greeting him with a kiss on the lips. Unfortunately, for her I was still following her.

*click

One photograph and Two and Ninsei were born.

"Boy, boy you have been starring at that table for twenty minutes, are you okay ?"
A man asked me

"Damn I had a flashback"
I realized

"Yes sir sorry I was just thinking"
I said trying to appear normal

embarrassed I moved away from that place, decided not to take any more photos that day.
I walked beside the shop windows thinking "what to do" until I saw my reflection on a mirror.

I needed a second to understand that what I was watching was my relection;
I was taller and with my hair longer than I remembered.

"Yeah it's more than a year that I don't have an hair cut, they have reached shoulder length… I could look like a girl, if I wore something else...Idea"
I muttered studying my figure.

Clanded in my blue t-shirt two size bigger and green trouser nearly to tight, with my long messy black hair I really looked like a boy that had dressed on his own for the first time...
but If wore something different and tied my hair…I could

"Yes I could create the perfect disguise, I'd be unrecognizable when I snap pictures."
I said checking my wallet.

One hour later I had bought, a t-shirt with pink and white stripes, a blue skirt, pink leggings and white sneakers, I was destroyed, I mean look at the money I earned disappear in girl's clothes was really hard for me.

but even so I knew deep dow that create another identity was at the moment the only thing that kept me from thinking to that Nijito and me
to keep me together

Unfortunately I didn't take my investment so well so I repeated myself "It will be worthy, It will be worthy" the rest of the afternoon and when I went to pay the bills... and to do the shopping.

I received a lot of strange stares

"It will be worthy, it will be worthy"

"Nijito-kun, are you okay"

"Oh yes, just eh… singing a song"

"Okay…so why did you come here for, little boy"

*sound of paper coming out from the coolest backpack ever

"Bills!"

"Eh again, you always pay the bills for your parents?"

*nod nod

"They are busy, here the money"

"Well work is work after all. Sure your family spend a lot of money in bills, here the receipt"

"Thank you"

"so how is school?"

"Akemi-san I study at home you know that"

"Right how clumsy"

"Sorry I have to go , bye bye"

"Hey Akemi, it was still that boy"

"Yes, he is a curious one, isn't he"

"You can say that! he is indeed particular, but he is also very smart you know"

"Really?"

"Yeah the other month he came here to pay his bills and began to read my paper work"

"So…"

"He pointed out my mistakes, he was better than me at doing my job, and he is seven!"

I returned at home at 6 Pm, very early for my standard, so I put in the fridge all the food I bought, threw in my bedroom the girl clothes and my backpack, checked in the kitchen if my parents had done lunch, apparently no,
and had a shower.

I still had time before dinner, therefore I came out from my house once more and went to the playground.
I wanted to meet a few children older than me,
they were all teppists or bullies, but they taught me many useful things like lock picking or pickpocketing.

"Look who's here, NI it's been a while buddy"

Said K the leader of the group, making turn other six boys in my direction

Façade of the arrogant and confident kid

"Ya now I had been busy doing stuff, and skipping school"
I grunted

"Aahahaha I like this kid, hey Mochi isn't NI funny"

"Yeah K very funny"
Discussed two boys around the age of fifteen

"Hey kiddo, high five"

Said the younger brother of K, J
(yes I don't now, in which criteria the J is after the K but leave it be)

"Yo J"
I said trying to hit his hand, but he enjoyed himself with stupid jokes so he moved the hand before I could hit it.

"OH COM'ON STOP WITH THIS GAME IS NOT FUNNY"
I said trying to punch the guy.

Yes Trying

"lil' bro let NI-cchi go"

"Okay Ni-san"
Said J letting my arms go.

"So any news"
I Asked

"Nothing that interest you,"
Said Mochi

"Really why don't you try me?"
I retorted with a cocky grin

"Cheeky brat,
if I told you Bakkin found a job"
He said

"Well it doesn't interest me, but it explains why he isn't here.
Did that tall asshole begun to deal drugs again?"

"No, he learned the lesson after the cops caught him.
Now he delivers things for a big shot"

"What kind of things?"
I asked puzzled

"To what he said mostly letters or small packages, he added that he is being paid 80000 yen at deliver but I don't believe him"

"Being paid 80000 to deliver a letter is insane!"
I exclaimed hearing the insane amount of money my "friend" made

"I know right, he must have added a zero or two"

"…."

"…."

"Just to know, who's this big shot, he talked about"
I asked out of pure curiosity...and doubt Bakkin might have started to deal with the wrong people

"I don't remember K which was the guy's name"

" Kori Yukinoshita"

And that's it the prologue of my first fanfiction.

this will be a story very Shounen-like but if I can transimt my ideas in to decipherable words, I think something nice will come out

I apologize if there are a few grammatic errors ,english is not my first language, (if you're so kind to point them out I will correct them or not ahaha).

A few notes about this ff.

First: I messed up with the time lines; the fifth holy grail war, should have been in 2004, now is in 2016, same for the fourth holy grail war that should have been in 1994 and now in 2006.

But believe me time in this fiction is important.

Second the protagonist of the story are 8man (17 years), Sieg (9 years /23 mentaly) and Shiro (17 years), sometimes they may seem a bit OCC, especially the latter two.

Third Hachiman Ex machina, no…and before anyone comments no, he is not almity. I just say he is powerful under many aspects but, both his version, usual and servant, will fight insane opponents (all the other servants) that are ridiculously powerful.

Fourth: why in the hell do I write something like this? Because I want to

Fifth: like and subscribe…no, comment and follow the story if you like it.

Sixth: even harsh comment are well accepted just with cognition of cause