Takahashi Juro's breathing quickened, each inhale more ragged than the last.
The rain pounded down on him, the dark sky mirroring the storm swirling in his head.
He swallowed deeply, trying to hold onto any shred of composure, but shock grabbed at his throat.
There was no way.
Absolutely no way.
"Robin..." Juro's voice trembled, his heart refusing to accept it. "Are you saying…"
"Yes."
"They're dead."
Juro felt his stomach drop, like the ground beneath him had vanished. He didn't want to hear those words.
He couldn't.
If there was anything—anything—he could do to undo them, to rewind time, to erase the moment before this call, he would have done it. He didn't care what it took, as long as he didn't have to hear it.
They're dead.
Robin continued, his voice hoarse and filled with urgency, breaking through Juro's spiraling thoughts.
"The enemy is closing in, and I don't have much time to talk. So I need you to listen. You need to understand how hard we fought…"
A pause, heavy and filled with regret.
"And how badly we lost."
◈◆◈
SEVERAL DAYS AGO
CENTRAL WASHINGTON:
The loud cheers and cries erupted from the Celtic "palace," which was White House, albeit with various changes to it.
Cu Chulainn Alter and Medb stood at the front doors, receiving the praise of the Celtic soldiers below.
Medb waved with a bright smile, basking in the adoration, while Cu stood stiff, cold, and uncaring.
Just a few meters away, the group—now cloaked and blending into the shadows—watched from their concealed position.
Geronimo hopped off the carriage, his eyes sharp as he assessed the situation.
"Go," he whispered.
Robin Hood swiftly pulled his cloak over him and Nero, squatting down as the stealth took effect. Within seconds, the two disappeared from sight, thanks to Robin's Noble Phantasm, No Face May King.
"Here's the plan: Robin will use his stealth Noble Phantasm to get close with Nero. We'll strike hard and fast."
With silent precision, Robin and Nero crept toward the entrance where the Mad King and Medb stood, unaware of the two closing in.
"After they get close enough, Nero will activate her noble phantasm."
"Aestus Domus Aurea!"
Instantly, the world around them began to warp and twist. Bricks rearranged themselves as the floor morphed, transforming into a grand theater of Roman architecture. The walls rose tall and grand, reaching for the heavens, and the stage was set.
Aestus Domus Aurea.
The grand theater that Nero once built in her lifetime, now manifested by magical energy. Her belief in beauty and the performing arts took form, granting her dominion over the battlefield. The very air shimmered as rose petals floated down from the sky, adding to the surreal scene.
This noble phantasm had the ability to grant her absolute dominion over her opponents by making them weaker, allowing her to gain an edge in combat.
Medb looked around, utterly confused by the sudden shift.
Geronimo, Elizabeth, and Billy quickly threw off their cloaks and rushed toward Medb. In just a few heartbeats, the Lancer and Caster closed the distance, their weapons and raised to strike her down.
She let out a quick smirk before…
"Clang!"
Cu Chulainn Alter appeared in front of her, his cursed spear blocking the incoming attacks. He spun the spear in a swift motion, knocking all of them back, his movements impossibly fast. He rested the spear on his shoulder, glaring down at the group.
"I'm here. Don't think I'll let even one blow land."
"Aha! Thanks Cu-chan! For some reason, I couldn't fight."
He pointed at Nero with his spear.
"It's because of that one. This is her noble phantasm. Probably makes you weaker than usual."
A drop of sweat ran down Geronimo's brow as he gauged the situation.
"He's this strong… even with Nero's Noble Phantasm draining his power?"
Billy, standing beside him, nodded grimly. "This guy's a powerhouse…"
Geronimo gritted his teeth before breaking into a determined smile.
"Just as planned. Our target is Medb—the Grail holder. If we can get past the Mad King and take her down, we win."
The battle erupted.
Steel clashed as the theater filled with the sound of combat.
Billy and Robin Hood fired arrows and bullets at Cu Alter, while Nero, Elizabeth, and Geronimo attacked him up close. His spear moved like a blur, parrying every strike and blocking every projectile.
No matter how coordinated their attacks were, Cu Alter was too fast. Every time they thought they had an opening, he was already there, deflecting their blows with ease.
They were trying to get to Medb, but he was simply too fast.
Billy finally saw an opportunity to fire off a shot at the Mad king's head.
He aimed his revolver as he took a deep breath.
The revolver moved slightly.
If it was from fear or attempting to stabilize the iron sight to hit the moving target, Billy did not know.
What he did know however…
Was that he was going to SHOOT.
But just as he squeezed the trigger—
FWOOSH!
A loud, thunderous sound cut through the battlefield. Billy's eyes widened as he found himself on the ground, Robin Hood next to him, both barely dodging what had nearly killed them.
Cu Alter had thrown his spear, obliterating a wall behind them, leaving a trail of destruction in its wake.
Somehow, they had avoided it, though neither could believe it.
Robin stood up, his body tense. "This guy… he's the ultimate combination of skill and power."
Actually, it was not his spear that was thrown, rather a magical projection that had traveled at near lightspeed.
"I don't get it!" Nero shouted, her sword clashing against Cu's spear.
Sparks of steel erupted from the two weapons as the grinded against each other, causing their faces to be illuminated with a bright orange light.
"How could a man like this be so wicked?!"
"Ah! I wished for it!" Medb said cheerfully, as if she were discussing something trivial.
"To make Cu-chan a strong and wicked king to stand beside me!"
Robin Hood's face twisted in disbelief. "You dumbass!" he yelled.
"Don't you realize making a wish like that will destroy the world?!" Geronimo added.
Medb, unbothered by their accusations, just smiled sweetly at Cu. "Nope. I don't care about all that."
Her eyes softened, narrowing as she gazed at Cu Chulainn Alter. "After all, I've only got eyes for one person."
Medb's obsession with Cu Chulainn was clear in her eyes—an infatuation so deep that she was willing to sacrifice everything, even the world itself, for him. This was selfishness taken to its pinnacle.
And because of that selfishness, her fate was sealed.
"Shut up, you're a damn pain," Cu Alter snapped, his voice low and cold.
"Go hide so you don't die."
At his command, a group of Celtic warriors swarmed around Medb, forming a protective barrier. Medb only smirked, her gaze softening at Cu's words.
"Oh no, how cold," she said, her tone teasing. "But I kinda like it."
"Enough with the flirting!" Robin Hood shouted, skidding his hand across the ground. Sparks flickered as an explosion erupted behind Medb. The blast sent pillars crashing down, separating her from Cu Alter.
The dynamite had been planted earlier by Robin, with a thin wire connected to his wrist. When he moved, the explosion triggered within seconds, perfectly cutting Medb off from her protector.
"He's trying to separate us…" Cu Alter muttered, glancing at the rubble.
Before he could act, Nero and Elizabeth lunged at him, their weapons flashing in the light of Nero's theater.
"Your fight is with us!"
Cu Alter smirked, his cursed spear at the ready.
On the other side, Geronimo, Billy, and Robin Hood made their move toward Medb, but the Queen of Connacht reacted swiftly. She bit into her hands, causing blood to gush from her wounds and materialize into more Celtic soldiers.
"She's just popping 'em out!" Billy shouted as he shot one of the newly-formed warriors in the face.
"Robin!" Geronimo yelled, slashing another soldier down.
Robin leaped back, chains in both hands, pulling them sharply to reveal multiple stereos placed strategically around Medb. He grinned.
"This may be a recording, but it'll still work!"
"KILENC SARKANY!!" Elizabeth's recorded voice echoed from the stereos.
It was her Noble Phantasm—preserved and powerful.
The Celtic soldiers surrounding Medb screamed as they dissolved into black mist, unable to withstand the force. Medb clutched her ears, blood trickling through her fingers as she writhed in agony.
Suddenly, a white, glowing ball appeared in the center of the battlefield. The group stared at it, confused and on edge.
…
"Pashupata."
…And the ball exploded in a brilliant flash of white light.
The arena was consumed by the beam, sending shockwaves through the area and tearing apart structures.
When the light faded, Geronimo groaned, trapped under debris. He struggled to lift it off him and looked around in a daze.
"...You guys okay?" he called out.
Robin dusted himself off, helping Billy to his feet.
"More or less…"
Then, a calm voice cut through the settling dust.
"Are you alright, my queen?"
The voice belonged to a tall, brown-skinned man with short brown hair. His calm, mature face exuded an aura of serenity, yet a sense of danger hung in the air.
A sense of danger that gnawed at Geronimo's head.
The man extended his hand toward Medb, helping her up as she recovered from the explosion.
He wore a white collared jacket, but what stood out was the massive bow he held in his hand. The bowstring burned with an ethereal blue flame.
Geronimo froze. "Another Servant…?"
Medb placed her hand on her chest, sighing in relief. "I'm so glad I had you on standby, just in case. Thanks, Arjuna."
The name hit Geronimo like a punch.
His eyes widened in pure shock.
"Ar... Arjuna?! Did she say Arjuna!?"
Billy winced as he got to his knees. "Who the hell is that?"
"Arjuna… one of the central characters of the Mahabharata, the same story as Karna! He's the one who defeated Karna at the end!" Geronimo explained, panic rising in his voice.
"To be frank..."
He took a deep breath, his face grim.
"After Cu Chulainn, he's the strongest here!!"
Elizabeth twirled her lance confidently.
"If he's the second strongest, then that means he's weak! We've got a chance as long as we don't let our eyes wander!"
Her optimism shone brightly in the dire situation, but that light was immediately snuffed out by a sudden, bone-chilling voice.
"Not just your eyes…"
Cu Chulainn Alter appeared, his back facing her.
There was no sound, no indicator whatsoever, he was just… There.
One instant he was not there, and the next he was.
In the blink of an eye, Elizabeth's right arm, from the shoulder down, was severed completely. Blood sprayed into the air as the limb was sliced clean off.
The shock hit her before the pain, and she flew backward, slamming into a wall.
"...But your thoughts as well.."
The sheer speed of his attack had registered moments too late.
The group barely had time to process what had just happened.
Robin Hood took a breath—a single breath.
And in that fraction of a second, his left arm exploded.
Blood and fat splattered across the ground, leaving loose bone and dangling muscle in its wake. Robin's face twisted in agony as he turned toward the source.
Arjuna stood calmly, bow in hand. He had fired a single arrow, too fast for anyone to see.
"You'd best keep your eyes on me as well," Arjuna said, his voice eerily calm. "Do not bother to dodge. You'll just suffer needlessly."
Before another arrow could be loosed at Robin Hood, Geronimo lunged forward, grabbing the wounded archer and sprinting across the floor, his breaths heavy and labored.
He finally set Robin down and unsheathed a dagger, squatting beside him.
Robin winced, his face twisted in pain. "Damn it, I screwed up."
Geronimo placed a hand on his shoulder. "Don't worry about it. Our chance has come." He handed Robin a small communication device.
Robin's eyes widened, a look of realization mixed with dread on his face.
He understood what Geronimo was planning, but he desperately wished it wasn't true.
"Take Elizabeth and get out of here," Geronimo said, standing up and turning to face the enemy. "Find Juro and the others. Tell them what happened here."
"Geronimo! You're our leader, you can't—!"
Geronimo turned back, offering a reassuring smile. "I can't let this go. Not as someone who's lived and fought for this land."
The man lived by this code, and he would die by it. To him, the land was as important to him as anyone else. For Geronimo, he would not allow this beautiful land to be usurped by such a destructive ruler.
Robin Hood understood.
But because of that understanding, he did not want to 'understand'.
"Kh!"
"Go, archer!" Nero shouted, raising her sword. "Here and now, I must face the man who hurt my friends!" She turned to Robin with a determined look. "So I'm leaving Elizabeth to you. Return to this land singing the song of victory!"
Robin exhaled sharply, pulling his cloak around Elizabeth, whose injured form was curled on the ground.
"..That's a tall order, Your Majesty… but I'll take it."
With a slight hesitation, he activated his cloak, and in a blink, both he and Elizabeth vanished.
Medb groaned. "Aw, come on, Arjuna. They're getting away. Shoot them down."
"Understood," Arjuna replied, his bow drawn as he unleashed a flurry of arrows in the direction of Robin and Elizabeth.
But each one was intercepted by a bullet, splintering in the air.
Arjuna's gaze shifted to Billy, who spun his revolver and blew away the smoke, grinning. "Not on my watch, pardner."
Geronimo took a step forward, glancing at his remaining allies.
They understood that here and now, they would die.
Death was the only option in this sitatuion, but they would accept it. For the fight was their prize. They would give it all, to fight against this tyrant, to allow the others to utilize the distraction they would create.
"Sorry, Billy, Nero… looks like we really did draw the short end of the stick."
"Umu! I do not mind!" Nero declared, fire in her eyes. "Battles like this belong to the stars!"
Billy spun his revolver and nodded. "It's an honor, Geronimo."
Truly, these were heroes.
Medb rolled her eyes, sighing. "All this talk of last stands… I don't see the point. Why bother fighting if it's just gonna end in death? Why not just give up? Die, like you're supposed to. There's no point in fighting."
She smiled.
"After, all, I know all about the stupid little resistance you guys supposedly lead."
"...What?"
Medb's voice rang out with cruel satisfaction.
"It's true, isn't it? You formed it because you don't agree with Edison. A stupid decision. If you'd just worked with him, you'd still be alive."
Medb's smirk widened as she placed a fist in her palm, her gaze piercing.
"Ah, I got it! A sacrifice! You're the type of heroes who can't stand seeing innocents sacrificed, right?"
Her smile turned wicked. "Here's a little something for you to consider,"
She began laughing maniacally.
"...In the east, there's a bunch of people you're hiding!!"
"You bitch!" Nero yelled.
"Hey! No need to scream! I already sent Fionn after them. By now, he's probably located their camp."
Billy was moments away from yelling at her as well, but Geronimo placed a calming hand on his shoulder, giving him a knowing nod.
"So," Geronimo said calmly, his voice cutting through Medb's mockery, "you're saying that everything we've done is pointless, that we're foolish for resisting?" He met her gaze with unshaken resolve.
"You're truly a wicked woman, Queen of the Celts."
Medb's grin only widened. "Yes. Now you finally see—"
"But you misunderstand," Geronimo interrupted, two knives appearing in his hands. "You think keeping you busy is pointless? What a mistake."
He crouched low, spinning the knives between his fingers with practiced ease.
"The few hours we're buying here…"
He straightened into a fighting stance.
"...are our ultimate move. This decision will decide the fate of this land!"
Cu Chulainn Alter's expression darkened, realization dawning in his eyes. "What are you bastards planning—?"
His eyes widened.
Chaldea.
Before he could further dwell on the revelation, Nero charged him with her sword, locking his spear with her blade and sinking him slightly into the floor.
"Remember this!" she shouted, her voice strong. "The names of those we fight for now, and those who'll come after us!"
He pushed the spear back, causing her to flip backwards.
Medb rolled her eyes with exaggerated boredom. "Another last-stand speech? You people are all the same. I've trampled over fools like you for ages—back then and now." She waved her hand dismissively.
"So please, just stay quiet and die already?"
Geronimo's smirk returned as he faced her. "Funny. I've always been fighting people like you in this land as well."
He placed his hand on the ground, the earth beneath him glowing with a vibrant green light. "Oh, spirit who rules over this land. In the true name of ▇▇, lend me your strength!"
"TSAGI DEGI NALEYA!!"
The ground cracked, and from a swirling circle of light, an enormous orange wolf burst forth, howling. The wolf's fiery aura blazed, its light burning Celtic soldiers that tried to approach. The flames filled the theater with a fierce orange glow, creating a wave of heat so intense that Arjuna had to shield himself with a barrier of light.
Billy took advantage of the chaos and fired at Arjuna, but Arjuna tilted his head, narrowly avoiding a direct hit.
"Damn it! He dodged it!"
Arjuna looked at him, unfazed. "Your agility is impressive, but it won't be enough."
Billy smirked, refusing to back down. "Whatever. I ain't givin' in."
…
"Thank you for your help, Billy the Kid, was it? My allies would have been killed without you," Geronimo had said, gratitude clear in his tone.
Billy had shrugged. "Just passing through. Just got summoned, y'know?" He'd looked around at the group Geronimo had gathered. "Quite the resistance you've got here."
"Many of them came together on their own, refusing to follow Edison," Geronimo explained.
"To save America," Billy mused, his voice tinged with hesitation. "Mr. Geronimo… are you really okay fighting for this place, considering what happened in your life?"
A small, knowing smile crossed Geronimo's face. "You're a kind man, Billy."
Billy had blinked, caught off guard. "Huh…?"
"That guilt is misplaced," Geronimo continued. "Whatever history has done, in this moment, we-."
Billy's eyes snapped open as the memory faded. He watched Arjuna's movements carefully, his hand hovering over his revolver as his fingers flexed with anticipation.
"We can fight together."
"THUNDERER!"
Billy moved with blinding speed, fanning three powerful shots that struck with precision. One bullet managed to tear across Arjuna's finger, splitting it in half, though he paid it no mind.
Even though Arjuna had strung his bow first, Billy had still hit his mark.
It was the ultimate western standoff.
Billy spun his revolver, his expression fierce. "You legends might be more famous than us, but that won't stop us from putting holes in every last one of you."
He pointed his revolver at Arjuna, daring him.
"You ready, Geronimo?"
Geronimo grinned, his focus unwavering. "Of course. Let's go, friend."
Arjuna scowled, ignoring the pain in his hand as he prepared to draw another arrow.
◈◆◈
Nero let out a powerful downward slash, her blade striking Cu Chulainn Alter's spear with a crack that sent debris scattering across the battlefield.
The ground trembled beneath his feet, fissures spreading outward as each of her blows pushed him back.
Cu Alter sneered, his expression hardening. "Fionn's report said you weren't much to worry about…"
He swung his cursed spear in a broad arc, but Nero was already parrying, her blade flashing as she blocked the strike and launched a swift riposte.
"As the Emperor of Rome, it is my duty to protect this nation!" she proclaimed, her voice resounding with fierce resolve.
Cu Alter held his ground, his stance unshaken. "So?" he scoffed, irritation coloring his words. "I don't give two fucks about your royal pride."
It was clear that he did not care about these sorts of things. The concept of royal pride, pride in general, was a foreign concept to him.
To him, it was simply fight, kill, win. No inbetween, no boasting. Simply get the job over and that was it. Unlike the others, he saw battle as work, a chore to get over with. The others saw battle as fun, enjoyable, but to him, he did not revel in it. He simply came to kill.
This warrior did not fight for enjoyment.
As Nero continued to swing her sword, a single question came to the front of her mind.
'Here in this land, what do you wield your sword for?'
This question had haunted Nero Claudius since the moment she was summoned. No Master awaited her call—only the wild, vast wilderness, strange and uncharted, stretching endlessly before her.
Alone, she grappled with that question, searching for her purpose here.
What do I fight for in this foreign place?
Days passed as she wandered aimlessly until she encountered familiar faces: heroic spirits who claimed to know her from Holy Grail Wars, from the past or perhaps from the future.
She watched the war unfold from a distance, aligning herself against the Celts, yet she still could not find her reason to 'fight'.
She simply 'fought'.
However.
View: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=cC1veCoNz-Q
That questioning would soon come to a halt after she met a young boy.
Takahashi Juro, he called himself—a boy who insisted that he knew her, that they had fought side by side once before in defense of Rome.
His words stirred something within her.
She did not remember it, nor could she recall it. But alas, that story felt true to her. All the words that had left his mouth had come from a place of pure truth.
A 'truth' that she could realize.
With that simple gesture, he had granted her the resolve she'd been searching for.
"An eternal empire continues to exist," she had proclaimed, her voice strong and steady as she looked upon the battlefield with renewed conviction.
"Even if the emperor changes, even if the nation changes, even if the name changes!"
Humanity's existence was like a great tree, its roots buried deep in the soil of history, while its branches stretched out toward the future.
It was this tree, ever-growing, that she swore to protect.
Takahashi Juro…
"You, Chaldea, and all you represent, are the very humanity that I must protect!"
"Even if the emperor changes. Even if the Nation changes. Even if the name changes!"
"The hell are you babbling on about?"
"My reason."
"Even if my nation is gone. The culture it fostered remains as a core foundation of this world."
She raised her sword high, flames flickering along its edge. "And that culture reached this land, this country!" She took a step forward, the ground beneath her igniting with flames.
"Which is why this land—this very soil—is Rome!"
She swung her sword in a wide arc, flames erupting across the battlefield.
Rome was more than a place; it was an enduring spirit, a legacy of beauty and art that would live on in every corner of the world.
"Rome is everywhere, and everywhere is Rome!" Nero declared, her eyes alight with fervor.
She clenched her fist, flames spiraling around her hand. "Mad King, Beast King of Warriors, taste the strength of a true Emperor!"
Cu Alter's expression shifted to wariness as Nero raised her sword, her final attack ready.
"O heaven, let ye construct and show thy supreme light!" Nero called, flames encircling her in a halo of fire.
Medb's face twisted with alarm as she watched Nero's power grow. "Not another Noble Phantasm!" she shouted. "She's going to burn up all her mana. How's she supposed to survive this?"
"Too bad for you—she's got this!" Geronimo shouted back, his voice filled with unshaken faith.
Nero charged forward, her fiery blade illuminating the battlefield like a torch. Her spirit was unbreakable, her strength untamed.
"Behold my talent! Listen to my thunderous applause and praise my golden theater!"
She thrust her sword toward Cu Alter with all her might.
"LAUS SAINT CLAUDIUS!"
Flames exploded from her blade, engulfing Cu Alter in a blinding light as her Noble Phantasm surged forth, its power unmatched, its brilliance consuming the battlefield in a spectacle befitting an Emperor.
◈◆◈
A drop of blood.
A crimson drop of blood on the brown ground.
He looked at his hand.
It was split down the middle.
His vision was hazy.
Touching his chest, he looked at his hand once again.
Blood.
…
Footsteps.
"Good morning, Mr. Resistance Leader."
Medb.
Geronimo's eyes struggled to focus as he looked up at her.
"Why don't you thank me?" she taunted, her tone bright. "I let you live since you're their leader."
"..."
A single thought popped up in Geronimo's head. Perhaps the others were-
Whatever resolve he had clung to shattered as his gaze fell on the figure slumped beside him—a headless corpse, its body still and lifeless on the blood-streaked ground.
Ah, that's right.
Billy had tried to dodge one of Arjuna's arrows, but it had struck him, detonating on impact, hollowing out his chest from within.
The right side of the corpse was carved out, with the ribcage jutting out grotesquely. It's head had been blown apart, leaving only a mangled, unrecognizable mess where a face had been. Fading, golden sparks drifted from the body, the last remnants of Billy's spirit dematerializing.
"Billy…" Geronimo choked out, his voice weak, hollow.
Medb's smile never wavered. "Oh, don't forget about the other one."
With a cruel flick of her wrist, she tossed something toward him—a severed head, face frozen in a silent scream.
Her eyes stared ahead, wide with shock, as if even in death, she was bewildered.
Ah, thats right.
Nero had given everything, pouring every last shred of mana into her Noble Phantasm, yet Cu Alter had dodged, her attack futile. Depleted of power, she had been decapitated in a single, merciless blow.
"...How pathetic."
"..Nero!" Geronimo's voice cracked.
Cu Alter squatted down in front of him, his expression unreadable. "She put up a good fight," he muttered, "but… I think you can see how it ended."
Good fight?
A good fight?!
"She sacrificed her life, and there's not a scratch on you!"
Medb shrugged as she sat down on a nearby piece of debris, crossing her legs and resting her head in her hands, a mocking smirk on her face.
"I warned you to give up on this 'final stand' nonsense, but you didn't listen," she said. "This is what happens when you refuse to listen."
She tilted her head, relishing the broken look in Geronimo's eyes.
"Oh, don't worry, Arjuna's gone after the others who ran," she added. "So, I'll be generous—I'll let you have some last words. Not that they'll make a difference," she sneered.
She wanted to see his reaction. His reaction to losing after proclaiming such bold words. She wanted to see the pathetic face he would make as he realized it was all for nothing.
He knew that was exactly what she wanted.
Yet…
…Was it really all for nothing?
"To teach you a lesson, I'll murder every single person you know. And don't look at me like that—it's all your fault."
Cu Alter raised his spear, his hand steady and unfeeling as he prepared for the final strike.
"Well then," he muttered, his voice cold as steel, "goodbye."
"Geronimo, How is Juro?"
The spear stopped inches from his face as Medb snapped her fingers. "Stop, Cu-chan."
Cu glanced back at her, eyebrow raised.
"I don't want to see him die with that smile on his face," she hissed, her voice laced with disgust.
"It's revolting."
"What's so funny?"
_________________________________
"Thank you. I heard that you taught that kid a lot. He really needs it. I'm sure he'll carry those lessons with him, even after this singularity gets resolved."
"He's a good king, Romani. That's precisely why I'm a bit worried about him."
"Haha, so you too, glad I'm not the only one."
"I don't think it's for the same reason."
"?"
"If the assassination fails, the war will intensify. He'll see even more deaths, and fight against a terrifyingly powerful opponent. He's still an ordinary boy at the end of the day."
"That's true. He does carry a heavy burden. But despite relying on his allies all the time, he's still managed to cross 4 singularities along with another master."
"While he's a little more on the self-sacrificing side, the two of them have accomplished alot."
"..."
"Geronimo, here's what I think."
"Human beings are tougher than you think."
________________________________________
"Thats right…"
"Even without heroic spirits, People…"
A truth he had always known washed over him.
There was no need for those of the past, for Heroic spirits like him. Humanity would always find a way to prevail. They would grow and prosper on their own, bound by that unbreakable human spirit to move forward together.
Even if the blood he had shed here was wasted, he realized, this was not his end. Nor was it the end for those he had fought for.
Humanity would continue, unshaken and unrelenting.
"Queen Medb, for my last words, I have a prophecy for you."
The Apache, Geronimo, smiled.
"You may die happy…"
"But you will die soon."
◈◆◈
The silence was broken only by the soft, muffled crunch of footsteps against the damp earth. Juro walked numbly, his gaze distant, unfocused.
The promises made to him by those who'd fallen rang hollow in his mind now, cruel reminders meant to comfort him, yet doing the opposite.
He hadn't blamed them.
They fought for his sake, to save him from pain.
But still.
It hurt. It hurt more than anything he'd felt before.
His face was pale and expressionless, his eyes dead as he tried to process everything.
Just ahead, Emiya spoke up.
"The comms are down. What's next, Master?"
Juro stood silent for a moment. Finally, he spoke, his voice steady, hardened.
"We're going to end this war. For real, this time."
Emiya raised an eyebrow. "You're saying you want to surrender to Edison?"
"No." Juro stopped in his tracks, his voice ringing through the rain.
"I will end this war." He repeated.
"Geronimo, Nero, Billy, Robin, Elizabeth… I won't let them die for nothing."
Emiya's eyes narrowed. "But can you kill someone you once called a friend?"
He was referring to Cu Chulainn.
Juro's shoulders sagged.
He stepped into a patch of grass. His hair clung to his scalp, water dripping down his face.
The soil, damp and cold, pressed under his fingers as he crouched down and touched the wet grass.
Was he stupid? He had faced unspeakable horrors within the past few singularities, and he was scared?
Scared?
Juro gritted his teeth.
What a sick excuse to run away.
He would not run away. There was no way 'his' Cu Chulainn would do these things.
And it was because he knew 'his' Cu Chulainn would not do these things, he lost that fear at that exact moment.
"I won't run away. I'm not gonna let something as stupid as fear stop me.."
He stood up.
"I will defeat Cu Chulainn."
"This land… it's no longer in the hands of human beings."
The wish Geronimo had held, the one he'd fought for, would be fulfilled.
This he promised.
"This land, this fight…" Juro raised his right hand into the air, the red of his command seals glowing against his skin.
The sun began to show itself.
"…will return to human hands."
"Declaring you'll defeat Cu Chulainn is a bold proclamation," a woman's voice spoke from the shadows.
Juro spun around, his eyes narrowing.
"But I like that look in your eyes," she continued, stepping forward with a confident smile.
"I'll lend you a hand, Takahashi Juro."
The woman's long, flowing purple hair caught the dim light, and she wore a skin-tight purple bodysuit, its design not so different from that of the Hound of Ulster himself.
"Lancer. True Name: Scáthach," she introduced herself, her gaze sharp and piercing. "I was the woman who taught Cu Chulainn."