Chapter 11 - Chapter 11: Save the Twisted Part 4

Beta read by Shigiya and Paragon of Awesomeness

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-The Capital-

(Flashback)

(Two years ago)

In the Empire, it was customary for a promotion to the rank of General to be a major event. Though in some ways this event reminded Emiya of Najenda and Esdeath's graduation. An event where promising cadets who had endured rigorous years of training and studying under the Imperial Academy's demanding curriculum marked the beginning of their promising careers as officers of the Imperial Army. But unlike the more cheerful and relaxed celebration of a few years ago, this event held a far more formal theme. 

Not to mention he was forced to attend this celebration and couldn't use the excuse of not being a student like last time. 

The promotion celebration took the form of a grand banquet attended by many hundredsof guests, many of whom he recognized as influential figures in the Empire: ministers, generals, cabinet members, councilors, and even distant branch members of the royal family. Other nobles were in attendance as well, including dukes, marquises, earls, and several barons. 

Then again, it made sense why all of them would gather here, many trudging across thousands of miles crossing harsh climates just to attend a party for a handful of hours, given who was the one who organized it in the first place.

All of their children, who had also graduated from the academy, now used this opportunity to celebrate and establish connections with others in the nobility and the higher-ups in the military, not the least of which included the guests of honor themselves.

The festivities took place in a grand mansion, an opulent estate capable of comfortably hosting hundreds of people with room to spare. In the midst of the grand hall filled with guests, Emiya stood bored, holding a cup of wine in his hand. He took a sip and noted with mild surprise that the flavor was actually quite nice. 

"At least the food is decent," he muttered to himself, having been forced into a black suit. He quietly grabbed a small platter of cheese cubes and began idly snacking on them while observing the crowd around him. 

He hadn't wanted to attend this event, but his adopted sister had strong-armed him into coming, practically dragging him here against his will.

"Congratulations, General Najenda!" 

Speaking of the devil, Najenda was surrounded by a throng of admirers, all vying for her attention. At the forefront was a young rich boy with green hair, who was fervently congratulating her with a goofy smile and a slight blush, with that dumb grin of his widening whenever she said so much as a word to him.

"He couldn't be more obvious," Emiya muttered, distantly recalling that the boy was the son of an influential and highly wealthy merchant figure who'd joined the military in just the past year and risen through the ranks surprisingly quickly, especially for a rich kid — Lubbock was his name. He was already a first lieutenant, and had apparently joined his sister's regiment immediately upon graduating. 

Having seen him following Najenda around like a lovesick puppy on multiple occasions, his intentions were embarrassingly clear. "I refuse to believe she hasn't noticed it by now; intentionally ignoring him won't suddenly make it stop but instead get him to try that much harder. Or maybe she's also interested in him? Hmm, unlikely. She and Esdeath have never seemed to care about relationships." 

"Congratulations! As expected from the daughter of General Nagumo, it's only a matter of time before you stand beside him in glory," one of the other admirers gushed.

"He must be so proud of his daughter — not only did she graduate with near-perfect scores, but she is easily among the youngest to earn the title of general! Our Empire is truly blessed," another added.

"I've seen her fight before — she moves like the wind and strikes with the ferocity of a Super Class Danger Beast. My own son was defeated by her in just two moves. Truly, she is a force to be reckoned with!" yet another person chimed in.

"Hahaha, I'm certain she will lead our troops to many glorious victories!" a man laughed heartily, his praise as over-the-top as the others.

One after another, they showered her with compliments upon compliments, each trying to outdo the last, using every flattering phrase in the book without a hint of shame at their blatant brownnosing. Najenda accepted the praise and gifts with a smile that was only slightly awkward, ignoring the many gazes that held admiration for more than just her impressive career, and instead had more to say about her attire and looks. Staying true to her character as a military officer even now, she wore a black suit instead of a dress. Yet even that couldn't hide her developing curves, much to her dismay as she noticed all the… appreciative stares.

"…"

Trapped in the center of attention, she shot a glare at Emiya, as if to say, 'Get me out of this. Please!'

'Deal with it yourself. I told you I wouldn't help you with this nonsense. You picked this life, so you have to take the good with the bad.' He silently responded with a smirk and a raised glass, silently toasting her, which only seemed to infuriate her further. However, she kept her composure and resigned herself to continue listening to the relentless flattery.

Unlike her, the redhead was largely ignored by the majority, if not the entirety of the guests.

No one paid him any attention, all eyes were on those deemed more important. Not that he minded; in fact, he preferred it that way. 

Few people knew of his status as an adopted member of Nagumo's family, and he had never attended the Academy himself. Even those who knew that Nagumo had adopted a child never actually saw his face. 

"I'm pretty sure some of them think I'm Najenda's manservant or butler. No wonder a few of them have been glaring at me for snacking on the food meant for guests," he mused. 

To those people, he made a point of deliberately savoring the food, finding amusement in their reactions of haughty outrage. Not that they could do anything about it — creating a scene at the Prime Minister's son's event honoring two new generals was just begging for trouble.

"Well, would you look at that, someone got all suited up for the occasion," a familiar voice remarked as a slender hand snatched the last piece of cheese he was reaching for. He didn't even need to look to know who it was, already able to picture the smug grin on her face. 

"I'm surprised you even came to such an event yourself. Don't you usually hate these kinds of things? I doubt you did this for fear of Najenda scolding you." he asked, turning to face the light blue-haired woman who had somehow managed to escape her admirers and find him, even though he purposely distanced himself from her. 

Her attire was a stark contrast to Najenda's conservative suit. She wore a white military uniform that left little to the imagination - a short dress that barely reached her mid-thigh, with several of her top's buttons undone to showcase an ample amount of cleavage. The ensemble was topped off with a small white cap perched jauntily on her light blue hair, black leather gloves, and high-heeled boots with leggings that went most of the way up her thighs accentuated her long legs. It was clear she had no qualms about using her femininity as another weapon in her deadly arsenal.

"You look ridiculous," he added without missing a beat. "I can't tell if you're planning on going into battle or to a house of ill repute, dressed like that." 

The uniform itself wasn't actually that bad compared to some of the things he saw some Heroic Spirits wear, but he would never miss a chance to throw a verbal jab at her. 

"It's far less stuffy than what your sister decided to wear. And don't act as though you look any better in that outfit considering that at least half the men here are the biggest sources of income for those same establishments," she shot back with a healthy amount of disgust as her eyes flashed across the room's occupants. "Of course, they're only ever able to do that whenever they manage to get a break from groveling before that lard ass, Honest."

Her hand reached for his head, ruffling up his hair and then pushing it back. Doing so expertly as she'd done so many times in the past. 

"There, that's better." 

A lingering stench of iron wafted within his nose.

"…Why does your hand smell like blood?" He got the impression he was going to need to borrow some of Najenda's shampoo to wash off the stench from his hair.

"Your hair is already red, no one will notice if it's half a shade darker, especially since they don't even know you to begin with." 

"That's not what I asked."

"It's not my blood." 

"I know." 

"Then we're good." 

"…"

Emiya sighed inwardly, certain his hair would go white prematurely solely from dealing with Esdeath's antics rather than overusing his Tracing abilities.

The formal attire felt strange on both of them. He'd grown so accustomed to seeing Esdeath wandering the manor that was his home half-dressed, that her current uniform seemed almost alien. The same went for Najenda — her usual casual wear replaced by a crisp suit.

As for Emiya himself, the tailored black ensemble was a far cry from his standard sleeveless shirt and pants. He tugged at his collar, already longing for the comfort of his usual outfit.

"Najenda seems to be enjoying herself. Having so many admirers must be nice," she remarked, her tone a mix of amusement and sarcasm. 

"To me, it looks like she's just about to lose it, not smoking for this long is a new record for her." 

"She still smokes?" 

"She tries to, but I'm usually around to take it away from her." 

As the two of them continued their conversation, the grand hall around them continued to buzz with the sounds of laughter, clinking glasses, and the occasional boisterous shout. This atmosphere continued to affect Najenda who now had veins showing on her forehead, but she still managed to keep up a smile. One that was becoming progressively more strained.

Both couldn't hold back their grins, chuckling at her suffering.

He could tell from the look on her face that Najenda was just a few steps away from snapping and punching someone in the face when one of them placed a hand on her shoulder and kept it there longer than necessary. The way her hands trembled ever so slightly was a clear sign of her barely contained fury. 

"Look at her hands," whispered the amused Faker, glancing at the glass his adoptive sister held. "She's already snapped the base of it, and no one's even noticed."

"Her eyes are already listless, even a blind man can tell she's dying inside."

The duo continued to chuckle at the misery of the girl before them, their conversation from the very beginning weirding out some of the guests nearby, leading many to to quietly put some distance between themselves and the pair.

"Hm?" He turned slightly, noticing the increasing number of gazes honing in on them — or more specifically, on Esdeath, who was leaning casually against the table. "You might want to check yourself when it comes to popularity. You've got plenty of eyes on you too," he remarked, his tone casual. 

The comment, though seemingly innocuous, had the intended effect. Esdeath's gaze swept ferociously over the crowd, forcing many to further cower and turn their heads away.

"Parasites. Disgusting cockroaches, all of them," she hissed, her voice laced with venom. "Can't even gather the courage to look me in the eyes when talking but spewing whatever they feel like the moment they think my back is turned, just to crawl back into their holes once I look in their general direction."

"It bothers you?" 

A cold smile appeared on her face that sent shivers down many observers' spines. 

"Of course not, I'm not one to care what those below me think." 

"Someone's in a bad mood," Emiya noted, raising an eyebrow, seeing the lie a mile away. "Seeing that expression on your face, I bet one of these people said something they shouldn't have, and for once you have the social awareness not to eviscerate them in public." 

Having spent years living with her, the man felt he had a decent grasp on her personality and the type of woman she was. Despite her murderous tendencies and twisted ideals, Esdeath could be surprisingly disciplined at times, and was very much capable of holding back her anger when necessary. Combined with her cunning nature and strategic mind which Najenda had repeatedly stated was on par with her own, and very difficult to predict at times, was precisely what made Esdeath such a terrifyingly effective military leader. 

For her to be this visibly enraged, something significant must have happened. "Did one of your old classmates from your days at the Academy try to play a trick on you during a duel? You were outside for a good while, and the blood on your hand came from someone."

Esdeath sighed heavily after staring at him for a while, rubbing her forehead in frustration. Without warning, she snatched the glass from Emiya's hand and downed the remaining wine in one swift motion. 

"If only it were that simple," she muttered darkly. "That would have been a welcome distraction from this insufferable waste of time." Her voice lowered as she added, "No, something far more ridiculous happened — I suppose it's something you'll find amusing to know. What's the name of that weakling who lost to me in one move?"

"That doesn't exactly narrow it down much," he responded dryly.

"The one with the messy blue hair and particularly loud mouth," she clarified, her eyes narrowing in irritation.

Emiya's mind flashed to a face, but not one from this world. The boy in question wasn't hard to recall — just another in the long line of 'brave' challengers who'd faced Esdeath this past month, only to be swiftly and embarrassingly defeated. She never bothered learning their names, deeming it a waste of time given how weak they were. He merely knew them because he happened to be a spectator for most of them, and his memory had always been rather sharp.

She'd rather spend her time honing her skills against him, training relentlessly, or finding new ways to make his life difficult than entertain romantic notions to anyone she deems 'weak.'

He started to wonder if she even had a place to live outside his family home.

"Ah, I remember now. His name is Lan, isn't it? Son of one of those councilmen," Emiya said, nodding. "He was absolutely smitten with you, wasn't he? Always calling you his 'Lady Esdeath' heh." His smirk widened when he sensed the wave of malicious intent directed at him. 

The sound of glass shattering under her grip was a clear warning, but seeing her unable to act on her anger only made it harder for him to suppress his smirk. "Careful now, we wouldn't want to cause a scene in the middle of this grand party that's being held in your honor," he teased.

"Do you honestly think anyone here could stop us if we decided to have some fun?" she retorted, her voice dripping with danger and desire as she sidled up to him. He could feel her intensity. "I can take you on right here and right now~!"

"Don't say that out loud," he cautioned. "People might misunderstand."

"Oh, since when did Mr. 'I don't care about what others think' start worrying about such things?" she shot back, a wicked grin spreading across her face. "Besides, it's not like I'm lying. It does feel amazing to experience such a thrill with someone on your level. Even if we were to have some fun right here and now, none of these vermin would dare interfere. Although… isn't Grand General Budo somewhere around here? He might get involved, and that could certainly make things interesting. I've always wanted to see what it'd be like as he unleashes his 'Thunder God's Rage' in person."

Did she have any idea how her words sounded?! She didn't even seem to have caught onto the fact that he'd been referring to something else entirely, and the way she unintentionally played into that frankly made it even worse…

Besides, he knew she was trying to get under his skin, so he decided to steer the conversation back to the previous topic. "So, what happened with Lan anyway?"

Esdeath's expression darkened even further, a dangerous glint in her eyes. "His father, accompanied by his mother and that bratty son of theirs, had the audacity to ask me to marry him," she spat, her voice full of disgust.

"—!"

It took every ounce of self-control he had not to choke on his own saliva at that. The sheer absurdity of that sentence left him momentarily speechless. Someone had actually thought it was a good idea to propose that their noble brat of a son marry this psychotic woman? 

Either the parents were plotting to kill their son, or they had no knowledge of Esdeath's true personality because a certain someone had given them a wildly misleading and heavily rose-tinted description of her. 

Which would be right up Lan's alley, given how his understanding of Esdeath could barely even be described as superficial. The fool only saw her surface beauty and rapid rise to prominence. Honestly, such a level of delusion was almost impressive for Lan, and his parents' ignorance even more so; Esdeath never made any effort to hide who she was.

"Poor kid," Emiya finally managed to say, trying to stifle his laughter. "I hope you weren't too harsh with your rejection. The blood was his wasn't it…"

"Oh, don't worry about that," Esdeath replied, her tone eerily calm. "His bones and flesh will heal eventually. And as for his parents, I had my ways of dealing with them without going too far. Don't worry, I won't be killing anyone tonight," she added with a mysterious smile. 

Well, that wasn't reassuring at all.

When it came to someone as cunning and merciless as Esdeath, her smile held various meanings. As a newly appointed general, her skills alone were not enough to instantly win the trust of others. She knew she needed a Teigu, a powerful weapon that could turn the tide of otherwise hopeless battles, in order to gain the influence she sought while Budo was still around. 

Ah, he just remembered all Generals were given one that suited them.

'I'd rather she not get one in the first place,' Emiya thought grimly. 'If she ever obtained even the weakest Teigu, I can only imagine the carnage she'd cause.'

Esdeath, in the eyes of the majority, was no different from a feral dog that many believed the Prime Minister kept on a tight leash. But they couldn't be more mistaken. Sooner or later, with or without a Teigu, they would all regret allowing someone like her to roam free within the Empire. 

People like her were dangerous in ways that even monsters couldn't be. He learned that lesson many times even before becoming a Counter Guardian.

"Just make sure not to cause any trouble for now. Remember, both of you are supposed to be the stars of this banquet," he calmly advised while narrowing his eyes at a familiar individual approaching Najenda. 

Despite his darkened skin tone and fit body, that boy unmistakably had his father's eyes.

The buxom girl beside him leaned further back against the table, not at all moved by the words. "You say that, but other than that ridiculous weakling who approached me earlier, no one so far is treating me like a star. In their eyes, I'm still just a savage from the northern tundra who just so happens to have an affinity for swordsmanship and tactics," she responded, her voice tinged with bitterness. 

Her arms suddenly reached up and wrapped tightly around Emiya's neck as she spoke, pulling him close against her chest, his cheek pressed against the large mounds. "They treat you the same way, don't they? A random orphan from the far north, taken in by Nagumo out of pity and disguised as his adopted son to serve them. That's what they whisper behind your back."

Emiya, unbothered by her actions, shrugged. "Let them think what they want. In the end, it doesn't really matter to me. So long as they keep to themselves and leave Najenda out of it, then it's just white noise," he said, his tone indifferent. "It also keeps the spotlight off of me, which I prefer." 

Suddenly, his nose twitched at a familiar scent he smelled other than Lan's blood. He turned to glare at her. "Did you use my perfume?"

She smirked, clearly amused. "Perhaps. What I'm wondering though is why do you even own perfume in the first place? Isn't it meant for women?."

"It was a gift from a friend. Even if I don't use them, they're still mine," he replied curtly.

"You have friends?" 

It irked him how she genuinely sounded shocked by that statement. To the point he was momentarily rendered speechless, realizing she had deftly thrown his own words back at him — a phrase he had used on her countless times in the past. 

Esdeath's grip tightened, pulling Emiya closer until his face was practically buried in her cleavage. The scent of his stolen perfume was fast becoming overwhelming.

"You know," she purred, "I'm not usually one for these frivolous things, but I must admit, it does smell quite nice. I can see why you keep it around."

Emiya wriggled free from her chest, scowling. "If you like it so much, get your own damn bottle. Stop raiding my room."

"Oh?" Esdeath's eyebrow arched, a mischievous glint in her eye. "And what if I don't? What are you going to do about it, hmm?"

"Don't test me," Emiya growled, locking eyes with her.

Their eyes locked in a fierce standoff, faces mere inches apart. The air crackled with tension as neither budged an inch. It was a well-worn routine between them, a battle of wills that could drag on indefinitely if left unchecked. Esdeath's lips curled into a predatory smirk, while Emiya's jaw clenched stubbornly. The party faded into background noise as they remained frozen in their silent duel of wills, oblivious to the curious glances cast their way by nearby guests.

"Ahem!"!

Their tense silence was abruptly broken by a forcefully loud cough. Both Emiya and Esdeath slightly shifted their gazes to the side to see the Prime Minister, Honest, awkwardly standing near them with a large, almost comically oversized piece of meat in his hands and a wide smile plastered on his face.

"I hope I'm not disturbing you two," he spoke out, breaking the stalemate between them. "Glad to see you and General Esdeath are getting along well, young man."

Emiya quickly recovered from the surprise and responded in a neutral tone, "No, nothing like that." Despite virtually everyone always addressing Honest with a tone of reverence or fear, he chose to remain neutral when dealing with the Prime Minister. "It's been a while since we last spoke, Prime Minister. I'm surprised you remember me."

Honest maintained his calm smile. "Yes, it's been a few years since I last spoke with your father. As for you, General Esdeath, I heard you and Najenda managed to push back a surprise attack from the Revolutionary Army against a few of our outposts. Quite the feat, and surely a sign that our Empire will prosper for the foreseeable future with such gifted individuals leading our armies."

"They weren't that big of a deal," to many it would have sounded like a simple humble remark, but Esdeath truly meant that. "The brat over here could've dealt with them easily all by himself."

Why did she need to involve him…

"Ah, is that so? Quite a compliment from someone like Esdeath. You should consider attending the academy as well, Emiya. There's no age limit, and I'd be happy to recommend you personally."

Truth be told, Emiya found Honest's behavior odd. The Prime Minister was being overly nice to someone who, in reality, held no significant status in his mind. Despite being adopted by General Nagumo, he knew that in the eyes of those in the capital, that action held little true value. He remained, to them, merely an orphan taken in to serve as a servant to Najenda. As for Honest, this wasn't their first interaction. They had spoken once before, years ago, when the rotund man visited their manor to discuss affairs with Nagumo.

"I hope you're enjoying this little banquet my son put together," Honest continued, his smile widening as he glanced around the room. "I must admit, it was somewhat of a rushed process—something my son insisted on—but I believe it turned out quite well."

He nodded politely. "It's certainly an impressive event, Prime Minister."

"It's noisy." 

Of course, Esdeath did not bother to hide her displeasure.

Honest chuckled, clearly pleased with the response. "I'm glad to hear that. It's important to celebrate the achievements of our Empire's protectors, after all." His gaze shifted to Esdeath, lingering on her for a moment longer. "I have no doubt that they will play crucial roles in shaping The Empire's future. 

Not being one to waste time, she immediately demanded. "You don't need to beat around the bush, Honest. Just tell us why you're here." 

"Ah, General Esdeath, if you don't mind… I have some matters I would like to discuss in private. It involves that little gift I promised you."

A bad sensation emerged within his heart, it didn't take much to understand this involved the likelihood of a General being bestowed a Teigu. Since Najenda already had one, it was Esdeath's turn. 

These suspicions were confirmed by the light smile that graced her face.

"Finally." 

With that, both left the scene leaving him all by himself.

"Just what is he thinking?" 

Having stayed in this world for years, he gained a solid understanding and knowledge about every single Teigu created by the first Emperor. Also having gained somewhat of a vague idea of those currently available in The Empire. "Is she going to choose Incursio? No, that one is already taken along with Murasame if I remember correctly, though They were the most compatible with her. That leaves a couple that would suit her style, but knowing her attitude, she won't take the Teigu if it's not to her liking as well. Absordex… no, she's crazy but not to the point of finding drinking blood interesting. The Divination bands… that's a contender with Shambala."

Shaking his head to clear his thoughts, Emiya headed towards the balcony to get some peace and quiet, lingering there for a few more minutes, taking in the serene beauty of the night. The sky was a tapestry of sparkling stars, their brilliance amplified by the absence of the moon. The sight was breathtaking, but it also served as a stark reminder that this was a completely different world. The constellations were unfamiliar, their arrangements unlike anything he had seen before. 

"I'd better head back before someone causes Najenda to lose her temper," he joked to himself, though there was a genuine concern behind his words when it came to that brat.

For someone who behaved so maturely, she tended to have a short temper at times.

As he reentered the hall, he was met with murmurs among the guests, many of whom mentioned that Esdeath hadn't returned so she was most likely still discussing the details with Honest. "I suppose that's better than her injuring or crippling someone," he muttered, weaving through the crowd. He recognized several familiar faces, yet there was no sign of Najenda anywhere. "Where did she go?" he wondered.

The spot where she had been speaking with others was now vacant, and her usual admirers were in noticeably sour moods. A sense of unease began to gnaw at him. Najenda wouldn't have left without him, nor would she have wandered off too far. Sensing something was amiss, Emiya approached Lubbock, who appeared just as irritated as the others around him. 

"Hey, do you know where General Najenda went?" he asked.

"That arrogant bastard invited her for a dance! It should have been me!" Lubbock shouted, not even sparing Emiya a glance before storming away from the main hall, his anger barely contained.

Najenda accepting a dance? Emiya found that highly unlikely. The odds of him accidentally running into Rin in this world seemed higher than that. But he couldn't dismiss it outright. He needed to be sure. Heading to the upper floor, which offered a full view of the entire hall, he scanned the dance floor. "She's not there," he noted, the unease growing stronger.

Something was definitely wrong.

The thought repeated itself over and over in his mind, feeding a growing sense of urgency. Najenda had just been promoted to general, yet she continued to worry him with her reckless behavior.

It was at that moment he recalled who the person she spoke with last time was; Syura.

"You there, where is the host of this banquet?" Emiya handed the servant a couple of coins, who then quickly pointed in the direction they had gone before scurrying away. He wasted no time, heading down the stairs and out of the main hall, moving with a sense of urgency.

He soon found himself in a silent corridor, its walls adorned with paintings of Honest at various stages of his life, the floor covered in a velvet carpet, and chandeliers hanging from the ceiling casting a dim light. As he walked, he felt a pair of eyes on his back, watching him from the hall as the doors behind him closed.

"You there! This is the private quarters of Lord Syura. I advise you to leave!" Two heavily armored Imperial guards approached, their glares locked onto him.

"Didn't you hear us? Leave before we detain you for trespassing!" one of them shouted, their spears gleaming ominously in the candlelight.

"So, he's there," Emiya whispered, ignoring the guards at first as his gaze locked onto the heavily decorated door at the end of the hallway. "I'm here to meet Syura. Let me through."

"Hmph, you're either stupid or deaf. Let's just throw him out! He's not on the list of people we were told to let through," one of the guards grumbled. As he readied his spear to strike Emiya, aiming for his gut, the young man finally met their eyes, his own now cold and sharp as steel.

{Break}

(A few minutes earlier)

"I'm going to kill him," Najenda seethed internally, her thoughts consumed by frustration as she watched her brother shrug off her plea for help and had the audacity to raise her glass of wine as cheers, leaving her alone to greet and entertain the endless stream of well-wishers congratulating her on her promotion to general. 

Esdeath being no better, those two having fun at her expense!

"Is something the matter?" a voice asked, breaking her train of thought. It belonged to one of her soldiers, a young man who, despite being of noble birth, had chosen to serve as a foot soldier in her camp. 

Hah… even she wasn't blind to the driving force behind his actions. Best to not say anything, he had a good heart and would develop better in her division than anywhere else. 

"Nothing new, Lubbock," she sighed, forcing a tired smile. "I guess I'm just a bit tipsy and worn out." 

Maybe she had indulged in a few too many glasses of wine tonight. Her head was already feeling light, but at least the alcohol helped her deal with the overwhelming crowd. "You look tired yourself. I know you don't care for these banquets, so you don't have to stay all night just to keep me company. Go home; I'm sure your father is worried about you."

A bitter laugh escaped his lips. "I'd be surprised if that were the case."

The awkwardness that followed reminded Najenda of Lubbock's strained relationship with his father. As she mulled over this, she noticed the young man's uncertain expression as he hesitated before speaking. "You know, to put your mind at ease and get away from all these people… maybe you could join me for a dan—" The timid boy's words trailed off as another voice cut through the air.

"Congratulations on becoming a general, Najenda!" 

"Syura!?" 

"Syura."

Both Lubbock and the surrounding guests turned their attention to the newcomer, their expressions shifting to surprise as they recognized the son of the Prime Minister. Syura, dressed in formal attire yet still maintaining his wild appearance, stood out with several buttons of his shirt undone, revealing his bare chest. His hair remained unkempt, adding to his disheveled look. Najenda sighed internally, somewhat expecting this encounter sooner or later.

"Thanks. I just got lucky," she replied, her tone flat.

"Come on now, if luck was all it took to become a general, we'd have hundreds of them by now," Syura scoffed. "What you've accomplished is far beyond luck. The way you excelled at the academy, doing what those old geezers couldn't even dream of—that's impressive." 

With a snap of his fingers, he summoned a nearby waiter who offered a tray of wine to Najenda, who had just finished her glass. She accepted the drink out of courtesy, though the gesture did little to improve her mood. "This place is noisy, to tell you the truth. I can tell you don't like it here, so why not join me for a dance? We can continue our conversation from last time over there."

"What!?" Lubbock's voice rose in disbelief, his expression quickly souring into a sneer. "Why the hell would you think that someone like Miss Najenda would be interested in—"

"I accept." 

Lubbock's eyes widened in shock, unable to comprehend what he had just heard. As if to confirm the reality of the situation, Najenda stepped past Lubbock, with Syura following closely behind, leaving the others to gape in astonishment.

Smirking at their reactions, Syura shot a contemptuous glance back at them before catching up to Najenda, who was walking purposefully past the dance floor and into a quieter area of the hall with fewer people. She led them to a door that opened into an empty room. 

Once inside, her previously dull gaze sharpened as she turned to Syura. "This should be private enough. Now spill it—what does Honest want?"

"So hostile. You should be more careful with the way you speak to me."

"Last chance," she warned, her patience visibly wearing thin.

"Alright, alright," Syura relented, holding up his hands in mock surrender. "Well, to tell you the truth, my father doesn't know about the matter. You can imagine the reaction he'd have knowing that you of all people recently had contact with the Revolutionary Army. Which makes me wonder if your father also knows this, would be a shame if his health further deteriorated with doubts of his child being a traitor to The Empire."

"Those are baseless claims you bring up. Like I said last time, you have no proof, and don't think just because you are Honest's son he'll be lenient on you making such accusations."

That provoked a completely different reaction than she was hoping for the moment the man in front started laughing. "Him!? Oh please, that old man is more worried about his next meal not being cooked well and babysitting a fucking child! I just need to tell the world and he'll put me in charge of such matters."

Arrogance oozed from Syura, completely unfazed by anything Najenda said and even going so far as to confront her eyes to eyes with a sly smirk. "Even if you never had contact with the Revolutionary Army, I can always create a convincing story for dear ol' dad. If you want me to forget about this, why don't we get to know each other better." 

His hands gently caressed her shoulders, sending chills down her spine as she pushed him away with a disgusted sneer.

"I am not in the mood for your antics, try it again and you'll be on the floor with a few missing teeth."

"Try that and I'll add your brother to the list of traitors." 

"—!" The annoyance was instantly replaced by pure rage, this bastard pushed her patience to the limit, and what he just said nearly made her lose her cool completely. 

"He's a nobody who has no achievements to earn him any favors from anyone. A random northern bumpkin picked up from a destroyed village and couldn't even pass the entry test for the academy. It's very easy to throw someone like him into a torture cell without even needing my father's seal of approval, in fact, it can be done in an hour. Want to see?" 

"Don't. You. Dare."

Her hand balled up into a fist and went to strike his stomach and push the guy back, only for it to be blocked by his own hands and even pushed back. No matter how much strength she used, but felt as if her muscles refused to listen. 

"You're a pieche of… shrum…," she replied, though her words were now slurred, each syllable drawn out as she fought to stay alert. 'W-what… is going on?' she thought, alarm bells ringing in her mind as her vision blurred and her senses dulled. She tried to steady herself, but her legs gave out, sending her tumbling forward.

Before her head hit the ground, Syura caught her, his grin widening as he held her close. Najenda weakly tried to push him away, but her strength was quickly fading. "What a shame. I was hoping to win you over that way, but since you're being so stubborn, you leave me no choice."

A sense of dread settled in Najenda's heart as Syura picked her up and carried her towards the end of the hallway. "Wha…th a-are you doin'!?" she demanded, gritting her teeth as she stared at him with murderous intent, her expression only making him laugh louder.

"The effects of the drug took longer than I expected, but now that it's taken hold, you're mine." Syura's voice dripped with malicious glee as he kicked open the door to a bedroom and threw her onto the bed, eliciting a short cry of shock. 

"Sh-stay awray…from me," she slurred, desperately trying to push herself up, but her arms buckled under her weight.

She heard the sound of something hitting the floor and saw Syura's clothes being discarded. He stood before her, bare-chested, his eyes filled with lust and greed as he approached her. Revulsion and panic surged through Najenda as she realized where this was heading. "Y-You…ll re… regret thish," she spat, though her voice was weak.

"Regret?" Syura laughed, the sound echoing off the walls. "No one's been able to do anything to me before. It doesn't matter if you're a general or even from the royal family. I'm untouchable!" He sneered as he brandished a small dagger. "You've only got yourself to blame."

Syura's calloused hands gripped Najenda's wrists, pinning them above her head. His hot breath washed over her neck as he leered down at her helpless form. "I'll make you regret rejecting me, bitch," he growled. 

Najenda thrashed feebly beneath him, but the drug coursing through her veins rendered her muscles weak and unresponsive. Syura's weight pressed heavily on top of her, his arousal evident as it ground against her thigh. Revulsion churned in her gut.

With one hand, he drew a dagger and slashed it through the fabric of her suit jacket and blouse, exposing the creamy skin beneath. Buttons popped and scattered across the sheets. Cold air met her bare skin, pebbling it with goosebumps. 

"No…" Najenda croaked, trying to twist away. But Syura's iron grip held her fast. 

His lecherous gaze raked over her body, taking in every curve now barely concealed by scraps of torn fabric. "Not so high and mighty now, are you?" he sneered. His free hand pawed at her chest, squeezing roughly.

Najenda bit back a whimper of pain and disgust. She had to stay strong, bide her time until the drug wore off and she could fight back… 

But Syura seemed intent on violating her as much as possible before then. His hand drifted lower, tugging at the waistband of her pants. The dagger sliced through her belt. Nausea roiled in Najenda's stomach as he yanked the tattered remains down her hips.

"Stop… you bastard…" she gritted out through clenched teeth. 

Syura just laughed cruelly. "You're in no position to be making demands." His fingers dug into the sensitive flesh of her inner thigh as he forced her legs apart. 

Tears of fury and revulsion pricked at Najenda's eyes. Was this really how it would end? Drugged and defiled by this disgusting man while everyone else celebrated mere rooms away? 

His hands grabbed her wrists, pinning them above her head as his eyes roved over her body. "A few friends will join us soon, but I'll be the first to enjoy our night," he leered, leaning in closer.

"You're no longer allowed to drink alcohol, Najenda," a voice suddenly cut through the room like ice, freezing Syura in place. 

"—!?"

His eyes widened as he looked up to see a black object hurtling towards him, his instincts taking over and moving his head back ever so slightly. The next thing he felt was an intense, searing pain as the object—which turned out to be a black blade—sliced through his face.

"Aah—AAAAAHHH!" Syura screamed as a second impact viscously knocked the wind out of his lungs, sending him flying off the bed and crashing into the wall with a sickening thud. Gasping for air, he clutched his chest, feeling his ribs crack under the force of the blow. Blood poured down his face from a deep gash that ran from his upper right eye to the left side of his mouth, the cut so severe it exposed the bone and damaged cartilage of his nose. 

"W-Wait, hold on!" Syura sputtered, blood dripping from his mangled face. His bravado evaporated, replaced by naked fear as he scrambled backward. "You can't do this! Do you know who my father is?"

Emiya didn't respond. His eyes, cold and merciless, locked onto Syura as he adjusted his grip on the black blade. The air in the room grew heavy, thick with murderous intent. Syura's breath caught in his throat as he realized, with chilling certainty, that he was staring death in the face. 

The redhead advanced, his hand raised, ready to finish the job. Swords of gleaming steel materialized around the room, blocking every possible exit.

"Careful…" Najenda's weak voice called out from the floor. Her words were barely audible, her strength waning, but Emiya's ears picked up on them. His eyes widened when he found the air around him change, this sensation further intensifying by the appearance of a Yin and Yang pattern right below his feet. 

"Shambala!?" Instantly he recognized Teigu without even needing to analyze it. Swiftly slashing downwards with his blade sinking a couple of inches deep within Syura's shoulders.

The wind bellowed.

Unfortunately, that split second of surprise was all that Honest's son needed for his Teigu to activate and in a flash of blue light, the yin and yang symbols on the ground turned as he vanished, the spot where he sat getting cleaved like butter by Kanshou whose edge had blood dripping from it. Emiya's gaze grew even colder as he realized his target had escaped and prepared to go after him. 

"I said wait, damn it!" Najenda's voice, more urgent this time, pulled Emiya back right as he was about to jump out of the window — her body sluggishly falling towards him which he quickly caught. He turned to her, his frown deepening as he saw her condition. She was barely conscious, her body had succumbed to whatever drug Syura had slipped her with signs of a fever.

"H-Hold it," Najenda rasped, her voice barely above a whisper. She clutched Emiya's arm, her grip weak but insistent. "That scumbag… he's still the Prime Minister's son. If he dies, all hell breaks loose." Her eyes, though clouded with the drugs, held a sharp warning but mostly worry. "We can't risk it. Not yet."

She was looking at him, clearly more worried about him than herself. "Idiot, you should worry about yourself rather than me. Let's just go home, I don't want to stay here another second." He needed to bring her back and away from this place as soon as possible, he hadn't forgotten or let go of finding Syura despite what Nagenda said but decided to prioritize her for tonight then that man. 

She was safe, that was all that mattered currently.

"Any clue what he drugged you with?" Emiya asked softly as he scooped Najenda up, cradling her against his chest. As they exited the room, her bleary eyes caught sight of two crumpled guards, their weapons shattered and armor dented beyond repair.

"M'fine," Najenda slurred, weakly trying to push away. "Put me dow-"

"Enough," Emiya cut her off, his voice firm but not unkind. "Now's not the time to act tough. Let me handle this."

Najenda's protests faded as exhaustion took hold and rested her head against the crook of his neck. Instead of heading for the main hall, Emiya chose a more discreet exit. As they slipped away unnoticed, Najenda nestled closer, a faint smile touching her lips as she drifted off to sleep in the safety of his arms.

"My little brother… all grown up and saving damsels in distress," Najenda mumbled, her words slurring slightly, but she nuzzled his neck. "Who'd have thought?"

Emiya sighed, adjusting his grip on her to hold her closer. "The drug's clearly affecting your judgment. I'm just doing my job as your little brother."

.

.

. 

"Hah… hah… hah… I will not forget this. You will pay for what you've done you little fucker!" Syura's breath was ragged as he stumbled through the woods near his mansion, barely managing to survive the encounter but not without severe injuries. Every breath sent waves of agony through his chest, and his face was a bloody mess, the deep gash making his skin hang loose, forcing him to press it together to stem the bleeding. His other arm was rendered useless, hanging limp with the cut having nearly gone through his shoulders and reached his chest. "Emiya! I will fucking kill you, you fucking, cockblocking shit!"

He had set an anchor in these woods a while ago, a hidden spot where he frequently trained in using Shambala's power to teleport. His mind was consumed with thoughts of revenge. "I'll make you suffer. I'll throw you in the darkest, filthiest cells, starve him until you're wasting away, then flay you alive before dumping you in boiling water!" His voice was hoarse from shouting.

Rage and humiliation coursed through him, fueling his determination. He didn't care about Emiya's connections or status anymore. All that mattered was payback. Syura's lips curled into a cruel smile, ignoring the blood that dripped from his mangled face. "Just you wait," he hissed. "I'll destroy everything you hold dear."

Nagumo was as good as dead with his current condition and Najenda was just a new General who could be replaced! And Emiya was nothing more than a servant pretending to be something more.

But his train of thought was cut short when another powerful kick struck his chest, sending him crashing into a tree. "Gah!" 

Everything momentarily turned dark, his consciousness slipped for a brief moment due to his intense pain but managed to return. His trembling bloody fingers pointed at the figure bathed in moonlight, standing between him and the mansion. Her general's uniform clung to her body, barely fitting properly, and in one hand, she held a dagger that made his heart race with fear as it reminded him of his near death encounter with Emiya's blades. 

And a face devoid of a smile that sent a chill down his spine.

"What is the meaning of thi—mmmf!" Facing this person, he had a terrible premonition and tried to crawl away, but Esdeath wouldn't let him. Walking over, the heels of her leather booths pressed against his back and slowly applied more pressure.

"Stop squirming, it's annoying."

He wanted to scream for his guards, to curse out loud, to summon the full might of his father's army, but with his body pinned under her heel, he was helpless. Her face was expressionless, but her eyes were cold, deadly. 

"It's not fair at all, you damn bastard," she hissed, her voice low and menacing. Syura squirmed under her boots as she continued to apply more pressure, desperately trying to escape, thankfully, he felt the pressure lessen till it disappeared completely. 

'T-This is my chance—'

"Aaaaaaammmph!" 

Only for it to return to his skull, forcefully smashing his face against the ground and forcefully twisting his head to push the pieces of gravel and dirt deeper within the wound.

Tears streamed down his face, and not a single clear thought flashed through his mind. Only the desperate desire to survive at any cost. "Eurgh!" 

She kicked him with enough force to turn his body around and her hands went to grab him by the throat.

"Let go, have mercy!" he pleaded, his voice cracking as he begged for his life. But she ignored him, her grip on his throat tightening ever so slightly. The inhuman amount of strength within someone who looked like she didn't possess any muscles made his scalp tingle.

"All these years, and not once has he faced me seriously and kept spewing excuses after excuses," she murmured, more to herself than to him. Her calm voice began to shake with frustration. "Yet here you are, being the first to experience that part of him, his very first true prey. You should count yourself honored."

"W-Wha?" Surah's mind was a whirlwind of confusion and fear, having no idea what this bitch was even saying in the first place! He didn't understand her words, and he didn't care.

All he wanted was to survive. But that small sliver of hope was dashed when she kicked him again, this time flipping him onto his back. "What do you want? Let me go, and I'll give you everything—money, treasures, anything!" he cried, his eyes wide with terror as she loomed over him.

"Don't worry, I won't kill you. Unfortunately, you're not my prey, but his instead," she whispered, her voice soft but dripping with malice. Her hand grabbed his face, pulling it upwards, sending waves of searing pain through his body. He gasped and screamed, more blood pouring from his wounds, but she showed no mercy. "You have no idea the opportunity you stole from me… Why do you deserve to receive that kind of treatment when he refuses to take me seriously every time? Does that make you more worthy than me?"

She was insane!

No wonder his father told him to never approach this northern savage!

He wanted to curse her, to scream at her, but his voice was caught in his throat as her grip tightened. Her previously blank expression twisted into one of pure rage and frustration, only to take a deep breath and calm herself. 

"Hah… forget it, I should be happy that at least he's not incapable of killing like I feared. But it had to be proven by a waste like you!" 

The dagger in her hand glinted in the moonlight as she brought it closer to his face, the tip pressing against the upper part of his right eye.

"I don't really care about what you were trying to do with Najenda," she continued, her voice steady as the tip of the blade sunk within the skin on his forehead till it hit the skull. "I told her if she showed any kind of weakness, others would take advantage of it, and she didn't listen. That's her own fault. But I'm not letting you go without my own gift for unintentionally pushing him so far."

The grin on her face was nothing short of demonic as she slowly dragged the blade across his face deliberately, carving a line that mirrored the one Emiya had made earlier. Syura's muffled screams echoed through the forest, his body convulsing in agony until his brain could no longer handle the pain, forcing him into unconsciousness.

Not that it stopped her from continuing her work.

"Disappointing. Someone like you shouldn't deserve his attention." She let go of him after she was satisfied with her work, making sure the cut was identical to the one Emiya had made. Her hands were soaked in blood once more, and she was tempted, so very tempted, to end his life right then and there. But held back, not out of fear, but because he was not her prey. 

As she looked back at the mansion, a small genuine smile tugged at her lips. "Perhaps this party wasn't a waste of time after all," she mused, her thoughts drifting to the boy who had shown a side of himself she had never seen before. 

"That brat can actually make a face like that."

He had potential, she just needed to drag it out under the right conditions.

{Break}

-Unidentified South-Easter Island-

(Present)

"Damn it!" Falling from the sky towards a small island teeming with Danger Beasts was far from ideal. Emiya wasn't out of energy or exhausted, but the sheer number of beasts below posed a real threat. As he plummeted, he scanned the area, noting that there didn't seem to be any S-class danger beasts in sight—thankfully. If there had been, even he wouldn't be able to guarantee his survival.

He glanced up at the sky, where the yin and yang pattern from Syura's Shambhala already dissipated. That damned Teigu could have sent them anywhere in the world, and without proper research, there was no telling where they'd ended up. Unfortunately, there was no time to think about that now, he had to focus on the present. The ground below closed in rapidly and if he didn't act, then even Reinforcement wouldn't help surviving a fall of this height. Not to mention the monsters below were salivating at the sight of new prey, many of them famished and some were in the middle of devouring the weaker ones.

Acting quickly, Emiya calmed down before making use of his projection — imagining not a sword but something more simple though it consumed more of his energy in comparison. A burst of light gathered around his upper body, forming a small backpack. He pulled the cord, deploying a parachute that drastically slowed his freefall. At least his descent was now under control. 

"I doubt such a fall will kill her," he whispered, Esdeath didn't have the luxury of using a trick like that. Even if her ability were limited to ice construct, just like his swords she was able to momentarily suspend them in the air for enough time to gain a foothold.

"Tch!" She was relentless, her battle intent undiminished. Her arms moved in a swift motion, summoning a barrage of icicles that shot toward him with deadly precision.

"You're insufferable!" he yelled in frustration, materializing multiple swords behind him and firing them to counter her projectiles. But a few of the shattered icicles managed to pierce his parachute, causing his descent to speed up again as the ground drew dangerously close forcing him to land first.

"Never mind, I'll deal with her later," muttered the man as he was close enough to the ground now that he could jump without fearing broken bones. In a swift motion, Emiya traced Kanshou and Bakuya, the dual blades ideal for the chaotic battle ahead. With a quick slash, he cut the parachute lines and dropped down, instantly launching into action by landing on the head of a tiger-like beast with dark fire and purple patterns; a Shadowfang.

"▂▂▃▃▅▅ーーー!!!" 

The beast didn't have enough time to react; both blades pierced its skull with ease, slicing through brain matter like it was nothing. Not waiting for the beast's body to collapse on top of him, Emiya leaped away just in time to avoid a monstrous snapping turtle lung from below, its massive jaws snapping shut on the spot where he had just been. The turtle's attack was so powerful that it not only killed the tiger but also took off half its face in a single bite, spraying blood and brain matter across the sand and whipping the other beasts into a frenzy.

"Fu…" Emiya knew he couldn't afford to take these beasts one by one — it would drain his reserves too quickly and increase the risk of injury. Channeling his magical energy, he focused on Kanshou and Bakuya, reinforcing them until they cracked and elongated into massive blades that resembled wings. Without hesitation, he hurled the twin blades into the air, cutting down two massive monsters that were closing in on him from the front.

But there was no time to rest. Behind him, another beast lunged, its oversized claws aimed straight at him. Emiya quickly traced a greatsword, taller and wider than his own body, and thrust it into the sand just in time to block the attack.

"Urgh!" The force of the blow was immense, and even though the sword absorbed most of the impact, it still sent Emiya skidding back several meters across the sandy beach. Turning his gaze upwards, he found himself gazing at a herd of monsters all encircling him leaving no room to run away — not that he could in an island as small as this one.

Several Marg Dons joined, ignored by their natural predators and all focusing on him. "Their behavior is… very unnatural." 

That was all he could say before they all rushed at him in unison, "I am the bone of my sword." Once more he chanted the first verse of his aria, speeding up his Tracing with several blades appearing around him all of them being solely copies of Kanshou and Bakuya before firing them all instantly. 

"▂▂▃▃!?" 

It tore through them with ease, spraying blood all over the pristine sand and tainting the terrain all around. Some monsters with a different approach fired spikes from their tails, resembling a scorpion and even burrowing underground to evade the onslaught with only their tails popping out. 

Several great shields struck the ground before him and took the brunt of the impact, the spikes embedding deep within the layers of metal, that alone being a foot in length itself. "A special class, most likely from a desert region, I don't recognize." 

The corpses continued to pile one after the other till they formed a wall of flesh, most of them bringing the first-class monsters who would just try to swarm him without any tactics or plan. The scorpion must have realized it couldn't confront him head-on as it waited, digging within the ground and tunneling beneath past the corpses till it Emiya's location and burst upwards with its pincers attacking the area he last saw him — only to strike nothing but air.

"—?" 

The scorpion and several Apemen who joined the fray looked at the scene with confusion and used their senses to track him down only for those to lead them to look upwards when their instincts immediately went haywire. 

"—!"

A dull light of pure crimson shone upon the land below with waves of magical energy resembling demonic flames surrounding a single spear emitting enough killing intent to even make them mistake it for a superclass Danger Beast, a few even shaking when they could hear a terrifying grown sound from the weapon itself. 

"Gae," paying no attention to the almost human-like reaction from these monsters. Emiya's arm bulged and he applied much of his strength and energy to the attack. "Bolg!" 

The spear was thrown, hurtling for the scorpion initially who was frozen due to the oppressive feeling coming from the weapon itself, gaining its clarity back a split second after the Noble Phantasm was thrown but it was already too late. 

The single crimson spear split, turning into dozens and hundreds of itself covering enough ground where it targets all of the surrounding special and remaining first-class Danger Beasts.

The carpet bombing fell throughout the island, taking out hundreds of monsters in a matter of seconds but ending up consuming more than Emiya was comfortable with, his breathing already heavy when he landed back on the ground. 

All that remained were the charred remnants of what once were special class and first monsters. A few weren't completely burned, the Shadowfang he'd killed earlier had its body blown far away enough to not be affected. "Syura must have trapped them here, but that doesn't explain their weird behavior. Logically to satiate their hunger most should have attacked one another long before this level of hunger set in… someone is helping him."

Of course, there was someone else, as the son of the Prime Minister he didn't lack the resources and connections with various individuals capable of changing the behavior of these monsters. 

To go this far just to kill him… Emiya was honestly impressed, he was waiting for Syura to just come at him with a team of other Teigu users similar to the Night Raid and ambush him. 

"Hah… hm!?" 

It took him a second to realize that the island was quiet, far too quiet given he wasn't the only one to land here. Upon that realization, he was able to snap his eyes back open just in time to catch a figure rushing right toward him with a strike aimed straight at his face. 

A loud bang echoed across the island when a fist covered in frost and ice struck the flat side of Kanshou with a loud clang! Unable to so much as leave a scratch but still holding enough force to push his entire body off the ground and be sent hurtling to the opposite side of the island. "Hn—argh!" 

He rolled uncontrollably on the surface a few times until he stabbed the sword into the ground to halt himself. He looked at his hand that held Bakuya when blocking the attack, noting the slight tremors. 'To achieve this level of superhuman strength without even using a spell-like Reinforcement… is that also another aspect of the Demon Extract? I half suspect that it's slowly turning her into something inhuman, she's far stronger physically than last time.' It was a theory he came up with in the past few years of research. 

Demon God Manifestation: Demon's Extract, In his opinion easily the most powerful Teigu ever created. Its danger level was further enhanced in the hands of a capable user like Esdeath. It was the only thing he knew in this world that could create matter, ice, out of nothing. Not even require any source of water or even Magical Energy to do it, even possessing abilities similar to Jewelcraft when he recalled the army ice soldiers. 

"Esdeath," He called out her name. Watching her state she was still mostly fine, other than a few pieces of her clothing having been damaged to a certain extent showing off more skin than usual — though most of it was his fault due to their previous fight. "This is not the time for us to try and kill one another, we need to figure out how to leave this—!" her figure blurred and his body tensed, not even being able to finish his sentence he raised his blade to block another attack. 

Her speed was nothing short of superhuman, crossing the gap between them in the blind of an eye. Now holding another ice rapier she viciously thrusted with great speed and aimed for his vitals each time, trying to further overwhelm him with other physical attacks which he countered with frustration. Wielding Kanshou and Bakuya, managed to deflect every single attack of her blade too, breaking it once more only for it to be brought back along with a dozen more. 

No wonder some Servants hated to fight against him, he was starting to feel the same way.

The clashing of steel and ice echoed across the beach, at this point, their exchange looked no different from the duels they used to have in the past with Emiya no longer even bothering to counterattack seriously. He kept his guard up against any new ability she may have developed with her ice, the layer around her arm resembling an armor just added more to the ever-growing list. 

"You can't be serious," Emiya whispered, his voice tinged with frustration. "This is not the time to be fighting! You can try to kill me again once we're back on the mainland, but if you kill me now, good luck finding a way back!"

Despite the danger they both faced of possibly being stranded on a remote island forever, Esdeath's eyes remained as cold as ever, her intent clear. She wasn't going to back down, and Emiya knew that clearly. 

"Why are you not taking me seriously anymore!?" Roared the woman, managing to land a leg sweep kick to the side of his stomach and staggering Emiya back a step. The latter holding onto the leg and throwing her onto the water with a loud grunt. "Is it because you were worried about the people in the Capital? How ridiculous can you get!" 

"I'm more focused on getting out of here than having a life-and-death battle with you, idiot!" 

Seconds turned into minutes, but she still kept going without showing a hint of exhaustion while his moves started to become more defense than offense-focused. Using his legs a couple of times to kick her away or break another one of her rapiers again and again till the ground was filled with a layer of ice shards; most of which melted into the sand. These minutes then turned into hours until the sun started to set, the island once inhabited by hundreds of monsters turned silent with nothing but the sound of the two clashing and grunts. 

Even Emiya felt exhaustion creeping in and his limbs getting heavier. As for Esdeath herself, she also did not possess an endless amount of energy and she started to slow down and become more sluggish and slower. Now no longer even aiming for his head, resorting to using punches, kicks, and grab attacks — though she lacked strength he didn't dare underestimate her. 

Giving her the slightest opening was just asking for death.

"Hngh!" A painful grunt escaped her mouth when he slammed her back against a tree, both gasping for air with any layer of ice on her body having been destroyed by now.

"Just… hah… just how long are you going to keep at this—"

"Shut up!" She shouted back, audibly tired and unable to continue physically, walking towards him and trying to punch his face only for her attack to be no different than a gentle tap against his chin. "You… you… hah… Don't you dare try to run away… from me again, brat." 

"Still… hah… still calling me that, yet you're the one… behaving like one this entire time! Also, not like I can even run away from you now if I wanted to. In case you haven't noticed, we're both stuck here!" 

Relief washed over his face when Esdeath just let her arms fall to the side, no longer holding any desire to continue this battle anymore due to sheer fatigue. The same applied to him, this… was a long day and he needed to recover. 

"…"

She didn't say anything, falling onto her butt while leaning against the tree. Still glaring at him the entire time but now no longer as intensely as before. 

"I'll get some wood to start a fire." 

They destroyed plenty of things during their clash, from small craters littering the island to fallen trees that had been half shredded, frozen, or riddled with holes. Boulders smashed into pebbles and random pieces of Danger Beast limbs scattered all over. 

With a mental command, he dismissed every single blade he traced today, hoping to clear out at least some areas of the island. 

It was a bloody sight, a once beautiful paradise turned into a completely digesting sight with the stench alone making it unbearable to many people. Danger Beast's blood was far more pungent than human remains, and both his and Esdeath's clothes had numerous gashes and were soaked in sweat and blood, though virtually none of the latter was theirs. 

A part of him felt frustrated and wanted to clean this place up, but he shook his head. "Not the time for that." 

Half an hour later, a crude campfire was made with Emiya sitting on one side with a new set of clothes while Esdeath came from behind after having taken a dip into the ocean to clean off the dried blood. Having removed her clothes and put them on a stick near the fire to dry, not showing an ounce of shame or care at how she appeared in front of him. 

'Guess some things don't change. Though she shouldn't be bothered by the cold anyways due to her Teigu, I suppose wearing wet clothes isn't comfortable even for someone like her.' he thought, still keeping his guard up the entire time. 

Neither spoke, sitting across each other looking at the fire with a myriad of thoughts going through their minds. 

…

Finally, Esdeath was the first one to break the silence. 

"Back then, why didn't you kill me when you had the chance." 

"I can ask you the same question, after falling here you haven't used any other one of your trump cards like you did at the Capital."

"…Just answer the question."

Honestly, he asked himself the same question recently. Unsure whether or not the answer would be to her liking he didn't bother hiding it. 

"It's not because of the reasons you're thinking, I just didn't think I needed to kill you back then, that's all." That was the best explanation he could logically come up with, at that moment everything was happening so fast that he just couldn't afford to focus on Esdeath. Pushing everything aside and solely focusing on killing her once and for all didn't cross his mind back then.

"Did you pity me?" 

"Never," he said, Projecting a small wooden cutting board and dagger in front of him. His actions attracted her attention, especially when he picked up a chunk of a Danger Beast's flesh and started to cut it into cubes. "You are the last person in this world I would feel pity towards. Najenda might." 

"…You've become more softhearted." 

"I suppose," he didn't deny it. "I don't find it to necessarily be a bad thing. But that doesn't mean I won't do what's necessary if the situation calls for it. I just don't go around wantonly beheading or torturing my enemies for pleasure." 

"I know." Strangely enough, she replied softly without any anger. "You're very weird and flawed, I've come to terms with that. It's your right to use your own strength however you see fit, after all." 

"Humph, look who's talking. You're a broken woman in your own right with the kind of ideals you have… Or just straight-up evil." 

She scoffed, "I see the way in which I act as being my right to do so as one who also wields supreme strength. If others hate it then they should grow strong enough to surpass me. The powerful make the rules, not the weak — that's how the world works." 

"I believe we've had this conversation before." Not just once, but multiple times. Her ideology was far too extreme, to say the least, created due to the harsh environment she grew up in and because of her upbringing. Emiya blamed many factors but in the end, there wasn't much he could do to change that other than use her own rules against her. 

"…Come back with me." She asked out of nowhere. "We can work together. Rule together. I can handle the horde while you focus on the more capable who are willing to fight back. You may have saved Numa Seika, but there are more Kingdoms and tribes out there. Nothing will stand in our way if we work together, not even if the entire world is allied together against us. As for The Empire, they serve no other purpose but to handle the minor affairs we don't need to worry about. Honest will never deny my words, for he is still a cowardly pig at the end of the day." 

Funnily enough, her words held some weight. Without even his help, Esdeath was a force of nature who still could grow more powerful by the day if she tried to. Her current self stood above the version of her he fought a couple years ago, and he reckoned giving her another year would give similar results. "Serving The Empire doesn't suit me, nor does ruling it. If I had the choice I'd rather live peacefully in a small shack in the middle of nowhere. Even if it wasn't The Empire, I wouldn't even join the Revolutionary Army." 

"Sounds boring." 

A small smile formed on his face, "I know, that's why I like the sound of it." He said while holding a roughly made wooden skewer with the pieces of Danger Beast meat wrapped in some seaweed he found in the water. "We need a plan." 

"Don't bother," she answered plainly. 

"It was Syura, he's bound to show up sooner or later. When he does, just finish him off after he is of no use to us." 

She… she wasn't wrong, that man was arrogant and cunning. "He most likely expected us to fight this horde and one another until exhaustion. Teleporting at the last second to kill us both with his own hands." 

Esdeath hummed in agreement, but then she shook her head. "You're not completely correct. You can't judge his actions as if he had the same mindset as us. His goal isn't to kill us both; he wants to capture and torture you until you die slowly, while also raping me in some sort of confinement. Perhaps he even plans to use Stylish's drugs to break my mind and turn me into one of his sex slaves."

To say that so casually with a smile on her face, as if she found his plan to be cute more than anything else. "You're awfully calm about it, is this why you didn't bother going all out during our fight here?" 

She glared back at him, "I don't like to be used as a pawn, Emiya. I do what I want, it just so happens that Honest's goals and mine align. And besides, if I were to be led to such an end then it simply means I was too weak to fight back."

"…"

Best to change the topic of conversation.

"I hope you're hungry, unfortunately, I'm lacking any of my usual spices to recreate any of the dishes from the book you got me for my birthday." 

Esdeath was visibly surprised upon hearing that. "You still have that thing around?" 

"Of course I do," he answered as if it were the most obvious thing in the world. "You know how many books there are with recipes on how to cook Special Class and Super Class Danger Beasts? None." He sighed with disappointment, people in this world just didn't have the luxury to care about such things. 

"Pft-hahahaha!" A melodious laugh came from her, a sound so foreign that Emiya did a double take. He didn't know how whatever he said was funny in the first place. Then again, crazy people like her weren't worth the effort to try and understand, so he turned his attention back to the food near the fire making sure they wouldn't burn. 

"Going back to our plan. If or when Syura appears, we'll need to set a trap and make sure he doesn't teleport back before we can reach hi— Oi, are you serious?" 

Rather than listen to him and come up with a plan to return, the woman actually yawned and laid down with her head resting on his lap. Closing her eyes and paying him no attention. "Wake me up when the food is done, I'm resting my eyes for a bit." 

"You're putting yourself in a vulnerable position." His eyes twitched. They had just been trying to kill one another barely an hour ago! 

"Stab me in my sleep if you want, not like you ever will, brat. I told you, you've grown too soft. Though I might try to kill you again in the morning if you still are stubborn enough to continue being my enemy."

"You're messing with me aren't you…" 

She continued as if not hearing his words, though this time her voice carried an edge of seriousness. "Also, when we get back, I won't hold back like I did today — whether you're taking me seriously or not. That is a promise," she said as her voice grew soft and she actually fell asleep instantly.

"…"

Speechless. 

He actually never met someone as crazy as her. Even dealing with Emiya Shirou wasn't so confusing. 

So with the fire burning, he decided to ignore her and just swim in his own thoughts. Hopefully next morning she would cooperate, he had a few ideas where she could help out.

'I hope Najenda listened to me when I told her to get out of there and didn't try something like coming back to look for me.'

{Break}

-The Capital-

(A few hours earlier)

"You're going back!?" 

Leone's outraged voice shattered the tense silence of the forest. The group crouched hidden among the trees, watching plumes of dark smoke billow from the Empire's walls they'd just fled.

"You can't be serious, boss!' Leone hissed, golden eyes flashing with anger at her boss. "I know you're not a small fry and all, but going back there alone is basically suicide!" She had a hunch, no, she knew full well why Najenda changed her decision after they realized that someone hadn't come back yet. "I'll come with you as back u—"

"—Are you disobeying orders?" Leone's sentence was silenced by Najenda's stern voice cutting through them harshly. Purple eyes glared back at her with an intensity that made her momentarily freeze up due to fear. "All of you go back now and make preparations just in case Honest has sent more of his soldiers to find us. Send a report to the Revolutionary Army of Esdeath's current location and wait for me to return. This is non-negotiable, understand!" 

Leone understood but she didn't want to accept them, she worried about Emiya just as much as her boss did but knew that going in there alone wasn't the best of ideas. 

"Back me up here, Akame! You too, Tatsumi!" 

"I won't repeat myself twice," unfortunately for her, Najenda didn't give the other girl any time to respond and instantly turned around before disappearing deeper within the forest backtracking on the path they took to come here. 

Along the way, Najenda's heart kept beating like a drum, she saw the blue light construct in the sky making it obvious which Teigu it was. Memories of the past emerged and she clenched her fists with rage, clearly, Syura was there and responsible for why her brother hadn't returned yet! 

And the fact that the entire place hadn't turned into a frozen tundra meant he most likely teleported both Esdeath and Emiya somewhere! "I should still have some time left before the area is swarmed by soldiers and other generals." 

If she was lucky, then Syura must still be nearby, Najenda's only goal was to get her hands on him and force him to tell her either where he had sent him or teleport Emiya back! 

She moved cautiously, using the shadows and debris to conceal herself. She stayed out of sight, making her way deeper into the area until she stumbled upon remnants of Esdeath's ice soldiers and swords that she recognized as Emiya's.

Dozens of them covering the ground. 

But the longer she searched, the more desperate she became after realizing that Syura was nowhere in sight. Her hand clenched into a fist, cursing at the fact she was too slow. 

"Doctor!" 

"—!" 

In an instant, Najenda went to hide at a speed deep within the debris when she heard the sound of approaching footsteps. Carefully observing the scene she found none other than Stylish being carried by a group of soldiers with a sword sticking out of his stomach. The same ones that were littered all over the place, the man still vacantly looking at the stop where Emiya and Esdeath fought with a strange light flashing within his eyes. 

Forcefully, he kept pulling out each and every weapon from around him and even the one that stabbed his stomach with a grimace on his face. "Sir!" 

Startled by his action, the soldiers rushed to help him but were pushed away viciously by Stylish who roared with pure anger, "You stupid fools! Stop worrying about such trivial things and collect these weapons at once!" Despite the fact he was bleeding, his attention did not leave the blades. "This… this is the piece I need to uncover the secrets of mass artificially created Teigus! With this! I am one step closer!" 

Artificial Teigus? Nejenda shook her head, Emiya already explained to her the difference between his creations and real Teigus. Stylish was rushing head first onto a wall completely blind and didn't even realize it. 

He was wasting his time. 

Regardless, she needed to find Syura before more reinforcements came and forced her to retreat. Her biggest concern was Grand General Budo, that wasn't someone she could take on with the certainty of coming out alive, especially if gets up close to her. 

"What!? What's happening!? No! NO!" 

She was startled by Stylish's panicked shouting and immediately understood what was happening. As from within his grasp, the blades started to break down one after the other and turn into motes of light all at the same time. She wondered if that meant her brother was nearby to make them disappear like that or if something happened to him. 

"You can't do this! I had it! I HAD IT IN MY HANDS!" 

Seeing his deranged look in his expression, Najenda immediately guessed that someone like him wouldn't bear to let something like this let go so easily. He would want to get his hands on them once more at any cost. She should remember that the next time they would need to deal with him.

'Maybe all hope is not lost, he needs Emiya to be here if he wants to see more of those.'

Maybe she could use him to lure out Syura. The latter also had a grudge against those two, so the likelihood of him confronting them again was high. 

"I need to think about this carefully." 

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The next 5 chapters of Snafu, and my other Fate fics (Fate Coiling Sword with 3 chapters, A Fake Familiar Reborn with 3 chapters, Steel Eyed Faker soon to be 3 chapters, Hound having 3 and To love a sword having 4 chapters) are already available on my P@treon. With 4 more Broly chapters at /NimtheWriter. Also, I post commissioned arts on each story, already posted a few on an Archer's Promise, Broly and Snafu.