[3rd person POV:???]
The room was dimly lit, the scent of old parchment and burning incense filled the air, mixing with something more bitter, the acrid bite of tobacco smoke curling from the cigarette between his fingers. He exhaled slowly, watching the tendrils of smoke dissipate into the darkness.
A Grail War.
It wasn't the first time he had heard of such a thing. Normally, he would've waved it off. He had no interest in a battle between magi clawing at each other's throats for a wish, especially one orchestrated by backstabbing puppeteers who thought too highly of themselves. The Grail was nothing but a lure, and those who chased after it were fools.
And yet… This time was different.
He had heard the whispers. Tohsaka Rin. One of the magi who had survived the last Fuyuki War. A promising young magus, who would have one day come to deepen her knowledge in the Clock Tower after she graduates high school is now branded a criminal and is under trial by the Lords. Why?
Because she had closed a gate to the Root.
The thought gnawed at him. He had always believed that the Root was beyond human reach, a goal that could only end in self-destruction. And yet, someone had sealed it? Not failed to reach it, not lost themselves trying, but deliberately cut it off?
Why?
More importantly… how?
He took another drag from his cigarette, fingers tightening around the filter.
SIGH
He thought back on how he ended up coming here
It had been a week ago, a sickly thin old man approached him and presented himself as Matou Zouken. He provided him with the information about the ritual and extended an invitation to participate. He had no intention to accept at first at least until the old man revealed that information on the Tohsaka girl.
Of course, he did not trust him but told him he would consider it seriously and in the meanwhile he gathered information and verified that he was indeed speaking the truth. A way to the root was opened and Tohsaka Rin closed it.
While many details are still unknown, that fact was certain. The offer was fishy and the fact that the chich was supposedly uninvolded even more so, but it's not like he can't make preparations for it.
He took another drag from his cigarette, fingers tightening around the filter.
The Grail War. The Holy Grail. A wish that could bypass all limits to reach the Root. It was insanity, but magi lived and died by insanity. If he played his cards right, if he could grasp even a fraction of what had been done, then maybe… maybe...
Maybe he could undo it.
Maybe he could take back what was lost.
Or at the very least, remove the goddamn curse shackled to his family crest.
He quickly shoot this toughts to the back of his mind, he was a magus and as such he will try to reach the Root. Yes, there is no other reason other that, he cannot let there be any other reason.
The embers of his cigarette flared as he inhaled deeply, letting the thought settle. He had no illusions of grandeur. He wasn't some idealist chasing the impossible. But if there was a chance, just one chance, then this war could give him what he needed, he would gladly take the gamble.
Even if it meant stepping into the mud alongside the rest of the wretched magi inside this conflict.
All for a second chance. That was all he needed.
No it was to reach the Root. Yes... it was for that, right?
***
Kyoto was quiet at this hour. The streets, normally buzzing with life, had settled into an eerie stillness under the pale glow of streetlights. He had chosen this place for a reason, Japan was historically rich in spirits, and he couldn't afford a relic to summon a specific Servant with his savings, then he'd have to rely on something else.
That was why he set up his workshop in the middle of a graveyard.
It was an old, well-preserved, resting place of warriors from the Bakumatsu era.
'If I can't call a specific hero, then I'll call one tied to this place.'
He set the summoning circle, the crimson sigils glowing softly beneath the moonlight. The atmosphere grew heavy as prana gathered as he started the chant.
"Be gone, shadows"
"Thou of the unseeable"
"Fade back into oblivion, if of darkness"
"Be returned to the immaterial"
"Ask not me, my answer is clear"
"In my hand is light. Know that all is in this hand"
"I am the truth of creation, In face of all things, thy defeat is certain."
A pulse of energy surged through the graveyard. The candle flames flickered wildly before a golden light erupted from the center of the circle as wind howled between the tombstones.
Then, the light faded.
A man stood before him.
He wore a light blue haori with white ends on the wide sleeves. A pair of katanas strapped on his side. His presence was calm, composed, almost like a blade. He took in his surroundings before settling his gaze on the magus and then his demeanor flipped.
"Yo. Guess that means you're my Master, huh?" His tone was casual and flippant. "Didn't think I'd be dragged back into this mess, but hey, that's fate for ya."
The magus chuckled, running a hand through his hair as he let out a slow breath. "Looks like it."
The magus extended his hand to the Servant. "My name is Kairi Sissigu, an independent mercenary magus and I'm your Master. The command spells on my hand are proof. Please take care of me in this war, I'll do my best to support you during this battle."
The servant took his hand and shook it. While not a custom from his land the information from his summoning taught him about it. "Nice to meet ya Master-chan. I'm the captain of the Shinsengumi's third division, the invincible sword, Saito Hajime and I was summoned as a Saber class Servant."
"Nice to meet you too, Saber."
Ending the handshake Saber looked around and whistled. "Summoning me here, huh? Pretty cool. I guess you aren't one of those fancy types, y'know, the kind with a stick shoved up their backs, though from your attire you didn't look the part, ya never know. I'll also do my best Master-chan."
"Ahh, oh right, I'm really bad with formalities. I hope we can still get along." Added Saber.
Sisigou smirked. "Glad to hear it. I'm also really bad at it, so I guess we have that in common."
And so the master of Saber and the servant of this war were decided. Now it's time for the others to slowly make their appearance as well, as they approach the site of the battlefield of this war. That is…
***
[Hotel room, Tokyo]
He glanced down at his hand, where the remnants of a shattered wine glass lay strewn across the floor, the red liquid soaking into the carpet. His fingers twitched. He took in a deep, very deep, breath, willing himself to not toss the boy out the nearest window.
"Brat." Gilgamesh's voice was deceitfully calm. Too calm. "Say that again."
The boy blinked, head tilting slightly in thought before nodding. "None of your stats have a plus value. Does that mean you're not extraordinary?"
Silence.
SIGH
Then, a very slow, extremely exasperated exhale.
Gilgamesh closed his eyes. He had survived various trails, enemies and gods in life. Yet somehow, this insignificant little mongrel had managed to deliver an insult so profound that, for a single fleeting moment, the King of Heroes wondered if he had miscalculated in saving him.
His eye twitched.
The boy merely stared, awaiting an answer with the same dull, unshaken gaze. As if he had simply asked about the weather not even realizing how insulting his remark was.
"Oooh?" The word was drawn out and while still sounding calm he was actually hiding his rage beneath it. "Is that so?"
A snap of his fingers.
Golden light bloomed in the air, shimmering like a mirage. And then–
CLANG.
The ground quaked as an ornate golden blade embedded itself mere inches from the boy's body landing on the mattress he was laying on.
The boy did not flinch though.
Gilgamesh's brow twitched again. He leaned forward, resting his chin on one hand as he used the other to retrieve a new glass of wine.
"Tell me, boy." He mused, idly gesturing toward the weapon. "What is that?"
The boy looked at the sword. Then back at Gilgamesh. Then at the sword again. "…A weapon?"
Gilgamesh pinched the bridge of his nose. "Yes." He grunted out. "And not just any weapon. That is a treasure, a Noble Phantasm, one of countless artifacts within my vaults. A blade of history, forged in an age before humans even knew how to scrape stones together for fire."
"Oh." The boy's voice was as flat as ever. He stared at the sword. "So it's old."
CRACK
And so honorably feel another glass of wine in battle. His sacrifice will be remembered for the years to come.
Gilgamesh fist tightened and his knuckles made crackling noises. For one instant the temperature of the room seemed to drop. Gilgamesh closed his eyes again, exhaling very slowly. Remind himself he was just an ignorant child. Trying really hard to remember he was just a child.
"…You little mongrel." His voice was seething with barely restrained anger now. "Let me enlighten you on something."
"A Noble Phantasm is the crystallization of a hero's legend. Their greatest weapon in battle. They are manifestations of history and myth, relics of heroes who transcended mortality to etch their names into eternity. Some are weapons, others are abilities, spells and a select few are concepts so powerful that they defy reason itself."
He gestured toward the golden sword. "Each Servant possesses at least one, tied intrinsically to their identity. The stronger the legend, and the greater they actually were in reality the stronger the rank of the Noble Phantasm will be after becoming an heroic spirit save for a few rare cases where it's the opposite."
The boy looked at the blade again. "Is this sword your Noble Phantasm?"
Gilgamesh chuckled, putting on an arrogant smirk."It's just one of the many that make part of my first Noble Phantasm. Among them my greatest treasure is the pinnacle of all Noble Phantasms and it's what makes my Noble Phantasm rank EX in the status you see. "
The boy tilted his head slightly. "What does that mean?"
Gilgamesh smirked, pleased that at least one intelligent question had been asked. "Noble Phantasms are ranked from E to A, with A being the strongest within normal limits. And A+++ being the very top of it with its modifiers. However, EX is a classification reserved for those beyond measurement. A power so immense or unique that it cannot be contained within the standard ranking system."
He leaned back, regaining his clam fully and proudly declared. "To put it simply, it means I am beyond comparison. So of course I'm way above those so called extraordinary Servants. Do you understand it now you little mongrel? AHAHAHAH"
The kid just nodded in answer. "Yes."
The sheer lack of resistance made Gilgamesh pause. While already aware of this hollowness in the child, his response didn't make him feel any satisfaction at all. For reasons he could not quite place, that irritated him more.
"Truly," he mused aloud, "what a strange mongrel..."
"...Never mind that. I'll teach you how to activate your magic circuits so you can provide me with magical energy over time. Though frankly, after this exhausting exchange, I doubt you'll grasp it anytime soon. Just make an attempt, and then I'm done for today. I need some fresh air before I decide to throw you off this balcony."