AN: In which Zelretch picks up two people near death and arranges an alliance. I hope to elaborate more on Neptune and Issei since they are such main character material, but that'll be later. Next up will be Sakura and Kariya, along with Fiore and Darnic. Gilgamesh, Alexander, Madara, Maou will be the last ones to be summoned. 8 Servants have to die before Angra Mainyu comes up, although they can still get their wish if certain conditions are met. Oh, as for Madara's 'Master'... heh!

I'm planning for the Batman – Kirei relationship to end up like how all of Bruce's friends end up – one bad day.

Update: Fixed some spelling mistakes and added some scenes. Just a refresher, Olga Marie got a fate worse than death in FGO in the first chapter.

Chapter 35: The Dragon, Goddess, Magus and Ninja

Fate/ Apocrypha Zero: Kaleido Edition, Episode 0 Part 2

He must have heard her wrong.

So he asked again.

"Will you die for me?"

Those words that he didn't understand at the time…

She said it clearly while laughing at him.

Black wings appear from her back.

"It was fun. The short time I spent with you. It was like playing house with a little child."

Yuuma-chan's cold words cut into him deeper than the spear of light in his chest.

"Sorry. You were a threat to us, so we decided to get rid of you early. If you want to hold a grudge, then hate the God who put the Sacred Gear inside you."

Was she serious? Ah, he was already losing consciousness.

Yuuma-chan was gone as well…

He felt regret and-

The pain lessened suddenly.

"Do you want to live? If so, sign up for this little war of mine."

He looked up.

He couldn't get up since he had lost a lot of blood.

A man he couldn't identify asked him that question, holding up a scroll of some sort.

He was wearing a nice suit and a fedora like hat.

Was this just a hallucination? If so, then he had nothing to lose.

Even now… he still wanted to live, he wanted to do something to make his parents proud, he wanted to touch lots of oppai and get a harem of pretty girls.

"Anything."

He said those words and the man motioned for him to dip his finger in his own blood.

Somehow, he ended up signing his name in blood.

"Rejoice, Hyoudou Issei. Your wish will finally come true."

He felt dizzy all of a sudden, and he blacked out.

When he awoke, he was in a different room.

It was rather barren, nothing like his bishoujo poster filled room with his adult videos and games filled bookcases everywhere.

There was a laptop on a work desk at one end of the room.

He turned it on, and was shocked to find that the year was near the end of 1992.

16 years in the past.

Issei Hyoudou wondered if the computer was just old or broken, but it looked as if it came from the future, in fact, the specs were way beyond the computers of his time.

He explored the house he was in.

It was a classic two level Japanese home with typical paper walls and tatami flooring.

In the kitchen, there was a large poster welcoming him to the Izumo Inn.

What the hell?

Isn't this the Inn in that harem ecchi manga called Sekirei?

He briefly entertained the thought that he would get some hot alien girlfriends.

The TV turned on by itself.

The same man in the suit that gave him the contract was there.

"Good morning Hyoudou Issei. Now, you will probably have many questions but quite frankly, it's way more fun to see you flailing around for answer, so good luck with that!"

He wanted to punch the man in the screen.

"That said, welcome to Fuyuki City, the battlefield of the Fourth Holy Grail War. By the way, check out the cool tattoo on the back of your right hand."

Issei felt his sensations become numb as he saw the proof of his participation.

Oh shit! He thought to himself as he recalled all he knew from the Fate Stay Night, Hollow Ataraxia and Tsukihime Visual Novels… he was so fucked.

"I've set up an identity for you along with setting you up with a hefty amount of 500 million yen, now, don't waste it on porn, okay? Also, there's the key to the house on the dining table along with a key to the shed. All you need to summon your servant for the war is already prepared, so don't fuck up.

Oh, and this is a copy of the inn of my wife so if you don't want to get killed by the Hannya you better take care of it. Capisce? And yes, you were killed by a fallen angel, there, there's a light novel titled Highschool DXD for you to read that'll explain all you need to know for now. I've given you 12 volumes, but I suggest you summon your servant first."

The TV turned itself off after that.

"… Well shit."

His life was saved and now he was in another world.

From what he could remember of the Hollow Ataraxia novel… this was probably the Second Magic, Kaleidoscope, that… Zelretch guy messing with him.

He wanted to panic but he was too tired for that shit right now.

There were also a bunch of questions like why this building in particular… until he put the pieces together and figured that the terrifying landlady was the man's wife. As if a wizard marshall could get any scarier… then again, wasn't that Gilgamesh dude in the Fourth War? He didn't know anything else about the fourth war other than the main character's father being in it, the priest backstabbing Rin's father, Zouken doing asshole things…

He walked into the shed and saw a pile of books along with a manual of some sort. There was also a large 'Steps to Servant Summoning' poster.

Along with a framed up replica of the contract he signed, stating that he had to fight in the grail war and survive in order to be returned home.

Damn!

How did he get involved in something like this…

Wait, what? I have to cut myself?

E-eugh!

He didn't know how he apparently had magic but he didn't want to question it.

He chanted the ritual summoning spell and was almost blasted away by the force from the purple light of the summoning.

"Tada! The main character has arrived! Ah, you have the look of a main character so you're definitely my master, aren't you?"

A fair skinned girl with light purple eyes and a matching shade of hair appeared and started talking to him. She had messy bangs, two gamepad hairclips and looked like a loli. She had this big white hoodie with purple stripes and a purple hood. There was this huge zipper shaped with a 'N' on it, two big pockets with an 'X' letter and a white choker.

She was really cute.

Please tell me she has bigger boobs hidden under the hoodie!

He thought to himself, but didn't keep his hopes up.

Wait a second…

"W-woah, back up a bit, what did you mean by main character?"

"Isn't it obvious? Only a main character can summon another main character to fight for them! Me? I'm a main character so of course I wouldn't come unless I was summoned by a main character!"

Her logic was destroying his mind.

That, and he was still numb after what Yuuma did to him.

"Hold up, considering that I've just died and was revived somehow, plus the fact that I'm in a different dimension altogether I really don't think I'm the main character."

Issei protested.

"Ha! Please! I've went to alternate dimensions before and I've always stayed as the main character. Unless it was one of those non-canon spin-off titles where Noire and Blanc became main characters but those don't count."

Oi! That sounded very dismissive of people that seemed to be her friends!

"Besides, you can just look up your stats. I mean, your stats are like, terri-bad, but that just means you're like a magikarp that needs to level up."

"… What stats?"

"You don't know how to open the menu screen!? Mmm, if only Histy was here… she's usually the one doing the tutorial but I guess it can't be helped!"

Somehow, she wasn't delusional and he actually did managed to open a purple status screen in front of him.

The Servant, his partner, Neptune explained that all main characters can recruit people and male a party. And apparently, she's in my party. Also, we share an Inventory? How does that work?

Why does she have all these cosmetic items and serious end game gear? What the fuck?

Oh, and his stats really are shit! I mean, her stats are apparently capped due to not being really alive and all, but she's pretty much in the 5000 range whilst his stats are in the single digits.

"Hehe! I know what we can do! While we can't beat up monsters all we have to do is get some quests! You know, every RPG needs people to run fetch quests."

She dragged him out of the house and began harassing homeless people to ask if they needed any help with anything. Suprisingly enough, quest requests actually appeared in a screen and completing them got him EXP.

Apparently EXP wasn't supposed to be part of the quest reward but it seemed to replace what Neptune-chan called credits.

It was only by the end of the day she finally stopped dragging him around.

"Oooh, so hungry! I shouldn't be so hungry because I'm a Rider class and all, but I still want to eat so I'm hungry!"

Issei took her to a family restaurant where she ate enough for two entire families.

… That 500 million yen isn't going to last long, will it?

He needs more money, but how?

"Ritsuka! Chew your food properly! Don't think eating faster will mean getting home quicker."

"But mama, I really want to play with my new Leanbox!"

Neptune stopped eating, jumped out of her seat and started to interrogate the boy about something.

Apparently, the Leanbox is one of her friend's consoles or something. She started talking about the world of Gameindustri and how her CPU (Console Patron Unit) friends all have their signature consoles.

He pointed out that this meant that her friend, Vert, was likely a rival Servant summoned earlier by someone with a lot of wealth if they were able to set up a gaming company so quickly.

Also, it was probably done to collect something called 'Share Energy' that is needed to use their Noble Phantasm, Hard Drive Divinity for long periods of time. (That, and apparently she becomes super sexy in her transformed form… meaning Oppai!)

Hmm, that's an idea… he asked Neptune if she knew how to make her own console.

She said the Grail gave her the knowledge along with how to design games, so yes.

Issei smiled to himself as he planned to invest the money into a gaming company of his own… only to realise he has absolutely no idea on how to run his own business.

He could try hiring someone to do it, he supposed…

Also, he has to get back to the Inn to read those light novels that are apparently relevant to him. Hmm, the Inn… didn't that landlady charge people rent for staying there?

He could try his hand being a landlord… and maybe some super cute tenants will live there.

Then there's level grinding, survival training, getting more information from Neptune and getting enough money to last until the end of the Grail War.

Man, how did his life get so complicated?!

Oh gods, she's ordering more pudding!

Issei was hoping that whatever weight she puts on will go to her breasts, or at least her thighs.

Elsewhere, Shirou finds out that his parents were apparently average spell casters who didn't really care much about getting to some Root thing. They only heard rumours about the Fuyuki Grail ritual and were planning to move out of the city. After Shirou explained to them about his visions and some old guy telling him about other worlds (with the help of his Avenger Servant), they reluctantly agreed to train him so that he could prevent his visions from happening. Also, they'll be moving out when the war actually starts.

Luvia, along with her mother, was happily playing some games on her more advanced Leanbox after her Magus training session of the day. It was a good bonding activity, she would have played with her older sister Vert, but then she'll never win and get over competitive… resulting in an all-nighter and her mother scolding her. The Edelfelt family wasn't bashed by the other Magus's families for going into the technology business since it had nothing to do with magic as far as they knew, along with the fact that the Edelfelt's were known to be mercenaries in the supernatural world anyways. So this wasn't anything new… little did they know that Vert's cultivation of worshippers (fans) wasn't as innocent as it looked.

Kiritsugu himself was rather conflicted as he felt himself getting even softer… the fact that his Servant was so similar to him in seeking peace yet ultimately placed his love for his brother over everything else was something he found hard to believe when he asked for Itachi's story.

In another part of the multiverse…

Olga Marie Animusphere was screaming as her entire being was being pulled into 'CHALDEAS', a body of information condensed together, a territory of another dimension.

She screamed for anyone to help her-

Ritsuka, Mashu, anyone...

How could she not when she was about to be disassembled on the molecular level?

Lev's betrayal and words was already painful enough but this was overkill to the max.

To top it off, she was already dead and only her mind was in the current world thanks to the Rayshift.

At this rate, she would die without accomplishing anything with no one to acknowledge her.

She would disappear without a trace.

And then, all of a suddenly, the pain stopped.

Everything was black for a long time and it took what felt like hours to finally open her eyes.

"Ah, looks like you're awake. Good, good, it looks like I was worried for nothing." She hears a man speaking to her.

She still couldn't move well.

"Well, it's a new body so don't strain yourself. Anyways, my wife would disagree with messing around with the bodies of young women so I'll leave you to it. By the way, you're a Master of the Fourth Holy Grail War now, try not to die. I've already set up a summoning circle and a catalyst for a strong Servant, so you'll probably not die."

"W-wait? Who are you?" And why did you save me? She wanted to ask.

Along with how was she saved-

"I have too many names nowadays, but I guess Kischur Zelretch Schweinorg is the one most familiar to you… Oh, FYI, Ritsuka-kun is a child in this universe and his older brother is a Master."

He departed after those words were said.

Well, whilst she was grateful and thankful to be alive... she still wanted to punch the man for being so flippant.

Then again, this is the infamous Wizard Marshall she's thinking about so it's probably not a good idea.

It took Marie over an hour to regain control over her body, and a few minutes to open her magic circuits.

Feeling her prana circulating helped strengthen her as she observed her environment.

It looked to be a small bunker of some sort, or rather, a temporary home for some homeless bum. There was a summoning circle and an orange mask in the middle of it. There was also a microwave and what seemed to be a meal in it.

Something called Katsu-duum… at least that's what the post-it note said.

Well, she may be actually involved in a real Holy Grail War now (with 14 Servants, according to another post-it note) but it sure beats being dead.

In the end, she summoned a scarred black haired Asian male with two different eyes. One was a red eye with a pinwheel design and the other, a purple eye with many rings.

"To think that I'm needed… looks like I'll have to see Rin another time then. I ask of you, Are you my Master?" The man talked to himself for a moment before asking Marie.

She was a bit out of it since she was told that she never did have the capacity for being a Master using the system Chaldea had developed.

"Helloooo? Oi, you there?" The man started waving his hand in front of her face.

"A-ah, my apologies! I was rather overwhelmed after all."

She didn't know why but she began telling the man about her story and how she came to survive.

"Mmm, be careful. I was 'saved' by some old guy who taught me a lot of things, in the end I was just a 'pawn' to him. I wouldn't wish the same fate to you, Marie-chan." Her Servant, Obito Uchiha, said considerately.

"I-I know that! I learnt my lesson after Lev betrayed me… betrayed Chaldea. Even so, I'm alive now and I would like to have another chance in- well, doing something worthwhile."

They began looking for a place to stay, since a makeshift shelter wasn't going to be good enough for a Magus's workshop.

Unfortunately, Marie's circuits were not as used as her previous ones and had to be trained more before any serious hypnotism could be used.

Obito, her Assassin with a double summon in the Caster Class, was a good sport and donned the orange mask. He decided to go to a public place and put on a show, using his ninja skills to perform juggling tricks and acrobatics. He managed to get them a good amount of money for a few meals.

Unfortunately, rents were expensive and having no identification is a big pain.

Luckily for them, they came across a flier denoting a boarding house with a cheap rent of 50,000 yen per month for a room, with three meals as well. It was a steal as far as the pair was concerned.

As they approached the house they were greeted with a brown-haired young man scolding a young girl.

"You ran out of the meeting room again!? It was hard enough to get investors lined up and you ditched them to get pudding instead? We are so fucked, how are we supposed to start a gaming company is this keeps happening… we aren't going to get any shares, are we? My chances of going home are zero now, GG, we're screwed."

"Aww, don't worry about it, Issei! As main characters we are fated to have a lucky encounter where we'll recruit party members that will help us."

"It's great that you're so optimistic Neptune…" The boy said in a defeated tone.

Marie and Obito watched the pair cautiously and also, with great pity.

"Hey, Marie-chan? They're a Master, Servant pair."

"I know that… but they're just so pathetic I don't think I can attack them. Besides, I think they own the building we want to stay in."

They decided to approach the pair, the purple haired girl, Neptune was friendly and carefree. Heck, she didn't particularly care that they were a Master/Servant pair.

The boy was actually glad that they were here to rent a room, apparently he was the landlord here.

"Are you two just naïve or that carefree?" Marie asked.

"Eh? I trust Neptune enough protect me. That, and it's a man's job to help out girls! It looked like you two needed a place to stay so why shouldn't I help you two?" Issei said easily.

"W-what do you mean by that? I can take care of myself just fine!" Marie replied, flustered that he saw through her homeless status.

"Sure you can…" Obito chuckled at how innocent the boy was, along with Marie's reaction.

"Hey, hey, he's totally raising her flag isn't he?" Neptune nudged him.

"Hmm? Well, it'll be nice if we can get along if that's what you mean." He replied.

Issei easily revealed that he only wanted to survive so that Zelretch can send him home.

Marie sympathised with him since the both of them had almost died and were saved. They were both also people that wanted to achieve so much more with their lives and had been given a chance to do so.

Although, Marie found Issei's Harem King Declaration distasteful whilst Issei was praising Marie on her being some super magician. Magus, Marie corrected him, although she offered to teach him some magecraft, Issei declined saying that he came from a different world so his magic is different from the magecraft here.

Marie liked that he praised her since she never got a lot of it as she relied on Lev too much back then.

The four of them got along reasonable well except for the times Issei tried to peek on Marie, which resulted in lots of Gandr shots to his fleeing back. Also, Neptune annoyed Marie to no end with her slacking.

Obito liked Neptune's carefree nature as it reminded him of his younger days. He also liked to train the young boy who had a Dragon in his arm. Also, he had to keep Marie from attempting to examine Issei's arm way too obsessively. What? Dragons are unheard of in this age!

Marie was an insane taskmaster, however, which was really useful in forcing Neptune to train some programmers and negotiate with investors.

In return, they got free rent and Marie could use the shed along with the backyard as her workshop. Issei was a surprisingly decent cook when he put his mind into it, so that was another plus in her mind.

"Wait a second... what do you mean you unintentionally released a Rabbit Goddess that tried to assimilate all chakra? How did Naruto get so ridiculous!?" Issei complained as he asked Obito what had happened in the Naruto manga.

"Hey now! To be fair, it was all Madara's fault. Oh, and I did change sides and helped Kakashi, Naruto, Sasuke and Sakura save the world." Obito responded.

"Yeah... from the grave, how does that work?" Issei asked sceptically.

"I don't know. Chakra?" Obito shrugged.

"Yeah, chakra seems to be the answer to everything." Issei was once again defeated by logic.

"Everyone knows that all crimes are forgiven once enemies join up with the main characters." Neptune chimed in with her great wisdom.

"You are all insane. I swear." Marie had her face on the table, tired from Obito's story telling.

"And how does your chakra give Kakashi a Sharingan again?" Issei asked.

"Uhhh... Chakra Magic?" He weakly defended his worldview.

"Wait, how is an instigator of the a Great Ninja War a hero again?" Minako asked me as we were watching the show.

"Uhh, he swapped sides? And Naruto called him the 'coolest guy'." I answered weakly.

"... It's Naruto we're talking about. Didn't Sasuke get pardoned after he said 'Yeah, Sorry.'"

"... He got Talk no Jutsu'ed so everything is okay."

I finished with a lame excuse.

"Will we get any slice of life scenes?" Uzume asked, she seems to like those types.

"One of them's a harem protagonist of course there'll be some." I insisted.

"They're quite similar, their circumstances, I mean." Chiho chimed in with her opinion.

"Ah...I'd say that Issei and Marie both have insecurity issues." Akitsu pointed out, rather insightful I must say.

I petted her head and told her that.

She likes it, it seems.

"To think that a copy of the inn would be a den of debauchery under that perverted dragon." Miya mutters.

"I'm more surprised that you're playing matchmaker, Tohru-sama!" Yashima seems to be an inner romantic.

"They're do well together I think... Neptune seems real nice, I hope I can be friends with her." Iris says.

I resolve to ensure that Iris can go around to meet her, I can just tell Aika to patrol around that area more.

Grail War Servant list (In-progress):

Saber: Arturia Pendragon (Irisviel von Einzbern), Darth Vader (Darnic Blackstone Yggdmillennia)

Archer: Gilgamesh (Tokiomi Tohsaka), EMIYA (Rin Tohsaka)

Lancer: Vert aka Green Heart (Luviagelita Edelfelt), Madara Uchiha (REDACTED)

Rider: Alexander the Great (Waver Velvet), Neptune aka Purple Heart (Issei Hyoudou - Human)

Assassin: Obito Uchiha (Olga Marie Animusphere), Batman (Kotomine Kirei)

Caster: Itachi Uchiha (Assassin, Kiritsugu Emiya), Tatsuya Shiba (Fiore Forvedge Yggdmillennia)

Berserker: Issei Hyoudou (Sakura Matou), Vali Lucifer (Kariya Matou)

Avenger: Maou Satan/ Satan Jacob/ Maou Sadou (REDACTED), Uryu Ishida – A, the Antithesis (Fujimaru Shirou aka pre-fire Shirou)

Ruler: Aika Fuwa (Kischur Zelretch Schweinorg/ Tohru Adachi)

Saver: Minato Arisato ( Minako Arisato)