( 3rd POV )
Alkali Lake, British Columbia, Canada
"Senpai... Senpai..."
The soft, insistent voice of a young woman echoed faintly through the confined quarters of the Shadow Border, punctuated by the gentle shaking of the sleeping figure beside her.
"Senpai, wake up. It's time."
A low groan escaped from the man as he stirred, his dark hair tousled and sticking up at odd angles. Ken slowly opened his eyes, their sharpness dulled by the remnants of exhaustion. He blinked against the muted light of the cramped room, his voice raspy as he muttered, "Ngghh... I'm awake, Mash."
Ken sat up, stretching his arms as though trying to shake off the weight of fatigue. "Did we arrive already?" he asked, his tone a mix of weariness and curiosity.
"Yes, Ken-senpai," Mash replied softly, "We've reached the mission site. Everyone's already waiting for us in the main cockpit."
Ken let out a grumble, rubbing the back of his neck as he swung his legs off the bed. "Figures," he muttered. "Just when I thought I could sneak in a bit more sleep. Who knew we'd get here so quickly?" His voice was laced with mock complaint, though there was an undertone of resignation.
Ken swung his legs off the bed, reaching for his Chaldea Mystic Code, the familiar black tactical gear he used to wear in every Singularity.
A quick glance in the small mirror above his sink confirmed he looked presentable enough—at least by Shadow Border standards. With a stretch and a yawn, he exited his room, turned to Mash, who stood patiently by the door, her massive shield strapped securely to her back.
"Yosh, it's all good. Let's not keep them waiting for long, Mash."
"Yes, Senpai."
Both of them walked together as the dim, utilitarian lighting of the corridor guiding their way.
The Shadow Border hummed softly, its engine's vibrations a constant companion to its crew. Outside, the pale light of dawn crept over the horizon, casting long shadows over the dense woods that surrounded Lake Alkali.
The Shadow Border, parked strategically on a hill, was a dark, angular construct that seemed almost organic in design, its exterior gleaming faintly under the dawn's touch. Below it, the serene surface of the lake stretched out, reflecting the sky's pastel hues, while a light mist clung to the water's edge.
The cockpit was abuzz with activity. Da Vinci sat at the central console, her fingers dancing over the holographic interface as SHEBA's systems whirred around her. Mordred leaned against the wall, her arms crossed and her trademark scowl firmly in place. Ushiwakamaru stood nearby, her posture as graceful as ever, while ignoring a certain lion cub beside her.
Kadoc Zemplupus sat in a corner, his head resting on his hand, while his newly summoned servant stood by his side, her icy demeanor matching her master's quiet irritation.
As Ken and Mash entered, Mordred immediately spoke up. "About time you showed up, Master. We've been waiting forever." Her tone was teasing but edged with impatience.
Before Ken could respond, Kadoc leaned back in his chair with an exaggerated sigh. "The sleeping princess finally awakens," he remarked, a smirk tugging at his lips. "I was this close to asking Caster to shove an ice cube in your face."
Ken rubbed the back of his neck, suppressing a yawn as he met their jabs with a deadpan expression. "Good morning to you too, Mo-chan, Kadoc," he replied, his voice tinged with dry humor. "Glad to see everyone's in such high spirits. Now, can we get to the part where you tell me what's going on?"
Da Vinci, standing by the central console, turned toward him with her usual air of mischief. Her vibrant personality seemed to brighten even the somber setting. "Ah, our dear last Master has arrived!" she exclaimed with a flourish. "Perfect timing, as always. Let's skip the pleasantries and dive into the fun stuff, shall we?"
With a theatrical gesture, Da Vinci activated the holographic display. The room dimmed slightly as a detailed 3D model of the Alkali Lake Base appeared above the console, its intricate layout projected in sharp detail. Multiple layers of the facility unfolded in real-time, revealing underground chambers, fortified defenses, and glowing red pings marking enemy positions.
"Behold!" Da Vinci declared with a playful smirk. "The Facility's latest pet project—a charming little hideaway nestled in the mountains. This, my friends, is where they're cooking up their newest Weapon X experiments. Lovely, isn't it?"
Ken stepped closer to the projection, his eyes narrowing as he studied the sprawling complex. The base was a labyrinthine fortress built into the rocky terrain near Alkali Lake, "Looks heavily fortified," he remarked.
Kadoc leaned forward, his expression skeptical. "Alright, Da Vinci. What's the objective here?"
Da Vinci's playful tone shifted to one of gravity as she pointed to a specific area within the facility—a heavily secured containment unit deep underground.
"Twofold," she began. "First, we're rescuing a very special individual: codename X-23. She's a genetic clone of Wolverine, and according to SHEBA's data, she's been subjected to some… less-than-pleasant experiments. If we can bring her into the fold, she'll be a valuable ally."
Mash's eyes widened slightly, her voice quiet yet concerned. "A clone? That sounds… complicated." Her thoughts flickered to her own existence as a Demi-Servant. The idea of being created for a purpose beyond her control resonated deeply.
Ken, as an "insider" of this world, was very shocked by the existence of X-23. Yes, he had written down every name he knew about Marvel superheroes as much as he could remember in the file. Yet, despite his extensive knowledge, he never truly believed that X-23 would exist in this supposedly MCU universe.
The realization hit him like a tidal wave. This world was not the original MCU universe he was familiar with. The appearance of the X-men and the significant deviations from the known timeline sent his mind into overdrive.
He began to contemplate the myriad of worst-case scenarios that could arise from this divergence, his thoughts spiraling into a chaotic frenzy. In his state of shock and confusion, he found himself unable to focus on the briefing being delivered
Da Vinci continued, her tone brisk and efficient. "Second objective: retrieve every scrap of data and research on the Type-X Metas. Physical, digital, I don't care. Chaldea needs this intel to trace their origins and to understand the Metas more better. Once we've secured everything and everyone, we'll wipe this place off the map. Sound good?"
Mordred grinned, slamming a fist into her palm. "Hell yeah. Sounds like my kind of mission."
"Tch, you wake me up only to use me as a coolie." Kadoc muttered, his voice laced with complain. "Nothing's ever easy, huh? So, what's the catch?"
Da Vinci's grin widened, "Oh, you know me too well, Kadoc. The Facility's been working on something… unique. Let's just say you'll get a firsthand look at their creativity once you're inside."
Da Vinci gestured to the hologram, highlighting various points on the map. "We'll split into two teams. Ken, you'll lead the main group with Mash, Mordred, and Ushiwakamaru. Your job is to create a diversion—keep their eyes off the core of the base. Kadoc, you'll take Anastasia and Hassan will handle the infiltration, accessing the main control room to disable their security systems and take the intel we need. I'll stay here and manage communications with SHEBA, ensuring their alerts don't reach outside parties."
Ushiwakamaru nodded, her expression thoughtful. "And the defenses? Anything we should be wary of?"
"Plenty," Da Vinci replied. "But nothing a Servant can't handle. Just remember: speed is key. Get in, do the job, and get out before they realize what hit them."
Mordred smirked, urging them to start the mission immediately. "Enough with the talking, let's see what they've got."
Mash glanced at Kadoc, who looked less than enthusiastic. "Um... Kadoc, are you good with this?"
Kadoc's sharp blue eyes glanced at her, his expression unreadable. He shrugged lazily, though his tone betrayed a hint of sarcasm. "Not like I have a choice, do I? Anastasia and I will handle it. Just make sure you don't screw up your part, Kyrielight."
At his side, a pale woman in an elegant aristocratic dress gave a soft hum of agreement, her gloved fingers delicately cradling a porcelain doll. Her presence radiated an icy elegance that seemed to chill the very air around her.
"With only Viy and me," the woman spoke, her voice smooth and lilting, "this mission will be over before you know it."
Anastasia Nikolaevna Romanova—the Grand Duchess of Ice and a Servant drawn from the Russian Lostbelt—had been summoned just the day before in Chaldea's summoning chambers. Yet, something about her was... off. While her identity as the fourth daughter of Tsar Nikolai II remained intact, the memories of her Lostbelt origin seemed absent.
When Ken had cautiously asked her about her story, she simply tilted her head and replied, "I remember only my family, my name, and my end. The rest is a blur, lost to the frost."
It felt as though the Lostbelt memory had never existed at all. Ken found himself bewildered by the entire situation. However, given that he had never experienced that part of the story himself either in his previous reality or in the game, he merely shrugged it off, choosing not to dwell on it.
As Kadoc and Anastasia turned to leave, heading toward the Shadow Border's exit, the pair exuded an air of aloof confidence. Anastasia's parting words hung in the air like a taunt, setting off a spark of irritation among the remaining Servants.
Mordred was the first to react, her eyes narrowing dangerously as she crossed her arms. "Hmph. I'd love to see where that popsicle princess gets her confidence from," she snarled, her voice dripping with disdain.
"For once, I'd agree with you," Ushiwakamaru chimed in, her tone icy as her hand drifted to the hilt of her katana. The sharp edge of her focus made it clear she was ready to cut down any perceived slight.
But before their tension could escalate, a shadow shifted in the corner of the room. A faint whisper, soft as a ghost's breath, broke the moment.
"Ken-sama..."
The voice sent a shiver down Ken's spine. Turning, he saw Hassan of the Hundred Faces emerge from the shadows, her presence a stark contrast to the others.
Her Presence Concealment ability was so potent that even the other Servants seemed startled by her sudden appearance.
Ken opened his mouth to respond, but Da Vinci's cheerful voice cut through the growing tension. "Hey, Master!" she called out, her tone laced with concern. "You've been quiet for a while. What's on your mind?"
Snapped out of his thoughts, Ken blinked and straightened up, rubbing the back of his neck as he scrambled for an answer. "Ah, sorry about that," he muttered. "I was just… thinking."
Da Vinci arched a brow. "Thinking? Or overthinking?"
Ken hesitated, his mind racing with half-formed excuses. Finally, he sighed, deciding to share a fragment of the storm of thoughts swirling in his head. "I'm just wondering why X-23 is our priority target. I mean… out of all the names I gave you, why her? We've got names like Bruce Banner, Wanda and Pietro Maximoff, even scientists like Helen Cho. Any of them would be more directly useful to Chaldea's current situation."
His voice trailed off as he stared at the holographic display still showing the Alkali Lake Base.
"Well, Master Ken, let me break it down for you," she began, her tone light but laced with the authority of someone who had analyzed every angle. "First, let's talk about Dr. Bruce Banner. Or should I say The Hulk?" She gestured dramatically toward the display.
"Banner is a walking nuclear weapon. His threat level? Completely off the charts. We don't have the firepower or the precautions to handle him if things go south. That's why Director Olga, Sion, Romani, Waver, and I—basically everyone in charge—agreed to avoid him for now. There's just too much risk."
Ken frowned but nodded slightly. Understandable, I guess. The Hulk isn't exactly someone you just walk up to for a chat. Even with my Mystic Eyes, I'd still rather to not face him, especially if this is not MCU Hulk.
"Next, the Maximoff twins," Da Vinci continued, tapping the console to highlight a different region on the holographic map. "Their location is far from our current position. Even with SHEBA's assistance, we wouldn't know their situation until we arrived and conducted an investigation. It's a logistical nightmare right now, but don't worry—we'll get to them eventually. This 'road trip' of ours is just getting started."
She paused, letting her words sink in before moving on. "Now, as for the scientists like Helen Cho and Maya Hansen? That's Kirschtaria and Ophelia's territory. They've been tasked with handling those recruitments. But—and this is a big 'but'—we're not bringing them directly into Chaldea. Instead, they'll be screened thoroughly and assigned to our new external research company, overseen by Mr. Wodime himself. The last thing we need is an enemy infiltrating our HQ through a compromised recruit."
"And lastly," Da Vinci said, her voice softening slightly, "why we're hitting this base first and focusing on X-23? Simple. It's the closest and easiest target on our to-do list. Strategic and efficient. Plus, rescuing someone like X-23—someone who's been used and abused by an organization like this—aligns with Chaldea's values. We're here to protect humanity, even the parts of it that the world has cast aside."
The weight of her words hung in the air, silencing any further objections. Ken let out a heavy sigh, rubbing the back of his neck as he processed everything. "Well, that's a pretty comprehensive answer," he muttered, his tone tinged with reluctant acceptance.
He turned toward his team, who had been quietly observing the exchange. "Alright, folks, let's gear up. We don't want Kadoc and Anastasia mocking us for being late."
Mash perked up immediately "Umu, right behind you, Senpai."
Mordred, ever the firebrand, cracked her knuckles with a feral grin. "Finally! Let's go! I've been itching for a fight!"
Ushiwakamaru, calm but no less eager, cast a sidelong glance at Mordred. "Barbarous as always," she muttered, her hand resting lightly on the hilt of her katana.
Hassan of the Hundred Faces remained silent, her shadowy presence barely noticeable as she trailed behind the group, her expression unreadable beneath her mask.
Ken chuckled softly, shaking his head as he led the way toward the exit. "And remember—we're here to rescue people, not raze the place to the ground. Try to keep the chaos to a minimum… if you can." He glanced at a certain overhyped servant who was already striding away with crimson lightning crackling around her.
With that being said, he led his team to the exit with high spirits, feeling like they were ready to sow some chaos rather than quell it. They looked like a group of gangsters rather than a group of heroic spirits.
The way they walked out even made Da Vinci, who stayed alone in the main cockpit, chuckle with amusement.
"Fufufu, what a lively bunch they are."
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A/N: Please donate your power stones and leave more reviews for my story, I appreciate it and thank you for your support!